Friday Link Love 1/27/2012

Lots of links this week. Get excited! 

• My mind was blown when I saw this video on how to eat a chicken wing properly. 
• This has to be the best trick for those pants that are just a tad too tight. Because I know we all still want to wear them!
• Oh it's Disney Princess? Put it in Link Love! Seven deadly sins: Disney Princess edition. 
• Remember those fork rings I showed a couple of weeks back? Well, now you can make your own. 
• 21 home remedies for your skin. Someone let me know if these actually work! 
• Ever wonder who decided it'd be cool to pierce your ears? Then take a look at this article "the stories behind your favorite fashion."
• Get ready to be uncomfortable. 10 most embarrassing beauty problems solved! 
• Thank you internet for showing me random things that make my life easier, like how to make photo albums on your iphone. 
• Makeup shades that look good on everyone. 
• Related, sort of: Tips for all you girls out there who hate makeup. 
• How to get everyone's favorite New Yorker's hair. That's Carrie Bradshaw of course! 
• The Faux bob. Something I'm wanting to try with my hair soon! 
• 5 products every woman must have in their bag! And the size of my bag grows...
• Another recipe for homemade pore strips, this one without any gelatin. 
• Doctor Who! oh, and fashion inspired by it. Although, I think that a certain blonde is missing. 
• I love all of these inspirational quotes. Marilyn Monroe, you are amazing. 
• Ah, the never ending jeggings debate.
• All you lazy girls out there! Here are some makeover tips!  
• Seeing a celebrity with a new look is something I find very exciting! So the 50 best celebrity makeovers in one spot? Christmas. 
• Maybe these acne success stories can help you clear up your red spots. 
• Oh my goodness these street artworks are amazing! 
• And finally, something we all probably need. 9 easy ways to be happier. 

To Pick or Not To Pick

Shakespeare might roll over in his grave if he found out I was using one of his lines to talk about pimples. But then again, the bard would be so dizzy from rolling over from other things he might not mind.

People always say that you shouldn't pick your pimples at all. It leads to scarring and bleeding and other nasties, but if you're like me and have a compulsion to pick than these are the rules you need to follow.

White Heads
They're the way to go. If it's not white, don't touch it! It's not prime yet.

• Heat it up first! Take a warm wet rag and hold it on top of the spot and let the warmness open your pore. 
• Find yourself an extractor. They look like this. 

Don't be afraid! 

• The extractor pushes on the area around the pimple and pushes the nasty out. But the important thing about them is that they don't create any scarring. 
• Sometimes, you might need a lancet. Basically, it's the equivalent of a needle, but it's made for your skin. Gently, poke your pimple with the slanted edge facing up. Go at from the side. 

• If you don't have an extractor, do not use your fingers! Take two cotton swabs and and use those to push on the pimple. 
• You know when there's nothing left in your pimple whenever it's just blood coming out. 

Blackheads 

• Pretty much the same as a white head. Heat. Extractor.
• If you've got a lot of buildup on your nose, apply pressure and pull down with the extractor. But I warn you, it's no walk in the park. It hurts really bad. 

Post-Care

• Throw some witch hazel on it. 

Less than $5 at your local drugstore. Can't beat that!

• Then hit it with Murad's Acne Spot Treatment. It's got 10% sulfur acne treatment in it that will help dry it up. 

So, tell me. Do you pick your pimples properly? Or have you been doing it wrong like I have?

Men: A Simple Trick to Keep You Looking Good

And really isn't that what we all want? To look good all the time.

Guys, you have it so easy. It doesn't take a lot to make you look good. A shower, a shave, and bam! Good looks. It's pretty quite amazing. Us ladies, well, it's more of a process.

If you're using your deductive skills, then you've probably guessed that the trick is cleaning up your neck line. It's a fast and easy way to keep that haircut lasting a bit longer.

I've got one tip for doing this yourself:

• ask someone else to do it.

Yes. You could probably do it yourself, using tape and an electric razor. But you know what? If you mess it up, then you're going to have to go into the salon anyways. So do yourself (and your stylist) and favor and ask someone else to do it for you. Your girlfriend. Your roommate. Your mom. Anyone will do. Just tell them to follow the line that you already have. You designated neck-cleaner-upper should be able tell where your new growth is and where to shave it off.

It's easy as pie.

Gentlemen, what are your other ways of keeping up with your look?





