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Alina Avery

A Beauty and Lifestyle Blog

Hair

Blonde Ambition

November 20, 2017 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

A few years ago, I got the worst highlights of my life. It was a “deal” that I got sucked into, ombre was at peak trend levels, and this junior stylist talked me into “ombre blonde highlights” which was basically orange streaks that started halfway down the length of my hair. It was the worst hair experience of my life, despite having been experimenting with various bangs for over a decade! I hated those highlights so much that one night, post happy hour drinks with my coworkers, I popped into Duane Reade, bought a box of hair dye, and drunk dyed my hair “cool espresso brown” which I thought was my natural color but was actually much darker. I actually kind of loved it.

It was a bit of an adventure, but on the bright side, I wasn’t afraid to color my hair anymore after that because how much worse could it get? So after a few repeated box dye browns (I’d touch it up every time those god damn terrible highlights seemed to be breaking through), I decided to start seeing a real colorist and making a big change.

Nine times out of ten, my hair inspiration comes from Kim Kardashian. I don’t even really know why, but she’s so glam and takes such big risks. The first time I decided to go lighter, I went in with this in mind:

Remember, ombre was still kind of a thing in 2014! I went to Arrojo NYC for a few iterations of balayage and some traditional foils and ended up blonde for sure, but it didn’t really feel quite right, so another change and boom, I was a redhead.

My hair takes to red easily. I guess my hair undertones are bronze-y, if that’s a thing, so I didn’t have much trouble sticking that shade for a few years. I kind of oscillated between darker and lighter reds and browns. When I moved to Boston, I started seeing a new colorist on Newbury street and she did a great job maintaining my color, but I literally felt like my hair looked the same going into the salon as coming out. It didn’t feel like I was really getting my moneys worth (and if you’ve been to a salon on Newbury, you know how much money that can be!)

So a coworker recommended her salon in Cambridge and I booked in with a new colorist and brought a brand new Kim K inspiration photo.

This icy white Targaryen blonde is so bold and so clean. It feels fresh and makes her skin glow and I’m obsessed. I need it.

Anyone who has gone significantly lighter with their hair will tell you that you can’t get there all at once, so it’s going to take a couple of sessions to get to the shade you want. The plan my colorist, Miranda, and I decided on would be that I’d do a heavy highlight as light as possible to start, another heavy highlight 6 weeks later, and then should be close enough that we could melt in a root and transition to maintenance. Here are before and after photos from Miranda’s instagram!

 

Before: A warm, red toned balayage over my natural chocolate brown

After: ash blonde heavy highlight realness

It’s already a great deal lighter and cooler. I feel incredibly badass and edgy and so happy for a change. I always notice that a big hair change can make my clothes and makeup all feel new as well, and suddenly I’m reaching for things that felt unexciting before. For example, I can’t wait to rock a smokey eye with this new hair, despite not having been excited about eyeshadow for months. And a red lip was bold before, but now I feel like it will really pop.

I’m really looking forward to our next blonde-ing session in December, so stay tuned. It’s looking like it’ll be a white-blonde Christmas!

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Posted in: Beauty, Hair Tagged: before and after, blonde, colorist, hair, hair color, hair transformation, kardashian, kim k

Friday Five

November 13, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

For today’s Friday Five: Five products I keep in my purse (well, today).

I’m known for hoarding makeup in my purse and carrying it around with me everywhere. Which is crazy because 1. I never really use it, and 2. it makes my bag super heavy.

The other day I had a handbag clear out and stripped down to just the on-the-go essentials. Here’s what I kept:

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  1. First: a rollerball of Balenciaga’s Rosabotanica. I love this scent. It’s so unique and complex and sexy. I keep the rollerball for fragrance emergencies (it’s a real thing I promise) or just when I need a pick me up.
  2. Next up, the concealer I have been loving lately, bareMinerals BareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer in Medium. This is really lightweight, like a blend between the Urban Decay Naked concealer and the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. The shade is a perfect match for my skin, meaning I can use it on blemishes or dark circles and redness, so it’s a no-brainer to carry with me for touch ups. I’ve also been wearing the BareSkin serum foundation and loving it, so more on that later!
  3. I LOVE the Buxom Full-On Lip products, both the Lip Polishes and the Lip Creams. This one is a Lip Polish in Erin in a deluxe sample size that I recently claimed in a 500 point perk from Sephora. I pick up samples of these whenever I see them and have yet to find a shade I don’t like. They feel a bit cool and tingly but don’t burn at all, and plump gently leaving lips hydrated and radiant but not glossy or sticky. I’m a big fan. This one is also easy to put on over lipstick but looks great on its own, which is why it made the cut.
  4. (and 5.) Finally, two products from my October Birchbox. The leaky hair serum: Number 4’s Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil and the Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Highlighter. The serum is perfect for working into the ends of hair to tame them, especially during the dry staticky winter weather. And the liquid highlighter is super easy to apply on the go since you don’t need a brush (or even a mirror, really). They’re the perfect size for carrying around and exactly what you need to brighten up and polish your hair and makeup on the go.

