DIY - Scary School Girl

by Brenda Montero

Want to be something cute and scary at the same time? Originality shows through on Halloween and this year might be the time you want to stand out with an original creation. The Scary school-girl costume can come from any idea that seems scary and flattering to you. You can practically make a design with all the items listed and still make it look different from everyone elses!

What you need for this costume:

Makeup:

-Fake eyelashes

-Eyeliner    -Mascara

-Blush    -Lipstick

-Fake flesh (from Party City)     -Eyeshadow

-Foundation     -Toilet paper

How to apply your makeup:

First things first: Always start with the base for the makeup. Use foundation to cover up any marks on your face that are irregular, and concealer to cover up the dark circles. Once the base application is done begin to start with eyeshadow (whichever color is preferable), and apply it to the top of your eyes.

Then begin to use any top eyeliner, usually the liquid one works best (the one I used is ELF [$1.00] , and Kat Von D [$18.00]) and then put on the faux eyelashes. Sometimes they can turn out to be dramatically long, so its okay to give it a little trim. Next for the eyes all that is necessary is adding black or white waterline eyeliner to emphasize the eyes in a darker way and show off the color of your eyes. Lastly, use very thick mascara to thicken the faux eyelashes even more (I used Clinique [16.50]).

Once application on the eyes are finished, you can then begin working on the emphasis such as the over-exaggerated pink cheeks with blush. Then, color in your eyebrows to make them even thicker and fuller.

Finish it off by just drawing a heart shape on your lips to give it that doll effect without actually coloring your entire lips. (This is sort of related to the queen of hearts in Alice in Wonderland.)

How to apply the scars:

-Begin with deciding where exactly you want your stitches placed, In my decision I chose to put them across my cheeks connecting to my mouth to give it more of that rag doll look. To draw those I simply used eyeliner to give it a dark emphasizing look. Once that’s finished you then apply the scars to your face. I chose to put one on my forehead and my neck to spread out the look. First you begin by using liquid latex [3.99 from party city], and then using toilet paper to make it look crumpled and rotten. Once thats applied I use my same color concealer and foundation and then apply it to the fake scar to make it look like my skin is actually ripping apart. I then apply fake blood [3.99 from party city] and and draw in stitch marks again to still make it scary. (I do the same for the other scar on my neck.)

How to fix the Hair:

• The hair can be worn various ways, I just chose to put it in pigtails to make it feel more like a school girl.

How to create the outfit:

Costume:

-White buttoned down  -Tights or

-Tie    -Fishnets

-Blazer -Shoes, Heels

-Plaid skirt -Earings

First begin by having an idea on what you want to wear. For this costume particularly I began by putting on the fishnets and ripping them to make them feel worn out and scary. Then put on a plaid skirt and a collared white shirt. Once the basics are on, wear a blazer or cardigan, and then the tie to make it seem like a school girl. Now the scary school girl costume is complete!

Hair coloration is here to stay… semi-permanently (Part 3)

Hair Dye causing a Manic Panic among everyone - part 3 tips and tricks for great color 

To start here are some hair dying tips!

***HAIR DYE TIP*** if that anti brass conditioner is too expensive take an EXTREMELY small amount of violet hair dye (about half the size of a nickel) and mix it into a nice small bowl of WHITE conditioner (any kind conditioner will do) until the mixture is a very light lavender color. Applying this to bleached hair for a few hours will eliminate many of the brassy tones and replace them with a very light lavender hue making it extremely easy to dye.

***HAIR DYE TIP*** after finishing the bleaching process I suggest letting your hair rest for a few days with some leave in conditioners in order to help revive your hair before dying.

Here are some of the best tricks I know to keep my hair color from fading!

