Healthy Hair

At this point in my life, I've probably had more bad hair days than I've had good. Growing up with thick, frizzy hair was always difficult for me. The texture has always been extremely coarse and until recently, completely unmanageable. It takes a lot of love to tame my mane but I know that I'm not alone. I've been getting a lot of questions lately about how I take care of my long hair and keep it looking healthy between trims. The short answer would be "trial and error-- a lot of it." but I love my readers so I compiled a handy list of the products that I use in my hair.

1. I color my hair with Henna. It's all-natural, safe, and WON'T fry your hair. It'll work with your hair's natural oils to condition your hair and leave it soft, smooth, and frizz-free. Since my knowledge of henna is fairly limited, check out this article. It has some great Q&A's as well as some resources. As far as which brand I use, it's called Rainbow Henna (in black) and I buy it from a local health food store.

2. Scrunchies are not only totally coming back (hello Kimmy Gibbler) but they work wonders for tossing your hair up in a bun before bed. If I must fall asleep with my hair wet, I'll tie it up in a scrunchy because a scrunchy doesn't get tangled in wet hair the way that a regular hair tie would. 

3. You can't be an adult without a decent hair dryer and you can't have a decent hair dryer without a diffuser attachment. Trust me, I rarely use mine without it anymore. It's ideal for curly hair because it evenly distributes air flow so that the hair's natural wave isn't moved around too much while drying. One thing to keep in mind when using a diffuser attachment is to keep the heat on low. 

4. Carrot oil is a miracle worker for skin and hair. It helps to strengthen and protect hair follicles against things like chlorine and other harmful chemicals. It also happens to be great for combatting dandruff, especially when combined with Tea Tree Oil. 

5. Boar bristle brushes are a lot better for your hair than plastic because they're less harsh and the small fibers help to evenly spread your hair's natural oils. 

6. Whether you get something fancy like Goldie's or just stick with good 'ole Apple Cider Vinegar, it's a good idea to do a vinegar rinse every few weeks. Vinegar is a gentle natural shampoo and will help to restore your hair's pH levels to normal while also getting rid of the residue that other shampoos may leave behind. 

7. I rarely visit the hair stylist but when I do, he yells at me for using an iron on my hair. I know that it's not good for it but sheesh, I love the way that the styling wand makes my hair look! (It's what I used in the photo above.) As long as I don't use it too often, I can't see what's so bad about it. Just make sure that if you're using any kind of heat on your hair, you keep it on the lowest (but most effective) temperature possible. 

8. Here's the most valuable piece of advice that I will give you in this blog post: dry shampoo. Embrace it. It will become your best friend. Find one that you like, this one is my favorite. Washing and styling your hair is actually not too great for it. I only wash mine once a week or so and have no shame whatsoever-- just healthy hair. As long as you have something to take care of any potential oiliness, it's not gross. Trust me. 

9. Coconut oil treatments are a monthly thing that can become sort of a nuisance but work wonders. I buy solid coconut oil, spread it all over my head before bed, wrap it in a silk scarf and a shower cap, and then rinse it out in the morning. It's the only deep-conditioner you'll ever need.

10. LUSH Sea Spray is an absolutely wonderful invention. It adds texture and smells fantastic. It's particularly helpful if, ya know, you're not washing your hair too often. (If you skipped it, go back to #8.)

11. Lastly, never underestimate the power of some good old school hair curlers. They'll give you mega volume and you'll feel like a Hollywood starlet while you're getting ready. If you don't know where to begin, this video is very helpful.

As far as shampoo and conditioner go, I use Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Castile Soap as shampoo and LUSH's Veganese Conditioner. How about you guys? I'm always interested in finding new products and you guys always give me great advice. 

xo,

e.m.

on growing out my fringe

Since making the drastic decision to grow out my fringe for the first time in over a decade, a lot of you have been approaching me and asking me for pointers on how to do it. Let me start out by saying that it is NOT easy. I've been growing my bangs out for over three months now and they're still in this stage of incomparable awkwardness. Some days though, my bangs (or more appropriately, lack thereof) look fantastic, and in the battle to grow them out, you'll soon see that those are the days that keep you going. (I may be making this sound really overdramatic but let's not kid ourselves: it's an epic fight.)

