Bust Out of that Style Rut

New York Fashion Week Fall 2014 kicks off this Thursday and that means stellar style snaps on AND off the runways!

We thought we'd take some current street pics as inspiration for all of us to try out some simple, chic new looks.


1) 9-5 AND THEN SOME: Make your office attire weekend brunch appropriate and pair it with a crisp white tee and cute patterned kicks. A cross body bag adds the perfect casual cool finishing touch.

2) WHIMSICAL WHITE: Beat those S.A.D. blues and grab a fresh white beret instead of your old black beanie. Super cute and functional = win win!

3) BOYFRIEND OF THE YEAR: Skinny jeans have reigned supreme for the past few years, but now, more loose and relaxed boyfriend cuts are ready to take over. It's easy to veer into sloppy territory when you go baggy on bottom, so make sure you keep the rest of your outfit structured (like the dope coat here) and definitely opt for a heeled shoe.

All photos courtesy harpersbazaar.com

I Do Declare

As the Declaration of Independence goes, all people have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of thick, shiny hair.

What? Just go with it!

These indisputable dreams are increasingly close at hand with Focus Hair Care's Rejuvenating Shampoo. This spicy, eucalyptus-y scented potion is enriched with biotin, Argan oil,  Hemp seed oil and Ginseng root to improve scalp condition and promote thicker, fuller hair. It's aim is to build body and volume in fine, thinning tresses, and to encourage growth and activate dormant hair follicles. Plus, it's paraben free, sulfate free, gluten free and cruelty free/not tested on animals.

The most interesting aspect to Rejuvenating Shampoo, besides it's unique spicy perfume, is that once you work it into a lather, you let it sit for 2-3 minutes before rinsing. It feels mildly tingly and sort of like the foamy lather is expanding and thickening while you wait. Very cool. My thin locks definitely look and feel more substantial with every use. 

 Looking to stand up to your own unruly tresses? Here are some more tips from Focus Hair Care to get you on your own revolutionary track:

-Eat protein rich foods like barley, maize and brown rice and always drink plenty of water.

-Keep energy levels high while encouraging the production of new hair cells by eating every 3-4 hours.

-Massage your scalp for a few minutes each day to increase circulation and keep hair follicles stimulated. 

-Shower in tepid water instead of hot to save your hair from becoming brittle and susceptible to breakage. 

-Stress is one of the biggest causes of hair loss. Identify your triggers and learn to manage your stress.

-Aim to wash hair every other day and supplement with a dry shampoo. Over washing causes hair to lose its natural oils.


Focus Rejuvenating Shampoo and Conditioner can be found purchased on the Focus Hair Care website. 

Exclusive Interview: Darais, Lancôme National Celebrity Artist

We at BrainyBeautys love the Halloween season- because we love beauty tricks and treats of course! (badum-bum!) And boy, do we have a slew of both to get your week off to a most glamorous start: Darais, Lancôme National Celebrity Artist, was gracious enough to answer some of our most pressing beauty questions.

Read on and take note on why Lancôme Artliner 24H is every woman’s new beauty bag essential, plus Darais’ top fall trends, biggest beauty pet peeves, fantastic beauty advice and more… Sweeter than candy and way better for you too!

BrainyBeautys: Why is Lancôme Artliner 24H a beauty bag essential?
DARAIS: Artliner 24H is a beauty bag essential because it's a no brainer! It can be used with or without eye shadow.  It won’t smudge or smear after a long day at work, while on a night out on the town, or even while you are at the gym.  It instantly gives you the eye definition everyone tries to achieve over and over again. It's so simple!

BrainyBeautys: What is one fall beauty trend you're most excited about and how do you incorporate Artliner 24H into it?
DARAIS: At fashion week it was a battle between graphic eyeliner and a smoky eye for fall. Graphic eyeliner won hands down with the launch of Artliner 24H. Its effortless application and vinyl edgy finish create a graphic eye that has created an exciting new trend on its own.  And not to mention all those smoky eye wearers are applying graphic liner on top of their smoky eye now to keep up!

BrainyBeautys: Who is one celeb that you feel always gets it right in the beauty department?
DARAIS: One of my favorite celebs I have had a pleasure to makeover a few times, and someone that I feel always gets it right, is Ashley Greene. She dares to go bold but in a way that is classic and effortless chic. Her skin is radiant even without makeup on. She always has the right amount of pop to her gorgeous eyes, and a lip that never overrides the rest of her look.

