Things That Make A Great Hair Day

How do you get a great hair day every day? More importantly, how do you avoid the bad ones completely? I find freshly washed hair to be beautiful and lovely every time. With a good shampoo and conditioner, your hair will bounce and shine after drying. But we can't wash our hair every day, can we? It's damaging and harmful in the long run. Personally, I only love my hair after washing it. The day after, I find it too flat and volume-less. I've tried every dry shampoo and sprays out there to no avail. Nothing is as good as freshly washed hair.

If want to reduce the frizz, flat, or grease but no hair treatment seems to work, try clipping, braiding or trying your hair. Clipping hair in different arrangements works best for me. Give yourself a pouffy bang or a side clip.

Have a great hair day with Dove Shampoo and Conditioner

Do you want to treat your hair well and avoid bad hair days? Click here for a chance to win a sample from the Dove Hair Care product line. The first 500 entrants will win a sample. Hurry and enter now for your chance to try a sample of the Dove Hair Care product line.

What are some of your recommendations for a good hair day? Do you like to tie your hair into a bun? Clip it all up or perhaps bring out the curler and straightener? Let us what works best for you!

Dove understands that having beautiful, healthy-looking hair gives you the confidence to feel your best. Whether your hair is dry or damaged, Dove has a tailor-made solution for your hair care needs. After just one wash hair is shiny, healthy-looking and full of life. Thanks to Dove, you can look and feel beautiful from the inside out.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Dove via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Dove.

Simple, Easy Hairstyles for Fall

As much as I love donning multicolored highlights during the Summer, my preference for the Fall is always darker hair color, clothing and all. I've recently dyed my hair coffee brown with Clairol Professional 'Classic Collection' hair dye in Classic Coffee Brown - and I can't love it enough. I've also been playing with a lot of simple hairstyles for everyday, school, work and evening wear.

A simple fishtail braid is perfect to spruce up any day outfit.

Fishtail braids are probably my favorite go-to hairstyle. Particularly on bad hair days, they make the perfect coverup! To start out, you can opt to tie the top with a hair tie or clip it in a ponytail form so all the hair keeps together neatly. You can do that and remove the clip later, or just leave your hair as is. Seeparate your hair into two equal sections, one section in each hand.

You now have two hair sections: the left section and the right section. Take a small portion of hair from the outer right side of the right section and add it to the right side of the left section. You then take a small potion of hair from the outer left side of the left section and add it to the left side of the right section. Remember to keep the hair in place with your thumbs and hands. You should still have two sections of hair in equal proportions. Continue the braiding in this same manner until you get to the end. Tie it with a hair tie and you are done!

Salvaging Damaged Hair with Dove Intensive Repair

It is extremely important to moisturize and maintain hair after dyeing or any sort of chemical processing. This is particularly important for someone like me, who dyes her hair almost monthly. I love my new coffee brown hair color, but I don't really dig the dryness and lack of vibrancy.

To restore my hair to its optimum health, I have switched from my regular shampoo to Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. It has only been days since I've started using this new hair care set and I am already in love with it! My hair is smoother and less frizzy and brittle than before. If I keep this up I may be able to slip in another dye job or two before the end of October. Did I mention the shampoo leaves my hair smelling really good?

Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner system is designed for intensely damaged hair. It contains Keratin Repair Actives that absorb into Keratin already present in the hair and repair proteins at the cellular level. It gives lustrous locks without any excess residue. The gentle moisture strengthens hair without weighing it down, leaving hair silky and healthy looking.

Dyeing My Hair at Home - Classic Coffee Brown

I am absolutely in love with dyeing my hair. The only thing stopping me from doing it monthly is the irrational fear of my hair crumbling to it's doom and falling off my head. But I'm exaggerating quite a bit. Straightening and heat processing is much more damaging than any amount of hair dye, but that's not stopping me either, is it? I always seem to get the urge to cut off most of my hair every few years anyway. But I digress.

