23″ Synthetic Curly Extensions, and thick side braids!

Over a year ago I purchased 23″ Synthetic Curly Extensions off the WISH App. I had no idea what I was looking for, but I wanted something cheap because I did not know if I would ever use them.  The extensions I purchased were twenty dollars.  I thought when I bought them they were human hair, however, once they arrived I realized I made a mistake and got synthetic ones.  Unfortionaly, they just went into the I should return but I am not good at adulting pile and forgotten about.  They remained in the closet until I wrote my last post and I decided to dig them out and give them another try.

When the extensions were originally purchased my hair was five inches shorter.  At that time the 23″ extensions just looked super ridiculous, however, since my hair has grown a lot they look as natural as synthetic extensions can.

Having all the extensions in made me feel like Ariel from The Little Mermaid; all I needed was some music and I would have been singing Part Of Your World. I loved having all that hair, but the clips were super uncomfortable on my scalp.  I’m an extension virgin so I don’t know if that is just the way it is or if higher quality extensions have better clips as well.  Overall the synthetic hair reminded me of the American Girl Doll I had that “looked” like me. It was impossible to run my fingers through the synthetic extensions, and they got pretty frizzy as I braided them.  Even with all these negatives, I would still wear them for a short period or if I was dressing up needed some extra hair for a costume. Here are pictures of me with a fishtail braid and three strand braid using all the extensions. I love the way it looks, but hate the clips in my head.

Overall I would not recommend Synthetic Clip In Hair Extensions.  I am trying to find a way to use them to just braid into my hair to get that large bohemian braid look. In these pictures, you can see the various ways I tried to achieve a thick braid with minimal scalp pain. Going clockwise from the left; I attempted to use a four clip strip folded up and then braided into my hair. It did not feel secure or look all that great. The picture on the right is my braid with no extensions. Bottom left I have five total clips on two strips clipped into the back of my head. This was probably the most successful try but even though I only had two clip strips in, my scalp still hurt.

Check out my youtube video on these extensions, and attempt at getting an epic Elsa style braid. All in all, I loved how the 23″ synthetic curly hair extensions looked from a distance, but up close they looked pretty bad. I love the thick braid hairstyle I was able to achieve with the hair extensions.

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Laura Ingalls Inspired Up-do!

“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” -Laura Ingalls Wilder

In my previous post, I challenged myself to recreate a Little House On the Prairie  Laura Ingalls Wilder 1880’s up-do. While writing that post I learned some interesting facts about women’s fashion from the 1880’s as well as all about hair extensions. The earliest extensions can be dated back to Cleopatra in Egypt. Throughout the ages, wealthy women had hair extensions that helped create the look of hair piled high on their heads.

The Little House inspired up-do I recreated was fairly simple. I think I could have teased it and created more volume in the crown like Melissa Gilbert has here while playing Laura Ingalls. 

To recreate the back of this look I used a bun form, two braids, two French rope braids, and bobby pins to secure everything in place.  Using a section of hair in the back I made a bun using a bum form, then wrapped the braided ends around the covered form. Then French rope braided the front sections of hair and wrapped them around the bun form and pined them in place. If I was to recreate this look again I would tease the front sections before rope braiding and take larger sections of hair into the French rope braids for a more voluminous and less textured look.  Here is my video detailing how simple it really is.

 

After reading about the history of hair extensions I remembered the synthetic extensions I bought off WISH. I bought them thinking they were real hair for under $20. When they came I tried them out, and the color wasn’t quite right and they were too long. My hair has grown quite a bit since then. (Thanks; As I Am Coconut Co-Wash!) Due to these reasons, the extensions just sat in my closet for over a year. After doing the Little House Up-do Challenge I thought about using those extensions to make a giant braid or fishtail braid. Here’s a sneak peek at what I was able to do. I will have a review of the actual extensions and more about the braids I created in a future post. Enter your email below so you don’t miss it! 

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How to Apply Maskcara Makeup; Color blocking and blending.

In this graphic, you can see exactly where I put the highlight and contour shades before I blended it out.  The strategic placement of the contour lines can really change face shape.  I did go a bit heavier with the product than I normally do just to illustrate how contouring casts a shadow pushing features backward, and how highlighting pushes features forward by applying a color brighter than natural skin tone.

Highlight: Linen and White Peach; Linen was applied under my eyes, in the corner of my eyes, and along the top of my cheeks. White Peach was applied to ruddy areas and to cover any spots.

Contour: Astoria and Ash; Ash is the lighter of the two contours, it was applied under the cheekbones, along with the jawline and forehead.  Astoria was used sparingly along the sides of the nose, under bottom lip, and on eyes.

Lip and Check: Black Cherry; Put a generous amount just below the apple of cheeks and on lips.

Makeup was applied using the Maskcara 30 Second HAC brush, and the Detail HAC Brush. To blend I used the Pore Perfecter sponge and finished off with the Vanilla Dust Setting Powder.  Both pictures were taken in the same spot and there is no filter on either. For more makeovers check out my other blog posts, there are several transformation posts.

