Protecting Your Hair From Heat!

I wrote a similar post to this years ago, so for those that feel this is redundant, it kind of is! However I wanted to update current and new readers on this subject because it is so important to me!

First of all did you know that using a low end heat protecting product can be worse for your hair than no heat protectant at all? That is right! Most low end heat protecting products are full of oils and fragrance. What happens when you heat up oil? It fries things, you are literally frying your hair! I know no one wants this, which is really one of the reasons I wrote this post. There are some hair products you can get away with going cheap with, but heat protectants are not one of them!

My little sister is a hot tool addict, she curls, crimps or flat irons her hair 6 days a week. She used to only use a heat protectant she bought at Sally's for $10. One day a chunk of her hair fell off while she was flat ironing it (yes this happens in real life)! She told me she needed something that actually worked. I recommended a great Redken product and she has never gone back. This story was in my original post too. At that point my sister had been hooked on professional heat protectants for 6 months, it has now been over 2 years and she is still using the same pro products!

Now I am going to give you a list of my top 3 heat protectants, what they do, why i like them and who should use them! 

1- Beauty Protector Protect & Oil
I know what I said earlier about oils always frying the hair, but there are always exceptions to the rule, especially when a product uses high quality ingredients. This product smells like vanilla and gives your hair a lightweight shine and softness. It is best for medium hair, although I think any hair type can use it. However this protectant is not strong enough to defend against hot tools, and should only be used before blow drying (otherwise it is going to literally fry your hair!)


2- TIGI S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray
This product says Flat Iron on it, but it can be used for curling as well. It smells like an orange dreamsicle and adds a lot of shine. This product also comes in a typical spray bottle, which is my favorite for dispersing product evenly. It is best for people with thick, coarse or very damaged hair, however I do not recommend it for people with super fine hair. This is beacuse although it is lightweight it has a lot of shine that can make those with oil or fine hair look greasy.

3- Redken Iron Shape 11
This is the one my sister is hooked on, it is also the same one I recommended years ago in my original post (although Redken has tweaked it a little bit). It smells like product, but it works like magic. It will reinforce your hairspray, give a tiny bit of extra hold, and protect your hair. It sprays onto the hair like a normal heat protectant and is great for fine to normal hair. This is my go to for sure. It ads no shine and it weightless, it is good for every single hair type.

Makeup Dupes!

When buying makeup, things can get pricey! Let's be honest though, there is nothing quite like your favorite mascara, even if you have to shell out $30 per tube. We all know that a $30 foundation will have longer wear and be better for your skin than an $8 one. But there are some hidden gems out there that are really just as good as the high end products. Here are some high end items that you can truly get a similar quality, for less money.

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick → NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick

These two are almost identical. I would say that Too Faced probably has longer wear, but only a little bit. They are a close match as far as consistency, look and feel. However NYX you apply like a gloss with a doe foot applicator wand, and the Too Faced is applied using a doe foot applicator squeeze tube. Too Faced's version rings in at $21 while the NYX version is only $6.99

e  (compared to Guerlain's $30) it is a steal!

Guerlain Maxilash Intense Volumizing Mascara → Revlon 3D PhotoReady Mascara

Just look at the actual wands. Now granted in the picture the Revlon Mascara wand has been used and has mascara on it while the Guerlain does not, but they are almost identical! The Revlon formula is similar as well and for only $8.79 (compared to Guerlain's $30) it is a steal!






Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz → NYX Micro Brow Pencil

The brow wiz pencil is super popular with the beauty vloggers because it allows you to get small hair like strokes that look natural. In addition to it's fine (but sturdy) pencil this comes with a brow spoolie on the other end to help you tame those brows and blend your makeup in for the perfect application. ABH's Brow Wiz is amazing at $21 but the NYX counterpart has the same features for only $9.99



Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt Gel-to-Oil Cleanser → Mary Kay Eye Makeup Remover 

These are a little different honestly. The Bliss product is an actual gel that you massage into your eye makeup or face and then remove with water. The Mary Kay product you shake, pour a little onto a cotton ball, cotton round or piece of tissue paper, and then you wipe. They have a different consistency. However they both remove eye make wonderfully. They are the best two makeup removers I have ever used. The bliss product is $28 however, while the Mary Kay is only $15!

What is the difference between Traditional Makeup and Airbrush Makeup?

I offer two kinds of makeup applications. This is traditional (also known as regular) makeup, and airbrush makeup. Almost every bride I talk to asks what the difference is, so I am answering it here!

Airbrush Makeup
How It Works: a small amount of liquid makeup is placed in a chamber by the makeup artist. After turning on an airbrush compressor the artist pulls back a trigger on her airbrush gun and the makeup comes out in an even, light and fine mist.

I recommend this for people with acne and other skin problems. It always has a flawless finish and sets on the skin beautifully. I really recommend it for all brides because it will last all day and looks flawless on camera and in pictures. It is also sweat, water and tear resistant and does not transfer onto clothing.


Traditional Makeup
How It Works: makeup is placed on a brush or sponge and spread around and then blended into the skin. Usually it is a liquid makeup, but it can be a powder or mousse makeup as well. This is the kind of makeup that is applied traditionally and is usually what women use at home on themselves, although I use high ends brands such as RCMA and Temptu on my clients that can not be found in drugstores and that most people do not have at home.

I really only recommend this type of makeup for brides who have clear skin. Below are both examples of brides who have traditional makeup on. The one on the top (in color) has really clear skin, with only a few minor blemishes. The one on the bottom (in black and white) however, has several blemishes. You can see that in the pictures below that even after editing, the bride on the bottom's makeup looks heavier and you can still see the blemishes on her chin.

In the end the only time I recommend a bride not get airbrush makeup is if they have very clear skin and want to save some money. A lot of Brides also opt for the traditional foundation for engagement photos, and they leave the airbrush for the bridals and wedding day. I have also had brides choose traditional foundation if they are not used to wearing any makeup whatsoever. While the airbrush foundation looks light and flawless in photos, a lot of brides who never wear any kind of foundation feel it is to heavy in person. Regardless of how you look on camera I want you to FEEL beautiful and confident on your wedding day, so if the airbrush feels to heavy on you, we should switch to traditional. If you regularly wear foundation, you will not feel the airbrush is to heavy as you are used to having foundation on. If you are worried about it, then booking a trial would be ideal. However if you struggle with acne, scarring or any kind of skin inconsistencies, airbrush is a better option. While airbrush may appear heavier in person (which it doesn't to a lot of people), it looks very natural and light on the skin in photos, and those are what you will keep forever.