1. Pixie

The Pixie has been popular for a few seasons now. Victoria Beckham was the forerunner of this trend. She managed to pull off the look by over-styling and wearing with ultra-feminine clothes. Katie Holmes followed suit about a year after Posh, but didn’t style her do much at all, making her look boyish at times and middle-aged at others. As both Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes have moved on to other styles, Rihanna has kept the look in season with her super chic do.
It’s not just Rihanna that has this look in vogue for the season. Posh and Katie basically introduced the style but it took a few seasons for it to become mainstream. This Fall, we’ll see many women, young and old, taking the plunge to try the Pixie. If you’re one of them, remember the trick is to over-style and wear feminine clothes.

2. Cropped Bob

Agyness Deyn made a huge impact last Fall when she stepped onto the Michael Kors runway with a bluntly cut cropped bob. Since then, we’ve seen derivations of the look including Paris Hilton’s messy cropped bob. Just to clarify, the cropped bob is not the same as a pob (Victoria Beckham’s hairstyle a few seasons ago). The cropped bob is much chunkier and is usually one length (right below the ears) with blunt shorter layers and bangs. Even Posh has grown her hair out to a very sleek version of a cropped bob.

3. Shoulder-Length Bob

Is the cropped bob a little too edgy for you? Or, maybe you’re growing out a pob from last year. The shoulder-length bob is a nice in-between haircut that also happens to be stylish. Though it’s not as extreme as the other styles here, it can be pushed to the extreme with a super dark or super light hair color. Heidi Klum, Gwyneth Paltrow and even Lauren Conrad have all shown how sophisticated this classic style can look. To wear this long bob, style it super straight and sleek or with flowing curls. Shoulder-length bobs are also nice because they are a great length for adding extensions.

4. Long

Long, flowing hair is the top hair trend this season. Unfortunately, this is a difficult style to attain if you cut your hair short for last year’s hair trends. Luckily, extensions have become quite mainstream. Quality extensions are now accessible and affordable for us regular women. Just take a cue from Katie and augment what you have.
If your hair grows fast or you already have long hair, you’re in luck. Style your long hair with retro waves, loose beach waves or smooth and sleek.

What about bangs?

As you can tell from the images above, bangs are still in this season. For more information about different bang types, read my article that outlines the top bang styles for 2009.

Thoughts?

Personally, I like the pixie and the cropped bob but they’re just not my style. My current hair cut is a shoulder-length bob that I’m growing out to a long hairstyle. Unfortunately, my hair isn’t growing as quickly as I’d like. Might be the season to try extensions!


What will you do with your hair this Fall? Will you go for a daring new cut like the pixie? Or, will you aim for the extreme lengths of the long hairstyles?


In the coming weeks, I’ll also be posting the top hair color trends and hairstyles for Fall 2009.


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About e.l.f.

e.l.f. claims to use the same formulations as name brand cosmetics, but they keep their overhead down by advertising mostly online and using very little packaging. The products are ‘designed to improve and accentuate the individual–not hide her away’.
The company was started in 2004 by Scott-Vincent Borba, a beauty professional who also create Borba nutraceuticals–an inner-skincare line.

Reviews

I’ve scoured sites for e.l.f. reviews. The consensus seems to be favorable. Some people complain about shipping, but others say shipping issues have been taken care of and are no longer an issue (the company is only 5 years old). The biggest complaint I’ve read has been about their eyeshadows being crumbly and powdery. This makes sense if you’ve read my best drugstore makeup post. Most inexpensive makeup lines use high amounts of talc as a filler in their powder makeups. The most favorable reviews were for eyeliners, mascaras and lip glosses.

