Headbands can do Strange Wonders for Wigs

I went to a concert a few nights ago and I saw a girl with the most wonderful hair. It was straight and chin length with bangs. Furthermore it was colored orange and yellow, and adorned by a thin blackheadband, positioned on her head like a crown. I could not help myself from looking in her direction periodically to take it in. When the lights came on, though, I realized she was actually wearing a wig. Not only that, but she was wearing a verycheap wig!

Being a wig connoisseur, I am generally not often fooled by even the most high end wigs. How could I have been, not only unaware, but in awe of this inexpensive costume wig? Simply put, it was the headband. In this case, said headband pushed up the hair coming from the back of the crown of the wig, causing this strange, unintentional and natural look. It proved to me in someone else, something that I was first aware of from experimenting on myself: headbands are an accessory that can enhance a wig very positively.

Even a somewhat poorly designed wig can gain a new life with the rightheadband. Decent wigs can, at least, gain a new look. Check this out… In this first picture, the wig is worn as purchased. It’s kind of cute. Not a bad wig. Then I added a simple, red, elastic headband, much in the style of the girl at the concert. I tied the hair up in the back of it and achieved the look in the second picture. As you can see, it looks like two completely different wigs. The headband held the hair tightly to my head, allowing for those great, sweeping bangs. All I did was experiment! Though though are no pictures of it here, I later untied the hair in the back and let it cascade down, leaving the headband in place. I then used awig brush to elevate the hair that sat behind the headband, but in front of my crown. It gave me a very cute, bouffant, southern kind of appearance. So because of a single piece of red elastic, I was able to create three completely different styles with a single wig.

I am particularly fond of the headbands which are tied. The blue one in the picture at the top of this post is an example of that. For one thing, they are wide enough to obscure a part in the top of the wig that may look awkward. Also, though, because you are in charge of the degree of tightness of the band, you can use it for all kinds of practical things. One such thing is the ability to tighten it so that it pulls back on your forehead, lifting your skin for a more feminine facial appearance. You can also take the excess ends of the band (if it has any) and retie it into the wig like a bow, or something funkier.

Courtecy: 

http://gendertrade.com/2009/10/19/headbands-can-do-strange-wonders-for-wigs/

15 Mascara Tricks & Tips

From Julyne Derrick,

Everything You Need to Know About Mascara

We've compiled a list of great mascara tips & tricks to share with you. Follow these & you'll save money, look prettier & your eyes will appear brighter & wider.

• Tip #1: How to use a lash comb. For some, lash combs are simply too fussy. But for some makeup artists, they're a great invention & keep lashes glob-free & perfectly separated. So how to use? Apply mascara at the lash base, wiggling the brush & then comb the mascara to the tips of your lashes. Not into the lash comb? Get rid of clumbs without them by removing excess mascara from the wand. Wipe wand on tissue, this eliminates blobs BEFORE you start.
  
• Tip #2: Try a clean mascara wand. Sweep a clean, fresh mascara wand through lashes when they're wet. Don't worry, you don't have to buy them. When you finish a mascara, clean the wand in a capful of eye makeup remover, then wash with soap & dry. Keep it clean by washing it whenever you wash your makeup tools.
  
• Tip #3: Don't shy away from colored mascara. Basic mascara rules are simple: Black works for everyone but blondes. Blondes should opt for brown/black by day & reserve black for night. Blue mascara, however, can brighten blue eyes, purple mascara can make brown eyes pop. The most popular mascara sold in the US is Maybelline Great Lash mascara, a great buy at under $6. The company estimates 1 tube is sold every 1.6 seconds in the U.S.
  
  
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• Tip #4: When applying mascara, wiggle the wand at the base of the lashes. It's the mascara placed near the roots (not the tips) that gives the illusion of length.
  
• Tip #5: Thin, short brushes are best. A thinner brush allows you to get into the corner of eyes. Short brushes give you more control.
  
• Tip #6: Give a few coats to the edges by blinking. Blink onto the brush to give ends an extra coat.
  
• Tip #7: Powder under the eye before applying mascara. Sometimes mascara smudges because it's attracted to oily concealer or eye creams.
  
• Tip #8: Use an eyelash curler BEFORE applying mascara. Curling lashes gives eyes the appearance of being wider & brighter. Shoot hot air from your blowdryer on the mascara curler for 3-5 seconds to warm it up before curling lashes. Touch it first to make sure it's not TOO hot. Shu Uemura makes the most popular eyelash curler on the market ($18-$22).
  
  
• Tip #9: Zig-zag the wand. Zig-zagging the wand back & forth during application helps cut down clumps.
  
• Tip #10: For a dramatic look, apply mascara only to the upper lashes. To make eyes seem wider, apply to the bottom, too. But make sure you give lashes a light touch. Not great at getting those bottom lashes? Try putting a tissue under them before application.
  
• Tip #11: Use a mascara primer. Primers coat lashes & separate them before you apply mascara. Makeup artists swear by this relatively new invention.
  
  
• Tip #12: Want that 2nd coat? Just make sure to do it before the first coat dries, otherwise you'll get clumps.
  
• Tip #13: Do NOT pump wand in & out of the tube. This only introduces air into the tube, which will cause your mascara to dry out sooner than it should.
  
• Tip #14: Another smudge-proof tip -- bend the wand. A top makeup artist once gave his secret to his steady hand: he always bends his wand at a right angle.
  
• Tip #15: Wait 5 seconds before blinking. You don't want to paint your lids, do you?