The Crimson Pout

Amanda Seyfried

Red lips are such a staple in fashion. Whether it's summer or winter there's nothing more beautiful than a plump, red pout. Red lips are bold. They absolutely scream femininity and high fashion. When a beautiful girl walks into a regular place wearing bright, perfectly applied red lipstick, it seems as though she is from another level of sophistication. My mother, who is one of my style icons, never went anywhere with out red lipstick on. My mother was always very cool and not at all fussy about hair and make-up, but red lipstick was a must. I remember, she always had red lipstick and black wayfarer sunglasses, maybe nothing else special, but those red lips made the outfit.

Queen Elizabeth I

Women have been adorning their lips in bold, red colors for thousands of years. Archeologist often refer to the red lips of women (and sometimes men) found in ancient Egyptian art as "The Kiss of Death" because of the highly toxic nature of the ingredients used to create such bold colors. Cleopatra was known to crush up beetles and ants and spread them across her lips in order to tint them red.

Marilyn Monroe

Queen Elizabeth I, who is famously known for her bright red lips and pale white face, was said to
have worn these cosmetics because
she believed it would ward off death.Which, is why her hand maids continued to apply her make up even days after she'd been dead, believing that the make up might bring her back to life.

Red lipstick, obviously, cannot bring a dead person back to life but with out a doubt it can certainly put some life into a dead outfit. Pour yourself in to that same, old, black dress and swipe on some gorgeous crimson and you're suddenly channeling Marilyn Monroe with devastating sex appeal and class. 

Rihanna

Okay, so red lips are good. They're sexy, they're sophisticated, classy and high fashion. They are all those things only if you wear them right! Here are a few tips to achieve a beautiful, crimson pout.

1. Choosing the correct shade for your skin tone is paramount to pulling off this look. First you need to decide if your undertones are warm based or cool based. To determine your undertones, look at the veins in your wrist. If the veins are more blue based you have a cool undertone and should choose a blue red. If your veins are green based you have a warm undertone and should steer more towards orange reds. If you're not sure what your undertone is, you can't go wrong with a true red. It typically flatters most skin tones.

2. You must line your lips. Red lipstick smears. Always line your lips prior to applying the lipstick to keep that red under control. Try lining your lips with a nude pencil, rather than

Kat Dennings "Queen of the Crimson Pout"

trying to match the reds. Matching reds is nearly impossible. To ensure one smooth color throughout your lips, line with nude instead.

3. Most women are familiar with the plight for long lasting lip color. For extra wear time try applying your liner and lipstick first. Next, blot with tissue paper and apply a light dusting of face powder. Seal in color by applying your lipstick one more time and you're done!

Hope this was helpful! Enjoy your beautiful, red lips! 



“Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.”

― Gwyneth Paltrow

Hair Myths Exposed: Part I

Myth #1: You need to switch shampoos often or your hair will get used to it, so it won't work anymore.

Not quite. While it is a good idea to occasionally change your shampoo, it's not because your hair is building up some sort of  tolerance to your Paul Mitchell. There are three different scenarios in which you would actually need to change your shampoo.

 

1. Seasonal Changes

During the summer, when the air is hot and humid, your scalp can become more oily than normal. So look for a shampoo with a volumizing effect that can control the excess oil. During winter time, when we are exposed to lots of dry, artificial heat, look for a more hydrating shampoo option.

Try Sebastian's Volupt in the Summer and Redken's Clear Moisture in the Winter.

2. Dietary Changes

What you eat has a dramatic effect on your hair. People who do not get their recommended dose of fatty acids and vitamins everyday typically have dry and broken hair. In this situation, you wouldn't need to change your shampoo, but do add a 5 minute hair mask, like Moroccan Oil, once a week into your beauty regiment. This will revitalize the humectants in your hair.

"Foods for Healthy Hair" is a great list of foods that will help your hair look beautiful.

3. Aging

Just like the rest of our body, hair becomes weak or brittle with age. As you get older you may find that you will need a shampoo formula that has a higher content of reparative proteins, like soy milk, that will mend your weak strands.

Try Paul Mitchel's Super Strong Daily Shampoo, not just for aging hair but also for damaged hair.

