Howdy. :)
Today we are going to talk about something very near and dear to my heart: my back to school outfit. I usually think about what to wear on the first day for the majority of August, and then figure out the precise hair, makeup, and accessories to go along with it. I know, I know, it's a little excessive, but the first day of school is a blank slate. Besides your friends (and let's be honest, you aren't really dressing to impress them) you haven't seen anyone in two months, so why not make your first impression (in two months) a good one? Mostly, though, I always feel a little more excited and ready for school when I know I'll be wearing something nice. And that's what looking pretty is all about.
So, I went out and bought a new shirt and played with my hair annnnd Voila! My outfit. Let's begin.
So, let's start with the outfit:
I decided I wanted to look "Classy Casual" on my first day. So I got this top from Forever 21 for $17.80. Pretty classy? I think so. I like it because it's really versatile. I can wear it with jeans, like I am here, or tuck it into a pencil skirt and add a blazer and it's perfect for Model UN.
Makeup:
Especially for school, I like to wear makeup sparingly, so this look represents that. It's a little nicer than a naked face, but it's inconspicuous enough most people won't realize you're wearing makeup at all.
Here is how it's done:
1. Wash your face. I used Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash reviewed here.
2. Prep with lotion such as the Kiss My Face honey calendula lotion.
3. Conceal. (Unfortunately this concealer is old and no longer has a tag on it, so I have no idea what brand it is, but any concealer will do.)
4. Powdered to prevent shininess, especially around the concealer. I used Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder in 115 Natural Ivory. For this and the blush, I used the brush shown front and center which is from Ecotools.
5. Proceeded to blush, using Covergirl's Cheekers. This is old and discontinued, I believe, but the color is still out there.
6. I did this in a weird order just to change things up, so proceeded to lips, which I like to prep with lip balm. I used my EOS lipbalm in strawberry sorbet which I reviewed here.
7. Add lip color, like the 135 Ballet Shoes from L'Oreal. It's sort of light and pink and frosty. I reviewed it here.
8/9. Finish up with eyes. for my inner corners, my brow bone, and the inner corners of my bottom lash line, I used a 24 Hour Color Tattoo in "Too Cool". For eyeliner, I used "Tough as Taupe" to make a light brown line on the outer edge of my bottom lash. I reviewed both of these
here.
10. Finish off with a light coat of mascara. Covergirl's Lash Blast Volume in Brown works for me.
 |
| Voila! completed look. |
I occasionally use a bit of bronzer, but for this look I would not recommend any. It can look a tiny bit (excuse me) whore-ish with the very pale lip color.
Accessories!
Staying with the classy casual vibe, I purchased these earrings for $1.80 from Forever 21. What a steal!
As for hair accessories, I decided to stay with the sheer fabric theme and go with a set of three hair bands from Wet Seal for 6.50 here. I chose the peachish colored one.
Hair!
As for hair, I kept it simple with the tutorial shown here.
So, that is my outfit of the day. I think I'll have another one coming out next week sometime. i've also been preparing all week for a really cool post that comes out tomorrow! It's another beauty one. Expect more high school ones next week. Lots of Love, shana <3
ooooo (hugs)
I am a blonde. And I am proud.
I have extremely fine, medium length hair that doesn't require too much maintenance, but I give it love every single day and in return, it is quite soft and manageable. They say treat others how you want to be treated, and although I know it sounds a bit strange: the same applies to your hair. Treat it nice, and it'll be nice in return.
One of the ways I am nice to my hair is limiting heat. And by limiting, I mean cutting it out almost entirely: the last time I curled/straightened my hair was over a year ago, and I've only used the "Heat" setting on my hair dryer once in that time frame (the cool setting takes a little longer but it helps your hair out in both the long and short term by overall protecting your hair and making it shinier, which any exposure to chilly temperatures will do). Anyway, because of my heat ban, I like to use the following method to style my hair. It's easy and leaves my hair happyhappyhappyhappy.
So, let's start!
1. Start with wet hair, either recently washed or just sprayed.
2. Comb, NOT brush, your hair out. Never ever ever EVER brush your wet hair. Wet hair is more elastic than dry hair, and brushes de-tangle by slightly stretching your hair. Using a brush on wet hair stretches it to the point of breakage, causing split ends.
3. Work in any anti-frizz/texturizing product. I personally like the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-in Conditioning Cream. My hair is easily weighed down by product, but this makes no difference. In addition, it makes my hair hold a wave ten times better. The longest I've ever kept it in was a day and a half, but it preserved the style that entire time without ever looking greasy or heavy. I think I'm in love. <3
The container suggests about a quarter sized amount, but I like to use a teensy bit less because I don't have that much hair. Rub it between your fingertips, and work it through your hair starting about an inch away from the roots and working downwards.
4. Now depending on time constraints you can do one of two things at this point. You can wait for your hair to dry and then brush it, for smoother, tangle-free hair, or simply proceed to the next step.
5. Braid! Depending on hair thickness, determine the number of "plaits" you need and braid your heart out. I use two for my thin hair.
 |
| #pippiswag |
5. Continue with your day/night. Unbraid after a few hours, or immediately after waking up. Results may vary, but this is how I usually look.
Depending on the weather you can style it accordingly:
It also works well when pinned back from your face with bobby pins or a hairband.
Yay! I hope this works as well for you as it does for me. If you like the waves to start a little higher up and you have nimble fingers, try french braiding. If your hair is thick, try three braids instead of two. For tighter waves, try a product with a stronger hold or use hairspray. For looser waves, don't use any product at all. It all depends on your preferences and your hair type. Experimentation breeds excellence, so even if you don't like the result the first time around, try it again with different factors.
That's all! I have two posts coming out tomorrow and Saturday that I am really excited about, so get pumped!
ooooo (hugs)
