Romantic Updo Hair Tutorial

Easy Updo Hair Tutorial

Lovely Locks

Short Bob

I absolutely love hair! I think it can make or break your look for the day. There are so many fun styles you can do to change up your look when you are bored. I get bored with my hair very easily which is why I have had my hair in several different cuts and tons of different colors. I used to be the type of person that would lose it if the stylist cut a quarter of an inch more than what I requested. Now I realize hair can always be colored and will always grow back. That is not to say I think you so go crazy and dye your hair until it falls out, but don't be afraid to experiment you just might find a color that completely transforms your look for the better and who doesn't love that!

I have decided I want to grow my hair long, past my bra strap but not to my waist. Growning my hair long will mean I will have to be diligent about taking very good care of it. Using conditioning treatments, using a wide toothed comb rather than a brush as often as possible and getting regular trims to keep it healthy and prevent breakage. I also heat style my hair just about everyday. I will need to be more mindful to use heat protectants. This means I will be on the look out for all the best products, which I will gladly share with you. I have exceptionally strong hair but this new endeavor will require some extra "babying" for lack of a better word.



Blondie

Vibrant Red

The reason I have chosen to grow my hair very long is I love styling my hair. I have never really been a "throw it in a ponytail" type of girl. I love the variety of hairstyles both down and updos that are possible with longer hair. I have also very recently found a love of hair accessories; headbands in particular, barrettes, flowers, etc.. Along my journey I will share with you the good, bad and the ugly.

 Tomorrow I will be doing an updo tutorial please check out my new youtube channel and subscribe to enjoy my take on all things beauty! MakeupByAB

These are three differet updos I will be doing tutorials on! Fun romantic and super easy :-D

Pretty Headband

Cascading to the side

Simple and Classy

Getting Healthy

My weight has been something I have struggled with for years. When you don't feel good in your own skin it is apparent to everyone around you. I have recently lost about 27 pounds, which feels great. I have 23 more pounds  to lose before I have reached my first goal. I work in an office and spend 11 hours a day in front of a computer. This kind of life style means I need far less calories to sustain my body. It is not wise to generalize in regards to caloric intake because losing weight is simply based on intake and output. In order to lose weight you have to consume less calories than your body burns in a day. Therefore because I sit most of the day my daily caloric intake would be far less then a woman the same age and weight who was a warehouse worker or yoga instructor.

We all know it isn't easy to lose weight especially because food is all around us and something we can not avoid. It does take a strong will to be able to stay on track when everything around you is willing you in the opposite direction. Once you decide you are going to lose weight, and only you can decide when the time is right, you will need a good support system. Thankfully I have three wonderful friends who are just that. I am currently lucky enough to work with them and we try to bring a healthy "community lunch" so to speak, where each of us will bring an item for everyone to share. For example roasted veggies, brown rice and salad. I will be moving offices soon, so unfortunately I will not longer be able to participate in the lovely spreads we created. Yet I am now in the habit of bringing lunch which is incredibly helpful when you are dieting.

I am a strict vegetarian, which means I do not consume meat, eggs, or dairy products. Contrary to popular belief you can still be overweight if you do not make good food choices. Pasta and bread are my biggest vises. I am not all that big on sweets but I could eat chips and salsa all day! What I have found to be helpful is to stick to a somewhat weight watcher based diet. I used to be a member of weight watchers and I feel their diet plan is the most realistic approach. You can continue to eat real food which is assigned a point value and you simply stay within your allotted points each day. This means if you decide you are going to have a piece of cake its not the end of the world, you just have less points to work with that day. For me a system like this is much easier to stick with. There are apps for your smartphone which allow you to asses point values on the go. The easiest thing for me to do is say okay I get 20 points a day and if I divide that into three meals it's about 6.5 points per meal. If I use less points for breakfast I can an a point or two to lunch and dinner.

My meal ideas:

Breakfast:
Coffee approx 1-2 points
Banana lrg 2 points
Oatmeal low sugar 4 points
Wheat toast with tsp. peanut butter 3 points

Lunch:
Roasted veggies 1-2 points (depending on oil)
Brown rice 1/2 cup 2 points
Veggie sandwich: Lettuce, tomato, hummus, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, sprouts approx 5 points.
Giant salad with non fat or low fat dressing; loaded with all the veggies and 1/2 beans for protein!!! My FAV
Tofu or Bocca patty sandwiches

Dinner:
Roasted veggies with Tofu
Bean salad; black eyed peas, cilantro, lemon, tomato, red onion, chili powder, cumin, celery salt
Stir fried veggies over brown rice; onion, garlic, mushrooms, and kale are one of my favorites, delicious and incredibly healthy.
Black bean tostadas
Vegetable fajitas just be sure to use corn or wheat tortillas
Vegetable Kabobs

Beauty Basics

People are always asking me about my favorite products. I thought I would do a post dedicated to just that. My everyday must have Beauty Basics. We are going to cover a lot of ground in this post. This should go without saying but these are the product that I use and are by no means perfect for everyone. I am going to focus on makeup and makeup related products, skincare and hair will be included in posts to follow.