Let's start at the beginning. When I first started, my fringe was very, very short. When I colored my hair black back in February, I decided that the drastic change in color wasn't enough and I made a pact to stop trimming my bangs. I decided to start with a center part. In retrospect, this was a terrible decision because it looked SO. DANG. AWKWARD. (See photo above.) Even if you want a center part, my advice would be to start out with a side-swept fringe. It'll appear a little more natural until your bangs grow out long enough to blend in with the rest of your hair. It may seem like it's taking a step backwards but in the beginning, you may need to take a pair of scissors and trim your bangs and the layers around them just to blend them in a little bit. (Particularly if you had them cute straight across.) If you're not comfortable with this, see a stylist, it'll be worth the money.

Hair clips will become your best friend for a little while. There's no shame in having a little help while you're growing out your bangs! As soon as I get out of the shower, I clip my bangs back so that they'll dry the way I want them to and not be all over the place. For the first few weeks, I did this even when my hair was dry. It sounds a bit strange but you kind of have to "train" your hair to go where you want it to go. Barrettes and hairpieces are also helpful on days when your hair isn't behaving. Cute and functional all in one.

If you've been reading this blog for a while than this will be no surprise to you. If you just started, you may be mildly disgusted. (You've been warned.) Wash your hair as little as possible. The extra texture from the natural oils in your hair will make it a lot easier to control. It'll be more prone to staying in place and you'll have fewer fly-aways. For days when you need a little extra something, I LOVE Lush's Sea Spray. 

No matter how difficult it may be, do not give up! If you give in and take a pair of scissors to your fringe, just think about having to start from square one again. It's not fun, am I right? I'm glad that I started growing out my bangs back in February because by the time the summer humidity will be in full-swing, they'll be long enough that the frizziness won't be a huge issue. (That's the worst part about having bangs in my opinion-- the humidity, sweat, etc... It's just not good!) Just like anything else, it's an adventure, and although growing out your bangs is a change that occurs at an almost glacial pace, it's a good change for someone like me who is TERRIFIED to cut my long tresses into a short and trendy haircut. Slowly but surely I'm acquiring my (for now) dream 'do!

xo,

e.m.

Okay, okay, okay. If you follow me over on the twitter than you know that I'm a big fan of Game of Thrones. I didn't choose this life, it chose me. Thanks to my Star Wars fanboy father, I'm sort of predisposed to be into "nerdy" things. (For the record, I don't think that there is anything nerdy abut Game of Thrones but still all of my friends make fun of me for being so into it. Sigh.) This particular 'do is inspired by Daenerys. This is by no means the first time anyone has ever worn her hair like this but who cares? I thought it was cute. (And also very easy.)

Because this 'do involves twisting the hair, it's best done on second or third day hair. If not though, no need to fret. Just run some texture pomade through it and you should be set. I curled the bottoms of my hair because I think it adds a nice touch but you can do this style with straight or curly hair also.

Begin by taking and twisting a section of hair at the temple. I'm still trying to grow my bangs out so I just twisted them into the section of hair but you can leave your bangs out as well! The section should be about the size of a dime at the top and it'll probably get thinner as you twist it down. Clip it aside and grab another section, same size. Repeat the twist. Once you have two sections twisted separately, begin to twist them together, keeping the individual strands tight as you go. It should look like a rope. Repeat on the other side and fasten in the back with a medium claw clip.

There ya go! Simple yet elegant. I'll be rockin' this look a LOT this summer.

Hope you all have a great weekend! Between normal Philly shenanigans and a trip to New York, I should have a ton of pictures for you all on Monday! MWAH!

xo,

e.m.

my daily routine

I've recently made a pretty big change to my outward appearance. (If you're new here, I just dyed my hair a color other than red for the first time since high school. Kind of a big deal?) I'm a creature of habit. I've been wearing the same eyeshadow colors since college. I would have never thought to wear orange but I'm a huge Philadelphia Flyers fan and what began as a playoff tradition just stuck! I deviate every once in a while but always come right back to it. Lately, my daily routine's been a pleasant and refreshing mix of old and new. Take a look!

It's definitely really hard for me to post a makeupless picture here... on the internet... for everybody to see. But hey, if somebody's gonna pick on a freshly awake me, why should I care? An ongoing struggle occurs every day for me to feel comfortable in my own skin. This is a pretty good place to start, right? Anywho, back to the routine. Glasses come off (most mornings) and contacts go in. I then use a powder puff to apply a sheer powder foundation (in a very pale cover) on my face.

Eyebrows! I used to style my eyebrows pretty thin. Since growing out my bangs though, I realized that thin eyebrows aren't really working for me so I've been penciling them in a bit. (NO SHAME!) At least until they grow back to where I want them. After fixing my 'brows a bit, I brush a mineral powder foundation all over, even on my eyebrows. Makes 'em look a little more natural. The color is slightly darker than the powder used before but still pretty pale! (I may have grown up in Jersey but that doesn't mean that I gotta rock a fake tan year round!)

