Fun Fashion Nail Designs From Sephora

I have been perusing Sephora's website and spotted some awesome nail designs. And while they were intended for Halloween, the designs are so awesome that I think that these Halloween designs can be extended into the rest of the year!!!

The Prissy Missy- This is for those who are pretty, pink, and perky. 'The Prissy Missy' perfectly "captures the princess vibe".

Step One: Prep nail base by eliminating residue with Formula X Nail Cleanser. Lightly brush over nail bed.

Step Two: Prime with Formula X Base Coat to ensure nail color adhesion. Apply one coat, completely covering the nail.

Step Three: Brush on one coat of Formula X New Neutrals in Brazen. Let it dry for two to three minutes. For bolder color, add another coat and let dry three to five minutes. 

Step Four: Apply Formula X Brilliants in Fine Like Einstein in diamond shapes, connecting each one at the tip. Let dry for three to five minutes.

Step Five: Finish the look with one coat of Formula X Top Coat.

The Abra Cadaver: This was originally intended to 'trick our your nails for Dia de Los Muertos'. While intended for a morbid purpose, this nail design is absolutely classy, sophisticated, and beautiful! Tre chic!

Step One: Prep nail base by eliminating residue with Formula X Nail Cleanser. Lightly brush over nail bed.

Step Two: Prime with Formula X Base Coat to ensure nail color adhesion. Apply one coat, completely covering the nail.

Step Three: Brush on one coat of Formula X New Neutrals in Larger Than Life. Let it dry for two to three minutes. For bolder color, add another coat and let dry three to five minutes. 

Step Four: Starting at the bottom right corner of the nail, apply Formula X Xplosives in Blast Off moving toward the left corner of the tip in a diagonal. Let dry for three to five minutes.

Step Five: Finish the look with one coat of Formula X Top Coat.

The Malice In Wonderland: Oooh this design is for those cheeky vixens out there that know exactly what they want and how to get it. Emoting confidence? Or are you feeling a little on the bad side? Living on the edge? This is the nail design that says it all! 

Step One: Prep nail base by eliminating residue with Formula X Nail Cleanser. Lightly brush over nail bed.

Step Two: Prime with Formula X Base Coat to ensure nail color adhesion. Apply one coat, completely covering the nail.

Step Three: Brush on one coat of Formula X New Classics in Pyrotechnic. Let it dry for two to three minutes. For bolder color, add another coat and let dry three to five minutes. 

Step Four: Brush on Formula X Xplosives in Chaotic. Let dry for three to five minutes.

Step Five: Finish the look with one coat of Formula X Top Coat

Don't you just love nail play? While such a small detail, nail designs definitely add a subtle touch to any outfit. And plus its just so fun to play. Happy playing!

Hair Brush Replacement 101

Oh, the hairbrush debate. Who knew that you had to properly clean a hair brush, and who knew that there were sometimes, despite it looking like the brush is brand new, it has to be thrown out? I certainly didn't, and my hair definitely paid the price. So, I am here to save your hair day. Yes, ladies... There is a time that you need to replace your hair brush. It may have all the bristle, and it may appear to be clean, but that means absolutely nothing when it comes to the hair brush world. Not replacing your hair brush can pay some serious damage to your locks, so don't be like me, and replace your brush before anything bad happens. Here is when to ditch the brush!


If It's Damaged
Damaged bristles will damage your hair. It's as simple as that. Worn out bristles will rough up the cuticles on your hair and as a result, you will get split ends, fly aways and all kinds of damage to your locks that simply isn't worth it. If you notice that some of the bristles have lost the "top" of them, or fallen out, it is time to replace the entire brush. Since this hair product is fairly cheap, you should try to do so regularly. After all, you're using your brush on a daily basis.

If It's Old
Simple, if you can't remember how long you have had your brush, how much it cost or where you got it... It's too old. You should never have a brush that you have had for a long time. There is all kinds of dust, dandruff, gunk and funk that have been built up in it over the years. Even a proper cleaning won't help an old brush. Ditch it, and invest $5 on a new one. Your hair will appreciate it and the style of your do will be much easier to achieve.

If It Stinks
Yuk! This should be a surefire sign as to when it is time to replace your hair brush. If it stinks, get rid of it! There is obviously bacteria growing in it that is causing the funk, and each time you use the hair brush, your hair is being put through some serious circumstances. Proper cleaning can sometimes solve this issue, but you could simply play it safe and get rid of it.

Think of it like this; you throw out your sneakers to prevent joint injuries, you replace your mattress to prevent back pain and you need to replace your hair brush to prevent hair damage. Do not risk it. Hair brushes are usually $5... So replace them as often as possible.

Photo Credit: http://www.denmanbrush.com/acatalog/Denman-D6-Bright-Detangling-Shower-Brush.html

Hunger Games: Catching A Little Fashion Fire

With the second movie due soon in theaters, you'll find that The Hunger Games fever is hitting another all time high. And I'll be part of the screaming fans. This is probably one of my favorite YA series today. 

In love with this series?

