Monday Hair-Spiration!

Back on track love birds! Today is beautiful here on the east coast, and I'm feeling inspired. Here are some of my favorite looks right now on pinterest -  go check out my good hair board for more lovely styles!

1. http://wethepeoplestyle.com/2014/01/glass-house/
2. http://hartandsew.blogspot.com/2011/02/braids.html
3. http://fiftyshadesofhair.tumblr.com/image/55838716139
4. http://thenletitbe.tumblr.com/post/42318152841
5. http://alwayschoosejoy.tumblr.com/post/59427681795/borninboots-op-we-heart-it
6. http://hitchcockblonde.tumblr.com/post/26343715975
7. http://indulgy.com/post/kHpW9J4Mf1/hair-style

Weekly Catch-Up

Even with an extra day in the sun, this weekend was super busy! I hope everyone enjoyed their (hopefully) beautiful Memorial Day with lots of loved ones, delicious food, and gave a thought to what the day is really about; remembering and appreciating those who have served our country.

I wish I had just one more day off from work, but -sigh- the show must go on. Let's procrastinate with some photos from the past week, shall we?

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to the most kind-hearted, loving, and hard-working lady I know. Raising 3 kids on your own was not easy (especially with a nut like me), but you somehow got us all to where we are today. I know I can speak for all of us when I say there are no amount of thank you's that can fully express our gratitude to you.

To all the mommies out there, have a beautiful day.

Mid-week pick-me-up

I found this written on the first page of my most recent journal, although it had to be from over a year ago. I could have never imaged at the time writing this, that I'd be where I am today. I should focus on phrases like these more often. I often feel lost, and I often feel confused. It's as though I'll never be truly settled into life. But maybe life isn't supposed to have a conclusion. There are no rules, and the path I'm on can (and will) always change. I like it that way. Each and every day, I am where I need to be.

Monday Hair-spiration

Oh my! How am I letting this blog get away from me for a week?? I know...because I am crazy busy and have exciting prospects on the horizon. Back to work...

Image: weddingbells.ca

Does anyone have the luxury to be able to wear a flower crown on the reg? I would love to be walking through the grocery store and spot a beauty looking like this... le sigh.

Photo credit, clockwise:


1. http://www.vogue.es/novias/galerias/una-novia-de-inspiracion-rural/10407/image/793006
2. http://www.hairandmakeupbysteph.com
3. http://www.tumblr.com
4. http://www.pinterest.com
5. http://www.pinterest.com

The Most Delicious DIY Lip Scrub

Happy April my loves! With warm weather (hopefully) on the way soon, you'll need to keep that pout looking smooth and supple. I've made an easy, natural lip scrub with ingredients you can find in your pantry!

This is really a very simple lip scrub that anyone can do! I took organic coconut oil, raw honey (you can also use standard, refined honey, I just prefer the consistency of raw), brown sugar, and some apricot oil (you can also omit this, or replace it with any other oil you have). 

Place two parts brown sugar to one part raw honey and one part coconut oil into a small bowl. I added about two drops of apricot oil. Combine!

Once all of the ingredients are incorporated, roll into a small ball and place in any airtight container. This should keep up to two weeks. Now go scrub away and enjoy beautiful, soft lips! 

Monday Hair-spiration

Does anyone else feel that a new season always has to be welcomed with a new hair style? I'm getting edgy this Monday and thinking spring! Everyone is embracing pastels lately, and while I can't say I'm  that edgy (yet), I'm so in love with this trend! Here are some of the loveliest spring-ready pastels I've found. Happy Monday, beauties.

Photo credit, clockwise:

1. tumblr.com
2. http://savphillips.tumblr.com/image/62786400261
3. pinterest.com
4. http://www.inthefrow.com/2014/02/illamasqua-hollow-pigment.html
5. pinterest.com
6. https://www.obaz.com/lookbook/902

Best Lipstick Buy

I'm starting a new feature here called "Best -insert amazing product here- Buy". I have SO many odds and ends that float around my space daily, and I'm going to start highlighting them for how absolutely amazing they are! (Yes, I just shed a tear) My first feature is set aside for a little lipstick that has not left my purse since I purchased it last week. CK One Pure Color Lipstick is my right-hand-girl lately. I purchased it in Liplock, and even though spring will be here soon, I cannot get enough of this rich, fuchsia shade. It's chic enough to wear to the office, but super cute for a night out too.

