Wedding guest hair and makeup ideas

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Last Saturday my friends Sally and Eric made it official by getting hitched. Their ceremony was at 1, but drinks didn't start until 6 -- I needed to execute an easy, almost effortless look that would last with minimal touch-ups, because I didn't want to fuss about.

I replicated my makeup featured in a recent review about Bobbi and Katie's Palette, except this time I wore Bobbi Brown's Pot Rouge in Raspberry on my lips (topped with clear lip gloss) instead of Pretty Powerful. Also, I'm super thankful for waterproof mascara, specifically Maybelline's Full 'N Soft Mascara. Lots of happy tears were shed.

As for my hair, I decided to braid it. Melbourne weather has been especially fickle these past few weeks, particularly in the rain department (hello, frizzy city). Would you believe it if I told you my braid actually starts behind my right ear? Check out one of my all-time favourite hair tutorials from AskSash for more information.

Finally, here's a better look at the dress I wore to their wedding. This black and white striped number is from J.Crew and it's on sale, too!

A little bit about the dress.. it zips in the back, is almost entirely made of cotton (talk about comfy) and it can be dressed up or down.

Congratulations Sally and Eric!

What to do with longish hair?

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For a very long time I had long hair and then in 2001 I decided to give it the chop. For me, short hair hit just below my shoulders and that's about where my hair stayed through most of my 20's. There were a few occasions where I cut it even shorter, dyed it and even had it chemically straightened (stupid, I know). I'm on the verge of turning 30-years-old and am longing for the hair I once had 15 years ago! My hair is in a state of limbo while I wait for it to grow out.

The sun has been highlighting a lot of things lately, a concealer match gone wrong and spider plant-like split ends. I get my hair trimmed fairly regularly, but I fear daily hot styling and hair washing has taken it's toll on my naturally wavy/frizzy hair. So, I've decided to cut back on the frequency in which I wash my hair and style it in ways I've never imagined.

Those lovely girls over at the Beauty Department have given me an idea or two. However, with a bit more googling around for longer hairstyles, I happened upon AskSash88 via Youtube and fell in love with all of the random permutations she successfully attempted.

[jwplayer mediaid="3230"]

If you want to try something like this, make sure your hair is slightly dirty (day old hair) and have the following items at the ready:

  • A comb or brush
  • Dry shampoo to help sop up excess oil at your roots before styling
  • One clear hair elastic
  • A clip, if necessary
  • At least four bobby pins; this amount will vary based on the length and thickness of your hair
  • Hairspray to set your style

All told, it took me approximately ten minutes to do my hair and trust me when I tell you I'm not the best at braiding and such.

What do you think? Are you feeling brave enough to give this look a go?