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How To Tuesday: 5 Minute Updo

I get tired of wearing my hair down the same way everyday, and I get tired of washing my hair. So sometimes...I like to pull it up and do something fun. Because let's face it...a pony tail just doesn't give me the satisfaction that it used to.

But I like easy hair. Especially when I'm waking up before the sun even rises. So this 5 minute updo is perfect.

A little tip: Curl your hair with a curling iron before you start. It helps keep the ends tucked in better.







This is just a base. This updo can be tweaked, twisted, changed a thousand different ways. Add a braid. Add a bun. Add a flower. possibilities my friends, possibilities. 






**Sorry for not posting a picture of the final look. Technical difficulties. Just trust me. It's adorable.

Finding Your Perfect Stylist

Ennie, meanie, miney, mo. 

You should pick your stylist like you should pick your significant other. Well...maybe not quite the same but close. It's a relationship for sure. It took me a while to find my perfect stylist, but now that I have I don't want to let her go.

I've learned a couple of tips that everyone looking for a stylist needs to know.

• Start with looking at the salon. Different salons have different atmospheres, and you might like one atmosphere over the other. So it's important to check them out first.
• If the salon has a website, look over the stylists. Typically, websites will post bios about the stylists. Find one that you think you'll get along with.
• Interview stylist. Book an appointment for a shampoo & style. That will give you an opportunity to talk with your stylist and get to know them a bit.
• Communicate. Talking with your stylist is the most important step. You know what you want, and your stylist knows what you should have. For example: I desperately want a pixie cut, but my stylist tells me that I have too much hair and it wouldn't look like all the pixie cuts I show her do. It's about balancing the two.
• Follow up. You can always go back and talk to your stylist about how your new style is holding up. Also, if for some reason you don't love your style the first time, most salons have a redo policy. Ask about it.

These steps will help you find your perfect fit. And then you'll be as happy as I am! Which is very happy.

How To Tuesday: Applying Fake Eyelashes

Typically, I only break out the fake eyelashes when I want to wear a costume. And every time I do, I forget that I don't know how to apply them. It never fails. I buy them, and then I can't put them on. My costume is always incomplete.


How to apply fake eyelashes.

What you're going to need

Step 1: start with a clean pallet 

That means so mascara and no eyeshadow. You can put all that on later.

Step 2: Prepare the lashes

This is the step that I always skipped and why my lashes never stayed. You have to take the sticky glue off of the lashes that holds them onto the plastic display. If you don't do this, your lashes will most likely not stick.

Also, measure them against your own lashes. Not everyone has the same size eye and lashes aren't "one size fits all". You might need to trim a bit off the end.

Step 3: Glue

Apply the glue to the lashes, in any manner that you want to. Directly on them. Dabbing them in the glue. A cotton swab. It doesn't matter. Just make sure you don't overload the lashes with glue, because remember, it has to go onto your lid. So whatever glue you have it will also be on your lid.

Step 4: Apply

Use your fingers first, then a pair of tweezers to refine the position. They should be placed right at the very bottom of the lid.

Then you're done!

Of course you do your eyeshadow and mascara like normal. But be careful to not pull the lashes off with your mascara wand!

Friday Link Love 1/13/2012

• This updo looks complicated, but the outcomes is simply beautiful. How to style long hair short. 
• Another pretty updo (that I'm wearing today!) and it took less than 5 minutes! 
• DIY eye makeup remover. I might be a little scared to put something I made myself on my eyes. I mean, we all know how that brownie I made last night turned out.**
• The colder months always leave my hair dry and frizzy, but The Beauty Department shows us how to keep it in check!
• Hello Giggles gives your a bit of Self Confi-dunce this week. 
• Oh how beauty ads have changed over the years. These actually looked like real women.
• Foods to nourish your skin. And, as an added bonus, they don't taste awful!
• Um...is this real? LIFE's Living With a Lion. 
• Life hacks are my new favorite thing. Don't know what they are? Well...let's just say they'll make your life easier. Okay. That's exactly what they do.
• Lucky reminds us of 40 drugstore classics. I found myself reminiscing of old times. Dr. Pepper Chapstick. Yes please.
• All you Gleeks out there will be saddened (or happy?) to know that there won't be a spin-off.
• As the world groans along with me: A Kardashian magazine?
• Finally something to do with all those leftover candy canes! Adults only please.  
• Refinery 29 tells us the 10 fashion trends men hate, and why we should keep wearing them.
• An oldie but a goodie. From ...love Maegan. The perfect updo for date night. 
• Filed under strange, and yet I can't look away: The world's weirdest vending machines. 
• DIY rope wrapped chain bracelet. I'm definitely going to try this one out! 
• 30 reasons to love Kate Middleton. As if I needed anymore? Happy belated birthday Duchess! 
• 2 more fun updos!
• R29 shows you a couple of eyeshadow looks. 
• Also from R29, how to look good in pictures- The Facebook edition. 
• For the lovely manager here at On Stage: Rental Hunting Websites. 
• And last...and maybe least. Justin Bieber looks utterly confused in V Magazine.  

