I had bangs once. I don’t plan to ever get them again. Not only were they a pain to deal with, styling-wise, but they also looked absolutely horrific when they started growing out. There are about two months of missing photos from the “dark times” when I had to wear a duff puff while my bangs grew out. No one will ever see those pictures. As always, celebrities are pretty good at pulling off pretty much any hairstyle, especially bangs. My question is, do they do their hair every day or are they just naturally, absolutely perfect?

Who’s ready for a little review sesh? I know I am! I wanted to bring y’all a new video, but I’ve been walking in Birmingham Fashion Week and haven’t had time! I wish we could have brought every single one of you along to see these shows because, man, were they fierce. Last year, BFW was two days after the April 27th disaster that struck my college town of Tuscaloosa and most of Alabama. The show still went on to be such a success, and in turn this year was huge. I’m so honored to have been a part of it all.

In lieu of a new video, I’m showing one of your favorites: Ombré On Your Own. I love this look, and I can’t wait to do it again for spring! It’s a fabulous trend, and I certainly hope it sticks around. In fact, some very fashionable people were sporting this look at BFW. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and watch!

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!

What It Is: Say Yes to Cucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Skincare is an important, yet unfortunately oft-overlooked part of any beauty routine. As I’ve said before, if the base isn’t great, no amount of makeup will help you!

Yes To is a drugstore skincare brand that incorporates natural ingredients like cucumbers, blueberries and tomatoes into their products. The Cucumber line is for sensitive skin, the Blueberries for aging skin and the Tomatoes for acne-prone skin, but anyone can reap the benefits of the products. I have slightly sensitive skin, but loved that this moisturizer has SPF 30 and wanted to try it out!

How To Use It:

Yes To recommends that you “apply liberally and daily at least 20 minutes before sun exposure.” Just as with any sunscreen, it’s also suggested that you re-apply after swimming or sweating excessively. I found this moisturizer to be too thin for nighttime use and therefore only tested it during the day.

CC Rating: B+

Overall, Yes To Cucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer is a great option and gets mega points for being affordable. At $14.99, it’s a lot cheaper than the high-end moisturizers I use and I found it to be effective. It smelled nice and fresh, absorbed quickly and kept my skin from feeling tight and strained in this cold, winter weather. The added SPF 30 was also a huge plus, as we should all be wearing sunscreen daily!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t really test it on it’s “soothing” claim. I don’t suffer from sensitive skin problems (thankfully!) and am also oily. This moisturizer is rather thin and would probably not provide enough hydration for you dry-skinned gals and guys out there.

If you’re shopping around for a new moisturizer and are on a tight budget, I would recommend that you check out Yes To Cucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer!

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

One great thing about winter weather: it makes hair styling a thousand times easier. Come summer time, the heat does a real number on a gal’s hair and, even though it’ll be months before we need to worry about it, I have to share my ultimate hair styling product, straight out of the drug store.

Garnier Fructis Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk is a godsend for anyone with hair that seems to bounce back to being curly the second you step out the door (like myself). My hair is also super thin and this is one of the only hair creams that doesn’t weigh it down and make it look greasy. It actually does just what it’s supposed to: keeps your hair from becoming a frizzball and keeps it smooth.

The key, though, is to only use a drop. Like I mentioned, my hair is thin so if you have thick hair you can probably get away with more, but use it sparingly. Another tip: use the smoothing milk only on the tips or bottom half of your hair, never directly on your roots. This can also be so helpful if you’re overdue for a haircut. A little dab of this cream and it’s like a quick cover up on your split ends. Seriously, it’s magic.

And, as always, the best part of all is this product will set you back only about $5 a bottle. Since you only need a drop at a time, it will last you forever. So get started using it on a stubborn hair day in winter, and by summer it’ll be your best friend.

[Editor's Note: So much love for this product. It got me frizz-free through many Southern summer nights at the bars in college. Two thumbs way up!]

I’ve gotten highlights a few times, and it just never worked out the way I wanted it to. One time in like eighth grade, I had these awful blonde highlights that made me look like Tony the Tiger’s cousin. It was bad. I really wish I could have seen what it would have looked like before I let that hair lady touch me with her bleach and foil. That was one of my worst hair faux pas, and fortunately I’ve never dealt with that again. I’ve learned that blonde doesn’t work for me, but sometimes I want to spice up my locks temporarily.

