:: Cosmetology School ::

Well I just started Cosmetology School last week and I've been super busy with my job before that so I haven't posted in a while. I thought I'd add the things I'm learning at School in the meantime until I have more time to make posts again :) Here we goo...

Finger Waves

This was a popular hair style in the 20's and 30's and is basically achieved by putting either a gel or a pomade in the hair and then manipulating it by pinching it between your fingers. While pinching it you comb the hair outside of the pinch in the opposite direction of the original pinch in a wave like motion. You can wear it alone or add finger waves with pin curls (below) to get an even more flavorful look! This style has really come back as a classy red carpet look and can work on both long and short hair! The more water and product, the better!! Here's some pics of my dolly Wanda!

Pin Curls

Next we learned how to do pin curls, so we basically just added them in under the Finger Waves to give a more complete look. The pin curls were really fun and super easy! All you do is take horizontal sections with your comb and then split them up into about 6 or so vertical pieces and then add more product and roll them up as you would a garden hose! Then clip them with a pin at the base and not on top of the curl you rolled and move onto the next section! We did this on the entire rest of the head...here are some pics!

And this is how it all turned out....

Okay guys, that's all for now, I also have pictures of Roller Sets and Braids (French Braiding, Corn Rowing & Fish Tailing all coming soon inshAllah).

Hope you liked it <3

Awesome Deals on Shoes, Bags & Accessories :: Shoe Dazzle

Okay guys, this website is seriously INCREDIBLE! When you first join, you take a personal style quiz that asks you questions like 'Which is your favorite brand' to 'Pick which style suits you most' while displaying celebrity and fashionista photography! It's a neat way to get to know your taste and at the end it displays personally chosen shoes and purses just for you to order which they call 'Your Showroom'. You get one show room a month and you pick at least one item and you are charged 39.95$! You can skip as many months as you want to so don't worry about getting stuck in an automatic payment type of thing. They have really cute stuff, check out what I just got and browse Shoe Dazzle by clicking the Shoe Dazzle Button :)

:: Shoe Dazzle ::

Purse Favorites :: Never Leave Home Without Them!

Okay so these are just a couple of my everyday go to products that I ALWAYS have in my purse! They are both fairly inexpensive, and very convenient to have around! Okay so here we go...

Oscar Blandi :: Dry Shampoo

This product sells for around 11$ at Sephora! My oldest sister told me about this years ago and I've been ADDICTED to it ever since! Everyone knows you should only wash your hair a couple of times a week, but what do you do on the days when it's too oily? Especially when you are in a rush, just squeeze a quarter sized mound of white magic into the palm of your hand and thoroughly massage into your scalp! Make sure to get the problem areas that are most noticeably oily! It works wonders and you can use it anywhere! Added bonus is that it smells like yummy lemon grass and keeps your hair healthy and clean! Try it and I swear you will LOVE it!! (I'm going to do a post soon that will compare this dry shampoo with two other competitors but here's a teaser...THIS ONE WINS!)

Cuticle Oil

This particular cuticle oil is from the A to Z market in Hawaii and sells for like $3, and it's scented! However since we aren't in Hawaii, I added a link to a different cuticle oil from Sephora made by OPI that sells for $9. You can probably find a cheaper cuticle oil at ULTA or WalMart. Anyway, cuticle oil is the most forgotten product but it's fantastic! It keeps your nails looking great in between manicures and gives them a healthy look. Using the cuticle oil everyday (or whenever you remember) helps prevent hang nails and dry cuticles. I keep mine in this little bag I put together with a four sided buffer, a cuticle pusher (the white stick thing), nail file and nail clippers. Call me crazy to keep all this stuff but it's SO convenient and you never know when you are going to need it! Get some cuticle oil, you will LOVE the way your hands look!

Hope you like the products! Let me know what you think!

A Few Favorites - November 2010

I LOVE to shop! Especially for make-up! Since make-up can get pretty expensive, I get extremely happy when I find a good bargain! I will try to share a few favorites as often as possible, especially the bargain ones :) In the name of each product I will embed a link that will take you to a store that sells it so you can either purchase it or see more information!

Too Faced :: Natural Eye Palette 

Sells for around $35 at Sephora. I absolutely love this palette because you can literally wear these colors every day! They last all day and there are so many fun combinations! It also includes style cards with different ways to use the colors for different effects! I especially LOVE using the dark brown color Erotica for my eyebrows! The color Nude Beach is a great highlighter for under the brow, and the color Silk Teddy is a great all over base for your lids! You can use these different shades to dress up or dress down your look by adding a smokey eye or by just keeping it light!

BARGAIN ALERT :: Stila :: Trendsetting in Tokyo

This sells for just $10 at Sephora and Urban Outfitters! I LOVE IT!!! Stila products are always great and this is no exception! The big pink pot is called Sakura, it's a blush/lip duo and it's fabulous! Bubble gum colored pinks are so flattering on any complexion and can really add a feminine flare to any look! The sparkly black colored shadow is perfect for smokey eye when combined with a matte base shadow (TIP :: try to pair mattes and sparkly shadows to avoid too much sparkle) Anyway, it's a great product and I know you will LOVE it! And if these colors don't suit you there are 3 other different palettes for the same great price! Check 'em out and enjoy!

