Natural – CollegeFashionista

How to Keep Hair Strong and Healthy

If someone were to ask you, “What are your must-have hair care products?” Would you know the answer off the top of your head? Some of us may know, however, the answer is based on our hair care experiences. No matter the hair type, texture, or length, we should all focus on finding products that protect our hair. Taking the time to research the types of deep conditioning products, shampoos, and more brings us closer to maintaining healthy hair and feeling like we should be featured in the next TRESemmé commercial.

Keeping up with hair maintenance can seem overwhelming. You’ve probably spent hours trying to find the right product that works for you. You even might have splurged a little more than you intended. While the same product may not work for everyone, I guarantee that understanding the following guides will definitely change your hair game for the better. Don’t worry, soon you won’t need a stylist to give your hair the extra pep in its step.

PHOTO: Odalis Uscanga

Shampoo

They say healthy hair starts at the root. While it may seem like a no-brainer, finding the right shampoo is essential. Pay attention to how your hair reacts seasonally and when it’s air-drying. Figure out what you want and need from a product. Do you want volume, shine, or moisture? Asking the following questions and probably with the help of your hairstylist can make a significant difference in your hair routine.

PHOTO: Odalis Uscanga

Deep Conditioning Mask

Just because you haven’t stepped anywhere near a boardwalk this summer doesn’t mean your hair didn’t get some damage. Color-treated or not, your hair deserves nourishment along with your shampoo. A deep conditioner contains small molecules that are intended to absorb into each strand and give moisture from the inside out (whereas a regular conditioner just sits on top of your hair). Depending on how much hair you have will vary on the times a week you will use a mask. Try using it two to three times a week and leave it on for about five to 10 minutes. Your hair will be thanking you soon.

Leave-in Conditioning

Since we’re clearly on the topic of happy and healthy hair, using a leave-in conditioning spray work wonders on those locks. It doesn’t matter if you prefer a serum, spray, or cream—they all do the same job. You would use a leave-in conditioner once you’re fresh out the shower. Added to the deep conditioning, a leave-in conditioner won’t weigh your hair down. It’ll simply give you the added benefits of moisture, shine, and no frizz.

Oil

Oil is not your enemy. You need oils to fill up the cuticles that provide you with healthy hair. It’s so versatile! It can be used on clean or dirty hair. It will protect your hair from heat along with repairing those split ends. The way I recommend using an oil is by parting it into two sections. Start with one drop and run your fingers through and then for an even distribution use a comb (repeat the same steps to the second section). Always work from your ends up!

PHOTO: Odalis Uscanga

Taking care of your hair starts one strand at a time. Share pictures of your lustrous locks on social media and tag @Cfashionista!

5 Fun Ways to Stay Fit This Summer

It’s summer which means that you have plenty of free time to try new things, but you also want to stay in shape and break the cycle of watching Netflix on the couch all day. Here are some fun ways you can get out of the house and get a workout in without going to the gym! Grab some friends or go alone and have a blast!

1—Walking tours. Anyone who travels a lot knows that exploring a new city requires a lot of walking. Even if you’re not going on a European adventure or trip through the Amazon, most cities have some type of walking tours. Look for ones that are free and you can do at your own pace. You can even make your own! You’ll see some cool stuff and burn off the calories from all the trendy new foods you’ll find.

2—Hiking. Look up the local trails in your area and you can make a whole day out of your hiking adventure. This is something you’re probably going to want to do with friends because it’s much more fun and safer to go out with other people. Don’t be scared off by long distance hikes, you can go at your own pace and bring lunch and snacks with for breaks. Make sure to bring a lot of water!

3—Swimming. No, this doesn’t mean going to the pool and taking pictures with your swan floaties for your latest Instagram post, I’m talking about actually swimming. Swimming is an excellent way to get a workout, stay cool, and soak in some sun. Just make sure to put on lots of sunscreen and be aware of your own abilities. I recommend buying tinted goggles because they’re literally sunglasses underwater. Look for bathing suits which actually allow you to swim without falling off!

