What Works for One Person

Humans are not content to simply live through their experiences. Instead, we like to learn lessons from our experiences, and pass these lessons on to those around us. I've personally given a lot of advice based on what I've gone through in life, and I've certainly received a lot of advice from others. Some of what works for others also works for me. When I moved to New York, people who'd lived here before told me to move quickly on an apartment because real estate goes fast here, and that it's often just as fast to take the subway as it is to take a taxi. These pieces of advice had worked for them, and I'm here to tell you they worked for me.

But that isn't always the case. I've been subjected to some less-than-appropriate advice given with only the best intentions. I know I'm not alone in this, which is both a sweet and disappointing realization. Someone once told me that the best way to make friends in college is to go to parties and just meet people. This technique definitely didn't work for me, but it had worked for this person, and they'd just been trying to help me however they could. Sometimes what works for us is influenced by our own personal strengths and shortcomings; sometimes it's influenced by our environment; sometimes it's influenced by how and when we act. The truth is, what works for one person won't necessarily work for someone else.

Take, for example, this Bed Head Waveaholic™  2" Tourmaline Ceramic Waver. I was sent this waver by Bed Head, a brand I've worked with before and that I was eager to work with again. They picked this tool for me based on how I said I like to wear my hair. My roommate actually has the same tool, and loves it because it can replicate her natural curls without her having to wet her hair. The product promises "beach house party-ready" waves, minus the frizz and plus some serious shine. 

Bed Head prides itself on creating products, whether they be hot tools, gels, or sprays, that empower the user to be bold and creative in their hairstyle. They're all about helping you find and maintain your personal style, all the while encouraging you to make a statement.

I popped the tool out of the box and starting watching hair tutorials that used Bed Head wavers while I waited for it to heat up. The waver got really hot (400 degrees Fahrenheit hot) really quickly, but I'd still been able to watch as a couple demonstrators showed how to use a Bed Head waver to achieve perfect day-after waves.

So, all signs pointed towards this product helping me achieve the wavy hair of my dreams. It was Bed Head approved, internet approved, and roommate approved. I put the product to my hair, ready to make some serious waves.

I can't say I didn't make some serious waves. In fact, I made some very VERY serious waves. The waves were too serious, if I'm being honest with you. I looked in the mirror and struggled not to frown. This was not the look I'd thought I'd get.

I'd used the tool exactly as Bed Head had told me to: I started at the roots, lightly clamping a small section of hair between the barrels, and I held it for a few seconds before moving down the section. I'd modeled my technique off of that used by the the tutorials online. I must have done something wrong, I told myself, and I straightened my hair and started over.

I found myself staring back at the same reflection that had been looking at me just an hour earlier. I tried shaking my hair, wetting it, running my fingers through it, anything to get different results.

When it came down to it, though, this just wasn't the right tool for me. It was fully capable, having heated up quickly and having worked so well for the people on the internet and my roommate, but I think my hair is too short and the strands are too thin for it to have had the desired effect. Just like much of the advice I've received in life that hasn't worked for me, this tool was still good; it just wasn't for me. It's okay to admit when something isn't working for you, even if everything indicates that it should. Once you've admitted it doesn't work, you're able to move on and find something that DOES work for you... Like maybe the Bed Head product I'll get in the gift bag at College Fashion Week this weekend.

The day I published this post, my friend Natalie said she'd been dying to try a waver like the one I'd used in this post. So, I let her the Bed Head Waveaholic Waver. She showed up at work the next day totally rocking these casual, tight waves. The look didn't work for me, but it sure as hell works for her. 

This post is sponsored by Bed Head Styling and Her Campus Media. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Broke & Fabulous possible!

Learning to Love My Hair Without Heat

If you follow me on Snapchat (thehannahgold for those who've been sleeping), you may have seen the struggle I went through last Saturday trying to curl my hair for Her Conference. I watched 2 tutorials, switched tools 3 times, and spent a total of 75 minutes wrapping my hair around a rod/straightener only to look in the mirror in sheer disappointment.

I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, though. I've never been able to curl my hair. I've spent years watching tutorials, studying my friends, and practicing on my own to no avail. I've tried products, a bunch of different tools, and praying. Nothing works. I end up with burns on my neck, ears, and hands and a hairstyle that I have to straighten or throw into a bun.

I feel like a bad feminine woman and a bad fashion blogger for not knowing how to curl my hair. Everyone I know who chooses to curl their hair knows how to, and everyone is so confused as so why/how I can't do it on my own. It's such a simple, universal task, but I can't do it. Accepting your weaknesses is difficult, even when they're something as inconsequential as being able to curl your hair. For now, though, I'm putting down the curling iron and picking up some product to enhance my natural waves.

