Hair & Nail Trends for Spring 2013

HAIR

With breezy waves, unfussy braids, and lower-than-low ponytails, the spring runways were all about natural, undone hair. It was roughed up, not too perfect, and still crazy-pretty. Better yet, the styles are so simple that they won't drive you crazy when you attempt them yourself. Here, a few looks for spring 2013.

MESSY BRAIDS

"It's not polished and it's not glamorous," McKnight said of the sporty braid at Balmain. He got the look by roughly drying the hair and spraying it with Pantene Pro-V Classic Style Hairspray. He braided the hair and secured it with a thick black elastic, then added a second elastic at the base of the neck. To make the hair look "lived in," he pulled out random sections around the ears.

NATURAL WAVES

J. Mendel makes elegant dress-up clothes, but the hair this season was relaxed and unfussy. "They're not barrel curls," hairstylist Orlando Pita said of the "flat and natural-looking" waves he gave the models. He parted the hair down the middle, smoothed the front section with Phyto Professional Workable Holding Spray, and then pushed the hair behind the ears. Starting just under the ears, he ran a flatiron over one-inch sections of hair, rotating it both toward and away from the head to create soft waves. He tamed frizz with Phyto 7 Daily Hydrating Botanical Cream. 

SICILIAN TWISTS

"It's about the scarf," Guido said of the hair at Dolce & Gabbana, "like how a woman would just pin her hair up [and] put a scarf on." He began by applying Redken Aerate 08 Bodifying Cream-Mousse to the hair and blow-drying it straight back, removing any hint of a part. He placed the scarf around the head about an inch from the hairline and tied it off-center at the nape of the neck, letting the ends skim the shoulders. He rolled the hair up as if he was going to do a French twist, instead folding the ends under to form a loop, and fanned the hair out on top of the head. "There's a little indication of the '60s. [There is] a little Riviera feeling," he said.

ROUGHED-UP TEXTURE

To create a tousled, sexy texture at Lanvin, Guido misted the hair with water then roughly blow-dried it. He sprayed the roots withRedken Quick Tease 15,made a deep side part, and teased the thicker half with a Mason Pearson hairbrush. He pushed the hair behind the ears and finished by blasting just the front with hair spray.

ULTRALOW PONYTAILS

To complement the scarves in the Rochas collection, hairstylist Eugene Souleiman decided on superlow ponytails. He parted the hair down the center, misted it with Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Hairspray, and blow-dried it straight with a round brush. To lock in the "supernaturally straight" style, he then flatironed it. He pulled the hair into a very loose ponytail, letting the top portion of the ponytail fan out so that the hair looked like it had been cut into a bob from the front. "My favorite thing about it is that it's one of those looks that's so normal, it's really abnormal," Souleiman said.

NAILS

Contrast was the name of the game when it came to nails at the New York shows. Looks ranged from light and innocent to dark and dangerously chic this season. We saw pretty swan white polishes, barely-there French manicures and buff looks juxtaposed with black vamp shades, medieval “cage” inspired designs and the most breathtaking of all—the “dripping blood” effect seen at Prabal Gurung. Balancing out these more extreme styles, we noticed plenty of glamorous metallic varnishes and colorful two-tone manicures that added the perfect pop of sparkle and impact.

Up, Up & Away !

A few weeks ago I teamed up with Atlanta based photographer Antonio Guerra and M.A.C. makeup artist Tinisee Buckman for a very fun shoot. When the idea was first pitched to me I was very concerned because I couldn't get passed the balloons. Many people may not know this but I really don't take myself to seriously when it comes to modeling. I'm very used to being behind the scenes as a hairstylist. I made jokes about coming across as a clown but in contrary I am extremely pleased with the outcome. I learned a very valuable lesson out of this project and that is when you stop letting fear get in your way the possibilities are endless. I hope you all enjoy!

Photographer : Antonio Guerra

Makeup : Tinisee Buckman

Model & Hair : Paul Mitchell Rabell 

Beauty Ad Campaigns For 2013

It's the new year and the girls are here to SLAY! Here's a look at a few of my favorite beauty ad campaigns.

Katie Holmes looking SNATCHED darling for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics 

The ad, released Monday, is promoting the brand's new Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks. It shows Holmes posing for the camera with smoky eye makeup, loose waves in her hair and wearing a bold statement necklace.

The cream shadow sticks will be available in stores in February. Holmes is wearing two shades, violet plum and bark, in the ad, according to Glamour .