Let's talk about the new hair color I'm trying out! I've been slowly adding in a few shades of highlight to my hair the past few months. I figure a few similar-colored highlights would look much more blended and dimensional than one or two shades. Well last month I made the mistake of going too light and I've kind of been hating my hair ever since. This week, I'm going back to my darker brown shades with Clairol Professional 'Classic Collection' hair dye in Classic Coffee Brown.

The set comes with a permanent haircolor dye and a creme developer.

The dyeing process was super simple. I mixed the bottle of permanent hair dye with the creme developer in a bowl and applied it to the hair. You can just apply it directly without covering or anything. I wanted to add the color to most of my hair, but not on all strands, so I used aluminum foil for make a kind of dimensional highlight/lowlight effect.

Three Tips to Healthier Hair - Plus L'Oreal Free Sample

Did you know that hair is often cited as one of the first things people notice about each other? Maintaining strong, healthy and beautiful hair should be a priority, not an afterthought. I know I can be guilty of hair neglect. My hair has suffered from dyes, from heat, from curls and crimps. I don't always condition when I should, and then I go through periods of over conditioning. I have these bad habits even though I know better.

I've recently gotten a little better with haircare. I deep condition weekly and also use matching shampoo and conditioner so they compliment each other. I've also picked up some great advice from haircare experts about how to improve hair condition.

This haircare set includes L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Triple Resist Ultimate Strength Solution, Reinforcing Shampoo and Reinforcing Conditioner.

Here are three easy tips to keep in mind for healthy and beautiful hair:

1. Shampoo your hair twice. Instead of adding one pump of shampoo in your hair right away, use one half pump to scrub and rinse and then do it all over again. This will do better to get all the gunk out of your hair without the need to use more shampoo than necessary.
Try the L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo to help nourish hair from root to core to tip, leaving hair stronger. It contains Concentrated Arginine-K Complex™ to reinforce strands and prevent breakage.

2. Condition your hair every time you shampoo. Some people don't like to condition because they think it makes their hair too soft and flat. You should still condition your ends every time you shampoo. This will leave hair looking healthy and smooth without compromising the volume of the hair at the roots.
Try the L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Triple Resist Reinforcing Conditioner to compliment the shampoo and help nourish hair to reinforce strands and prevent breakage.

3. Use treatment weekly if your hair is damaged, but do not leave the treatment in overnight. You can over condition your hair. Deep conditioners should not be left in over night. After about 45 minutes of deep conditioning your hair, the benefits of conditioners are maximized. Leaving deep conditioner in your hair overnight can actually cause your hair to weaken.

Vita Coco Kids Review and Giveaway

You know I enjoy coconut water. It's tasty, thirst quenching and is filled with potassium and other fine nutrients. I've mentioned my love for Vita Coco coconut water plenty before. Now Vita Coco has released their new Vita Coco Kids available in three flavors – Apple Island, Paradise Punch and Very Cherry Beach.

The Vita Coco Kids drinks taste like a less sweetened version of fresh juices and punch. The Apple Island flavor tastes like apple juice diluted in - not water - but coconut water! They're great alternatives to regular sugary juice boxes. Made especially for children ages 2-8, they satisfy a child's sweet tooth without worrying parents. There is a bit of added sugar to add to the sweetness of the Vita Coco Kids, but significantly less than regular juices.

Vita Coco Kids is available at major retailers, including Target and Amazon, for a suggested retail price of $4.99 for a Vita Coco Kids pack of six, 6 fl. oz. drinks. Each drink has 35 calories and 8 grams of sugar per 6 fl. oz. unit and uses no artificial sweeteners. Vita Coco Kids beverages provide potassium. All three flavors contain natural and electrolyte-filled coconut water, filtered water, natural fruit flavors and vitamin C. Vita Coco Kids is packaged in Tetra Pak, an eco- and socially-responsible form of packaging based on the use of wood fiber, a sustainable source.


