hair

HAIR TALK: INVERTED TRIANGLE FACE SHAPE

post: Kristin Ess graphic design: Eunice Chun

Last but clearly not least in our hair talk on face shapes we have the inverted triangle.(Hooray!!) Inverted is just a fancy way of saying “upside down” or “flipped”. Knowing that you can clearly see (thanks to Polish beauty Anja Rubik) that an inverted triangle face shape is wider at the forehead than it is at the jaw. Most of my clients with an inverted triangle face shape ask me to make their forehead appear less wide. That’s pretty easy to do, but you also want to avoid making the face look longer and more narrow when doing so. Here are some helpful hints from me to you:

  • Half ups: I love half updos for girls with inverted triangle face shapes. A half updo can narrow the forehead + widen the look of your cheekbones + jawline. Gotta love a good illusion! I think the key with Anja’s look on the bottom left is that the hair is wavy and that she has a center part. I like that the “baby hairs” just above her temples are not pulled back into the braids– they’re down and it’s just enough to help diffuse the width of her forehead.
  • Bangs: Almost every single girl I know with an inverted triangle face shape loooooves having bangs and will never give them up. Obviously if you want to embrace the forehead you’ve got and not have bangs– do it, girl! On the other hand, if you want the option to show a wider forehead sometimes and narrow the appearance of your forehead other times, you’ll need some sort of bang. Avoid a heavy straight-across bang only because it could potentially make your face even more triangular. I would recommend something similar to Alexa’s long bangs, Brigitte’s “curtain bangs” which are essentially short and long bangs combined, or this heavy side swoop bang. I would even say you could get away with a half-moon bang  in this post as long as it’s got some soft roundness to it and it’s not just a blunt, straight across, heavy bang.
  • Center parting: The key to center parting on an inverted triangle face shape is not letting it lengthen you. You don’t want your bangs or layers to be styled “down”, you want them to be styled “out” once they pass your eyes/eyebrows. You want that hair from the center part to then lead into some sort of layers near your cheekbones. I always tell my clients “style your bangs in the direction of your ears.”
  • Wavy bob + bangs: This is one of my favorite haircuts for the inverted triangle face shape. Also one of the most flattering, softening, balancing cuts for this face shape. The reason is, you can typically get great texture and layers in a bob or long bob. The side bang leads into layers which do exactly what is mentioned above– widens the cheekbone/jawline and diffuses the width of the forehead. Everything just looks in perfect proportion. LOVE.
  • Diagonal side part: This is a great trick. See how Anja’s hair is parted diagonally in the bottom right photo? If all that hair was pulled to one side it would likely make the forehead appear wider. Use a tailcomb or a pencil if you don’t have a tailcomb, and start slightly off center, working your way over to a deep side part. That way there’s hair on both sides but it still appears that you’re wearing a heavy side part.
  • Super straight hair with minimal layers: That would be the one style I would suggest girls with inverted triangle face shapes should avoid. All that’s going to do is make your face appear longer and more narrow. You want layers, especially around the face.
  • Updos + Chignons: You can do almost any updo, chignon or pony when you have an inverted triangle face shape. Also, leaving out a few soft pieces around the face will help balance out your triangle. I find that a center or off-center part is most flattering but not mandatory. I mean, clearly the updo in the top photo from the Louis Vuitton show is GORGE– a messy french twist with lots of texture and a thin headband! Obsessed.

Do you have an inverted triangle face shape? If so we would love you to share your thoughts, tips and your own tricks below! Thank you for being so patient in waiting for each of your face shapes! Hope this series has helped you guys understand more about how to wear your hair and what to talk to your hair stylist about. xo

 

makeup

RAISING EYEBROWS

POST + PHOTOS BY AMY NADINE, GRAPHIC DESIGN BY EUNICE CHUN

For those of you who don’t feel comfortable filling in your eyebrows, either because you like a more natural look or because it’s more effort than you’re willing to exert in the morning, this instant and subtle brow technique is for you! The only part that you fill in is the arch, also known as the High Point. You literally are drawing this figure ^ at the top of your arch, leaving the rest of it natural. Then brush brow gel through the hairs in the directions above. It’s a quick technique but has a big payoff: more of an arched and raised brow that makes your eyes look more awake and younger! Here’s how: READ MORE…

obsessions

FAVORITE DRY SKIN REMEDY

photos/post/graphic design: Kristin Ess

There are tons of products flooding the shelves that promise to moisturize or exfoliate that winter skin– I’ve know because I’ve spent a fortune testing them out. Restorsea is the first product I’ve ever found to be effective in doing both at the same time. (Girl, you know I love a good 2-in-1!!) Between wind, weather + my heater being on so much when it’s cold out, my face gets those little white flakes (dead skin) which makes it hard to apply foundation evenly. No matter how much I scrub, peel or moisturize that dry skin always seemed to come right back. After about 2 weeks of using the new dream cream I had no flakes whatsoever and I’ve now been using it for about 3 months. I won’t get into the deets of the enzyme that’s in it or exactly how it works (it’s fascinating and you can read about it on their website) but I will tell you that it’s helped so much in getting my skin back to normal and restoring a smooth surface. Here are my favorite things to remember when moisturizing my skin:

  • Wash your hands- It’s easy to forget to wash your hands before you wash your face. Do your best to remember because even though you’re washing your face, you can still transfer dirt + bacteria onto your washcloth where it might stay and find it’s way onto your face. Definitely wash your hands first if you’re just applying moisturizer because you don’t want to end up with dirt or bacteria on your face or in the jar. Eek.
  • Warm water + steam- Wash your face with warm water as you normally would. Next plug your sink, draw a super hot bowl of water, put a bath towel over your head and hang out over the sink for 3-5 minutes. That will trap steam and open your pores even more.
  • When to apply- The best time to apply moisturizer is when you’re just getting out of the shower or right after you’ve washed your face. It’s simple– when your pores are more open, the skin will absorb more moisture.
  • Applying makeup- After you apply your moisturizer, blowdry your hair or get dressed. Then come back and do your makeup. You want to give your skin ample time to soak it up!
  • Neck, chest + hands- Sometimes in our daily rush, we forget to moisturize beyond the face. We have delicate skin on our necks, chests and hands which need love, too! I love to exfoliate all 3 at least once a week and I have to say– it makes a huge difference!
  • Ring finger- Some may know this, but some may not– your ring finger is your weakest finger on your hand. Use it to apply moisturizer, concealer and foundation around the eye to avoid pressing too hard. Too much pressure can stretch or scratch the skin if your fingers are rough.

What are your favorite tips + tricks for applying moisturizer to the skin? Tell us what your momma taught ya below! xo

makeup

ROMANTIC DATE MAKEUP

POST + PHOTOS BY AMY NADINE, GRAPHIC DESIGN BY EUNICE CHUN

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion for adding a little twinkle to your eyes, especially paired with a bright lip that’s actually kissable. Here’s how: READ MORE…