Tag: fun

The only two shades of lipstick I need for getting polished fast and goes with any look!

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment

It’s not easy putting on a full face of make-up every morning on a moving ship, and reporting for duty bright and early in the morning at the Spa (I’m a hairdresser on board ships). And as women we all know that lipstick shades and finishes come in such a huge array of choices. Every mainstream brand, whether designer or drugs store has too many options to choose from when it comes to lips. Here my my tips however, for making the colour decision fast, and always having a makeup look that works, so that mornings can be spent having that extra cup of coffee for who knows what a busy work morning will bring!

These are the two recommended colours: A natural mauve/pink and a bold, fashion red!

First tip, I recommend using long wear lipsticks only. Not only are they more economical because I’m reapplying lip colour less frequently, but also, they save time for that same reason. I can be confident that my lips looks good until lunch-time when it comes off. And then I reapply after lunch and I can repeat the feeling of confidence that it hasn’t smeared or rubbed off until the next break. All cosmetic brands now make long lasting lip products, (no budge), and it’s easy to find one in a variety of colours. There are also matte and gloss finishes to choose from. I feel for no budge lipstick, matte is better, just because it feels less like shellac on my lips. And I also feel glossy lips are distracting and less natural looking. But to each their own, of course.

Now on to tips for choosing which lip colour to use for what look. One colour of lipstick I used often was a bold red to pair with nude/light eyeshadows and minimal make up looks. That’s right, the face needs balance, so if I were wearing a minimal makeup look on a given day, I would punch it up with a bold fashion colour! And a velvety red really brought the drama and I always had compliments when wearing it.

Nothing goes better with a statement red than minimal clean makeup!

But I also received so many compliments on my smokey eye make-up! On days where I wore that look, the eyes were so dramatic that they didn’t need a loud lip colour to compete with. It would be too busy. So with smokey eyes or darker eyeshadows, I would pair the look with a muted mauve/natural pink lip. And this always kept the smokey eye makeup as the star. We always want one thing more loud on the face and the others more quiet. If we choose the lips, it’s getting the bold red, and they eyes stay natural. If we choose the eyes to be the focus, the lipstick colour has to be muted.

And with a smokey dark eye shadow, we’re going to have to have a muted lip colour. Here I was doing very cool toned nude. But a natural pink works also. Anything “quiet”.

What I love about these two lip colours is that it’s all the colours we need! And they can paired with dozens of makeup looks. It actually simplifies my makeup routine and helps me save time, while still looking put together. And that’s what I feel makes the best beauty tricks. We want to look effortless, but we also want it to be truely effortless. We can have style and taste come faster just from knowing which colour to use, and not because from over thinking from having too many options to choose from. Girls, I was rarely ever late on the ship, and also rarely ever wore the wrong shade of lip colour!

It’s Swimwear shopping time again! How I make the most of it.

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment

It’s well into the spring, and if you’re like me, we’re now deciding on buying a new bikini or one-piece. I know, I know, we already have enough! More than necessary to epically wear a different style each day on a week long vacation! But for me, the obsession with collecting swim fashion continues even so. There is no better way to celebrate a warm weather getaway than with buying one new suit–ONE. The reason I say just buy one is because years ago, I got sucked into how cheap bathing suits were, especially with pop up online retailers (remember Cup She?) I bought way too many swimsuits and I didn’t wear any of them much more than once. Then I got bored of the half a dozen I had just bought and a year later, they were off to the landfill. Fashion should be fun, but also sustainable. The way I learned to be at peace with the matter is like with any collection; it has to be made with curated pieces that are loved and each new swimwear is adding something different and loveable to the wardrobe. Here are my tips for a guideline when adding to the collection:

I love, love, love this suit and how it just has the most pretty tropical print: not too large or small and on a white backdrop!
  1. Think of the purpose of the new swimsuit: What is the destination or setting going to be? A quiet beach in the Mediterranean? City side Venice Beach in California, LA? Poolside on a cruise to the Caribbean? Sun tanning on the white sand beaches in Miami? For example, for a past trip to the Bahamas by cruise, I wanted a tropical print bikini! And I didn’t have one, so I scoured the internet for one that I absolutely adored. The colours, and size of the flora and fauna were perfect! I am not bored of that one and will definitely wear it again on the beach!
  2. Know which colour group you belong to: Certain colours when placed next to our faces, brighten us up, and compliment our complexions. And other colours do not look great next to our skin. For example I’m a cool toned gal, but on the lighter end of the spectrum. Think baby pinks, blues and lavender. And my neutral colours are white or grey, versus black or brown. My worst colours are orange, red, and coral…too intense for my complexion and too warm. Yellow sometimes works on me because at least it’s on the lighter side! But that’s my colour palette. Everyone’s colour palette is different. I have met people who were cool dark palette; so imagine: burgundy, charcoal, black, ultramarine blue. And I have met someone who absolutely glows when wearing orange and corals, unlike me! Buying a suit in a colour that works with your complexion is a key to loving it!
  3. Know your body shape: I have broad square shoulders, so I tend to opt for halter styles on the top that focus on the center of my chest. If you have big hips, maybe don’t go for the boy-shorts cut. Apple and round shaped bodies might actually look good in a two piece where the middle is not visually accentuated, instead of squeezed into a one-piece. Think about your body and where the eye will be drawn to in different swimwear. Think about places on your body you want to accentuate (i.e.. that tiny waist, long legs…etc.) and choose the cuts that match that aesthetic!
  4. Solid bathing suits are boring. It’s nice to have that simple black or white matching bikini set in some cases, but in general, one colour bathing suits don’t really catch the eye. When I wear solid colour suits, there are two things that are a must: they must be an exact colour match with the top and bottom, and they should have something interesting about them. Are they made of some fun material? Not the standard spandex suit, but maybe they are made of terry cloth, or cotton eyelet, or crochet? Texture and interesting fabrics is important when choosing solid colours.
  5. Common sense details to think about when swimwear shopping such as: The fit of the suit: we all want to buy the right size when it comes to any clothing item, but it’s ever more important with swim…because breasts need to be supported and covered, and any suit that is too tight will not be flattering! Another thing, and I don’t want to get people too stressed about it, but most people know when bathing suit season is coming, or a vacation as well–so getting ready to be in swimwear may mean skipping dessert more often than not and hitting the gym occasionally. Just sayin’!
The newest addition to my collection! I love the coverage of this bikini, it’s classy. And the solid blue colour has some sparkles woven in!

