I spent years curling my hair wrong…ok well maybe not wrong, but in a way that didn’t give me the most volume and lasting power for my style! Ashley Bryditzki to the rescue!!!! My hair stylist friend Ashley taught me how to “properly” curl my hair last year and my life is different for it!

Ok I may sound a bit dramatic…but seriously folks, this technique really helped me and I don’t know how I went so many years without knowing this!

Side note, I still curl my hair “incorrectly” occasionally (shh! don’t tell Ash!) but when I do its intentional because I want a soft natural ended look.

What you will need:

• A 1″ to 2″ barrelled curling iron (If you have fine thin hair, a smaller barrel iron will be better) Ashley used a 1″ barrel curling iron by Hot Tools on me
• Your favorite hairspray…Ash prefers Hard Head by Bed Head
• Optional: shine spray for that extra silky look!

Here is Ashley in action to demo the perfect technique for that bombshell perfectly curled hair! Enjoy!

 

Cheers to Hairspray, to Curling Irons, and to Bombshell Hair,

Nothing says drama like a smokey eye!

A while back I had the pleasure of doing a shoot with the talented photog JennaRae…for these shots we wanted a very dramatic smokey eye…to help emphasize the dark socket I intentionally muted the model’s brows…

Mary (the model) could seriously be wearing dirt on her face and still look gorgeous tho so my job was pretty easy! 😉

For the eyes I started with blue as the base and brown in the crease and then layered matte black on top of it.  Try Dior’s 5 pan eyeshadows in Gris Gris and Navy Design. And look at those lush lashes! Fakies of course…love me some Ardells! I used mostly bronzer and a soft sweep of peach on the cheek…that way the eye was the focus. Pale pink lip completed the look.

Ashley styled the hair on this shoot…I LOVE all of the texture in this updo! Don’t you?!

Layers and Layers of black beads…this necklace is all one piece attached in the back by chain. It actually belongs to me and is from H&M. One of my fav accessories!

Here is a tutorial on a very similar look…simply substitute in more black if you want the level of drama that Mary has in these pics!

There was a time when I would wear dramatic makeup a la Kardashian almost everyday! I had it down to a science and could whip out a uber-dramatic smokey eye in minutes! Nowadays…smokey eye is reserved for special occasions! So what about you…is a smokey eye a regular look for you?  Only on the weekends? Never?

 

Cheers to layers of beads, and to Drama in your makeup but NOT in your life!

I promised to tell you how to get the second look and here it is…Our second model in the western bridal shoot was the lovely Brittany! Seriously Lydia, I cannot get enough of these pics! Ha!

I love the idea of wearing a cardigan or wrap in a more casual fabric over a wedding dress!

Don’t you just love these boots?!

For the eyes I dusted a shimmery soft pink shadow all over the lid, a touch of lavender in the crease, and a deeper plum to give her eyes that flirty look on the outer corners and under her lower lashes! Purples are a perfect compliment to a green eye by the way…Use a rich purple near your lashline to really make your green eyes pop! Individual false lashes of course (I LOVE the ones by Ardell…tried and true!). On her lips is the MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 lipglass. And on her nails is one of my fav nail polish shades: Lacey Lilac by Sally Hansen

Can I just say that I can’t stop looking at all of the amazing accessories?! I am especially loving all this turquoise…There’s just something about contrasting classic with trendy or casual with elegant that just is SO stylish! Love!

To style your hair like this check out my hair tutorial (video included for extra info!). 

I love this look…a subtle pop of color, a nude lip, and amazing accessories…what more could you want?

 

So Cheers to boots, pearls, and wearing purple eyeshadow (even on your wedding day!),

 

 

I did a shoot a while back that turned out SO beautifully and I’ve been dying to share the pics with you all but had to sit on them for a bit until they were published in the wedding blog Every Last Detail!  The fabulous Lydia Takeoka took the pics!

All 3 of the models were so gorgeous I thought it’s be nice to tell you how you can get each of their looks!  The first one that we will look at today is Ashley…

Ashley is often my partner in crime on shoots but usually as the hair stylist…this time though I had the pleasure of doing her hair and makeup! She is absolutely lovely, no?! I love the unique accesories: chains and pearls, and that gorgeous ring! And the vintage wedding dress was from a second-hand store!

To achieve this sultry eye I swept a rich cool undertoned brown all over her lid, blended her pinky-peach blusher shade into her crease, highlighted the inner socket and under the brow bone with a shimmery vanilla, and smoked out the edges with matte black shadow. A strong liner and loads of L’Oreal’s Voluminous mascara finished off her look! Try Dior’s 5 pan in Mystic Smokys 004

On Ashley’s nails is OPI’s Monsooner or Later…this was a bridal themed shoot so I especially loved this unexpected flash of color on her nails! Would you wear a non-traditional color on your nails on your wedding day? I would! (And I did! Haha…mine were black!)

Ashley showed up with her hair already with a bit of curl in it which made my job easier…to get this touchable updo start by running a curling iron through your locks or if you have natural texture use a scrunch spray. Next gently tease the crown, gather the hair like you are going to put it in a some-up-some-down look and pin. Pull the ends up and tuck into a french twist or chignon. Pull out small sections of hair as needed to add volume and texture. Then hairspray liberally!

Give this look a try and let me know how it turns out!

Cheers to sultry eyes and vintage dresses,

 

I was so excited to try this back when it first hit the US market (finally)!  It had so much hulabaloo over how amazing it was…and while I thought “oh it can’t be THAT good”…my curiosity was still piqued…

It’s the Elnett Satin Hairspray from L’Oreal Paris

So here is my complete opinion on it…

The hairspray claims that it provides excellent hold but that it is so fine it disappears at the stroke of a brush…well…this is…TOTALLY TRUE! Yup, you heard me, true story.  It definitely holds hair in place…but as I experienced first hand at several photoshoots I styled hair at, I was able to change the models style without having to wrestle with her hair…it brushes right out and I was able to restyle in a flash! LOVE this product for that touchable look we all want (while still maintaining the look) and also for situations where you might need to change styles in a jiffy!

(Me…styling hair for a wedding)

Anywhoo…the only drawback I could tell you is the smell…now don’t get me wrong…it kinda smells a little old-lady-ish to me but I don’t mind it one bit.  BUT my lovingly darling, always tactful husband told me that the smell was unbearable, that it gave him a headache, and that I should never use it in the house if I didn’t want him to throw up! Yikes! Overly sensitive man-nose?  I am not sure…but thought I’d mention it in case any of you are sensitive in that department…It wasn’t my favorite scent, but just smelled like product to me!  I still love it!!

Buuuut…I do only use it for shoots now or occasion where I am not getting ready at home, out of courtesy for my husband 😉

Here’s a how-to on a quick-chic hairstyle you can try (and you can can use the hairspray too while you’re at it!)

Cheers to hair-styling, to product, and to olfactory-opinioned husbands,