Are you ruining your hair?

Our hair is a mysterious thing and some days it even seems to have a mind of its own. But even on the days when you and your hair aren't on the best terms, its important to take care of it and prevent it from future damage. Sometimes you accidentally do things that may be causing damage, without even knowing it.

If you don't use protection when you turn on the hot helpers (flat iron, curling iron, etc.) then you are only hurting yourself. Its ridiculously easy to apply a heat protectant spray, spraying it on just like hair spray and letting it dry, to help with split ends and permanent damage. It creates a protective barrier between the hair cuticle and the heat of your beauty tools.

Another way you may be accidentally hurting your follicles is by OD-ing on moisture. This is fairly common because it is usually stressed to moisturize as much as possible, but that's not necessarily the case. Silicons are the ingredients in many smoothing, moisturizing products that leave your hair looking especially shiny, but they can build up over time and lead to dull, stringy strands. One solution? Using a silicone-free conditioner, like Living Proof’s Leave-In Conditioner ($24)

Next, your hair is made up of protein, so make sure you’re eating enough of it. Think: fish, chicken, lentils, and other beans. Other foods that contain an amino acid will also help your hair stay healthy—reach for pork, broccoli, and red peppers.

The next tip comes right after your shower and is something most people are surprised by. 

Drying your hair with a towel isn’t cutting it. A plain cotton tee is a much better option. The texture of an ordinary bath towel actually roughs up your cuticle and leaves it frizzy, while a t-shirt can combat that. Just squeeze excess moisture out gently, pull your hair through the neck of the t-shirt, and wrap it in a turban style.

Lastly, a simple one. And it's aggressive brushing. This one is terrible because it happens most likely every day after you shower, which is when your hair is the most venerable. Its soft because of the conditioner from the shower and its wet, a deadly combination. A tactic that I've been using for years that makes brushing easier on me and my hair is bringing a hairbrush into the shower and combing through my hair, gently, while I have conditioner in. This removes the tangles without stressing out the hair as much.

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Fall trends worth trying

This fall is bringing in lots of new clothing and hair trends, both good and bad. There are some I like more than others, and some I would never wear myself. One thing is for sure, no one is afraid to experiment with various colors, lengths, and trends this fall.

Hats are an interesting piece to play with in an outfit, but its also an easy thing to get wrong. Adding a beanie to an outfit is almost always a plus. But you can't forget about all the other types of head wear. Fedoras, floppy knit hats, baseball caps, and headband are all things that add personality and a fun element to an otherwise boring outfit. I love the way the grey beanie looks paired with this dark colored flannel shirt. In the picture you can see how she layers this with a cream colored hoodie underneath. Add a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, some white Chuck Tailors and this makes the perfect outfit for autumn.

Embracing classic prints seems to be another huge trend this all. When you get tired of floral from spring, try hounds tooth for fall. This pattern has been huge on the runway lately. The great part is that it goes with almost anything. And I love this paired with bright colors like red and royal blue. You have to be careful however, too much of this pattern can be overpowering to the eyes. Try to keep the print small or limit it to a single piece instead of the entire outfit. This picture shows a great option for a more formal pairing with the black mixed with the pattern. Notice how she keeps the waist high.

One color I have always loved but never think to wear is emerald green. It looks great paired with other jewel toned colors like amethyst (a purple color). You see this a lot on the runway as well. This color is great for fall, as well as spring and summer. Light emerald is great for casual attire and darker emerald can be turned into a sultry formal outfit. This spring dress is simple but has a beautiful cut at the bottom, giving it the flare that makes it a perfect go-to for a day out. For fall, just throw on a cardigan, add a pair of fun sandals and a neutral tote of bag and you're good to go.



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8 money savers every girl should know

You may be tempted to blow your budget on unnecessary products you think you need, or throw away an item you think is used up. Don't.
There are a ton of inexpensive alternatives to name brand pricey high end products, and many tricks you can use to get the most of out the ones you already have.



1. One of my favorite dupes for makeup brush cleanser is Johnson's Baby Shampoo, you can buy this almost anywhere, it works just as well, and it costs almost nothing. A large bottle will last you months.

2. Get the last of any liquid makeup out of a tube using hot water and a small container, like a contact case.

3. The hot water trick also works for getting the clumps out of dried mascara. You can also add a few drops of saline to old mascara to make it good as new. 

Reuse old brushes from more expensive brands in new bottles of cheaper mascara. Just rinse your brush in hot water to get rid of 

clumps and you’re ready to go.

4. Makeup remover wipes are great. Problem is…those makeup remover cloths are EXPEN$IVE! Especially the big brand name ones. So for quite awhile now I’ve been buying the cheapest, store brand ones. But ANOTHER problem is…the cheap ones are CHEAP for a reason. They aren’t as soft and/or moist as their more expensive rivals.

You can make your own:

Just take some paper towels, 4 cups of warm water, 1-2 tablespoons Coconut Oil. (1-2 squirts of baby wash or your favorite face wash if you want, but it’s not necessary)

5. If your perfume is running low, pour the last drops into a bottle of (unscented!) lotion to make it last longer.

6. Cut open bottles to get all the product you might be missing otherwise. ***This is a huge one***

You never know how much is left that you cant see.

7. Fix broken eye shadows and pressed powders with a little rubbing alcohol. Or, turn broken eye shadow into a custom nail color by mixing the pigment with clear polish.

8. Beauty tools are a huge expense and add up quickly. Cut your makeup sponges and cotton rounds in half to get more uses out of them, you'll quickly realise how much you've been wasting that you don't even use.

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