How to dye your hair PROFESSIONALLY at HOME

    So, I am very stubborn in letting people do my hair or makeup. Nothing against any of you guys, I just really prefer to do both of those myself. With that, though, I don't want to harm my hair when I color it. I've tried many different brands, methods, etc., to dying your hair professionally at home, and I am here to give you guys my favorite products for hair coloring.
    So, some of you may think I am just going to be showing you guys box dye that you can get from the drugstore- but there are many other better hair dyes you can get from hair product supply stores that are a lot more beneficial not just in the health of your hair, but color payoff and longevity.

    CONS TO DRUGSTORE DYE:

• Gives your hair a dry, straw-like texture and feeling
• Only stains your hair. It doesn't actually penetrate into your strands- which only lets the color last for about one to two weeks and easily wash out. 
• Constantly having to touch up your hair with box dye will make the price rack up- sure it's only 8-12 dollars today, but after dying your hair every couple weeks what's that going to add up to?
• Dying your hair multiple times in a months time does awful damage to your hair. 

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

HAIR DYE

No, you cannot get professional hair dye from the drugstore. Professional hair dye is only sold at beauty or hair supply stores. I get my hair dye and the other needed items for hair coloring from Sally Beauty Supply. The closest one to where I live is about 40 minutes away, so it is an annoying drive, or I can order it online. The dye I use is from the L'Oreal HiColor line. I know- I was surprised when I found out L'Oreal had a professional line of hair products as well. But the reviews on this line are amazing! Blogs, YouTube, Pinterest, everywhere I read about this line, I read nothing but good comments. The best thing too? It's SO affordable! One tube of dye is about 6 dollars. The thickness in my hair is about average, and one tube works perfect for me. Now, my natural hair is only to my collarbones though. When/ if I dye my extensions, then I have to use two tubes. I have had my hair a bright red, a maroon, and now it's a blue black shade, and all those shades I used this line of hair dye. It has a variety of shades for you to choose from, and you can always mix shades. I would when I had the bright red in my hair. This line has yet to disappoint me in total honesty. My hair is never felt feeling dry after, and I was never dissatisfied with the color. And I have very stubborn, dry/ brittle hair that has a hard time grasping color. Enough with the rambling-moral of the story, I really recommend this dye.

PHOTOS OF DIFFERENT HAIR SHADES:

 

All three of my hair color changes were done with the L'Oreal HiColor line, and I love all three looks I've worn. My hair was naturally a dark brown/ off  black, and it had no problem grabbing the bright red dye, and holding it in my hair for a reasonable amount of time.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

Developer

Developer does just what it's called. It develops and activates the hair color. Developer can be purchased at Sally's as well. There are different levels of developer you can purchase, ranging from 10, 20, 30, or 40 volume, The higher the volume, the more lift will be provided in your hair, and the stronger color will be deposited. That being said , I typically go for 30 volume, This is the developer I use, and the price of developer ranges from 1.99- 5.39 currently depending on the size you purchase.



OTHER NECESSITIES:

• Plastic gloves
• Plastic cap
• Plastic bowl
• Mixing tool for the hairdye

OPTIONAL:

• Tint brush
• Vaseline
• Towel

STEPS:

1. squeeze out the hair dye from the tube into your mixing bowl
   
2. measure out 2.5 fl. oz. of developer and pour into the bowl (or eyeball the measurement like me)
   
3. Mix the dye. Wanna know a trick? I just use the tail end of the tint brush to do the mixing. Just mix until you can tell the products have both meshed well together.
   
4. Put on plastic gloves
5. Apply hair dye in hair. For this, you can use the tint brush if your little heart desires, or you can just use your hands. Just PLEASE remember gloves- your hands WILL STAIN without them. I honestly get stained hands and nails anyway even with the gloves on. How? I have no idea, but you really need the gloves.
6. After applied all throughout the hair, throw plastic cap on
7. Wait for 20-40 minutes, depending on hair thickness, color grasp ability, and length. I personally wait about 30 minutes myself.
8. Rinse out and condition hair when complete. Then style as desired.

