How-To’s:
Trend Alert: Side Braids
The Side Braid:
The Hottest Hairstyle This Spring/Summer
Alexander Wang S/S 2010
Ok, I admit it, I’m a little behind on reporting this trend but since I’m really loving braids at the moment, I figured there’s nothing wrong with being a little bit fashionably late. 
The side braid frenzy all started on Alexander Wang’s Spring/Summer 2010 runway. Hairstyling master, Guido Palau gave each model a long, messy braid which rested on their left shoulder. To create this style, Guido was inspired by the seventies and early eighties; he added extensions in the model’s hair because he says “girls of that period didn’t really cut their hair.”
Top: Rachel McAdams, Leona Lewis. Bottom: Selena Gomez
Soon after the Spring/Summer Fashion Weeks came to an end, celebs all over began adopting this trend and making it their own! Rachel McAdams kept the style messy, while Leona Lewis switched it up by making her side braid into a fishtail style plait. Selena Gomez kept the style young by abandoning the matte texture seen on the runway and making her style shiny and fresh.
Polish supermodel, Kasia Struss was seen sporting a Rapunzel-like, platinum side braid in a recent issue of Vogue Korea. No coincidence here, Guido Palau was responsible for this look as well.
Elle Netherland’s recent June 2010 issue features Nimue Smit on the cover wearing a crimped side braid!
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To Get the Messy Side Braid Look:
1. The original style seen on the runway is very matte, so start off by spraying or sprinkling a mattifier into your hair. I love Osis’ Dust it Mattifying Powder. It gives your hair the matte texture we want, while also giving you tons of body! Great for the messy/big look.
2. If your hair lacks volume, tease it up near the hairline and on the sides. The look is supposed to be messy so don’t worry about making it perfect.
3. Part your hair to side and bring it all around to the opposite side that you just parted it.
4. Now it’s time to braid! (I’m assuming you know how to do a simple braid but if not check out this simple picture tutorial here).
5. Secure the end with a small hair tie or ribbon and you’re good to go!
How To: Make Your Nose Look Thinner
Rhinoplasty is one of the top five most common plastic surgery procedures performed each year! The good news is makeup can be an effective way to slim your nose instead of choosing to go under the knife.
Jessica Alba Has One Of the Most Requested Noses, Say Plastic Surgeons
Using Makeup to Create the Illusion of a New Nose
What You’ll Need:
Contour Powder/Cream
You can use a product made specifically for contouring, or try a foundation 2-3 shades darker than your skin tone. Matte brown eyeshadow can work just as well too!
-I recommend Makeup Forever’s Sculpting Kit and Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder. The contour shades are really unique and give off a “shadow” color which is exactly what you want your contouring to look like, shadows!
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Highlight
I prefer a matte highlighter when contouring noses. A white/nude eyeshadow would work will, or try a foundation color 2-3 shades lighter than your skin tone.
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Angled Brush
An angled brush is ideal for sculpting noses. Keep it small so that you have more control over where your product ends up.
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Fluffy Blending Brush or Sponge
For blending your contouring. I like the Beauty Blender sponge to soften lines, but brushes work well too.
How To: Slim a Wide Nose
Step 1- Apply your foundation. You can do your face now, or wait until the end. I would wait until the end so that you will be able to judge how your new contouring will look with your overall face.
Step 2- Dip your angled brush into your contour powder/cream/eyeshadow and draw a line down each side of your nose. Keep it light. It’s easier to build product than to take it away. (Check out the diagram above to get an idea about where to place your lines).
**Optional Contouring: Depending on Your Specific Nose**
If your nose is wide all the way up, carry your line to the bridge of the nose.
If your nose is wider at the bottom, draw a small line outward when you get to your nostrils.
If the tip is wide or bulbous (omg, I hate that word!! I had to use it though, sorry), draw a “down-facing arrow” once you reach the tip.
Step 3: Clean off your brush.
Step 4: Dip your brush in your highlight powder/cream/ eyeshadow and draw a slender stripe down the center of your nose. (See Diagram).
If the bottom or tip of your nose is wide, only take your highlight half-way down.
Step 5: Take a clean fluffy brush or makeup sponge and blend your lines (be careful not to blend them together though). Blend until you can’t see a “line” anymore; it should look natural. Obviously, my diagram is just for reference. Please don’t go outside looking like Jennifer Aniston in this picture haha..
If you have followed the directions correctly, you should notice a subtle change in your nose! Let me know if it worked for you, or if you have any questions!!
How To: Conceal a Pimple
We all get them, and for some reason it’s usually during life’s most inconvenient moments! Your wedding, prom, first date, important meeting… you know how it goes. Instead of freaking out and playing hooky, try these simple steps to cover up the monster and live your life!
Megan covers up her pimples too! From a distance, they are practically invisible
Zap Your Zits With Makeup
1. If you have time, press an ice cube onto the offender for several minutes. Ice will help to make the swelling go down and will also reduce the redness. You can also rub a little Visine on it; Visine banishes the red in your eyes and does the same for pimples!
2. If it’s already been popped, apply some moisturizer to eliminate as much flakiness and dryness as possible.
3. Apply your full foundation. Covering up any pimples you may have is the last step.
4. Next, get out your concealer, and it should match your skin perfectly! I hear a lot of people recommending that your concealer be lighter than your skin. MAYBE for under eyes but not when covering up zits. If you use a lighter concealer, it will just bring unwanted attention to your monster.
5. Load up a concealer brush, the pointier ones will work best for this. Now, stipple the concealer onto your zit with the brush.
**Stippling means to dab the product on, rather than rubbing or stroking it over your zit. Pretend you’re doing morse code over your pimple! **
You want as much coverage as possible and stroking tends to rub off the product. No bueno.
5. Now that the product has been stippled on, blend the outer edges of the concealer into the rest of your foundation. DO NOT touch or blend the actual zit. If the concealer that’s layering your pimple looks cakey or thick, keep stippling it in, or dab the excess off with your finger.
6. Once the outer edges have been blended, set the area gently with powder. Loose powder is best but if you have to use a compact powder don’t rub it on. Take an eyeshadow brush, load it up with your powder and gently touch it to the newly concealed pimple.
Voila!
**REMEMBER: Makeup can only cover up color, not texture. You will probably still see “the bump” but as long as it matches the rest of your face, it won’t be noticeable.
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Concealers I Recommend:
Makeup Forever Camouflage Creme Palettes.
Benefit’s Boi-ing Concealer
Amazing Cosmetics Concealer
