Winter Hair Tips

Oh winter. 

Your cold, blustery wind. 

My wet hair is no match for you... 

I never want to leave the house with wet hair this time of year, but I also don't necessarily want to blow dry my hair every day.

So here are some styling tips for this cold season

Invest in a shower cap.

Really.
We've all heard that you shouldn't wash your hair everyday as to not strip the natural oils. This is especially important during these drier months. I've tied my hair up in a bun while I shower, but it still manages to get soaked. Using a shower cap saves you time, energy and your blowout.

Dry Shampoo is your friend. 

It's actually one of my BEST friends..
I love dry shampoo. While I do experience a drier scalp, my hair can get greasy because it's so fine. A great way to utilize this product is actually at night. If I know I'm not going to wash my hair the next morning, I spray the product in my hair before bed. The longer it has to permeate the hair, the better job it does. Of course this isn't totally necessary. You can apply it before you do your makeup and then shake it out right before styling (or not styling :)) your hair.

My favorite: 

Photo c/o Ulta.com
Batiste Dry Shampoo
$7.99 (often on sale for $5.99!) 
It works like a charm and it's super affordable.

Overnight styling... 

Braiding, sponge rollers, twists..
These are all great options for going to bed with wet hair. After the shower I usually towel dry so it's not sopping wet, add some product and then let it air dry a little. Once it's partially dry, I'll either braid it, or add rollers so that I can wake up to effortless waves with no heat styling. I look a little silly at bedtime, but luckily my husband doesn't mind :)

Use a hydrating mask. 

Another key tip for keeping your hair healthy is to hydrate! Same as your skin :) With the dry climate, wind, blow outs, and dry heat in your building, you're losing a lot of moisture in your hair. My current obsession has been with the product line Lanza.
A stylist friend of mine is an educator for the company and turned me onto their line about a year ago and I've never looked back! My hair is super shiny, healthy and soft.

My Favorite: 

photo c/o Lanza.com

Moi Moi Hair Mask

You can find Lanza retailers on their website, HERE. 

I hope this post was helpful for you on your venture to healthy winter hair! Hopefully these tips will help you to survive the rest of this chilly season. 

Surviving a Sunless Winter

Cold, dark winter days definitely bring me down. 

When I was a senior in High School, (and honestly didn't know any better!), I'd go tanning to get a boost of Vitamin D and some color. 

*This phase only lasted a year! Thank goodness!

Shortly after, I learned about the effects and damage this has on your skin! Not to mention the risk of Melanoma. 

Now trust me, I know tanning can be addictive, but please save yourself and STOP! 

You will be so happy in the long term. Sun damage causes wrinkles, dark spots, and can make your skin have a leathery feel, which is not so cute! 

(And incredibly difficult to make up!)

Here are some tips to help you... 

Surviving A Sunless Winter

1. Spend at least 10-25 minutes a day outside or by a window. 

Thank goodness, my apartment gets a lot of natural light! Because of that, I can blog happily by my bright window :) If you don't get much light in your place, I suggest taking a walk. Yes, go outside! Not to mention the fresh air will do you good :) 

This is great for you because during this time of year, many of us fall into hibernation mode. I know I do! Our bodies crave that vitamin D that we were once receiving so much of over the summer. As a result, we sleep more, eat more, and sometimes feel depressed!

 Just make it a habit to get some natural sunlight once a day. It makes all the difference. 

2. Sunless tanner.

Yes, there are many great sunless tanners available now! So don't be afraid! Instead of subjecting your skin to harsh ultraviolet rays, you can slather on a tanning product that can last anywhere from a day to a week. 

Here are some great options: 

Tan Towel-

These have a natural look to them and are gentle even for the face! I use them often as they are clean, efficient and easy to use. 

Jergens Tanning Lotion-

Replace your regular body lotion with this product! Using this daily makes for a gradual, natural looking tan.

