6 Friendly Tips on Dyeing your Hair

Hello, my lovelies! This weekend was busy, I had nonstop rehearsals for Cedarbrook Theatre's Fall Drama, The Curious Savage. (Live in eastern PA? Come see the show! Visit cbktheatre.org for more info.) For those who have never heard of it, it's a hysterical comedy about an elderly widow named Mrs. Savage who was left with 10 million dollars, and she wants to do good deeds with it. Her stepchildren, however, have different, more selfish plans. I play Mrs. Savage, and that requires my hair to be blue. Yes, blue. 

I had to dye my hair blue for the show, and I thought I'd give you a few tips on dyeing your hair. Keep in mind these tips are all from my experience, and I used a temporary rinse blue dye.

1. Pick a good brand. The quality of the dye you choose all depends on the brand you buy. I went to a place called House of Beauty, and the employees helped me find a good brand for my hair.

2. Dark haired girls, beware! For girls with dark hair like mine, bleaching is often necessary to get the color you want. But bleaching is unhealthy, and can mess up your hair permanently. Talk with a professional for other options... Unless you plan on dyeing your hair permanently...

3. Get some help. Whether you're getting it dyed in a salon, or dyeing it at home like I did, you'll want an extra set of hands to help. My mom helped me get all the blue coloring in my hair, and help me do all the rinsing and such.

4. Read the directions. This is an obvious step, but different brands have different methods, it isn't the same process... Especially with how long you leave your hair under the dryer. Some brands say 10 minutes, others say 30. Pay attention!

5. Avoid the skin. Most hair dyes will tell you to use cream or petroleum jelly to guard your hairline, and that's important. I spent 20 minutes with a bottle of rubbing alcohol trying to get blue spots off of my face and hands. Cover up and wear gloves!

6. Know what you're doing. Woops! You accidentally got permanent dye rather than semi permanent! Now you're stuck with pink hair forever! Oopsies! Yeah, don't let that happen. Talk with professionals (employees at beauty stores, your hairdresser, your neighbor that just happens to be an expert dyer...) before doing anything you're unsure about. This is changing your hair color we're talking about!

I'll tell you in detail about my experience dying my hair blue next time.

Stay beautiful!

How to Conceal a Zit

Yikes! That's a big one!

Hello, my lovelies! Because of Hurricane Sandy, my parade was rained inside all day, but I got a lot of work done, thankfully. Of that work includes this photo tutorial on how to conceal an unsightly blemish. Every teenager gets zits, pimples, blemishes, whatever you want to call them. How to conceal them is a lifelong skill you'll want to know forever.  ;)

Because I have an HD Camera, you can only see the difference slightly, but in person, there's a dramatic difference. Try it out, and you'll see!

You'll Need: Concealer, Foundation, Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush (optional)

I used: Too Faced Flexible Coverage Concealer (but only because it was the only one at my disposal at the time), Sephora Mattifying Foundation, BareMinerals makeup brushes.

Stay beautiful! 

Fall/Halloween Nails

Fall Leaves in Halloween Colors! 2-for-1 bonus!

Hello, my lovelies! How's Hurricane Sandy treating you? School's out for the day (precautionary purposes), and I'm spending the day prepping for a BIG SURPRISE for all you wonderful readers, something I know you've been waiting for a long time. Feel free to let the mystery drive you crazy. =)

Whether you're out of school or not, I decided to start up the week with some Halloween themed nail art. I personally hate Halloween and all the scares that come with it, but it's a great time for costumes, candy, and nail art! So, I combined the beauty of fall leaves with the colors of Halloween to make a 2-for-1 special!

All you have to do is paint your nails like you regularly would with orange polish, then with a detailing brush (or a toothpick), use black nail polish to create the veins of the leaves. Simple, right? Let me know what you think, and send me your nail art to aislesofbeauty@gmail.com.

Stay beautiful!

In the Classroom: Nails (Part Two)

Nail care is important. 

