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!

#STOPPROFILING with truth

I am many things: a dog owner, a writer, someone with blue hair, a bisexual woman, Jewish, a picky eater, someone with depression and anxiety, a 6th generation Oregonian, etc. I make sure to surround myself with people who accept me and all my parts. Some of these identities, however, make me more susceptible to adversity and inequality. While these disadvantages are sometimes due to mere thoughtlessness, sometimes they come due to the systematic targeting of my communities. For instance, the LGBTQ community and those with mental illnesses have been profiled and targeted for years by tobacco companies, leading to higher prevalence rates in these communities.

The way advertising affects us has to do with the way our brains process external stimuli. Whether we realize it or not, everyone is sensitive to every piece of information in their environment. Our brains compile this information to form implicit memories, or memories that we can’t recall but that still influence the way we think and behave. Advertisements take advantage of our unknowing formation of implicit memories by flooding us with positive messages about specific products and brands. By advertising in “gay press” publications, hosting local “LGBT bar nights”, and participating in pride events, Big Tobacco has associated itself with a fun and healthy LGBTQ lifestyle. The fact that LGBTQ youths are nearly 2.5 times more likely to smoke than their straight peers is no coincidence: it’s the result of decades of profiling and targeting by the tobacco industry, designed to hook us on their products.

I don’t need to tell you why high smoking rates in any given community is a disadvantage. We’ve all seen the data showing that smoking leads to any number of health complications, and often, death. Society often puts the LGBTQ community at a disadvantage by not accepting us, who we love, our safety, protecting our healthcare and childcare rights and even our right to go to the bathroom. We are subject to higher rates of hatred, intolerance, and violence than our straight friends. As a result of this discrimination, depression and suicide rates are 3X higher in LGBTQ individuals. Tobacco companies target us because we are already vulnerable.

The LGBTQ community isn’t the only community targeted by Big Tobacco. As Tomi explains, tobacco companies also target black communities and low-income neighborhoods. That’s why we are bringing attention to  truth® to put an end to their targeting of our communities. truth’s #STOPPROFILING campaign shines a light on how the tobacco industry deliberately singles out communities that already face adversity and inequality with aggressive marketing tactics. Tobacco use is more than a health issue: it’s a social justice issue. Join us by calling out tobacco industry profiling as it happens by tagging @truthorange and #STOPPROFILING and enlist at truth.com to become more involved in local actions nationwide. Teen smoking may have reached an all-time low of 6% in 2016, but there’s still work to be done, especially in these communities.

Influenster Review: Ole Henriksen Balance // First-Time Face Washer

After having smooth, practically flawless skin for the last couple years, my face has started getting oily and breaking out like crazy. I have several theories as to why this may have happened: 1. I'm aging in reverse and my skin is mimicking that of my teenage self, 2. the pollution in New York is really getting to me, or 3. someone cast a curse on me after I said "I don't need to wash my face" one too many times.
Whatever the cause, I was at a loss for a solution. I haven't cleaned my face routinely since I was in middle school. My grandma bought me a Clinique face wash set and my skin eventually cleared up. Since then, I haven't had to shop for face wash that best suits my face. As a result, when my skin started getting oily again, I had no idea where to start looking for a solution apart from using the one-ply toilet paper in my office as blotting paper.
So, I was lucky when Influenster sent me this Ole Henriksen Balance set for free to try out and review.

The Ole Henriksen Balance set: Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser, Balancing Force Oil Control Toner, and Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator

Some notes:
- The cleanser smells like a literal spa, with notes of both eucalyptus and mint.
- I was worried the hydrator was going make my skin even oilier (especially if I followed the instructions of using it twice a day), but I've been pleasantly surprised by how smooth and clean my skin feels after applying it. I don't know how they made such an oil-less moisturizer (magic, maybe?), but I'm all for it.
- It doesn't take much of each product to complete the routine. I use a pea-size amount of the cleanser and hydrator and it fully covers my face without problem.
- The cleanser takes a bit of scrubbing to foam up, though this doesn't affect how the product works.
- My skin doesn't feel oily until I come home from work (about 22 hours after washing my face).
- I've continued to break out, but I break out less than I did before I started using these products.