Airbrush Tanning-

There are so many places that offer this service- and I know that some makeup artists offer this as well! It is similar to airbrush makeup, but on a larger scale. The artist airbrushes a tan on your body. This "tan" can last anywhere from 5-7 days! It is incredibly natural looking, even for the palest of clients :)

I hope this helps you tanning fans out there! Try some of these self tanners (amongst so many others!), and I guarantee it'll make you feel just as beautiful. 

Not to mention,  pale, porcelain skin is an understated beauty. Learn to embrace it! Everyone wants what they don't have! 

And remember, in the warmer months, be sure to cover up with a big hat, sunscreen and a nice pair of shades! 

xoxo Jen

Good Makeup starts with Good Skin...

Hello everyone! 

This is my first blog post.. ever! yay! And what a better way to start this series than to discuss winter skin care. 

Many people think makeup can cover anything... WRONG. Makeup does have some powerful capabilities to mask a  lot of problems, but to achieve that flawless look, you need to make sure you are taking good care of your skin (even if you were born with nice skin:) <--Those are the worst offenders!

Here in Chicago we have had a pretty mild winter, many would consider us lucky to have missed big snow storms and 0 degree days... But we've had a horrible winter for our skin. With all the back and forth of low temperatures to 50 degree days, snow, and then rain and then cold, dry, windy days! It's horrible! Our hands and faces are rebelling!

So here are some basics you should know to keep your skin glowing and healthy in the hardest of times: 

1. Most important: EXFOLIATE!

    

 *So many women I meet neglect this step and it's so important to do! I exfoliate all year long, usually once a week during the hotter months and up to 3 times a week during the cooler months. Exfoliating is important because it is a gentle scrub that sloughs off dead skin cells. If you neglect to do this, those skin cells continue to pile up and build, creating flakey skin that can be one of the hardest things to cover! 

Exfoliate once and you'll see an immediate difference!

     *Here are some home remedies for you to try if you haven't found an exfoliant you like yet: 

          -Baking soda and warm water

          - Sugar and lemon juice

      *Gently mix and apply with clean hands on your face in small circular motions for a few minutes, rinse and moisturize!

     *Here's another quick tip for your lips. It's important not to forget about them! You can easily run your exfoliant over your lips (they also sell lip exfoliants in beauty stores), or you can be sure to brush your lips with your toothbrush after brushing your teeth (which is what I do, cause it's easy to do and remember!). Be sure to apply lip balm when you're finished! xo

2. Second most important: MOISTURIZE!

     *Your skin needs moisture from the inside out to help eliminate dryness, wrinkles (yes wrinkles!), and to make your skin glow!

     *Drink plenty of water! Especially in these drier months, your body is begging for extra moisture.

     *Moisturize daily. I moisturize twice a day, first with a lightweight formula to wear under my makeup and then a night cream before bed. I also use an eye cream as well. Why do you need all these?! I'll break it down: 

     *Moisturizer: Obvious, your skin needs moisture! Even if you have oily skin and think you don't need it, YOU DO! Buy an oil free product and be sure to do it twice a day. Oily skin produces more oil (which leads to more break outs), because it is making up for a lack of moisture in the skin. So confusing but so true. Luckily for you, having oily skin leads to a youthful face as you get older :) 

    *Night Cream: Most people use a heavier, more concentrated cream on their faces at night because your body absorbs more of the nutrients while you're sleeping, AND it's generally calling for more moisture than during the day when you're running around!

     * Eye Cream: Your eyes don't have oil glands, therefore they don't produce any moisture/oil, which means they age first! Ever notice how crows feet and wrinkles usually pop up first?! So you need a specially formulated eye cream to fight that. Get something that's hydrating and anti aging (retinal) and apply once to two times daily. 

     *Hate putting chemicals on your face? 

There are plenty of natural choices to keep your skin hydrated: 

          -Coconut oil

          -Jojoba Oil

          - Maracuja Oil

*Do your research! Visit a dermatologist and find what's best for you! 

If you take these two steps you can apply them all over your body.. Your hands, feet, legs, back, etc. 

So get to it! Good makeup starts with excellent skin care! Enjoy your day! 

xoxo Jen