Hello my lovelies! Happy Monday! I thought I'd brighten up the beginning of your week with some fun facts. Did you know nails are made out of a protein called keratin, just like our hair? And if you're right handed, the nails on your right hand will grow faster? Works with lefty's too... Like me! And did you know humans have been doing manicures for over 4,000 years? Maybe not in nail salons, but the concept is pretty much the same. Ooh, and did you know rubber bands last longer when refrigerated? Haha, I bet you learned more in the last 30 seconds than you did in school today.

Caring for your nails is important. Your nails are the barrier between you and infection, not to mention they're this year's #1 accessory. Fun Fact: Did you know the condition of your nails is a tell-tale sign of your health status? So if your body is healthy, your nails are healthy... And vice versa.

General Nail Care Tips

1. Lack of vitamins and minerals in your system shows on the surface of your nails. No dieting and malnutrition! Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
2. Your nails are not tools; don't use them to break things, pick things up, open things, etc. That's what fingers and can openers are for!
3. Regularly cut the free edges of your nails. Not completely, but regularly cutting your nails actually helps them grow faster. 
4. Moisturize and use nail oils. Just like your skin and your hair, nails get dry, and regularly moisturizing them keeps them healthy and smooth. Nail oils can help stimulate growth and strengthen your nails.
5. Wear gloves more often. When washing the dishes, doing the laundry, gardening, and especially cleaning the house, your hands get exposed to many harsh chemicals. Protect your skin and your nails by wearing gloves for more than just going outside!
6. Be careful with certain nail products. Especially in nail polish remover, there may be strong chemicals that can actually damage your nails. If your nails seem stained, dry, or brittle, stop using that product and give your nails a rest. Then try a milder one.

Cuticle Care

Credit to health.howstuffworks.com

Your cuticles are protectors; they prevent infection and cover the tissue that builds new nail cells. Some cuticles are smooth and clean, while others are ragged and thick. Whichever category you fall in, do not cut your cuticles. It is unsafe and unnecessary.

1. If your cuticles are covering half of your nail, rather than cut them, push them back while they're soft, like after you take a shower. 
2. Don't pick at or press on your cuticles, be gentle with them!
3. Use cuticle cream or cuticle oil to moisturize your cuticles. Remember, cuticles are still skin, and dry out too, especially in colder climates. Dry cuticles are unsightly.

Alrighty, one last Fun Fact: Diamonds can be made from peanut butter. True story. 

Tune in tomorrow for Part Three!

Stay beautiful!

Top 5 Party Must Haves

A picture I took at the Bar Mitzvah I went to...

Hello, my lovelies! So this weekend, I went to my close friend Jacob's Bar Mitzvah, and it was absolutely amazing! I have to say it made the Top 3 without question. Unfortunately I didn't film myself putting on my makeup, but I'll redo the makeup for a tutorial later this week.

Every time I've prepared for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or any party where I know I'll be dancing, I always freak out about what to wear and what to bring and all that jazz. By now I've mastered the art, and thought I'd enlighten you on Party Must Haves, besides the gift.

What to Wear: Keep it light. With dancing comes sweating, and heavy clothes are just going to make that worse. Even if it's hailing in the middle of winter, it's going to be hot on the dance floor surrounded by people! To this one I wore a leopard print dress... But get this, I tucked it into some skinny jeans to make it more casual. It was very cute!

Makeup: I cannot stress this enough: Dancing = Sweating. Don't wear creme eyeliner or any kind of smudging makeup. Here's what I did: I wore my Sephora Mattifying Foundation to keep the shine off of my face, did my signature party bronze smokey eye, and added a nude lip. I kept my mascara minimal; just enough to put some "umph" in my lashes. If you have to wear liner, make it liquid liner, because that's the least "smudgeable" type.

Me at a Bat Mitzvah earlier this year.

In my purse: I brought my foundation brush and my Sephora Mattifying Foundation for touch ups, because that last thing I needed was a face covered in shine! I also brought mascara for touch ups, and lip gloss of course. Oh, and hair products! I always bring a comb and ponytail holders, because your hair may get a little wild and crazy like mine. And I always bring a needle and thread in case of a fashion emergency. I recommend safety pins if you can't sew, in fact that's better, I just can't ever find safety pins around my house anymore!

