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Why Did or Why Don’t: Braidy Bunch

By |August 27th, 2014|Beauty Buzz, Somethin for the fellas, Why Did or Why Don't?|

cary fukunaga braidsWe have already covered the man bun/mun/male topknot (feel free to weigh in), which does not seem to be going anywhere if this week’s awards shows have been any indication.  Just look at all the fuss over Game of Throne’s, Kit Harrington’s, perfectly executed updo from Monday night’s Emmy Awards.  But all the man buns in the world and even Jared Leto’s ombre mane couldn’t compete when True Detective’s director, Cary Joji Fukunaga, took the stage to accept the award for Outstanding Director.  I, for one, audibly gasped at this handsome man, but it wasn’t just his cheekbones that sent the internet into a tizzy.  It was his hair.  At first glance, he looked clean cut, but as he described his coiffure, “For tonight, I just thought business in the front, party in the back.”

Though Cary was a pleasant surprise in a room full of familiar faces and stuffy industry types and his hair seemed to be a fresh interpretation for man coifs worldwide, he’s not the first to be seen sporting man braids.  As a matter of fact, the night before rapper, Riff Raff, clad in denim had a head full of braids and is probably asking today, “Dafuq?” Even before Riff Raff, there was David Beckham, Axl Rose, and let us never forget Kevin Federline.

famous men braidsI, myself, spent a sunny Saturday afternoon in Amagansett this summer lackadaisically braiding cornrows into one of my man bun wearing guy friend’s head.  We thought it was kind of funny and for him, the look actually worked.  I even taught him the importance of patting his head when it started to itch as to avoid creating frizz.  So, back to Cary’s internet sensational hairstyle and potentially the next wave of hipster hairdos (Slate created a pretty genius rendering).  It may have something to do with the fact that he’s terribly good looking, but the only part of his hairstyle that truly bothered me was his (unintentionally) crooked part which The Cut got a close up of.  You see though, I’m quite dextrous and great with a comb, so Cary, call me next time you’re you’re looking for some Poetic Justice.

What do you think about men with braids?

xx,

WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: Blonde Ambition… Or Lack Thereof.

By |August 29th, 2013|Beauty Buzz|

kirsten smithOne of the hardest parts about leaving New York for sunny LA other than just about everything was coming to terms with the fact that I was going to have to replace my blonde making magician of a hairstylist.  Before I left, I got my locks artificially kissed by the sun, and kissed Anna (my hairstylist) goodbye.  Living in the land of blondes, I figured it’d be easy to find someone , but having been burned (like, literally.  My hair fell out.) before, I was totally hesitant  to try someone new.

I don’t get many lucky breaks.  No, really, ask my friends and family.  It’s like I’m followed around by a storm cloud, but in this instance, I dumb lucked into the hair trend that took over the land whilst in between haircare masters: ombre.  While most girls went out and had their stylists darken their roots and lighten their ends.  I sat back, relaxed, and watched my hair grow.  Which is kind of the equivalent of watching paint dry, except slightly more exciting because you never really know what color your natural haircolor is after 10+ years of highlighting.

When I started posting selfies on Instagram, my darker locks got some seriously positive feedback and many a blonde pal asked just how I had managed the switch.  So, below I have outlined my rules to achieving the look and wouldn’t you know?  The end of summer is the perfect time to try the continuing trend.

  1. Commit to the challenge.  No one said it was going to be easy.  They just said it would be worth it.  Okay, it’s definitely not that serious, but just brace yourself for a transitional period.  You aren’t going to look the same.  You are going to have to change your makeup.  Different colors are going to look better on you.  Some people even told me my facial structure started to look different.  I think that was because I packed on winter weight, but that’s neither here nor there.
  2. Blend In.  This is just about the only situation in life where I will advise you to do so… unless you happen to be hunting.  In which case, stick with camo.  To make the switch from amber to auburn less abrupt, have your colorist paint in some lowlights and start blending away the blonde.
  3. Keep it trim.  Sure, you won’t need to spend half your paycheck being painted the perfect buttery blonde anymore, but that doesn’t mean you have to skip the salon altogether.  I hate getting haircuts, but letting too much time pass between trims can lead to some hairy situations; much like missing a bikini wax.  Schedule a visit every six to eight weeks depending on your hair length and style.
  4. Be patient.  Similar to growing out your bangs, your roots are going to get to that stage where you just wanna say, “F%ck it!” and get back on the bottle.  But don’t do it.  Stay off the sauce.  Though you may be looking like Courtney Love of the 90’s (not someone I aim to emulate either), you will get through this.  Much like how I got through Advanced Calculus and my last breakup.
  5. Start from the bottom (now you’re here).  Your ends are old.  Some of them have been with you longer than a few of your friends.  Think about it: hair grows about half an inch a month.  So unless you’re sporting a Miley Cyrus pixie cut, you may have strands aging over ten years!  Now, when it comes to sudsing up in the shower, you’re going to want to focus most of the shampooing on your roots and conditioning on your ends.  Same principle applies when putting on product post bathing.