First as I mentioned in a previous post the foundation I use is TEINT IDOLE ULTRA - Enduringly Divine & Comfortable Makeup 14-Hour Retouch-Free, Oil-Free. This foundation is perfect for my skin. My face tends to be oily and I definitly have to use blotting papers throughout the day. It is a long wearing, full coverage foundation. It is a little pricy at $42 but in my opinion well worth it. The second Lancome product I love is Lancome Dual Finish powder makeup ($35.50). These two paired together may be a bit much for some people but I love the flawless finish it produces.

The concealer I swear by is MAC's Studio Finsh Concealer, not to be confused with Studio Sculpt conclear which produces a much different result. To set the concealer under your eyes I use Benefit Powderflage which is one of my miracle products. I have fine lines around my eyes, this amazing little product prevents makeup from settling in them. I have never found another compairable product.

Nars Laguna Brozer is the product I use daily for contouring. It is the perfect shade for a bronzer and contouring product. It won't make your face look dirty or orange like some bronzers can. Another of my favorite products is Nars Orgasm blush which is a lovely peachy pink color which is perfect for many skin tones.

My favorite lip products are Revlon Color Stay lip liner in Nude, MAC Viva Glam lipstick in Gaga 2 Amplified, and MAC lipglass in Nymphette.

Eye products; MAC shadows are my favorite colors vary depending on how much effort I am willing to put into my look. A few colors I can think of which I wouldn't want to be without are; Soft Brown, Carbon, Woodwinked, and Satin Taupe.The best eyeliner in the world is MAC's Fluidline in Blitz and Glitz, its black without being super harsh. The mascara which I am most pleased with, including very expensive brands is Covergirl Lash Blast in Black. For my brows I use Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Brown. This product is a dual sided  product with a pencil and gel side.

It is always fun for me to hear the products which other people are in love with. I hope this was informative and if nothing else fun. Remember beauty is only skin deep, your beauty will shine through, great makeup or not!!! But fabulous makeup sure is fun!

Shop Till You Drop

One of the best parts of being a girl is SHOPPING!!! Not that men do not enjoy shopping, but women are almost praised for having a shopping addiction. A couple of my favorite places to shop are Nordstroms, Macys, MAC, Sephora and Bath & Body Works. I was so excited to go to Bath & Body Works because their AMAZING fall/winter candle scents are now available. I couldn't wait to smell the new Marshmallow Fireside, which is so incredible!!! I also fell in love with Smores, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Cinnamon Sugared Donut. I love smell hence my addiction to perfume and great smelling candles. I also love BBW's hand soaps, wall flowers, hand sanitizers, the list goes on and on...

I also purchased a couple of the highly saute after MAC 36 Lashes which I am wearing in the picture below. They are my new must have for photos or special occasions. They are beautiful without being too over the top. Be sure to purchase a good adhesive such as DUO Adhesive. A good tip is to use a good liquid eye liner to line your eyes prior to applying lashes, then reapply after applying lashes once glue dries. If you would like to reuse your lashes apply mascara prior to applying the lashes.

Going to a makeup counter and not buying something is like sending an alcoholic to a bar and expecting them not to drink. Katrina and I were at Macy's and I ventured to the Lancome counter. They have tons of beautiful eyeshadow palettes. I am proud to say I made it out with only one palette! The one I chose was the Color Design palette in Taupe Craze 100. It is gorgeous for fall! I chose this palette because the colors are very wearable with a glittery flair for the upcoming season and holidays.Lancôme 'Teint Idole Ultra' Enduringly Divine & Comfortable Makeup is my absolute favorite foundation. I have tried most of the known favorite and for my skin this is by far the superior product. It is a long wearing full coverage foundation and I am in love with it! I am in the color Ivoire 2 C. I also religiously use their "Dual Finish" powder makeup. I suggest always purchasing most of your cosmetics, perfumes etc.. from either Sephora or Ulta. You will earn point you can use for free samples and products. Keep in mind the Sephoras located in JcPenneys are not full size Sephoras therefore have a much more limited inventory. For example they don't carry my Benefit Powderflauge which I can't live without!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Face Your Fears

Since this is a beauty blog, although we will grapple with inner beauty as well, I will start with the most dramatic change to my appearance. I have had my hair just about every color aside from very unnatural colors. Recently I was advised I should dye my hair black. I adamantly disagreed, "black is way to harsh," I exclaimed. Yet admittedly, I could not be more please with the results. Not only is it new and daring which I love, it has given me much more freedom with color than I perceived to have before. I was going from red to black, and YES I did it at home MYSELF lol!!! Bravery or stupidity?! Nevertheless as I said I couldn't be happier with the result.

The true purpose of this post is to reveal that although at the time I was unwilling to admit it, dying my hair black was my final declaration that I was tired of living in fear and ready to step outside of my comfort zone. I am willing to risk failure to reach for my dreams and aspirations. I have lived a very safe, monochromatic life that I am not longer willing to settle for. Not only have I decided to embrace my sexuality, yes I am a lesbian, but I am ready to become the woman I am meant to be! So if it takes drastically changing your appearance or just wearing a great shade of lipstick, be you 100%!

You are worth it,  I am worth it and don't let anyone or anything hold you back!!!

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."
Louisa May Alcott