What lipstick have you recently purchased that you can't stop wearing? I'd love to hear!

Monday Hair-spiration

This Monday hair-spiration is all about the blondes. Spring is in the air people, and I cannot wait. I love my natural strawberry blonde color, but when the weather starts getting warmer, I'm going to add some natural painted highlights and embrace the beautiful season!

Do you like to switch up your color with the seasons?


Photo credit, clockwise:

http://www.pinterest.com
http://www.annesage.com/blog/2013/08/easy-updo-hair-tutorial.html
http://www.misteranhcotran.com
http://www.unique.dk/female/models/jude-rea/

3 Things I Learned from Pinterest

I can spend an entire day on Pinterest. Or maybe an entire week…am I really the only one? I don't think so. Pinterest has a way of sucking you in until your eyes are blood shot, you have a new hairdo, tie-dye nail polish, and have made 5 delicious deserts. All in a day's work.

I am honoring my crazy busy week/weekend with a tribute to my love affair with Pinterest. You learn something new everyday, right?

1. The Kitty Cat 
www.thebeautydepartment.com

I hate to admit it, but I am yet to master the cat eye look. I have a (surprisingly) shaky hand when it comes to makeup, and I'm fair, so I tend to go light on the eyes. But this, holy cow I need to master this one. Not to mention I love kitties. A lot.

2. How to fake bigger lips

blog.hairandmakeupbysteph.com

Definitely trying out this bigger pout at work next week! PS did anyone else see Stephanie's feature in Behind the Chair magazine this past issue? I love her!

3. Chop chop

www.thebeautydepartment.com

Okay, okay. The Beauty Department always wins. Like, always. I obviously admire what they do, and they are a huge inspiration behind this blog. When I chopped my hair recently I was sad to give up my favorite hair style - milk maid braids. Well worry no more Kate! TBD saves the day, as usual.

Gel manicures

To gel or not to gel: that is the question. There are so many seriously enticing pros and cringe-worthy cons, a girl can't make up her mind! If you enjoy switching up your polish more often than every 2 weeks, I'd definitely say go with a standard manicure. But Kate, that's like begging your nail polish to chip the day after you just spent $10 on a manicure! I know, I know. And this, my friends, is why it is so damn difficult to make the decision! I have a love affair with nail polish. Essie nail polish to be exact. I can make rainbow upon rainbow with the colors I own. I usually give myself a manicure once a week (thanks TBD!), and it usually lasts for a day or so before I spot a chip. How discouraging. Can we all see why I'm trying to convince myself to get a gel now?! However, gel manicures can be a bit scary. UV light? Will I get skin cancer? Will they file my nails down into pulp? What if I hate the color? I have to live with this for TWO weeks!

I think I might take the plunge and go for the gel! Let's make life easy for a change, just this once. What are your thoughts on gel manicures?

Monday hair-spiration

After my very first hairspiration feature, I got the itch and decided to chop my hair! I've always had short hair, and this just feels like me. As I've said, I always want that long mermaid hair, but once it gets past my shoulders I feel like I have a mop on my head. People seem to think that when you have short hair, it's just down all the time. Not true! And thanks to The Beauty Department, a girl never has to worry about her style for the day. This is one of my favorite go-to styles with short hair!

Beauty and the Bag

Inspired (as always) by the beautiful Sunnie Brook, I can 100% relate to her talks about lusting over not only the contents of her makeup bag, but the bag itself as well. I am a hoarder of little purses, clutches, makeup bags, etc., etc. I always have 3-5 little zip-ups inside my purse at any given time. A bit excessive? Maybe. Is this a hint of my sometimes-unbearable OCD? Probably. But let's move on...