What products do you keep in your purse?

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Posted in: Beauty, Fragrance, Fun, Hair, Lifestyle, Lips, Makeup Tagged: makeup, Purse, travel

November Birchbox 2015 Unboxing

November 12, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

I feel like I JUST got my October box, but none-the-less, my November Birchbox has arrived.

I’ll say it now – I’m THRILLED with this box.

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November’s theme is “Feeling Fancy” and I  definitely am with this box. I love the cool floral pattern and the metallic copper logo is gorgeous. This is one of my favorite box designs so far this year (after the Rifle Paper Co box of course)!

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On to the samples!

The first thing I noticed was the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo. This might be my holy grail dry shampoo. At least of the spray on variety. The scent is the same as most Living Proof products that I’ve tried (it’s gorgeous) and this stuff actually WORKS. It will look white/powdery when you first apply, but the trick is to let it set for 30 seconds and then massage it in to absorb oil. My hair feels actually clean and not full of product when I use this. It takes a bit more work but it’s so worth it. I’m on Day 3 hair right now and you’d never know it thanks to this product. So obsessed. I’ll definitely be repurchasing the full size once this runs out.

Next up, the TempleSpa La La Lagoon Bath and Shower Gel. I actually haven’t tried this as a shower gel yet, but I don’t think I will because I’m really not into the scent. It’s a pretty product and a great sized sample but I don’t think it’s for me. Here’s the thing though, I love getting samples in my Birchbox of products that I dislike. It gives a lot of clarity to what will work for me and what won’t, so I feel better informed when I’m shopping. For example, I’m not in love with the scent of this shower gel. The Birchbox website says it has “Thyme, Aloe Vera, Bitter Orange, Basil, Peppermint, Guaiac, Coriander, Nutmeg”. Therefore, I know which scent combinations don’t work for me. The point of paying for a service like Birchbox isn’t to just get products every month for $10, it’s also to discover what does and doesn’t work for you. The dry shampoo did, and this shower gel didn’t. You’re paying for the opportunity to try new things.

Ok, rant over.

Next: Birchbox’s newest launch, LOC One-and-Done Shadow Stick in Impress Me. This was my sample choice pick. It’s a great product. I don’t know exactly how unique it is, but It’s definitely wearable and versatile and easy to apply. I’ll be testing it out for wear time and creasing and all of that good stuff soon. It’s interesting to see Birchbox launch their own line of products, and very smart in my opinion. Birchbox knows exactly where the gaps in the market are because they get so much feed back from customers every month, so they can really deliver a product that people are interested in. They have a great opportunity here to do some fun things with the LOC line. I’m excited to see what comes next!

I also received MAKE Face Gloss. I’ve actually trie this product before and really like it. It’s a multipurpose glossy balm that can be applied to get that glossy eye look that’s so trendy right now, or to add a cheek highlight without a single speck of shimmer, or to make lips look fuller and poutier. You can even sweep it through brows to make the hairs look a bit glossier and fuller. It’s a really interesting product and a great sized sample since you only need a tiny bit. If you’re after a glowy or dewy look, this is your product.

And finally, Liz Earle Superskin Moisturizer. Liz Earle’s cleanse and polish has been a best seller since it launched in the Birchbox shop and has set them up as a staple for great skin care. This moisturizer is pretty heavier, so it’ll make a great night cream for the winter months, but might be a bit heavy to wear every day or under makeup, at least for my combination-oily skin. The quality of the packaging and the size of the sample are really impressive though. It really feels like a luxury product.

