HEAVY SIDE PART

photos/post/design: Kristin Ess

Obsessed with this side-heavy look- and as you can see below it’s all over the red carpet. It’s kind of got this sort of 90′s feel to it which I’ve really been digging. The weight of the hair feels very a-symmetric and it takes a whole 15 min to create this look. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Find your super-deep part. Try lining it up with the very outside of your brow first. If that feels like it’s just too much, go a little closer in and line up with the arch of your brow.This could potentially feel a little uncomfortable at first if you’re not used parting so far over. If you really hate having that deep side part or if your hair just won’t cooperate for some reason, try doing what I did on Lucy Hale below– see how I went on a diagonal? It starts a little closer to the center and then diagonally goes into a heavier part. This way you get all the weight of the hair on one side but it doesn’t feel overly swooped. Don’t be afraid to take a blowdryer to it to get it to behave!
  2. Use the finer side of a comb + some strong holding hairspray to make the side tight as you see in photo 2. Don’t over spray, you just want the hair close the head and the fly-aways to stay down. If you really wanted to go for a sleek side, you could gel it and give it that “shaved side” appearance which feels equally edgy + girly!
  3. Now split the hair diagonally from the back of the part to the opposite corner of your neck. Start the braid behind your ear and go down and around as you see in photo 3. Use a tiny clear elastic to secure the braid on the opposite side of your neck. This elastic will be hidden underneath the other side with all the hair.
  4. That’s it! Now you’re free to create whatever texture you want on the heavier side– smooth waves, messy waves, curl, straight, anything you like. Personally I like the messy waves with a little volume (like you see in the very top photo) but you really can do this using any natural texture.

‘TIS THE SEASON!

post + photos by amy nadine, graphic design by eunice chun

I love a foiled lip all year round, but especially for holiday parties or New Year’s! It’s a really festive look that’s very sultry and coy. There are metallic lipsticks out there but nothing really that gives you a foiled look like eyeshadow minerals over lip gloss (and this way you can use something you already own!). If the idea doesn’t sound or look pretty to you, it’s one of those things that you should actually try first before you dismiss it… you might be surprised how sexy it is. Heres’s how:  READ MORE…

MADAME STREAMLINE

post + photos by amy nadine, graphic design by eunice chun

I love streamlining anything and everything. One of my proudest accomplishments is traveling with a client and minimizing my kit to a small doctor’s bag (revisit my SurprEYES Tutorial here for fitting foundation and cream blush in the smallest of clutches). So I’m super excited to bring you today’s little gem! I know I haven’t convinced everyone to bump it up to false lashes for parties and nights out on the town yet (even with our Quick Tips for Lash Strips Tutorial showing you just how easy and foolproof applying them is!). But I know a lot of you have made the leap and are having a lot of fun with it! So how do you store them? In mint tins of course! Here’s how:  READ MORE…

GIFT OF THE WEEK

photos: www.chambredesucre.com post/design: Kristin Ess

Oh my! Sometimes you spy something so cute, you’ve just got to share. This is definitely one of those times. So in LOVE with these little macaron trinket/pill boxes! I thought it would be a great idea to get your girlfriends one of these colorful confections and pair it with a bottle of your favorite hair growth pills. They’re gorgeous and could obviously be served alone as a very chic way to carry whatever tiny things a lady might need.