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BEST FLOWERS FOR HAIR

Written by Sarah St. Lifer, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

Truth be told, we haven’t dug up dirt since those elementary school days of (literal) mud pies. If anything, our green thumb has more of a reddish tint from the dye job we just completed. But, just because we’re novice gardeners doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in the hair accessory trend du jour, a.k.a. a floral embellishment. Sure, there are faux bands and barrettes available at your nearest mall, but what’s worse than swaying to your fave song at an outdoor concert, only to discover a fellow festival-goer’s rocking the same set of roses? Exactly.

Courtesy of the local flower mart, we’ve mapped out the best buds* for any summer style. Surely, even the shrinking violets out there will lust over these lush options.

*NOTE: When looking for the right flowers, choose ones that have a half-moon shaped profile so that the base will lay flat against your head and not stick out too far.

THE MAIN EVENT:

1. Peony: Rarely will you step foot into the TBD offices and not spot one of these fragrant fellows in a vintage vase. We’re obsessed! Plus, if they’re good enough for Marc Jacobs, they’re good enough for us! (See: Resort 2013)

2. Garden Rose: Surrounded by its own petals, the garden rose is certainly a sight for sore eyes — that’s if you can get a good look at one during your next jaunt to the flower mart! We stumbled upon this stunner, but it took some digging — only one super green-thumbed flora fan at the market had ‘em for sale, and it cost us a pretty penny. Trust, it was well-worth the extra cash!

3. Chrysanthemum: New Yorkers may refer to them as “deli flowers,” but there’s a good reason these ultra-vibrant and petalicious (for the sake of the story, we made up the word!) blooms are so popular — they’re super easy to grow and maintain. Grab some seeds from the local hardware store and get going!

4. Ranunculus: If you’re on the hunt for a long-lasting bud in notice-me hues, you’ve come to the right place. Super saturated pinks, purples, and oranges are par for the course, but if you’re searching for something more subtle, don’t fret! There are paler colors as well.

5. Spray Rose: Smaller in size, these petite roses are ideal for crafts that require more miniature blooms. Popular during prom season for boutonnieres, we prefer to plant these darlings in row and fashion a crown fit for any warm-weather fete.

6. Anemone: One of the prettiest wedding bouquets we ever laid eyes on was one made up of white anemones with dark centers. You better believe we caught that sucker when the bride tossed it away, then tucked one behind our ear for good measure!

7. Pernetiana: As the unofficial ombre flower of the bunch, the Pernetiana is filled with potential. We love that each flower features its own set of faded hues — ideal for those readers who aren’t strangers to dyes.

8. Scabiosa: We’ll be completely honest with you, part of the reason we fell in love with this tiny bloom was because of its alternative title: the pincushion flower. And, if a butterfly starts trailing you from Stage 1 to Stage 2, don’t be alarmed — these flowers are rich in nectar and those winged creatures can’t help themselves!

THE SIDE SHOW:

1. Artemisias: Nicknamed “Dusty Miller,” you should totally snatch up these Artemisias if you spot them during your next flower mart jaunt. Case in point: they bloom from July to late August. Your fresh hair accessory just became a limited edition piece!

2. Eucalyptus: Sure, back-to-back outdoor events may amp up your indie cred, but that doesn’t give you permission to avoid showers between shows. Hide any odor by weaving some of these leaves into your next hair piece. Trust, you still need to pack the dry shampoo — sorry!

3. Lady’s Mantle: Don’t sweat if you suddenly find yourself in a misty moment — thanks to the fuzzy texture, these old-fashioned flowers hold water droplets for a gemstone effect. This phenomenon is even more spectacular when the plant is woven into a pretty braid.

4. Solidaster: We love buying these stems before the buds bloom, and incorporating the sunny hue with blue or purple flowers. The color combo pretty much guarantees a street style snap or two.

5. Hypericum: Berries aren’t just for jams this season! And brides-to-be, listen up! If you’re looking to add an unexpected element to your wedding ‘do, just wrap these around a headband for a pearl-like effect.

6. Statice: Detail oriented? Then we’ve found the flower for you! Though not very flashy, they’re gorgeous on their own or in a group. Our favorite way to wear ‘em is tucked into a bobby pin — lovely and low-maintenance!

7. Feverfew: These yellow and white flowers are actually the product of a medicinal herb — hence that name Feverfew, which translates to “fever reducer.” Make like Drew Barrymore in the ’90s and scatter some of these tiny daisy-wannabes in your updo.

8. Queen Anne’s Lace: The best way to upgrade that low ponytail? Tie some Queen Anne’s lace into the elastic. Secured at the nape of your next, the touch of white is complimentary for everyone from blondes to brunettes to redheads.

