So you won't be "that girl" with the drunk hair

Since I have a mohawk (I can no longer consider it a fauxhawk), I decided to show you bitches with long hair how to be more like me.  I will show you or explain a couple of different techniques that can benefit you in other hair-do's.  And I'll also show you different options throughout for you to achieve a different end result.

What you will need:

Hair spray, teasing or a regular comb, paddle brush, bobby pins, pony tail holder, and three fingers.

A little inspiration

 

1. Section your hair into 3 vertical sections stopping about an inch behind your ear. The middle section you can make as wide or narrow as you'd like depending on what you're comfortable with.

2.  We are going to start by backcombing (teasing) the middle section using your teasing or regular comb. Take 1/2 inch horizontal sections. Drop out the first section without teasing. Lightly spray each section.  When you are teasing, pull your hair straight up holding it at the ends.  Using your comb, start at the base of your hair and slowly backcomb moving up the strand half an inch at a time. Focus on "packing" your hair to the base by pushing the hair all the way down and releasing before moving up. 

How not to tease: By quickly moving the comb up and down, this will not set a good base that you need to create volume.  

If your hair is standing straight up on it's own you're doing a great job =)

Go section by section stopping an inch behind the ear. (your arms probably feel like they are going to fall off by this point)

3.  Clip up the entire middle section including the section that you dropped out just to get it out of your way.  Hair spray the sides and slick them back into a tight pony tail.  

The more tight and smooth it is the more dramatic the end result will be.

4.  Now focusing back on the middle section, you are going to comb out the backcombing with your paddle brush so your hair is smooth and not looking like a birds nest.  I know it seems counter productive but if you teased correctly the volume will still be there.  When I do this I like to start at the back working my way

 forward.  

At this point you could leave your hair as is.  Brush it back, spray it, and allow it to hang freely.  Add pins underneath close to the ponytail if need be.

And this is what it would look like:

5.  I'm going to move forward and show you more options to jazz it up a bit.  Drop that first section out again.  Take a one inch horizontal section and place two or three fingers about mid shaft.  Wrap your hair around your fingers to the end of the strand.  Then roll your fingers all the way down to the base and pin it until it feels secure.  

On my doll I shifted the roll to one side so one open end is bigger than the other. Placement of the roll is personal preference depending on what looks better to you.

6.  Taking the exact same steps as in the first section, I pinned this sections open end opposite to the first.  Notice the first section is closed and second is open.

Again it's all about preference, play around with it a little bit!

7.  You can continue to use this technique all the way back.  But my doll had about a 1 1/2 in section left so I decided to divide the section in half vertically making two rolls.

8.  I will be pinning the front section back over top all of the rolls making a pincurl at the very end to blend with the back.

  *Keep in mind that the bald gaps you see on the sides will not be there since nobody has hair like a doll head with 15 hairs per square inch*

This is another place where you can leave your newly formed faux hawk! Slicked back into a ponytail is super sexy and a less formal option.

9.  Continuing on for the people who have short hair, or for anyone who doesn't want it in a ponytail.  Using the same rolling technique, make a roll with the ponytail and pin to the back of the head. 

Make sure it is touching the back of the rolls to look like a continuation and not a mistake. 

My finished product:

Viva la faux hawks!  Don't be afraid to step out of your boring comfort zone of having straight or curly hair.  It's a time saving alternative since there is no straightener or curling iron needed.  This hairstyle is bold and sexy af in any way that you decide to design it.  I mean...check me out ;) A great night out or partying look that wont have you looking a hot mess by the end of the night. Especially since drunk hair happens to the very best of us. Not so great for church but to each her own.  And of course I would love to see all of your creations!

Have a great day and love the ones you're with

-Ari

Hair-Bow for my classy bitches

   I've seen this on pinterest a lot lately, very cute spring/summer look.  I wanted to show you guys my step by step version of the bow.  I think this is perfect for when you have bed head and are trying to rush out of the door without looking a hot mess.  I'd say 3 min or less from start to finish.

What you will need:

Hair, a light hairspray, comb or bristle brush, 2 bobby pins, and a hair tie. 

Optional: smoothing serum, and a headband. 

 

1. This baby was just washed and air dried.  This look would be perfect for straightened hair on day 2 or 3.

2. If you have frizzy hair you can add a serum, or light hairspray to smooth all of your hair back into a high ponytail.  I'm also a fan of the messy look so just throwing it up will work too.