Here's a little fun fact for Hunger Game fans: Trish Summerville, the film series' costume designer, will be launching a clothing line inspired by The Hunger Games! And yes, while the series is YA, the clothing is catering to the more luxurious and grown-up audience. 

The clothing line, titled "Capital Couture" will be a 16-piece luxury collection and will be exclusively available on Net-a-Porter. Expect the line to launch "in time for the film's worldwide release on November 22", although this is a loose date.

So at this moment, while this fashion line isn't available now, do you find yourself wondering how you can tame your Hunger Games fever in the mean time? Here are some fun fashion favorites of mine influenced by The Hunger Games: CoverGirl's Capitol Beauty Studio.

*Note: I am in no way affiliated with CoverGirl nor am I an employee. I just love the series and was very excited to see that CoverGirl was catching the fever too! 

CoverGirl's Capitol Beauty Studio

This line includes the creation of 12 looks, representing the 12 districts. Let's take a look at each

District 1: Luxury is inspired by the idea of luxury, opulence - rich sumptuous color on the lips and nail
District 2: Inspiration aims for a matte, chalky, yet elegant finish representing the stone of Masonry in a feminine way.
District 3: Technology embraces innovations of the digital, tech space while maintaining femininity with a bit of edge.
District 4: Fishing is inspired by the iridescence of the sea: fish scales, ocean plants, the endless shades of blues and greens.
District 5: Power represents strength and in your face.

District 6: Transportation aims to be a little racy, slick, fast and elegant.
District 7: Lumber represents nature, lumber, and wood. It is earthy, beautiful and wearable, but yet cool.
District 8: Textiles looks at layering, color, textures and everything. It's rich in every culture an that's what's beautiful about it.
District 9: Grain is inspired by golden neutrals and the earthiness of grains.
District 10: Livestock includes a palette is lively and beautiful, and so refreshing in many ways.

District 11: Agriculture is about fresh blossoms and brightness.
District 12: Mining hints at a little bit of canary yellow within the dark of the coal. 

How to Properly Clean Your Hair Brush

So this post may seem extremely obvious to some people, but there is a large amount of people who simply do not know how to clean their hair brush. It sounds crazy, we know. However, it is absolutely crucial to know and practice the proper way to clean your hair brush to ensure that the condition of your hair is at its best possible health. Since your hair brush meets your locks every day, on more than one occasion, this should be the first place you place emphasis on when caring for your hair. There are one too many times that I have walked into my friend's bathroom, only to see a brush full of hair that probably hasn't been cleaned lately, let alone ever. Now, ladies it is crucial to remember that pulling the hair out of the bristles does not make your hair brush clean. Here are some tips that will completely change

Step one: The first thing that you have to do is remove the hair from the brush. There are tools that you can purchase to do the job, or you can use a pen and slide it underneath the hair, in between the brush. Once you have woven it through the two, you can lift the pen up which will also remove the hair from the bristles, allowing you to grab and remove it. You can also use scissors to cut down the middle of the hair glob if you are worried about damaging your brush, or the hair tangle is a complete disaster and needs to be cut through. Yuk! It does happens though, so evaluate your specific situation.

Step Two: Once the hair is removed, it is time to actually clean the brush. As long as you have some shampoo, you will have no problem with the cleaning part. Fill your sink up with warm water and add approximately a tablespoon of cleansing shampoo. Yes... There are some shampoos that don't thoroughly cleanse, so look for one that emphasizes this feature. Place the brush in the shampoo water and start to brush it thoroughly. It is not recommended to let it sit in the water and then rinse, as film can be gathered and its not thoroughly cleaning the brush anyway. Once you have gotten each inch of your brush and every bristle, rinse thoroughly. You do not want to let the shampoo build in your brush and then go into your hair. Then, let it air dry.


It is recommended that you clean your brush at least once or twice a week, and again, that doesn't mean simply pulling the hair out of the brush. It is not clean until you follow these steps. It takes only a couple of minutes and will enhance the appearance, texture and health of your locks. It is worth the little amount of time that you have to spend. Trust a girl who knows what she's talking about.
It is two steps... You can't go wrong.
Photo Credit: http://www.leanne-marie.com/2012/11/do-you-clean-your-hair-brushes.html

Slimming Girdles

 

  Hi ladies, I hope you are all enjoying the fact that it's Friday. Who doesn't love the weekend right? Anyways, today I would like to discuss girdles. Girdles are undergarments that aid the body into looking slim. What woman wouldn't want that, right? Anyways, there are different types of girdles out there, let's take a look at the different ones.

Dress Girdles:  Alright, do you ever think, "Oh I would love to wear a tight fitting dress, but my love handles and extra fat would show?" Do not worry. There are especial girdles just for this! They come in the shape of a dress. This means that they will hug you right from all the right places, so you can do whatever without having to worry on whether your fat will show if you sit this way or that way.
 
Short Girdles:  Sometimes, women have more fat around the bottom part of their abdomen, thighs, or bum. There is no need to worry or feel ashamed about this. We all have things we don’t like, and there are many ways to work on them. For starts, one can use a short girdle that will slim down the thighs, bum, and legs.