Really happy with the contents of this month’s box! I think the assortment and quality of the products is perfect and this is the second month in a row where I’ve really felt great about everything. Keep it up, Birchbox! You’re making me proud! Want to sign up for Birchbox? Get $5 off your first box here.

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Birchbox Color-Treated Hair Collection

November 3, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

I feel a bit bad blogging about this as it’s currently sold out, but the individual products are all still available, so I thought I’d chime in on them anyway.

I purchased the Birchbox Color-Treated Hair Collection for $18 ($30 value). It contained 5 products for color treated hair. I’ve been dying my hair for about 2 years, and dying it red for about 18 months, so I am all too familiar with the perils of fading hair color, and like most women, I’m constantly on the search for the perfect products to maintain vibrant and true color, while also leaving my hair manageable and smooth and hydrated and shiny, while also repairing any existing damage and preventing future breakage. Is that too much to ask!?

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The set comes with four travel sized hair care samples and one (large) foil packet sample.

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Two products from Kerastase: the Bain Chroma Captive Shampoo and the Fondant Chroma Captive Conditioner. I really liked this shampoo. It made my hair feel clean and stay feeling clean for a good two days without dry shampoo. It also lathers really nicely, which makes me think that it has some sort of sulfate in it as a surfactant, which is usually a big no-no for colored hair. I haven’t notice any further fading though. The conditioner is very light feeling, it doesn’t give much slip to the hair but leaves it fresh and weightless. If you like your hair to feel slippery after conditioning, this probably isn’t for you. I also wouldn’t recommend it if you have dry or damaged hair, as it’s very lightweight. That said, it leaves hair pretty soft and almost weightless. For the sizes that these are, I’ll get probably 5-6 uses out of the shampoo but only 3 or so from the conditioner, since my hair is pretty long at the moment.

I’ve loved products from Number 4 in the past, and I’ve actually had this sample of the Super Comb Prep and Protect several times over, so this one isn’t new to me. It’s a great detangler which is pretty handy after using such a light conditioner and it also protects hair from heat styling. I don’t think it really cuts down on drying time, but it’s still a great product. This little bottle will last maybe 10 uses.

Oribe products always smell fantastic, and this Masque for Beautiful Color is no different. I don’t think that it actually did much for my color though, and it’s a pretty small sample. I’ll probably only get two uses out of it. It is nice to massage it into your hair and scalp and enjoy the pretty scent in the shower though. And it does leave hair soft but not weighed down. I don’t think I’d purchase the full size since it’s a splurge at $59 and there are other Oribe products I much prefer (hello, Dry Texturizing Spray!)

Finally, the Shu Uemura Color Lustre Brilliant Glaze Thermo Milk. In full disclosure, I haven’t tried this yet. It’s a single use sample (that I might stretch into two uses) so I might stash it away for when I’m traveling. I don’t always like to use creams before heat styling as I find it’s easier to use a spray, but I’ll give this a go and report back!

What do you think of this set? Have you tried any of these products? How do you care for color treated hair?

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Posted in: Beauty, Hair Tagged: Birchbox, conditioner, hair, hair mask, shampoo

How-Two: Round Brush Blowout

October 29, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

How-two: 2 easy steps to doing something just a little bit better…

As the weather gets colder, leaving the house with wet hair is not an option. I also hate to sleep with wet hair (damp hair + warm head + pillow = gross things growing where you put your face), so drying my hair is pretty much a necessity. While I’ve been #blessed with hair that dries pretty straight and smooth, I’ve always been thrilled with how my hair looks when it’s blown out at a salon and have dedicated hours and hours to replicating those results at home. Here’s two little tricks that work for me to get a salon-worthy round brush blowout.

Before we get to the actual two things, here’s a freebie: get your hair almost dry before you start trying to style it. Either wait for it to air-dry to about 85% or blast the roots with your blow dryer, lifting with your fingers, to rough dry before trying to smooth and shape your hair. It will make everything so much easier.

1. Pay attention to your sections. This depends entirely to what tools you’re using. When you section your hair, choose a piece that’s no wider than the barrel of your brush or the length of your dryer’s nozzle. You want to be able to lay the hair flat on the brush and hit the whole section with air at once. Similarly, you want the section to be no thicker than the length of your bristles, so the whole section can be held by the brush at once. It will be a lot easier to manage than if your sections are too big or too small. The general idea is that you want to keep tension in the hair by pressing it against the brush with the air stream from your dryer, so getting the right sized section is key.