4— Water sports. If you live by any type of water, water sports that involve paddling can be a great upper body workout. Discover nature, work on your tan, and take some friends along. This can be a really cool way to get to places not accessible by road and these adventures are usually very peaceful. Bring your phone along in a waterproof case and you’ll be good to go. Remember to be safe and wear lifejackets, especially if you’re not a good swimmer!

5—Biking. Want to explore but don’t feel like walking for miles? Biking is an excellent workout for your legs and can really get your heartbeat up. You’ll get to enjoy the summer air and have the flexibility to travel along roads and trails. Plus, you help save the environment by lowering carbon emissions! Bike sharing is becoming more popular in cities, so you can check out affordable options near you.

Try out any of these fun activities or have some suggestions to add to the list? Let me know in the comments below!

How I Saved My Chemically Damaged Hair in 7 Easy Steps

At the end of last year, I was on a mission to go from to go from black to blonde hair. After two highlight sessions and an all-over balayage, I was blonde, but my hair had suffered a lot of chemical damage. It was stretchy and gummy when wet and hay-like when dry.

I have adapted a hair routine that suits my bleached hair and I can confidently say that my hair is in good health (for a bleach blonde). Here’s how I saved my chemically damaged hair in 7 easy steps.

1—Be patient, My hair may have turned into cotton candy in the span of an hour, but it took weeks to see a positive difference in the integrity of my hair. Be patient and trust that the wait will be worth it because you can salvage most of your length.

2—Avoid sulfates, parabens and silicones. Most shampoos and conditioners contain harsh chemicals that damage the hair. Once I was using sulfate, paraben, and silicone-free products, I noticed my hair was softer and had more volume.

3—Deep condition regularly. The first few weeks after my hair was bleached, I focused on bringing back moisture. I did several conditioning treatments with coconut oil and and Jamaican Black Castor oil. I like to use SheaMoisture Strengthen & Grow treatment mask and Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner which is great for detangling in the shower. Both of these products are sulfate, paraben, and silicone free.

4—Buy a microfiber towel. The fibers in regular towels create extra frizziness and breakage in the hair, a microfiber towel has softer strands. I got mine at Amazon for $10.

5—Stop using heat! Give your heat tools an extended vacation. Your hair will thank you. My hair would have burned off if I continued to use my flat iron regularly.

6—Find a no-heat style that works for you. Without my loyal flat iron, I needed alternatives to manage my mane. Braids became my go-to styling method. I french braid my hair after it is 50 percent dry and sleep on it. My hair is protected from breakage during the night and I wake up with frizz-free curls every morning.

7—Embrace your natural hair texture. I use to love how I looked best when my hair was straight, but in order to save my hair, I had to learn to embrace my natural texture. Now, I scroll through natural curly hair girls on Instagram who have been on this journey for years, and I look forward to the luscious curls I’ll have in a few years when I’ve gotten rid of all my chemical damage. For now, I embrace the curls that my braids give me and take notice of the small changes in my hair as it grows stronger.

Will you be incorporating any of these steps into your natural hair regimen? Comment your favorite step below and tag us @CFashionista with a picture of your favorite hair products for the summer months!

5 Makeup Products for a Natural No-Makeup Look

With the hot weather, you don’t want to put too many layers of makeup on your face. You don’t want to sweat it all off and look like a mess at the end of the day. It’s better to go light on the makeup for the summer. For this no makeup look, you only need five makeup products that you probably use on a daily basis.

1—Sunscreen. First thing first is to apply sunscreen! It’s not a makeup product, but it’s important to put sunscreen on first before you apply your makeup. What I like about this is that it’s a moisturizer and sunscreen in one—you get a two-in-one product altogether. It keeps my skin nice and moisturized while being protected from the sun.

2—Concealer. Skip foundation! You only need to conceal the areas that need to be covered. That way it feels like you are not wearing any makeup. I use the concealer for red spots on my face, under my eyes, and to highlight under my eyebrows.