The beauty industry was taken by surprise when M.A.C. Cosmetics debuted its latest spokesperson, Jelena Abbou, a Serbian-American female bodybuilder with the kind of ripped physique more likely to be found in Muscle Milk ads than high end cosmetics campaigns. For those within the female bodybuilding world, however, it made perfect sense. "A lot of us use MAC," Monet Colbert, a makeup artist and former bodybuilder, tells Yahoo Shine. "It's designed for theatrical stage performances." That means it holds up under the double white lights designed to capture every muscle striation--and if you're not prepared, every wrinkle. 

Your favorite Harry Potter chick Emma Watson pretty in pink for Lancome In Love SS13. Emma Watson may be taking another break from acting as she prepares to return to Brown this month, but she certainly isn't neglecting her contract with Lancome.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower actress, 22, proves that a pop of bright color will be the look for next season in the beauty giant's latest campaign.

Little Miss Nicki Minaj looking PERCHED in her 3rd (that's right 3rd) M.A.C. Cosmetics lipstick for Viva Glam. Can't knock her hustle especially when her legs look like that!

Who doesn't love Selena Gomez ? Well now your nails can look like hers with her new collaboration with Nicole by OPI

it promises to deliver shades that are "sweet and spunky" and "flirty and fun." Of course, Gomez herself fronts the campaign, which is a soft and serene interpretation of the pop sensation.

The campaign featuring Dolce Gabanna favourite and natural beauty Scarlett Johansson, is shot by Mert+Marcus. The image sees Scarlett in an intimate moment, relaxing amongst sating sheets, disrobed as if enjoying the warming rays of the morning sun bursting through the window. A true image of relaxation, happiness and glowing natural beauty.

Dolce Gabbana Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation comes in 18 shades to suit any woman’s complexion who wishes to achieve that golden glow, from Caucasian to Asian to dark skins.

Emma Stone for Revlon's Shanghai Collection  Inspired by Chinese cinema, this look is all about high-impact colour made wearable. She looks BEAT!

Sammy B Look Book S/S 2013

5 Easy Steps For A Smoky Eye !

 When you think smoky, you instantly reach for black, but it can look severe. The most universally flattering tone is chocolate brown, rather than black- it's way sultrier and softer against all skin tones.

 1. LINE Rim eyes with a soft kohl. Go as close to the lash roots as possible so that you don't see any gaps between the liner and lashes. Trying to draw a continuous line from the inside corner of lashes outwards can be tricky - the most foolproof technique is to sketch little strokes along the lash line, working your way from the outside in.

2.LAYER Blend a deep mink-brown shadow across the lids, up to the crease and lightly along lower lashes, too. Then sweep a bronze shadow from slightly beyond the outer corners to the middle of the lids - and layer with a copper tone from the center of the lids inwards.

3.BRIGHTEN Wash a shimmery gold shadow over the top of the lids to bring lightness to the eyes. And blend it all up into the crease for a washed and blended, rather than graphic, effect.

4.PLUMP Curl your lashes to emphasise them and then pile on black mascara top and bottom.

The Nude Lip

Barely there lips are sexy without screaming, "Look At Me!", but don't match them to your skin tone as a too-fleshy pout can be draining. The most flattering shade isn't pure beige look for peachy or pink undertones.

Product Spotlight !

Despite functioning as a pressed powder, Mally's Evercolor Poreless Face Defender is far from it. Not only does it function as a setting agent to keep makeup budge-free all day, but it promises to minimize the appearance of pores and lines and keep you from having the ashy tinge so commonly cause by setting powders. What sets this product apart so drastically from a setting powder? Well, take a look at the actual product to see for yourself.

5 Easy Steps For Oily Skin !

1: Oil-free Moisturizers

Stick to oil-free moisturizers and apply them day and night. The myth is that if your skin is oily then you should not apply extra moisturizer, but if you don't your skin will think it is parched and overcompensate by producing more oil.

2: Blotting Paper

Keep blotting papers in your purse to zap shine throughout the day. Don't keep powdering all day, which can make you look caky. Instead blot up the excess oil with those little oil absorbing sheets.

3: Spray Makeup

Use air brush spray makeup for a smooth and even complexion that will never break you out. Spray a non-latex sponge and apply this light and airy foundation all over the skin. It looks utterly natural and keeps shine down.

4: Face Powder

Apply compact face powder to set makeup and erase shine instead of loose face powder. It will be a tad heavier and control the shine a bit better than loose.

5: Avoid Cream Makeup

Stay away from cream eye shadows and blush that can just slip off the face if your skin is oily. Stay with powder formula eye shadows and blush for a longer wearing look.