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Beauty Q&A | Answering Your Most Asked Questions

Aug 31

ali and jay black jumpsuit
#tgif, babes! 

Today’s post has been a long time coming and I’m so excited to finally sit down and do a BEAUTY Q&A. I get quite a few makeup and hair questions on social media every day, many of which are the same or similar, so I thought I’d go through most of those here. I hope this post can serve as a resource if you’re ever looking for products/tools I use. I’m even linking my sassy earrings!

SHOP MY LOOK

ali and jay black jumpsuit
ali and jay black jumpsuit
sugarfix by baublebar hot pink drop earrings with bows
sugarfix by baublebar hot pink drop earrings with bows
sugarfix by baublebar hot pink drop earrings with bows
Before we jump in, remember you can always find my updated makeup, skincare, and hair care products under the SHOP tab at the top of the blog (hover and you’ll see a drop-down!).


Okay, let’s jump in!

How do you cut & color your hair? What salon do you go to? Luckily, I wrote a post recently with all of the information you’ll need if you’d like a similar cut and color to mine. You can go to my hair cut & color post HERE. My stylist’s information is also included!


How do you get so much volume in your hair? This might be my most asked question! If you’re following me on Instagram I recently did an IGTV video showing exactly how I tease my hair and my favorite volume spray from Kenra – literally it’s all you need (+ a comb) and you’ll be good to go!


What self-tanner do you use? Do you have a tutorial? A couple weeks ago I switched to St. Tropez Extra Dark and don’t know if I’ll ever go back to anything else. I don’t care for the original version from St. Tropez but Extra Dark is amazing! It adheres to the skin easily and doesn’t stick as badly to the elbows, hands, knees, and feet – plus it’s a beautiful color. I also use a gradual tan lotion every day that seems to really help. Sadly, no tutorial yet!


What mascara do you use? Do you use a serum? I own a ton of mascaras. It’s my favorite product to try so I almost always pick a new one up while I’m out at the store. My all-time favorite though is Too Faced Better Than Sex. It gives big bold lashes and lasts for quite a while. For my bottom lashes, I love Dior’s Addict It-Lash Mascara because it doesn’t smudge & smear throughout the day. Right now I don’t use a serum.


Do you have lash extensions? If not, what falsies do you use? I don’t have extensions, they sort of freak me out haha – I like being able to see my own. But I do wear falsies often – on days I’m taking pictures for the blog or when I have lots of try-on sessions or on camera stuff to do. My hands-down favorite lashes are the Ardell Wispies.


What sparkle eyeshadow and liner do you use? The sparkle eyes have quickly become my signature – and I love it! I wear Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy on the bottom (it’s super easy to apply) and Stila’s Kitten Karma on the top as a shadow.


Are your nails real? What is the light pink color? I have acrylic and gel. I find that it’s much easier to maintain especially since I take pictures so often and always need them to look nice. Currently, I’m obsessed with a gel from Cuccio called Pink Champagne.


What is your go-to lip combo? Okay, this is another one I get all of the time! Lately, I will either wear MAC’s Bosom Friend or Charlotte Tilbury’s Kim KW with Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk Liner and Almay’s Goddess Gloss in Angelic.


Do you have a skincare routine? Redness-reducing?  You can find all of my skincare products HERE. I’ve been testing a lot of new lines lately and really love TULA, Drunk Elephant, Amala, Kopari, and First Aid Beauty. I did an entire post on redness reducing skincare HERE. 


Do you have a full face makeup tutorial? I used to have a tutorial on Instagram highlights but I needed to free up space so I plan on filming a new one in segments very soon on IGTV.


What do you use to curl your hair? What about when you wear it naturally curly? I’ve been using a Conair Infiniti rose gold 1 1/4 curling iron that is super affordable. It’s a little creaky lol but for what it costs I don’t mind. This week I also bought the rose gold wand.


What straightener do you use? Blow dryer? I have several but really love my GHD Platinum and Bio Ionic 10X Ultralight Speed dryer.


What have you been doing to get your hair to grow so fast? Lately, I’ve been getting this question daily. I think it’s because my hair is finally over the “midway” hump where it goes from feeling short to feeling long (thank goodness!). Also, genetically my mom and I have very thick hair that grows super fast. I have, however, been taking collagen chews from Neocell (c/o) which I figure can’t hurt! They taste great and my hair and skin have never looked better. 


What shampoo and conditioner do you prefer? Like mascara, I try a ton of hair care products. You can find all of them HERE. My go-to shampoo and conditioner are the hydrating duo from Moroccan Oil. I also love Kenra’s new detox and deflect clarifying trio – OMG your hair will feel clean – the deep detox scrub is awesome!


How do you keep from washing your hair every day? Fav dry shampoo? My hair isn’t very quick to produce oil so I only wash it once a week usually. Granted, I’m not doing cardio every day or using tons of product on it – or yes, I would be washing it more often lol. My recommendations for going longer without washing your locks would be to wear it up in a scrunchie at night, use the least amount of product when styling, and find a great dry shampoo. I just started using Drybar’s Detox Dry Shampoo and it may have won out my old fav (Batiste is a really good drugstore option). 


Makeup products worth the splurge? For the most part in the beauty & hair departments, you get what you pay for. I, personally, splurge on foundation (this one is incredible) and primer because the way these are formulated can make a big difference in your skin. Also, brushes! Application is everything when it comes to makeup so buy nicer brushes that are high-quality because they will apply product better and last you forever. My favorites are MAC and Tom Ford.


What hot rollers do you use? How long do you leave them in? I use Conair Xtreme Jumbo Instant Heat Jumbo and Super Jumbo Hot Rollers – they are really inexpensive and work well. Instead of straightening right after blow drying, I immediately use hot rollers so that I don’t create too much heat damage. The rollers leave my hair super full and much smoother. If there are any unruly places after hot rolling, I will use a straightener to smooth them out. I also use jumbo velcro rollers sometimes at night for extra volume. I put them in like a mohawk down the middle so I can sleep comfortably on my side. Btw for any kind of roller, pull the hair foward and roll away from the face. I have a full hair tutorial on my IG highlights under hair!
If there is anything I didn’t answer please let me know via email or direct message.
Oh, I almost forgot, my liquid lipstick is by WeMakeup #22 – highly recommend for weddings, special events, or every day. Their formulation is amazing!


Have a fabulous weekend!


SHOP MY LOOK

XO Amanda
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