Next is the eye makeup. You can learn more about my method here. (It's an old tutorial but it's probably more effective than attempting to use words!)

It's now time for blush: I only use the tiniest bit because my cheeks get pretty red by themselves. I guess it's part of the pale skin curse? 

I'm a compulsive lip-balm'ist. I always have about five of these Mentha lip balms in my bag. They're amazing. I think I use one like... maybe 6 or 7 times an hour? They smell and taste so good. Definitely invest in a few! I also love lipstick. Pink is my go-to because it is simply the best color ever. It never fails.

To style my hair, I wrap small sections around a 1 1/2" flat iron. this curls the bottom while keeping the rest straight.

It's nothing special but it works for me! If it ain't broken, don't fix it, right?

xo,
e.m.

ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!

Here it is! I miss my red (already) and will definitely be going back but for now, this is a nice change and so utterly necessary! It might sound silly but a whoooole lot of my identity was wrapped up in my hair. February's been a month of purging and making changes and what's a bigger change than giving up your beloved red hair? I'd had it since high school, can we take a small moment of silence? Anywho, CHANGES. Good.

xo,

e.m.

how to style a hair bow and a sock bun:

It's 8:05 in the morning and you realize that you slept through your alarm and you're going to be late for class or work. You hop out of bed and grab the clothes nearest to your bed, still getting dressed as you make your way to the bathroom to brush your teeth. Let's face it, you look like a hot mess. There is good news though: you can still look semi-put-together! Now, instead of simply pulling your hair into a ponytail or a messy bun, my lovely cousin Sam showed me how to style two super fast up-do's that look like they require lots of time and talent. I figured I couldn't keep this information from you all so here are her two super simple hair tutorials:

1. A Slightly Modified Sock Bun: Here is a new take on an old classic. Begin with an old sock. Cut off the foot part and fold it into itself so it makes a donut. Place the sock donut aside and pull your hair into a simple ponytail. It can be high or low, whatever your preference is. Pull your hair through the hole in the sock donut until it rests against your head. Depending on how gently you do this, you may need to brush out your ponytail to make it smooth. Pull your hair around the sock and fasten it with another hair tie. Adjust your hair so that covers the sock completely. Tuck the spare pieces of hair around the bun into the hair tie so that it creates a "nest." (This is the only word I can think to describe it.) Spray with some hairspray if necessary and you're all set to be on your way!

2. Hair Bow: Start by making a regular high ponytail but on the last tie, don't pull your hair all the way through. Leave a pretty long tail with the extra hair. Part the bun in half and pull the tail through. If it's long enough, you can loop it through to the other side and fasten with a bobby pin. If not, you can fasten it to the top of your head using a bobby pin, just be sure to blend it into the rest of your hair. Fluff out the sides of the bow if needed and take care of any flyaways with bobby pins. I'm not a fan of Ms. Gaga but I am a fan of this hairstyle, so I guess I gotta thank her for making it popular! Side note: This style works best with straight hair so if you're planning on wearing it, you may want to straighten your hair the night before!

Thanks Sam for sharing with us! (Sam will be attending beauty school in the fall so she'll be sharing more tips and tricks with us soon!)

xo, e.m. 

the softest hair you've ever had

You may be wondering what this bottle of liquid on my head is. If you guessed pee, you're wrong. If you guessed Apple Juice, you're wrong too but it's still a better guess than pee. It's Apple Cider Vinegar and it's the greatest hair conditioner that you will ever try! As you may know, I'm slowly purging my daily routine of all of those unnecessary chemicals. I started using henna to color my hair, I traded my overpriced shampoo for Castile Soap and now I finally found my conditioner! Does anybody else agree with me that it's ridiculous how much money women are willing to spend on their hair to get it smooth and silky? I once saw a bottle of conditioner for $63. Sick! Do you know how many Chipotle burritos you could eat for that? Apple Cider vinegar is inexpensive and you probably have a bottle of it in your pantry right now!