My Take

I would try any of the products that are not powder. The blush and bronzer sticks look promising as do the eyeliners, mascaras and lip products. The brush descriptions do not list what the brushes are made from, so I’m guessing they’re all synthetic. With that in mind, I’d try any brush that I’d use for liquid makeup: concealer or foundation. I’d also try their makeup cases since they’re so affordable.
Yes: eyeliner, mascara, cream blush, cream bronzer, lipstick, lipgloss, concealer brush, foundation brush, makeup bags
No: eyeshadow, mineral makeup, powder, blush, bronzer, powder brushes

Your Take

Have you tried e.l.f. products? What do you think?

Though I know the merits of protecting my skin from the sun, I am a total sun worshipper. I love the feel of sun on my skin. Unless it’s over 90 degrees (and especially not 106 like we’ve had in Austin lately), I’d rather sit outside in the sun then be stuck indoors in the air conditioning. And, I love the way my skin looks with a tan. I feel I look healthy, fit and just generally sexier when I have a tan. But, I really don’t want to suffer from skin cancer at 35 or develop wrinkles before the last possible and inevitable moment. I’ve seen women with leathery skin and it’s definitely not something I’d like staring back in my mirror. Thus, I liberally apply sunscreen and take steps to protect my skin from the sun.


So, the conundrum…
How to have a tan (or at least the appearance of a tan) without exposing my skin to the harmful effects of the sun?


Here are some options for getting that sun-kissed look while avoiding the sun’s kiss of death.

Ways to Get a Tan Without Sun

Airbrush Tan

Airbrush tanning is a great option to achieve the appearance of a tan without having to spend any time in the sun. Airbrush tanning is not the same thing as spray booth tans. With airbrush tanning, an individual actually does the airbrushing, paying close attention to detail and your specific body shape. Spray booths give the same amount and motion of spray regardless of your height or body shape. Also, you have to apply barrier creams and wear annoying plastic booties and head covers. For these reasons, airbrush tanning is far superior. The specialist who applies your spray will pay close attention to make sure you don’t experience streaking, uneven spray or unwanted color. The problem with airbrush tanning is it only lasts a few days, so maintaining a tan in this way can become pretty costly.
But, airbrush tanning is perfect if you need a last-minute tan for a special event.

Self-Tanner

DIYing a fake tan is more cost-efficient and less involved than airbrush tanning. Depending on how deep you’d like your tan to be and how soon you want to see results, there are a couple of different options.
Daily Lotion
Jergens recently came out with their Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. This product applies just like a regular lotion, but gradually adds color to your skin like a self-tanner. It’s almost completely streak-free and dries in a mere 2 minutes. There’s even a special formula for your face. Many drugstores are now coming out with their own versions of the Jergens product. I’ve tried the version from CVS and have found it to work just as well for about half the price. The benefit to using a daily lotion is the ease and simplicity of use. The downfalls are depth of tan and the time it takes to see results (about 2 weeks). I did get a fairly decent tan by using a complete bottle for fair skin and then upgrading to the version for medium skin. But, of course, that was over the course of a couple months.
Sunless Tanning Lotion
If you’re looking for a darker tan and/or quicker results, opt for a true self-tanner. Self-tanners can be tricky to use, they do tend to leave streaks and they sometimes can leave you looking like an oompa loompa. When they first came out in the 90′s (?), self-tanners were pretty much a disaster. You could always tell which women had fake tans by the orange lines on their legs and their discolored palms. Lucky for us, self-tanner technology has come a long way. Today’s tanners are much easier to use, almost completely streak-free (when applied correctly) and much more believable as legitimate tans.
Read more for How to Apply Self-Tanner and Self-Tanner Recommendations.

Tricks to Create the Appearance of a Tan

Color Choice

Wearing certain colors can create just the right contrast to make it appear like you have a healthy tan. Most people agree that white is THE color to wear if you want to look tan. One comment I saw floating around on the web is, ‘wearing white is like standing next to the whitest person at the pool.’ You’re bound to appear tan up against the stark white of your suit. Other than white, try bright, warm shades of yellow, orange, pink, turquoise and blue.

