"I am so not down."

You're going to have to excuse me this one time because this is going to be more of a rant then I would have liked it to be. Let me start off by saying that I really do encourage making your personal style your own, and rocking it to the best of your abilities. Everyone has things they like, things they don't, and things they would never dream of attempting (clothing-wise). We all make mistakes, and we all try new things (I hope?) from time to time to test the waters and see where our comfort level is. So the point I'm hoping to convey is however you choose to express yourself externally is entirely your decision, the mantra I find works best for me is "stay true to yourself".
That being said, (commence rant in 3,2,1..) I am so tired of going on sites like Lookbook just to discover the MOST cliche ideas of fashion I can find! Now this isn't meant to offend you lookbook users out there, some of my best friends have accounts (myself included) where they post regularly. I'm just getting to the point where the nicest thing I can say is "That's a cool background," or "Great camera angle."
Lookbook seems to consist only of lanky nineteen to twenty-somethings in either thrift store clothing, or rejects from Adam Lambert or Lady Gaga's tour wardrobes (sometimes a combination of all three, bleh!).
Now I'm not saying any of those options are negative, I'm sure a lot of people put tons of time and effort into getting those outfits together.
Where has all the diversity gone?? When I look around on the streets I'm hit with people telling me that they're eclectic and original, even though I can see another person wearing the same grungy denim button down circa 1978, belted, with knitted thing-high socks, standing to their left. I'm not saying it's bad fashion, and I'm trying to call anyone out for wearing specific things, I'm just asking for a little integrity. Going into a store, whatever style, brand, niche they cater to, and buying an entire outfit off of a mannequin is so dull.
Sure I have a lot of style influences, lord knows I would never try and call myself 'unique', but i find solace in the fact that despite seeing someone wearing an outfit that I love, I wouldn't go out and copy it.
My ending note is that I'm sorry if this offended you, but it's my honest opinion. I don't like people trying to present themselves in a light that is not of them, if you enjoy dressing a certain way this shouldn't change that. But if you are aiming for a label and your clothing becomes more of a costume of someone else than an expression of yourself, i hope this has given you something to think about. Just dress for yourself because at the end of the day, you're the one who has to wear it.

I Can Haz White Hair??

Recently I've been getting a bunch of people asking me how I managed to get my hair white, and not just how to get that colour, but also for tips on maintaining it.

First of all, if you've read my first blog you may be a bit scared off, and I wouldn't blame you. White hair is REALLY hard to take care of, and the smallest mistake can set you back pretty far. Fortunately you have me to serve as your guinea pig and tell you what to avoid (wish I'd had that).

Do not attempt if you have thin hair, i would avoid going super light. Why? Well if your hair is already thin, stripping down the layers is just going to weaken it further and you WILL experience mass amounts of breakage sooner than others. Also, if your hair has a rougher texture to it, bleach is just going to make that problem worse and cause breakage as well.

That being said, I was told my natural hair was too light to be bleached that colour by at least three salons and i defiantly proved them wrong.

      From This...

(Excuse the obvious cliche, i was fourteen xP)

      To This!

(All unedited just so we can avoid any photoshop colour jobs)

The Steps....

• So I started using the lightest colour I could find in a box bleach (which due to monetary issues I am still using), which was the Garnier brand '100% Colour' and i believe the exact name was D01 bleach blonde (I'll include a picture though, for some reason I only remember what the girl on the cover looks like, versus the name). When it comes to all over colour, the application is pretty straight forward, just follow the included instructions and you should be fine. (An alternative bleach would be using a more reliable professional 40 volume bleach purchasable at most hair and beauty stores, 30 volume wouldn't achieve 'white').

• Depending on how fast your hair grows, you're going to want to wait a minimum of six weeks before hitting it with another dye application. In the in between time, using a restorative treatment like 'Frizz Ease: Overnight Serum' (retails for about $9, available at most drug and value stores) and 'Macadamia Healing Oil' (product information in my last blog) about two times a week to help repair any damage and maintain moisture. After the second bleach application (I would advise waiting for your roots to get noticeable before the second bleaching session, this way you can cover them AND lighten the rest of your hair) you'll want to get your ends trimmed because as the bleach strips away the colour layers, the ends will begin to break. Otherwise your hair may start to break from the bottom as your hair grows, causing it to stay the same length.