3.  This part is a throwback middle school technique with the half pony tail.  If you have thick hair you can leave about 2 inches of a tail.  If you have thinner hair like this doll, leave about a 3 or 4 inch tail.  

*BTW I made mine a little off center just to make it look more interesting*

4. Split the whatever you want to call it in half like so

5. You can give it a light spray as you make each bow ear wider to give a more full effect and not floppy ears.  Then take the tail (I recommend to spray it before) and wrap it around to the front and secure it with a bobby pin.  With the excess tail you can wrap it around the ponytail holder, and pin it or tuck it under your ponytail holder.

6.  Like so =)  #5 can be your last step or take it a little further.

You can add a headband (I had to make this out of lace I had in a junk drawer because obvi I can't use headbands anymore).  Without teasing the front I just pulled the hair out a little from the base to add volume. 

And for my classy gangstas holllllaaa; I didn't forget about you ;)

I hope everyone tries it!  It really is as simple as it looks.  If you have any questions feel free to ask.  Also if you have any hair-do's you can't seem to get right, throw them my way and I can break it down for you in a future tutorial. It would be cool to see the pretty bows you made or comments about how this tutorial worked for you =) I hope ya'll enjoyed this as much as I did doing it for you! 

Have a great day and love the ones you're with

-Ari   

   

for Sweden, the beloved native soil

Throughout our childhood, Ari & I explored different entertainment options, as any child normally does, we would be obsessed with something for about 3 days & then lose all interest in it whatsoever. Every single time my parents would pour money into some ridiculous hobby, only for us to hate it almost immediately. There were so many things I can remember:  we were on a cross-stitching stint where we both made intricate cat pictures that never actually made it onto a pillow or anything (where is that I wonder?), there was basketball, crocheting, softball, building forts in the back yard out of things we would steal from the garage, pretending that our dolls were real people & styling/shaving their heads, painting (which ari was actually good at), board games, lots of board games (I think we played monopoly for 72 hours straight at a time), card games, tennis, magic trick kits, scrapbooking, 4 wheelers (which ended in us crashing it into a tree & bending the handle bars so we couldn’t ever turn left after that), the Barbie corvette (same fate), baking various desserts (where baking soda was used instead of baking powder *gag*), remote control boats, & I think at one point I was convinced I would be a synchronized swimmer…the list goes on. & every time our parents would support our venture as if we hadn’t given up on some other ridiculous thing the month before.

One day, my dad brought home an organ (a mini piano thingy) that he found at a yard sale & of course I took to it right away. Even though I am the talent-less one of the family, I’m always the first one to try anything because I wanted so bad to be good at something. The only issue with this thing is that I didn’t really know how to read music, & the pre-owned organ only came with one music book. The book just so happened to be a compilation of the national anthem’s of every country possible. Oddly enough I became very good at it & pretty impressive that I taught myself to read music, if I say so myself.

The organ started out in the living room downstairs, & then one day I noticed that it had been moved upstairs where my room was. I thought this was great because it was closer to my room & I could play whenever I wanted. Soon I found that the organ was moved once again, into my closet in my bedroom. Now my closet at home is probably the size of a kitchen so it’s not like it didn’t fit uncomfortably but I finally got some sort of hint that my parents were sick of having to hear me play all these national anthems on repeat. So imagine, 10 year old Bianca, with puffy, shoulder length triangle hair, pushed back into a headband… in a baggy t-shirt & basketball shorts sitting upstairs in her closet, blaring “O Canada” on the organ. I think my parents thought that I would give this one up (because it was the most obnoxious) but I did not. 

When I would get into arguments with my parents, they would send me to my room…so my revenge to them would to just play as many national anthems as I could in my closet…over & over again. I don't even think they could hear me half the time, so I guess I was punishing myself which is pretty humorous. Remembering all this made me realize what a brat I was with all these crazy hobbies & how great my parents were with making sure that we had what we wanted & needed (or thought we needed). With all that being said…I would just like to say that I am beyond blessed for my parents. They have truly been the rock(s) in my life. With all my ridiculous things that I become interested in, with everything that I’ve gotten into, that they’ve helped me through & helped me overcome, I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like without them. They’ve made me exactly who I am today, my personality, sense of humor, intelligence, sarcasm, & with my heart on my sleeve….everything that I am, is directly related to how my parents raised me & how much of an influence they’ve been in my life…with the good, the bad, & the ugly. I honestly get so sentimental when I think about it, & I’m embarrassing myself right now by tearing up in public…but I love them with every ounce of my heart. <3

So, when people annoy you with the question of sharing your “hidden talents”…or “is there anything that most people don’t know about you” type questions – nobody, & I mean NOBODY expects for me to tell them that I know how to play every countries national anthem on the organ (my favorites to play are the Swedish, Canadian & the best… United States National Anthem)........O'er the land of the free and the home of the braveeee *play ball*.... please share with me, what don't I know about you?

there she is

i was cultured by accident

-BR

Let's talk about hair.

