Hair Hair Hair

Hey noodles it's Cat here. Don't ask me why I called you guys noodles, because I honestly don't know. Maybe it because I'm hungry. mmmmmm noodles.

Alright back to Hair. I have longish blond hair. I play sports and I am usually to lazy to do ANYTHING with my hair so *poof* ponytail. BUUUTT recently I have started to do more. Braids for example. Braids look so cute and there are so many different styles used with braids. I'll show you three different types of SUPER cute braids that I do. They don't take that long to do and they are worth the effort!


There's the little hairband braid..

There's the Fishtail braid.

And then there's the braid-around-bun.

 

 

 

 

^^And that's a sock bun FYI^^

 

 

 

All these are hair dos are super cute and quite easy. If you want a tutorial, THERE ARE THOUSANDS ALL OVER GOOGLE AND YOUTUBE MKAY? there's a tutorial for anything these days. seriously.

Until next time *bows dramatically*

 

 

~Cat

Haute Couture Week: Day 2

Monday of Haute Couture week kicked off strong with bold prints from Giambattista Valli.  Personally, I love this collection; while still keeping the trademark spring florals, it stays away from the too-quickly cliche pastels.

Image from Telegraph.uk

Following the Valli collection was Alexis Mabille AND OMG THE BUTTERFLIES.  I love the continuity from the backdrop to the headpieces.

Image from Telegraph.uk

Up next, the ever-classy Dior.  Timeless or mod?  You decide.

Image from Telegraph.uk

But, staying true to the spring pastels, Georges Hobeika.  I'm in love with the pale blue one.  And the yellow dress.  And the pink skirt.  And maybe just all of it.

Image from Telegraph.uk

And, finally, Schiaparelli.  I salute them for pushing the boundaries of everyday fashion and bringing art into everyday life.

But I wouldn't wear these, at least not in public.

Image from Telegraph.uk

Stay tuned for Tuesday's post on fashion week.  

Stay lovely ladies.

Day 1 Haute Couture Week: Versace

IT'S PARIS HAUTE COUTURE WEEK FASHION WEEK SPARKLES GOWNS CELEBRITIES FASHION OH EM GEEEEE
Fashion week kicked off today with Versace's Spring/Summer Atelier collection and while they're not my favorite designer the outfits are still gorgeous of course.

Picture: Getty/AFP

The pastels and rich blues of this collection contrast nicely with last season's colors, which, to be fair, was mainly sparkles.

Left and right: Versace Fall/Winter 2013-2014 

Paris Couture Week has kicked off with Versace and will follow with more designers and more collections.  Which designer are you most looking forward to seeing?

Exfoliating Scrub

Hi guys, Liz here!

I just wanted to pop by + check out the new blog + contribute a bit :)
I decided I should share this new + super easy face-cleansing trick I discovered because it has worked wonders for me.

My face is often clear because I like to take good care of it + try to wash it every night. I've found recently it's been more oily and just all around ew + I haven't changed my diet/everyday lifestyle that much (besides staying up later to watch Doctor Who...er I mean study). I wasn't that worried, but I mentioned it to my doctor because I was just tired of it being so shiny + looking dirty. I talked to my doctor + she said it's probably just another hormonal teenage phase (don't we all love those). She recommended I wash my face daily + start exfoliating.

Anyway, I had completely forgot what my doctor had suggested until I decided recently that I was going to wear absolutely no makeup until February + I wanted a way to brighten my face. I found this on Pinterest and decided to try it. Better late then never, right? I tried this scrub at the beginning of this week + I have noticed a huge difference in the appearance of my skin.

