Hair Trends 2012

This year's hair trends (and fashion trends for that matter) seem to be "old school" with a modern twist. By taking some of the most iconic styles of the 20th century and throwing in a pinch of modernist style here and there you get some of the simple, yet gorgeous, styles you're sure to see in 2012. With that being said I've decided to post a few how-to's.

Long Hair

The Bouncy Blow Dry

Step 1: After shampooing and conditioning your hair, towel-dry it and apply a blow dry enhancing cream (ex. Matrix Blow Down Lite Lotion) to the roots.

Step 2: Section off your hair and blow dry using a round brush. You'll want to be sure to brush away from the roots to create volume.

Step 3: Once your hair is completely dry, brush it out and create a center part.

Step 4: Spray hairspray on a flat brush and gently brush away from the parting of your hair in the direction that your hair naturally flows.

Styling Tip: If you want longer lasting waves you should set your hair in a few larger rollers. Be sure to roll your hair in the direction that you want it to lay.


Mid-Length Hair
The Side Wave Chignon

Step 1: Create a low side part in your hair. Make sure it’s in a straight line and separate the front section front the rest of your hair.

Step 2: Pin back all of your hair except for the part you sectioned off so that it’s out of the way. Using a heat styler, such as a flatiron or curling iron, take a section of your hair a and run the iron down it at a diagonal angle to create a wave. Repeat with all of the remaining hair section.

Step 3: Now, working with the un-sectioned part of your hair pull it back into a low ponytail and secure it with an elastic.

Step 4: Twist your ponytail around to create a low bun.

Step 5: Loosen the curls with your fingers to create a soft texture and then mist with hairspray to secure your style.


Short Hair
The Mod Bob

Step 1: Take small sections of hair around the crown of your head and backcomb it. Section your hair in three parts to create volume.

Step 2: Settle the flyaways and spray a generous amount of hairspray onto the bouffant (the now poofy from backcombing area) section of your hair.

Step 3: Create a mid-range side part in your hair.

Step 4: Pull the hair on the opposite of your part and secure with a bobby pin at eye level.

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Off Topic: Water.org

I received a notice in the mail today from the housing authority that owns the apartment we live in saying that starting this evening at 7:00 PM our street and surrounding streets would be without water until further notice while a water line is being repaired.

Naturally I started moaning and groaning about how I wouldn't be able to take a shower or give the boys their bedtime bath and then I remembered something I seen a while back on Deviant Art. I had just logged in and was checking my messages when I noticed an invitation to a donation pool on water.org. The person that sent the invitation had set up a donation pool with a cap of $5,000.00 and was asking people to donate whatever they could afford whether it be mere pennies or thousands of dollars. At the time I wasn't able to donate but now that I'm able I plan to do so and by posting this I'm hoping to spread the word.

About Water.org:
Co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, Water.org is a nonprofit organization that has transformed hundreds of communities in Africa, South Asia, and Central America by providing access to safe water and sanitation.

The Crisis:

• Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water related illness.
• 3.575 million people die each year from a water related disease. That is equal to the entire population of Los Angeles, California.
• Combined, women spend 200 million hours a day collecting water.
• 884 million people lack access to clean water. That's almost 3x more people than the entire population of the United States.
• The majority of water related illness is caused by fecal matter in the water supply.
• More people have a mobile than a toilet.

The Solution:
Water.org works to solve the crisis of unsanitary water by building wells which provides access to safe water and by providing proper sanitation for the people of the communities effected most. 

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Add Some Spring To Your Nails

Well it's that time of year again. The snow has melted, the birds are singing, the grass has turned green, and if you're anything like me you have Spring Fever.

It's no secret that I'm a warm weather and sunshine kind of girl so it should come as no surprise that when Old Man Winter goes back into hibernation and it's just warm enough outside to crawl out of my sweater without being called a crazy lunatic you can bet I'll be skipping down Main Street, head held high, wearing a mixture of brights and pastels.

Admire my enthusiasm of all things Spring? Well now, you too can skip around like a crazy loon with the Essie Spring 2012 collection on your fingers. No one is going to care that you've lost your mind, because they'll be too busy admiring your new chic Spring fingers!

Seriously though, putting all humor aside. I LOVE this collection. I was a bit skeptical of Essie at first seeing how they're not a huge flash and glitter brand (I'm a brand whore [okay so not really]) but I like trying new things so I bottled up my skepticism and went for it. The colors were beautiful and I didn't need an extra coat of polish to ensure lasting color like I normally need when using brands like Pure Ice. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Pure Ice. They offer higher quality than I usually expect when buying a budget nail polish, but not having to add an extra coat saves on time and with two rowdy toddlers in my house I need all the time I can get. Essie nail polish also has a sort of built in gloss so you don't have to worry about adding a coat of clear polish to make your nails shine, yet another big time saver.

You may or may not be able to buy the full collection from the Essie website but never fear, in the event that the color you fall in love with isn't available on their website Essie Nail Polish can be found at your local Walmart or Target, and at drugstores like Rite Aid. It can also be found online at Walmart.com and Target.com.

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Review: Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer

I'm no newbie when it comes to self tanners. I've tried everything from the basic store bought brands to the high end "in order to get this you have to climb Mount Everest, wrestle a tiger, jog half-way across the world, and then pay us two-hundred dollars" brands and every single time I wound up looking like a walking cheese puff.

Call me conceited but I hate walking into Spring looking like Frosty the Snowman after a long sun-free winter. I'm white and I know it. However, due to my streaky past (pun intended) with self tanners I decided to give up trying and simply sun bathe like everyone else, skin cancer risk or no. Naturally, you can guess at my level of reluctance when my mother-in-law gave me a tube of Jergens Natural Glow that she bought but never got around to using.

I originally intended to store it away and forget about it but somehow it kept popping up all over my house and on the internet too. Being me, I lost all self control (it's a beauty product, I'm weak, don't judge me) and I tried it. One week later and I am in love.

Application:
The application for me was as simple as applying my daily moisturizer. I slapped it on at night after my shower, waited a few minutes before putting my clothes on to allow it time to dry (so says the back of the tube), washed my hands, and went to bed.

Results:
It took about four days before I started to see a real change in my skin tone but by day seven (as promised) I could really tell the difference. My skin was bronzed, glowing and moisturized to perfection.

Overall:
Overall I give Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer a 10/10. It's cheap, it doesn't smell like chemicals, it's fast acting, and it works as advertised.

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