Aside from talking about Royce and my family, talking about hair is my FAVORITE thing to talk about.  To the point where Bianca would always tell me before going out to a bar "just don't start talking about hair".  Even shit faced I can riddle off facts and suggestions for hours.

*interjection* I also wanted to share an update on my hair growth process; I haven't cut it yet.  I just trim around the hairline whenever it's on my last nerve.

No Filter- lmao I love when people say that

Anywho yesterday I was doing some shopping at Target and happened to cut through the box color isle.  A lady stopped me, and asked if I colored my hair.  I said no I'm all natural (she didn't pick up on my sarcasm and gave me a blank stare -_-).  I told her that I'm a cosmetologist so I color hair but not my own.  She said, "oh how perfect then."  I could feel the jitters building up inside me as I was so excited about the coming questions. (too out of control for my own good).
She had a box of Feria in her hand, which in my mind is the devil of color brands.  I damn near slapped it out of her hand.  Although the pictures on the box portray some of the most attractive colors available it is very deceiving.  This particular brand contains metallic dyes.  Metallic dyes actually dull the hair and progressively change the color of your hair leaving behind metallic salts and a gross color.  These metallic salts have a negative reaction to hydrogen peroxide.  For those of you who get yours professionally done, you'll notice that they always ask (I hope!) when the last time you had a chemical treatment and what kind was it.  That question can save your hair from being green, blue, or having no hair at all.
I also showed her boxes that say "no ammonia".  When people see that they assume it will be healthier for their hair.  Also not true.  No ammonia means there is an alternative chemical that produces the same reaction as ammonia.  Which may or may not be more harsh on your hair.  So I also consider those a no go.
A quick explanation about ammonia.  All permanent color contains ammonia.  When mixed with hydrogen peroxide it creates a chemical reaction that opens up the cuticle of your hair to drive the color molecule into the shaft.  It is a necessary component to permanent hair color.  The percentage of ammonia in the product is the important variable.  Professional lines typically have the least amount. (no, box color is not a professional line).
ALSO the most important thing I feel is to NEVER ever lighten your hair with box color, not even by one level.  The thought of people actually doing that makes me cringe.  You are guaranteed to damage your hair, bad. So if anything go darker.
I told her I totally understand that a professional job in this economy is financially tolling.  So I helped her pick the best product within her budget and explained about the application and after care.  She was the sweetest lady ever, she told me she appreciated my honesty and not trying to lure her into my own services. She thanked me for my time (2 1/2 hours) and went on her way. =) It was a great experience for me and I hope it was for her too.
Now I want to share with ya'll what I didn't get a chance to share with her.  It's a way to save money on hair care products by giving you the facts about them.
While going to Paul Mitchell the School Jacksonville (hollllllaaaaa) we had the opportunity to meet with a number of professionals from every aspect of the industry.  I enjoyed them all so much, taking what I could from each and applying the knowledge.  But the one speaker that just amazed the shit out of me was a lady named Brenda Duval.
Brenda is a chemist for Paul Mitchell Systems, meaning that she is the innovator and creator of alllll of the Paul Mitchell products (incredible that she was standing right in front of me).  She is very funny, kind, laid back and easy to talk to. She started by telling us her story of how she became the person she is today and then opened up the floor for questions.  You could ask her ANYTHING you could think of about a product, its purpose, how to use it, how to not use it, the components within the product, etc. She never missed a beat, it was amazing.  But one student asked, "what is the difference between the shampoo you make and a shampoo that you can buy at the grocery store."  I'll never forget her response.  She laughed as she said, "any chemist can make soap, no soap is better or worse.  It's just soap."  She told us that one of her good friends was the chemist for Pantene.  She explained the difference between the two products with complete honesty.
*my recommendations*
If you had your hair colored professionally, I highly recommend to buy their lines "color protect" shampoo and conditioner to maintain your color longer.  A generic product or another professional lines color protect will not maintain your color as well (and after all, why would you pay so much to have it done and not invest in maintaining it? You might as well throw your money down the drain)   Pantene I would only recommend to people who have virgin hair, meaning no color or chemical treatment at all in your hair.  Their shampoo and conditioner contains a fatty molecule that sits on top of your hair strand giving it that crazy beautiful shine you see on tv.  Now if your hair is already chemically treated, when the fatty molecule sits on your hair it will cause breakage because your hair is too weak to support it.  No good.  I wouldn't recommend VO5 or Suave, do I need to explain why?  As far as everything else, I believe it would come down to your own preference.  If something isn't working for you i.e. your hair is still dry or oily.  Try a different product or different line until you are satisfied.
I'll be forever grateful for the knowledge Brenda shared.  And for all of my Gainesville friends, she has her own salon called "Beach Break Salon" it is right on University.  If you're looking for great hair on a budget that would be the place to go, she genuinely isn't interested in breaking your bank.  She understands her clientele includes broke college students =)
If you have any questions for me please please puhleassse ask.  If I don't have the answer, I will find it.  You'll probably make my day =)

