Grow Your Hair The Right Way

I used to have long beautiful hair- Yeah that was before I decided to cut it. If you are a girl you have been through that whole, "I want to do something different," phase and if you haven't felt this way yet, NO WORRIES you will. So any who, I drastically took my hair from my lower back all the way up to an A-line above the shoulders. Although I terribly miss my long hair, I am glad I did it for a couple reasons: One: I got to finally try something completely different, Short hair is beautiful and sexy so WORK IT and Two: My hair can finally grow out healthy with a fresh start.
When you are over the short do and ready to grow out those lovely locks, you have to make sure you really take care of your hair, otherwise when it is grown out, you will be back where you started. Here are a few simple tips:

• Stay away from "hot tools!" **When blow drying your hair be sure to rub in some hair protecting serum**
  
• Use a daily conditioner (ISO, Joico, Rusk, Paul Mitchell are all great options). **Volumizing shampoos/conditioners tend to dry out hair so try to go for more of smoothing products**
  
• Massage in some hair oil into your scalp all the way to your ends. The best kind, in my opinion, is Coconut Oil-the thicker the better. I would recommend stepping into an Indian Grocery Store rather than spending about twenty dollars on a little bottle of oil (compare that to about $5). Do this about every other day to ensure strong, shiny, healthy, and thick hair.
  
• Try to trim your hair at the sight of split ends.
• Stay away from hair dyes, you don't want to over process your hair and cause damage.
• Take some vitamins, maintain a protein-rich diet.
  
• Be sure to enjoy every length because when your hair finally does grow to the desired length, it may be a while til you chop it off.
  

Over-done eyebrows? Short, stubby eyelashes? Try using castor oil every night, I saw a difference within about a month.

Denim is a Girl's Best Friend

AH Denim. The greatest invention of all man kind-whether it be a day at the mall or a night out on the town, your jeans are always there by your side. The variety of hues, washes, and fits makes it easy to transition your day to night. Investing in different types of jeans adds versatility to any closet, even if you have to splurge a bit for a pair or two, keep in mind that a great pair of jeans can work with a variety of looks and last you a long time. Here are some basic fits/looks every girl should own and suggestions on how to wear them.

• The Basic Jean

This pair of jeans is the basis of my closet. When I want to throw on a shirt and have no time to waste, I reach for this perfect fitting pair which goes with everything (Rock Revival from Metro Park).

• The Skinnies

I love skinny jeans! They are the perfect match to over-sized t-shirts, sweaters, or tunics and look perfect tucked into a pair of boots. Since I'm quite petite, skinny jeans are the perfect look for me, I absolutely am in love with this pair (J Brand from Pink Stripes).

• Rolled-Up Boyfriend Jeans

This style has been worn by celebrities such as Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham. You can dress these down by pairing them up with a t-shirt or you can dress them up by wearing a fitted blazer with some heels (Abercrombie and Fitch).

• High Waisted

High waisted jeans aren't a thing of the past anymore. These are great for a more "put together" look. Since these are pretty fitted, I would recommend wearing them with a more loose fit top, possibly something with a collar.

• The Bright Pair

So this is a great way to add some color to an outfit; usually its a bright colored shirt toned down by some blue denim BUT you can be a bit more playful and try out the opposite. In my opinion, it looks a bit much when the entire outfit is neon and bright, instead try to contrast by doing something bright on the bottom and neutral on the top (Rock Republic).
**The brand names I have listed correspond to the pictures on the left (the jeans I own). The pictures on the right are just some pics I googled that show different ways to wear them**

Blue and Brown Hues

So I was watching RissRose2 (http://www.youtube.com/user/rissrose2) on youtube a while ago and decided to try to recreate her BEAUTIFUL sketch and electric eel look. I did a quick tutorial on it BUT the colors didn't really come out as vibrant as I hoped. I did the look again a couple days ago and it came out so pretty. Although I don't have electric eel, I compromised and it looks quite the same. I will post a picture of my recreation as well as a full product list of what I used.

• Primer: MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot

• Crease: MAC Sketch, MAC Signed and Sealed only to deepen crease

• Lid: Coastal Scents Bright Blue, MAC fluid line in Blue Peep, I also took a shimmery baby blue from the CS palette as a liner (I did this with an angle brush and some Vaseline)

• Highlight: MAC Pink Opal Pigment

• Lashes: Max Factor Volume Couture

• Lower Lash Line: MAC Kohl black eye liner and Sketch to smoke it out

Acne, Be Gone!