Smashbox :: Blush Rush in Radiance

Sells at Sephora and Nordstrom for around $24! This is the cutest matte pink blush, that same bubble gum pink I was talking about earlier! It really is perfect for every look, day or night! The blush itself is amazing but the packaging is just as awesome! There is a slide out mirror in the bottom which is a nice twist from the typical compact! Love wearing this blush paired with a dramatic eye and hot pink lip!

Hope you liked the products, they are just some of my favorites! Let me know what you think!

True Beauty :: Inner Beauty

"For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others."
— Audrey Hepburn

Although this blog is mainly focused on physical beauty, I strongly believe that the only kind of beauty that matters is true beauty, or inner beauty.

For Muslims all around the world this is a special time, it's the first 10 days of the month Dhul Hijja in which the Hajj is performed. The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia during this month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. It is 1 of the 5 Pillars of Faith in Islam. It is recommended to fast if one can but if not, as always, we can give in charity! Check out what my favorite Charity is...

My Favorite Charity

Susan G. Komen 3 Day For The Cure Race is amazing and the money is donated to Breast Cancer Research!

Check out their website at Susan G. Komen 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk!

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the whole concept of this charity. It's for an incredible cause and it brings people from all over together. They all have this common enemy (Breast Cancer) and they are empowered by coming together to defeat it! This walk takes place every year in several different cities all across the United States. Dozens of patients, survivors and families affected by Breast Cancer rally together by walking to raise money and awareness! According to Network of Strenth "2.4 million women living in the U.S. have been diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer." Donate or sign up to walk today!

I believe true beauty and true happiness come from helping others! If you don't have money to donate then at least help out by feeding the homeless or helping out in some way in your community! Muslim or not, it's always the right time to help out!

Silky Healthy Hair

When it comes to healthy hair there are tons of different tricks!

One great way to keep even the most damaged of hair looking silky and healthy is to use OIL!

This is a trick that I learned from my wonderful Pakistani and Indian friends who have the most gorgeous silky black hair. They were raised putting oil in their hair to keep it looking nice. When they first told me about it I thought that it would never be right for my hair because it's fine and thin but it really is right for every kind of hair! There are many different types of oils that you can use in your hair (Almond, Olive, Coconut, & Argan) and I suggest experimenting with different ones until you find the best fit! You can find all of these different oils at Indian Stores and other Asian stores in your area, just try googling Asian stores to find one near you! Here's my favorite oil and how I apply it...

Oiled Hair

1 C Olive Oil (Not Extra Virgin but that will work too)

Warm Olive Oil slightly on stove or in microwave until slightly warm

Pour Olive Oil slowly and evenly over scalp

IMPORTANT:: Massage oil into scalp for AT LEAST 5 minutes using finger tips
Make sure your hair is completely saturated in oil all the way to the ends to ensure best results

Leave oil on for at least 10 hours (TIP:: cover your hair with scarf if you don't want to get oil everywhere)

After letting oil set rinse with luke warm water (TIP:: NEVER use extremely hot water on your hair it will dry it out!)

Get as much oil out with water and then use shampoo & conditioner like normal

Towel Dry your hair

Then either air dry or blow dry (TIP:: Make sure to use a heat protectant before blow drying or before using any kind of heat on your hair, especially flat irons!)

My favorite is Heat Tamer Protective Spray by Tresseme and sells for around $4 at Target, Wal-Mart and Walgreens!

Then enjoy your silky smooth hair, and continue oiling at least 2 times/month and as much as 3 times/week depending on hair type and necessity!

Hope you enjoy this!

Hey Everyone - My first post!

I'm so excited to start this blog! I've been wanting to do this forever! Over the years I've always wondered what products and beauty routines other women use and this is a unique way of sharing all of those products, secrets and ideas! I'm not a professional by any means but I am attending a cosmetology school to get fully licensed! So stay tuned for some extremely unique and creative beauty ideas, wallet friendly products, and beauty secrets from all across the globe!

Just to give you a taste of what is to come, I'd like to share a beauty secret that I just heard about from a friend of mine who also has an awesome blog! Her blog is the 'Cute Kitchen Cook'! Anyway here's the secret...

SUGAR LIPS

Winter time is approaching rapidly and before she even posted this I was thinking of ways to take care of dry, chapped lips in the winter and boom, there was her post!

She suggests mixing

1 T of honey

1 T of white sugar

1 T of cocoa powder 

but I found that

1 t of honey

1 t of white sugar 

1 t of brown sugar

worked just as well! Because I didn't have any cocoa powder! 

Mix ingredients together until paste is formed. 

Then rub gently onto your lips.

Wipe off with warm wash cloth.

Since it's edible you can lick the rest off! 

It's a yummy way to exfoliate and make your lips feel super smooth and ready for lip balm!

Speaking of lip balm, my FAVORITE is Smith's Rosebud Salve 

(I'm going to put all my favorite products in purple cause that will make it easier and it's my favorite color!)

It's the best balm ever and I never leave home without it! It comes in a cute little tin with the original packaging! It's a classic for sure and they now sell it at Sephora and Urban Outfitters for around $8. 

Hope you enjoyed my first post! Check back for more soon!