3—Mascara. You want to add some interest to your eyes. When you use mascara, it makes your eyes look more awake and gives the illusion of you having longer eyelashes. I love using the CoverGirl waterproof mascara as it is one my favorite mascaras, especially during the summertime.

4—Eyeliner. No need for the winged eyeliner. You want to look like you’re not wearing any eyeliner. One tip is to use a pencil eyeliner because it gives off a softer look, but liquid eyeliner will do, too. Instead of putting the eyeliner on the eyelid, you want to tight line right on your lash line.

5—Lipstick. Lastly, you want to use a natural pink or nude lipstick shade. This gives you color to your face even though you’re trying to look like you have no makeup on. A tip is to put on lip balm first and one that has SPF in it, that way you’re also protecting your lips from the sun, too.

What’s your take on a no makeup look? Take a photo and share it on social media by tagging @Cfashionista!

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Summer—Time for a Light Makeup Routine

Summer is a time of relaxation, hot days by the pool, beach hair, tan lines, and late nights. It’s also time for a more natural look with your makeup; summer makeup should be light and minimal. Here’s a little advice on how you can pull off the natural look this summer and go for a cleaner look.

I like to eliminate foundation of any kind during the summer season because it will only melt off from the sun. This is why I go for the simple face powder during the summer. The following products I’m going to recommend are ones I use on myself daily. For me, I use Bare Minerals, and the tone I use is called Fairly Light, considering I have pale skin. I suggest going for a tone that goes best with your skin color. This way, your skin tone doesn’t look darker and you have the right shade for your skin. Only place this in areas of shine. If you want a touch of highlighter then I suggest going for the Anastasia Glow Kit. This color palette has warmer tones, and the color Stardust is the perfect highlight tone since it’s more subtle. This adds a little shine to your skin and a slight glow. If you want your lashes to look long and slightly thin, then use Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced. I use Better Than Sex because it evens out my lashes and adds length instead of volume. Eyebrows are always a must for me, so I use Gimme Brow by Benefit. I use a light brown tone so it makes my eyebrows less harsh, giving them slight volume.

I don’t use as much on my skin, and that’s because summer is a time to show off your skin, let it take a breather from the heavy makeup, and let it soak up the sun!

So how do you rock the summer look? Do you go light with makeup or go out with a naked face? Let me know in the comments below, or show me on social media. Tag @CFashionista while you’re at it!

A City Girl’s Guide to Gardening

Any interior decorator will tell you that one of the best ways to bring your space to life—quite literally—is with plants! As a college student living in an urban area or tiny dorm room, it might seem difficult to get in touch with your green thumb, but it’s easier than you think! I’ve cultivated a miniature garden of herbs, cacti, and flowers in my high-rise apartment using planters and the natural light from my window.

1—Herbs.

Adding an herb planter to your kitchen windowsill has many benefits: it’s decorative, edible, and smells great! Basil, thyme, and mint are easy to grow from seeds and are just a few dollars at most garden centers.

2—Flowers.

A bouquet of flowers might cost about the same as your morning latte, but they’ll last far longer than your morning commute. Whether you prefer peonies or hydrangeas, freshly cut stems of your favorite flowers are sure to brighten up your day—and your kitchen table.

3—Succulents.

Succulents are perhaps the trendiest of houseplants. They’re super low maintenance, only needing sunlight and an occasional splash of water to survive. There are hundreds of species of succulents—so mix and match to create a windowsill garden!

4—Falsies.

Still not confident in your ability to keep something alive? Faux plants are no longer just the dusty plastic arrangements that belong in a doctor’s office. Skip the seeds and soil and check out Pottery Barn, World Market, CB2, and other home retailers. They make high-quality, lifelike faux succulents, cacti, and flowers fit for a Fashionista’s abode.

How do you bring your decor alive? Show us your urban garden on Instagram and tag @Cfashionista!

Recreate These Beach Waves for the Perfect Summer Hairstyle

Over the years, Fashionistas kept up with the summer trend of beach waves. This summer hairstyle can be worn all year, but it is most common during the summertime. When wearing that perfect swimsuit, this hairstyle can also have an impact on a person’s first impression. I love this look for many reasons. I personally have naturally wavy hair, so this hairstyle makes my hair relaxed, easy to manage, and smooth.