 
Full Suit Girdles: Wowzer! Yes, there is such thing as full body girdles. This means that it will slim down, bum, things, stomach, love handles, and legs, and as a bonus, these suits make the girls look great. Once again, these suits can be worn with anything. Although, I got to be honest, they are like jumpsuits in where you would have to take everything off to go to the bathroom. So, they can be inconvenient.  

Positive Outcomes of the Girdles: Alright, first of, let me state that anyone can rock anything, but if you happen to be self-conscious about your body, do something about it. There is no shame in wearing a girdle. In fact, I believe that girdles also help you keep back posture, so that’s always a bonus in preventing one from slouching.

Alright, that brings me to the end of today’s blog. I hope you all have a wonderful and fun-filled weekend; Until next time. 

Photo Citation: Sedo. http://buycheapwomensshapewear.com. 25 October 2013. Web.

360 Degree Fall Skin Care Part 2: The Oily

When it comes to any changing season, our skin definitely undergoes a chemical change. The solution however is not the same for everyone, even for those with similar skin conditions. Hopefully my tips and tricks below will help keep the changing season blues away.

The Season: Fall. Some may experience dryness, others may experience (during summer) an over abundance of oil production, and some may find the oil spots are dry and the dry spots are now oily. For Part 2 of 360 Degree Fall Skin Care, we are going to focus on those experiencing oiliness.

Non-Comodegenic Always: When skin overproduces oil, people have a tendency to skip the moisturizer, afraid that the extra moisture will only increase the oil feeling. If you have oily skin, choose a moisturizer that is non-comodegenic. Non-comodegenis allows a moisturizer to nourish your skin without blocking your pores, causing your skin to overproduce oil. Also choose non-comodegenic makeup that you wear, such as foundation. 

Mildly Exfoliate: When breakouts happen due to oiliness, some turn to exfoliating to unclog of blocked pores. However, those who overdo exfoliation and have oily skin, may trigger the skin's need to produce more oils than normal. Try a mild exfoliator such as an exfoliating cleanser. Philosophy's Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash is a mild, exfoliating facial cleanser designed to cleanse the skin while providing resurfacing benefits.

Oil-Free Makeup: Always opt for oil-free makeup. Always always always! This will help keep your pores from getting clogged and will still allow you to wear your foundation without feeling like an oil slick.

Try Au-Natural: Thank you Jennifer Lawrence for shifting the beauty scene to natural beauty! Less makeup means less clogged pores! Try for defined eyebrows, shimmer on the cheekbones, and a lip stain. You'll look dewy, fresh, and beautiful. Feel like you need something more? Like Jennifer Lawrence's Dior ad, dust on a neutral brown along your lids and apply some mascara. Again, natural beauty is in. Plus it's cheaper on the wallet!

Keep your skin healthy and hydrated! Happy Fall!

Get Rid of the Burnt Hair Smell

There is only one thing worse than burnt hair, and that is the smell of it. I was recently in the shower when I got a whiff of my hair and was completely disgusted. It smelled burnt. Although it didn't necessarily look burnt, it definitely had some fry to it that was delightful. This had me wondering how to get rid of the burnt smell on hair. It also made me become extremely self conscious about the way that my hair smelled after I used a hair iron on it. Thus, this article was created. Start taking a whiff of your hair and get rid of that awful stench!

Use Scented Serum
This definitely won't get rid of the problem, but it will certainly hide it. Once you have completed your hair styling, use some delicious smelling product such as hair serum. This will not only help hold the style and get rid of any frizzes that may be a result of the burnt hair, but it will hide the smell... Until next time, of course. Natural oils are amazing to use as they will help repair your hair at the same time as deterring the horrendous smell of burnt hair.

Lower the Heat
It is usually automatic for us to increase the hair iron temperature to as hot as it can be. However, your hair can most likely be straightened or curled at a lower heat. For example, instead of 420, try a heat at 350. This small adjustment could save you from the burnt hair smell.

Use Protectant
Your hair likely smells like burnt hair because it is burnt! Using a heat protecting product to deter the burn to your hair. You should be using a heat protecting product anyway, as hair irons are simply awful for your hair and this product will slow down the damage that is inevitable to happen.

Solve the Problem
The best thing that you can do is a repair hair therapy treatment. Give your hair a break and stop applying heat products to your locks. You would need to stop using them for a significant amount of time in order for your damaged hair to grow out, but if possible, completely cut heat products out of your hair for as long as you can. If this isn't a viable option for you, and as a hair girl myself, I don't blame you, try to decrease your use of hair irons and heat products. Let your hair air dry when possible, and skip out on straightening your hair when you don't need to go anywhere.

It may be time to smell your hair before you go out to ensure that you don't smell yucky out in public. It's definitely something that I do now. I wouldn't dare step outside the house smelling like burnt hair again, and the worst thing is, you can't really smell it until you put your nose to it, but everyone else can smell it from afar.

Photo Credit: http://www.jeanlouisdavid.us/repair-burnt-hair-following-a-perm/