DIY wedding hair: Pretzel braid

I'm excited to share another hair tutorial! My friend (and hair genius) Caroline adores this gorgeous pretzel braid, which she says is easy enough for brides to do themselves. So, we met at our favorite wedding shop, and Jamie Beck took photos. Doesn't her hair look breezy and romantic?

Here are Caroline's steps, if you'd like to try it out...
"I have a friend who was an Irish dancer, and she would always wear her hair in amazing elaborate braids. This one is not-too-fussy (my favorite way to wear my hair) and would look so pretty for an evening wedding or outdoor summer party."--Caroline

1. Start by making two pigtails, using rubber bands. Make them a bit higher up on your head.

2. Braid both pigtails...

3. ...and secure ends with a rubber band.

4-6. Remove the top rubber bands from the pigtails.

7. Cross one braid over the other.

8. Starting with the braid that's now on top, create a sort of "C" shape and pin. It doesn't have to be precise; you just want to have a nice curved shape from the braid.

9. Make the same curved shape with the other braid and pin. Curve it up and over the top of the braid you just pinned down.

10. Ultimately, you want to get a nice sort of pretzel or knot shape from the two braids. Tuck the ends of both braids behind the knot and pin them down securely.
Voila! Isn't it gorgeous? Would you wear it to your wedding (or a summer party)? This is one of my favorite hair tutorials of all time! Please ask any questions in the comments below; the instructions are a little tricky...

P.S. Seven genius hair ideas.

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the step-by-step photos, Caroline is wearing an Eberjey robe. In the wedding photos, Caroline's wedding dress is by Ivy & Aster from Lovely, a gorgeous bridal boutique in the West Village. Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and her lip color is lipstick is NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Damned.Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Found! The perfect wedding nail polish

I finally found the perfect pink. You know how pink polishes can end up looking grey, which makes your nails look dull? Instead, I wanted something bright, clean and pretty--finally, when my friend Elizabeth came to visit this month, she told me about Fiji, and it's beautiful. Honestly, this sounds ridiculous, but every time I look down at my toes, I feel a little thrill.

Now I wear it everyday, and if I were getting married all over again, I would wear this in a heartbeat! I'd highly recommend it, ladies. :)Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Wednesday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is near and dear to my heart. LovingEco is an amazing new flash-sales site, like Gilt Groupe, focusing on eco-friendly and natural fashion and beauty brands, at discounts of up to 70% off.

This week, their sale is a huge discount on Josie Maran Cosmetics. (I wear her concealer and blush everyday!) Josie created her signature line of responsible, Argan Oil-based skincare and cosmetics after the birth of her daughter. So, the giveaway winner will receive a set of Josie Maran Cosmetics, including an eyeshadow kit, mascara and lip stain.

To enter, become a member on LovingEco and tell us your favorite item from their sales in the comments below. A winner will be chosen at random on Sunday (so you have four days). Good luck! xo Update: Lariss Walker is our winner. Thanks for playing.
Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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STS Needs You!

What readers and style fans think is REALLY important, so comments and views on outfits and looks featured would be really appreciated. 

According to the stats, the STS blog gets around 90,000 views per month but rarely there are comments or any feedback to go off so things can improve and get better; so, as a little incentive, there will be prizes for the best comment/commenter on the blog each week. 


Starting this coming week, the prize will be a huge bundle of celeb fragrance samples - Paris Hilton, Gwen Stefani, SJP, Kate Moss etc.




Depending on whether many people start commenting - it's a promise - the prizes will get bigger and better.

A few rules -
Please leave your name rather than "anonymous" that way it's easier to contact you if you win.
If you don't like an outfit or look, be honest, just lay off bad language or anything derogatory.
Winner will be picked next Sunday (August 14).

Hoping to read some outfit comments or reviews - the good and the bad - just keep it clean :)Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Kim Kardashian Candids (and Beauty Secrets!)

Kim Kardashian made a low-key but lovely arrival at JFK International Airport a few days back, touching down in a co-ordinating nude-and-neutral colored outfit of leather jacket, and matchy Balenciaga bag.





