Alright, so I know dry shampoos have a lot of amazing uses. They can make your hair easier to style, they can refresh your look, they can add volume and body, they can do all these magical things. But let's be real. Dry shampoo is so amazing because it can transform your hair from a greasy, disgusting, shouldn't be seen in public, disaster to this amazing, full bodied, did you just come from the salon? look!
When your alarm goes off and you push snooze (like I do daily), and then look at the phone again only to discover 30 mins have passed and you will undoubtedly be late for work. To make matters worse that morning shower you were planning on is no longer an option. Rather than roll up to the office rocking a hat you can calmly pull out your bottle of dry shampoo, spray a little over your hair and walk out the door like you had all the time in the world! (Please don't forget your deodorant and perfume).
Now, if your mornings aren't quite as dramatic as this you might be thinking 'I don't need a product like that. I'm an adult who can wake up when my alarm goes off'. When they're just wrong. EVERYONE need a product like this. Dry shampoo can give your hair volume, and refresh it when you're going on day two or day three of a style. It's great for if you want to tease your hair to start with that and it's good for giving strands a breather from washing. Also, if you have super thin hair, the kind you're not supposed to wash every day, but can't go a day without needed a wash, this product will change your life.
Now I've tried a host of different dry shampoos in the quest to find something that's affordable, but also that works.
Classic: Baby Powder
Don't know it 'til you've tried it. Sprinkling baby powder on your head can refresh your hair and sop up any of the excess oils on your scalp. It lasts all day as well.
Cons: It/you reek of baby power. You have to be very careful to brush it all through or your hair turns white. Probably not great for darker hair colors. It gets all over your closes.
The Worst: TRESemme Dry Shampoo
I despise the smell of their products. If this doesn't bother you you probably won't hate this as much. As for how it works, I find my hair is still greasy, there is no volume and it doesn't look any better. Fail
The Best Drugstore Brand: Pssssst
This stuff is great. It's only around $7 a bottle. There is no scent and it works really well. It doesn't last as long or give quite as nice of a shine as the other better brands but definitely a great buy if you're looking to not spend too much.
The Best High-End Product: Oribe Dry Texturing Spray
This stuff is amazing! It cleans your hair, gives your hair killer body and texture and makes it look as though you've just stepped out of the salon. Completely worth the splurge in my book, but at $39 it is pricey.
SUPERSTAR: Klorane Dry Shampoo
This is the End-All-Be-All of dry shampoos. It's lightweight, unscented, it doesn't make your hair turn white or leave a gross scent. It adds volume to your hair and is great for spraying on even clean hair to give some body and lift. It's only $18 and it's worth. Every.Last.Penny.
What are your favorites? Have you tried any of the above?
xo
Kelly
Hey!
So I have relatively manageable hair. However, if I tease my hair or don't comb it for a few days it can get cray. There is nothing worse than getting out of the shower and having just one huge knot. It's like WTF. I've tried using detangling leave-in conditioners and they work relatively well, but still pulling the comb through my tangles always hurts. I'd heard about this brush that was supposed to be great for detangling hair but hadn't really given it too much thought.
I somehow got roped into doing a free Amazon Prime trial and during the month I had it I felt the need to buy as much as possible to get my (free) money's worth for the month. So, one day it occurred to me that maybe this brush was worth trying. I looked it up and it was the weirdest shape, but it cost me like $3 I was like why the heck not?! BEST $3 I EVER SPENT. This little thing is a miracle worker. Comb your hair with it before you shower, after you shower, when you wake up, whenever the heck you feel like it. I can't even imagine the wonders it works on people with actually tangley hair. It's seriously so amazing, I threw away all my other brushes just because I hate them so much now :)
But for real. If you have an extra $3 lying around, buy this brush. (Just get it on Amazon because it costs like $15 retail).
xo
Kelly
So I've definitely run the gamut of trying different makeup products. I've tried everything from inexpensive drugstore products to way too expensive designer labels. However, I've found that some products are worth the splurge, so these are my-splurge products. I'll definitely include less expensive alternatives whenever possible, but these are some products that I could not live without. Here are my ride-or-die products....
Face-
This is a toss-up for me. For years I've used bareMinerals powder foundation. I absolutely love it. It's light-weight, it stays well and it provides amazing coverage without making my skin feel oily or greasy. I've been lucky enough that I don't have too much in terms of needing to cover, so this product definitely isn't for you if you're looking for heavier coverage. It's affordable too at only $27 a container and it lasts MONTHS. If you were only going to splurge on one "higher end" product, this is it hands-down.
http://www.bareescentuals.com/bareMinerals-SPF-15-Foundation/USMasterSPF15Found,default,pd.html
Recently I've discovered Nars liquid and cream foundations. These are expensive but I've found the coverage is amazing and the product lasts all day/night so it's definitely worth the investment. The cream product I love but it's not for every skin type so that's where the liquid foundation comes into play. This is the first liquid foundation that I've found the color is perfect for my skin, so I will definitely keep purchasing this one until they stop making it! I think the coverage is great and it last for hours. I only wish it came with a pump...
http://www.sephora.com/sheer-glow-foundation-P247355?skuId=1202167
Bronzer-
This is another hands-down bareMinerals win for me. A few years ago for Christmas my mom got me their starter kit (which is amazing if you've never tried this product) and it came with the Power Foundation, the Warmth Bronzer and the Mineral Veil. While I can do without the mineral veil I've never looked back as far as the bronzer goes. I'll admit the warmth is probably not the recommended shade for my skin tone but I think it works perfectly to give me a shadow contour. I use it under my cheekbones, along my jawline and along my temples to help slim and shape my face. The matte finish creates a great shadow and it last all day.
http://www.sephora.com/bareminerals-all-over-face-color-P61005?skuId=1164771
Eye Shadow-
The Mac Paint Pots are amazing. I like the Soft Ochre for an every day base but the Bare Study is my absolute favorite product. It's this beautiful shimmery nude-beige base that intensifies colors and makes your eye shadow last for days. I don't even use primer when I wear Paint Pots because I've never had a problem with my eye shadow wearing off when I use them.
http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/154/1573/Products/Eyes/Shadow/Pro-Longwear-Paint-Pot/index.tmpl
Eye Liner-
Mac Fluidline in Blacktrack is my go-to every day liner. You have to be able to use a brush to apply it but once you figure that out (see the above video!) you'll be obsessed. It does not move. I've tried a lot of smudge-proof, water-proof, budge-proof liners and none of them stack up to this. It comes in a few different colors so you can experiment with different colors if you're not into black liners. I've found this product will get old before it runs out so it's definitely worth the investment.
http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/151/898/Products/Eyes/Liner/Fluidline/index.tmpl
Hair-
I promise I will not post a lot about hair. I don't think I'm particularly good at styling mine, nor do I spend much time researching it. However,, Bed Head After Party is my go-to for straight hair. My hair is a weird consistency, it's wavy and very thin and yet it refuses to stay straight. I've found when I use this product my hair will stay straighter for way longer and have a bit more shine to it. While I promise to not post much until I learn more this is definitely worth the investment for beginners like me who just want their hair to stay straight for the night!
http://www.bedhead.com/en/#/products/styling/smooth-frizz-control/after-party
You'll notice I didn't include any lipsticks or blushes above. I like to play around with those products and while I do have my go-to's I don't have have any that I couldn't live without. Do you have any products that you can't live without?
xo
Kelly
