How To Tuesday: Aveda's Beachy Texture

We all know I'm all about beachy texture. I mean, I pretty much post every tutorial I ever find on the subject. But even after watching all those tutorials I find that the perfect beach wave is still difficult to create. It's too curly...too flat...too blah.

Well, a sign has been in our salon for a month or so showing Aveda's beachy textured girl. I loved the look. Then I found the tutorial. So you know I'm going to post it. Obviously.

Normally I like to create my own tutorials...but sometimes, things are perfect in their original form. Check it out. Then rock it.

Friday Link Love 7/27/2012

• Have you been trying all the "at home products" I've been posting? Here's another one for your cabinet. DIY skin brightener/toner 
• I have about 5 plain white tees...because 4 of them have stains. But not anymore! 
• 101 beauty tips every girl should know
• If you don't have a smart phone, you should get one. And if you don't have these apps, you should get them. 
• Wearing a scarf as a shirt? Yes please!
• Discussion points for The Dark Knight Rises. Warning: Spoilers! 
• Ah, this DIY bow ring is ridiculously cute! 
• Cracked tells us 5 ways to trick your body into being more awesome. 
• An interesting read about how our brains stop us from achieving our goals. 
• And probably the coolest website on the internet: Duolingo. It teaches you a new language (for free!) and helps to translate the internet at the same time. 
• Everyone loves Clueless, but what if it had come out today? How would it be different?
• Is too much makeup grounds for firing? This lady claims thats why she was let go. 
• I'm geeking out over these totally nerdy wedding invitations. The Harry Potter ones! 
• How to choose the right hair brush. We've been obsessed with a denman at the salon recently. 
• The ponytail...over the years. You know you love a good pony!

It's Okay If You...

1. wear "night" makeup during the day, or "day" makeup at night
2. are terrible DIYer
3. start a "wedding" pinboard on Pinterest even if you're not getting married...or even close to being engaged
4. are a little bit upset at the Robert Pattinson/Kristen Stewart cheating drama
5. don't wash your hair for just one more day and throw on a hat
6. don't correct people when they comment on your "natural" hair color
7. are just now discovering ctrl+t while playing a song on iTunes
8. are counting down the minutes until the Olympic opening ceremonies
9. put on full makeup to run errands
10. actually like going to workout

Tweet us or leave a comment below telling us your "it's okay if you..."

The 3 Things Every Girl Needs in her Purse

I carry a big purse. I mean, it's not luggage size or anything, but I can carry some stuff in it (like a jar of almond butter for example). But there are times, albiet rare ones, that I downsize to a smaller bag. My back just can't take all the weight every day, you know?

So even when I have a small bag, there are some essentials that I must find a place for.

1. Chapstick

They say you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping...but I think I spend 1/3 of my life looking for my chapstick. Because hello, big bag...small tube. But this is the most important thing I have in my purse. I can't go a day without it.


     2. Hand Lotion

Growing up I always told my mom that her hands were so soft, and then I realized her secret. That lady slathers hand lotion on at 30 minute intervals. She's got the softest hands in the world. And that's why I love her. For her soft hands.

     3. Mirror

You know how many times I pull out my mirror compact in one day? A lot. I learned to carry one after I got tired of asking my friends if I had anything in my teeth. 

What can you not live without in your purse? Tell me in the comments below!

How To Tuesday: Waterfall Braid

The first time I saw a waterfall braid I sat in front of the computer trying to figure out how it was for like five minutes. I followed each piece of hair over and over again. I just didn't understand!

Luckily, I work in a hair salon, where there are lots of knowledgable people. So I share with you now.

Enjoy.

Friday Link Love 7/20/2012

• If you love elbow patches like I do, you'll be obsessed with these DIY heart shaped ones. 
• I saw these photos in a magazine first, but luckily they have them online so I can share. Celebrities as real people. I'm kind of actually scared of the Madonna one. 
• I'm squealing at how cute (and simple!) this hair bow is. 
• I so want to make this makeup brush roll from The Beauty Department.
• What is your acne telling you?
• You don't always have to shell out dollars for a good body scrub, next time try one of these natural scrubs for your skin type. 
• Amy Poehler is one of the coolest people alive, and I just discovered her Ask Amy YouTube channel. Check out her first episode, "Makeup"
• Another YouTube video to watch: Justin Bieber and NSYNC mashup. It's like all my dreams have come true. 
• Filed under awww!: Sleepy baby animals. 
• Not that we've been getting a whole lot of sun around these parts, but if you have and you got your yearly sunburn, try out one of these homemade sunburn soothers. 
• The Olympics are rapidly approaching! Fashionista gives us a look back on the fashion of the past Olympics. 
• No, my dear Hello Giggles writer, you are not the only one with eyeliner incompetence. 
• Check out these fitness apps that will help keep you motivated and on track!
• Birchbox shows you how to contour your faces like celebrities. 