The Bed Head by TIGI activation at Her Conference was able to hook me up with some products that would help me feel comfortable and confident wearing my hair sans heat. Because I can't curl my hair and don't like wearing my hair straight, I'm used to wearing my hair au natural. Since bleaching it, though, I've struggled to find products and drying methods that would keep my hair nice and wavy. The stylists at the booth set me up with a Foxy Curls Contour Cream to give my curls definition and some Foxy Curls Get Twisted to kill the frizz.

I started out with the Foxy Curls Contour Cream, which you're supposed to use on damp hair. I used it about an hour after I got out of the shower, though I probably should have used it sooner. This kind of product on half-dry hair can make your hair super sticky, something I'd forgotten after being out of the product game for so long.

After waiting too long to use it, I immediately made another rookie mistake: using too much. Bed Head by TIGI prides itself on making high-performing products, which means a little goes a long way. I used 2 pumps, but could definitely have done with just 1.

I'm well versed in scrunching product into your hair: spread the product across your hands and make sure not to scrunch the same part of your hair too much. Touching your hair too much alone can create frizz and kill curls, so you want to be careful about how you scrunch.

Once my hair was mostly dry, I picked up the Get Twisted spray. This product can be used on wet or dry hair, which is great news for someone like me, who only showers once or twice a week. I want to be able to use product in between showers. This product is especially essential to be able to use on dry hair because it protects against humidity. That's right, fellow swamp-dwellers: you can use this product during the summer to make sure your hair stays the same shape and volume all day long. New York was at about 85% humidity the day I first tested this product, and my hair didn't poof out at all.

I always prefer sprays to creams because it's easier to spread out the product, so you're less likely to end up with too much in your hair. The application is easy: point, spray, and scrunch. Simple yet effective.

Whether you wear your hair straight, curly, or wavy; blow-dry or air-dry; straighten, curl, or go natural, Bed Head by TIGI has a product for you. Bed Head by TIGI is partnering with Ulta Beauty for an exclusive offer! Get $5 off a $15 online purchase of Bed Head products at Ulta.com. Just enter coupon code 509843 in the space provided in your shopping bag and click “apply coupon”.

This post is sponsored by Bed Head by TIGI and Her Campus Media. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Broke & Fabulous possible!

OOTD: Grad Announcements

So, I know I already graduated... But I'm back for more. My college only has one commencement ceremony a year, so I'm headed back to Seattle in June to walk with the rest of my class. I already have my diploma and an internship, so I'm feeling pretty good for someone who doesn't walk the stage for another month.

Seeing as I'm not in Seattle, throwing together photos for my grad announcements took a little more effort. My cap and gown are waiting for me in Seattle, so I borrowed my friend Corina's for the weekend. I wouldn't be able to take pictures on campus, so I leaned into my status as a New York resident. You can see the Manhattan skyline from my roof (including the Empire State Building), so I took my pictures up there to highlight where I'm at right now.

Of COURSE Luxe got in on my graduation shoot! She accompanied me to all of my classes sophomore-junior year, so she's pretty much an honorary graduate.

ConGRADulations to all my fellow graduates from the class of 2017!

1 Year of Mermaid Hair

It's been over a year since Blair Brown bleached my hair for the first time in my life, effectively turning me into the Cool Girl I'd always wanted to be. When I first dyed my hair, all I could think about was the silver-lavender head of hair I was about to own. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to afford to maintain this color, I also looked forward to the process of growing out my hair. I planned from the get-go to leave my hair be as it grew out and eventually faded, potentially using the bleached base to re-dye my hair on my own.

In the last year, my hair has undergone more than just the initial transformation. My hair has grown out, faded, been cut, and been re-dyed (more than once).

April 2016

Look at this dye job! The blue roots, the purple tinge, the inexplicable pink streaks. It's worth noting that my hair literally felt like straw for at least a month after I bleached it. At the time, it seemed like a wash. Looking back, it was totally worth it.

May 2016

After years of natural hair, it felt so weird to have the texture that comes with bleached hair. My hair has always naturally curled, and my bleached hair either stuck straight out or hung flat upon waking up. It took me a while to come up with a solution that didn't involve applying heat to my hair and I definitely still have bad hair days, but I've mostly figured out how to get public-appropriate hair by sleeping in a tight braid. 

June 2016

My hair finally starts softening thanks to just a TON of deep conditioner. The purple has become more prominent, and my roots turn from blue to blue-green.

July 2016

This was my ideal hair color! I'm really grateful that Blair used a darker color than I asked for (the hair stylist always knows best), because the color lasted a LOT longer than if I'd gone pastel at first. My favorite part of having mermaid hair is that every time I wash my hair, the color changes ever so slightly. It brings out the pinks, purples, and silvers in my hair, giving me a new look every week.

August 2016

Around this point, I started to worry about my "yellowing" hair. Looking back, it's just a grayer shade of lavender-gray. 

September 2016

Once the dye started to fully wash out, it really started to go. Within a month, my hair was almost completely silver.

October 2016

I tried dying my hair pastel pink with two separate box dyes. The color didn't hold. I'd recommend avoiding pastel box dyes– the next time I dyed my own hair, I used a vibrant color.