• After the second application (to the WHOLE head of hair, not just the roots), you should be left with a very pale blond. To get out that last bit of yellow and those brassy tones, you will need a purple toning shampoo (bare minimum) and even a conditioner if you can afford one. My favourite would be the Lush brand's 'Daddy-o' (you can find the purchasing information in my previous blog). Be careful though, some toning shampoos can leave a blue stain in your hair, and other toners may not work at all (such as 'Manic Panic Virgin Snow Toner', I bought three bottles online and it did NOTHING as far as toning goes).
• Getting your ends clipped every two to three months, as well as using deep conditioning treatments and toners (occasionally) will all help to keep your hair bright and white. To avoid further damage, I really can't stress enough that you should get someone else to do bleach your roots. After the initial bleach applications to the whole head, prolonged bleaching of already processed hair will cause mass amounts of damage (Re-bleaching over top of drastically lightened hair while doing roots in highly likely).

My final word on this would be to find a colourist that you can trust, who is comfortable and willing to help you achieve this colour. I'd also like to put out the disclaimer that I can't guarantee this will work for your hair, my stylist has marveled many times at how strong my hair is to have put up with all of this bleaching and still be so resilient.

Hope this helps, happy bleaching<3



Products, products, products..

Okay so something i really wanted to do with this blog was dedicate a large portion of it to products, services, and tips. I plan to do a couple more explanatory posts focused on certain areas such as beauty, style, and lifestyle, but for today i'm just going to rant a little about a couple things i love/ hate at the moment.

Loving..

1. Nail Envy Strengthener
A MUST.. and to put icing on the cake, it's reeeeally cheap, and available at any beauty supply store. Works wonders as far as strengthening your brittle/peeling nails (or at least mine, which are super weak since i got fake ones at a salon five months ago). Two coats (which dry in under five minutes) and they're sealed, i've only had to reapply once in the last two weeks. No chips, and shiny long, strong nails, i'd say for $1.99 it was an excellent purchase.

2. Biore Foaming Cleanser
Definatly one of my favourite cleansers of all time. I'd have to give it a four and a half out of five because when it comes to a having a clean face i'm pretty fanatic. This cleanser does what the others promise by eliminating all oil from your skin, while leaving no gross film behind on your face. Generally i use it in the shower (to avoid getting water on my counter) and i works wonders, i didn't even know what "squeaky clean," meant until i used this stuff. It's available at Zellers for $7.99 (i got it for free though from my dad's girlfriend lol), comes in a green bottle.

3. 'Barbie' By Cake: Hair and Body Mist

 Okay, so i really have to vouch for this whole brand, not just the body mist! I LOVE the smell of this stuff, it's not overpowering, but at the same it doesn’t fade ten minutes after you spray it. The smell is fantastic, reminds me of lemon cake/ cooking/ or vanilla cupcakes. I've had so many compliments thanks to the smell, even people coming up to me in stores asking what it is and where they can get some. The 'cake' brand also makes solid perfumes, lip butter, candles, and a lot more all with this intoxicating scent. The best part is that it's been about two years and i haven’t gotten tired of it yet. Available at Sephora for $20 (I had the luck of getting mine on sale for $10 though), or you can also purchase it occasionally at Winners for a discounted price (LOVE Winners).

