what it is: Alterna Bamboo Volume 48-Hour Sustainable Volume Spray

why i love it: I don't have particularly thin hair, but I'm also never one to turn down a volumizing product. Simply put, this one is by far the best I've ever used. Just a few spritzes of this eco-friendly product on damp hair leave you with seriously noticeable volume that lasts. I let my hair air dry most of the way, then flipped my head upside down and used a blow dryer to give the spray even more of a boost. Not only will this product thicken skinny strands, but it also provides weightless lift to styles and holds curls or bouncy blowouts in place in a crunch-less way most hairsprays can only strive for. Another added bonus is the light, barely-there fragrance (which is ideal when I already have about 12 other scented sprays, lotions and products in my beauty routine). Can you tell I'm a bit obsessed?

where to get it: sephora.com, $24
-S

what it is: a goldish-greenish nail color that has begun to become ubiquitous in the nail world

why I love it: Last year, I added this Butter London color to my nail polish collection, classifying it as a bizarro gold and moving along. But when I took a closer look at it when I went to apply it for the first time, I realized just how cool the color was. It looks a little different in every light, which is part of what makes it trendy, and doesn't show wear as much as cream polish. It's a pretty understated metallic, so you could even argue in defense of it being a neutral, but one that's much less of a snooze than, say, one of those colors that could be used over a French manicure. It's got more of a punch than a traditional metallic, and since I'm someone who does typically wear nail polish seasonally (no neons in winter, no darks in summer), this is a great subtle but fun go-to that I can wear on fingers or toes all year.

Chanel came out with Peridot last year, and it quickly became a coveted shade among the polish-obsessed. Recently, I've been seeing Ciaté's version of the same shade popping up a lot, too. After a quick look, I saw that many brands made a color like this (for good reason!), so here's a round up of some of my favorites to see how they compare!

where to buy it: Chanel, $26; OPI for stores (can't buy online), $8; Ciaté, $15; Essie, $8; Deborah Lippman, $18; but you can also get many of them at Sephora, too (and Ciaté doesn't have to ship from the UK that way).
-E

what it is: Ciaté Caviar Manicure kit

why I love it: I love nail art as much as the next girl, but I find the elaborate designs I see everywhere on blogs and Pinterest are impossible to do with my non-dominant hand, and my manicures wear far too easily to put in the effort of making 10 mini-masterpieces on my fingernails. Enter this DIY nail art that doesn't require ambidexterity...and it's 3-D! Whether you want your nails to grab immediate attention or you want people to have to take a second look, there's a color option for you. It doesn't cost a fortune and it's the perfect thing to have on hand for those times you're bored and want more options than just the polish in your medicine cabinet. I can't wait to get my hands on my own set--the next problem is choosing which one I want! 

where to get it: ciate.co.uk or sephora.com, $25
-E

Sea salt hair sprays are an effortless and quick way to achieve perfect beachy waves in the summer (see photographic inspiration above). One of my favorites is Sachajuan Ocean Mist - which I wrote about last week - but at $28, it's a rather pricey way to look like you just spent all day at the beach. Considering the end goal is to look like you got splashed with saltwater, it makes sense that it shouldn't be too difficult to mix up your own version at home. 

I used this recipe, which is great because it contains nourishing coconut oil to protect from the dryness of the salt. It should only take about five minutes to mix up the spray, and I can vouch for the fact that it really does work!

You'll need: An empty spray bottle, 1 cup of warm water (to help the other ingredients dissolve), 1 teaspoon of coconut oil (I used this one), 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of hair gel (I used this one) for hold. If you have especially thick or really straight hair, add a little extra salt. You can also add essential oils or a tiny drop of your favorite fragrance if you want the spray to be scented. 

Spray it on damp, towel-tried hair and scrunch hair with your fingers to build waves. If you want more defined curls, touch up with a curling iron (or flat iron!) once your hair is dry.
-S

I've said it before, I'll say it again: I think of myself as beauty daredevil. And I think this post brings me one giant step closer to becoming the Evel Knievel of beauty (a prized and coveted title). It's pretty simple: I was bored, so I ombré'd my own hair (yes, that's now a verb). I think it actually turned out pretty close to the desired results - meaning my hair didn't all fall out - so I thought I'd share some how-to tips with you. To clarify, I have naturally dark brown hair that was virtually unprocessed and free from other dyes before I began. This tutorial explains how to go from dark hair to ombré, so if you have light hair, this is not the how-to for you!

But first, a DISCLAIMER: I am not a hair stylist or colorist and I have absolutely no experience or training doing this. I can't guarantee that these steps or products will work on your hair, all I can tell you is that they worked for me. If you're inspired to try this on your own hair, PLEASE make sure you follow all of the instructions on the hair color you use and you take into consideration your own hair type, past hair coloring/chemical processing on your hair and safety issues that go along with using the chemicals involved. In other words, follow these steps at your own risk!

