To prove that I'm still here...

Here is a picture from the other day.  My sweet little updo is courtesy of LoveMeagan.com, and that sweet little car is courtesy of my padre.  But seriously.   Explanation/pictures to come!

The Hair Challenge

Although I've yet to post pictures, I did just finish the 30 for 30 challenge for the 3rd time.  It's definitely tough, but I love pushing myself to be a little more creative than normal with my daily style- especially when I feel like I've been in a little bit of a repetition rut.

Which is why I've decided to give myself a hair challenge.  In high school I was constantly experimenting with new hairstyles- nothing way crazy, just variations on braids, curls, pinning, etc.  Recently though I feel like most of the time I do absolutely nothing and leave it straight-ish, sometimes I give it some wavy curls, and occasionally a big braid.  

So here's the deal.  I'm getting a haircut on Sept 26.  Nothing earth-shattering, other than some layers and possibly some side bangs.  Until then, I'm going to challenge myself to try as many different styles as I can.  

Here's some of my inspirations from lately!  

Top three images from lovemaegan.com

Bottom three images from thebeautydepartment.com- Awesome tutorials!

Thank You, Rain Snow Mix.

{Dress: Target, $35}

{Cardigan: Gap, $10}

{Tights: WeLoveColors.com, $10}

{Flats: Target, $9}

{Necklace: American Eagle, Gift}

Since I have to open the coffeeshop on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I love getting to sleep in a little bit on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You would think that those days I would have the most put together outfits due to the extra hours of wake up time. Nope. Apparently I like sleeping in so much that I physically refuse to wake up more than 40 minutes before my first class. Go figure. So what do I do when I have less than 20 min to get ready (in order to leave time for walking and last minute homework) AND are smack in the middle of no pants week... Pick a printed dress and add some solids. The end.

Also, I just want to thank the weather for being awful and rain/snowy today. No, seriously. Because instead of admitting to people I barely woke up in time to brush my hair, much less straighten it, I can blame it on the weather. So thank you, dang snow, for "ruining my hair today." ;)

Fun Find Friday: Hair Products

I usually skip right over articles about hair products when reading other blogs, but really, hair care should be of top importance to every woman. Hairstyles can either give your look the final perfect touch, or make you look completely disheveled and unprofessional. Keeping this in mind, being good to your hair can go a long way in keeping your locks healthy and shiny. So here are some helpful tips and products that I personally tested

1) Get to know your natural hair type and work with it instead of against it. Personally, I have super thick stick straight hair. So, on most days I just straighten the top layer and go. I make sure to use a low heat setting since my hair is already straight, and I only straighten the top layer so that I can conserve my thick volume while still having that straight and shiny look. Every once and awhile I do like to curl my hair, but when I do I make sure to extra heat protectant spray to keep my ends from splitting. If you have curly hair, find out what works best for you and try to embrace your natural texture more often.

2) Make sure to condition your hair! I used to assume (incorrectly!) that if my hair got oily easily, I shouldn't condition. However, conditioners do much more than just moisturize your hair- they can also be used to boost volume, protect ends, and restore color. Talk to your hairstylist about choosing the right conditioner for you- I guarantee there is one out there. My personal favorite is Biolage. Although it's a little bit pricier than normal drug store brands (a small/medium size bottle will run about $16), this conditioner proves to be more than worth it! My hair gets split ends like nobody's business, and I can honestly tell a difference when using these products.

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3) Protect your hair! In addition to conditioning your hair in the shower, use heat protectants whenever you use heat products. Also, use the lowest effective heat setting. I love this Paul Mitchell Serum. It adds lots of moisture and shine to your hair, plus it leaves hair feeling silky soft. As if that isn't good enough, the serum also smoothes frizz and flyaways.

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4) Another product I'm addicted to is Dove Daily Replenishing Mist. I actually spray this on my hair several times a day to keep it moisturized and SO soft. It helps seal and protect against split ends, which I get almost constantly. Plus, at about $4 for a medium sized bottle, it's doesn't cost nearly as much as it's worth.

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That rounds up my personal top 3 hair products, but of course there are many different types of hair and what works for me may not work best for you. So let me know, what are your favorite hair care products.

Thursday Beauty Day- How to Look Good When You Just Feel Like Going Back to Bed

Everybody has those "ugh" days. Whether it's due to too much time spent out the night before, a crazy all-nighter, or as in my case, just feeling awful, these days come around more often than any of us would like. Instead of throwing on sweats of your comfy jeans, take advantage of some of my tips and tricks below- after all, you know you feel better when you look better :)

The Clothes

What

Dress: Old Navy, $7

Cardigan: Target, $12

Belt: NY and Company, $4

Flats: Target, $9

As far as clothes go, comfort is definitely first priority. No matter what season it is, I always end up wearing some variation of the combination below because it offers no-fail comfort while still looking good.

