Life's a beach. Wear a bikini.
Swimwear, beach beauty tips, DIY tricks and fitness tips all aimed to help you look your best when sportin' an itsy bitsy bikini. Plus, a few photos that make you want to go hop in the ocean, or book a flight to the nearest tropical destination.
Loading tweets...
weeoo
S A L T W A T E R - C U R E
The beloved topknot. Messy, but at times, blah. Time to spruce it up a bit. A while ago I saw this hairdo…and I finally figured it out (2 days ago). Yup. I found a new go-to messy ‘do for summer.
The upside down french braid keeps your neck cool but gives you volume, and hey, anytime you can incorporate a braid into a your hair is a good thing.
So here you go. Give it a whirl…
Upside down French Braid top knot.
High-res
Quick, Messy, Side Fishtail Braid 101:
1: Go in the ocean. Hang out on the beach and when hair is almost dry…
2: Pull hair to one side and divide into 2 even sections.
3. Grab a small piece of hair from the outside of one section, and pull it over to the outside of the other section.
4. Repeat on the other side: Grab a small piece of hair from the outside of the section, and pull it over to the outside of the other section.
6. Continue until you are at your ends. Then tie (if you need) and mess it up a bit by pulling at the braid a little.
7. If that doesn’t make any sense, watch Mimi. She has a cute accent.
I’m a total sucker for infomercials, but usually they don’t work. Meaningful Beauty…yeah I didn’t look at all like Cindy Crawford, and the NoNo hair remover…nono hair was removed. However, after being completely fed up with my hair and hearing the promises of the Wen hair care system, I fell for another one, but this one lived up to the hype.
Just after one use, my straight, fine and blah hair looked just like the picture above. Ok that is not possible. But I am thoroughly impressed with Wen for a few reasons:
1: It’s simple. 1 bottle, less clutter, simple is better.
2: My fine, hippie hair actually has body, shine & oomph. It’s amazing.
3: I don’t know how it works, but it really does clean and thoroughly condition in 1 step.
4: It smells great, has amazing ingredients and really my hair has never felt or looked better.
So, if you are due for a haircare restocking, pick up a bottle and we all can thank Chaz Dean for his invention, less clutter in the shower, and for our easy, healthy beachy locks.
*If the $30 is too much, L’Oreal just released it’s own version for $7.
Photo: Does anyone know who took this picture? It’s everywhere and we need to give this chick some credit.
If you 1: can’t leave the house without some sort of hair tie on your wrist (that’s me) and 2: Have an old, worn out bikini laying around (yup, me too) well you are in luck. Don’t you dare throw away that old bikini, repurpose it and make some fun l’il hair ties.
DIY Bikini Hair Ties:
1: Pull the string out of your bikini top (if using a top)
2: Cut a 1” thick strip of fabric to a length of about 7” long. (Use measuring tape if unsure)
3: Tie the ends in a knot to make a loop.
4: Repeat as much as you can. I got about four 7” strips from a bikini top. You can get a bunch more from a bottom
5: Stack ‘em on your wrist. Tie your hair up, and heck, give one to a friend.
There are 2 easy & safe (aka bleach is a non-factor) ways to get the sweet ombre look that screams I love wavy, salty, messy, carefree beach hair.
I’ve done/use them both.
Option 1: Take your patient pills
Don’t highlight your hair regularly. Go about every 6 months at least, you’ll have natural, sweet, dark roots, and save money. When you do highlight your hair, use the balayage technique so the color doesn’t grow out in an even line.
Option 2: Instant gratification.
(hairstylists, please don’t hate me, I get bored and it’s an easy, affordable fix)
1. Grab a box of non-permanent hair color (the kind that washes out in 28 shampoos) that’s 1 or 2 shades darker than your current color. Natural Instincts dark blonde is my go-to.
2. Brush your hair out so it’s tangle free, and then using a wide toothed comb, lightly comb in the color from your scalp down as low as you want it to go, concentrating on getting most of the color at your roots, then fading it out.
3. Make sure to not get color on the ends, and leave a few sections right around your face dry for a sun pecked look.
*Mine looks rather sweet right now, I’m trying to not wash it so the color will last. Thank goodness for dry shampoo.
Photo via my Pal Kir’s pinterest.
Big messy wavy hair. I love it and anyone out there who has it naturally, please don’t straighten it for a while, just for me. I think whenever I have an occasion where I need to look good, feel like I have Gisele-esque beachy bed head locks, or want to make my husband’s heart rate go up, I go with the big messy wavy hair. It never get’s old. I don’t like to boast, but I think I’ve mastered it, so I thought I’d share my tips.
Wavy Hair 101:
“I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.”
~Emma Goldman
Well, I’d rather have flowers around my neck.
Braids, waves, ponytails, and messy buns. There are so many fun tips and tricks out there for those of us who have a simple, often taken for granted asset, our long hair.
Recently my close friend’s daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and after brain surgery and round 1 of vigorous chemo, she sat on daddy’s lap while they played “Beauty Salon” and shaved her head. She is 4.
Her response the next day to her mom… “Mom, we can’t be twins anymore.” The tears were flowing when I read the story.
Usually knots and hair are something one tries to avoid. Unless it is a strategic & stylish double one that doesn’t require a brush to undo. Enter the double hair knot, a tousled, beachy way to pull your hair back that looks complicated but takes less than a minute to do.