There are many ways to get this hairstyle, but the easiest way is to use a curling wand. I use the Remington Curling Wand because it is big and shapes my hair in loose, tousled curls. After curling your entire head, flip your head over and shake out those curls for one to two minutes. Flip your head back and see the finished product. This hairstyle is a popular trend for the summer and will not go out of style due to its stylish, fun, and easy reputation.

For the summer, the loose beach waves look great with some highlights. I get an ombrè done to my hair with blonde highlights, and I personally love it. Something to carry in your beach bag is a highlighting spray product. When coming out of the water, spray the pieces that you would like to be lighter. Results will come within the next day or two!

This natural hairstyle is perfect for that windy day at the beach and you are worried about your hair getting tangled and knotty. Also, it is a perfect picture opportunity! Find that perfect pair of trendy, sophisticated sunglasses and pair it with a hot swimsuit!

How do you accomplish the beach waves summer hairstyle? Comment below!

How I Got My Healthy Hair Back

Our hair is loyal to us through the dying, scorching, bleaching, and everything else that we put it through. We put it through so much every single day yet it still looks like healthy hair! But why aren’t we as loyal to our hair as it is to us? We insist on using dangerous chemicals to “clean” our hair, which then begs the question: how clean is our hair really? If we’re just replacing our hairspray chemicals with shampoo chemicals, can we really consider our hair clean?

Aside from whether or not the product did what I wanted, I never cared about what I was really using. I mean, why would I care if I was getting the desired result? Well, about a year ago I got my answer. Each time I brushed my hair or rinsed shampoo out in the shower large clumps of hair were falling out. I realized that my hair was dry and the split ends were outrageous, even when I avoided using hot tools. My hair looked just as fragile as it felt, I decided that I had to do something to fix this.

A lot of research went into figuring out how to solve my problem. What did the words on my shampoo label mean? Why did my hair act the way that it did? And what kind of products could I use to fix the problem? Post-research, I came to a few conclusions. One, the products I was currently using on my hair were not cutting it, and two, to fix my hair, I could use a chemical-based or natural-based product. Meaning, ingredients designed in a lab or ingredients that I could read and understand could make up the products. The most obvious choice was to go with the natural ingredient base.

1—Rehabilitate healthy hair. First, repairing my hair of the damage that had been done over the years with a new shampoo. I opted for one similar to this one by AG Hair. It was important to me to find a company that didn’t test on animals and at least made an attempt to contribute as little harm to the environment as possible. AG Hair covers all of this, and the shampoo put my hair through a full rehabilitation.

2—Encourage healthy hair. Second, discover a conditioner that will replenish natural moisture to my hair giving it a healthy volume and bounce. Try RE:Coil by AG Hair! My hair has a gorgeous natural wave that had been missing for years because of my lack of care. I wanted it back and better than ever, so something to promote lively hair was desirable, to say the least!

3—Maintain healthy hair. Lastly, now that I once again had beautiful hair, I wasn’t going to let it get away again. I had learned that a major source of dry and damaged hair was washing too frequently. The solution: taking the dry shampoo route on days my hair seemed a bit too shiny. The one I fell in love with is similar to this AG Hair product. I love that you can’t tell I used it and it adds a bit more volume than some of the others I’ve tried!

Overall, searching for my healthy hair was a long process. Now I want to know, what are your favorite hair-repair products? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to tag @CFashionista on social media!

Running Late? Get Summer-Ready in 10 Minutes (or Less)

As a busy college student, the spring-to-summer transition can always be a struggle. Whether we choose to spend our summers working at a job, an internship, or just go with the flow, we can encounter some days where we simply just don’t have the time to spend on our appearance, and since the summer is about relaxing and letting go, it’s important to develop a go-to routine for when we’re running a little late. This quick routine is sure to get you looking put together head to toe, with little to no effort. And that’s how summer beauty should be, right? Effortless. So start your timers and let’s get ready!

