Lust List: Summer Beauty Essentials

  

I'm no beauty expert, but I do have a few tried and true essentials that always work well for me in the summer and Arizona heat.

1. Organix Moroccan Argan Oil - a cheaper version of Moroccan Oil that works just as well! Makes my hair dry in half the time and keeps it soft and shiny.

2.Essie "Nice is Nice" nail polish. A great lavender hue.

3. Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb. A great everyday fragrance. Get a ton of compliments because of it.

4. Revlon "Candy Pink" lipstick. Adds a pop of color without being too bright.

5. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. It's nice and light with SPF for my fair skin.

What are your summer beauty essentials?

Beauty by LC

It's no secret that one of my guilty pleasures is basically anything Lauren Conrad related. I grew up watching Laguna Beach and the Hills, and can't help but liking Lauren. One of her current projects is The Beauty Department, a beauty blog that she works on with her friends and glam squad. It features a ton of great tutorials so you can copy the makeup and hair looks at home. Lord knows, I need all the beauty help I can get - so I'll definitely be using these vids to learn some tricks of the trade.

Old Hollywood Glam

Ballerina Bun

Get Catty

Lauren's Everyday Waves - can't wait to try these when my hair is long again!

Feeling Fishy

Recently, I love the look of fishtail braids and any other loose plait, especially in the heat and STL humidity. Anything messy, but still put together is alright by me. BUT, I must confess, dear readers, that I can no longer sport the fishtail - or any braid for that matter - because this weekend I had 6 inches of my hair cut off! It was a very last minute decision to forgo my normal trim for almost Locks of Love lengths, as in I decided as my hair was being washed at the salon. I'm still getting used to my much lighter head and nubby ponytails, but I love short hair for summer. My lack of length, however, doesn't mean I can't admire these beautiful braids.

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 I've never seen the half-down look with a fishtail before - very unique and cool.

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A cascading technique. Pure awesome.

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Lauren Conrad nearly always gets it right with her hair. Very beachy, surfer look.

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Some more side swept looks, courtesy of models, but models always look good, don't they? 
 

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There are a ton of "how to" videos on youtube, here's one I liked and thought was easy to follow for the hair styling challenged like myself:

Happy Monday and happy braiding! Let me know if you try them and if you think it's at all feasible for shorter hair *fingers crossed*