what it is: Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil in Grapevine

why i love it: You know how you have that one shirt that people always compliment, without fail? This lip color is the beauty product equivalent of that. Every time I wear it,  at least one or two people compliment me or asks what brand it is. I love this product because the fuchsia color is rich and saturated, but it's also blendable and buildable, so you really can achieve whatever look you want. The pencil applicator also helps with precision and the texture of the lip color itself is smooth and matte without being drying. It's the perfect final touch for a night out, and something I always keep stashed in my purse.

where to get it: sephora.com, $24
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If I had to choose my favorite hair product, it would undoubtedly be dry shampoo. I love my serums and sea salt sprays, but the many benefits of dry shampoo sets it apart. Besides the obvious lazy girl aspect of not having to wash hair as often, it also adds texture, breathes life into styles and doesn't strip hair of its natural nourishing oils. A truly great invention, hair scientists. 

But that said, there are tons of different dry shampoos on the market. Within the past few years, almost every brand has come out with their own version. I've tried quite a few, from the expensive salon versions to the cheapest products from the drugstore, so now I bring to you the dry shampoo throwdown. See how each of these different brands measures up. Rankings are based on a scale of 1 (don't put yourself through that kind of torture) to 10 (absolute miracle in a bottle). 
Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo, $2.74, target.com

Lightweight (so it doesn't get white and chalky) with a subtle scent, this bargain product is actually one of my favorites. But it's also not as effective on seriously greasy hair, if that's what you're working with.

Overall ranking: 8
Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo, $17.95, ulta.com

Perfect for prepping hair, adding texture or refreshing yesterday's style, this is my favorite of the four. It makes unwanted oil seemingly disappear but doesn't leave any residue behind. 

Overall ranking: 9
TRESemmé FreshStart Volumizing Dry Shampoo, $5.49, ulta.com

A good basic dry shampoo that's good for daily use and effective on limp hair. The only drawback is that it can tend to leave white residue on hair if you use too much.

Overall ranking: 7

Blow Faux Dry Dry Shampoo, $20, blowpro.com

Typically I'm a huge fan of Blow products, but even though this is the most expensive of the four brands, it's also my least favorite. The superfine powder simply isn't effective compared to the other brands.

Overall ranking: 5
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what it is: Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25

why i love it: My skin is far from perfect, but I absolutely hate the feeling of wearing heavy foundation to even it out. My belief is that heavy makeup that can sink into pores is far worse than no makeup at all. This BB cream is pretty much the best of both worlds, because it evens skin to perfection but feels weightless, almost like you're not wearing any makeup. If you still don't know what BB cream is, it's pretty much the best invention ever. Think of it as the Swiss Army Knife of foundation or a tinted moisturizer on steroids: it's an all-around over-achieving makeup, moisturizer and treatment in one. I especially love this "Water Fuse" formula because it forms a dewy barrier on the skin, regulating moisture (so your skin stays nourished but doesn't get greasy). Dr. Jart, whoever you are, I commend you.

where to get it: sephora.com, $34
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what it is: Tarte The Bright Side Double-Ended Eye Brightener

why i love it: Are you awake yet? No? Meet your new best friend (that can't be ordered at Starbucks). First, a tip: to de-puff tired eyes, refrigerate your eye cream. The cold moisturizer will help tackle puffiness and also feel amazing. Then, use this handy product to fake a wide-eyed look. 

After applying under-eye concealer, use the less intense daytime highlighter on one end to brighten anywhere you might need it: tear ducts, brow bones, cheek bones. The powder is super blendable and subtle, and the applicator allows for precision. The nighttime brightener has more of a purple hue that catches the light even more, which means you can use it more sparingly or when you want a more dramatic look. 

where to get it: sephora.com, $20
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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
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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).
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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
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Picture
Whitney Port
Picture
Katie Holmes
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.
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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 
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