**I caught my microwave on fire. Yup. Just call me Betty Crocker.

Liquids, and Creams, and Pencils, Oh My!

I'm talking about eyeliners of course. There are about a thousand different brands of eyeliners out there and in the brands there are about a thousand different types of eyeliners. Okay, I exaggerate. There are pretty much only three different types of eyeliners.

Pencil Liner

First up. Pencil liner. This is definitely the most common type of liner there is.

pros: easy to use; lots of different colors and brands

cons: sometimes it doesn't show up as dark as other types; unless sharpened, not a perfect line

Liquid Liner

Ah liquid liner. How I love you.

pros: clean, crisp lines; great for winged out or cat eyes

cons: can be messy; need a steady hand

Cream Liner

Cream eyeliner: the next best thing since sliced bread.

pros: lasts all day; easy to smudge; can be applied very dark

cons: very difficult to apply; not very portable messy; easy to smudge

Of course, there are other things you can use as eyeliner. Eyeshadow for example. But these are the three basic liners. Each one is great for different look. So don't worry if you have all three on hand. I won't call you a hoarder.

Which type is your favorite?

Too Much Protein Can Be Bad For Your Hair

That, my friends, is not a tree branch. I know it looks like one that a ninja snapped in half, but nope. It is a piece of damaged hair under a microscope. 

Stylists talk a lot about how to get healthy hair. I talk a lot about how to get healthy hair. But to achieve it, you need to know that there is a healthy balance between damaged and damaged. Ahh yes. Sounds confusing, but you'll understand in a moment. 

Your hair is made up of protein, specially one called keratin. Your hair, just like the muscles in your body, need protein to become strong and healthy. Which is why you see a lot of hair products that say, "made with protein". If you're using one of these, then good for you! Your on your way to healthy hair.

But here's where that other damaged plays in. Using too much protein can start to make your hair dry and brittle, causing it to break. Starting to understand now? 

Too little=bad

Too much=bad

If you've hit that "too much" point, here's what you need to do.

1. Use a really good clarifying shampoo. Just trying to condition the dryness out won't work because there is a building up of protein in your hair. You have to clean it out.
2. Then use a really good conditioner. Clarifying shampoos leave your hair dry, so you need to put that moisture back in. But stay away from one with protein in it. 

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How To Tuesday: The Curling Rod/Wand

You know Taylor Swift? Small, blonde, always sparkling?

Yup, that's the one.

There's no denying that she has got some fierce hair. Her curls are always so perfect. And you know what...we know her secret, and now you will too.

But I must forewarn you. This tutorial today will take you some time to do on your own. In fact, it took us  almost two hours to do this to my hair. Granted, like I've said before, I have hair like a wookie.

What you need is a curling rod...or if you like a curling wand. 

That red beauty is a Paul Mitchell Clipless Curling Wand

And then you curl. And curl. And curl.





It's a simple technique, just very tedious.

See...we're practically the same.

Have you used a curling rod before? Or do you have another favorite curling method?

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Friday Link Love 1/6/2012

two thousand and twelve!

• Whoa. This girl with dancing eyebrows is so very strange...and yet, I can't look away. 
• What do you think of wearing rings mid-finger, between your two finger joints? I'm not so sure. 
• Vaseline...it is a miracle product. There's just so many uses for it! 
• The most anticipated movies of 2012. I have to say, I'm squealing in my chair for about half of them. Bonus points to those of you who can guess which ones!
• Here's a different list of most anticipate movies. Though this one doesn't make me feel as...anticipated. 
• This article on the face symmetry of celebrities is an interesting read. Some of them look almost the exact same!
• Anyone love Etsy as much as I do? Well, here are 10 shops your need to know about. 
• This link might just be for myself, but I'd thought I'd share nonetheless. 20 new year's resolutions for 20 somethings. 
• The history of hair.
• I absolutely love Elle Fanning and her amazing sense of fashion. 
• Something everyone should know: how to fix a broken zipper.
• Mod Cloth tells you how to naturally exfoliate your lips.
• This 8 step makeup tutorial is so natural and pretty!  
• I might be late in showing you these holiday hair tutorials, but I think they'd work all year long! 
• How to do face contouring. 
• The best dressed ladies of 2011. 
• A straight brow...hmm...interesting. 
• Do you love Free People? Well, then this is the perfect nail tutorial for you!