Now you have a chance to win a (1) sampler set of Vita Coco Kids flavors from Vita Coco. If you haven't tried it yet, this is something you'll want to share with the kids - or just for yourself! Simply enter your information below to let us know you're interested! US only. The information will only be used to send the winner their prize. This US-only giveaway ends one week from now on August 7, 2013 at 11:59EST. (Can you believe it's August already?)

Electrolytenment for Better Health, Body and Beauty

We are often told that regular exercise and healthy diets are important in sustaining a good physical body, but we don't hear enough about the mental benefits of proper nutrition. I've spent the past couple of months sorting out my health and came to the realization that I could be doing so much more to improve my health and life.

A couple of weeks ago I discovered that I suffer from gluten sensitivity. Gluten has caused me a lot of gastrointestinal complications among other issues. After adjusting my diet to cut out wheat, barley, rye and all foods containing gluten, I noticed a great improvement in my physical and mental health. I constantly feel better, fuller, happier and more energetic. My skin, my hair, my nails and body feel and look better just a week after cutting out gluten.

I have also easily adjusted to drinking more water, eating more fresh vegetables and fruits. I used to hate drinking water and eating fresh greens because my body always craved and preferred the addictive wheat carbohydrates. I can now drink two bottles of resource® Natural Spring Water after my morning yoga practice. It does wonders to get that naturally occurring electrolyte from water that I now enjoy drinking. The water also really helps wash down the dry brown rice bread. (I'll discuss the downside to wheat alternatives at a later time.)

It isn't easy to cut out wheat, as it was one of my favorite food items. I still struggle with cravings, but I know better. Life is too short to waste on mediocrity. I want to wake up every day feeling healthier and better. That's why I am trying to eat better and exercise to improve my physical health. I want to be able to do more push ups and pull ups every day. Instead of getting older and weaker, I will age everyday knowing that I am always better today than I was yesterday. That's the dream after all.

Summer Family Night Entertainment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Netflix.

Summer entertainment is exciting. Ideally, I prefer month-long vacations under the sun with some serious shopping on the side. Realistically, I like to enjoy something much more affordable and less draining. Movie night is a great low cost entertainment solution - whether you're alone, on a date or with the entire family.

It's difficult to get everyone in the family together for friendly family time when the weather is so hot. Kids these days naturally flock to an air conditioned room to play their computer or video games alone. I love tuning into something family-friendly like Netflix Families to gather everyone around. Add a few low-fat popcorn bags and various healthiest snacks and everyone is thrilled to be together. One of my favorite things to serve on movie nights is a vegetable and pretzel snack tray with homemade hummus. (Previously mentioned here is a recipe for the most delicious roasted red pepper hummus.)

Some recommended movies in the Netflix Families section include well known favorites.

One of the favorite types of movies enjoyed by the whole family are probably the older Disney films (and a bit of Power Puff Girls). Those types of wholesome shows are entertaining and exciting for the kids and give a good dose of nostalgia to the adults. I personally enjoy browsing the "Catch-Up TV for Busy Parents" category after everyone else has gone home or gone to bed. I always find that the suggestions are very accurate and just what one needs to unwind.

Weekend Poolside Party

I try to manage a balance and healthy diet throughout the week; I really do. But a girl has got to live and to live requires a little more exciting weekend meals and drinks. On some weekends and holidays, I prefer a tasty meal accompanied by a cool mix drink. I can work out all week and diet all year, but it's not satisfying until I get to taste an exquisite cuisine and succumb to delicious drink.

I was recently introduced to the most delicious summer drink, the Bahama Colada by  BACARDI®. This drink, created for and tailored to me, is beautiful and flavorful. The blend of coconut and kiwi is tropical and delicious. (The Bahama Colada is made with 1 can frozen BACARDI® Mixers Piña Colada Mix, 1 cup BACARDI® Gold, 1⁄4 cup BACARDI® Coconut, 1 kiwi, 1/3 cup lime juice, 4 cups of ice and 1 kiwi for garnish.)

