Five Golden Rules To Recreate Perfect Blowouts

We all love that "fresh-from-the-salon" feeling and know that there's nothing like a good hair day to skyrocket your confidence. I mean, honestly, your hair is least cooperative thing on your body! But, as with many great luxuries within this beautiful world, it's completely unrealistic to visit your nearest blowout bar/salon and get that feeling every day. However, you could probably achieve this exact feeling of confidence if you tried a DIY blowout at home! 

I know, what you're thinking... "There's no way I can recreate my perfect blowout! I'm not one of the pros." There's actually not much to it if you stay true to the golden rules of perfect blowouts!

1. Cleanse It - Use a nourishing, but lightweight shampoo and conditioner.This is essential. A great blowout is all about the free movement and volume that your hair has. Cleansers that pull your hair down are a no-no, so I'd advise skipping deep conditioners here.
2. Prep Your Hair - Apply a foam,volumizing product to the roots, heat protectant and only apply treatment oils to the ends of hair. This is basically reinforcing Rule #1, we're still going for a weightless quality here. I'm a big fan of Aveda's Phommolient Styling Foam and DryBar's 100 Proof Treatment Oil here.
3. Get your tools together! -  Having all of the necessary materials assembled is essential and will make your blowout go by a lot quicker. I regularly gather my brush, a fine tooth comb for detangling and parting, 1 small size claw clip,  4 large duck bill clips, a 1" barrel brush and your hairdryer. Depending on the length of your hair, you may want to up the barrel brush size.
4. About The Hairdryer - Get a powerful hair dryer. This is where you want to make an investment. A good hair dryer will be lightweight, have various heat settings and will come with a nozzle attachment so that you can easily work in tandem with your barrel brush.
5. Ready Your Work Area - Sectioning and Parting your hair will help you immensely when working through your blowout. I like to part my hair in 4 quarters, and work in small sections of hair about 2"-3" in size. When drying focus on getting to the roots with the barrel brush to add volume and thoroughly dry for optimal results.

These rules have really helped me when venturing into doing blowouts at home. I promise, if you stay true to these rules, you'll like your final look a lot! 

Let me know in the comments below if you have any additional tried and true rules to recreating your perfect blowout! I'd love to hear from you!

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What's The Difference Between BB and CC Creams?

With all of the choices available for achieving a seemingly flawless complexion in the aisles of drugstores and beauty counters, the beauty industry definitely hasn't made decision-making an easy task. I mean, you have liquid foundations, powders, tinted moisturizers, airbrushing... you name it, it's probably out there now! But, lo and behold, we're not done yet! BB and CC Creams have crept onto the scene as the new cool kids on the block. But, as with any cool kid, they possess an heir of mystery. What are they all about and why should I care? Let's figure it out...

BB Cream: Simple and Nutrient Rich

BB Creams have a bit of rich history. They've apparently been around in the Asian markets for quite a while, as far back as the mid 1980's! However, they've only recently become popular within the U.S. BB stands for "beauty balm" I've also heard "blemish balm." BB Creams attempt to be an all-in-one kind of product that nourishes, protects, hydrates and applies very mild coverage for your skin. BB Creams are also meant to be rich in antioxidants and skin revitalization properties found in many anti-aging products.

I'd envision that BB Creams are best for those who want a natural and lightweight coverage for their skin. This person might also struggle with mild breakouts and would find deep nourishment to be a priority. Personally, as a woman with normal to oily skin, I don't tend to favor BB Creams because they have a tendency to linger on the oily side. These creams are much more apt for dryer skin users. 

Lastly, BB Creams are perfectly acceptable to be worn alone, but can also be used as a primer with foundation applied over it. This, of course, depends on your desired amount of coverage.

CC Cream: Smooth and Flawless

CC Creams are somewhat of a "fraternal twin" of BB Creams. Like BB's, CC Creams contain sun protection and nourishing benefits for the skin. However, a CC Cream's big selling point is "color correction." The main goal of a CC Cream is to help rectify uneven skin tone, and discoloration. For this reason, CC Creams can take on odd colors when looking at the product straight out of the tube. They may appear to be opalescent or "pearly" in color. This is to gather light-reflecting properties and use them in the proper areas for your skin. Those that suffer from hyper-pigmentation will find CC Creams very useful. 

CC Creams have a lighter feel on the skin than BB Creams and feel less oily. They also boast better coverage and blending capabilities. CC Creams have also been said to have more advanced healing properties than BB Creams. When looking at available CC Cream products in the market, you'll notice that they have claims of repairing or improving the appearance of your skin in "some odd" number of weeks. Claims like these are much more prevalent with CC Creams.

Overall, I'd say that the addition of BB's and CC's are welcome members to the always-evolving beauty industry. My only qualm with these new products are that being they are technically new on the beauty scene, available shades can be limited. However, with their rapidly growing popularity, I do see that changing soon. 

