hair Archives » Alina Avery

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.

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!

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!?

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

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?

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.

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.

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):

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!

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.

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

What have your favorite products been this month?

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.

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.
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:

Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo / R + Co Dry Shampoo Paste / Klorane Non Aerosol Dry Shampoo / Lulu Organics Hair Powder

Hair Paste Rundown

September 22, 2015 by Alina Avery 3 Comments

If you had asked me a year ago how I felt about hair paste I probably would have responded:

“Hair what?!”

But they have become part of my regular hair care and styling routine, so I thought I’d give a quick rundown on my favorite products and how to use them.

The newest and probably the star of the show: R+Co Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste

I feel like people are just coming around to the idea of dry shampoo, and now you throw a paste version at them?! But actually this product is exactly what it sounds like. The formula is solid and sticky but when you emulsify it with your fingertips it transforms to have a powdery texture. Don’t ask me how; I’m a blogger not a chemist! But once in powder form, you can use your fingers to apply it precisely where you need it: in your bangs, along your part, through your lengths, wherever. What I love about it is there’s no white cast, you don’t risk sprinkling or spraying it all over your clothes/surroundings/self, and there’s virtually no wasted product, aside from what’s left on your fingers. And it works.

I also apply it to towel dried hair for extra texture and definition, before either blow drying or air drying. Sometimes squeaky clean hair can be too slippery and flat to style, so using a bit of this to give it some grip helps a ton.

Finally, I’ll use a tiny bit post styling to roughen up curls or position bangs. It’s great for that lived-in, I-just-have-great-hair look.

Another paste I have grown to love: Parlor by Jeff Chastain Reworkable Hold Paste

This gives a more polished look compared to the R+Co paste. It’s less texturizing, but gives more hold. I have a sample from Birchbox that I carry around with me in case my hair needs smoothing or roughing up. Seriously, it’s like the great hair equalizer. Tames frizz and crazy ends while also volumizing and texturizing.

Last but not least, an old favorite of mine: Bumble and bumble Semisumo Pomade

This isn’t really a “paste”, but it’s pretty close. First I have to mention that this stuff smells phenomenal. It’s like, not overly masculine or feminine and mostly fresh but a bit musky and really hard to describe, but if you get the chance, go give it a sniff. I couldn’t stop smelling it while I had it open for photos. So so good.

It’s described as “hi-shine, lo-hold” which is right on point. Just use the tiniest bit of this on wet or dry hair to amp up the shine and give a little more control when styling. My favorite way to use it is to work a bit into the ends of second (ok, third) day hair. My ends can get weirdly crimped from sleeping so this helps to smooth and reshape them a bit. Remember that less is more, but this is like sexy bed head in a jar.

The best part about hair pastes: they’re unisex, so if you’re taking a trip you can stash it in your boyfriend’s or husband’s or brother’s suitcase so you have more room for shoes. Just kidding. But seriously.

(For the record, Matt swears by the Rusk Paste, and has ever since he received it in his Birchbox last November. It has more of a liquid-y school glue texture… like actual paste. I haven’t tried it, but he’s gone through multiple tubes and I pretty much can’t get him to try anything else.)

Do you use hair paste? Would you?

Over Indulgence Recovery Routine

April 29, 2015 by Alina Avery

Since I’m leaving NYC and my current job, my coworkers and I went out last night for drinks to celebrate and say goodbye.

And when I say drinks I mean…

Vodka sodas,

and picklebacks,

and fireball shots.

Let’s just say my skin (and the rest of me) was not quite its vibrant glowing self this morning.

Luckily, I’ve developed a routine to get myself back to radiant (or at least fake it!)

Starting with hair, the Lush Roots treatment is a great way to perk yourself back up. It’s slightly minty and tingly, which feels great on your scalp in the morning. I always feel more put together when my hair looks great, and this pretty much guarantees soft, full, smooth, voluminous locks. I apply it first thing when I get out of bed, and then take some time to relax and wake up while it works before getting in the shower to shampoo it out. It’s a great way to ease back into human-hood.

I always give my face a good cleanse since chances are I either skipped it entirely the night before (guilty) or just used a makeup removing wipe. Obviously, I reach for the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser. It’s super gentle, so it’s great for when my skin is in a more delicate state, but still really effective at removing dirt, oil, makeup, etc. It doesn’t strip skin either so it’s a win all around. I’ve sang the praises of this cleanser so much that I actually don’t know what more I can say.

Next, a good exfoliating is in order. I love using the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peels and since I’ve just stocked up it was the first thing I reached for. It really helps to soothe and smooth skin and unclog and refine pores. I’ll apply step 1, brush my teeth, and then step 2. It’s a great alternative to a harsh or messy scrub when you’re still in a bit of a daze.