Spring break is right around the corner (hallelujah!), so be sure to keep your bags packed and be prepared with the right essentials. Here are some of my must-haves for travel.

1. Kiehl's Aromatic Blend: Patchouli and Fresh Rose.
This petite bottle has a powerful fragrance that's soft, sweet, and clean.

2. Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm. First off, you can't go wrong with Burt's Bees. Second, this balm is crazy hydrating and the colors are so natural, people will think your pout is naturally that pink!

3. Hair & Bobby pins galore.  You never know when you'll need to toss your hair in a cute top knot, get those freshly trimmed bangs out of your face, or even help a friend in need. Hair/Bobby pins are always a must.

4. Stila's Convertible Color.  Blush and lipstick in one! Can it get any better? This makes sweetening up super easy. Even better, it's got a little compact mirror, to ensure you're keeping cute at all times. I use Sweet Pea, which keeps my love for summer alive even in four feet of snow. (Go away winter!)

5. Hand sanitizer, duh. Because who really likes being sick? I try to avoid the plague at all costs.

6. Fresh Lotus Eye Gel.  When I'm in need of a quick pick-me-up in the late afternoon, I go right to this. Tired peepers no more! This is great for puffiness, dehydration, and dark circles.


Now let's talk about these bags I'd love to add to my collection!

3 ways to avoid damaging your hair

Avoiding hair damage is so much easier than you think. There are a ton of simple ways to save your locks, so let's get to it! Here are my top 3 tips to avoid damaging your hair...

1. Keep with with your trims! Make a date with your hairstylist each season change. Three months is a pretty decent time to be able to maintain healthy hair. And a fun perk of this rule, you get to greet each season with a fresh do! I know that seems like you'll always be cutting your hair, but think about it this way: hair won't seem like it's growing if the ends are constantly breaking off. Maintaing about a half-inch or so each time you visit the salon will allow for maximum growth potential!

2. Switch up your standard shampoo with some alternatives, like a raw honey no-poo (I loved Free People's diary about using honey to cleanse!), or using an avocado & olive oil hair mask. Depending on the level of damage, a heavy mask like this one can be done up to three times per week. Be sure to keep your focus on the midshaft to ends in order to keep greasy roots away. Using natural alternatives will keep heavy sulfates and detergents at bay, thus avoiding over drying your hair. Your strands will thank you, I promise!

3. Calm down with the heat styling! Ladies (and guys), let dry shampoo become your new best friend. Again, not washing every day with harsh shampoos that may contain lots of potential heavy metals and detergents, will let you avoid unintentionally drying the crap out of your hair. Holding off on washing every day will cut back on your heat styling time; bye bye blowdrys, less curling irons, and fewer flat irons. Less heat = less breakage. It's that simple.


What are you best secrets to avoid breakage? Leave your tips in the comments below, I'd love to hear them and build up my healthy hair arsenal!

Monday hair-spiration

Sometimes we need a little inspiration to get our glam going. Mondays can definitely be a drag, so in honor of that, each Monday I will vow to brighten everyone up with some hair-spiration! I've always been one to want beautiful, long, mermaid hair, but as soon as it gets past my shoulders, I am sick of it. I never have the patience to do my hair when it gets a bit longer, and I end up tossing it up into a bun or ponytail. Well, let me tell you, that gets boring. So cheers to not being boring! Rummaging through Pinterest, I can never get enough of all the amazingly gorgeous hair. Here are some styles I'm loving recently. Let me know what you think! 

These images are not claimed as my own. All images found on Pinterest, if credit is known please share!

Trim your bangs at home!

It's Saturday night, and guess what I'm doing? Trimming my bangs, of course! (I like to live on the edge guys, what can I say.) Everyone loves a good video tutorial, so I decided to do a fun spin on the typical trim your bangs at home video. So without further adieu, let's get to it!

Music: Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp by Led Zeppelin

Are there any other video tutorials you'd like to see? Let me know in the comments!