All in all, guys, just have fun. Adding new pieces of clothing to any capsule wardrobe, or well-curated collection takes time, thought and effort. But if all of these things align, you can have fun, and look good wearing the fruits of your labour! And who doesn’t want to look good while hanging poolside with a margarita in hand? Happy shopping and summer guys! For more swim content check out this article from before!

Yes! There is more work in Haircare for Coloured Hair…

~ Emmie ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been wanting to talk about how often I have heard this reason people use for not coloring their hair: It’s often because in the past the hair colour (especially lightening) had “wrecked” their hair health and it didn’t look good the subsequent weeks after the process….and I have only one thing to say to that. That’s not really a reason not to colour! Lightening and colouring hair doesn’t have to be inherently damaging. Coloured hair does however require more work, time and cost to maintain it’s health afterwards. It’s the sentiment that anything that’s worth having takes WORK. It’s like how committing to a more streamlined body may require more hours at the gym, wherein the goal for exercise is no longer about health–it’s about achieving or maintaining a look. It’s about being willing to put in extra effort to get the look we want! As a hairdresser I know about the high cost of maintenance so I agree that for some, it’s sometimes not worth it. But for that practical reason, it’s a “different song and dance”.

This is my hair colour when it’s not styled. But even so. a lot goes into this look including not washing it often, leave in treatments, oils…etc.

The Hurdles of Hair Colour And After-Care:

  1. Retouches: Hair grows…the last I checked, so that means after two months about an inch of regrowth is expected. While the natural hair color is okay on it’s own, the line that happens when the new growth meets existing artificial colour is usually not flattering. Here’s where maintenance is required. Refreshing the roots of the hair is a must and the most that a root smudge can do is prolong the need for refreshing.
  2. Re-toning: Even if a root retouch is not necessary, sometimes toning is. Artificial colour is not really permanent, even if it says it is. After exposure to shampoos and the sun, the hair colour will fade, leaving behind the brassiness that was previously covered up. Re-toning is often a procedure for blondes and cool toned brunettes when the colour fades.
  3. Excessive Dryness: because the cuticle of the hair needs to be lifted to be coloured, it never lies as flat as it did before dying. That means the hair strand’s ability to hold onto moisture will be compromised. Heavy conditioners with moisturizing properties must be utilize to maintain shine and mitigate frizz! Leave-ins and oils too!
  4. Weaker hair prone to breakage: Colouring hair depletes some of the proteins/keratins in the hair strand making it more prone to breakage. Keratin repair masks will be needed occasionally to help strengthen the hair and prevent breakage. This is especially true for blondes that were lifted starting from very dark bases.
  5. Change in haircare routines: Because coloured hair tends to be more fragile, it often benefits from less washing and styling. Shampooing lowers the natural pH in the hair and does cause it physical stress. We love the feeling of squeaky clean hair but seeking that too frequently comes at as cost. A new routine of less washing and more leave in conditioners and oils become the daily norm!
  6. Extra styling: Wash and go. That’s a term we all love! It means after shampooing and conditioning, little styling or products are needed. Air drying, and just a quick rough tumble under the hair dryer at most. But often after colouring, hair needs more styling to get the hair looking less frizzy; extra products and heat tools like a flat iron might be needed to make the hair look smooth!

Is this too much work and maintenance for having a different hair colour? But that is the true cost of hair colour…in the end, I guess it is to each their own. But that’s the reality of anything done for cosmetic reasons. It takes work. But doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it! For me, hair is like a canvas for expression, but as an extension of our bodies, it is also more than that.

This is the heavy line up of arsenals I use for my blonde care! A gentle shampoo, moisture mask, purple toning conditioner, anti breakage leave in, K18 treatment, coconut oil, and a wet brush to name a few!!!!