• Sleeveless jersey dress
• Cardigan (usually boyfriend fit so I have some extra room)
• Belt (to pull it all together)
• Comfortable Flats

The Accessories

What

Earrings: Rue 21, $3

Bag: Forever 21, $15

Belt: NY and Company, $4

Glasses: Chanel, ?

Usually when I'm having an off day I don't want a ton of accessories jingling around, so to limit the need for them I try to find a dress with an embellished neckline. Since I'm usually wearing a cardigan, my wrists generally aren't bare, so the only things that are needed are earrings and a few little rings. Additionally, I almost always bring my glasses along on this type of day. Even though I should wear them everyday I usually don't because 1) they don't match or 2) I just don't want to. But speaking from experience, nothing's worse than having to squint to see anything when you already have a headache.

The Hair

Although I can't speak for anyone else, when I don't feel good one of the last things I want is to have to deal with my hair in my face. Therefore, almost any time I'm getting ready for an off day, I throw my hair up in some odd type of ballerina/messy bun hybrid. Instead of putting on a headband like I normally do with my updos, I just use hair colored bobby pins to keep my bangs out of my eyes. I forgo the headbands because when I'm dealing with a headache, any additional pressure drives me crazy. Other alternatives to casual updos are braids or nice ponytails.

The Makeup

What I Use

Almay Foundation, $12

LashMaxxx Mascara, $6

Covergirl Lipstain, $9

On yucky days I try to keep my makeup routine pretty simple. This lip stain is the BEST. Its fairly new and made by Covergirl. I'm on a mission to get every color, which should happen soon since they're under $10 a piece.... and for lipcolor that feels like nothing and lasts ALL day, I think it's worth it. I also love my Almay foundation- just enough coverage without being too much. I'll admit though, I'm the emotional type. Seeing as though anything can make me cry, waterproof mascara and light makeup is a must, especially on days like today. And because I need to vent, let me just tell you about some of it.

1. Since yesterday I've been yuckily sick and because of that,
2. I got almost no sleep last night.
3. I woke up late this morning and had to skip breakfast.
4. When I did leave my house (on time) I went to turn out of my driveway when I saw roadkill, which made me sad...
5. Only it made me extra sad because it wasn't just an 'possum, but also her dead babies. Do you have any idea how cute baby possums are? But these babies weren't as cute because they were dead.
6. The construction crew closed my road, without warning, so I had to turn around and go the back way to work...
7. which made me late.
8. Add on some personal stuff and you have my day.

But on the good side, my mom made me double chocolate brownies and I'm going to see Sex and the City 2 tomorrow with one of my really good friends. Despite today, it will be a good week : )

I hope you don't have an "ugh" day anytime soon... but when you do, I hope these tips help!

Thursday Beauty Day

I recently decided that I wanted to start experimenting with hair and makeup and doing a post about it every Thursday. To start out, I planned on doing side braid over my shoulder. This style has been all over the runways this Spring, and would be a great way to wear your hair for a full day of classes or work. Unfortunately, I obviously didn’t consider the fact that my shoulder length hair wasn’t long enough. I still really love thick braids though, and decided to do this cute updo instead.

What You’ll Need

-Medium barrel curling iron
-Heat protector Spray
-Paddle Brush
-Small elastics that match your hair color
-Bobby Pins
-Hair Spray

How To Do This Style

1) Curl your hair with a curling iron- Don’t forget to use heat protecter spray! (The curls don’t have to be perfect, they’re just there for texture)
2) After your hair has cooled completely, brush it with paddle brush
3) Scrunch your hair using just your fingers- no product
4) You should have nice wavy curls now. If your hair still looks frizzy, twirl a few strands around your fingers to give them definition
5) Make a deep side part, and then do a really thick french braid down the side and around to the back. Make sure not to braid too tight though
6) Gather your hair in a small elastic
7) Randomly pin curls around the pony tail with bobby pins. Don’t try to be too perfect, it is supposed to be a slightly messy bun
8) Using your thumb and index finger, pinch your braid to loosen up a few strands (If you have lots of layers around your face, be careful not to loosen them though!)
9) Spray all over with hairspray

TOTAL TIME (Not including curling) 10 Minutes

I really loved this style- It stayed put through more than 12 hours of classes, shopping, and sewing. Plus I got tons of compliments and requests for directions. I guess I picked a good style for the blog : )