TIPS:

• Apply Vaseline to the outer edges of your face to prevent facial staining from the dye.
• Wear an old t-shirt to prevent ruining newer ones with dye, or wrap a towel around the shoulders.
• Wait until your hair is needing to be washed to dye your hair. When your hair is too clean, it doesn't have enough oils that will grip on to the dye as saturated as you want, and it will rinse out a lot easier. 
• Apply oil to your hair after styling to prevent dry ends if needed.

So there you have it! My words of wisdom in professionally dying your hair at the comfort of your own home! I hope you'll be able to try this out, and you love the L'Oreal HiColor line as much as I do. Have a good one!

XOXO

                                                                                        

Go-To Everyday Primers and Foundations

 Hi, everyone! Today's post is going to be talking about my all time favorite foundations and primers. I get asked all the time what makeup products I use, recommend, etc., so I figured this would be a good way to share with all my beauty lovers what works best for me :) I originally wanted to talk about the whole face in this post, but realized since I have quite a few products to recommend that I should really break it down and go in categories. I hope you guys enjoy!! I plan to do other parts of the face soon like contour/blush/highlight, brows, eyes, etc.
 

 I wanted to start off by saying that I have normal to combination/ oily skin. These products work well for my skin type and haven't failed me yet. If you have very oily skin, or drier skin, not all of these may work the best for you.

PRIMER:

    I love primer. I didn't care for it at all my first couple years of doing makeup, but primer is really necessary for a strong makeup base. Primer gives your foundation a smooth canvas to glide over, and prevents makeup from sinking into your pores, thus causing breakouts. These are my top favorite primers and I'll explain why:

Benefit Porefessional


Within just the past year or so, my pores have began to be more visible around my nose, cheeks and forehead. Pores are lame and annoying, and I think you all can agree with me on that, especially those of you that struggle with pores. Benefit porefessional helps blur and minimize these annoyances, and makes your skin appear smooth.

https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/us/en/product/porefessional-value-size

*Can be purchased on the benefit website, at sephora and ulta.

Maybelline Baby Skin



Ugh I love baby skin. It's a great dupe for benefit porefessional, and is a fraction of the price. The formula of the two is a little different, but they both do the same thing for my skin, and I recommend both. I vary between using either of these day to day.

https://www.maybelline.com/face-makeup/primer/baby-skin-instant-pore-eraser-primer

*Can be purchased in drugstores, the Maybelline site, and Ulta.

Maybelline Master Prime in Blur & Smooth



This primer I have been using for around a year or so and I can't live without it. It's such a great base for your makeup when applied all over the face. It really helps the foundation to blend evenly and it's a tiny bit moisturizing as well.

https://www.maybelline.com/face-makeup/primer/facestudio-master-prime-primer/blur-smooth

*Can be purchased in drugstores, the Maybelline site, and Ulta.

BECCA Backlight Priming Filter



This primer I ONLY apply on my cheekbones, and maybe any extra places I have dry patches in. I am sure to avoid the oily areas on my skin, because this provides shine to the face. This is a great primer, because applied in the places it needs to be, it lifts and awakens your skin, and brings in so much light. it makes my highlight glow stronger, and we all know how flat our face can look after a thick layer of foundation. This combats that and gives the skin more life. It's great at giving you a  beautiful glow from within. A little bit goes a long way.

https://www.beccacosmetics.com/shop/complexion/backlight-priming-filter.html

* Can be purchased in Sephora, on the BECCA site, and Ulta

Loreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer



I love this primer. Obviously, because why else am I mentioning it right? To me, it's an exact dupe to the BECCA one. In fact, I use it even more than the BECCA one, because it's just so much more affordable.

