My best friend, McKenzie, is a the best braider in the world. I, on the other hand, have spent the last 26 years of my life being completely inept when it comes to hair styling, After Isla was born, I decided that I really, really need to learn how to braid my own hair. After practicing every single day in Durango this summer, I can finally French braid my hair (a huge victory!). With Isla’s new desire to grab everything and hold on tightly, having my hair braided is almost a necessity. I’ve been watching and reading lots of braid tutorials to try to expand my skills, and after looking at a thousand different blogs, I’ve rounded up my favorite 9 tutorials for different hairstyles. Below you’ll see my attempt at Amber Fillerup Clark’s Upside Down Braided Bun.
Are you a good braider? Have you seen any other tutorials that you would like to share?
While in Durango, my beauty routine was fairly minimal, as I only wore makeup a handful of times and rarely styled my hair. With that said, the air in Colorado is so dry that I incorporated a number of new products into my typical day-to-day routine. My favorite new product is the Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil. Not only does it smell incredible, the oil penetrates your hair shaft and leaves it feeling much more smooth and moisturized. Couple that with the Healthy Sexy Soy Tri-Wheat Leave-In Conditioner, and your locks will be loving you.
Most days, I threw my hair up in a messy ponytail, often teased with my new Phillips 3 Row Teasing Brush. I’m from Texas, so you know we love our volume. This brush works miracles, and I highly recommend it. I would add one of these ban.do Flash Bobbi Pins to the side, and voila – pretty pony, but oh-so-simple. I inevitably waited four to five days to wash my hair (don’t worry, I still showered in between!), so the Psssssst Instant Dry Shampoo became my best friend.
In addition to the Josie Maran Love Your Skin Argan Oil Set that I mentioned here, I also used the Wrinkle Reducing Sheet Masks by Masque Bar to help add moisture to my face. I felt a difference after using it for thirty minutes – my only complaint is that the mask didn’t stick to my face well, so I had to lay down on the couch while using it.
Last, but not least, in preparation for one of my best friend’s weddings in Mexico, I used Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips. These are the most expensive ‘level’ of whitestrips, but they are worth it! You cannot leave them on too long, or you’ll get a headache, but if you follow the instructions, you’ll have some pearly whites! Also to prep for the nuptials, I started using Latisse again. I gave it up to try Neulash, but I prefer the prescription product more. It takes 2-3 months before you start to see a difference, but when you do – va-voom lashes!
Do you have any must-have beauty products for me to try? I love testing new items!