What do you see this first week of 2012? Tell me in the comments below! 

The New Year's Resolution Everyone Should Have

Heathy, shiny hair

It sounds simple, right? But, ahh, if you're not used to taking care of your hair it is definitely something that should be on your list. Don't worry though. I can break down this resolution into three simple steps. 

1. Cut
2. Color
3. Conditioner

And look at that, they're all c's. 

Snip, Snip.

Getting a regular haircut is probably the biggest component to having healthy hair. Trimming off the dead and split ends not only keeps your hair looking better, but it will also keep your hair from breaking off and thus allow it grow longer.

All the pretty colors!

It's no secret that bleaching your hair over and over again can leave it dry and brittle, making it more prone to break. It's not impossible to have perfectly heathy hair when it is bleached out every four weeks, but it's a lot harder. So this year, try a different look. Maybe a honey blonde, or something more dramatic like a chestnut brown. 

I've already talked about the importance of a deep conditioner, but it's possible that you need a reminder, because I know I do sometimes. Deep conditioners are important. They replace the moisture in your hair that you have lost through blowdrying, flat ironing and all those other kinds of ironing. 

Besides healthier hair, what are your beauty New Year's Resolutions? Tell me in the comments below!

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January Spotlight Stylist

This month kicks off the Year of the Dragon. According the Chinese culture, the Year of the Dragon person stands out. Which is why, we're kicking off the spotlight stylist series with Janell Edgerton, a stylist at our flagship store in Beaumont.

Janell has been in the hair industry for almost a decade. That's 10 years of changing styles, changing education, and different people. When Janell made her way to On Stage, she knew she had found a home. This year, she hopes to reach her goal of becoming an artistic director.

Janell with her son.

Don't know Janell? Now you can get to know her too.

How long have you been in the industry? with the company? 

 I've been in the industry for 9 years and at On Stage for 7 years

What are your specialities?   

I guess I would say haircutting. It's fun!

What do you have the most fun doing? 

I really enjoy doing a drastic haircut. It's fun to the reaction when someone wants a change.

Have you taken any special classes?  

We have workshops periodically and that's how we stay educated and motivated.

How would you describe your personal style?  

Moderately edgy 

What made you want to be a hairstylist?  

I come from a family of hairstylists.  I grew up around it and always had and interest in it.

Who is your favorite celebrity stylist and why? 

 I would say Nick Arrojo from "What Not To Wear".  He changes someone's look dramatically. It's exciting!

If you could have anyone else's hair, who would it be? 

I would say probably anyone with long hair passed their shoulders. I've always had short hair and when I try and grow it out, I can never make it to that length. I always cut it off.

Do you have a message that you would like to tell all of your clients?  

Step outside the box! Don't be afraid to try something new!

Want to make an appointment with Janell? Call (409)866-0560.

How To Tuesday: Short Hair Looks

Or in this case...Wednesday. I had some technical difficulties yesterday that forced me to postpone the tutorial until today. But no worries, it's here today!

So I've noticed that people who have short hair tend to wear their hair the same way everyday. It's not their fault. Having short hair makes it difficult to be creative. But now that I think about it, having long hair makes it hard to be creative...

Right, back on track. Short hair. Different ways to wear it.

Number one.
This is what I like to call Dallas hair. Because, if you live in Texas...well you know why. It's full of secrets.

• Tease the hair at the crown. And I mean tease it.

• Then smooth it back down and bam! Dallas hair.

Number two.

This is just a simple half up/half down number. But it works just the same for someone with short hair just as well as it does with long hair. Just use a couple extra bobby pins. And in case you don't know how to use one...well here's a handy dandy tutorial.

Number three.

Remember that flat iron curl tutorial from a long time ago. Well...

So if you have short hair and are looking for a couple of new things to do, it's your lucky day.