•  Bleaching

1. When bleaching I suggest a few days prior to doing so buy a jar of Coconut oil (yes, the same one you use for cooking). Even though for the next days after using it your hair will feel greasy and smell like coconut cookies, it’s totally worth that pain and suffering. Coconut oil, like coco butter, is packed with vitamin E which is something your body needs to improve your skin, nails, and hair. Saturating your hair with coconut oil and leaving it for a few days (about three) will allow your hair to absorb the nutrients and create a barrier to protect against the bleach.
2. After the torture of coconut oil comes the bleach. Now DO NOT wash out the coconut oil from your hair as the mixture of that with the natural oils your skin produces will help your hair immensely. Brush out your hair and apply your bleach to the spots you will want to dye later and always follow the instructions on the package.
3. After the timing is up and you wash the bleach and oils out of your hair check its hues. If the bleached hair is too yellow/orange for your taste use an anti-brass toning conditioner to cool the hues in your hair or use a toner to completely white out all yellow/orange hues. But remember toners are just like bleaches so using both may lead to some more damage if you aren't careful.                                              

•  Washing

1.            When washing your hair make sure to wash in cold to lukewarm water. It’s not the most soothing experience but it will keep your hair from drying out and looking like Hermione in the first Harry Potter movie (Yikes!).
2.       Try to use a color protectant shampoo and then a color protectant 3 minute conditioning treatment. Most brands have a leave in-rinse out treatment for every shampoo; the extra time will allow your hair to soak in more conditioner and repair hair from the inside out.
3.       If your hair is very damaged and dry use a color protectant shampoo and then a repair leave in-rinse out conditioner. Like the color protecting leave in, repair leave ins are for those people with hair already suffering from past experiences (ex. Straightening, blow drying, curling, and especially BLEACHING). By using a stronger repairing conditioner when washing hair, you can tame it from the start, making it easier to style hair later.

•             After the wash

1.            After washing your hair towel dry it but DO NOT rub your hair in the towel to dry it OR twist it on top of your head! Twisting and rubbing your hair while it’s still wet causes extreme breakage not just in your ends, but all over. It’s important to gently wrap the towel around your hair and then squeeze the water out. No twisting, no rubbing, no problems!
2.         After your hair is still a little damp (but not wet) start to put in your moisturizing products. I recommend that everyone have at least one favorite leave in (non rinse) treatment to keep your hair styling ready and not frizzy.
3.       When you’re sure the product has soaked in spray a small amount of any heat resistant product into your hands. Rub your hands together and then work it into your hair. Heat resistant products create a barrier around hair shafts to protect from heat damage. Some of these products can protect against more than just heat and even protect hair from everyday styling like brushing or combing.
4.       When hair is mostly dry, but not completely, begin to style. When your hair dries completely it will set in all the styling done to it and will stay frizz free for longer. 

•       Favorites to help you along the way:

1.         *Favorite* Nature's Way Liquid Coconut Premium Oil 
2.     *Favorite* Lanza Healing Colorcare Trauma Treatment 
3.       *Favorite*  Neutrogena Triple Repair Fortifying Leave-In Treatment 
4.     L’Oreal EverStrong Overnight Hair Repair Treatment  

Hair coloration is here to stay… semi-permanently (Part 2)

Hair Dye causing a Manic Panic among everyone - part 2 the struggle and the color 

by Adva Fuchs

The trend is here to stay and everyone is buzzing from luscious lavender locks to bright blue braids, and now its your turn. Coloring hair, especially to extreme shades like green, blue, and pink, is not a one step process and in fact requires strenuous amounts patience and time. But even before the actual hair dying process one must pick a color (or two) and a brand which they trust.

First and foremost: Buy your hair dye from a reliable source. Many times people get cheated by buying dye they think is “Brand Name” for a lower cost only to later find it circling their drain after the first wash.  Stores like Ricky’s NYC and Hot Topic will always have the official Brand Name dye or if you’re lazy (like me) buy it off a reputable site like the brand website, Sally Beauty, Ulta, Sourpuss, or Hair Crazy.  

