Inspiration: John Galliano

Fashion shows are generally focused around the clothing...hence why they are called "Fashion Shows". But I feel that at times, the hair and makeup don't get as much credit as they should. One designer that really pays close attention the the entire ensemble is John Galliano. Through the clothing, to accessories choice, to color schemes, to posture and posing, all the way down to the hair and makeup styling, John Galliano truly creates living art pieces. Check out the hair and makeup in these pictures. These images inspire me to grow creatively and professionally. Hope you enjoy them too...

Vintage Vogue

I love Vogue Magazine. I know that the magazine is comprised of lots of advertisements, but for someone like myself, who studied Marketing in school, I find them interesting. I love everything about Vogue though. I love the articles. The fact that they talk not only about beauty, but cultural and social happenings as well.

But, what I love most are the Vogue Magazine covers. Especially the vintage covers. They inspire me. The illustrated covers that transcended into covers with living models, down to the color schemes, and themes that were used truly inspire me. The images are not only from a place of style, but also class. Vogue oozes nothing but class and sophistocation to its readers, and that image shows through its cover flow. Here are some of my favorite vintage vogue images. Hope you enjoy them, or find some inspiration from them, as much as I do.

10 Things To Do With Bobby Pins

If you know me well, you might know about the sick love affair that I have with bobby pins. For some reason, I never leave the house without at least 4 brown bobby pins. They must be brown because brown bobby pins match my hair. I keep them in my purse, pockets, and my car. Heck, I even sometimes stick a few extras in my hair when I'm wearing a bun! Yes, I know this is strange behavior, but I feel that you never know when you're going to need an extra bobby pin to switch up your 'do!


With that said, I thought I'd fill you all in on just why bobby pins might come in handy. Here are 10 things to do with a bobby pin! Enjoy!!






1. Make a side bun. Pin loose waves into a sexy side chignon.



2. Add height. Back comb just behind your hairline and pin to the crown of your head.



3. ZigZag pins. Pin in an "X".



4. Romantic 'do. Part hair in the middle, twist each side back, and pin in place.



5. French twist. Twist a very low ponytail tightly upward, hide the ends, and pin in place.



6. Fake a no bang look. Twist bangs under longer hair and pin in place.



7. Wear a halo. Form a side braid, wrap the length around head, and secure.



8. Pull up a top knot. Pin hair into a bun.



9. Hide flyaways. Work in product to tame hair and pin in place.



10. MacGyver a key hole ;)







Have fun with your bobby pins!!

Alterna Haircare

Hey all! So much has been happening in these past few weeks...its just incredible! I can't update you all just yet on EVERYTHING...I must provide you details in moderations ;) But one detail to the bigger picture that I'd love to share with you is an amazing hair care product line that I've come across and I'm pretty sure that I love.

This new brand that I tried is called Alterna Haircare. I know, this brand is nothing "new", but its new to me. I've been looking for a "clean", professional, hair care line that will actually deliver great results, and I believe that I've finally found it. Let me clarify...by "clean", I mean healthy. Alterna products are all free of all the ingredients that are bad for you. Ingredients like sulfates, parabens, and mineral oil are sadly found in most hair care products on the market today, however, Alterna chooses not to use these ingredients because they understand that they are harmful, but they know that great products can be created without the use of those harmful ingredients. Alterna also does not test on animals, which is a good thing in my book because I love animals and lots of people are agains cruelty as well.

So I tried a the Anti-Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner from their Bamboo line. The shampoo impressed me because most sulfate free shampoos are so watery that you need to use a lot, but this shampoo was very rich and luxurious. I literally used maybe a quarter size amount and got the most amazing lather. Which brings me to my second point of impression with this shampoo...the fact that its sulfate free and gave such a good lather, as most sulfate free shampoos do not lather at all. LOVED that! I'm a conditioner nut...I have very thick, dry, tightly coiled hair and I'm totally chemical free. My hair requires major hydration and major detangling, and the best way to do that is when its soaking wet with palmfuls (yes, palmFULS) of conditioner in it. With the Anti-Frizz Conditioner, I used maybe 2 half dollar-sized squirts and my hair was covered. To detangle, I didnt even use a comb...just lightly took sections of my hair and detangled with my fingers. I think the conditioner made this an easy process for me.