BrainyBeautys: What's your biggest beauty pet peeve?
DARAIS: My biggest beauty pet peeve is when someone has on the wrong foundation. Color is key and so is your undertone. It's sad when I can only see the wrong foundation and color jump to the neck or body.  It distracts from the true color of a woman's eyes and from how beautiful she truly is. Don't let your skin distract from your focus features.

BrainyBeautys: What is your "Brainy-est" beauty advice/tip/trick?
DARAIS: My brainy-est advice I give to thousands of women is based on your day, your career, your lifestyle. Decide in the morning if you are more of a speaker or a listener. If you speak a lot go more intense lips. It brings people's attention to what you have to say. If you listen, show it with your eyes done up. People won't be distracted away when they are focused in on your eyes. If you play up both it can be distracting and appear as overdone makeup... Especially to us guys!

We absolutely love DARAIS’ last answer so much- it is such a simple yet amazing tip that reminds us all that everyone can incorporate a make up look that stays true to their aesthetic and personality. And a few strokes of Lancôme Artliner 24H also helps! 

Lancôme’s NEW Artliner24H Precision Point Eyeliner is an ultra-long wear, laser-precise liquid liner available in 10 sophisticated cult colors defining eyes with a dramatic vinyl finish. The felt-tip applicator ensures the liner glides on flawlessly without tugging or skipping and delivers serious color. $30.

Make Fashion Week Your Own

With Fashion Month in full swing (yes, that's right- shows around the world span into October), BrainyBeautys is diving in! Because from hair, to nails, to accessories and clothes, being a full on BrainyBeauty relies on the sum of all our fab parts.

Now on to one of my favorite aspects of the chic circus: Street Style. The runways will always rule, but seeing how the experts, models, bloggers, etc adorn themselves is almost as fun and insightful as the shows themselves.

But also if you're like me, all of the never-ending epic-ness can be overwhelming- I mean, how the heck do these women continuously knock it out of the style park?!

When your closet seems to pale in comparison, it's helpful to remember these ladies' looks incorporate simple details we all can easily add in to our everyday ensembles.

1) GRUNGE GOES GORGEOUS
Got a button down flannel? Ok. What about a plain black mini and go-to black heels? Sweet. That's all you need to bust out a saucy new going out look.

(Photo courtesy The Cut)

2) GET STRAP HAPPY
Now those black heels we were just talking about? Do those have an ankle strap? Yes? Then try fastening them over a pair of beloved denim for funky punch.

(Photo courtesy Refinery29)

3) GLAM UP BASIC TRAINING
Blogger Susie Bubble has a lot going on in this shot (understatement!), but since we've been chattin' about shoes, let's focus on those eh? Colorful trainers have taken over high-tops as the next big sneaker trend (Vans-esque slip-ons are next!). Get adventurous and pair your work-out essentials with a printed dress to stay cute AND comfy during the work week grind.

(Pic courtesy Refinery29)

Maintaining Your Hair Color on a Budget

There is no denying that fall is finally in full swing! For many of us, the change in weather and temperature isn’t the only thing that changes. From cuts to extensions to coloring, the hottest hair trends can change as often as the seasons do and it’s no secret that looking good doesn’t always come cheap...or can it?

Andrea Pomerantz Lustig, author of How to Look Expensive, gives us some great tips on getting that perfect hair color on a budget and how to keep your new fall do in tip-top shape all season long!

HOW TO GET EXPENSIVE-LOOKING HAIR COLOR FOR CHEAP

BE A HAIR SPY. Investigate women’s hair on the bus, in yoga class, or at the office. See a color you like? Ask who did it. Or walk into a chic salon you came across and check out the hair color on the employees. Ask who did it. It’s usually another employee. This can be a great way to discover up-and-coming colorists whose prices have yet to skyrocket. Chances are, they have apprenticed with the star colorist in their salon and will give you a great color at half the cost!

ASK YOUR STYLIST TO DO A FINER HIGHLIGHT AT THE ROOT, GETTING THICKER AND CHUNKIER DOWN THE LENGTH.This process will avoid a severe root line and making it okay to grow out a little without having to spend the extra cash on the constant up-keep.

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR HAIR COLOR INVESTMENT

Once you’ve got your color where you want it, how do you keep it this way? Try these tips:

WAIT 48 HOURS AFTER FRESH COLOR BEFORE WASHING IT. Although there are no studies to prove this works, it’s something that many colorists have suggested, so it definitely can’t hurt. Give your color some time to settle into your roots and hair.