BEACH SPRAYS FOR ALL HAIR TYPES

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graphic design: Eunice Chun written by Sarah St. Lifer

Written by Sarah St. Lifer, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

If you ever catch us tossing a lucky penny into a fountain, you can bet we’re wishing for one of two things: world peace or perfect beach waves. The truth is, both take a lot of work — the latter being the bane of our beauty existence. Not all hair types are created equal, so one potion could be the difference between a big ‘ol salty mess, or the glass slipper to your Cinderella coiff. Being tress-obsessed, we took it upon ourselves to get to the root of the issue. Here, you’ll find our top 8 sprays for achieving summer-prefect beach waves. Doesn’t matter if you’re hundreds of miles or mere minutes from the sand, these products are shore to please! Just define your ‘do (fine, kinky, fizzy, etc.) and dive in.

Added bonus: If you don’t meet your potion prince today, don’t fret! We’ll be doing a beach waves tutorial along with our own DIY formula next week!

1. For straight hair: Wella Professionals’ Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Hair Spray (Ulta)

For those of you with sleek strands, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll overcompensate with wave-promising sprays. But, the end result is always the same: stiff and crunchy chunks — totally the opposite of your effortless efforts! Less is more with Wella’s version: spritz on damp hair from scalp to ends on day one, then again just at the top for day two. Curling iron entirely optional! This spray also softens with a little heat from the blowdryer in case you accidentally over do it.

2. For wavy hair: Oribe Apres Beach Waves and Shine Hairspray (Neiman Marcus)

The continuous props from pros around the globe don’t lie: stylists swear by Oribe’s rich extracts and exotic oils, whether it be for an event or an editorial shoot. If you’re already rocking tousled wavy tresses, but need extra oomph, shake your head and apply a light mist to your layers. For those searching for bombshell status, add tiny bit more at the tips. Though pricey, this stuff delivers. It comes in travel size if you’re just looking to get your feet wet or not quite ready to take the full plunge into a whole bottle.

3. For curly/kinky hair: Ouidad Wave Create Sea Spray (Ouidad)

Give those natural curls the definition they deserve! With textured tresses, you really can’t go wrong with any of Ouidad’s products — they hold, but the weight never interferes with the natural curl pattern. And, the brand’s Marine Complex of natural seawater and mineral-rich sea salt crystals lends that authentic beachside look, while locking in the shape with plant-derived humectants. Did we mention the vitamin-rich seaweed and algae extracts that nourish and moisturize? Yeah, this is basically a miracle in a bottle for curly girls wanting beachy texture!

4. For fine hair: Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray (Wal Mart)

Need to give you fine hair new life? Rather than investing in extensions, consider this cheaper option instead! Sure, a few sprays post-shower will do the trick, but for best results apply all over your mane before your head hits the pillow. Combined with a top knot, this brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “beauty sleep”!

5. For treated/damaged hair: Sachajuan Ocean Mist (Sephora)

Colored, relaxed, or permed, chemically treated hair needs a little extra TLC. If your mane won’t cooperate, spray this on when the hair is slightly damp. Sure, we were satisfied with the results when we let it air-dry, but a diffuser really did the trick. On low heat, point the nozzle at your roots for just a few seconds. Then, comb your fingers from the crown to the tips.

6. For lazy girls: Victoria’s Secret Beach Hair Wave Spray (Victoria’s Secret)

If we told you that just a few pumps of this product — no curling iron, no gel — would give you Gisele-worthy waves, would you believe us? Not only does this $12 bottle live up to hype, the clean scent isn’t overwhelming, and the blend of buriti oil and sunflower seed extract helps protect hair from UV damage. All for one, and one for all!

7. For hair that needs volume: Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray (Bumble & Bumble)

Uh oh. Did you wake up to a bad hair day? No worries, Bumble & Bumble’s Surf Spray is the ultimate problem solver. Just spritz some of this sandy-smelling product on your paddle brush and comb trough, teasing the crown. It’s low-maintenance and smells like you were just in Malibu.

8. For frizzy hair: Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Beach Waves (Frederic Fekkai)

Let us introduce you to the product that works best on bone-dry tresses: Frederic Fekkai’sSummer Hair Beach Waves. Even though we were hesitant at first, the formula didn’t leave a single trace of grease and stayed put for hours. It’s as if you used a gel, but totally lightweight and non-sticky. Score!

Do you have a favorite beach spray? If you found the perfect product for summer time waves, please spill it below!

BRIGITTE BARDOT INSPIRED HAIR

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PHOTOS + HOW TO: KRISTIN ESS, GRAPHIC DESIGN: EUNICE CHUN, WRITTEN BY SARAH ST. LIFER

Some things, like croissants, beret hats, and the Eiffel Tower, are just inherently French. But no one in history sums up that je ne sais quoi quite like Brigitte Bardot. The blonde beauty was first and foremost an aspiring ballet dancer, but quickly caught the eye of directors and film crews. In the ’60s and ’70s, the beach babe pioneered an ultra-feminine style that was at once ladylike and playfully innocent.