I made a large batch of the drink last weekend and invited some friends over for a little tropical BACARDI® party by the pool. The  BACARDI® rum and mixers paired beautifully with snacks such as mixed fruits, chips and salsa. I managed to locate some frozen whole coconuts to use as a side drink and decoration. My friends loved the party and were particularly blown away by the Bahama Colada. The weather has been so hot lately that everyone naturally gravitated towards the cool mixed drinks.

Revlon BB Cream and Nearly Naked Makeup

Do you like BB creams or multipurpose foundations? I'm sure I've mentioned it a dozen time before, but multipurpose foundations and BB creams are my absolute go-to makeup for the summer. Why throw on heavy layers of foundation and makeup when they'll just melt off your face and leave an oily shine? Summer is a season for natural, radiant skin with a simple and easy-to-apply foundation.

Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder, Revlon Photoready BB Cream and Revlon Nearly Naked Makeup Fond de Teint

I was given the opportunity recently to test out the Revlon Photoready BB Cream, Revlon Nearly Naked Makeup Fond de Teint and Nearly Naked Pressed Powder. As I mentioned before, the bb creams are my favorite foundations, sunscreens and skincare combo for the summer.

I love the Revlon Photoready BB Cream. It is a lightweight beauty balm that combines skincare, makeup, and sunscreen into one step. I find the Nearly Naked foundation to be higher coverage with a dewier finish than the bb cream, but I still prefer the bb cream for the summer. The Revlon Nearly Naked foundation and powder are affordable, simple and work beautifully, but something I am reserving for night time or the cooler weather.

Weekend Family Friendly Entertainment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX.

Weekend entertainments for the family can be a little troublesome during the summer time. I love ice skating and winter sports during the colder weather, but things are a little more difficult when it gets really hot outside. For the past weeks, I've been spending more time with the little kids watching television. They are crazy about Netflix - and I can see why. My recent watches list has been filled with children television shows. They have a lot of newer children shows as well the as television shows I watched a kid. The listed shows really make me reminiscent my childhood days.

Watching movies and television used be a lot different when I was younger. You have to visit the movie store to get movies, and you could only pick out one or two movie at a time. In order to catch your favorite television shows, you have rush home after school or record things on your VCR. Everything is a lot more convenient now, with Netflix and readily delivered movies and online television.

My family loves watching Netflix on weekends with large bags of popcorn and candy treats. I love to wear face masks and relaxing beauty goodies during movies nights. It is the perfect, safe and comfortable relaxation night. The kids love watching Disney shows like Pocahontas. I love them as well. Whenever they put on a show I have already seen or don't enjoy as much, I proceed to apply nail polish or do some other routines. No matter the choice, there seems to be a lot of fun involved in movie night!

We Notice When Your Shoes or Lipstick Don't Match

Some believe that no one cares for shoes, but shoes are one of the main component of any outfit.

Of the things I notice about people, shoes has to be one of the main things. It's strange to think that little shoes dangling off your feet are something to be noticed, but they definitely are. Why else do we match shoes to our outfits or handbag? If you've ever tried to get away with shoes that are not quite the right color for a suit or dress, you'll know the pain. Sometimes I feel like I can't wear certain outfits because the shoes just don't match quite right.

I have pairs of shoes I've only worn once or twice because I can't make it go well with any outfit. It's extremely important to consider how wearable a pair of shoes are before you make a purchase - especially if the shoes are expensive.

If you are wearing lipstick, people will take notice.

It still amazes me that people can be surprised when I comment on their lipstick. The general rule is that if you are wearing a lipstick - any lipstick - people will notice. You speak through your mouth, so people will focus on your mouth quite often. Knowing this, I try to make sure my lipstick is always clean and neat. Pink and red lips are especially noticeable, so I don't try to cheat the system and overdo any lipliner or gloss.

What Gets You Noticed?

What do you notice about others? What do they see in you?

What is the first thing people notice about you? Is it your dazzling smile? Your perfume? Your fashionable outfits? Or maybe everything at once? I asked my best friend what she noticed about me the first time we met. And she is a dear friend - no matter how blunt she gets.