The Hair dyes I trust the most:

Special effects for its long lasting ability and beautiful shade variations

Manic Panic for its amazing color combinations and pastelizor

Sparks for their innovative color technology and shade intensifier/pastelizor

NEVER EVER USE SPLAT HAIR DYE!!! Sorry guys I know that Splat is the easiest to find, as well as the cheapest, but it’s really not worth your time! Splat causes breakage and damages hair (without even using the bleach!!).

The two rules to great hair dye; number one, always listen to the punk kids (they know their stuff!), and number two, if it SMELLS like a fruit because of the color (like cherry for red dye and grape for Purple dye) IT’S A FAKE DO NOT USE IT!!

What color is right for your life style?

Many people out to copy this trend assume that picking a dye is as easy as picking your favorite color. Unfortunately for them, they have a whole lot of disappointment coming their way. Although in theory any one can just pick their favorite color, it really all depends on the life style you have. Do you exercise constantly, whether a sport or going to the gym? Do you spend a lot of time outdoors in sunny conditions? The results of these activities can lead to a hair color massacre if one isn't safe about the color they pick.

 The sporty girls (or guys):You guys love the feeling of adrenaline rushing through your veins and sweat trickling down your neck. You tend to do a lot of hard core activities which, of course, leads to those long hot showers at the end of your work out. If this is you, BE AWARE; all that sweat on your scalp and in your hair is going to need a good rinse and if you exercise daily or more than 3 days a week, those are at least 3 hot showers that can cause your nice expensive color to go swirling down the drain. Hair dye and hot water don’t mix and can cause that beautiful saturated color you want to become a pale, streaky mess.
Suggestions: pick darker colors like dark vampire reds or midnight blues to help keep your color as long as possible. If you have a color in mind, go with brands that have amplified color dyes. These will usually hold out for longer periods of time.

$ALES: 

·         Amplified Cream - Manic Panic

§  Vampire Red

§  After Midnight Blue

§  Purple Haze

Outdoorsy Types: You're the type of people who love being in the fresh air and blazing sun. Unfortunately that means the big STD, Sun Time Damage. Although the sun’s rays are good for your skin (to a certain extent), the sun is not your hairs friend! With certain hair dyes exposure to the sun too soon after coloring can result in breakage and lightened streaks (which is why so many dyes have instructions to stay away from sunlight after bleaching or dying hair).
Suggestions: I order to avoid streaks try to pick a color with different hues like turquoise greens and violets. The different hues in the dye will create variations of color in your hair shading sun caused streaks and causing them to go unnoticed!
$ALES:

·    Special Effects

§  Fish bowl Blue 

§    Wild Flower 

·    Sparks 

§    Green Envy  

·     Punky Colour

§  Violet

§   Turquoise 

§  Red Wine 

Blondes: For those of you with light, natural, “platinum” color you’re in luck. You can choose any color you want! Having light hair is a plus, the lighter and less brassy your hair is, the easier it is to dye it and get the color you want.

Suggestions: Although with some products, the dye can “stick” better to damaged hair. So if your blonde hair just isn't cutting it, or if you want a less brassy tone (whiter) before you dye use a platinum blonde hair dye on the areas you want to color later, or a hair toner to create a more silvery color. This allows better color saturation and the whiter your hair is the more the dye will look like the color you want.

$ales:

·         L’oreal Paris – Feria Absolute Platinum in Extreme Platinum

·         Manic Panic Virgin Snow

·         Special Effects Mixer Toner 

Brunettes and Bleaching:

Sorry Brunettes, we got the short end of the stick on this one. Hair coloring is SO much easier on `blonde hair and because of this, if you want saturated, bright, crazy colors you’re going to need to bleach! All those horror stories you’ve heard about bleach, hair becoming brittle, broken and falling out are all true! Which is why us brunettes need to be EXTREMELY careful when dying hair. First its important to mention that no matter what bleach you use, it will cause damage! the good thing is after you bleach you can use any color you want because the bleached hair will allow all the color to absorb. 

Suggestions: read the instructions on the bleach carefully and then pick any color to apply.