A plumping serum is your best friend when you’ve had one too many the night before. Your skin (and, let’s be real, your whole body) is dehydrated, meaning every fine line is exaggerated. I’ve been loving the Kiehl’s Hydro-Plumping Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate that I picked up in my recent haul. Its serum to liquid texture makes it perfect for layering without feeling heavy and it plumps and hydrates my skin right back up.

The last thing I’ll do to make sure no one can tell I’m functioning on three hours of sleep (at least by looking at me) is to mix a healthy amount of illuminator into my foundation. I already customize my base daily, so this isn’t too far a venture from the norm, but Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector is my go-to on days like today.

There are also things I’ll be sure to skip:

Elaborate eyeshadow. You definitely don’t want to accidentally draw attention to any darkness under your eyes from a lack of sleep, and when you’re going for wide eyed and radiant, a fresh clean eye look is best. Maybe a slick of liner if you’re feeling bold, but I’ll usually just swipe on a satin-y matte light shade, like MAC Brule or Urban Decay ABC Gum, to conceal any veins or darkness in my eyelids.

Heavy powder. Your skin is going to be a bit more dry than usual, and a powder can accentuate that. Definitely set any concealer you’ve applied, but go a bit lighter than you normally would. You want to look dewy and fresh, not flat.

Matte lips. Again, dehydration means dry skin means extra dry lips. Anything matte can make this super obvious and even create flakes and crusts (um, gross). I’d also avoid anything too glossy which can go so far in the opposite direction to draw more attention to any problems. So stick to a moisturizing tinted balm like the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments or By Terry Tinted Baume de Rose that will give you a hint of color and a huge dose of moisture.

What do you do the morning after to get yourself back into tip top condition?

Spring 2015 Haul (Pt. 1 – Birchbox Friends and Family Sale)

April 24, 2015 by Alina Avery 1 Comment

I have been shopping lately. Between the Sephora VIB Sale, the dwindling days left I’ll be eligible for my Birchbox employee discount, and just general excitement for the spring season, I’ve picked up quite a few bits and pieces here and there. I decided it’s better to break it up a bit instead of having one monster post.

Which is extra bad because soon I’ll have to pack up everything I own, so I’ve also been trying to use up my current stash as much as possible (aka apply self tanner daily). Keep an eye out for an empties post to round out the next few hauls.

Today was the Friends and Family Charity Sale at Birchbox HQ. Meaning that all of the products that were returned or damaged or discontinued or generally unsalable are available for employees and those they know to purchase at heavily discounted prices.

The product sales at work are tricky for a few reasons:

1) Hygiene

You don’t want something that anyone has put their fingers in, mouth on, etc. I tend to grab skin care and hair products that dispense cleanly to avoid any potential contamination or disease spreading.

2) Damages

Some products are returned because the packaging is broken, or the product itself is defective. Each item has to be inspected to make sure it still sprays properly and isn’t leaking or messy.

3) Discounts

Some products will be a better deal than others. For the Birchbox sale, price points are $1, $2, $5, and $10. While a $1 product sounds like a great idea, it’s usually the $10 stuff that’s going to be the best deals. Each of the products I bought were $10, but retail for $40 and up, meaning I got them for at least 75% off!

4) Digging!

There are literally boxes and boxes of product. It helps to know what you’re looking for and recognize products you’ve purchased or used before. I’m pretty good at sussing out things that I like, but it can be trying if you’re not patient, especially as little things tend to sink to the bottom.

During today’s sale, I grabbed:

1) Dr. Brandt Glow Travel Kit ($65)

I’ve purchased this exact set before. It’s two retinol products, one for night and one for day. They smell a bit funky but they work really well to refine skin texture, even tone, smooth and soothe.

2) Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray ($42)

A STAPLE product. Seriously, I have recommended this for anyone that has hair. It adds texture, shine, doesn’t weigh anything, smells amazing, but is pricey and the bottle always seems to run out quickly.

3) By Terry Baume De Rose ($60)

I’ve had the pot version before, which I like, but is risky to pick up during the sale. I inspected it for fingerprints and it appeared untouched, which is good enough for me. It’s a rose scented colorless balm for lips, cuticles, and other dry areas. The packaging is compact but luxe, and this one will replace the one I keep on my bedside table, and that one will head into my purse for on-the-go.

4) Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel ($85)

I’m actually kind of upset about this because I just shelled out the cash to buy it full size, but I’m excited to find it anyway! This is an ideal product sale pick because each application is individually wrapped (so sanitary) and at $10 it’s an incredible deal. You use the first wipe, wait 2 minutes, and apply the second one. My skin always feels so soft and clean afterwards. It’s great for mornings when your skin feels congested or dull.

5) Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser ($45)

I’ve also used this before, but haven’t repurchased it as the Kiehl’s cleanser is way more cost effective and works well enough for me, but this cleanser is great for minimizing pores and balancing skin. It does give you ceramic or porcelain looking skin, but I have heard people complain about the scent. I don’t mind the fragrance personally, and a cleanser is on your skin for such a short amount of time that it doesn’t bother me at all.

I think I did pretty well at the sale! It can be tricky to dig out the best products, but definitely worth it. It’s for sure one of the things I’ll miss the most about working at Birchbox.

April Wishlist

April 2, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

It’s March favorites time, but I just posted a Holy Grail list, so instead I’m going to post about the things I’m looking to maaaaybe pick up in April? The Sephora VIB sale is coming up, right? Hmmm…

1) Surratt Artistique Blush
pink

The who Surratt line is new at Sephora this week. I have heard great things about the collection but it hasn’t really been accessible. Until now. The blush shades I’m looking at are Grisaille, a contour shade, Guimauve, a “marshmallow pink” (pictured above!), and Duchesse, a soft peach. Also maybe I’ll grab the empty palette for them too. WHO KNOWS.

2) Surratt Relevée Lash Curler

Along the same lines as why I want to pick up the blushes, this curler is an industry favorite and I’m dying to try it. It’s out of stock at the moment but I’m hoping the re-up will coincide with the sale and the stars in the universe will align and it will be mine! I’m okay holding off on this as the lash extensions I got for the wedding are still going pretty strong, which means I don’t really need mascara or a lash curler at the moment, so I might postpone adding this baby to my stash. But I am definitely lusting after it.

3) Rita Hazan Weekly Remedy Treatment

Guys. This looks awesome. I love hair treatments and have found some super effective ones, but they take SO LONG to do and require SO MUCH effort. I hate having to put it in my hair and then sit there in the shower waiting for it to work. And who wants to plan ahead of their shampoos to do a wash out treatment? Not me! So these back-to-back rinse-immediately products look like they are right up my alley. I imagine them to be so easy and hopefully effective.

4) Sunday Riley Effortless Tinted Primer

I bought this back in the fall and actually used it all up. I loved using it in the winter, especially when we were skiing and I wanted something on my skin during the day, but also didn’t want to wear foundation or concealer. For the spring and summer, it would be great to layer with an SPF for a beach day where you feel silly wearing a full face of makeup but naked without anything on. It kind of plumps skin and leaves it flawless and gives just a tiny amount of coverage but is totally undetectable. It’s so light and lovely and I definitely want to repurchase. Just gotta save up those Birchbox points!

5) Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare™ Extra Strength Alpha Beta® Peel

I’ve been buying these in the small packs of 5 because I can’t shell out the big bucks to buy the 30 pack. I love using these wipes in the morning to wake up and treat my skin before putting on makeup. There are two steps: you apply the first one, wait two minutes (this is when I make my Nespresso), and then apply the second one. So easy and effective. I generally prefer chemical exfoliants to physical scrubs because they are easier to use (I HATE rinsing scrubs off my face) and generally more effective.

What’s on your shopping list for April?

The Chop

March 27, 2015 by Alina Avery 1 Comment

I pulled a very #basic move this month.

Right after my wedding, I dramatically cut my hair.

My husband sometimes refers to it as “wife-ification”. You know, when you get married, cut your hair short, and then start wearing mom jeans. I’m not all the way there yet, but perhaps I do sense a high waist, tapered leg, light wash in my future?

Anyway, I’m really happy with the shorter length. It’s faster to dry and style and is a welcome and refreshing change, since I’ve had pretty much the same long hair for at least the past three years. It has also inspired me to change up my makeup to play around with new looks that set off the flirty length.

The inspiration, obviously:

Because Kim K is my spirit animal, after all. Just kidding. Well, not really kidding. We can talk about the color another time (spoiler alert: I love it), but what I was really going for was a similar length and texture.

Here’s a before:

A mediocre quality shot of me and my husband, Matt, at our wedding! My hair has been more or less this length since probably 2012.

And the after!

It’s much shorter, but I can still manage a curling iron with it and it feels so fresh for spring. Is it spring yet? Soon maybe? Also, my lashes in this photo are two week old extensions, and my necklace is from Rocksbox.

Also I haven’t quite mastered the selfie like Kim but maybe one day I’ll get it down. Once I figure out my favorite ways to style my new shorter cut I’ll try to post about the products and tools and techniques that work the best for me and how I’ve adjusted what I used to do with my long hair. Perhaps I’ll even make a video!

So, do I look like Kim K yet?