Before you jump in the shower, pour some of the vinegar into the bottom of a cup. It doesn't matter how much you use, as long as there is room to add twice that amount of water. I've heard that warm tap water works best but I like to use cold water on my hair because I find that it helps me with the frizz and adds a little bit of shine. After shampooing and rinsing your hair, pour the vinegar and water over your head. I use about half of it and then I soak my ends in the rest of it. Also, don't worry, because as soon as your hair dries, the vinegar smell will go away completely! (Although I find that it goes away as soon as I rinse it out.) Leave it for a few minutes before rinsing. Your hair will instantly feel smoother and softer. Who could have thought that smooth and silky hair was only a couple of tablespoons of vinegar away?

xo, e.m.

waterfall braids

Everybody is making these precious braids so when I saw my sister sporting them I stopped her in her tracks and asked her to do a tutorial for the blog. I think they're so cute and such a great look for summer. I'd wear my hair like this on a date night with a nice sundress, how would you wear them?If you can make a regular french braid, you should be able to make this braid with no problems. As with most braids, this one works best with second or third-day hair. If you try it right after you wash/condition, the hair will be a little more difficult to manage because it'll be slipping out everywhere. The first thing that you're going to do is to take three small sections of hair in the front. You're going to braid these in a normal braid. Once you get to the temple, begin a french braid. While making your french braid, however, leave out the last section. Let it fall naturally and then pick up a new piece. Keep doing this until your waterfall braid reaches the desired length. To end it, just clip it back with a bobby pin. (Or whichever kind of clip you choose!) 

Cute and classy right? Jenna made hers a little chunkier, you can make yours however you'd like.

xo, e.m.

keeping red hair red (and healthy!)

More often than the color of my hair, I'm complimented on the health of it. People must automatically assume that I treat my hair with tons of chemicals every single day. Not true, not at all! I've been coloring my hair this shade of red for quite some time so I've had a lot of time to experiment with it. I've learned the difficult way what NOT to do so I can help you all know what TO do! First, let's start with the basics:

1. Know that it's a commitment. Red hair is tough to keep up with, especially within the first few months because until your hair is "stained," it will keep wanting to fade back to the original color. It can literally be one color and then you'll wake up the next day and it'll be a completely different color. Be aware that you may have to color your hair every three weeks or less until you can get it to be a little more consistent.

2. Know your complexion. If you're thinking of going red, you have to understand that it may take a very particular shade of red to compliment your skin tone and that you may have to go through a long period of trial and error to find the perfect shade. 

3. No matter what method of dying you use, shampoo your hair right after dying instead of just rinsing it. This will keep the color from being too extreme. In the top picture here, I didn't do that and I got this "fire engine red" color that wasn't very flattering. I did utilize this method for the photo on the bottom, and I got a more orange'y color. It's less bright and more natural. 

4. Be as natural as possible. Use natural products so that they will work alongside the chemistry of your body. I don't use a lot of products in my hair... at all. I wash it with Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Castile soap. This works for me as a shampoo and a conditioner. If I need some extra softness, I will rinse with apple cider vinegar. For the dye, I use Surya Brasil henna cream in Mahogany. And that's it!

 

 5. Don't be afraid of a little grit. What I am about to ask you may cause you to label me as a scumbag hipster but it's good advice so I don't care what you think of me! One of my biggest secrets is that I only wash my hair once (maybe twice) a week. You'll be amazed at the results. Try going every other day without washing and then see how it goes from there. Also, think of all of the time you'll save not having to style your hair (perhaps that's how I have enough time for my blog?)

xo, e.m.

headband braids

My friend Gianna always has something cute going on with her hair so I decided to have her come over and show me (and you guys!) how to do something. I was so excited when she mentioned headband braids because I think that they are so cute. They also happen to be really simple, and all that you need is a few bobby pins!

1. This works best on straight hair. I tried it on my curly hair and it didn't turn out as well. It still worked but I had to play around with it a lot to my my hair go all the way across my head, and I even have pretty long hair. If necessary, brush out your hair and then take your layers and clip or tie them back to get them out of the way. For Gianna, this meant all of the hair that lined up with the peak of her eyebrow was pulled back. If you don't know where your layers start or end, just follow her rule of thumb, it'll usually work!

2. Find your longest layer and begin braiding starting at your ear. The braid can be whichever size you want the headband to be. continue braiding it over until it reaches your opposite ear. 

3. Use one or two bobby pins to secure the braid and then let down the hair that you pulled up earlier. 

Play around with it as necessary, you may need to tuck/untuck some hair from the braid to get that "headband" look.

I love this look because you can wear your hair down, up, or half up and it will still look cute. If you have bangs, you can even use the braided headband to hold back your bangs. It is an incredibly versatile and classic look that I think will always be in style! Thanks for sharing this with us Gianna!

xo, e.m.