December 2016

I got a haircut when I came back to Oregon after graduating in December. The poor tips of my hair were so fried, and no deep conditioner was going to save that.

January 2017

I used an at-home dye to dye my hair pink. It was really bright pink at first, but faded much more quickly than the professional dye. For only $11, though, getting nearly 2 months of color was completely reasonable.

February 2017

This was the exact shade of pink I wanted when I first tried to dye my own hair back in November. It only lasted a couple washes, but it was worth it.

March 2017

Again... Once the dye started washing out, it REALLY started washing out. My hair was back to silver fairly quickly. The blue in what was originally my roots has held fairly strong, though.

April 2017

The yellow-correcting toner has slowly been weakening over the last year, and now I guess I'm just a bleach blonde. I'm excited to dye my hair before my graduation ceremony in June, though. I can't wait to show you all what I decide to do!

Have any of you ever tried to grow out a dye job? Tell me your tips and tricks in the comments below!

Confessions of a Dye-Job Mermaid (ONYX by Blair Brown)

In my 21 years on Earth, I've only ever dyed my hair a handful of times. I went red-brown in middle school and rocked turquoise tips for a hot second my sophomore year of high school, but other than that, I've gone au natural most of my life. So, the decision to go surreal was a pretty big one. I've been lusting after pastel mermaid hair for years, and when my friend Coley told me her hair stylist was looking for new clients, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to take the plunge.

The stylist, Blair Brown, had just left a salon to make a name for herself on her own terms. As a young, driven woman, I really admire the hard work that Blair has put into owning her own business (Onyx by Blair Brown), developing her brand, and honing her craft. I love supporting local women-owned businesses, and Blair is certainly worth supporting!

As someone who didn't know what the dye experience would be like, I was super lucky to have Blair as my guide through the process. We initially met about a month ago for a consultation. Even though I was set on colorful hair, Blair was careful to make sure I knew what the look would entail. She got to know my hair history (as minimal as it was) so as to get a better understanding of what she'd need to do to help me get my desired look. She warned me about the bleaching process– it would require much more care than anything I'd done before, and I'd need to be prepared for the work I'd need to put into it. She talked me through purple shampoos, conditioning treatments, and touch-ups. I was initially worried that she thought this was a bad idea, but I soon came to realize that she was doing the best thing possible by preparing me for the entire experience.

So, I prepared for the plunge by investing in some coconut oil, purple shampoo, argon oil, deep conditioner, and dry shampoo. It took a while to finally make the appointment with Blair– after all, she was in the process of developing her own business– but when the day finally came, I felt prepared to make such a big change.

The entire process took about six hours. Blair was really thorough, making sure each strand of hair was coated in bleach, then conditioning treatment, then Olaplex, then shampoo, then dye. As lengthy as it was, I'm really grateful for the care Blair took to make sure I'd get the best look possible. My hair feels so much smoother than I thought it was going to, and the color is super thorough throughout my head. If I had to spend six hours with a stranger, I'm lucky it was Blair: we kept the conversation going, which really contributed to the experience.

I am so thrilled with my hair. I can't stop looking at myself, and I'm addicted to the compliments I keep getting. I'm so grateful that my first big hair experience went so well. If you're in the Seattle area and looking for a stylist, I strongly recommend Blair Brown! She has an amazing student discount that makes her especially perfect for students looking for a stylist. Find her on Facebook, Instagram, and see more of her services and work on her website.

OOTD: Summer Uniform

This outfit accurately represents what I've been wearing all summer; my summer uniform, if you will. As a tutor, I try to present myself in an appropriate manner, so I've been wearing high necks and knee-length skirts or dresses. I have 3 dresses in this exact style, and several shirt-skirt combinations that imitate the style. I also like that this style works well in the heat we've been experiencing in Seattle this summer; especially because I walk 2-3 miles every day.

I bought these shoes as my first pair of tennis shoes in five + years and I've found they're particularly useful on days when I have to walk to a tutoring session and then walk dogs immediately after. I'm still working on breaking them in, though.

 I love to wear a statement necklace when I wear a high neck, so I've been wearing lots of statement necklaces this summer. It makes me feel like I'm wearing a look instead of just some clothing.

It's been too hot in Seattle for me to wear a lot of makeup without worrying about sweating it off. So, I've been rocking a cat-eye, well-groomed eyebrows, and lipstick, but skipping the mascara and anything that's not waterproof. I've also been wearing my hair in a bun nearly every day to keep my hair from sticking to my neck.

Say hello to my second Rocksbox! After the last one, I was so excited to see what this one had in store for me. I was so pleased with the statement necklace and bracelet, and the simple stud earrings were so classic that I wore them to an interview I had yesterday. Remember to use my Rocksbox code, hannahgoldxoxo or HANNAHBFF276, to sign up for Rocksbox and receive a free month of the service!