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Category Archives: Heath & Beauty
Coincidence or a Sign from the Universe?
One of the first posts I ever wrote on this blog was about how badly I wanted pink hair. A year later it still hasn’t happened. Of course I am still at the same office, with the same restrictions, and while no one has commented on my wrist tattoo I feel like cotton candy hair might be pushing my luck. But I think this tutorial by The Beauty Department might be just the loophole I need. If I only color the tips of my hair I can keep it pulled back at the office and still take baby steps towards my ultimate goal.
DIY: Rainbow Tips
TOOLS: highlighting comb, clips, foils, color brush, hair bleach with the appropriate volume (always seek a professional when using bleach), light pink color, dark pink color, light blue, dark blue, clear gloss.
Instructions:
Step 1 Highlight the tips of the hair using hair bleach with the correct volume. I lightened the bottom 3 inches of Lauren’s hair, taking it as light as possible without causing any damage. As you can see above, I like to “feather” on the bleach. Painting a jagged line makes it blend better.
Step 2 Fold up your foil and let it process until it reaches a pale blonde. Use the appropriate heat if necessary.
Step 3 Shampoo and lightly condition bleach out of the hair.
Step 4 Blow hair completely dry. If it’s still wet, it will soak up less color.
Step 5 Place the hair on a foil. Imagine the bleached out part being split into 3. You’re going to leave the top 1/3 blonde.
Step 6 Next, paint the light blue (or whatever color you choose) on the entire bottom 2/3.
Step 7 Paint the very tips (or bottom 1/3) using the darker version of that color. It should look almost feather like. Be sure to blend. Last, rinse out the color. I highly suggest washing them out one piece at a time and towel drying well so the colors don’t bleed into each other. If they do, you may see a “marbleizing” effect. I love when the colors all swirl together like that, but if you’re looking to keep them more defined, keep them away from each other when they’re wet. I like to finish up by sealing it with a clear gloss. That’s a professional use only product so if you don’t have access to it, you don’t have to do that. Blow dry and…Tah Daaah!!
*Note: Bleaching your hair at home can have varying outcomes. When I bleached my hair in college I ended up with an orange mess and minor chemical burns on my scalp. If you haven’t tried this process before it might be a good idea to consult a professional at least for the bleaching step of this tutorial.
Original tutorial here.
Half Moon Manicure
For better of worse i’ve always been a girly girl. On my first birthday I wouldn’t touch the special alphabet block cake my mom spent hours making, so she took my hand and smooshed it into the frosting to get things started. The next four photos in the sequence go something like this: Me wrenching my hand from the cake, looking at the sticky frosting coating my tiny fingers with an adorably befuddled expression, me then bursting into tears, and finally my mom laughing as she cleaned my hands off. My mom still calls me “Prissy Britches” from time to time.
I’ve come a long way since then, but I still have quirks. Little things like wrinkled clothes, untidy eyebrows and chipped nail polish make me a little twitchy. Since I just can’t seem to make a manicures last, 9 times out of 10 my nails go unpolished. Lately, i’ve been thinking about trying to do at home manicures once or twice a month, just for fun. This nail tutorial by blogger Keiko Lynn seems like it might be a fun and pretty easy way to get started.
Supplies:
Step by Step:
Images from here.
All my Singles Ladies…Spa Night
Tomorrow is the dreaded Valentine’s Day. Even if you’re okay with your single status, all the pink hearts and rose petals can start make the strongest of us feel a little left out. My best advice for surviving is this: Get together with your other single friends and celebrate being strong enough to not be in a relationship for the wrong reasons, also buy yourself some of those chocolates, you deserve them too. However, If you are running a little short of single friends opt for Plan B and have a “me” night. Watch your favorite movies, order take out and have a spa night. Here are some recipes to get you started.