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2. Twist your hair as it comes off the brush. This is going to be a hard one to explain. Section the hair as described in step one. Place the brush behind the section of hair and direct the air to press it into the bristles. Gently slide the brush down the hair, twisting backwards as you go to keep contact between the brush and hair. Once you’ve made a full rotation, slide the brush down the hair without twisting, and then without sliding, twist the brush another full rotation. This will create a “coil” of hair above where it meets the brush. You can continue the pattern until you reach the end of the section. As the hair comes off the brush and out of the air stream, it will begin to cool. Hair stays in the direction it cools, so if it’s being pulled taut, you’ll end up with smooth but straight hair. If it’s twisted instead, you’ll end up with more waves and texture. For looser curls, choose a larger brush to allow for larger sections. For tighter curls, go for a smaller brush, and therefore, smaller sections.

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A closer look, this time twisting towards my face instead of away:

Making these gifs by myself was probably one of the top ten trickiest things I’ve ever done.

 

Here’s the final result (awkward office selfie):

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Posted in: Beauty, Hair Tagged: blow dry, blowout, hair, hair styling, round brush

How I’m Changing My Beauty Routine for Fall

October 21, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

As the weather gets colder and suntans fade, you’re going to want to make some changes to your routine. Here are a few updates I’m making:

 

The other day, it was pretty clear that it’s no longer acceptable to go outside with wet hair. You could catch a cold (or freeze and damage your tresses)! So I’m pulling out the blowdryer more often, and shampooing as infrequently as possible to make those blowouts last. You hair will adjust to more sparse washing schedule over time, but until then you may find it gets greasy along the roots or dry among the ends. To combat this (and prolong my blowout) I make sure to use a heat protectant spray, a hair serum or oil, and plenty of dry shampoo. Since blow drying applies heat to the hair, I’ll also cut back on other hot tool styling so as not to fry my poor strands too much.

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I still want glowing skin in the summer, but my skin tone is a growing paler every day and a more matte finish is starting to appeal to me more and more. I’ve been mixing about 5-6 drops of the Armani Maestro Fusion Foundation in shade 5 and 2 drops of the Bare Minerals Bare Skin Serum Foundation in Bare Latte. I put both on the back of my hand, blend them together and apply in sections with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. These formulas are both so lightweight and together I can make the perfect shade with a natural satin finish. I’ll finish up with the Armani Maestro Eraser concealer under the eyes, using the same brush.

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Colder weather can dry out skin, so I’m reaching for heavier eye and lip and skin creams, and being careful with my cleansers so as not to strip or dry out skin. I use the original Bioderma formula to remove all traces of makeup while keeping my skins moisture balance intact. Another product I’ve been relying on night and day is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. I love this for lips, cuticles, anywhere you’ve got dry skin really. Also the Nuxe Multi Use Dry Oil has been a lifesaver for arms and legs. My go-to cold skin eye cream is the Kiehl’s Rosa Arctica Eye. The thick formula is super moisturizing.

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October Birchbox 2015

October 14, 2015 by Alina Avery 4 Comments

This month’s box was one of my favorites. Unfortunately, one of the samples leaked so the whole thing was a bit messy inside, which led to less than fantastic photos, but you’ll get the idea!

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First, the prime offender, Number 4™ Lumiere dhiver Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil. Ok, ignoring the fact that this has the longest name ever and spilled all over the place, I really like it. It smells amazing. I had it all over my hands after handling my slippery box contents, so I quickly ran them through my hair and my initial impression is a good one. And given the mess it made and the amount left in the bottle, it seems like a little bit could go a looooong way. I think I’ll like this, and I think it will pair well with my hair styling holy grail.

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Next up, another hair product that I’m DEFINITELY looking forward to using, Macadamia Professional™ Style Extend Dry Shampoo. I’m a big dry shampoo fan, and I love the Macadamia Professional cleansing conditioner and hair mask, so I’m thinking I’ll like this too.

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Sheet masks are incredibly trendy, so I was excited to see a BioRepublic Skincare Cucumber Breeze Soothing Fiber Mask . I wish I’d get more than a single use out of the sample, but I haven’t really gotten into sheet masks yet so I’m interested in trying it out.