KEEP IT DIRTY. Not REALLY dirty, of course, but avoid washing it every day. The less often you wash, the less your color will fade. Use dry shampoo to sop up greasy roots between shampoos. A great low cost option would be the newAmika Perk-Up Dry Shampoo. It’s available at professional salons and folica.com for only $21 andleaves your hair looking clean, shiny, and beautiful!

USE HIGH TECH ANTI-COLOR FADERS. It’s not a marketing hype. Products designed to maintain the color in color-treated hair can help prevent fading, keep color true, and put back needed hydration.

INVEST IN A WATER FILTER FOR YOUR SHOWERHEAD. This filter will remove water minerals like chlorine from the water, which can fade or distort your color (turning it green or brassy). You can pick one up for only $20!

Philip B.'s 4 Bad Hair Habits

Hollywood's preeminent hair treatment expert, Philip B. gives us his four most unthinkable BAD HAIR HABITS and his advice on how to break them. I know I am guilty of two (1 & 4--feast or famine)...:

1. Brushing wet hair - Your hair is weaker and more elastic when wet, so brushing it can lead to breakage and split ends. Make sure to follow this styling commandment: Comb hair when it's wet and brush when it's dry.

2. Overdrying - If you have color- or chemically-treated hair and flatiron it often, beware! Heat styling tools and chemical treatments burn precious moisture out of your hair. Unless you replace that moisture with frequent botanical oil treatments (2-4 times per week), eventually it will start breaking off. To keep hair healthy, turn down the heat as much as you can and treat your hair to frequent oil treatments. I love my Rejuvenating Oil for this, but plain olive oil can work in a pinch.

3. Not protecting bleached hair - While it was tempting to dive in the pool during the hot summer, I’m sure it left your bleached strands looking a lot like greenish straw. Bleach is drying and makes your hair more porous, and chlorinated water also strips moisture from your hair – plus, it contains metals that can seep into your hair and leave a greenish tint. Now that summer is officially over, treat your hair by soaking it in a vinegar-and-water bath to help eliminate some of the remaining chlorine molecules. After that, an oil treatment is key to restoring moisture and shine.

4. Neglecting to brush - A good brushing is an exfoliation treatment for your scalp. It stimulates cell turnover to make your hair stronger and healthier, drags the natural conditioning oils from your scalp to your ends to keep them shiny and moisturized and also buffs the hair cuticle to boost overall glossiness. But forget the old wives’ tale about brushing your hair 100 times each night – it's excessive and might be damaging. Instead, aim for 10-20 strokes, depending on the thickness of your hair. Tip: Use a pure boar bristle brush if you have fine, wispy hair; if your hair is normal to thick, look for a brush that contains a mix of natural boar's hair and nylon bristles. I use my own Philip B. brushes. You can also find good boar's hair brushes in fine department stores or salons.

Protect Your Skin This Summer from the Most Extreme Elements

Thanks to Mother Nature, keeping our skin healthy during the summer months can be quite the challenge. Every day we face all forms of external aggressors that contribute to the signs of aging, skin damage, and even skin cancer. Celebrity esthetician and owner of LaBelle Day Spas & Salons, Bella Schneider, gives us her inside tips on shielding ourselves from the most severe skin damaging elements.

Environmental Pollution

Bella tells us, “Our bodies naturally produce free radicals when exposed to toxins like cigarette smoke, pesticides, and pollution. These free radicals are known to trigger aging, tissue damage, as well as cancer.” To counter the effects of free radicals, Bella recommends using a daily moisturizer that contains antioxidants.Antioxidants counteract free radicals by giving one of their own electrons, ending the electron "robbing" reaction. Because of this, antioxidants are known for being actively involved in the prevention of cellular damage.

Wind Burn

Windburn is typically caused when the top layer of skin is stripped of its natural oils, causing a red, chapped surface. Ideally this happens when we forget to cover or protect our skin during those summer days near the water, while exercising, or simply just enjoying a beautiful day in the sun. Bella tells us the best way to prevent wind burn is to cover your skin by using a scarf or floppy hat while also using a thick moisturizer to add a barrier between your skin and an aggressive breeze.

Sunburn

Sun damage is the leading cause of aging and skin cancer, and we are told time and time again that using sunscreen will ultimately prevent from exposing ourselves to harmful UVB and UVA rays. Bella tells her clients to make sure their sunscreen has a few different components including: SPF 45+, water-resistance, and antioxidants. All three essentials will provide you with the ultimate protection on the harshest summer days.