Have a great day and love the ones you're with
-Ari

wtf texty mctexterson

I really don’t understand the male thought process sometimes. This morning I woke up to a text message from a guy that is so annoying to me, that I deleted him off of facebook & deleted his number entirely. He.will.not.give.up. So how did I know that he was the one that sent the text? Because it said “good morning” & it was a picture of……wait for it……himself….and…..wait for it…..it just so happened to be his facebook profile picture?!? I know this because it was his profile pic before I deleted him. Now call me crazy, but what in the fuckity fuck fuck? A) I don’t want to wake up to a good morning text from someone I despise B) I don’t want to wake up to a photo of anyone really & C) wayyyy to be super creative & just send your fb profile pic. I’m at loss for words really. Obviously that doesn’t warrant a response from me at all. With this in mind I decided to lay out the texting do not’s because we all have those annoying people that I swear text you shit just to annoy you.

Don’t be repetitive in your texts – I had this guy that would text me every morning “are you awake yet?”…umm how about you text me something else & if I answer, then I’m clearly awake. If you don’t have something legit to say to me…don’t say anything. Or the text “hi”. Or “hey you”. This is all basically the same shit & just says to me that you are completely unoriginal & bored. You know what I respond to these? I don’t.

‘Good morning’ texts – these are only nice to wake up to if you are in a relationship with that person, or like them. A good morning text from someone that means nothing to you is just annoying. It doesn’t help that I’m not a morning person, so I’m automatically pissed off anyways.

‘I miss you’ texts – again, creepy if they are from someone you don’t miss at all, & awkward because you don’t know what the hell to answer *changes subject*. Very sweet if they’re from friends or people that you actually do miss!

The confrontation text – usually lacking the balls to call the person on the phone, or not being able to wait until you see them in person. If you send me a text accusing me of something or confronting me about something after I just saw you 10 minutes ago, jump off a bridge. Also if you need to ask something, find out about something, or go off on me….please don’t do the 14 page text message that makes my phone go off & have seizures. I rather you text me & say “hey do you have time to talk” & call me or plan to meet somewhere. Arguing via text messages is for pussies. & when you finally do actually talk to the person face to face, it’s awkward because it was never really resolved. Grow up.

The non responder - if you text me, then I text you back….& then you never answer me. Die.

Unacceptable responses – “k” “cool” “lol” especially when I took 30 seconds out of my day to write you something semi meaningful.

The mass texter – you don’t want a mass text asking what you’re up to. Really? Wow I feel really special now, you’re trying to find out what 23 different people are doing all at once so you can peruse your options. Well you can peruse my female dick, because I refuse to be one of your many options. You either want to hang out with me, or you don’t.

Social media freak – it’s so annoying when you text someone & they don’t respond within a decent time/ at all & you know that their phone is attached to their fuckin hand at all times. Oh so you can retweet, update your status, pin something on fuckin pinterest, instagram your dinner, but you can’t respond to a text. Triflin’. You gotta call those hoes out.

…and finally the “I see u” texts – if you’re stalking me, please don’t tell me…I have plenty of those. & all this causes is for me to flip around in a circle & become suspicious of every person/vehicle in my vicinity. How about you just walk up to me, instead of sounding like the craigslist killer?

Basically my friends, the golden rule of texting - text someone as you would like to be texted. & if the other person doesn’t answer, maybe they’re not interested in you & are trying to be polite. & maybe if they test you with something, it’s because they really like you & want you to try harder? What are the answers? Fuck if I know. 

-BR