$ales:

·         L’oreal Paris – Feria Absolute Platinum in Extreme Platinum 

·         Manic Panic Virgin Snow 

·         Special Effects Mixer Toner 

·         Manic Panic 30 Volume Flash Lightning HairLightening Kit 

·         Salon Care Blue Flash Powder Lightener 

Get Ready to get Gorgeous

Ready, Set, Gorgeous foundation review

by Yura Shin

Get ready to get gorgeous with Covergirl’s new Ready, Set Gorgeous foundation. An oil free foundation that is one simple step for a flawless, natural look that lasts all day. The formula is suppose to blend easily to even skin tone and reduce shine all day.

When I was first applying the foundation, I was surprised at how thin the consistency was compared to other foundations. It feels very light, almost as if it’s a tinted moisturizer. When it is applied, it does not feel like you are wearing any foundation. It does look natural like it says it does, and evens out your skin tone. I have a lot of discoloration on my face, and this foundation covers it all while making my makeup look natural. This foundation also, does not make your makeup look cakey.

The foundation does last all day long. But because I have oily skin, I’ll still need to touch up my makeup throughout the day. However, it lasts longer than other foundations I’ve used.

This foundation doesn’t clog up my pores nor does it cause me to break out. Since it is a drugstore product, I was first hesitant in using it because of the fear I have for breakouts. However, my skin loves this foundation and it’s perfect for any occasion.

The foundation does everything it says it does. It is by far one of the best drugstore foundations I’ve ever tried out. It retailed for about $7-$9. It can be purchased from any where that sells beauty products like Target, or Ulta, or any drug stores like Walgreens, CVS, Duane Reade, Rite Aid, etc.

Hair Coloration is here to stay... Semi-Permanetly (Part 1)

Hair Dye causing a Manic Panic among everyone - part 1 history of coloration

by Adva Fuchs

From the customary blondes, reds, brunettes, and blacks, hair dye has created a major splash in the adolescent, and now young adult, scene. Deriving from the original natural shades (blonde,red,brunette,and black), new hair dyes from companies such as Manic Panic, Splat, Special Effects, and Punky Colour have become permanently (or in some cases “semi-permanently”) in style as the old school punk rock trend comes back once again.

Although hair coloring dates back to ancient times, when ancient Roman men knew the allure of colored hair (and beards) way before any woman, its appeal didn’t really sink in with the american female society until the early 1950s when only 7 out of every 100 women colored their hair.

“I use Tehina in my hair to revitalize the natural color of my hair and keep it healthy...it’s not hair dye and its been used for years,” hair color enthusiast Sary Fuchs said.

Fast forward 50 years and by the 21st century L’Oreal and Clairol aren't the only hair dyes around anymore. Today about 50 percent of women in America over the age of 25 color their hair and over 2 billion dollars is spent on hair color products annually, and not just on the natural shades.

What was once considered the sign of the outcast is now as chic and trendy as a Prada purse. Crazy colored hair is as popular as ever and thanks to interactive sharing sites like Tumblr and Pinterest, the trend continues to grow and grow as pictures, videos, and tips circulate the web catching everyone's attention.

“I think the trend of hair coloring is growing & being accepted more...because it gives everybody that sense of individuality, appearance wise. It's a way of self expression that can be an eye catcher & an attention grabber,” junior Noah Parris said.

Continuing the growing craze are celebrities such as Ke$ha, Rita Ora, Lily Allen, and Demi Lovato, who constantly change up their hair color choices, designs and keep the trend fresh in every beauty bloggers mind. Even YouTube has caught up with the fad as internet famous youtubers such as AlisonLovesJB and JennaMarbles spread the color coated love with how-to videos and color commentary.

“I prefer natural because it shows who you are and doesn’t hide it. People should be more proud of there natural hair,” sophomore Gustavo Mendez said.

Although this colorful chaos is not adored by everyone, colored hair is certainly a trend that’s not going anywhere anytime soon. As more and more men and women continue to color, the look seems to be gaining acceptance and a following once again not only among young adults but among all enthusiasts of the creative and bold.