Moisturize

Moisturize your skin really well. Create glistening skin with an oil-based lotion. This will make you look like you just got off the beach. Be careful though, lotions like this can also leave oil splotches on certain fabrics.

Wear Bronzer

The ultimate way to cheat is by applying a fake tint in the form of a bronzer. Bronzers are typically for your face, but can also be applied to your shoulders, chest, etc. This definitely won’t give you an all over tan, just more of a flush.

How To Apply Self-Tanner

Applying self-tanner can be a bit daunting. Follow these steps to avoid streaks or unnatural-looking tans.

1. Exfoliate

Self-tanner will adhere to your dry skin first. Make sure to exfoliate your entire body before applying self-tanner. Use a body polish or body scrub with a loofah to make sure you get rid of as many dry skin cells as you can.

2. Apply

Try purchasing a basic kitchen sponge and using it to apply tanner as evenly as you can. Squeeze 4 lines of tanner along the sponge. Starting at your ankles, pull the sponge up your leg in an even line. Working around your leg, start at your ankles and work your way up. If you see any build up of product, use the sponge to smooth the tanner from bottom to top. Keeping a uniform motion like this will help you make sure you’ve covered all of your body and will prevent odd streaks from swiping the product all over your body. Use the same strategy on your arms, starting at your wrists and moving toward your fingers. Do not apply tanner under your arms. Apply a little more tanner to the sponge and apply to your chest and stomach, using the same vertical motion as before.

3. Face

Make sure your face will not break out by doing a spot test a few days before applying. Most self-tanners have a separate version for the face or specific directions for the face. Check into those options before doing anything else. You can completely avoid your face if the color you’re tanning the rest of your body is just a shade or two different.
Otherwise, apply tanner as you would your foundation; work from the nose in sweeping motions out to your jawbone. Avoid your brows and hairline. After applying to your entire face, dip a q-tip in a soap solution and go over your eyebrows and along your hairline.

4. Feet

To apply tanner to your feet, stand flat and apply to tops of feet making sure to go between your toes. Do not apply tanner to the bottoms of your feet and pay special attention that no product builds up on the bones of your feet (the same is true of your knees and elbows).

5. Hands

Avoid getting the dreaded orange palms by washing your hands immediately after applying the product (since you used a sponge, you won’t have as much on your hands). Then, reapply some tanner to the backs of your hands by rubbing them on your inner arms or legs.

6. Wait

One of the hardest steps to follow when applying a self-tanner is waiting for it to dry. You should stand naked for about 30 minutes. Stay fairly still for the first 10 minutes or so. Then, you can move around some as you wait for the product to dry. Be careful, it can seem dry long before it really is. Give your self-tanner a full 30 minutes before putting clothes on or sitting down.
After that, make sure you do not shower or go in the water for about 6 hours.

Recommended Self-Tanners

Department Store

Clarins Self-Tanning Instant Gel: This gel is instantly absorbed so there’s no need to wait for it to dry. You begin to see results in 2 hours. It’s also safe to use on your face (just make sure to spot test first).
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Self-Tan: This milky lotion glides on smoothly and dries quickly. You can reapply to achieve a darker color.
Lancome Soleil Flash Bronzer: This self-tanner glides on smoothly and dries quickly. See results in less than one hour.

Drugstore

Coppertone Sunless Tanning: Like the Jergens daily lotion, this lotion from Coppertone gives a gradual tan when applied as your daily body lotion.
Neutrogena Instant Bronze: This product has a bronzer built in that allows you to see exactly where you’ve applied the self-tanner. It dries in less than 5 minutes.
Jergens Natural Glow: Jergens Natural Glow acts just like your daily body lotion. Make sure to wash your hands after applying because they can start to look a bit orange after a few days of use.

