Wear it Wednesdays: Dry Shampoo

Hi beauties!

I'm back to the writing grind with a quick post about dry shampoo.

I used to be the kind of girl who shampooed her hair daily. Seriously, every single day. I remember in my senior year of high school our hot water heater broke and I begged my father to let me stay home rather than face a day of school with unwashed hair. My hair is fine, but does tend to get oily rather quickly. With the myriad of articles and posts suggesting that shampooing daily is actually super damaging, my curiosity was peaked. The problem is, that I really cannot stand the feel of dirty, greasy hair. So I set out to do some research on dry shampoo. While I personally am not convinced that it is indeed a beauty sin to lather up each day, I do know that I then heat style my hair daily and that definitely takes a toll on my hair. In an effort to achieve longer, healthier locks I took to the store to stock up on dry shampoos.

The problem was, I didn't really know how to use a dry shampoo and the result was that I hated it and went right back to shampooing daily. When I was forced to chop my locks for the health of my hair, I knew I needed to do something to help keep my hair health and perhaps to help it grow. And I went right back to trying dry shampoo.

I found a method that works for me, and I now only wash my hair every other day. I love the way my hair feels healthier from reduced stress of styling and possibly shampooing. Dry shampoo is probably a complete no-brainer for most people, but I am seriously not even remotely good with hair or hairstyling, so it took me some major trial and error to get it right.

I personally love the Batiste brand of dry shampoo. You can pick it up at Ulta beauty stores or Walgreens.
It's also available on Amazon.com, but I would be careful when buying it that you don't end up over paying for a can. It retails for $7.99 at Ulta and $8.99 at Walgreens. You can also score cans at T.J. Maxx for about $5.99.


My first few tries with dry shampoo were unsuccessful because I was terrified of the white cast that everybody warns against. However, it is nearly impossible to use a dry shampoo without this effect. What I do is spray my hair liberally, and this will mean that you see white in your hair where the dry shampoo was applied. I then throw on my shower cap and shower. If I've already showered for the day, then I'll put my hair up and off of my face and let the dry shampoo sit for 10-15 minutes. Giving the dry shampoo time to sit was the part of using it that I had been missing at first. When you allow the dry shampoo to sit, it gets a chance to fully absorb the oils and makes the white cast nothing to worry about. Once my hair is back down, I work my hands through my hair and over my scalp as if I were using regular shampoo. This helps to distribute the product, and a scalp massage always feels nice. Next, I brush out my hair to ensure that there is no white residue left behind and I'm good to go.

I love this so much, and the time that it saves me each day, that I am seriously considering attempting to go from shampooing every other day to going two days in between shampoos. I've also been playing around with baby powder as a dry shampoo. So far, I've had pretty good success with that as well.

What are your favorite second day hairstyles?

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Daily Beauty Routine: Morning Basics

My day to day my life is more suited to yoga pants and ponytails than it is a full face of makeup and professional clothes. However, even as a busy (step)mom I like to feel beautiful and I appreciate the added confidence that a more polished look gives me. I confess, I never went to one college course without a full face of makeup. If I was sick and not feeling well, either I slathered on the products or I stayed under the covers. And I'll also admit to being the girl at the gym with makeup on. Not every single day that I go, but on occasion you will find me on the treadmill with my mascara starting to smudge.

This comes as a fascination with beauty products. Since I was a young, young girl I have been excited and stimulated by potions and powders and the older I get, the more the obsession seems to grow. I am constantly experimenting with various products and love finding hidden gems that work for me.

Now, I do not think that women NEED to wear makeup daily to feel or be beautiful. But for me, the time I spend in front of my mirror buffing, blending and blotting really is an enjoyable experience. I find a sort of relaxation and satisfaction in doing my makeup and if on a given day the thought of doing my makeup is a headache, I simply skip it.

Since this is the very beginning of this blog, I'll start today with the beauty basics that I do daily. These rituals and routines lay the foundation for any makeup look that I feel like doing. 

The first thing I do is drink water when I get up. I try to drink 24 ounces immediately when I wake up. It helps me feel refreshed and awake.

Next, I start my day like many other moms. When I have a moment, I shower. I do not wash my hair every day and choose to wash every other instead. I wish I could go longer in between washes, but I've always had very fine and slightly oily hair. Batiste dry shampoo has been a lifesaver for my non-shampoo days. My favorite scent is:

I'm a sucker for anything leopard print at the moment, and the scent is feminine without being overpowering.

Once I'm done in the shower, I apply lotion. My absolute favorite winter lotion is Neutrogena Moisture Wrap.

It is amazing at providing lasting moisture and softness to the skin without ANY trace of greasiness, which I cannot stand in a lotion. It dries quickly so I'm able to dress without problem.

My basic facial routine consists of three steps, like many women. I'm in the process of experimenting with products that work for me and at the moment my face routine is:

1. Cleanse - I use Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily skin. In the past year my skin has completely changed and what used to be normal to combination is now a virtual oil slick. This cleanser really does help my face feel clean without any irritation or residue. I was an avid fan of the Clarisonic (a gift from my mother) but in the past 2 weeks I have discovered a new love:

The Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal is AMAZING. I have used the Clarisonic for nearly two years and I was so skeptical when I read reviews that said women preferred this sponge to the Clarisonic, but, count me among those women. The texture of my face seems smoother and it is so calming, yet it truly does clean the skin. I'll keep you updated on whether or not I love this long-term as much as I do right now, but, it is truly an amazing product. 

2. Toner - In addition to my skin becoming more oily, it seems more prone to breakouts as well. I use an exfoliating cotton pad and the Neutrogena Stress Control toner with salicylic acid. Through much trial and error I have learned the benzoyl peroxide is not a friend to my skin and salicylic acid seems to help my acne. 

3. Moisturize and Spot Treatments - I use a Roc retinol eye cream that I swear has minimized the appearance of my crow's feet. Now, I'm only 29 so they aren't awful, but it is nice to have them appear softened so I would repurchase this product when I run out. One thing I spent nearly a year struggling with was finding a moisturizer that left my skin feeling hydrated, but that did not increase oil production or break me out. I finally found one that I am absolutely in love with. I recently recommended it to my sister, who finds her skin going through the same changes as mine and she loves it just as much as I do. The Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream is truly a holy grail product for me. I am hoping that I love it just as much in the summer as I do right now, and I truly do not think that I will be disappointed. I use the "night" formulation as the SPF in the day cream tends to lead to breakouts. I highly suggest trying this moisturizer if you have oily or combination skin and still need to hydrate it.

Lastly, I apply the L'Oreal Youthcode Texture Perfector Pore Vanisher (that's a mouthful!) all over my face. I picked this up at the recommendation of one of my favorite YouTube gurus, Tati, and I love this as a primer. Even on days that I do not apply any makeup I will wear this. It helps to blur imperfections, control my oil and I find it to be beautiful under makeup as well.

That's my daily morning routine. In all it takes maybe 15 minutes.

What beauty rituals make you feel more refreshed? What other areas of your day leave you feeling confident and beautiful? Take some time to focus on what activities give you renewed energy or passion and enjoy them today!