How to Prep your hair for your big day!

Your hair is a major accessory in your wedding and you want it to be healthy and shiny.

Here is some advise on how to prepare your hair 2 months before your big day.

• 2 months before~ Consult with your stylist about any kind of color change or glaze you might need to make your hair richer, brighter or shinier. Getting a little trim wouldn’t hurt either keeping ends clean. Starting early prevents any pressure if your not loving your new look. Make it gradual and subtly to accentuate your features.
• 1 month before~ Give your self a clarifying shampoo and a deep conditioner. Sometimes with daily use of products, our hair gets weighed down with build-up. You can add a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a handful of shampoo and lather. This helps remove excess dirt and oils. Follow with a deep conditioning treatment  that you can leave on for 15-20 mins to replenish the healthy oils back into your hair. This makes your hair look and feel alive.
• 2 weeks before~ Last finishing touches to color glaze or hi-lites. Your stylist will recommend a clear glaze or toner that will give a shimmer to your hair for your pictures. It takes a few washes for color to look “lived in” and natural so the timing is perfect. The week before your wedding is so busy with family arriving and last minute touches….but you look fabulous and your hair is ready party!!!
• Night before the wedding…Wash and condition your hair before bed time. Blow dry with minimal or no products keeping your hair clean and smelling fresh. This ensures that all the moisture is out and your wedding hair style is guaranteed to last all night.

Now that summer is here, beachy waves are a super sexy look for long hair…..

How to get the perfect Beachy Waves

• Start your damp, clean hair with a styling mousse or volume spray only on the roots around the whole head. Use an anti-frizz oil or creme on the rest of the hair and massage down to the ends. This will give you maximum volume that has shine and definition.
• Try to air dry for 10mins while twisting big sections of hair into spirals. Use your dryer facing down (on low) and squeeze those spirals into the palm of your hand until dry.
• Flip your head up-side down and dry your roots with dryer on high for a few minutes. When you flip back you will have lots of volume and in need of some finger combing and placing.
• I like to use a wax mousse or sea salt spray to calm and sculpt your waves around your face. If need further curling, use an 1 1/2″ iron…curl big sections in different directions so the waves are not the same. Run your fingers thru the curls so it  loosens softly.

*A great tip for curly hair ~ When you are going to the beach or backyard bbq, put a leave in conditioner thru and twist all your hair into a low bun with a hair tie. When you take it down in an hour or so….your hair will have gorgeous, sexy, beachy waves. =)

Is your hair dull, washed out and lifeless?

I have a few beauty tricks that can help you get shiny hair now!

• Do you have colored hair or is your natural color is dull and mousy? Ask ur stylist for a gloss or a glaze. These ammonia free, peroxide free colors give a hint of color and an amazing shine. They are also available in clear for just a shimmer effect. It will wash out in 6-8weeks.
• Take an Omega supplement before bed. These essential oils are great for your heart, bones, hair and skin. You will never have static or dry, scaly skin. Feed your hair from inside out.
• Give it a cool rinse. Cold water will help close the cuticle of the hair and will result in a shinier appearance. Especially if your are a red head, cold water will help make your color last longer.
• Use a frizz oil or creme before and after blowdrying. Rub a little dab in your hands and work it into your ends for extra moisture. Some will even act as a heat protectant.
• Use a nozzle on your blowdryer. All the newer dryers come with a nozzle that compresses the air into a strong stream. This helps smooth down the fly aways and gives you more power for volume and dryness.
• Back off the flat iron! Every time you use a flat iron, it is damaging your hair shaft. If you need to just smooth after drying, make one pass with iron…quick and only on ends.
• Hot oil or natural masks can bring life back to brittle hair. Pick up a Vo5 treatment or mash an avocado with a vitamin E capsule ( or mayonnaise ). Leave on for 15-30mins under a cap or tinfoil. Shampoo out and condition…your hair will thank you! =)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but trends come and go.

Give your personal style a little ‘Spice’ with these 3 beauty trends for Spring 2012.