 

In this video, I used really exaggerated contour and blush blocks and then blended it out. I then went back in to darken and exaggerate the contour and blush more. This demonstrates how build-able Maskcara IIID foundation is.   It was neat to see the color transformation and watch how the carefully placed contour lines changed my face shape. Even after putting a fair amount of product on my face it was still seamless and laid beautifully on the skin.

Shop Maskcara at https://laurenshaver.maskcarabeauty.com if you need help color matching please send me an email, I will be happy to help.  If you are interested in becoming a Maskcara Makeup Artist yourself please contact me for details.

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Easy Elegant Updo

I’ve always loved the look of up-dos. As a child, I watched Little House On The Prairie and was obsessed with the characters hairstyles.  I would practice up-dos and braids on myself and loved how it neat they would come out. Getting up-dos for prom was my favorite part about getting ready.  The stylist explained to me that making two ponytails or using a bun form was an easy way to get bigger and fuller up-dos, she also informed me that curling the hair prior helped make the ends easier to conceal and gave a more finished look.  I have since been on the quest to create up-dos that are quick, and don’t require curling or styling prior.

This easy but elegant looking up-do is a Topsy tail, ponytail, and a bun form with lots of bobby pins.  If you are looking for a more polished look, curling your hair prior will help. Creating the look; First, take front sections of hair and pull them back and secure with a plastic elastic. Make a Topsy tail with this ponytail, by tucking the ends into space just before the elastic. Gently tighten Topsy Tail. Pull all hair back into a ponytail.  Place a bun form underneath ponytail and bobby pin in place.  Bobby pin hair over top the bun form and work to secure bun form to the back of the head.  Place hair around bun form as needed and pin until the entire bun form is covered.  Take a bobby pin and connect the sides of Topsy tail together.  Carefully tug at the hair to give it a textured look.  If you are a visual learner check out the How to Video below.

Writing this blog post got me thinking about women in 1880 and their various hairstyles.  According to Wikipedia  “Hair was usually pulled back at the sides and worn in a low knot or cluster of ringlets; later hair was swept up to the top of the head. Fringe or bangs remained fashionable throughout the decade, usually curled or frizzled over the forehead, often called “Josephine Curls.” This explains the bangs throughout the Little House series.

Check out Nelly’s Josephine Curls.  I’ll pass on those bangs, but I love the way Laura’s bun looks from the back. For my next video, I am going to attempt to recreate Laura’s Up-do. Looks as simple as a rope braid, bun form, and three strand braid.

 

Check out the results of my Laura Ingalls up-do!

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I also have several other simple hair tutorials on YouTube, this one is my favorite!

 

 

Target Monitor Selfie Challenge: Completed

In my last post, I came up with the Target Self-Checkout MIRROR Selfie Challenge.  The challenge was born out of doing makeovers under fluorescent lights and then remembering how I once thought there was someone else standing behind me when self-checking out at Target.  It wasn’t a grumpy stranger impatiently waiting; it was my reflection. Those lights and that camera lens is brutal! Thus the Target Self-Checkout Mirror Selfie Challenge was born.

However I have now completed the challenge, and now know there is no mirror there its actually a camera monitor.  Embarrassing I know, but that goes to show just how much I was horrified by the reflection; I just assumed it was a mirror and never looked at it again.

Executing the Challenge:

I arrived at Target after putting the kids to bed with a clean moisturized face.  I went in and picked up a Halloween sticker book and then headed to the self-checkout.  I went to pay and realized I had forgotten money.  I told the cashier, and he told me to just go to the car and get it and then come back and finish checking out.  I went and got my money and came back, but now I had a cashier hoovering around me.  I pressed on. With as much Suave as I could muster, I started snapping selfies. It was around this time I realized it was not a mirror but a monitor and it was higher than I remembered.  It should be said that my reflection was as scary as I remembered. I did the best I could and could feel eyeballs burning into me as I was snapping away.

Convinced I got some decent before shots I headed back to my car and proceeded to do a Maskcara HAC using just the overhead lights. I did it as I normally would do with the same colors I normally use.  Once I was convinced I blended enough I headed back to into Target.  This time I got a gel sticker set for my daughter and then went to the same self-checkout register. I pulled out my phone and started to take selfies.  I most certainly looked like a goober taking selfies, but my reflection in the camera monitor was not nearly as horrifying.  Would I put it as my Facebook profile picture? No. Do I think it demonstrates how well Maskcara preforms under florescent lights? Yes, I do.  My skin tone was evened out, dark circles look more tired mom less Uncle Fester. My  jawline is defined and I have check bones under my rosy cheeks. In my after picture I have the #reallifefilter on and in person it looked natural not cakey.

I am really glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and faced down that monitor. Would you try doing a Target Monitor Selfie Challenge? If you do I would love to see it. Check out my video for a better understanding of how things turned out!

 

 

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