how to make your fashion hair color last

It's been 9 months since I switched my hair into the scary fashion color trend. I worried about having to constantly dye it, losing my length, having it look fried, fading into something weird... there was a lot to lose, it seemed.

True. All of those things CAN happen, but you can also easily avoid them all and get whatever colors you want on your head. It's up to YOU [and your hairdresser] to keep it looking pretty and healthy.

I'm no pro, but I've listened to the tips my girl Ruby Devine gives me, and adapted older practices, and random things I've learned on the Internet, and after three months since my last dye job, my hair still looks pretty good.

Before I even get into the things I do, let's get this out of the way: No excuses. Don't say "that won't work on my hair" or something of the sort until you've given it a solid try. I'm talking weeks-months of trying.*

• Find a stylist that's good at it. This isn't something you do yourself or try out with a Groupon. The good ones [like Ruby] will use the best products AND practices.
• Don't wash your hair. Okay, wash it, but I only do it twice a week. Tuesdays and Fridays. That pic above is on day FOUR. The right dry shampoo, braids, ponytails and hats will become your best friend. [Also, see above.* These things take training. Your hair will absolutely be greasy and disgusting until it's used to it.]
• When you do wash it, COLD WATER is a must. Hell yeah it sucks. You're gonna have to bend over awkwardly or get a detachable showerhead if you wanna survive in the winter, but it's also very energizing and saving your hair! Just crank the heat as soon as the hair is washed and out of the way.
• Also, use good shampoo and conditioner for your color. I use purple because, well, my hair is purple. Your stylist's suggestions will be key here.
• Limit your heat. I rarely blow dry, unless it's to finish up the air drying real quick. I normally let it dry some, throw it into a bun, then bring it down when it's dry and beautiful. I've also ditched my straightener. I use a ceramic curling wand and throw THICK sections around it. See Guy Tang for proof on how terrible heat is. 
• Do an Olaplex treatment before every other shower. It helps keep the color AND the strength. 
• Stay out of the sun or use an SPF spray if you don't want to bleach the top/roots. Sometimes I like the blonde that happens from the sun, but depending on your color- it might not look right. I also used bandanas etc to protect it.
• For extra treatment, there are PLENTY of products, but I use Keratase on my ends, which happens to be more expensive than I thought, but I got it in Birchbox so I'm chillin' for now. It lasts a LONG time.

Those are my main points. Maybe it seems like a lot, but I think it seems pretty simple. It's a new routine you break into. [Along with not using light colored towels and expecting some crazy colored shower water.] The color you get also matters, obviously. I like the red I have at the top right now because when it fades/my roots come in, it's not very obvious.. probably even less noticeable than with blonde or any highlights.

So, embrace the magic, the fade, the excitement, etc of fashion color if you want it! If you have a job that'll allow it, there's nothing else to hold you back!

Plus, how fun is it to have hair that looks different in every picture? These were taken seconds apart, in the same place, same light, same phone. 

Can I also say I love being sent all the new hair trends and colors to try?! I also love seeing what everyone else gets done- so send them my way! And have fun!

love,
elizabethany

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halloween 2015: diy my little pony costume

Halloween.... one of the holidays where I feel ALLLLLL the pressure to live up to the year before. I always put so much effort into my costumes, so I need to outdo, or at least live up to, the year before.

This year I decided to be Rarity, from My Little Pony. When I was searching for things with purple hair, there weren't many options, but I knew this one could be fun to play with when it came to my make-up and hair. It was.

*once again, be patient with me with my pics. I'm never prepared with a charged camera these days.*

-the bodysuit is from Amazon. I ordered it white so I could dye it the really pale periwinkle color. It's a lycra so it was tough, but with a heavy mix of purple AND blue, it worked out! Decided to go with shoes under the footies instead of worrying about hooves

-the ears are from a simple sheet of foam that I folded over a headband and hot glued at the tip for some shape

-the light up unicorn horn, or "light up dildohead," as it became, was a random lucky find from Target. I had to super glue it to a headband so it didn't always fall over. 

-a tail made of cheap purple yarn, hot glued onto the bodysuit finished the outfit!

I was probably MOST excited to do the hair. I bought some good blonde extensions and had Ruby dye them to match my hair, then found this tutorial for a "pull through braid" and somehow pulled it off. It's a little sloppier than I'd like but all the layers in my cut will do that. I also did it without a mirror, so, there's that. 

Also fun: The make-up

-purple eyebrows thanks to some Halloween make-up from the Spirit store
-NYX lip butter purple lipstick stayed on all night, even with the drinking
-Urban Decay was all over my eyes. I used a white pencil underneath to try and make them look bigger, and a bright blue and white on my eyelids.

Also, my parents are pretty great at Halloween. I mean, JUST LOOK AT THEM RIGHT NOW.

So beautiful.

So here's to another successful year of being something else for a night! Send me your costumes, I'll throw up a post of them later!

love,

elizabethany

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wearing: fur and leather

A couple weeks ago I got to host Make-Up Date at Nordstrom. A bunch of ladies and bloggers gathered to check out TONS of products and win free thangs, and I got to be styled. 

We took a ton of pictures, and yet this is the best and most halfway decent one. 

It's a much different outfit than I would normally buy for myself, but I fully enjoyed rocking it. 

-525 vest

-BB Dakota leather dress

-camel fringe/suede booties that I got from zulily

-NYX Butter Lipstick that is a color that they apparently discontinued

Unfortunately I didn't get to keep the dress or vest, but they had hefty price tags so I guess a girl can try and understand sometimes. 

Now I'm on the hunt for cheaper versions, but fur vests without spending a pretty penny look awful. 

love,

elizabethany

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wearing: black and white jacquard curtains

Okay, so maybe I'm not wearing curtains, but this dress matches my bedroom so it feels like it.

It's ironic that I'm posting this outfit because I have had this dress for two years and never once worn it. I always thought it was way too big, but I guess that's the beauty in gaining some weight. [which to be honest- is why I haven't been posting. Sigh]

Someone was finally around to take a couple pictures, in an empty mall parking lot, and now here we are.

Because I never know how to pose.... [Don't even bother blowing it up looking for my underwear. I already did, sucka.]

It's a little wide, but it's really so comfortable. There are cinches right under the boobs and right above the butt to create "shape," but I felt like I was swimming in it before. Now I'm just confused about how I should accessorize this pattern. 

-dress from Forever21

-booties from Marshalls

-Kendra Scott earrings [c/o]

-necklace from Forever21

-total cost: $40ish

Funny thing is, I wore the same earrings and booties with another outfit last time I got a new dress, this one from Express [clearance, holla!]

[NOT "HOLLA" for phone mirror selfies as good outfit pics. I need a roommate... or a trainer for Slutty so she can take the pics and not try to be in all of them.]

Real talk about something I really don't wanna hear any response to unless it's motivation to get my ass in the gym- as much as people say it doesn't matter what we look like when we're in radio, I've been suffering in Struggle City with my weight this summer, yet not doing a damn thing about it. For a couple months I felt like I was busting my ass in the gym, eating healthy, and still gaining weight. I decided to just give up on the effort. What I've come to accept is that I think I'm hitting my "woman body" and it's going to be harder to work off this weight than in the past. I need to stop eating free food just because it's free, and stop believing people when they say I look fine because I don't feel fine. That's ultimately what's important. It's also important to get back to posting and hustling and making dreams come true so if you see me eating 3700+ calories in a night, kick my ass. Thanks, love ya, bye.

love,
elizabethany

PS: Working all the angles works all the wonders.

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