Blonde to Brunette, A Hair Story

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I went brunette last week. Which was a huge change. This is what my hair looked like before. 

Pretty much solid blonde. 

My natural color is light brown so I went with it and had it dyed as close as my roots could take me. 

And while I liked seeing what my natural color was, it was just a bit too dark for me. Maybe even too dramatic. I have been blonde my whole life. I started coloring my hair once it started going dark in high school. So basically I freaked out and made an appointment to lighten it up a bit. 

And I am loving the new color. It is a bit more natural blonde as opposed to the straight bleached head I had going on before. It is hard to tell in these photos, but it has an ombre effect. 

It is darker at the root so I can go a lot longer between appointments, which at this point was every five weeks. 

What do you think? I mean besides that I am crazy for going so much lighter again so fast? ha 

xo

Erin 

Lost Ten Pounds

I wish it was in the way that would mean all my pants fit, but it was actually in the form of a hair cut. My hair had turned into a long wig-like mop that while great for throwing up into a messy bun, was more of a pain in the ass then it was cute. 

I also had these strange chunks all around my face and neck that were pieces growing back after losing my hair after the bebe. A shorter cute with more layers helps conceal that while they grow. 

Just enough bang action that it is not annoying and still long enough to easily put in a pony. One day in and I still like it. 

xo

Erin 

Hot Roller Holiday Hair

I am a true loyalist to the hot roller. Is that weird? I have loved them since middle school and never looked back. 

My fondest memories of them are waking up extra early freshman year of high school so I could set my hair in those hot little numbers for perfect curls. Which is funny because I was into the granola look then, all thrift store cords and North Face t-shirts. Regardless, I can look back and know my hair looked fab. 

I broke them out the other night for a dinner party I threw. And the results did not disappoint. It makes for great holiday hair. 

There are not a whole lot of tricks, but here is how I roll... (so not funny, yet I am giggling)...

1. Make sure they are super hot before using. Roll the big ones on top down the middle of your head, like a mohawk. 

2. Then work your way down by levels, using the smallest ones on the bottom. Which is kind of backwards, but the bottom gets the least amount of time, so I figure the smaller give more curl. 

3. Leave them in until they cool completely. Do your make up, have a snack, pick out your outfit, paint your nails....

4. Unroll in the same order you put them in leaving the curl as much in tact as possible. You won't be able to see if you do it right. 

5. Once they are out, flip your head a couple of times, then run your fingers gently through the curls. Spray with hairspray. I like Elnett. 

6. Your curls WILL be too curly at the beginning, but they will fade to lovely low curls in a bit. If not, run your fingers through them a bit more until they are the way you want. Spray with hairspray again. 

Happy curling, ladies. 

xo

Erin 

Braided Messy Bun

Top knots and buns make bad (dirty) hair days lovely. Wearing my hair down with a feisty, grabby baby is just not worth it. So I find myself piling my hair on top of my head almost daily. I also have been on the braid train for awhile, so combining my two favorite ways to pretend I did my hair was logical. And as it turns out, pretty. 

1. Gather hair into a high ponytail, using a paddle brush to smooth out any bumps. Secure with a tight elastic. 

2. Tease and "mess up" the pony a bit to give your hair some texture and extra thickness. 

3. Divide hair into three sections and braid. Secure end with a clear elastic. 

4. Wrap braid around pony tail holder, tucking the end in. Secure with hair pins. 

5. "Rough up" the hair around your face, to make it look more undone. 

The more texture you give your hair, the better! 

xo

Erin 

Braid Halo

I have been trying to master the braid halo recently. I have found if you do it too tight or pulled together, it looks like you belong on the hills of Switzerland milking cows. So something that looks a bit more like this is what I am striving for....

via Pinterest 

My attempts have been lack luster. Little Olsen here clearly has curly hair going for her, which makes that messy look way easier to put together. I have pulled off a version that I am starting to like. I start with dirty hair and rat it up a bit, then braid into pig tails, just like the ones you used to sport as a three year old. 

Then pin up one side, then the next hiding the ends of the first section by covering it with the second. Tuck the ends of the second section under the first. 

I like to use hair pins and bobby pins. The bobby pins help keep it tight and the hair pins allow you to tuck in the pieces without messing up the rest of your 'do. 

back of my head

Please excuse my roots. Wow. 

Not the best tutorial, but I think with a few more tries I might just have it. This is a great way to throw hair up into something, especially when your ponytail streak has lasted almost a month. 

xo

Erin 

Pony Up

The Dries Von  Noten show had beautiful gold rings encasing just-messy-enough pony tails. This is a very easy way to glam up a regular pony and can be done quite easily.


Use a small elastic or even better a clear one to secure your hair, then use an adjustable ring to hide it. I love the simplicity of the gold band, but also found some fun options on Zappos.

I bet if you searched your jewelry box you would find some costume pieces that would be perfect. 

xo

Erin 

Just A Little Catty

photo: thebeautydepartment.com

I don't know about you, but I miss my weekly dose of SoCal drama. From prom weekend in Laguna, to internships at Teen Vogue, and drama filled nights at the club, I miss it all.

Laguna Beach, The Hills, and The City are all just former memories on my TiVo.

Lauren Conrad had a lot to do with me tuning in each week for too many years to admit. She seemed cool, as real as you could be on a TV show, and had a classic California style that continues to be emulated across the country.

LC now has launched a new beauty site called The Beauty Department along with her long time make-up artist and hair stylist. So far, it has had some great content and is now on my daily read list.

I love seeing beauty tutorials online and have used YouTube to scour for them before. The Beauty Department does a great job with these and best thing is you get to do your hair and make up with LC.

Check out the video on how to conquer LC's signature cat eye, which I love. Or even this pretty, Old Holywood inspired hair.

There is great inspiration, tips, and trends that you can find on the site. Plus, you get to spend a little bit more time with your favorite drama queen.

xo
Erin