1—Weather-ready face. Natural looks are taking the summer beauty scene by tropical storm as a timeless look for any occasion. This includes flawlessly glowing skin, defined yet natural brows, and bright, awakened eyes. First, prep your face in a few seconds, using a cleansing wipe, followed by a moisturizing, matte primer. Using a lightweight concealer, cover any blemishes and highlight the high points of your face. Follow by spraying your entire face with setting spray before applying any face powder. This will ensure that you stay shine-free all day long. Also, going foundationless will not only save you from melting but will save your pores as well.

Now, for the eyes. Brow gels/mascaras are the quickest way to get your brows filled and sculpted while looking natural. Finish off the rest of your face by applying bronzer to the hollows of your cheeks to warm up your skin; take that same bronzer and apply it to the upper lash line. Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, as well as to the creases of your eyes to brighten up the look. Lastly, curl your lashes to look awake, and apply any waterproof mascara (if you have time)!

Finally, the finishing touches: a creamy highlight. Add to your cheek bones, the tip of the nose, Cupid’s bow, and center of the eye lid for a natural summer glow. Add a tinted lip balm and now your face is complete!

2—Naturalized hair. Even when it’s crunch time, you have choices. Wear your hair in its natural state (as I did), to emphasize your own unique beauty, or simply throw it up in an intentionally messy bun or ponytail while still making the look your own. This should take no time at all, and all you have left to do is get dressed!

3—All-in-one outfit. With only a few minutes to spare, you need something that slips right on and can be worn anywhere, anytime. A romper or a jumpsuit is perfect for this; you can easily dress it up, (or down) and have a full outfit in just a few seconds. Match with some slip-on shoes and a shoulder bag, and now you can finally get out the door.

For those of us who are constantly running behind on time, this routine can have you spending less time in the mirror and more time enjoying a blissfully radiant summer!

How do you get ready in a rush? Let us know in the comments below.

3 Tips I Learned From an Esthetician That Changed My Skin

I recently got a facial for the first time in several years. I’ve always been into skincare, but I just never had the money to splurge on a full-blown facial. Luckily, I was gifted a facial by someone. The experience itself was amazing, but the tips I learned from my esthetician were even better.

1—Watch out for chemical exfoliators. When we were trying to figure out the cause of my breakouts, my esthetician discovered I was using chemical exfoliators on my face morning and night. This was news to me—I had no idea to even check for these things in my facial cleanser. Because my cleanser contained several acids, I was stripping my face and breaking down the protective layer of skin. This was the cause of my recent breakouts that just didn’t seem to go away. Regardless of what skin type you have, it’s important to watch out for ingredients like tartaric acid, lactic acid, and glycolic acid because they exfoliate the skin. Instead, grab a gentle cleanser that gets the job done without stripping your skin.

2—You don’t need to wash your face in the morning. If you wash your face at night, you can skip a morning cleanse unless you feel like you absolutely need it. My esthetician said I could simply rinse my face with water and follow up with the rest of my skincare routine. This includes a water-based toner, a serum or two, eye cream, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Be sure to apply your sunscreen after your moisturizer so it doesn’t clog your pores.

3—Start a regimen. Getting regular facials is important to maintaining great skin. She suggested getting a facial every three-four weeks, but this can sometimes be hard on a college budget. Find out if there’s a membership program that gives discounts on basic facials. These are really all you need as long as you’re taking care of your skin at home. If you still can’t make it work, do your own facial at home. Start with cleansing your skin. Follow with a detoxifying mask for 20 minutes and then a soothing mask for another 20 minutes. Finish with serums and a moisturizer or face oil for brand new skin from the comfort of your bathroom.

While it’s only been a few weeks since my facial, following these few simple tips have changed my skin. I’m already seeing improvement in my breakouts and pore size, both huge problems for my oily, acne-prone skin. These tips were not hard to incorporate into my routine, but they’ve made a huge difference.

What other tips have you learned that have changed your skin? Let us know in the comments below!