As well as her 3D magazine cover, Kim also recently appeared in FairLady magazine and gave away some of her beauty and make-up faves -

Smashbox Bronzer - Kim's make-up artist uses this to contour Kim's forehead.

Smashbox Brow Tech To Go - Used to fill in and add shape to the eyebrows.




Lancome Hypnose Mascara & L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara - A combination of both is used to achieve Kim's big lash look - Kim also uses Ardell lashes too.

Pics from Zimbio and fashionfendi.comSource URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Do or don't: Guys with beards

When Alex accidentally grew a beard three years ago (he had the flu), I told him he looked rugged and handsome. Surprised, he said I was the only women he'd ever known who actually liked beards. But doesn't everyone love a good scruff? I'm curious: Do you prefer guys with beards or definitely not?

Today Alex wrote an article about what it feels like for a guy to have a beard. It was funny to hear a man's perspective! Read it here, if you'd like.

P.S. Before and after.
Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Candice's Gorgeous VS Launch Styles

Candice Swanepoel has been busy promoting the latest Victoria's Secret Fantasies fragrance. 

At The Grove in LA she was beautiful in a flirty floral-print dress and nude heels, with a simple gold "C" necklace.





Later, attending a dinner at Chateau Marmont, she was equally stunning in a black Victoria Beckham Collection dress with hair pulled back.

Pics from Zimbio and PacificCoastNews.comSource URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Temporary tattoos!

These days, I'm smitten with all the clever tattoos out there, but I'm too wussy to get a permanent one. So I was THRILLED to discover tatt.ly, a new online shop offering awesome, designy temporary tattoos.

Which would you wear?Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Miranda Kerr does In Style Australia

On top of the world and looking better than ever after the birth of little Flynn a few months back, Australia's sweetheart Miranda Kerr scored the cover of InStyle Australia's August 2011 issue.  



Looking gorgeous in a bronze dress from Aussie desiger Thurley, Miranda graces the cover; and inside she talks about how she got into her incredible shape and how life's changed since Flynn:

“He’s a big baby, 4.5 kilograms at birth, and I thought to myself, ‘I have so much more that I want to do aside from modeling. I can live with my body not being in shape if I have a healthy son. It’s worth it’.”

On what's important in her life: “I was working 18-hour days. Now the pace has slowed so I can spend the majority of my time with Flynn—we have a bath together every night. [I am] first a wife and a mother, and then comes work. When I work, it needs to be the best decision for us as a family.”

Pics from InStyleSource URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Sexy eyebrows (yes, eyebrows)

Oh my goodness, how gorgeous are these dramatic eyebrows? When I saw these stunning photos of Oscar de la Renta's recent runway show, my jaw dropped. Makeup artists often insist that eyebrows are the most important part of your look, since they frame your face and can make your eyes look bigger and make your face look younger. Wouldn't you love to recreate these sexy bold brows for a night out?

Happily, my make-up artist friend Suzy Gerstein shared the two steps to getting the look: "The secret to a gorgeous full brow is to layer products. First, sketch in any sparse areas with hairlike flicks of a brow pencil. Use the skinniest, pointiest pencil you can find, so your drawn-in 'hairs' will look natural. My favorite is the Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil. Then layer a powder color over the pencil. Two colors that work well for brows: MAC eye shadow in Brun (for brunettes) and Concrete (for blondes)."

What do you think, my lovelies? Would you dare? xoxo

(Photos by Jamie Beck. A similar red lipstick is Rouge Dior in Red Muse)Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Do or don't: Pale skin this summer

As summer approaches, I usually get a little shy about wearing shorts and exposing my so-white-they're-almost-blue legs. When I was in college, I even went fake tanning (yikes!) and slathered on orange self-tanner (not a good look).

But this summer, I've decided to embrace my pale skin and freckles. We've recently discovered two great natural, chemical-free sunscreens: Badger and the Babo Botanicals stick (which is super easy to apply on babies!), and wear them everyday.

My darlings, this summer, will you rock the pale look? Would you prefer to get a tan? Have your feelings on tanning changed? What kind of sunscreen do you use? I'd love to hear...

(Photo by Garance Dore)Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Tattoo girls

Although I'm not a tattoo girl myself, I'm loving these clever and charming tattoos. What do you think?