The whole process took about an entire year, but I have hair that’s halfway down my back.  And while that sounds like an excessive amount of time, each phase was kind of like having a new look.  Where the lighter strands are in relation to your face make all the difference.  You may stop the process when your golden strands greet your chin.  Seeing as the sun has been kind to my color, I, too, will be repeating the process this fall.  Unless, of course, I go for that Miley pixie.

xx,

WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: Crystal Light

By |March 1st, 2012|Beauty Buzz|

hair flipLike many girls, I’m pretty obsessed with my hair.  I would even rank it as one of my best features (and I have so many).  So, I spend a lot of time (and sometimes money) trying to take great care of my beloved hair.  Whether it be taking mass quantities of vitamins or test driving the latest deep conditioners, I’m always on the lookout for the split end savior.

When the king of haircare, Kerastase, was kind enough to send me the latest and greatest from their line, I couldn’t wait to hop in the shower and lather up.  Cristalliste is specifically formulated for ladies with long locks (like me) and the goal is to nourish hair while leaving it light and airy.  I swear, this stuff was created for me.  It addresses all of my follicle fears (and the packaging is PINK!).

kerastase crystallisteI’ve since used the products twice (I like to go on a couple of dates before making any judgements) and I have to say, I’m a convert.  Hair feels silky, but light as a feather.  Long hair tends to get heavy, but Crystalliste leaves hair super shiny and soft without being the slightest bit weighed down by heavy conditioners (silicone, paraben, and colorant free!).  Oh and did I mention it smells like heaven?

Because Cristalliste cleanses your roots and nourishes your lengths and ends, it is perfect for us ladies who are doing the ombre hair thing (whether intentional or not).  While getting my hair trimmed a month or so ago, my stylist said to me, “You need to put back in what you take out of your hair by styling and coloring.  Your standard drugstore suds just won’t do.”  Well, thank goodness for Kerastase.  Keep your eyes peeled this month when Cristalliste will be available at a salon near you.

xx,

WhyDid

The List Volume 2012

By |December 30th, 2011|The List|

As the years go by, they seem to pass faster and faster.  I really can’t believe how quickly this year went by.  A good way to revisit and remember 2011 was by going back through all of WhyDid’s posts and choosing my favorites.  I figured it would be pretty easy cause I couldn’t have possibly written more than 12 posts that were awesome… but it proved much more difficult than anticipated.

Throughout the year, we uncovered trends, divulged our dating secrets, re-vamped our closets and poked fun at silly celebrities.  We covered everything from ombre hair to top knots to matzo ball soup to Lana Del Rey.  It was a busy year, yet somehow, some way, I was able to pick out twelve of my favorite posts from this year to ring in 2012.

  1. Do you have a case of the ex?
  2. Don’t you dare grasp for straws.
  3. Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
  4. Remember when you were 18?
  5. Love will come when you least expect it.
  6. How come you don’t do what you love?
  7. Friends come, friends go. Are you my BFFN?
  8. Sex and the City isn’t real life.
  9. Never forget it’s the thought that counts.
  10. Unless, of course, that thought only lasts for the next 72 days.
  11. And of course, I partied in party pants.

What were your favorite posts from 2011?

xx,

WhyDid

The List Volume LV

By |October 7th, 2011|The List|

 I always get a kick out of checking my Google Analytics to see what people are searching.  Some of you are real freaks.  Then again… I’m the one with the blog that people Googling land on.  That’s neither here nor there.  So, what were you fine folks Googling this week? Let’s have a look.

  1. Slutty Halloween costumes (specifically slutty Tinkerbell and slutty schoolgirl).
  2. Motorcycle hand signals. 
  3. Anal bleaching (in several variations of the words).
  4. Black and white engagement rings.  FYI- Wedding Chicks just did an awesome piece on these. 
  5. Fishtail braid, Blake Lively mermaid braid, Serena fish braid.
  6. Ombre hair.
  7. Hedgehog bites, hedgehogs, hedgehog saying you’re stupid.
  8. Cute ways to curl your hair for a date.
  9. Rainboots, Hunter rainboots, Burberry rainboots, celebrities in rainboots.
  10. Cameltoe
You guys need to get hobbies…
xx,
WhyDid