SOOO one thing which I feel a lot of people deal with is ACNE. It's almost like the silent killer when it comes to skin. Although I have never experienced intense or serious acne, a few months ago I had many tiny bumps/blemishes reappearing on my face, especially on my chin area. Typically, females have the most acne around the chin area- this has something to do with the location of hormones. I tried benzoyl peroxide creams and washes, Differin, Acne Free, Retin-A, and a bunch of other random things. I did not follow through with Retin-A because it made my skin quite sensitive (which is normal, Retin-A makes the skin much worse for a couple months before it makes it better)- I'm just the type of person who is VERY impatient and needs results fast. My Holy Grail product which really saved me was Proactive-the only downside is that you MUST keep using the product otherwise the acne will come back quickly. When I ran out I wanted to save some money (the 3 step routine costs around $50) so I tried Acne Free (supposedly very close to Proactive but it only cost me about $17 at Walmart). Let me tell you- my acne came back in about 2 days, as a result I returned Acne Free and dished out the money. Oddly enough, the acne went away in about the course of a week.
Even though Proactive has really made a big difference in my skin, I have learned that you MUST consider a couple more factors when desiring clear skin.

1. Drink lots and lots of water. I can't stress this one enough, I notice that on days in which I consume more water, my face looks a lot more radiant and healthy.
2. Don't stress! Stress will create more hormones by stimulating your glands, YOU DO NOT WANT THIS!
3. MOISTURIZE You have to keep in mind, when using products such as Proactive, your skin will tend to dry out (because of ingredients such as Benzoyl Peroxide and Salacylic Acid). I use Cetaphil, it's very common for dermatologists to recommend this even for the most sensitive skin and you don't have to splurge at a department store to buy it.
4. Eat healthy; You are what you eat. Try to stay away from too much dairy, sugar, and fatty/oily foods. If possible, add vitamin supplements to your daily regimen (either vitamin E or A).
5. Don't over do it; usually a pea size amount of product is perfect for the face (whether it be face wash, lotion, etc). Adding more product won't accomplish much aside from wasting product and irritation.
6. USE SUNSCREEN. This is essential when using acne care products, you want to make sure your skin doesn't burn and get irritated after you apply your treatment, invest in a sunscreen with at least a 25 SPF. The SPF doesn't really matter too much, it's more the amount in this case (there isn't too much of a difference in protection the higher the SPF). As long as you apply about a pea size amount, this should be enough to protect your face. Even if your makeup contains SPF, I would recommend applying a separate one because most people don't apply enough makeup to offer the protection needed (Also, it takes about 15 minutes for the sunscreen to "activate"). No matter what the SPF, you typically will need to reapply every 4-6 hours.
7. Tie up your hair whenever possible. Your hair contains many oils and dirt, to ensure that you don't break out around your forehead and cheeks, keep your hair tied up when you are at home. If you have bangs, try to pin them back as well.
8. Use a non comedogenic or oil-free foundation. In my case, powder foundations seem to work better (liquid foundation tends to feel too heavy and pore-clogging). *Tip* Although I love MAC Studio Fix, this seemed to be causing some of my breakouts. As soon as I stopped, a lot of my breakouts cleared up right away.
   

And that concludes my little intervention on Acne. Hope this is useful = ) AGAIN this is just what has worked for me personally and is strictly my opinion.

Here are some pics of my acne before and after, I know I'm wearing makeup in all three pics BUT hopefully you can tell the difference especially with the bumps (Pic 1 is before and 2/3 are after).

Where to buy proactive: http://www.proactiv.com/

Chem Goggles for the Fashionista

So I have to take some Chem classes and obviously for my lab am required to wear Chem goggles. I bought some goggles at my student store but noticed how dull they were SO I went to Micheal's and bought a bunch of rhinestones and glammed and bedazzled them up. This is SO easy, you can place the rhinestones anywhere you like- just make sure it won't interfere with your lab (we don't want any hazards here lol). I took inspiration from some Dior sunglasses and decided to fill up the sides with different shaped and colored rhinestones/pearls. Here are some pics ENJOY.
Inspiration:

My Take:

Drugstore to High-End

Alright so I am going to be doing various posts/reviews where I pick a certain type of product (powder, mascara, etc...) and review different brands. I will be sure to include something high end as well as something you can find at a drugstore. So the first thing I will be reviewing is Mineral Powder. There was a point where these were really "in," around the time Bare Minerals started surfacing. I do like mineral powders but notice that my face gets quite shiny and cakey after long wears. Also, my skin gets too used to mineral powders to after about a week of using them my skin starts to really get oily. I tend to reach for my mineral powder only on days when I am doing some quick runs or if I am simply just too lazy-mineral powders are great for a quick but natural flawless face. I grab my kabuki brush and apply the powder for an even and glowy skin tone (the swirl, tap, buff technique works well with all mineral powders). So on to the reviews...