Oatmeal Lavender Face Scrub
1 cup ground oatmeal
1/2 cup dry lavender flowers, stripped of stalks
1/2 cup powdered milk (either whole or nonfat)
2 teaspoon cornmeal
Combine all the dry ingredients, genitally massage into damp skin and rinse with warm water. The extra can be bagged up and kept for six months.
Recipe from here.
Sweet-and-Sour Cleanser
4 Tbsp plain yogurt
2 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp lime juice
Blend ingredients, adding cornstarch as a thickening agent if needed. Apply to face and massage 1-2 minutes. Rinse. This unique combination of ingredients leaves your skin smooth and radiant.
Recipe from here.
Easy Bath Salts
3/4 cup Epsom salts
1/2 cup sea salt
1/4 cup baking soda
6-8 drops of your fave essential oil(s)
Optional: dried lavender or rose petals
Combine all the ingredients together, and store in a jar with a lid.
Recipe from here.
Julie’s Favorite Sugar Scrub
2 cups brown sugar (lightly packed)
1/2 cup sweet almond oil
1/4 cup honey
Combine all ingredients and genitally massage in to rough or dry skin and rinse with warm water. Personally, I use it when I shower, but be careful the almond oil can make the floor a bit slick.
All of this should be administered with a batch of brownies, a dozen (or two) cookies and/or some serious ice cream.
* Please be conscious of any food allergies that you have, if you can’t eat it, it probably isn’t a good idea to rub it on your skin.
Image from here.
Baby it’s cold outside…DIY Sugar Lip Scrub
You’ll need:
- pure coconut oil
- honey
- brown sugar
- a teaspoon
- a tablespoon
- a mixing bowl
- an empty jar or 2.5 oz baby food jar
Make sure that the coconut oil is solid enough to scoop up but soft enough for a spoon to dig in. If the coconut oil is too oily, stick it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes. If the coconut oil is too hard, place it into a sink filled with hot water for 5-10 minutes or until soft. Combine one well-rounded tablespoon of coconut oil with one tablespoon of honey into the bowl. Besides smelling and tasting incredible, coconut oil is actually an amazing natural ingredient for skin and body products. The oil contains fatty acids and antioxidants that moisturize and nourish the skin while honey contains cleansing and healing properties and is a natural binder.
Mix the coconut oil and honey until they bind together. The consistency should look like thick honey-comb honey. Make sure to mash up all of the coconut lumps so that the mixture is clump-free. This will serve as the base of the scrub.
Add two hand packed teaspoons of brown sugar and fold it into the base. Brown sugar not only tastes fantastic, it is also a great natural exfoliant because it’s not too harsh and leaves skin soft to the touch. All of the brown sugar should be coated in the coconut oil and honey base.
Add one teaspoon of just the oil from coconut oil jar into the bowl. This will help smooth out the mixture and make the scrub extra moisturizing. Transfer the scrub from the bowl into a small jar or container.
The scrub will last up to 2 weeks if refrigerated. Before using, allow the scrub to stand at room temperature for a good 10 minutes so that the formula softens a bit. Apply scrub to lips in small, circular motions for 1-2 minutes and rinse off with a warm washcloth. Congratulations – you are now armed with a soft, moisturized, and plump pout. Pucker up! xx, Sarah.
Crazy Cat Lady
Before I met Andy I was pretty sure there was about a 45% chance that i’d end up a crazy cat lady. I regard my fuzzy ones more as little people with fur and fangs than as mere pets. Besides anyone who owns a cat can attest to the fact that cats pick you, not the other way around. So instead I am now part of that “crazy couple with all the cats”. When I saw the cat inspired makeup by Paul & Joe I may have made a slightly embarrassing sound of excitement, and quickly navigated to the website to see more. Unfortunately, the price tag is a little high for a new homeowner, and the argument for lipstick and eyeshadow vs. getting a coffee table doesn’t last that long, even in my mind. Besides, I don’t know if I could bring myself to use the product, it would ruin the absolutely adorable shape.