Generation Klean has solved this dilemma. They sent me their Gray Disappear temporary hair color “mascaras.” Basically, it’s mascara for your hair that is used to cover up grays but can also be used as temporary highlights. It covers up roots, too. It comes in four colors: blaze, gold, espresso, and onyx. Blaze was the only one that really showed up in my dark brown hair, but if you have lighter hair you’ll have a blast playing around with different looks. I might add some red in permanently after using these.

Check out how Gray Disappear works in the video!

On my face: Painted Earth Pore Perfecting Primer, MAC Studiofix powder, NARS Multiple in Orgasm, Urban Decay Naked Palette in Sin and Baked, Maybelline One By One Mascara, BITE Granache lipstick

On my nails: OPI Samoan Sand

In my hair: Victoria’s Secret So Sexy De-Tangler, Hana Shine Shield, Amika Oil Treatment, Generation Klean Gray Disappear in Blaze and Gold

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!

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Although my favorite makeup has always been mascara, a good lip gloss can be the perfect addition to complete your look, especially for a night out. Swiping on some gloss right before heading out instantly makes you look completed and put together. I tend to keep it simple on my lips and go for sheen rather than pigment in a balm or gloss. My perfect find - and a total steal – is Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss.

Now, as I said I prefer a sheer gloss but these come in totally cute shades as well. And along with the shine from the gloss itself, some shades have additional specks of glitter (which is the kind I have). Each tube is only 7 bucks (there is even a 2 for $12 special online) so you can buy a bunch to have some options.

A good lip gloss has to be shiny enough without being sticky, and needs to be long-lasting. This Victoria’s Secret brand does the trick without costing a ton of money. If you ask me, expensive lip gloss is never worth it. You can always stock up on more because a different shade can change your entire look. It’s also good to buy multiples to keep a tube on hand to look freshly made up throughout the day.

My personal faves are Yummy Berry, Mocktail Hour and Passion Fruit Pop.

Dear Hair,

Please: just work with me.

I am trying to help you; I am on your side!

I guess I should start with an apology, or two. I’m sorry I burn you, cut you and tie you up. I’m sorry I color you, curl you, straighten you and harass you in countless other ways. If it’s any consolation I do it out of love.

Now I believe you owe me an apology. For the small random wisps near my bangs, my bangs that won’t grow out, and for the fact that I get roots even though my hair is still at this awkward not-long-but-not-short mom length. Also, for being frizzy and dry no matter how much Moroccan Oil I use. And for how you look in the rain: people confuse me with a wet dog, and it’s all your fault.

Hair, can’t we work this out? I’ve shown you photos of Blake Lively so many times, I just don’t get what you’re not understanding? Just do what her hair is doing. It doesn’t look that hard!

I hope we can work past this as we grow old together, and make one another happy. Well, mostly make me happy; because I’m the one with hands that hold scissors.

Warmest regards,

Madeleine

You’ve seen the Say Yes To brand all over the place unless you’ve been living under a rock. They’ve got some awesome lotion and chapstick, and it’s all natural, organic, good-for-your-body stuff. I’ve used several products from Say Yes To Carrots and Say Yes To Tomatoes, but I had yet to try out Say Yes To Blueberries or Say Yes To Cucumbers. Well, I was lucky enough to be able to test some products out for you all. Trust me, you’ll be saying yes in no time.

I tried out the Say Yes To Cucumbers Eye Soothing Gel and Say Yes To Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment and Brightening Eye Roller, and I’m really happy with the results. Typically with eye treatments, I’m a little skeptical of drug store brands because they just don’t seem to do the trick. While these products aren’t going to do the same thing as a Clinique treatment or something high end, they will keep your peepers de-puffed and bright on a budget. These products are super wallet-friendly, smell great, and work. Check out my review below!

On my face: Painted Earth Pore Perfecting Primer, MAC Studiofix powder, NARS Multiple in Orgasm, NYX Super Fat Eye Marker, Maybelline Volume One By One Mascara

In my hair: Victoria’s Secret So Sexy De-Tangler, Hana Shine Shield, Amika Oil Treatment

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!

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