Hi everyone it's Joyce! For me, the finishing touch of any outfit is hair and make up. I'm just going to give a few tips that I've found over the years, will work best for daily maintenance.
For hair:
*This is mainly for those with straight hair
Don't wash your hair everyday. This doesn't mean don't
shower everyday, but you don't need to wash you hair on a daily basis. It's actually better for your hair if you don't. Your hair needs the oils it produces to keep it healthy. If you wash your hair daily you're stripping your hair of those oils and they will need to produce more of it faster.
Use Styling Products. Since most of us probably don't like having damaged hair, you can use styling products when using a flat iron or curler so your efforts won't be wasted. Also, if you're using heat on your hair, like a flat iron, curling iron, or blow dryer, spray a heat protector in your hair first. This will help to give your hair more protection against the damaging heat. Find a styling product that's best for you. I personally like mousse since it's lighter weight and not as harsh as gel on my hair. There are also sprays, oils, and wax that are available too.
Make sure you're using the correct Shampoo and Conditioner. If you color your hair you should be using a shampoo and conditioner that is specially for dyed hair. Even if just the ends are dyed! The reason being that these conditioners have added vitamins and nutrients made so your colored hair won't become brittle or damaged. Also, you should use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to avoid build-up in your hair. For those with damaged hair or women who are pregnant, use a product that is protein fortified. When your hair is damaged (split, brittle, dry) or when you're pregnant your hair is being stripped of its proteins so products that are protein fortified helps your hair to stay strong and healthy.
Blow Dry Your Hair To Get Volume. If you're like me, you might have a hard time getting volume in your hair. One of the best tips that I got from my hairdresser was when my hair is wet, blow dry it. First, when blow drying your hair keep the nozzle 6 inches away from your hair so it won't be as damaging! Blow dry the top first and finish be flipping your hair over and blow dry the rest of it. Here's how to get volume though.... WAIT to flip your hair back over! If you want volume wait until the heat is gone from your hair to flip it back over! Style and go. Now, if you live somewhere more humid this volume might not last for long. You can check out
{THIS VIDEO} on how to do rollers to add volume and style. What I do is after my shower, I blow dry each section and set each section with curlers. I'll let my hair cool while I apply my makeup and then take them down and my hair would be finished at the same time! This might take an extra 5-10 minutes depending on the length of your hair, but you'll have great volume and your hair will be done for the day without any more styling.
Try to do something new. I like change and I find that the easiest thing for me to change is my hair. It could be something as simple as curling it one day or putting in a braid or a cute up do. But if you feel like you're in a rut,
change it up! If you are going to color you hair I recommend natural colors. Also, when dressing up, have some fun and dress up your hair and make up too. You want your overall look to be cohesive and put together. There are great video tutorials out there that can help you with whatever look you want. Just have fun with it!
For makeup:
Moisturize! First and foremost you need to moisturize! This is something that I learned from my grandma who is in her late 80's but looks closer to late 50's, early 60's. If you take care of your skin then you don't have to wear as much make up. I personally like a tinted moisturizer, especially during the summer time. Also, make sure to get a lotion with SPF in it. Nowadays, almost every brand has an SPF in it, so make sure to use it. You're skin is important so take good care of it! You should be able to find the perfect moisturizer for you skin type. Also be sure to cleanse your face and wash off makeup completely after you're finished. It's also important to keep your makeup utensils clean- change them out every 4-6 months. You don't want any bacteria to start growing.
You're a Natural Beauty. The point of make up is not to cover up but to enhance your own beautiful features! Love what you were blessed with but if you're going to wear makeup don't spend a ton of time doing it. I seriously take 5 minutes to do my own make up, if I'm trying to really dress it up then maybe ten. Also, you have to find out what cosmetics works best for you. The main things most women need are concealer/foundation, eye liner, mascara, blush and a lip color. That's about it. Some people with really good skin might not even need the concealer/foundation or blush. It's up to you. Taking 5 minutes to put on make up helps to
enhance the features you have,
not hide them! It could be your eyes, cheek bones, lips. Some easy tips to remember are to focus on one feature that you want to highlight. If you do a dark color on your lips, go easy on the eyes. When making your eyes the focus then go for a natural, lighter colored lip.
Know your color. So this might just be my own pet peeve but I hate it when I see someone with an orange face but a white neck and body. Really, the reason it bugs me so much is because it's such an
easy fix! Be sure to take a moment and step back to see if this is happening to you! Many times this occurs in between seasons when you are getting darker in the summer or fairer in the winter. Find a foundation and concealer that is as close to your skin color as possible. There are so many different varieties to choose from too- minerals, creams, liquid, powders, even airbrushed foundation! Also, choose the rest of your color palette to blend in with
your own natural tones. You don't want a blush that is too pink or red that will make you look like you have clown cheeks. Remember that when dealing with make up... Less is More!
Want to play with makeup and hair but don't want to shell out the cash? Check out this {
LINK}. For more specific tips on how to do certain make up applications, leave a comment and I'll get back to you in another post!