I’ve found that the longer and dirtier or saltier your hair is, the better it looks and more it sticks, so its a great way to look presentable if you don’t have a lot of time to get ready, just hopped off the beach, or don’t feel like showering (Or all of the above. Welcome to my world). An easy, low maintenance ‘do that’s a time saver but looks cool. Ok enough rambling, here’s the how-to…
1. Divide hair into 2 sections.
2. Twist each section outwards, creating two “ropes”
3. Tie the “ropes” in a knot just like you would when you start to tie your shoes.
4. Repeat and tie once again in a knot. Donezo!
5. If you want, pin in place.
6. Pick plumeria off a tree and stik in there for added style points.
Enjoy! This one’s addicting.
Thanks to Kirsten at Triple Max Tons for introducing me to this one a while ago. Love it.
High-res
The Top Knot. Mo’ messy, Mo’ betta.
Being able to take the time to actually attempt a blow out on my tresses is a luxury. I like to think of it not as being lazy or a result of procrastination, but a way to relate with my ancestors who were alive before electricity.
Anyways, by rarely getting to blow dry my hair, and frequently hopping in the ocean, I’ve discovered a few fun ways to still control how your hair looks, that amazingly enough turn out deceptively well styled.
Air Drying style tips:
*a good leave in hair conditioner is recommended. I love Moroccanoil or biosilk.
1: Tuck the hair around your face behind your ears until it is dry. When it’s dry, untuck and you will have a natural face framing curl. (This works insanely well. Total life saver.)
2: Part hair in the opposite direction you normally do, let dry, then flip to your normal part. Va-vavoom! easy volume.
3: Tie hair in a knot on top of you hair until it dries, undo knot. Oh, hello natural wave.
4: Put hair in a loose French braid. Tie it as loosely as possible at the end (or not at all). Let hair dry and comb through with fingers.
5: Go to bed with wet hair. You will wake up with great bed head and unpredictable style :)
Air drying: Save time, save energy, save your hair. High five.
Flowers in hair are pure beachy bliss. It’s not just for hippies anymore either. It’s the most chic, natural, simple, and somewhat flirty way to add an accessory to your ‘do without looking like you are even putting in any effort. Whenever I pass a plumeria tree, I’ll grab one and stick it behind my ear, in my ponytail, or where I can get it to stay put (even the back of a trucker hat). The best is when my husband picks one for me out of the blue when we are walking somewhere. Ahhhh swoooon.
There are numerous ways to get some flora in your locks, so try them out:
1: Tuck one behind your ear. Use a bobby pin around the stem if needed.
2: Do a chignon at the nape of your neck or top of your head and pin it on one side, or a bunch in and around the bun.
3: Braid them into a braid…the more flowers the more boho.
4. Stick a bunch in a headband (pictured above)
5: Put the stem through a bobby pin…voila instant flower hair pin
…Also, I realize not everyone can just walk up their driveway and pick a tropical flower. Never fear, a solution is near (thanks to the world of youtube), and it might even last longer than the real thing: DIY Hair Flower Pin Tutorial.
Just don’t go overboard. We don’t want anyone mistaking your head for an FTP delivery truck.
Photo from The Guava Life
(aka my tumblr-straight-to-pinterest obsession)
There’s no argument that long wavy hair is the go-to look for beach babes, but just barely behind the derriere skimming locks is the sporty, easy, yet fun Lob. I don’t know if I saw Blue Crush one too many times, or realized that no matter how many vitamins and miracle products I use, I will still have fine hair. Seriously. I can pull up my entire head of hair in one of those little baby hair clips meant for a 2 year old. But, I jumped on the lob train, cut off about 7” to a fun collarbone skimming length, and love it. I no longer look like a set of curtains with a face, and have hair that’s fun & fuller (looking) than ever. Which is huge.
Keys to keepin’ the lob beachy are: 1: Still have some long layers. 2: Whatever you do, don’t get a blunt cut. 3: Have some salt spray or pomeade to durrrtay it up. 4: Mimic any one of Zoe Saldana’s do’s here. 5: Pair your new ‘do with a bikini at all times.
Happy Lobbin’
Photo by Hans Feurer
Waterfalls, we like to hike to them and swim under them. Now we all shall have them in our hair. I’ve seen these braids all over and am fascinated by this ‘do. They are gorgeous, romantic, bohemian and if you have fine hair (like myself) you aren’t left looking bald (like I tend to do with french braids). I’m convinced it’s the most delicious beach hair look around.
It sounds simple, and after 20+ tries, I finally got it to work. Basically all you do is a typical french braid, but you drop the bottom section each time, and pick up new hair next to it. The key to it looking good it to make sure the sections are all the same amount of hair. Yeah, I probably am not making any sense, so check out any of these tutorials: Tutorial #1 (hilarious, rather entertaining super caffeinated gal) , Tutorial #2 (Super helpful, much calmer mom),
Now…ándale! Get braiding.
Photo By: y0ur-mum.tumblr.com who has hair I would cut my pinkie toe off for.
-
I am not big on hair products, but there is one little known wonder worker that is: all natural, hand made in Kauai, used by celebrity hair stylists, a messy-dirty-beach-hair-making-pomeadeish-frizz-tamer, and all inclusive sweet product.
This wonder in a jar is…Surfer Salve.
Jennifer Aniston’s locks in a W magazine editorial shot in Cabo a few years ago brought this salve’s hair capabilities into the limelight, and I’ve been using it ever since. All you need is a little dab on your fingers, then seperate a few pieces here and there & tousle your hair. Voila, an instant “I just rolled out of a hammock-nap-on-the beach look.”
Plus, it’s a great lip balm, skin moisturizer & healer, and with ingredients of olive oil, plantain leaf, comfrey leaf, beeswax, aloe, rosemary, lavender leaf, vitamin E, tea tree oil and lavender essential oil…something you just want to have around. Especially in your hair.
Available online at: Island Soap and Candle Works