Me: What was the first thing you noticed about me when we first met?
Em: I thought you were a bit dazed - but had nice hair! That's right. I noticed the nice hair first, but you were totally just spacing out.

Me: I think I was trying to concentrate on studying or something, wasn't I?
Em: Nope, it was like the opposite. You didn't notice me until I spoke up.

Me: Oops! Well, glad you like the hair. What did you like about it?
Em: I don't know. It was straight and neat and looked really healthy and shiny.

Me: I think I had it permed straight the previous week. What else did you notice?
Em: You were nice, friendly and easy enough to get along with. I was pretty nervous about getting the roommate from hell that everyone kept talking about. Glad you seemed so normal.

Three Subtle Tricks for a Noticeably Radiant Look

Sometimes you see someone you know, someone you haven't seen for some time and she looks stunning. She is beautiful, gorgeous and glowing, but you can't pin point the difference. Nothing is different, yet everything seems to be. How can you achieve that look? That subtle, dashing beauty? Sometimes it is best to get noticed without getting noticed at all.

1. Add a rosy blusher to your cheek. Don't go overboard, just a tad bit of color will give you a flush of life. Use a creamy blusher for that dewey look. Top it off with a tiniest light-reflective highlighter for the youthful glow. You'll look more awake, more alive, but no one will be able to understand why!

Be careful not to overuse blush. Subtle is sometimes best for getting noticed.

2. Clean and exfoliate your skin. You may think it doesn't matter much what lies beneath the foundation or concealer, but it does. A clear, exfoliated face glows naturally and radiantly. It allows makeup to blend in rather than build up and clog. Just as you may use Dial body wash for your body, you should consider using a good facial cleanser and exfoliator for your face. Scrub well and scrub often!

Properly exfoliated skin will result in more natural looking makeup.

Live Young with Evian: Connect Your Baby-Self

Evian, the French brand mineral water sourced near the Évian-les-Bains, lives by its Live Young motto. Their popular Evian Mineral Water Spray is popular amongst the makeup lovers who use the cool mist to rehydrate the skin and to revive makeup throughout the day. (If you ever feel too made up after applying makeup, spray a light mist over the face to give a more dewey and refreshing look.) Water itself is always replenishing, but Evian takes it to another level with their new Baby & Me campaign. Because you can't look youthful forever, but you can always tap into that spontaneous youthfulness. And by tap, we kind of mean that literally.

Many of you have probably already seen the popular Evian commercial featuring the dancing babies (even though it just launched on April 21st). If you haven't seen the cutely hilarious video, watch it below. You'll find it hilarious - unless you don't like dancing babies. But honestly, who could resist dancing bundles of joy?

After Spring Cleaning: The Must-Have Fashion, Food & Tidbits

As I am tossing out old magazines, unused knickknacks and tattered handbags, I feel the need to fill the void they leave behind. I've donated a lot of clothes sitting in my drawers, a lot of makeup I never reach for, a lot of books I've grown tired of reading. I have a mental list of things I want to buy, but I have also organized this list of things I really wish for this Spring. Because really, what am I going to do with all this space in the closet and in my life now?

This Pretty Smitten Hello Darling iPhone 4s Case is so simple yet I fell in love with it at first sight. The Pool & Green color is vibrant enough but not overwhelming. I found this selling for $54.95 on Joss & Main, but then found the original seller (Pretty Smitten on Etsy) selling it for only $50.00. I don't understand why websites like Joss & Main and One Kings Lane tries to rip off it's buyers with overpriced products that they pretend are discounted. Rather than shopping at these "members-only site that offers limited-time sales", I would suggest a more traditional approach such as a department store or boutique.

With the weather getting warmer and beach season approaching, a cupcake should not be on my wish list - but it is! A little indulging can do wonders to the mind. These chocolate cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery are deliciously moist chocolate cupcakes with a smooth velvety texture and dark chocolate flavor, vanilla butter cream and assorted sprinkles. And if you ever visit Magnolia Bakery in New York, I definitely recommend the pistachio cupcakes with pistachio meringue butter cream.