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Next up, my sample choice pick, Benefit’s new Roller Lash mascara. This has gotten so much hype lately I was excited for the chance to try it. We’ll see how it compares to the Clinique Chubby Lash I’ve been loving so much lately.

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Finally, a little k-beauty treat, the Too Cool For School DINOPLATZ HIGHLIGHTER. This has actually been on my wishlist lately. You know how I feel about highlighters, especially liquid illuminators, and the packaging here is so cute! However, I do think the shade name is a little insensitive. “Pearl Bay Invasion” is definitely reminiscent of Pearl Harbor, which I don’t think is entirely appropriate (and I’m not one who’s easily upset by things like that, believe me!) but I supposed I can chalk it up to a translation error.

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So aside from my leaky hair serum, I’m SO happy with this box!

Did you get the October Birchbox? What was in yours? Or did you pick one of the Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness boxes? Let me know!

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September Favorites

October 5, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

Before we get too far into October and this becomes irrelevant…

I don’t know if I’m going to do monthly favorites. It feels a little repetitive since it’s rare that I find anything life changing, but I haven’t listed my general favorites since my holy grails, so I thought now could be a good time. Here’s what I’ve been loving lately, my September favorites!

 

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Again, the R+Co Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste. I couldn’t not include it after raving here, here, and here. Like I mentioned before, a little goes a long way to help style dry, wet, clean, or dirty hair. It’s so versatile and pretty much the only thing I’ve been putting in my hair lately.

Sticking with hair care, the Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub. This is a scrub for your hair and scalp that really does balance any oil, grease, or dryness. My scalp has always been dry and sensitive even though my hair gets greasy pretty easily, and this has really worked for me. It’s a little tricky to massage in the large salt crystals, but they eventually dissolve to create a thick, luxe lather. I use this every 2-3 times I wash my hair, and wash my hair every 2-3 days, so I end up using this a few times a month. It’s expensive ($52), but at that rate this should last me at least 6 months, which seems about right for the amount I’ve used since purchasing in August. I picked this up from BeautyHabit via Amazon, but Sephora just started carrying the brand and I’m so excited to try other products from the line, especially the temporary color masks.

Moving on to skin care, the Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask has been on weekly rotation. It has the texture of mashed potatoes, which is kind of strange, but it’s a really lovely product. It tingles slightly but very gently and rinses clean leaving skin soft and smooth. Another pricey pick but again, a little goes a long way.

Similarly soothing and stimulating for skin, the Caudalie Beauty Elixir is one of those cult products that I never really bought into until recently. I’ve been loving using this mist as the last step in my skincare routine or to refresh throughout the day. I only bought the small size since I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it, but I’m almost out, so the big version might be in my near future.

On to makeup products, the Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara is potentially a new holy grail. It’s a deep black color and a very dramatic look, making lashes look thick and long and defined. Clinique almost always nails it when it comes to mascaras and this is no exception. It’s also pretty affordable for a high-end mascara. I’ve been reaching for it every day. I only wish it was slightly more water resistant.

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint is the perfect summer to fall transition foundation. It’s still light and sheer so your summer tan, faded as it might be, still shows through. It’s matte, but not flat, and hydrating but not heavy. I’ve been mixing it with an illuminator to hang on to summer a bit longer and have been loving the effect. I wear the shade nude.

Finally, my friend Lisa and I have been raving over the Urban Decay eyeshadows all month. I’ve been using my UD palette almost daily. The three staple shades, ABC Gum, Secret Service, and Blackout stay in the palette constantly as I use them as base shadow, eyebrow powder, and liner respectively, but the other shades rotate a bit more. Lately, I’ve been loving Solstice, my newest shade, a “Moondust” formula with pink-green duo-chrome glitter which is a lot more wearable than it sounds. I also have Freelove, a peachy-pink satin, and a Chopper, copper shimmer, in there currently.

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Swatches, left to right: Chopper, Freelove, and Solstice.

 

What have your favorite products been this month?

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Travel Beauty Essentials

October 1, 2015 by Alina Avery 5 Comments

As I mentioned on Monday, I’m in San Diego this week. Which means a few long flights and a week in a hotel. Of course, I brought my usual makeup, most of which will be in my September Favorites soon, but there are other specific bits I make sure I have to make traveling a little easier.

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Ok, let’s get this out of the way. The R+Co Dry Shampoo Paste. Seriously, Alina, enough. We get it. But honestly, this is the only hair styling product I brought. It’s great for wet hair, dry hair, clean hair, dirty hair… AND it’s not a liquid, gel, or aerosol so perfect for taking in your carry-on luggage.