I'd recommend the Ole Henriksen Balance set to anyone with combination or oily skin. It's pretty pricey – all three products come to a combined total of $85, and I'd strongly recommend buying them as a set – so I'll be on the look-out for a less expensive product with similar effects.

September POPSUGAR Must Have Box

I'm so excited: POPSUGAR sent me this Must Have Box to see what the service is all about! I'm a sucker for subscription boxes: it's like receiving a present every month. The Must Have Box is $39.95 a month and is available for $5 less with the code SHOP5. You're welcome, everyone.

1. Wide Brim Hat from Jack & Lucy
It's fall, which means it's officially hat season. Plus, with a $58 suggested retail, this hat makes the rest of the box essentially free. My hat did come a little squished, though that's always a risk one has to take when having things come through the mail.

2. Flint Lint Roller:
I go through lint rollers like no one's business: my dog has black fur and sheds like it's going out of style. I love this lint roller because it's collapsable, which makes it super easy (and stylish) to carry around for lint rolling emergencies. I'm so tired of my portable lint roller sticking to the sides of my purse and dirtying itself up with crumbs I'm not looking to get rid of.

3. Smith & Cult Lip Lacquer in The Warning:
I haven't owned lip gloss since I was in middle school. Back then, the only lip glosses I could afford were super sticky, which turned me off to the whole experience. I was pleasantly surprised by the texture of this lip product, as well as by the rich pink color.

4. MANI-ER Tool Kit by NCLA:
I'm obsessed with little kits like this. They're so cute and compact and convenient. I own most of the stuff in this kit already, though I guess it would be a great travel manicure set.

5. The Gluten Free Bites Dark Chocolate Coconut Bites:
Full disclosure: I don't like shredded coconut, so I didn't actually try these. My roommate who did try these, though, said they're really good!

6. Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask:

I honestly squealed when I unwrapped this (those of you who watched my Snapchat story saw!). Since bleaching my hair, it's been drier than it's ever been. I've tried coconut oil, trimming the split ends, and deep conditioner. The next step was to try a mask, and I was so relieved to have one picked out for me. I used it this weekend and was so satisfied with the results!

So All About That: Square Cash

I was one of those kids who wasn't allowed to get a credit or debit card until I went to college. I never really minded, because I never ran into any problems just using cash in high school. However, since getting a debit card a couple years ago, I've found that I never have cash on me anymore. This proves inconvenient whenever I'm out with friends and we're faced with a bill that can't be split. This happens at restaurants, when getting gas, when paying for a hotel room, etc.. It also happens when someone runs errands and picks me up something.
So, I've been looking for an easy way to pay back my friends (and have them pay me back) without having to start carrying around cash. I'm pretty picky about what I connect my bank account/debit card to, so it was a bit of a difficult search. Finally, though, I found Square Cash.

After looking at a handful of money sharing apps, Square Cash won out because...

1. It's super easy to set up: just make a profile and link to your debit card. 
2. I felt super safe and comfortable linking to my debit card because it's set up more like an online payment than like an extension of my bank account. 
3. You can set it up so that you have to enter the 3 digit code on the back of your card any time you want to send money. That way, there's no unwanted transactions, be they by a thief or the inside of your pocket.
4. It's extremely secure in that you have to request a code sent to your registered phone number or email address to login to a new device. 
5. It's simple and easy to use. There are no unnecessary extra features or pages to sift through before I get to pay/receive money.
6. It keeps track of your transaction activity. This is good for reference and safety purposes. Plus, all you need to do is screenshot it and send it to someone if they *claim* they never received the payment.

In short, I use Square Cash because it lives up to its 5 star rating (!!) by 600+ users on the App store.

Check out Square Cash on Facebook and Twitter for more information and to see what people have to say about it!

Thank you to Square Cash and Her Campus Media for partnering on this post!