Bloglovin!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Alright beauty birds, I think the time has come for me to get going on Bloglovin! Feel free to follow along with the link above, or sign up for email updates on the side bar.

I'm excited to celebrate beauty with you all!

Working with brides

Some of my favorite clients are (yes, you guessed it thanks to the post title) brides. I love working with brides. It's such a beautiful experience, and I'm so lucky to be able to have a career that makes me feel great every single day. Over the past few years, I've come into my own as a hair stylist, and I've learned that it is SO important to go above and beyond for your clients. I want a bridal party to shriek with excitement when I come waltzing into the room with champagne and strawberries, little survival kits for everyone, and a smiling face to ease any nerves. I make myself available until the minute a bride walks down the isle, tending to any of those absolutely necessary last minute touch-ups. I find that this little bit of extra love truly makes a difference, and referrals come pouring in afterwards.

What would you want or expect from your hair stylist on your wedding day? Do you as a stylist, or has anyone gone above and beyond to make your wedding day amazing? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Fight frizz, naturally

The beauty industry is HUGE. There are so many shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, curl enhancers, dyes, chemical treatments...well, you get what I'm trying to say. You have SO many options. When you want to break away from the potentially harsh chemicals (even if only for a day!), there are totally do-able options right in your kitchen cabinet to fight frizz and make your strands smile. You probably wouldn't think about putting carbonated water on your hair to increase shine, huh? Avocado, coconut oil, carbonated water, and apple cider vinegar are just a few of the options at your fingertips. Although in the north east we're battling 4+ feet of snow, these super easy DIY hair treatments will help you beat humidity and say goodbye to frizz!


1. Carbonated Water

Let's talk chemistry here for a minute, beauty birds. Carbonated water has a lower pH and is slightly more acidic than purified water. Mildly acidic products can be used on the hair to harden the outer layer, flatten the cuticle, and shrink the diameter of the hair. Trying not to get too nerdy here, the ideal pH of hair is between 4.5 and 5.0. Giving your hair a final rinse with carbonated water will bring the pH down a bit, resulting in smooth, shiny locks. You can also try an apple cider rinse after shampooing for similar results! After shampooing and rinsing thoroughly, pour carbonated water or ACV and let sit for about 30 seconds. Rinse and love!

2. Avocado & Olive Oil Mask

Avocados are full of the good kind of fatty acids to help fight frizz, and olive oil has amazing hydrating benefits. This is a super simple mask! Mash one ripe avocado with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Make sure to whip them up into an easily-spreadable consistency. After shampooing, wring hair to get as much moisture out as possible. Apply the mask and let sit for 30 minutes. Shave, sing, do anything you'd like to pass the time! Be sure to fully rinse the mask out and be prepared to enjoy the softest hair ever!

3. Coconut Oil Treatment

Coconut oil is my all-time favorite. After shampooing, rinse hair completely and taking a small amount of coconut oil, apply to hair from ends to about two-thirds of the way to the scalp. Make sure not to get too close to the scalp (you don't need all that extra oil up there), let sit for about 30 minutes.  Feel free to sit with a cap on and shamelessly enjoy that juicy gossip magazine. Rinse thoroughly and embrace that I miss you summer feeling with delicious smelling and hydrated hair!


These three easy at-home treatments will keep you looking beautiful, even on the hottest days. Let me know how they work for you, and if you have any dream treatments I should try!

Hip Hip HOORAY!

Welcome to my blog! I've searched the inter webs relentlessly for great hair blogs, and much to my dismay there's next to none! The amazing letterer Jessica Hische said the best way to create something new is to create something you want to see. Well this is it, so let's start celebrating beauty! I'm an Art History scholar turned hair stylist, and I love the journey this career change has taken me on! Here you'll learn some tricks of my trade, fun hair & beauty tips, and maybe even get some guest posts from my buddies in the industry.

I hope you enjoy and be sure to email me with any questions, comments, or concerns!
hairkates@gmail.com