Tip: When it comes to shampoo, you get what you pay for. If you opt to buy a less expensive shampoo, like Pantene, you will not save money. Shampoo's are all relatively very similar, the reason certain brands are less expensive than others has to do with the amount of preservatives used. In a less expensive brand there will be a lot of preservatives, which cause build up on your hair. You will find yourself washing your hair more often and having to use more shampoo for each wash, thus, not saving money. I recommend Sebastian products. They are typically middle of the road as far as price and I've been using them for years with no complaints.

Sebastian

Check back next week for my Hair Myths Exposed: Part II in which I reveal what will actually make your hair grow faster and what won't!

Mani, Pedi, and a Splash of Nail Art

The nail art trend has taken us by storm! Nail art has gone from just another fashion blunder of the 1980s (along with acid washed jeans and mullets) to a trend that can be very chic and beautiful.

Nail art can be an expression of yourself, your style, or even just your mood.

With nail art you can say “I’m edgy,” “today is a fancy day,” or  “I’m feeling funny.”

We’ve thrown the old rules for painted nails out the door, it’s time to get creative.

Maybe paint each nail a different color, use a detailed design, or even try 3D nails.

Feeling a little apprehensive about such bold nails? Try something a bit more subtle.

Play around with glitter, put a new twist on a classic look, or just try out interesting colors.

However you decide to enjoy this current trend, I recommend having your nail art done by a professional. I know there are a lot of DIY nail tutorials floating around the internet, but let’s face it, nail art is better left to an actual nail artist.

If you can’t afford to pay a professional to do your nails, try just painting with really cool polish.

Girls Collection Nail Lacquer Set $45, NeimanMarcus.com

Famed nail polish designer Deborah Lippman has collaborated with Lena Dunham, creator, director, and star of HBO’s hit series Girls, to create this fabulous new collection of polish. Each color is named for one of the four main characters of the fashionable show. So, if you can’t afford to have your nails done weekly or bi-weekly by a professional, you should definitely invest in this really cool collection.

DIY Hairstyles Perfect for New Year's Eve

DIY Hairstyles Perfect for New Year's Eve

                                                                         
My girls,

I'm very excited about my latest article for The Campus Companion!

DIY Hairstyles Perfect for New Year's Eve

I'd love to see your NYE pics! Tweet them to me! Click HERE to follow me!

XoXo,
Scottie

How I Curl My Hair

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XoXo,

Scottie

Winter Coat Wish List

Readers of blogs, how I’ve missed you! I’ve been so busy and so crazed with my school schedule that I’ve had to neglect things that are normally on my priority list. For example, cleaning my house went out the window first, naturally. Second came wearing make-up, I ditched that right quick. Next went my social life, I have no idea if my best friends power has come back on since hurricane Sandy, however I do know she is alive and unharmed. I’ve missed two episodes of Son’s of Anarchy and one episode of The Walking Dead. And last and most appallingly, I’ve neglected my blog. I’m sorry, friends.

I’m back with what I think is a very fun post! I’ve shopped around at all my FAVORITE online shopping stops to pick out my top 30 favorite winter-coats under $300!

Now, I realize for most of us (myself included) $300 is not exactly chump change. However, a good winter coat is certainly worth a splurge.

A.   Most of us where our winter-coat most everyday during the months November, December, January and February. So this is the coat that strangers, co-workers, neighbors, friends, family, and basically every single person you pass will see you in. It should be beautiful.

B.    A good winter coat should last you at the VERY LEAST 2 winters. If you spend $300 that’s $150 a year and a $1.25 a day. My rule of thumb for how much I’m willing to spend on a basic or a staple garment (i.e. Jeans, Boots, Coats) is as followed: I will spend $1 for every 1 day I will wear it.

C.   This is the garment that is keeping you warm and protecting you from the elements. In my opinion, my health is worth investing in.

So, now I will step down off my winter-coat soapbox and unveil my top 30 picks for Winter 2012-2013! Enjoy! 

ZARA

ASOS

MODCLOTH

MANGO

ASOS

MODCLOTH

NASTYGAL

ASOS

ZARA

RUCHE

MODCLOTH

KARMA LOOP

ASOS

TOPSHOP

ZARA

BOOHOO

MODCLOTH

DOROTHY PERKINS

ASOS

ZARA

MODCLOTH

MANGO

TULLE 4 US

BOOHOO 

ZARA 

LULU 

ROMWE

MANGO

MODCLOTH

ASOS

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I hope you found something you love! Thank you for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on twitter & facebook!

XoXo,

Scottie