A similarly TSA friendly product: Lush Solid Shampoo. This one is scented like Rose Jam, which is one of my favorite scents from Lush. If you’re not familiar with solid shampoos, they’re the most convenient little discs. You just rub the bar against wet hair and scalp to produce a lather. Work with it a bit and rinse as usual. So much more lovely than the usual hotel shampoos and doesn’t require any space in your quart sized clear plastic bag.

Staying in the hair realm, my Harry Josh blowdryer. Yes it’s a splurge, but I picked it up for 50% off during a Black Friday sale (which is still way more than one person should ever pay for a blow dryer) and I’m obsessed with it. It’s almost identical to my previous dryer, the Sedu Revolution 4000i, but it’s in an adorable mint green color. No, the color doesn’t justify the higher price tag, but both dryers are high-powered, lightweight, and compact. The Harry Josh is also a celebrity cult favorite. Have you ever tried to dry your hair with a hotel bathroom blow dryer? Are you still trying? It takes about a decade and the results are… well your hair gets dry. Bring your own.

Tangentially related to hair, if your trip is any longer than 3 days, pack some tweezers and a razor. I think you should have tweezers at all times: you never know when they’ll come in handy, and stray eyebrow hairs tend to pop up overnight. I’ve had these for years and they’re still sharp (and I haven’t managed to lose them!) I also try to remember to pack a disposable razor so I can throw it away at the end of the trip and not worry about bringing it home.

A rollerball perfume is a much more compact and travel-friendly way to carry your favorite scent. You can bring one for daytime and one for evening, but I just took Balenciaga Rosabotanica for both. This is one of my favorite scents, since it’s unique and sophisticated, and not sugary sweet, which I used to love but now gives me a headache.

Traveling, especially on airplanes, makes my skin really dull and dry. I always want to give it a good exfoliating when I get to the hotel, but carrying a big ol’ tub of face scrub isn’t ideal. So I reach for these Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peels. They are my favorite exfoliant day-to-day and are even better for travel. You can bring exactly how many you need and they take up very little space and aren’t at all likely to leak all over your clothes.

Finally, now is the time to break out the packettes. Single use foils of both your favorite products and new ones to try are ideal for traveling. Sometimes a single use sample isn’t enough to get a good idea about whether or not the product will work for you, but it’s perfect to throw in your carry-on if you know you’re going to want to do a face mask, moisturize your legs, or deep condition your hair, and you don’t want to bring a whole tube/jar/whatever.  Just be careful if you have sensitive skin since a new product can cause a bad reaction and ruin your trip. Always do a test patch!

 

What are your travel beauty essentials?

 

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Posted in: Beauty, Fragrance, Hair, Skincare Tagged: beauty, travel

How-Two: Get the Most out of your Dry Shampoo

September 29, 2015 by Alina Avery 1 Comment

How-two: 2 easy steps to doing something just a little bit better…

Dry shampoo is seriously a game changer. Not only does it let you go longer between washes, something that’s not only great for your hair and scalp but down right convenient, but it also gives your hair more volume and texture. The quick and easy way to apply it is just to sprinkle or spray (or scrunch if you’re opting for this paste) right onto the sections of your hair that need a pick me up to absorb grease and refresh your ‘do. Here are two ways you can up your game.

  1. Apply before bed. If you know you’re not going to wash your hair in the morning, add a little dry shampoo before you go to bed. Not only will this cut down on your morning routine, but keeping your head warm against your pillow all night will actually help to work the powder formula into your hair. This means you’re less likely to encounter the dreaded white cast and the product it gives the product more time to truly soak up any oil.
  2. Use heat. Giving your hair a quick blast with a blow dryer after applying dry shampoo can blow off any excess product, so your hair doesn’t get weighed down. Since any excess powder that might be visible is blown loose, you’re just left with clean looking hair. It can also help activate the product so it works harder to keep your roots looking fresh.

If you need a dry shampoo recommendation, here are my favorites:

 

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Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo / R + Co Dry Shampoo Paste / Klorane Non Aerosol Dry Shampoo / Lulu Organics Hair Powder
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Posted in: Beauty, Hair Tagged: dry shampoo, hair, hair styling, how-two
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