With that being said, I'm really interested in doing a compare and contrast experiment with a drugstore and high-end CC Cream. Just to figure out if more money, means better results. Who knows, we may see that coming on The Chic Counsel sometime in the near future.

Until next time!

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Review: Chanel Double Perfection Lumière Compact Powder

Within the past year, I've started experimenting with Chanel's cosmetics line. I have to say, I have yet to be disappointed in their products and always stop to check out their new offerings. Throughout winter and spring, I'd completely fallen for Chanel's Perfection Lumière liquid foundation for it's great coverage, long-lasting formula and flawless shade matching ability that compliments oil-prone skin like mine. However, being that I reside in Dallas, Texas, in May, it quickly became apparent that this foundation was no match for the abrasive Texas heat! So, I went in search for an alternative. 

Enter, Chanel Double Perfection Lumière Compact Powder. This powder has a lot going for it.

• Lightweight formula
• Medium to Full Coverage depending on application
• SPF 15 - sun protection is always a plus!
• Sleek compact that's great for on-the go application

I'm currently using the shade 60 - Beige and although the compact is equipped with it's own application sponge, I apply with a large powder brush for a seamlessly blendable appearance.

Like the other Chanel cosmetics that I've tried, I'm thoroughly impressed with the quality of this product. After a few weeks of use I notice that my skin doesn't build oil throughout the day in my problem areas, the coverage lasts throughout the day with minimal touch-ups necessary, and I haven't had any breakouts, which is something that I experience with other powders.

All in all, I'd give this product an A+, but I'd expect nothing less from one of my favorite brands. The Chanel Double Perfection Lumière Compact Powder runs at about $52.50, which isn't cheap, but well worth the money, in my opinion. 

If you're ready to try Chanel Double Perfection Lumière Compact Powder, you can find it online at Chanel or visit retailers such as Nordstrom.

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Review: DryBar Happy Hour Shampoo and Weightless Conditioner

I think that I can safely assume that we've all heard of the powerhouse company, DryBar, a premium blow dry bar. This incredible company brings together the crème de la crème of feminine indulgence, classic chick flicks, champs, enviable decor and perfect pampered tresses all under one roof! Well, this year, DryBar has taken it up yet another notch and released their own line of hair products. This allows you to recreate your favorite blowout at home with the same products and tools the pros use!

Being the blowout fanatic that I am, I was all too willing to take these products for a spin. I started out with the Happy Hour Blowout Shampoo and Happy Hour Weightless Conditioner. The packaging is nothing short of spectacular, in true DryBar fashion. Sleek, functional and well-designed with cheeky "pun-intended" names referencing the "bar."

Both the Happy Hour Shampoo and Conditioner contain a crisp, fresh and luscious perfumed scent that sticks to your locks. I was particularly impressed with the formula of the shampoo as it thoroughly cleansed the oiliness of my hair but still left it feeling un-stripped.

The Weightless Conditioner is the perfect accoutrement to the shampoo and stays true to its "weightless" claim. While it doesn't possess a thick consistency, you'll notice that after applying the conditioner and rinsing, your hair feels completely nourished and is easily detangled. However, the true magic happens during the blow out. You'll be amazed at how well these products assist you in getting that airy and lightweight feel that is the essence of every blowout. To be honest, I haven't had this kind of success with an at-home blow out with any other shampoo and conditioner combination!  

Here's a couple of snapshots from my trial run with the products...

All in all, I'd say that the performance of the products is absolutely stellar. If I had one criticism, I'd say that I wish you got more product for the money. Both the Happy Hour Shampoo and Weightless Conditioner come in at 8.5 oz of product for $23 each. 

If you're a first timer, I recommend heading to your nearest DryBar location and picking up a complimentary sample pack of Happy Hour.If you're fully committed to trying out the DryBar hair products or tools, you can find them at any DryBar location or online, and you can also find them at Sephora.

Let me know in the comments what you think of DryBar's Happy Hour Shampoo and Conditioner, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Welcome to The Chic Counsel

Today is an exciting day! 

I've finally launched the fashion and beauty blog for twenty-somethings, like myself, that will act as a sounding board for every trend and product out there. I guarantee that we'll have a great time singing the praises of the latest phenomenal gel moisturizer that zaps even the largest pores to an oblivion and we'll even find some enjoyment jeering the regrettable fashion choices of yesteryear that seem to keep creeping back up (gel manicures, we're looking at you).

No matter the topic, all that matters is that you're here. I hope to make this blog and my upcoming YouTube channel somewhat of a community. So, with that being said, make yourself comfortable! Tell me a bit about yourself and let me know what you'd like to see out of The Chic Counsel.

Lastly, please, go ahead... bookmark, share, and subscribe to The Chic Counsel! And don't forget to connect with me everywhere else! 

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Talk to you soon!
-A