So here's your Top 5 Must Haves:

1. Light Clothing
2. Hair Supplies (comb, hair ties)
3. Mattifying Powder of some sort
4. Touch-Up Makeup (mascara, liquid liner, lip gloss, etc.)
5. Safety Pins (or needle and thread)

Simple enough, right? Good luck at your next big bash, and have fun!

Stay beautiful!

How to Create Marble Nails

I made a collage of all types of marble nail looks!

Hello, my lovelies! In addition to researching great DIY Spa Ideas, my youngest sister Ava learned how to create Marble Nails. Usually, I don't pay much attention to the latest nail trends, because I have the terrible habit of biting my nails, and I've never really been able to do much with my nails because of that. But Ava has long, gorgeous nails, and so I took pictures of her attempting Marble Nails, and made a photo tutorial for you so you can try it too! 

You will need: a small bowl, 2-3 nail polish colors, tape, and tissues/paper towels.

*** We only tried this with two nails/one at a time. The first nail is the one you see in the pictures. The second time didn't turn out so well, so we came to the conclusion you have to use fresh water/paint every time. Maybe you can dip multiple nails in at one time, but we're not sure. So let us know if you find out more!

Stay beautiful!

DIY Spa Ideas

My youngest sister Ava's DIY Spa

Hello, my lovelies! So Sunday night my youngest sister Ava wanted to test out some spa do-it-yourself's she found online. And since my mom is on a ridiculous "nature food" health kick, our refrigerator is full of all types of fruits and vegetables. Ava got busy and treated me to a lovely spa evening!

I decided to bring my notebook and take notes and pictures during the evening, so I could document everything Ava learned. She taught me a lot of great DIY Spa Ideas, and so now I'm sharing them with you!

Water with lemon

For a most professional and relaxing spa, Ava provided glasses of water with lemon slices. Not only did it look fabulous, it tasted pretty good too. Bonus: lemon water is packed with Vitamin C, can reduce acne, wrinkles, and cleanses your skin from the inside, giving you a healthy glow!

Ava's Spa Treatment began with Heat Therapy. In a small bowl filled with steamy water were hot wash cloths, which we gently rung out and placed on our faces. Then we could lie down and relax with the hot towels resting from the forehead to our noses (so we still had room to breath deeply through our mouths). 

Heat relaxes the muscles, and you'd be surprised how stressed the muscles in your face are from so much usage. This is very calming and relaxing, and so simple!

Oatmeal Facial

Oatmeal has so many uses besides eating it for breakfast. It's a phenomenal skincare ingredient! You can use oatmeal to treat acne, soothe the skin from rashes and poison ivy, and use as a facial scrub! It can help cleanse the pores and soften your skin!

Egg whites are full of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Egg whites have the potential to reduce wrinkles, tighten skin, give a deep cleansing to the pores, and leave your skin soft and supple!

What happens when you combine the two? Ava mixed oatmeal, warm water, and egg whites to create a fantastic deep cleansing, skin softening Oatmeal Facial. And all you need are those three ingredients and a mixing bowl! We applied spoonfuls to a damp washcloth, then massaged that cloth all over our face and relaxed for 6 - 8 minutes. Once the mask starts to dry, or if it feels tight on your face, just rinse it off and feel the softening effects on your skin!

Fresh cucumber slices

Cucumber slices on the eyes can reduce puffiness and erase fatigue. Its cooling effects do wonders for the skin, and cucumbers can soften the skin and improve your complexion. Did you know you can also use cucumbers to treat sunburn? We took some Cucumber Slices and laid them on our eyes as we let our Oatmeal Facials rest on our faces. It was a rejuvenating experience!

At the end of the spa night, I have to say, I was glowing. Next time you want a relaxing spa day, try these DIY Spa Ideas, and let me know what you think! And do you have any of your own DIY Spa Ideas to share? Tell me all about them!

Stay beautiful!

In the Classroom: Skincare (Part Three)

My personal roundup of skincare products!

Hello, my lovelies! This is the third and final piece of the In the Classroom: Skincare series. You've learned all about the science of your pores, the Beauty Sectors of the Face, and with the help of the Aisles of Beauty Skin Type Chart, you've found your skin type!

