The GHD Mini

GHD's are professional brand flat irons. This means that they are products that are high quality enough to be used in salons and sold strictly through professional channels. This is reflected through a number of factors.

The GHD mini is an amazing little styling tool. While working a trendshow for Nordstrom I was actually able to use this little guy. I used the promotional pink one which is the same except for the color. It's adorably small and convenient for travel. At it's maximum heat setting (which exceeds 400 degrees) you will only need to slide it down the hair and your hair will be instantly straightened.

Most at home flat irons that you would purchase from the drug store heat up to around 250 degrees and this forces most hair types to need multiple strokes to achieve the desired straightened effect. With this little GHD it's one flick of the wrist and you're done.

The product is a little pricy, even in comparison to professional flat irons. It is however an excellent product that boasts all of the fantastic ceramic and tourmaline features of most flat irons, as well a a two year warranty. This product also has an advanced "infra-red" heat that will lock in your hair's natural oils to make it gorgeous, shiny and straight.

I would reccomend shopping around on a flat iron. I think the GHD is great, but I would love for any readers out there to be able to get the most value out of the product. Is it something you will use every day for the next two years? Or is it something you will use a couple times a month or only on occasion?

5 Mainstream Must Haves

We all love prestige cosmetics such as Clinique, MAC, Smashbox, and Elizabeth Arden but everyone knows that there are many mass market cosmetics that work like gems. It can be hard to find the gold through hundreds of less then perfect products so I have found five fantastic buys for all my readers. Next time you pass by your local Walgreen's make sure that you remember these five must haves!

 1. Covergirl Smoothers Concealer

This fun and handy little concealer comes disquised in a lipstick style twist up tube. As a concealer it works well due to it's creamy and easy to blend texture. Where this product really turns into quality is when you apply it to the eye lid and then smooth it out with the finger as your eyeshadow base. Your eyeshadow color will stay stronger and longer! You can also apply it to the lips before your regular lip colors to help create a nuder lip. For $5.99 girl that is a steal!

2. Wet N Wild Jumbo Juicy Flavored Lip Balm

This great little treats from Wet N Wild come in a fat tube of goodness. This lip balm is very moisturising, hydrating, and it tastes oh so good! After buying one for $2.99 and loving it I had to go back to buy more flavors. Right now my favorites are Grape and Strawberry. I also love how unlike many petroleum based lip balms, it doesn't make your lips dependent upon the product to stay luscious.

3. Nyx Felt Tip Liner

For $7.00 applying your eye liner has never been more hot or simple. The felt tip is smooth and allows for  very easy control over the dispersion of the product. It glides on as easily as a pencil but without the mess of your own brush or one of those liquid eyeliner bottles where it's like you're dipping the wand into ink. You will have fantastic eyes at a fraction of the cost.

4. Rimmel London's Extra Super Lash Mascara

With Rimmel's new Underground I had stuck pretty faithfully to their more urban and hip oriented product line. Then I saw this bad boy and had to give it a shot! This mascara is perfect for creating thick and volumous lashes. What I particularly love about it is the fact that it is 100% buildable so you can keep reapplying until you reach the desired effect. Here is where we all need to cheer: this mascara only costs $3.19.

5. Revlon Custom Creations Foundation

In the past when I have bought foundations I have had to deal with the fact that the color I had would not work on me a week from the day I used it. In the winter I am pale, in the summer I am tan. If I go on vacation or go tanning then it also affects how that foundation will work on me, so I used to buy 3 shades and spend a million dollars. With this bottle, you twist their pretty little cap and you can adjust the color of your foundation. This allows you to create up to 5 different shades from one bottle of foundation. It is a lightweight formula and boasts an SPF of 15. Oh and the pleasurable price of $13.99 is always something to smile about.

Secrets to Beautiful Hair

As long as people have had hair it has been used as another method of asserting one's personal style. Gorgeous and lusterous hair has never been easier to obtain then it is today. In this article I am going to share a couple easy tips to improving the quality of your hair.

 While I was at Ed Wyse I would listen to the selling techniques the stylists I worked with would use. One of these little tid bits I picked up went something like this "It is my personal belief that good haircare begins with your shampoo and conditioner". It does! After working at a beauty supply house I am able to appreciate the difference between salon quality product and drug store product, and I know that you would be able to as well.  Now I know that salon product prices can be daunting at times so just take a look at some of the ingredients in your shampoo of choice. One of the biggest things to look for is if one of the first couples ingredients is "ammonium sulfate".  This ingredient is for creating a lather, but it is also cheap and harsh. Just look at the ingredients. Don't buy something with ammonium sulfate in it, and try to grab things with delicious extracts in them!

Don't shampoo your hair every day! Shampoo is a cleaner and if you use it every day you can strip your hair of the proteins and oils that it needs to be healthy and vibrant. Try shampooing every other day or twice a week. If you feel that your hair gets too oily then try using conditioner on the middle and ends of the hair and not towards the scalp. You could also try using a dry shampoo such as Oscar Blandi's to prevent that greasy look without stripping the hair.

One last tip! Watch your diet. What you eat directly relates to the health of your hair. Is your hair too oily? Maybe those oily fries we had with lunch are to blame. If you eat a balanced diet and drink lots of water then your hair will love you for it.

XOXO

Sexii Bradley

4900 Miles

Break my legs
Break my heart
It hurts so much
When we're apart

Break my wings
Break my soul
I will still feel
You make me whole

I could be your ocean
Caress you like the sand
Battle the waves
Just to hold your hand

4900 miles doesn't seem so far
When you think of all the distance
Between us and the stars
So I know
I know
I know
I love you

Function and Fashion

Function and Fashion:

Looking For the Perfect Shoe

Everyone wants fun and gorgeous footwear! But how often do girls find those perfect heels that hurt like hell? This blog is all about finding the shoe that combines comfort and class, fashion and function, to give you the ultimate foot experience. Let's talk!

An old tip I learned from some stylist friends of mine is to look for shoes with a raised toe. I've noticed this trend has become a lot more common, especially when places like Payless Shoe Source start carrying them. By raising the toe the shoe encourages the natural gripping motion of the feet causing them to be much more ergonomically friendly.

There are lots of great shoes and fun styles out there. One place you definitely need to head over to is Naturalizer. They are a concept shoe store for the Brown Shoe Company. Their shoes are the most comfortable shoes on the market and they are always working to stay hot on the latest fashion. Most of their shoes are modestly priced, with lows of $20 and highs of around 350$ Featured on the left is one of their classic "Akin" style shoes. Enjoy!

XOXO
Sexii Bradley