4. 'Macadamia' Healing Hair Oil Treatment

 So if you read my last entry, you've head about all of the damage i've put my hair through and the horrible shape it's been in. Well if you're dealing with anything remotely similar, i would hands down tell you to look into this product. To be used in hair when it's dry or damp, the oil smells AMAZING, and doesn’t really act like you would expect an oil treatment to. Apply 1 squirt into your hair after you've washed it, working it in evenly. It will get absorbed fully into the strands, leaving your hair soft, moisturized (but NOT oily), shiny, and healthy while protecting your hair from styling damage (heat, etc.) and repairing the cuticle. It was recommended to me by my stylist for my intense damage, but upon entering the store to buy some, i had a thirty minute conversation with another woman who was looking into the same product. It's a form of Moroccan oil, only this brand is all natural ingredients (they also sell cheaper versions of this that aren't all natural, but are just as good!). I purchased it for a steep $40 (with tax) at Trade Secrets, they also had a deal on at the time though for this product, plus the repairing shampoo, and hair mask (which i also recommend) by the same brand for $50 (plus tax).

5. Mac Loose Pigments  

One of the better products i can tell you about makeup-wise. I have a ton of loose pigment colours, i prefer them to eye shadow cakes (at least from Mac), mostly due to the pigmentation. The colours are a lot more present than they can be when you buy the shadow cakes because it's a powder. Though some of the darker shades don't transfer the best, i like the use all of these pigments wet, for the sake of control rate (very low when working with a powder), and colour. Really, the colours are fantastic! Another thing i'd like to point out is that you're really getting a lot for your money, the container is about an inch and a half tall, and costs about $19.50 plus tax. Fortunately though, you can take home samples which i've been able to stretch to last for a month or so. Also, if you don't have a Mac right in your area, local department stores usually have a Mac counter where you can purchase a lot of their products.

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Don't Bother With...

 1. Proactice Acne Solution
Okay, so i'm pretty sure we've all seen those Proactive ads on t.v. with notable faces such as Katy Perry talking about how much they 'loooooooove proactive'. Unfortunately, having been using proactive for the past three years or so, i'm here to tell you to save your money. It's not that it's a bad product, it's just.. well it doesn’t really do a lot to prevent constant breakouts. And for the minor results that are seen, you have to really work your butt off to get them. Application of the three steps twice a day, the mask at night (which never fully washes off, and has never helped me see a difference!), as well as the problems i, as well as countless others i've talked to with the re-order system. In the end you're out the $60, as well your skin gets worse after you stop using the product because your skin has become adapted to it, not to mention the fact that they send you a new shipment way before you need it.

2. Pencil Eyeliners
Alright, so i don't care what the brand is, where you got them, or what colour they are! Pencil liners are one of the worst inventions of all time. Sure, if you're in a real fix, and they're all you have they can be made to work, but the amount of effort you're going to need to put in just to get your desired effect just seems unnecessary. They smudge, people try and borrow them, you need a sharpener to use them, as well as a powder to set them, and you never know how strong the colour is or the durability of the colour until you buy them. So many times people ask me to fix their eyeliner and hand me a pencil, it just makes me want to stab them with it! Pencils have less control then a brush (which you're still going to need to fix the line from the pencil) and are infinitely more messy (can't stress that enough). So save yourself, go buy a pot of clay liner if you must line your bottom lash-line, or better yet liquid liner.

3. BAD Clip in Colour Extensions
Let me start by saying that having short hair from time to time i do add extensions to make my hair longer, or even change up the colour from time to time. That being said though, i make all of my extensions myself, and buy almost human hair that does not have that plastic barbie shine to it. I cut the hair so that it doesn’t have a blunt cut end, and i place it so that it blends into my hair properly. I'm soo tired of seeing girls walking around with pieces that do not fit with their tresses, be it the length, cut, or material. A good rule of thumb for extensions is if the piece looks like it can be plucked right out of your head, you shouldn't be wearing it. Another tip is to NOT go out to your local Hot Topic (yay it's finally in Canada) and buy a teal streak of straight hair with a blunt cut edge and clip it to the top of your layer cut, curly ginger hair (sorry if that was you i saw on the bus the other day, but it really annoyed me).