Stronger brow ~ Brush and fill them in with some powder ….try a shade lighter than your natural color. This gives a deep brow illusion while being sculpted and youthful.

Lush Lashes ~  Will give you that extra twinkle in your eye, just as long as they are realistic and trimmed. Try just extending your outter lashes for a natural flirt look.

Bold Lips ~ Make a statement with a deep color this spring. Some colors tend to run so always line the full lip first. This will help the stay power and the depth all day.

Spring is sprung!!! The warmer weather is here, bright colors are all around us and it’s time for a little change. My favorite way to get ready for the change of season is a new hair color.

Here are Spring Hair Color Trends for 2012

Red heads tend to wash out to a brassy orange if not maintained regularly. To make your auburn locks pop, add a few apricot or honey hi-lites just around your face. The multi tonal locks will be brighter and cheery.

Blondes have more fun when there are a few pastel streaks. This semi-permanent trend is a great way to show your personality with out being drastic or scary.

Rich Brunettes are deep but when you add a few peek-a-boo lites in a caramel or toffee, you will add dimension and tones. The ombre trend is fantastic for any color to make a subtle change.

Mousy brown locks are not the most flattering but sometimes hair color can be scary. Ask ur stylist for a semi-permanent glaze/gloss to add some undertones. A rich cherry cola gloss is a great way to make the plunge.

Dirty blondes tend to look greasy and blaahh. Brighten your complexion with some hues of platinum, gold and sand. Multi colors in blonde look more natural and grow out without a nasty root line.

Dark espresso or black hair can pull the color out of your face and make you feel white as a ghost. Lighten those locks to a shade of chocolate with hand painted lites of ginger. Warmer colors can compliment your skin and make you look sun-kissed.

I always recommend visiting a professional stylist when chemicals need to be used.

You work hard and deserve to treat yourself….you will feel like a million bucks! =)

All of us have had some days of gloom because we are not as young as we once were, but here are some tips to brighten you up and help you embrace your beauty no matter what age.

Look younger now in 5 steps!

1. Moisturize your skin inside and out. Slather on creams with Alpha Hydroxy Acids to smooth fines lines, wear your sunblock and drink lots of water. This combo can plump up the wrinkles and skin for a youthful glow.
2. As we age, we have more to conceal. Pick cream or liquid concealers to cover those shadows and blemishes. Lose the loose powders that sink into the creases. Skin will look more radiant and fresh.
3. Don’t over pluck those brows. After years of pruning, some brows get smaller and smaller and even penciled on. By keeping the brows thicker and fuller, keeps a great contour to your eye and an adolescent appeal. Use a powder that is a shade lighter (or for blondes a shade darker) and fill them in with a contoured brush.
4. Lashes tend to face down and droop in our later years. Grab that eyelash curler and give them a whirl. Curling your lashes give a bigger and brighter look even with out mascara.
5. Try a different color liner. For so many years we used a black liner to give a hard accent on the eyes, but as we age, softer is better. Grey, Plum and Brown liners give a rich hue to shallow eyes and help bring out the natural sparkle to your beautiful complexion.

Try these quick tips and see the difference!

Let your inner beauty shine! =)

Spring has sprung and the flowers are blooming! It’s time for open toe shoes and flowing silhouettes….so what’s in style for

Spring Hair?

Thanks to fashion week here in NYC, I have the first look on the newest trends and styles for the season to come. This year one of the biggest trends for clothing is bold colors. Color blocking, Prints and Metallics are a must have for clothing and leads the way for hair to help compliment the look.