You'll need: 
-Two boxes of hair color (make sure it's a blonding product designed to strip color from hair). I used Clairol Born Blonde by Nice 'n Easy Maxi, knowing that it wouldn't actually lighten my dark hair to the very light shade shown on the box.
-An old t-shirt you don't mind getting bleach on (to wear during the process)
-Some old towels (to spread out on your work space and around you in case of any drips)
-A wide paint brush with stiff bristles you don't mind getting bleach on

Step-by-step instructions continued after the jump...

what it is: Sachajuan Ocean Mist

why i love it: In the summer I have a tendency to avoid any and all forms of heat styling. I really see no reason to torture myself (or my hair) that way. A good sea salt spray like this one is the easiest way to get perfectly-imperfect, just-stepped-off-the-beach  hair with close to no effort. Just spray it liberally on damp hair, tousle with your fingers, and you're done. It adds natural wave and volume to hair instantly, no heat styling or excessive torture necessary. 

where to get it: sephora.com, $28 
-S

For my latest lots-of-trends-at-once manicure, I decided to combine sophisticated navy with gold glitter for an ombré effect. Too much? True, this manicure may have a lot going on, but I think the results are actually really pretty and totally wearable. Besides, we can all use a little more glitter in our lives, right? 

I've wanted to try out an ombré manicure for a while, but the trick was choosing a color scheme to work with and somehow accumulating five different hues of that color polish. It's not surprising that I ended up choosing purple; along with blue, it's one of those polish colors that I think is wearable in its lightest and darkest incarnations, as well as every shade in between. 

Thanks to my Pinterest addiction (follow me!), I'm constantly finding new nail art ideas I want to try out. Take it from me, this is pretty much the easiest way to achieve an interesting, trendy manicure without having to fumble with a tiny paintbrush or place individual specks of glitter with tweezers (ugh). 

Polish colors: Essie Nail Color in Lilacism, $8; Sephora by OPI Nail Color in Iris I Was Thinner, $9.50; Sonia Kashuk Nail Color in Violeta, $4.79; Dolce & Gabbana The Nail Lacquer in Amethyst, $20; Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Purple Mix, $23
-S

I consider myself to be somewhat of a beauty daredevil. Bright lipstick? Sign me up. Bold brows? Done. Ombré ends? Yes, please. Lately I've loved the dip-dyed  hair trend (see flawless examples above), but the permanence of it totally scares me off - not to mention that I would never be able to decide on just one color. That's why hair chalking is such a great option for those of us who want to explore the trend without having to commit to it for longer than a day or two. The best part is that it's also insanely easy.  

Here's how to do it:
Step 1: Choose your tool. Make sure you're using a "soft chalk pastel," which you can find at any craft or art supply store for a few dollars. Make sure you aren't using an oil pastel! It's best to stick with bright colors, especially if you have darker hair.
Step 2: Select a 1-inch section of hair to work with.
Step 3: Wet chalk (or hair) if you have dark hair. Skip this part if you have light hair, or you run the risk of staining your strands. The Beauty Department recommends spraying hair with water before chalking, but I found it a bit more useful to simply run the end of the pastel under the faucet every so often to intensify the pigment. 

Step 4: Twist hair between fingers and start chalking, working your way down and building color until you have reached the desired look.
Step 5: Continue on the rest of your hair.
Step 6: Brush out excess chalk and rub in the color a little with your fingers if it seems necessary.
Step 7: Avoid brushing or combing hair after the chalking is complete, as it will remove most of the color (I styled my hair before chalking so it was totally done once I finished with the color). 

A few extra tips: 

• You may want to put a towel on your shoulders to keep the pigment from rubbing off onto clothing. The same goes for the floor and counter, just in case you end up making a bit of a mess.
  
• The chalk should wash out easily with one shampoo.

-S

A classic red lip will likely never go out of style (if it ever does, nobody tell me, please). It's something every woman - and some men, like Marc Jacobs - can pull off if they simply find the right shade for their coloring. But I believe the most modern way to wear a red lip now is to keep it matte. Inspired by the runway looks above, as well as a technique I saw demonstrated by Shiseido's Dick Page backstage at Fashion Week few years ago, I give you the step-by-step guide to getting flawless, long-lasting, on-trend, runway-worthy matte red lips. 

First, a few tips: 
1. This look absolutely works with lip colors other than red; I'm personally a big fan of orange and fuchsia as well, but I thought I'd keep it more on the classic side for this post. 
2. It obviously helps if the lip color you're using doesn't have a super shiny finish on its own, but this trick will mattify most products, as long as they aren't glosses. 
3. The color will last even longer if you have a good base to work with - that means smooth lips. If you need to exfoliate before getting started, I recommend simply wetting your lips and gently rubbing them with a face towel to get rid of any flakiness. Then be sure to moisturize with a good lip balm.

Step 1: Carefully apply lip color to lips, making sure the outer line is exactly where you want it to be (I don't see any need to use a lip liner if you use the lipstick itself for this purpose). This will create a good base for the color. I used Estée Lauder Pure Color Velvet Lipstick in Red Velvet.

Step 2: Blot lips with a tissue. Step 3: Dab finger tip in loose, translucent mineral powder makeup (I use this one from Laura Mercier) and gently press the powder into lips. Make sure the powder is completely colorless so it doesn't detract from the vibrance of the red. This step should take away any shine and create a satiny finish. Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 again, building color to create a long-lasting matte finish.

This look is best worn with minimal makeup and a smile. 
-S