What do you think about these tips for looking tan? Have you tried airbrush tanning or self-tanners? What about the tricks (clothing, bronzers, etc.)? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Must-Have Items for Your Swim Bag

Sunblock

If you’re looking to get a bit of sun without damaging your skin, apply a low SPF like Clinique’s Spray SPF 15 before you leave the house or as soon as you get to your destination. Then, 30 minutes after you’ve been in the sun, start the first of your reapplications with something stronger. Go for at least SPF 45 to prevent prolonged skin exposure.

Sunglasses

Gotta have a cute pair of shades to protect your eyes. Remember, sunglasses are more than just an accessory! Find a pair that offers 100% UV protection to shield your eyes from harmful rays.

Towel

Even if you have a favorite beach blanket or prefer the ease of using a sheet to lay on, you’ll still need a towel to dry off when you get out of the water. Instead of finding the brightest towel with the cutest beach motif, make sure your towel actually has some absorption properties. So often, beach towels are worthless when it comes to actually getting you dry. To carry your towel easily, roll tightly and place vertically in a corner of your bag.

Refillable Water Bottle

Make sure you stay hydrated! Bring a refillable water bottle full of cold water. Hopefully there will be a water fountain nearby where you can refill your bottle if you run out of fresh water.

Brush

Spending time in the water can wreak havoc on your ‘do. Make sure you have a brush on hand to pull through your tangles. Brush your hair before you get into the water to prevent gnarls and knots. Be gentle with your wet hair, starting at the ends and working your way up to the roots.

Beauty Items for Your Swim Bag

Carry all of your beauty products in a ziploc or small cosmetic case to keep sand from getting into them.

Hair Product

If your hair doesn’t dry perfectly without the help of a blow dryer, you might consider carrying a special product to use when you get out of the water. A leave-in conditioner can work, but I’m really loving the ‘Summer Hair Beach Waves’ spray from Federic Fekkai. In addition to the ingredients that help you get tousled waves, it also has a UV protectant to prevent sun damage and color fading.

Face Lotion

After some time in the sun, your face can feel pretty dry. Carry a small bottle of your regular face lotion along to remoisturize.

Lip Protectant

To keep your lips from getting dry, cracked and sunburned, carry a lipgloss or chapstick that contains an SPF. Not only will this protect your lips, it will also make your smile dewy after a day of relaxation.

Cream Blush/Bronzer

After a day in the water, you’ll skin will probably be pretty free of makeup. To add a little color, apply a cream blush to the apples of your cheeks and a tad bit to the outside of your eye crease. Even though you protected your skin with sunblock, doing this will give your face the appearance of having that sun-kissed glow. I really love NARS Multiple Bronzer because it’s in the form of a lipstick for easy application.

Extra Hair Bands or Bobby Pins

Just in case your hair needs a little help at the end of the day, carry some extra hair bands or bobby pins.

Extras

Book

Reading a book while you lay by the beach is pretty much the ultimate in relaxation. Carry a book that you can get lost in and enjoy yourself as you’re reading. Don’t bring a book that requires note-taking or reference tools. Give yourself a break!

Snack Bar

Always keep a snack bar (Luna and Lara are my favs) stashed in your beach bag. You never know when you might need a little something to snack on.

Playing Cards

If you’re hanging at the water with a friend, bring a pack of playing cards. You might want to do something more interactive then lay next to each other reading your respective novels.

Wet Wipes

It’s always nice to have wet wipes on hand just in case. You never know when you might need them. Often, there might be restroom facilities but no place to wash your hands. Carrying wet wipes keeps you prepared for whatever might come your way.

Essentials

If you need to bring your cell phone, digital camera, ipod, keys, a credit card and cash, don’t bring your purse. Instead, place them all in a ziploc to keep them away from water, sand and dirt.

The Perfect Bag

I’m a big fan of the LLBean Bote and Tote bag. I have a couple of the Large sized bags. They’re the perfect beach bag because they’re made of super strong canvas that is easy to clean. Straw bags are cute, but sand and dirt make them grimy in no time. Canvas bags wash easily.

What do you keep in your beach bag?
What’s your favorite beach bag?