• Sun kissed lites are a soft way to ease into the warmer weather. By putting a few, thin, strands of golden apricot or beachy beige, can make you look brighter and add depth to any color. Think JLo…
• Ombre is still a smokin hot look this season. I have seen blondes do pastel ends, brunettes do hot vibrant reds and even red heads do auburn ends. The sky is the limit for this trend, but I don’t advise to do this at home. Have a pro do it and can last you till the fall.
• Shiny, rich solid colors look healthy and fresh. By getting a glaze or gloss in the salon, can help camouflage your dry ends and adds a deep metallic shimmer.
• Soft curls and volume bring a new feel to the same ole’ haircut. Pull out those rollers or curling iron and add some movement. Sweep it to the side for a romantic feel accompanied by a flowing floral maxi….that’s a great spring look!
• Throw it up in a braid, headband or up-do. Tis the season to show off that beautiful face of yours….even add a flower clip.

There you have it….a few cool ideas to help you feel fresh for a great season ahead…Enjoy =)

Plumping, volume, thickness and length is all we ask for, right? Long lux lashes are easy to get with the right mascara.

Here are my top 5 picks for the best mascara

1~Voluminous false lashes by Loreal- love this because it has fibers that create length. You can really work this product and doesn’t clump.

2~Flawless Definition volumizing mascara by Bare Minerals – the thick teddy bear brush gets every little hair to make it look like your wearing a strip of falsies.

3~They’re real by Benefit – this has a great comb like applicator with an extra spikey ball on the end to get in the corner of your eye for a full lash effect.

4~Extra volume Collagen by Loreal – is great even in waterproof. It gives you thick lashes all day without flakes.

5~Inimitable by Chanel – a total splurge but worth every dime. I love the plastic pointy comb! It’s also great for a second coat.

Let me know what our favorite is and why….I love to try new beauty products. Enjoy your weekend =)

Want fuller, bigger, juicy lips?

Don’t we all love big, full, juicy lips like Angelina or Kim Kardashian?

Here are some great beauty tips from our friend Sara from Paint cosmetics.

First it starts with how you line your lips. Hold the pencil on an angle to prevent thick lines – and start with the center of your top lip (or the cupid’s bow) creating the shape of a heart to even out the lip shape and make them look pouty – then bring the line to the corners.

Start the bottom lip in the center of the lip to the corners as well. Apply lipstick……then for an extra fullness, apply a light gold or pink gloss just in the center near the cupid’s bow and pucker up! For more definition after lipstick and gloss is applied, go over the bow and center of bottom lip again with the liner. Enjoy!

Any makeup or beauty questions, contact Sarapaintcosmetics@gmail.com

In the winter months, the biggest question I get all week is…

Why do I have so much Static?

During the winter months, everything tends to get dry due to being in a heated environment. Dry heat dehydrates the air and everything lacks moisture. There are several remedies that answer the question of..

How to stop the Static?

• Start with taking a supplement. I always recommend moisturizing from the inside out and take a daily dose of Omega 3,6 and 9. Not only does it help your heart and bones, it helps keep away dry flakey legs and skin.
• Moisture shampoo is a great quick fix for brittle hair. It’s a great idea to switch shampoos every other time you wash and watch your volume shampoos. Sometimes they have a stripping agent to give you the most volume but it will steal your moisture thru out your hair.
• Dryer sheets can be used to calm the fuzz in a quick minute. Take a sheet and just run it over your head. Keep one handy to help with wardrobe static and in the summer it also keeps mosquitos away.
• Since we are lacking moisture, change your conditioner! I’m not a fan of over the counter products, (anything you can get at the grocery store) they are filled with chemicals that can create more dryness (which doesn’t make sense in a conditioner.) Use one that says “Ultra-hydrating, or Intensive”. It really does make a difference if you use a quality product and you can get so much more for your money by using a tip that I do at home. Take an extra bottle and dilute the thick, intensive conditioner with warm water to make a creamy consistency. It helps to moisturize but won’t weigh your hair down and you get double the amount for your dollar.
• Spray some static guard on your brush. If you use a plastic brush, you will probably have more static then a bristle brush.
• Dry hands usually come along with static so after using some hand creme, rub the excess on your locks. This will help bring the shine back and help control the fly aways.
• When dryness is thru out your home, set up a humidifier. This can really counter act the dryness and create balance with the atmosphere. Your plants will love you for it. =)