4. Shimmer Lights Purple Shampoo
My last hate this week is Shimmer Lights Purple Shampoo, available at most hair stores and Sally's Beauty Supply Store. When i first started using purple shampoo, this was the easiest brand to attain, and though it was about $16 for a medium sized bottle, i figured it would do exactly what it was supposed to do, get the yellow/ brassy colour out of my hair (hence why i didn't quite care about the price). Unfortunately after using it for the second time while washing my hair, i started to get a purple/blue stain forming on the lighter parts of my hair that was decently noticeable even after my hair dried. It took a week of no purple shampoo to get out, which was annoying, as well the smell is a little too sterile for my personal preferences (smells like hospital).
As an alternative I'd suggest 'Daddy-o' from Lush, it's another purple shampoo that is made from all natural ingredients (which isn't really a priority for me, but it helps prevent the colour change). Daddy-o smells amazing, and is available at Lush for $17.95 (plus tax) for 250mL or $27.95 for 500mL (I get free bottles off of my sister for cheaper though, employee discount.), which though a bit pricey, i think is worth it.



Okay, so that's all for now, i have a ton of other things that i want to review though, so check back soon for more! Next blog is going to be all about White hair, how to get it, how to treat it- tricks and tips, etc.

:3

I love Kat Marcus!

So today i had the opportunity to sit and contemplate exactly what i was going to include in my first post, as well as how to phrase things, if i should try and convey a message or not, etc. And despite the hour and a half i had while getting my hair done, as well as the hour of transit to get to Toronto, and then the four hours i had driving around the city doing errands with my sister and brother-in-law i really didn't come up with much more than obvious and cliché ideas.

Thus instead of boring you with obvious statements about nothing, i want to take some time to do some good for some important people i know.
For the past five years now i've had this obsession with having blonde hair- oops, not blonde, i mean WHITE (let the record show that my natural hair colour is medium to dark brown!!!). A goal that i was finally able to achieve about four years ago. Now being relatively new to the world of bleaching, i knew absolutely nothing about what i was doing (surprise!) and just figured a box of bleach would be sufficient, and that i could just leave the peroxide on my hair for as long as it needed to get my desired colour.
Years of breakage, dryness, damage, and parts of my split brittle ends flying into the air every time i moved my head later, i realized that if i ever wanted to achieve the new goal i'd set for myself of having long bleached, bright hair i'd have to make some changes. So June of 2010 i decided to go from almost white to almost black in an attempt to let my hair grown and improve in health. The only problem was i hated the colour so much, it made me feel boring and stern, and plain really (I don't know why, it's my own personal stigma. I'm not saying i don't like brown hair, i just feel blonde suits me better).
After BEGGING my mother to let me dye my hair blonde again this past weekend i grabbed the same white blonde bleach i always use and applied it.
Forward one hour, my hair was neon orange and yellow (and i know what you're thinking, i'm exaggerating, but no. It was so brightly coloured, it looked like a bad dye job of the girl from paramore!), which i pretended to love just to avoid the "i told you so," that i knew was coming right up. Truth was i knew not to do it and i still did, so it was completely my fault in the end, the bleach took out all of the shine i had in my hair, killed the last inch or so of length i'd achieved, and left big chunks of colour in places it shouldn't have been.

Anyway, today i went to the Saloon Salon (Formerly GLAM Salon) to go see one person i will trust with my hair, Kat Marcus. Even though the Saloon has a "by appointment only" policy, i was still seen as a drop in. On top of that, Kat worked for an hour and a half on my hair to bleach, deep condition, tone, re-deep condition, tone again, wash, colour, and finally to cut and style my hair just to correct my stupid mistake. She also gave her usual recommendations on products to use, products to avoid, and where to get them at the cheapest prices.

The Saloon Salon is by far the most impressive place you could go for your hair. If you're looking for:

• A friendly environment where you will be remembered by name and be treated like a superstar
• High quality and personalized cuts and colour at an affordable price
• A place that won't lecture you about what you've done wrong (as a lot of salons do)
• And finally somewhere you can kick back and be yourself while lounging on fun vintage furniture while laughing your face off talking to a stylist with a sense of humour.

This is the place for you!
So to connect things back to me, i now have an amazing cut, a sample of Moroccan hair mask oil, shiny, blonde, soft hair that is dry-end free but still looks just as long as it did when i went in.
<3