Middle Part Love

One of the summer trends that I'm obsessed with is the middle part. My mom hates it. Although, she pretty much hates anything that reminds her of the 70s. But I can't help it, I love my center part. It might be because I have so much hair that when I part on the side, it is just an over abundance of hair on one side of my head. But whatever it is, my center part is here to stay.

What is your favorite summer trend?





photo 1, 2, 3

Product Review From a Non-Stylist: Deep Conditioners

Hey all. Jackie here again.

When Cassidy told me that she was sending me four different deep conditioners to try out, I felt like a kid in a candy shop. I mean, what girl doesn’t love the silky, creamy feel of her hair after a really good conditioning? 

I’ll preface this review by sharing a little about my hair and products that I use. My hair is naturally wavy-curly, medium thickness, undyed, and I use Sebastian Drench shampoo and conditioner on a daily basis (see my last product review. Thanks, Cassidy, I’m obsessed). I really love Sebastian because it keeps my hair moisturized without weighing it down. I was interested to see how these deep conditioners would change the texture and appearance of my hair. 

Sebastian Penetraitt Masque: I let my hair air dry after using this first conditioner and it definitely felt softer than normal, and yet also not noticeably weighed down. And it smelled nice. Even my husband noticed!

Awapuhi Keratin Intensive Treatment: The Awapuhi treatment had a really thick texture which always makes me feel like it’s working better than a runny conditioner. It also had a nice, slightly tropical scent. It did not weigh down my hair at all.

Sebastian Drench Treatment:  This treatment felt more like a serum than a thick cream like the previous two. While I absolutely love Drench shampoo and daily conditioner, this deep conditioner was not quite as effective as the first two. However, it left my hair with plenty of body.

Brazilian Blowout Açai Deep Conditioning Masque: I have a friend who has had a Brazilian Blowout done on their hair, and it made her hair sleek and shiny, so I decided to save this one for last since I figured it would be the most intense. This masque can actually be worn overnight. The morning after using it, I rinsed the masque out thoroughly, then blow-dried my hair. Usually, I have to flat iron my hair to get rid of frizziness and to make it sleeker. But having used the Blowout masque, there was very little frizziness and after adding some body with my curling iron, my hair looked fantastic!

Although I really enjoyed using each of these products, an anecdote I kept coming back to was that I was lucky enough to use awesome shampoo and conditioner. Sebastian Drench products are so fantastic that I had a really great base to start from. Imagine how much better these would work for dry or damaged hair!

The Penetraitt was my favorite for my particular type of hair, but I also enjoyed the Brazilian Blowout. This masque would be a heaven-sent for someone with thick unruly curls or waves who wants to try out a sleek, smooth look without too much hassle.

Feel free to drop by On Stage sometime to check out their selection and talk to the stylists about their favorite picks for deep conditioning!

How To Tuesday: Release Pushup

Yes you read that right. Pushup...as in...pushup.

I know what you're thinking. Isn't this a beauty blog?


Why yes. Yes it is. But you know what's beautiful? You. You know what's even more beautiful? A healthier you.

So I'd say it works.

The release pushup is what we do over at Uproar and let me tell you, it's not as daunting as it sounds. I hate pushups, like really, really hate them. Mostly because I can't do them, but I can do a release pushup. And while I still have to do a modified version, I don't feel like I'm being set up to fail when I see "pushups" on the workout board.

So thank you release pushups.

CrossFit Uproar: boosting your confidence one pushup at a time.







All of Uproar's contact information can be found over at their Facebook page.

Friday Link Love 7/13/2012

• This article has some really great tips for flat iron use.
• "I'm not like other girls" is a phrase that some girls don't like, and I'm starting to see why.  
• These 15 ways to make your life saner could actually help!
• Break out of your normal hair routine and try this easy to do updo!
• Lauren Conrad is fantastic. As are her life's little luxuries. 
• I've always known about movie cliches, but did you realize the cliches bled over onto the poster? 
• Finally! Louboutin designs some Cinderella shoes. 
• Holy, moly this is amazing. Can I have long hair again so I can try?
• Men trying to make sense of fashion is just really funny. 
• Did you favorite hairstyle the Yahoo's list the 50 best hairstyles of all time? 
• I'm super into vintage things (yes it's a vintage swimsuit, not granny pannies) so I absolutely love these vintage hair and makeup ideas. 
• Sexy summer hair ideas.

How Often Should I Cut My Hair?

Ah, the age old question. One which requires a multi-part answer.

Long Hair

Don't make the mistake of thinking just because you have long hair or you're growing it out that it means that you don't have to get regular trims. Because you do. In fact, it might be more important for you than for someone with shorter hair.