P.S. Nine awesome tattoos...
P.P.S. New Yorkers, come join me at this bike ride this Thursday! xo

(Via Tattoologist)Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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DIY wedding hair: Gibson roll

My dears, I'm excited to share our second wedding hair tutorial! My friend (and hair genius) Caroline adores this elegant twisted roll--and swears it's easy enough for brides to do themselves. So, we met at my favorite West Village wedding shop, and the wonderful Jamie Beck took photographs. Doesn't her hair look straight from the 1940's? So romantic.

Here are Caroline's steps, if you'd like to try it out...
This hairstyle is perfect for a black-tie wedding or to show off a pretty neckline--and it's great for girls with curly hair. It's super easy; I promise with the teensiest bit of practice, you'll be able to do it in less than five minutes!

1. Gather your hair into a low ponytail and secure with a rubber band. You want the ponytail to be pretty tight.

2. Next, slide the rubber band down the ponytail a little, so there's space between the rubber band and your scalp.

3. Create a little "hole" in the area above the rubber band. Make sure not to poke all the way through; you just want to make a little "nest" in your hair (which you'll use in step 5).

4. Twist the length of your ponytail, like you would if you were making a bun.

5. Begin tucking your ponytail down into the little nest you made for it. (To make mine a little different, I tucked the hair off center, so it was slightly asymmetric.)

6 and 7. Keep tucking and rolling your ponytail into the nest...

8. Once you have all your hair hidden and tucked away, pin it in place with bobby pins. Don't forget to pin the sides of the hairstyle as well. Then spray your hair with some hairspray, and take along extra bobby pins for touch-ups!

Voila! Isn't it beautiful? Would you consider this wedding look? If you're already married, how did you wear your hair at your wedding? xo

P.S. More pretty hair tutorials...

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the step-by-step photos, Caroline is wearing an Eberjey robe. In the wedding photos, Caroline's wedding dress is by Ivy & Aster from Lovely, a bridal boutique in the West Village. The hair piece is by Untamed Petals, available at Lovely, as well.Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and her lip color is NARS lipstick in Manhunt--appropriately!:)Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Random beauty tip

I used to be so sleepy at the end of the night that I'd skip washing my face and just tumble into bed. But then a friend recommended these cucumber towelettes, and, I have to say, they've totally improved my bedtime routine. You just wipe your face (no water required), and they remove makeup, moisturize skin, smell amazing, and make you feel fresh and revitalized.

Have you ever used them? What's your bedtime beauty routine?Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Beyonce's Pulse Perfume Ad

Following on from the success of her first fragrance Heat, Beyonce Knowles has just released her second perfume: Pulse.

Talking to Elle magazine, Beyonce said: "Pulse represents the woman I am on stage. When I think about excitement, it makes me think about my heart racing and a pulsating beat — it’s my stage persona. Heat represents my side, it’s very spicy and Southern. Heat Rush (an off-shoot of the first Heat perfume) is more about the woman I am on my off time, when I’m on vacation." 

If you're looking forward to sampling the scent, Pulse will be released in the fall.

Pics from beyonceworld.netSource URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Lilac polish

Toby and I went on a walk early this morning and spotted this beautiful lilac nail polish on two different gorgeous women. (Maybe it's the new "it" color?) It looked so light and lovely, and was a nice change from red and pink. I'm going to pick up a bottle today and plan to wear it all summer. What do you think? xo

P.S. I never used to be that into nail polish, but the colors are so amazing this year.

(Photo by Sparkles and Bows)Source URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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Leighton Meester's Vera Wang Launch Look

Leighton Meester was in London on June 9 for a signing of Vera Wang's new Lovestruck fragrance which she is the face of.  

For the Harrods event, Leighton wore a top and black leather pants combo from Vera Wang along with Dannijo jewelry and Brian Atwood platforms.

Check out the latest VW fragrance at harrods.com, where the gorgeous tulle adorned bottle costs £35.00; and you can see Leighton's ad below -




Pics from leightonmeester.usSource URL: http://gbejadacosta.blogspot.com/search/label/beauty
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