Posts archived in Beauty

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Pain is Beauty

Tips For Waxing Beginners

If you’re tired of shaving every day, waxing may be for you — but it can be intimidating for beginners. No worries, this guide is here to help you every step of the way!

The Hair “Down There”
Maybe you don’t mind shaving your legs every day, but the thought of maintaining a clean bikini line while on your beach vacation is enough to send you to waxing salon.

What is a bikini wax? Your salon may come up with its own names for the different types of bikini waxes, but there are essentially three levels of waxing. The most common names are the American, the French and the Brazilian. Here’s what you get when you ask for these services:

Ask for an “American” wax and the esthetician will follow the line of your underwear or bathing suit bottom and remove any hair that spills out. If you’re going away on vacation it’s a smart idea to bring the skimpiest bathing suit you’re planning to wear to your appointment.

A “French” wax removes a little more than the American, but does not include hair removal from your backside. Hair can be left in a “V” shape or “landing strip” and you do not need to bring your bathing suit to your appointment if this is the type of bikini wax you’re planning on getting, because the technician will need you to remove your underwear in order to work. In other words, this is not for the shy.

When you ask for a “Brazilian” wax everything is removed — including hair from your buttocks. You might not want to get a Brazilian on your first waxing appointment, but lots of women love it once they get used to it. Maybe you’re one of those women?

How to Get a (Relatively) Painless Wax
Preparation is the key. It sounds counter intuitive, but trimming your hair to about the length of a grain of rice greatly reduces discomfort. But be careful! Don’t trim it shorter than that or the wax won’t grip the hair.

Here’s a trick that works if you’re very nervous: Coughing as the technician pulls the wax distracts you from what’s going on. If coughing is a bit too weird for you, hold your breath as she pulls (but don’t forget to breathe the rest of the time!)

How Often Should You Wax?
Waxing for the first time can be very painful, but the good news is that since hair is pulled at the root it grows back softer and easier to pull. The more you do it, the easier it gets. In order to minimize pain, you should go back when your hair grows back to the length of a grain of rice — and while that depends on how quickly your hair grows most women enjoy a few weeks between appointments. So book your appointment or gather your supplies, and enjoy your smooth skin this summer!

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Ombré

If you checked out celebrity hair trends over the past year, you would know that ombré was one of the most popular trends. Everyone from Jessica Biel to Drew Barrymore to Ashlee Simpson was sporting the trend. Even my own college roommate dyed her hair to make her tresses go from brown to blonde. It’s such a beautiful, carefree style and became a popular trend quickly. Although many stars have gone back to classic colors, the ombré is still alive and kicking.

The most popular ombré trend today is with nail polish. If you check out pinterest, ombré nails are everywhere and there are so many different variations. We’ve compiled a few of the different ombré nail looks here along with instructions for you to try yourself.

 

This week, I shared a picture of my own pink ombré nails. It’s one of my absolute favorite nail designs because it’s simple and classy, but it still catches my eye every time I look at my nails. This is another trend that Lauren Conrad originated and I duplicated. It’s one of the easiest nail trends to recreate. All you need is five different colors of nail polish in the same hue. The key is getting different shades of the color so that your nails go from dark to light and look as though they belong together. For some reason, I have an obscene amount of pink nail polishes, so using pink was the easiest way for me to do this. LC has used browns and blues, however, showing that the trend is very versatile. If you can’t find five different colors that you think look perfect together, they’ve made the trend even easier to create: the nail polish line The New Black actually sells a set of nail polish in graduating shades!

 

One variation of ombré that I’m desperate to try is the full nail ombré. Pictured above, this trend has different shades of one color graduating on the nail itself. Again, this is actually an easy design to create! You need about three different shades of one color, a sponge makeup brush, and a clear coat or sparkle polish for the top layer. First get one color onto the sponge (I would probably start with the lightest color). Blot the sponge at the base of your nail, going about one-third of the way up. Next, add the middle shade to the sponge and blot this color in the middle-third of your nail, gently blending it with the lighter color until it seems graduated. Add the darkest shade to the top of your nail by blotting it with the sponge and again, blend it into the middle shade for graduation. When you are satisfied with the blending of the shades, paint a clear coat over the top, or, for extra pizazz, use a sparkle polish.