Woah, that's a lot! But all of it was in preparation for the big finale. It's time to take everything you learned and design a beauty routine perfect for YOU!

Remember when I said how personalized skincare is? It depends on your skin type, allergies, preferences to smell and texture, and pricing is a biggie, too. At this point, deciding what products to use is completely up to you, and what you know is perfect for your skin. It's a trial and error process; you may find one product that's great, and another that isn't so hot. From here on, the only thing I can do is let you know what kinds of products you should be looking for. I'm talking about your Beauty Routine. Your Beauty Routine is designed specifically and exclusively for YOU, based on your schedule and all the other factors I listed earlier. 

You should wash and moisturize your face every morning and every night for the healthiest, most glowing skin possible. Here's a basic guideline of how your beauty routine should work in the AM and in the PM.

Morning: Wash your face with a gentle facial cleanser. Moisturize with face lotion. 
Most recently, I've been using Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Facial Cleanser and Clarins Paris Multi-Active Jour. My mom got Multi-Active Jour for me, so I'm not sure where you can find it.

Evening: Wash your face with either the same facial cleanser or a slightly stronger one (your choice). Use toner to cleanse away chlorine and clean out pores. Moisturize with long lasting lotion.
I use Proactiv's Three Step System every few days for a stronger cleansing. The three step system comes with a cleanser, toner, and acne cream, so this spring/summer I've been using that kit's toner. I moisturize with St. Ives Intensive Healing Lotion. I like to wear it to bed because even though it works wonders, it smells like bananas. O_o

Let's review! Here's your shopping list:

1. Facial Cleanser (two if you want to change between AM and PM)
2. Toner
3. Face Lotion

When buying these products, think about your skin type. A person with dry skin would want to use a higher power moisturizer than someone with oily skin, and if you have sensitive skin, be VERY careful when buying toner. Opt for a toner without alcohol for the sake of your face. And combination skin people! You may have to buy multiple cleansers and lotions to take care of your dry areas and oily areas. Some reputable companies that are fantastic with skincare are: Aveeno, Cetaphil, Clarins, Clean and Clear, Clinique, and Neutrogena. There are tons more to try out, ask the staff of different stores and companies for advice; they'll be more than happy to help! 

It's been a pleasure educating you all on the basics of skincare! Take my advice and go create your perfect beauty routine! What products do you use? What brands are your favorite? Leave it in the comments or let me know!

Stay Beautiful!

In the Classroom: Skincare (Part Two)

The Beauty Sectors of the Face.

Hello, my lovelies! I'm feeling much better today... I slept in and had some breakfast, cleaned my room, put my laptop on my desk, and I've spent a solid two hours so far of pure Aisles of Beauty work all business-like. I've been making minor site fixes, working on posts, and (SPOILER ALERT) there might be a collaboration of some sort in the near future... Feel free to let the mystery drive you crazy. :)

If you haven't already read Part One of the In the Classroom: Skincare series, I recommend reading that first. Now let's get started!

The first part of today's lesson is about the Beauty Sectors of the Face. Look at the picture to your left. There are four main named sections on the face that we refer to when talking about skincare. 

• The T Zone - refers to forehead down to the tip of the nose, creating a T shape.
• The Eye Area - refers to the skin surrounding the eyes.
• The S Zone - refers to the cheeks.
• The O Zone - refers the chin and the area around the mouth.

You'll need to think about the Beauty Sectors of YOUR Face to determine your skin type. Once you know your skin type, you'll finally be able to to pinpoint the best products for you!

There are 5 main skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive. Using the Official Aisles of Beauty Skin Type Chart, find which of the 5 main skin types sounds most like your face! Just click on the chart to enlarge it.

Once you determine your skin type, come back tomorrow for Part Three!

Stay Beautiful!

In the Classroom: Skincare

Taking care of her skin!

Hello, my lovelies! I have a terrible case of the sniffles, with a sore throat as well. So my busy week's events are out, but luckily for you, that leaves me plenty of time to bulk up on posts! When writing this post, I had so much to say, I had to break it into parts. And sorry about missing yesterday, I was too sick to even look at my computer. So, introducing... In the Classroom: Skincare!

