Bb Prêt-à-Powder…Worth the hype?

I am a dry shampoo junkie. I have started washing my hair only once every 2-3 days, so I go through a LOT of dry shampoo. I finally broke down and purchased Bumble and bumble Prêt-à-Powder ($27), which is a cult favorite powder dry shampoo that basically everyone and their mom swears by.

I’ve been using Prêt-à-Powder for a few weeks now, and I can say it works. It voluminizes and removes oil, and leaves a nice texture in my hair (I have shoulder length hair that needs lots of volume, so this is perfect). It smells nice too (not too strong). My only problem is that you have to use a TON of product to get it to work, which is a big deal when it costs $27 for 2 oz. Dispensing takes a long time too because it’s a powder with a tiny pin hole in the cap, so you have to part your hair and shake out the powder to get it out. Then you have to wait a minute or so, then rub your scalp with your fingers to really work it in. It’s a whole ordeal, and to be honest, spray dry shampoos are a lot easier.

So I’m torn…I absolutely love the way it feels and looks in my hair (and it’s the only dry shampoo I trust on day 3), but it takes a while to put on and it is so expensive because you have to use a lot of the product. For now I’ll say 3/5, but it’s definitely worth having in your beauty arsenal.

Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo

You guys, I’m an addict…I’m addicted to dry shampoo. Every freaking time I go to the store I leave with a different bottle! haha

The last time I was in Target I picked up Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo ($15), and it is my new favorite! At first I was skeptical because it’s 3x the cost of Batiste and half the size, but DAMN a little goes a long way with this dry shampoo! I just use tiny little spritzes, instead of spraying it all over my roots, and it plumps my hair right up!

I’ve never had more volume than when I use this stuff. It also gives a ton of texture, which I happen to like in my short hair, but if you’re looking for something that will leave your hair feeling light and soft, this might not be for you. This leaves my hair very full, removes every last bit of oil, and lasts all day long. I could probably last until day 3 with this product if I wanted. Perfect! 5/5

Sea Salt Spray for Effortless Waves

Queen of Lazy Hair for Work

I am the queen of hitting that snooze button. Which means that I also NEVER seem to have enough time to properly do my hair. The lazy girl’s key to easy, effortless waves is a healthy dose of dry shampoo and a few spritzes of sea salt spray. 

What is sea salt spray? Well, you know how when you leave the beach, your hair has this natural, wavy beach babe texture? Sea salt spray gives you that look, even when you’re a thousand miles from the beach!

I recently picked up Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Soft Wave Spray ($6), not to be confused with their texturizing sea salt spray. This is a sea salt spray that is meant to give you soft waves, rather than dry out your hair like most sea salt sprays do. I spritz this stuff on dry hair in the morning, focusing on my ends, and let the dry shampoo work into my roots. Then scrunch and brush it out with my fingers and move on. Easy peasy! I have naturally stick straight hair, and this gives them a little bit of dimension. It definitely doesn’t look as nice as when I curl it, but it lets me fake having fixed it.

It smells vaguely coconut-y, which my husband likes but I’m not sure I’m a fan of. The soft wave spray also leaves my hair feeling soft, but because of that it doesn’t provide as much volume or texture as my other sea salt sprays do. I think it’s nice, but doesn’t do enough for me so I might not repurchase (at the same time, it was only $6, so I’m not knocking it). If you have wavy hair and want a little bit of texture, go for this spray. But if your hair is naturally straight, it won’t be as wavy as you want it to be. 3/5

What I’m Coveting in July

On the first of every month I am going to start compiling a list of items on my wish list. For this month, I’m all about that summer fresh look – featuring nude lips, fresh skin, and hair that won’t quit (even when I’m sweating in this summer heat)!

• Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Honey ($24) – This lip balm is so pretty and nice on the lips, but I’ve been hesitating to purchase because of the price. But now that summer is here, my lips are calling out for help, so I think I may finally take the plunge and buy!
• Milani Baked Powder Blush in Luminoso ($8) – I’m on a fresh-faced blush kick. With my Nars Orgasm and new Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pallete, I’ve been going blush crazy! I’ve been wanting this color for so long, but it’s almost always sold out in drugstores. I’m going to start stalking Walgreens until I get it in my makeup bag.
• ColourPop Matte X Lippie Stix ($5) in a nude color that I haven’t decided yet – I’ve been hesitating to purchase this because I like to see a color in person to swatch it on my skin…It’s so hard to buy based off of a picture online! But these lippies are so cheap, I might just pick up 2-3 and see what works best (I’m getting Brink for sure).
• L’Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation ($13) – I love my L’Oreal True Match Foundation, but I’ve been getting darker and darker as the summer goes on, and I need a new color. I want to try the Lumi to see if I can tell a difference in the finish. This might be nice for warmer months!
• Bumble and bumble Prêt-à-Powder ($27) – I’ve been wanting this dry shampoo powder FOREVER since they used it on my wedding. If you can make my wedding hair look last for two days, then it’s worth it!

What are ya’ll coveting this month? Any suggestions for new products I need to pick up for a review? xoxoxo

How to actually curl your hair

You guys, I have been curling my hair wrong FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE. I am such an idiot. I have been getting waves, when what I wanted was brushed out ringlets, and I had no idea what I was doing wrong until I found this amazing tutorial from The Beauty Department.

Now I’m not about to post an embarrassing photo of my wavy, frizzy hair on the internet, so imagine I am this woman on the left, and what I want are the beautiful, bouncy, loose waves on the right.

I used to have a traditional curling iron, but I switched to the Nume Magic Wand ($149) a few years ago to avoid that crimp on the end of my hair and get more volume. I love curling my hair with a wand (I think it’s easier), but I didn’t realize that I was TWISTING the hair before curling it, rather than laying it flat on the curling iron so that I get a ringlet that can get brushed out. This is a HUGE distinction, and it’s something I never even considered until I saw this tutorial. I highly recommend you check it out if you’re a beauty newbie like me that doesn’t know how to curl their hair properly!

How to Actually Curl Your Hair:

1. Apply hairspray to dry hair (I use a loose control hairspray because I don’t like crunchiness in my hair).
2. Section your hair with a clip, and start from the back. Take a section of hair (smaller for more defined curls, bigger for just some wave) and flat wrap your hair around the wand or curling iron, AWAY from your face. I do bigger sections in the back and small sections in the front. Don’t brush our your curls yet, let them set so they stay longer.
3. Take a couple of pieces on the sides and curl them TOWARD your face, so that your curls look more natural (not all curled in one direction).
4. Spray your curls again with hairspray.
5. Brush our your curls with your fingers or a wide tooth comb.
6. Be FABULOUS. 🙂

 

Chop Chop

You guys, I did it. I finally took the plunge and cut my long hair off! I have had long hair for MY ENTIRE LIFE, and for the first time ever I have hair above my shoulders. And I am OBSESSED. I have never taken so many selfies before in my life. haha

I’ve been blessed with naturally straight, voluminous hair. I have always kept it long because I’m overweight, and the general rule is that if you have a round face, you should have long hair to elongate and slim. My hair reached its peak length at my wedding, where it was all the way down to my waist. That made for beautiful wedding photos, but it also made my life so difficult because it was very hard to style every day and keep in order. I ended up just getting lazy and letting it air dry most days.

Now that I have short hair, I feel like I actually have MORE freedom to style my hair because it’s easier to take care of. I can blow dry it in a quarter of the time it used to take, and I can curl it in 10 minutes. My volume boost from short hair is insane, and I feel like my hair is a lot less greasy. I have also gotten tons of compliments that my hair looks professional without looking boring, and it’s just really pretty. Lobs are in right now, ladies. If you are still contemplating the big chop chop and getting short hair, I say GO FOR IT!