It goes without saying that her famous hair and makeup helped rocket the doe-eyed darling into style icon status. Her cat-eye liner was so noir, you could probably see it from space (a slight exaggeration, of course!). And, whether she was sunning herself in Saint Tropez or at a swanky soiree, you can bet her tresses were voluminous and elicited many oh-la-la’s. Her affinity for ribbons (perhaps an homage to her dancing days?) birthed one of our fave Bardot looks: The half up, half down with a black bow, as seen in Viva Maria. That, paired with a slick winged eye is pretty much the most universally flattering hair-and-makeup combo on the planet (that, we’re not over-exaggerating!). Say “bonjour” to your new signature style! If you don’t think you can pull off the bow, that’s okay! The voluminous bounce paired with pulling a little hair off of your face is a little more wearable for every day. Here’s how it’s done!

Start with clean dry hair.
Part the hair from your ear straight up on to the top of your head.
Part the other side and join them together on top of your head.
Use a ponytail holder (same color as your hair or a clear elastic) and secure the small pony on top of your head.
Smooth any baby hairs using hairspray and the fine side of your comb.
If you don’t need extra hair, skip to step 9! If you do need a little extra umph, part the back of your hair in a horseshoe shape going from ear to ear.
Tease the section where you’re going to clip in extensions.
Add a clip in track of extensions. We used a extensions that are one shade lighter than our hair to add some demension.
This is what it looks like once the ponytail is up and the extensions are in.
Add a little thickening spray or setting spray before curling. We used Oribe Thickening Spray.
Put all of your hair in rollers. Don’t worry about dents– if you get them you can gently tap them out with a flat iron later.
Once the rollers have cooled, remove them and spray a veil of flexible hairspray.
Use a soft brush to brush out the curls.
For a less “roller set” look, lightly flatiron the ends!

Finish the hair with a little texturizing paste if your hair is super soft or fine, or serum if your hair is more on the dry side.

MANI MONDAY

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photos + nail art: Kristin Ess, graphic design: Eunice Chun, written by Sarah St. Lifer

Call us old-fashioned, but we always keep a notepad + ink handy. Even in the age of iCals and digital to-do lists, we still rely on the trusty ball-point pen. And, when your 9-to-5 revolves around beauty, not just any stack of paper will do. Enter, Rifle Paper C! Husband/wife team Anna + Nathan Bond‘s nostalgia-inducing stationary is (literally) one for the books. We were so smitten with the floral print pads (a similar set is now available at Target, FYI!) that our mani-master went straight to work on some inspired nail art. Whether your garden rivals Versailles or features a single potted plant, this is one surefire way to earn that green thumb you’ve always wanted. Follow Anna on Instagram for more fancy floral inspiration: @AnnaRifleBond. Ok, here we go!

Below you’ll find the color key for all the polishes we used. You can use the same or something similar.

The best thing about this manicure is that the no flower will ever look the same since they’re hand painted. Don’t get frustrated if your flower doesn’t look exactly like the picture. You’ll notice our flowers that were painted on the actual nail vs the flowers done below for instruction look totally different!

Tool-wise you will need: A few very small paint brushes (I even used the ends of the paintbrush sometimes–that’s the blue stick you see below), a dotting tool, a mechanical pencil.

Ring Finger:

Make 5-7 petals using a bright red nail polish with it’s own brush.
Add a black dot of polish to the center.
Swirl it around gently using a mechanical pencil or dotting tool.
Add a couple of brush strokes, using your rust color and your thinnest brush, just outside of the black dot.
Add leaves to the left side.
Add leaves to the right side.
Throw in a touch of gold for good measure!

Middle Finger:

Make 4 dots with a light peach color using the back of your paintbrush (or something larger than a dotting tool).
Drop a dot of coral polish in the center.
Drop a dot of rust polish in the center of the coral.
Gently swirl the center using a mechanical pencil. Allow it to dry a little before moving to the next step.
Use a dotting tool to add a black dot to the center.
Now use a mechanical pencil to add tiny dots around the black dot.
Use a small paintbrush and dark green polish to add leaves to both sides.
Add gold to the center of the leaves using a mechanical pencil. You can see I added a couple extra coral brush strokes to the center of the flower. You can do that or you don’t have to. Totally optional!

Index Finger: (I’m showing you this over a green painted swatch so you can see it!)

At the corner of your nail, make 4-5 white petals.
With a thin brush and teal paint, add 3 or 4 lines to each side of the flower.
Now you’re going to alternate gold + peach brush strokes for the center of the flower. I started with gold.
Then peach strokes inside of those.
Then gold strokes inside of those.
Then another peach stroke or 2 inside of those.

Last but not least, the Pinky + Thumb fingers:

Use your thinnest brush and darkest green polish to make the twig shape seen in step 1.
Use a dotting tool or the back of the paintbrush to add teal “berries” to the the ends the twig stems.

Add a solid topcoat over everything and have the best time staring at your fingers for the next week or so. We sure did. If you spend the time doing this we would LOVE to see it on instagram! Tag us @TheBeautyDept! xo