What you do: Combine 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of water until it's a white, watery substance. Then dip your fingers in the mixture (try to get mostly baking soda on your fingertips) + spread the mixture all over your face, leaving it on for 2 minutes or more. After the 2 minutes are up, use warm water to rinse the dried mixture off your face + pat it dry with a clean towel. After you do this, take a few drops of coconut oil + spread them evenly over your face. Now I know it sounds bad to put oil on already oily skin, but when your skin is oily, it's producing more oil because you aren't providing your skin enough oil as it is. Oily skin is basically your skin's way of telling you it's lacking moisture. I like to keep coconut oil around the house anyway because it can be used for so many different things + it makes for a quick + easy moisturizer when I need it. It doesn't smell too bad either;)

How it works: The baking soda easily removes the top layer of dead skin cells that happen to settle upon your face. When the dead skin cells are just resting on your face, it blocks the natural glow + beauty of your skin, causing your skin to look, well pretty gross :(

I have been using this for the past few days + it definitely works on my skin. My skin glows so much more + looks much healthier now! The dark circles under my eyes from all that "studying" have also seemed to grow dimmer!

Overall, I would really suggest this scrub. It takes no time at all + it really works. Just letting you know it may not work on your skin since all skin types are different but it's worth a try! :)

Anyway, I hope you ladies have a wonderful exam week! I'll definitely be praying for all of you. Stay lovely!

xoxo,
Elisabeth Fuqua

Hey-llo, Ladies!

Okay so I mentioned on my profile that I'm a fan of dailygrace (http://www.youtube.com/user/dailygrace?feature=watch), and also her makeup and style. 

Soooo, I'm going to link you to a makeup tutorial that she did. It's very simple. And humorous. 

Basically that's the reason I like Grace. Woohoo. xD She proves that you can do simple makeup, and it looks great. It's really natural-looking. Whichhhhh I've discovered that boys really like. That sounds so shallow, but you know what I mean. Guys want to see your lovely face, not a lovely face covered up by mask-like and geisha-style eye-makeup. If that makes sense... 

Okay I'll shut up because I don't even know what I'm saying. xD

SO HERE IS GRACE'S TUTORIAL. Andsheisseriouslylikethecutestthingever. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6qgwAlomKg

Enjoyyyyyyy.

~Rebekah<3

Shampoo caveats

Hey!
Today I'll be writing on the dangers that could be lurking in your shower.  Yes, that's right.  But before you start carrying a frying pan into the bathroom and darting furtive looks behind the shower curtain, allow me to elaborate.
What's in your shampoo?
Do you really know what you're putting in your hair?  Your hair is still an important part of your body, and it's just as important to take care of your scalp as it is to take care of your skin.  In an effort to help you keep your hair and scalp as healthy and clean as possible, here's a brief exposé on what's really going on your hair.

--Sodium Laureth Sulfate
One of the biggest ones to avoid.  This ingredient can have a cancer-causing aspect.  Not good.  In general, avoid ingredients ending in 'eth'.

--Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Unlike its buddy, sodium lauryl sulfate doesn't go through the ethoxylation process sodium laureth sulfate goes through.  This one's ok to use.

--Glucose
If you've ever taken a biology class, you probably recognize this word as being part of what makes up sugar.  If you wouldn't dump sugar on your head, I'd suggest not pouring this on your head, either.  Avoid any ingredient with the words 'glucose' or 'glucoside' in them.

--Amodimethicone
This one's a bit tricky. Amodimethicone helps seal in moisture.  The downside is that while they might keep your hair shaft sealed off, they also add a layer of residue over follicles and your scalp.  Instead, you could use natural oils--jojoba, argan, coconut and rose hip--to get that same silkiness.

--Polyethylene glycol
There are different types of glycol, but this is the one you need to watch out for.  Just like sodium laureth sulfate, this also has a cancer-causing aspect.  

--Hydrolysed Collagen
While collagen is good for you, we can't really absorb it through our scalp.  If you want to build up strong hair, skip the shampoo collagen and go for some vitamin C.

That's it for now--hopefully this helped! If you're looking for a new shampoo now, I use Organix Coconut Milk shampoo and conditioner and I'm in love.

 

image copyright Vogue International 2011

I've found their products to be super nourishing and easy on color.  Next time you're at the grocery store, I recommend trying them out.

For more information, check this out.  Want to skip shampoo altogether?  Here's how.


Stay lovely ladies--
Maddie