This one is not so much a must have as it is a must read. My friend recommended Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express to me after seeing my obsession with Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. I haven't gotten around to reading much of it as of yet, but I like what I see so far.

Bold Lips That Stick

Bold, statement lips are always in - even when they're not. This Spring, try something new. Mix in some new colors, add sparkles and shines and bare those lips.

Try some of our tips for bolder, stronger and longer lasting lip colors. The following bold lips video tutorial, Runway to Realway features Napoleon Perdis.

Of course these popular colors researched and surveyed to death won't help you if you don't suit the colors to your look and style. Look to some of these runway makeup looks for inspiration.

Vivid Lip Colors for the Spring 2013 - Pantone Shades

All throughout the runway and streets are models donning some of the brightest and most visit lip colors for the Spring season. Pantone, the world authority on color trends discovered this Spring's hottest colors favored by females. Look familiar? Perhaps you've seen these popular shades throughout the runway. Incorporate these colors into your makeup look for the modern and seasonal look.

PANTONE 16-4120 Dusk Blue   #7DB6D4
PANTONE 14-6011 Grayed Jade   #97CEB7
PANTONE 12-1008 Linen   #F1D8C2
PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald  #00A78E
PANTONE 16-3520 African Violet   #b896c6
PANTONE 16-1360 Nectarine   #F68E51
PANTONE 17-1664 Poppy Red   #EF3131
PANTONE 13-0756 Lemon Zest   #FEE05C
PANTONE 14-0446 Tender Shoots   #BCD74C
PANTONE 19-3964 Monaco Blue   #154478

Of course these popular colors researched and surveyed to death won't help you if you don't suit the colors to your look and style. Look to some of these runway makeup looks for inspiration.

This model wears a fusion of the poppy red and nectarine on the lips. (via Harpers Bazaar)

A bold red against pale features and minimal look is both classic and modern. (via Harpers Bazaar)

Spring Nail Art Designs and Colors

Spring is a season for soft or bright nail colors! Let go of the darker hues and embrace a playful nail design. You don't have to go to a nail salon to get cute nail polishes or nail art applied. Do it right at home with some simple and cost-effective polishes and design kits.

Personally, I love mixing the softer hues and muted pastel colors into my Spring nail art. Stripes and polka dots are my favorite as they are simple to do at home. (I get frustrated when I mess up perfectly beautiful nail polishes.)

This bright polka dot nail art was designed by the lovely Becoming Gorgeous. Just pick up a toothpick or any nail design pen and dab on the polka dots over the nail polish. Using white dots rather than black gives a more Spring/Summer vibe.

This lovely multi-colored pastel nail design from PSHIIIT has been on top of my inspiration list for a while. It is very simple to do and allows for creativity by mixing up the horizontal and vertical lines just a bit.

If you are looking for a really cute design, I recommend this Bow Mani art design by Kristin over at The Beauty Department. It requires a little more tact than I would like, but the outcome is absolutely gorgeous!

Maybelline Color Whisper Review & Sweepstakes

Maybelline Color Whisper by Color Sensational is a lipcolor that provides truly translucent gel color. Available in 20 shades, the Maybelline Color Whisper gives off a very sexy, soft and translucent color without any heavy waxes or oils. When I wear Maybelline Color Whisper, my lips feel protected and beautiful without taxing feel of makeup. Maybelline Color Whisper provides a shine that gives color and definition.

 

These lipsticks are sheer, natural, affordable and come in a wide variety of shades. My personal favorites are Coral Ambition and Shocking Coral - but do know that anything with the word coral in the name naturally attracts me. Expect some swatches of these beauties in the future (once I get my lighting adjusted).

For best results, it is recommended that you apply this lipcolor starting in the center of your upper lip. Work from the center to the outer edges of your lip, following the contours of your mouth. Then glide across the entire bottom lip.