The Hair and Makeup Blog

Summer-izing Your Makeup

After what seems like millions of months of winter, summer should be in full swing within the next few weeks. With beach hair and bikini bodies, you’ve got enough to think about. The last thing you need this summer is for your makeup to be sliding off every time you step out into the heat. Here are a few tips to making your makeup last longer this summer:

• Avoid foundations and stick to a tinted moisturizer. It’s the difference between wearing a parka and a tank top.

• Go for oil-free products to avoid unnecessary breakouts and blemishes. You’ll have enough oil with all the summer sweating going on. More oil will only make your makeup run more.

• Thick lipsticks tend to melt and slide around in the heat. Try a tinted lip balm or lip stain to add color without the clump to your lips.

• Waterproof mascara is made for summer. Poolside fun and sweat can smudge and smear regular mascara but the waterproof kind stays put.

 

• Sheer colors are perfect for beating the heat, tend to run less and look good on just about anybody. For the bolder diva, summer is the time to work some bright colors into your makeup routine. 

• For those of you who can’t switch up your makeup routine, set your usual look with a makeup setting spray to avoid makeup slippage. Whether it’s summer or winter, it keeps everything looking fresh all day long.

For the scoop on beauty products and news, check out the Look Hair and Makeup ® online store.

Memorial Day 2009: In Memory of The Fallen

Tips to Finding the Right Hairstylist for You

Men come and go. Best girlfriends can change. A good hairdresser, on  the other hand, is forever. You trust your hairstylist to know her craft, be up on the latest trends and be able to translate all that into what looks best on you. Finding the right one can be difficult but it not impossible. Here are a few tips to finding the right hairdresser for your style:

• Ask around. Anyone who has style that you admire might have the name of a fabulous hairdresser. If you like the work they’ve done on their other clients, chances are that you’ll like what they do with your hair, too.

• Be a walk in. You can walk into any salon that you’ve been wondering about and ask for a consultation only. Most will offer a consultation at no cost and you can get a clear idea of what they would do if they got their hands on your hair.

• Check online hair boards or hair blogs for featured hairstylists, the phone book, Craigslist and the newspaper for stylists who specialize in the look you want. If they’re specialists, they’ll be more likely to know exactly what professional tools and styling products they’ll need to accomplish what you want.

All the best hairstylists know where to find the luxury beauty supplies. Check out the Look Hair and Makeup ® online store.

Four Signs It's Time to Ditch Your Hairstylist

Every girl has a few important people in her life to make it runs smoothly. Her mother. Her girlfriends. Her gay best friend. And of course, her hairstylist. Of all of these people, the stylist should be chosen very carefully, because her contributions are sitting right on your head for the world to see. 

When you find the right stylist, you keep her forever. But there are some situations that scream that you should be looking for a new hair guru to do your ‘do. Don’t miss the signs it’s times to ditch your hairstylist :

She doesn’t know what she’s doing. This is a no-brainer. If every time you leave your stylist it looks like a hyena did your hair, you’re going to the wrong one. This also applies to the “One Trick” stylist. She’s perfect . . . at one style. This is great if you plan to wear the same hairstyle for the next thirty years. For those of us who want up to date beauty advice, it’s not.

He overbooks. When your stylist overbooks, an appointment that normally takes two hours ends up taking half a day. Who wants to sit under the dryer for three hours because your stylist is working on the three other people he scheduled for ten a.m.? Not me. My time is just as valuable as his.

She doesn’t listen to you. A good stylist understands that you’re the one who has to walk around with this on your head. She listens to what you want and what you’re comfortable with. When you say “trim”, she doesn’t hear “cut”. When you say “red”, she doesn’t hear “fire engine”.

He doesn't teach you. A chic new look doesn’t do you any good if you can’t recreate it at home. If your stylist isn’t telling you about the hair products he’s using or showing you the best tools to recreate the look, he’s not doing his job.

All the best hairstylists know where to find the luxury beauty supplies. Check out The Look Hair and Makeup ® online store.

Celebrity Short Hair Styles

There’s an old Italian proverb that says if you want to change your life, you should cut your hair. Maybe that’s not true all the time, but cutting your hair will instantly update your look. A-list celebrities have all been rocking the short styles forever and with summer coming, short hair is one of the hottest trends right now.  And if you ever get tired of short look, you can always pop in a few hair extensions to mix things up.

Low maintenance is a big perk of short hair. You’re automatically cooler in the summer months. You also get to spend less time on your hair everyday. Over time you spend less money on hair products and services. Sienna Miller has often said in interviews that convenience was one of the reasons that she got her her long locks into a short shag.

Although Paris Hilton is a big fan of luxury hair extensions, her real hair is usually styled in a short bob with side swept bangs. There are times when Paris’s style has been a little trashy but her sleek bob upgrades the whole package with just a few snips of the scissors.

Short hair can also give you edgy look that’s hard to pull off with longer locks. Rihanna fohawk is a perfect example. When she was sporting a long look, she was just another C list pop star. Fast forward two years and her new hair has turned her into “a good girl gone bad.”  Pink is another celebrity that sports a short, edgy look. Spikes, fohawks and piecey layers take any short cut to rocker chick chic with the help of a little hair pomade or mini flat iron.

Girls with particularly strong facial features, unusually colored eyes or good bone structures wear short cuts particularly well. Short hair also automatically brings all the attention to your face. A face framing pixie cut can show off all your best features, like Nia Long and Michelle Williams.

For short hair, long hair and everything in between, you can find products and hair care tools at The Look Hair and Makeup ® online store.

2009 Prom Style

Spring is in the air and that means prom season is here. Time to end the school year with a bang. Channel your inner diva on prom night with a red carpet worthy hairstyle. Check out the Hair and Makeup Blog’s top prom styles for 2009:

Get Brandy’s loose waves with the help of a curling iron. Part hair down the middle and spray on a styling spray designed to protect your hair from heat. Take two-inch sections of your hair and wrap the hair around the barrel of the curling iron. After you’re done curling, run your fingers through your hair to style accordingly.

For Beyonce’s casual bun, gather your hair into a low ponytail and twist it to the end of the hair. Secure with bobby pins the same color as your hair for a polished look. Use a touch of hair spray on the back and then smooth the front and sides with a little styling product.

For Ciara’s “bigger-is-better style”, apply styling mousse while hair is still a little damp. Use a set of hot curlers or curling rods under the hair dryer. Once dry, a smoothing cream to the front and then brush the hair back into a ponytail. Pin up any loose ends to avoid strays. Use a light hair spray to help set curls and avoid any frizziness.

And for those of you who share Rihanna’s love of shorter styles, try this updated pixie cut.  Use a medium flat iron to bend the top sections and comb hair forward so that it sweeps over your forehead. Use a bristled brush and styling cream to tame the sides and back.

Get the styles on this page with the fabulous deals on hair extensions and styling products from The Look online hair and makeup boutique.

The Girlfriend's Sandbox Spring Fling - A Free Day of Fashion & Beauty in North Hollywood

Come hang out with The Look and other fashion and beauty experts at

The Girlfriend's Sanbox
Spring Fling - A Free Day of Fashion & Beauty
Sunday, May 3rd
2:00pm - 5:30pm
12514 Magnolia Blvd
(Magnolia & Whittsett)
North Hollywood/Valley Village
91607
(818) 508-8900

Enjoy a sunny afternoon of networking, fashion show, free make-overs and much more while having wine and appetizer.