After washing my hair, I used Alterna's Bamboo Kendi Pure Oil Treatment. Let me just say this one word about this stuff...HEAVEN. Okay, two words...PURE HEAVEN. This product comes with a dropper. I used 1 full drop, rubbed it through my hair and made sure it was spread evenly. I always put oils first because I feel they are best absorbed without anything blocking them. After that, I used the Perfect Blowout Creme from Alterna's Caviar line. And guess what, my blowout was pretty darn perfect. I rubbed about a nickel sized amount through my hair. First off, it smelled heavenly, but secondly, I could immediately feel a difference in my hair with this product on it. I felt like my hair was soft and silky. The Kendi Oil and Perfect Blowout Creme truly made blowdrying my hair a breeze. My round brush literally ran through my hair nice and smoothly. No tangles, no frustration. Normally, I take breaks in between blowing my hair out because its a lot of work, but I really just sat there and did it because it was just EASY.

Lastly, I Alterna's Bamboo Luminous Shine Mist. Can I just tell you, this stuff was so lightweight on my hair its not even funny. A lot of shine sprays and mists will leave you feeling greasy...not this one HONEY! Oh no! My hair felt so soft, light, shiny, and it smelled fabulous!!

So, a total of 5 products were used in my hair...2 for cleansing, 2 for pre-styling, and only 1 product for styling. And when I tell you I was impressed, I was impressed. I will continue to purchase Alterna. There were a few other products that I read about and saw in the beauty supply when I went, so I will be trying and reviewing those for you as well.

Alterna has my stamp of approval! Check out their website at www.alternahaircare.com. Its good stuff, and its also good FOR you stuff!!


Have you ever tried Alterna? Have you had any experiences with this brand? Let me know!

P.S....sorry I didnt post any pictures of these products, but honestly, I'm sleepy!! And I'm writing this, and heading off to bed!! Nighty night beautiful people :)

Five Tips for Fabulous Skin

So you say you want to have great skin, huh?

Well, there are five easy, basic actions that you should take daily to keep your skin looking fab.

Step 1: Drink PLENTY of water...I drink at LEAST 32oz of water on a daily basis. A hydrated body equals hydrated skin.

Step 2: Eat well...a diet rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants will keep your skin looking its best.

Step 3: Wear SUNSCREEN...simply put, protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. FACT: 90% of what you will look like in the future is based on external factors. Soooo...WEAR SUNSCREEN!!

Step 4: Keep your skin clean...always wash makeup off of your face at night. Every night that you go to sleep wearing your makeup, aging of the skin will increase. And we all know that's not cool. So make sure you wash your face off at night, and if your skin calls for it, wash it in the morning too.

Step 5: Use products that are CORRECT for YOUR skin...if you have oily skin, why use products for dry, chapped skin? Or if you're dry, why use products that target acne? Make sure that you are using a skin care regimen that is specifically tailored for YOUR skin type. If you are unsure about that, seek out the help of a PROFESSIONAL...and by professional, I mean someone who has been trained and preferrably has been to school to specialize in skin care.


There you have it! Follow these five easy steps, and follow them consistently, and I can assure you that your skin will stay looking its best.

Style: My New Bag!

For the past month or so, I've been on the hunt. I've been looking for THE perfect bag. A bag that will take me through the end of the summer, well into fall and winter. And, finally, I have found that bag...

I had requirements for my new bag. First, I wanted for it to be colorful. Nothing too over the top, but still something that will stand out and catch your eye. This requirement was met as soon as I laid eyes on it...the beautiful plum color caught my eyes immediately, and from that moment, I knew that THIS was "The One". My second requirement was that the bag needed to be big and oversized, but not HUGE. I carry a lot of things with me throughout the day...generally, I will have my wallet, makeup bag, planner, hand lotion, reading book, umbrella, and any other necessity that I may feel I need at any given time. All of these items MUST be able to fit in my purse. This bag holds everything that I need! Next, I needed for this bag to have a shoulder strap, but also to be able to just carry around my forearm (so that I look extra chic ;P lol)...requirement MET! And lastly, I didn't want my bag to just be plain...I like the little details. My new bag is accented with a gold chain and gold detailing, which is great because I love and wear mostly gold.

I purchased my bag at Francesca's Collections at the Garden City location in Cranston, Rhode Island. This bag was well worth the $50.00 that I paid...I foresee myself getting more than plenty of use out of it and carrying it for quite some time! Hope you guys like it as much as I do!

Gratitude

I've decided that everyday, I am going to write out a list of five things that I am grateful for.

Here is what I am grateful for at this very moment today...

1. My lungs...I love being able to take in deep breaths and let it all out!
2. My crazy little chihuahua Macho...hes a lot of fun in the morning! That guy is crazy!!
3. My mom...yes, I said it. Shes a pain in the neck, but shes pretty cool to have around sometimes ;)
4. The comfy couch in the living room.
5. Silence :)


What are you guys grateful for today?