 

Another variation of ombré is one using glitter. Although I haven’t tried this method, again, it seems relatively simple. All you need is one color of nailpolish, some glitter, and a clear top coat. The first step is to paint one layer of nail polish on each nail. The next step is where it gets a little more difficult. Paint a second layer of polish on one nail. While the nail is still wet, grab a pinch of glitter in your opposite hand. Sprinkle the glitter from the base of your nail upwards, getting the heaviest concentration at the base and allowing the graduation to trickle down up your nail. Wait a minute or two and paint the clear coat. This will further blend the glitter up your nail, so the timing is important. If you do it too soon, the graduation will be ruined. Continue these steps on the rest of your nails, and your look is complete!

 

This look is similar to the one above, but instead of starting at the base of the nail, you start at the tip. There are a few ways to do this. One would be to use glitter, following the directions above but starting at the tip of the nail and gradually sprinkling the glitter towards the base. Another method is similar to the second type of ombré, using a sponge to create graduation. Use the sponge to really concentrate the color at the tip of the nail and gently blot down the nail. This look is great with glitter nail polish, like above, or a regular color, like below. As always, don’t forget to put a top coat to keep your ombré looking sharp.

 

On a rainy day like today, having different nail trends is a great way to pass the day indoors!


The beginning of 2012 marks the end of a fabulous era for beauty. From nail art to dip-dyes, the resurgence of lipstick to bold brows, 2011 changed the beauty world, bringing back some forgotten fads while also bringing others to life. While some crazes will stay strong in 2012, others may fade or make you ask “What was I thinking?!”. As for now, we have only the fondest memories of the trends and the year we’re leaving behind.

Many people are currently blogging about what happened in 2011 in terms of fashion, beauty, and the boring stuff like politics or world events. We, however, don’t want to talk about what happened but rather who influenced us. There are certain people out there, celebrities, bloggers, stylists, etc. who have the power to change the way we see things. Who says hair should be blonde, brown, or red? Who says nails have to be a solid color? Who says braids are for little girls? These people make us question whether or not the way things are is the way they should be. Here is our list of the top beauty-influencers of 2011.

 

Although LC's dip-dye didn't last long, it was certainly one of the most talked about beauty trends of 2011

Lauren Conrad

After launching her beauty website, this California girl became one of the biggest influences in the beauty industry. There isn’t a trend that Lauren didn’t try. From her short-lived teal and pink dip-dye to her fabulous manicures and signature braids, LC showed women how to change it up. Her website is one of my personal beauty go-to’s, with new trends and instructions on how to do the look yourself. On TheBeautyDepartment.com, I learned how to create a half-moon manicure, any type of braid I ever wanted to learn how to make, what shade of red lipstick is right for me, and everything in between. On her personal website, LaurenConrad.com, she also gives great beauty advice, including an article on office supplies that double as beauty supplies (thanks for that!). All in all, LC is the top person to watch for beauty trends and our Most Influential Beauty Guide.

 

 

Who else could pull off pink hair and Oscar de la Renta?

Nicki Minaj

This girl from Queens knows exactly who she is in terms of her goals, music, and her style. While she’s known for crazy colorful hair and garments, Nicki is also someone who’s influenced the beauty world. Nicki is almost as famous for her many wigs (which this year included dip-dyes, hot pink, green, checkered, blonde, and blue hair) as she is her music. Aside from her wigs, Nicki has also gained fame for her makeup and nail art. She’s dabbled with double eyeliner (a hot trend), bold colorful eyeshadows, and never goes out without her signature pink lips. On top of her own beauty image, she also collaborated with OPI to create her own collection, which is amazing. The world is being taken over by Nicki, making her our Person to Watch for 2012.



This modern-day princess is a gem. No wonder William fell for her.

Kate Middleton

The Duchess of Cambridge has had quite the year. After getting married in April, Kate has remained in the spotlight and her appearance always seems to garner attention (but I guess that’s what happens when you marry a prince). Her classic style and simplicity are a refreshing break from our “more is better” culture. Kate is responsible for bringing back the half-up hairstyle, one that I personally find beautiful. Her clean face and minimal makeup is also a great influence. In our minds, Kate Middleton wins the Most Radiant Beauty award.



Katy really committed and changed her look by dying her hair pink this year.