Starting at age 10, and for the rest of your life, taking care of your skin becomes a priority. So it'd only make sense to explain the basic science of your skin; more specifically, your pores.

Your pores are tiny holes in the skin that allow natural oils created under the skin to reach the surface and keep your skin soft and supple. 

But often, we don't think of pores that way. We think of them as the reason for blackheads and acne. TVs advertise pore strips and cleansers that minimize your pores and give you flawless skin. Pores aren't a bad thing, as long as you know what you're doing.

Pores can get clogged with dirt, oils, and makeup that you put on the surface of your skin. This blocks the natural oils that are made in your body from coming out to lubricate your skin. Remember? That's the pores job. That's when breakouts start; acne and blackheads.

Keeping the breakouts away is easy; all you have to do is take care of your skin. Just wash your face, and make sure you wash away the dirt, oils, and makeup so they don't clog your pores. Simple as this task is, this is where all the confusion begins. Truth be told, there are dozens of ways to cleanse your skin and keep it healthy. 

It's a personalized matter; skincare is different for every person. If you have dry skin vs. oily skin, tough skin vs. sensitive skin, how much time you have in your schedule, allergies, preferences to smells and textures... Get the point? You've got the science of your skin down, but there's still a whole world to learn.

Come back for Part Two!

This has been Part One of In the Classroom: Skincare. Stay beautiful!

Random Makeup Tips

I'd kill to have this makeup collection!

Hello, my lovelies! So these last few entries I realized have not been all that helpful to you... And in the hectic time of Back-to-School, it'd be nice to have some advice, wouldn't it?

So I went on a hunt to find the best makeup advice, tips, and myths revealed for our first ever Back to School Beauty Week! Consider this a crash course in beauty school. All week, I'll be providing you with all types of helpful makeup and beauty info! Day One's lesson shows tips people don't know, but should, because they're extremely smart!

I found all of these super cool tips on http://makeuptips-blog.com/. This blog is dedicated to providing HUNDREDS of makeup and beauty tips from start to finish. And using more PDF technology, I designed an adorable little page for you! Enjoy!




Just like always, you can zoom in and out of this page, and scroll down to read everything. Hope these tips are helpful for you, and if you have any makeup and beauty questions, I'd love to answer them here!

Stay Beautiful!

NEW FEATURE: Universal Beauty

Beauty is Universal - Let's Share It!

Hello, my lovelies! Lately I've noticed Aisles of Beauty is getting an exceptional number of views from all around the world. People in Russia, Mexico, Switzerland, Greece, Sweden, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have been reading Aisles of Beauty just this week alone.

Is that not amazing? It made me realize how big our world actually is, and how something as simple as makeup and fashion can connect us. I want all of our international readers to feel included and connected.

That's why I went to work creating a new Aisles of Beauty feature called Universal Beauty. Universal Beauty is a way for our international readers to share what fashion and beauty is like where they are from. Our international readers, and even readers from the states can connect and share what makes their country, state, or city unique. This is an amazing learning opportunity for everyone; let's wish Universal Beauty success!

Wherever you are from, send Aisles of Beauty an email! Just email aislesofbeauty@gmail.com with the subject Universal Beauty. Tell me your name, age, where you're from, and what makes fashion and beauty where you are unique. Hopefully I can interview you via the web, and your story can be featured in Universal Beauty! Keep checking back for Universal Beauty updates!

Wherever you're from, stay beautiful!

NEW FEATURE: The Classroom

So hopefully, by now, you've learned the reason for my lack of posts. Well like I said, to make up for the disappearance of the new Toolbox Trilogy, I have created a NEW FEATURE on Aisles of Beauty. It's called The Classroom, and it's the place where beauty addicts like yourselves can go for the 411 on all things beauty.


I will be spending a lot of my time, along with blogging everyday for a month (the ultimate beauty challenge), writing articles for The Classroom. But it won't just be me helping you out. Now it's your time to connect with other beauty fanatics and enlighten them with YOUR knowledge. If you know a thing or two about makeup and beauty, and want to share it with the Aisles of Beauty International Community, fill out the form below or on the Classroom page. It's that simple!