Your ends can become dry and brittle, which leads to breakage. So to keep your hair in tip-top shape, book your appointments every 8-10 weeks. 

Medium Length

You have a little more wiggle room with your haircut schedule. But even still, you need to make regular appointments to the salon to keep your locks looking nice. Go visit your stylist every 6-10 weeks.

Short Hair

Because your hair is so short, it probably has a defined shape to it. Meaning, you need to keep that shape unless you want to look like someone who hasn't had a haircut in a while. It's super important to make your appointments every 4-6 weeks. Unless you're trying to grow it out. Then you can go a bit longer. But definitely no more than 8 weeks. 

How often do you get your hair cut? Do you follow the "norm" schedule, or make your own rules?

How To Tuesday: Everyday Messy Curls/Waves

I gave my flat iron up a long time ago. Okay, okay...I didn't give it up. It still sits in the bottom on my drawer for whenever I decide to cut bangs again. But it collects dust nonetheless. I've moved on to the curling iron.

We're best friends now. No big deal.

I've been wanting to do this tutorial for a while now. It's just my basic "everyday" look. My curls are slightly messy, and I like them like that. 

I use a 1.5" Helen of Troy curling iron. I think that size works best. 

Have at it!

Friday Link Love 7/6/2012

• Acne scars are the worst, so if you're in the club, try out this acne-be-gone facial mask. 
• Everyone has their own set of beauty tricks. Check out the Daily Mail's 6 essential ones.
• Another blackhead remover. I'll probably try this one out as well! 
• And one of the funniest thing I've seen all week, "when boyfriends do their girlfriend's makeup". I think us On Stagers need to do a video like this. 
• This girl has fantastic hair, and she shows you how to get her wavy curls!
• I think we're all aware of my top knot obsession, but how about taking it up a notch? R29 shows us how!
• This hue test was a fun way to see how well you can distinguish colors! Apparently more people have problems with that than you'd think!
• Need a laugh to help you through the day? Check out these funny police reports!
• Chlorine in your hair is a big problem in the summer, especially for blondes. Let The Beauty Department show you how to take care of it!
• For all the nerds like me out there, see the story behind Alice from Alice in Wonderland. 
• 2 birds, 1 stone. Best thing ever. Now, how about double duty in your beauty products? 
• Acne solutions that don't cost a penny. Check one of these out before you blame your cleanser. 
• Snacks that not only taste good, but that are also good for your hair? Yes please. 

CrossFit: We're Having a Challenge

First of all I want you to forget everything you know about exercising. Forget about the treadmill or the elliptical and definitely forget about the weight machines. Just listen for a hot second.

CrossFit is unlike anything you've ever done for exercise before. The reason you keep hearing about it is because it works and (gasp!) it's fun!

A couple of us from On Stage decided to join a local CrossFit studio, CrossFit Uproar. We wanted to see what all the rage was about and if it really could change you like they say it can. So here we are, in the second week of our two month challenge and let me tell you, I already know it's doing something because I can feel it everyday when I move my sore muscles.

So what is it? At CrossFit Uproar, the very first class you take is a "foundations" class, so I happen to know the answer.

crossfit: constantly varied functional movement performed at high intensity

That sounds a little scary at first. I think I actually got nervous butterflies, but every single move is gone over in so much detail that you could teach the class if you wanted. Every person in Uproar's classes are informed and confident in their moves. It's pretty fantastic. 

It's the functional movement part of the definition that I like that most. I had never thought about it before, but when in life do you ever do most of the moves performed on a weight machine? The answer is never. Of course, there are some exceptions, but everyday I lift something off the ground, put it over head, swing side to side. The movements and the workouts consist of those functional movements. 

It just all makes so much more sense to me. 

Over the next two months you'll be hearing a lot about CrossFit and our challenge. Mainly because we're so stoked about it, but also because we want you to be too. In fact, we really want you to participate in our challenge as well. Find yourself a CrossFit studio (check out CrossFit Uproar if you live in the Magnolia area) and try it out three times a week for two months. Send me your progress and updates. Let's all change our lives for the better. 

Stefan Rueda, owner and founder of Uproar, told us, "CrossFiit athletes look like Greek Gods." That was all the motivation I needed. 

How To Tuesday: Punk Rock Pixie

2 things you need to know about me.

1. I love Pinterest
2. I desperately want a pixie cut

If you look at my hair board it is covered in pixie's. long pixies, short pixies, even shorter pixies. And they're all fantastic. I get a little jealous of those pixies and all who have one. So I tend to stick to tutorials for longer hair on here, but well...I don't want to have that conversation again with  my stylist about how I want one. But today, I decided to share the tutorial love with all you pixie people out there.

I saw this picture on Pinterest and just had to recreate it.

It's such a fantastic look that can be dressed up or down. So without further ado, here's the video.