Katy Perry

Although Katy’s marriage may be ruining the beginning of her 2012, she had an amazing 2011. Somehow while making a multi-platinum album and going on a world tour, Katy managed to be completely unique in her fashions and kept us on our toes. Her nail art is something that will go down in history: sushi nails, Prince William nails (Kate better watch her man), rhinestones, you name it and Katy did it. Not only were her nails fabulous, but her hair changed as well. Known for her jet black locks, the singer went pink in August and then chopped her hair and went to her natural blonde with lavender highlights in December. Katy is someone who makes us question why we never had food on our nails or dyed our hair crazy colors. We predict that this is only the beginning of her beauty evolution, naming her the Ever-Changing Beauty Guru.

 

While these are our favorite people to look to for beauty trends, there are obviously many others who are just as influencing (hello, Lady Gaga). We look forward to seeing how these women grow and what new crazes they cause in 2012.

 

 

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Bridal Beauty

How many brides out there are up to their necks with wedding stress? The last thing you need is makeup that looks completely different than when you tried it on! We at Haute PR recommend The Guide to Bridal Beauty if you want to look perfect on your wedding day!

Our own Candace is getting married next summer and is loving tips like this one: ‘”If you have a summer wedding, don’t get your makeup trials done in January. Your skin tone will vary depending on the season. If trials are done too far in advance, the makeup may not look the same on your big day. Keep your trials close to 1-2 months prior to the wedding to avoid this.”

The guide is full of makeup suggestions, a bridal beauty calendar, common faux pas, and other tips that you wouldn’t think of with all the wedding stress! If you want the best advice for looking amazing on your big day, definitely check out The Guide to Bridal Beauty!

We’ve all heard the sad news that the once praised answer to our frizzy hair problem might be solved forever …Brazilian Blowout uses formaldehyde anyone? Pardon moi? But, there (thankfully) is good news, apparently there is a new 100% formaldehyde-free formula that uses Keratin instead called Lasio. Lasio uses Euxol 702, a skin-friendly cosmetic preservative. The only other minor differences between a Brazilian Blowout and the Tropic are lifespan (the Tropic will last 2-3 months as opposed to 3-4), and curl reduction (the Tropic cuts down 60% of curl while the BB knocks out 80%). Both reduce frizz by 100%. The Tropics are even more tantalizing now. xo

We love braids for the new year and we have three great ways for you to try this look out for yourself!

A SIDE BRAID

This is our favorite way to wear the braid style.  Pull back wavy hair and shift it over to one side of your neck, letting face-framing pieces fall free. Begin braiding at the nape then tie it. We love this natural pretty look and it goes great with everything.

A FISHTAIL BRAID

If you love side braids but what to make it more unique you will love this style.  Make your side braid a fishtail.  This requires weaving two sections of hair instead of three.  First divide the hair into two sections, then pull a few strands from the outside of one section and weave it over to the underside of the second section; repeat the same motion from the opposite side. Keep alternating until you reach the end, then secure with an elastic.

A TIGHT BRAID

Apply gel to your roots and use a brush to pull hair into a high ponytail. Then braid the tail, securing the ends with an elastic. This style is great for a party!

top knot

On days that I do not wash my hair and need an easy yet chic look, I always wear my hair tied back in a low ballerina bun while I go about my busy day. Lately, I have been switching it up to a tight, twisted bun on the top of my head. The top knot is the simplest way to pull your hair off of your face in the summer heat, and it’s being rocked by celebrities at red carpet events and fashion models on the runway. Not only is this look clean and trendy, it is healthy to give your hair a break from over-shampooing and heat styling!

Famous hairstylist Fredric Fekkai has come out with a new product called Fekkai Advanced: Full Blown Volume, which comes in shampoo, conditioner, and lifting hairspray. The line of products is designed to amplify the diameter of each strand, with the ending result of beautiful luscious tresses.  Fekkai’s tagline is “Wear your hair, it’s your most powerful accessory.” One has to try them out, to see if they live up to their claim.

Embellish your hair with a beautiful headband, now there are more to choose from than ever. It will be the thing that headbands_jenniferberhwill make your outfit perfect. Jazz up you plain hair style with a headband, with your hair up or down.  My favorites are the peacock ones, rhinestones and studded headbands.

Assata Says Hairfreé brushes make getting hair straight easy.   Hairfreé  is the no-flat-iron hairbrush that transforms your unruly locks without the damaging heat of a flat iron or curling iron.  It is truly a miracle hairbrush, as it gives your hair that flat iron look without using the terribly damaging heat from a flat iron.  Read Assata’s fabulous review here and then go to www.noflatiron.com to get a Hairfreé brush to transform your unruly hair into silky smooth perfection!