1. Urban Decay Surreal Skin Mineral Makeup

I love this product, it's definitely the best out of all the mineral powders I have tried, I can actually say that this powder didn't wear off and give that shiny look in comparison to the others.
Packaging: It comes with an attached sponge, I wouldn't recommend actually using it except for retouches throughout the day because of sanitary issues
Finish: Semi matte, not too matte but not too glowy
Price: $29, definitely money well spent
Where to buy: Macys, Sephora, Ulta
2. Everyday Minerals

I am on the fence with this one. I wouldn't say that this product is GREAT but it's not terrible either. One pro would be the large variety of colors and shades, if you have a problem finding the right color that matches your skin tone, I'm sure this would be a great option for you. Another great thing they offer is samples, this way you can try out the products before you actually pay (you pay around $3 for the samples). Lastly, I liked being able to choose the finish, with each foundation you can choose how matte or how much glow you want.
Packaging: Flat and wide, not so great- it's kind of messy when opening.
Finish: Your choice
Price: $12
Where to buy: https://www.everydayminerals.com/

3. Maybelline Mineral Power

I was quite surprised with the results for this considering I grabbed this at Longs randomly because I needed a quick fix to go somewhere. Although like most mineral powders, retouching is essential but the immediate results are amazing. I mean for the price, this product goes a long way.
Packaging: A lot like Bare Minerals, a lot of product for the price
Finish: Semi-Matte
Price: around $9
Where to buy: Any drugstore, Walmart, Target

SO I hope you all enjoyed my first actual review-if anyone wants me to review a certain product please do leave a comment. Also leave comments about your experiences with mineral products, including ones I have not mentioned. Thank You!

My Favorite Products

Hello again. So I am going to do a quick review on some of my Must-Haves.

1. Shu Uemura Eye Lash Curler
2. Max Factor Mascara
3. Cetaphil Face Lotion
4. Nude Lip Liner
   
5. A Matte Powder Foundation- currently it's Shiseido, but Make Up Forever is great
6. Pro-Active
7. Vaseline (Works great as my eye makeup remover, eye treatment, and lip moisturizer)
8. MAC Kohl Eye Liner
9. Sweet but fresh perfume- YSL Young Sexy Love is what I like at the moment
   
10. My Black Chanel Bag
11. Kabuki Brush
12. Coconut Hair Oil
13. MAC Bronzer
    

I LOVE LOVE everything on this post, it's basically things I use on a day-to-day basis, which is what makes them my must-haves. I will do more in depth reviews of individual products so stay tuned!

Introduction

Welcome to my blog = ) I am totally new at this so please excuse any unfamiliarity. Let's start off with an introduction shall we? Well first off my screen name- the meaning you may ask? Jolie: Pretty, Pari: Fairy, Jolie Pari : Pretty Fairy.
Any who, I am an undergraduate student studying Psychology; I am very ambitious and have many goals in life. I hope to become a dentist, open a free clinic for those who are less fortunate, perhaps start a clothing line, and just live happily. I feel that no single person should underestimate him or herself, everyone has an equal ability to be completely great- yes some may have more luck, money, or opportunities BUT drive and ambition can take you to the moon, or wherever it is you would like to go.
Although I am studying to become a dentist, I have an immense passion for fashion. I love clothes, makeup, hair, anything that makes a girl feel pretty = ) If I had it my way, I would be at the mall shopping everyday-Unfortunately I do not have stacks of money falling from a tree to spend, instead I try to work with what I have. This blog will be dedicated to everything from A-Z in the world of fashion-this could include makeup tutorials, fashion dos and don'ts, product reviews, etc. I don't expect everyone to agree or feel the need to remain engaged 100% of the time but hopefully some people out there share my interests and respect my opinions.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to the wonderful world of blogging.