http://www.lorealparisusa.com/products/makeup/face/makeup-primer/magic-lumi-primer-magic-lumi-light-infusing-primer.aspx?shade=Magic-Lumi-Light-Infusing-Primer

*Can be Purchased in drugstores, on the Loreal site, and Ulta

Benefit porefessional Matte Rescue



This is like the porefessional, but works in some minor different ways. It doesn't blur out the pores nearly as much as the original because of its gel- like consistency. What it does do though, is it helps keep your skin matte enough so it's not too oily by the end of the day, but also not flat matte or cakey. It's great! I apply this to the chin and forehead, because I get the most oily there.

https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/us/en/product/the-porefessional-matte-rescue

*Can be purchased in Sephora, on the Benefit site, and Ulta

FOUNDATION:

Like mentioned earlier, I vary from normal- combo/oily skin. I say this, because oils can tend to seep through in some problematic spots throughout the day. This is typically in the forehead, inner cheek/ nose area, and chin. This is called the "T-Zone" in makeup terms. When I need a foundation. I find it best for me to just really moisturize my skin, apply moisturizing primers (like the ones previously stated), then to apply a matte or demi matte foundation. This is just the best routine that works for me, so keep this in mind when I talk about my personal favorite foundations :)

Loreal Infallible Pro Matte



I've used this foundation for nearly two years and it never fails me. It stays on and flawless looking all day long. Even towards the end of the day when I do start to get a little more oily, my makeup still stays in place and doesn't show a ton of shine. I highly highly highly recommend this to everyone with combo to oily skin types.I don't recommend this to you lovelies with drier skin types, though. However, Loreal does have an Infallible Pro Glow, that you may want to check out.

http://www.lorealparisusa.com/products/makeup/face/foundation-makeup/infallible-pro-matte-foundation.aspx?shade=Classic-Ivory-101

Can be purchased in drugstores, on the Loreal site, and ulta.

Loreal Tru Match



I typically wear this foundation either in the dead of winter when my skin gets really flat and dry looking, or will mix it with the pro matte when it's warmer and my skin has more oil than normal. I loooooove how this foundation applies, looks, etc., but it doesn't give the same longevity wear or keep my oils at bay as much. This is good for normal - dry skin types for sure year round. I do adore this foundation though, and really with I can wear it more myself.

http://www.lorealparisusa.com/products/makeup/face/foundation-makeup/true-match-super-blendable-makeup.aspx?shade=W1-Porcelain-Warm

*Can be purchased at drugstores, on the Loreal site, and Ulta.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
These products I have tried and do enjoy, but don't 100 % recommend them for maybe one reason or two.

Lancome Teint Idole Ulta 24 Hr Wear Foundation.

So, I got this as a graduation gift from a relative of mine who works at a lancome counter, Otherwise, would I have paid 47$ for it? Yeah probably not honestly. I do enjoy the foundation! I just think for the price, I get the same outcome with my loreal pro matte foundation.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless

I know this is a cult favorite. But I have two complaints about this: the packing and the longevity. The packaging is just a glass jar, so dumping the product out onto your hand is such a hassle. Having products be distributed in a squeeze tube or pump is the most ideal. You're not as likely to waste as much product when products are packaged in a squeeze tube or pump for one, and two, it's a lot more sanitary. When products are packaged in a jar, you typically tend to get your fingers in the jar alot, and that obviously spreads germs. Now, onto the longevity- it's just not a super long wearing foundation if you ask me! 9/10 times, when I'm wearing makeup, it's for 8-9 hours of the day. So I need something that will last me that time, and I won't look in the mirror mortified at my makeup at the end of the day. Typically, matte foundations wear longer as well, so it's just very very average to me in all honesty. SO- I do wear this foundation sometimes. I only do though on the rarer days when I know I'll only need foundation on for a few hours. Just on my skin, it sadly doesn't last long!

So there you guys have it! My top favorite primers and foundations. Let me know if any of you guys swear by any of the same products😊