I know I’m not the only one who remembers the Victoria’s Secret flavored lip gloss craze. Not only were those obscenely sticky glosses one of the “coolest” beauty products of the early 2000s, but the more flavors you owned (Cherry Bomb, anyone?), the more middle school street cred you earned. Luckily for the world — and for all of the hair that got stuck to the lips of preteens everywhere — both Victoria’s Secret and I have seriously stepped up our beauty games since then. And that’s a good thing, because otherwise I’d never have discovered the hydrating (yes! Hydrating! What!?) lip stain that has forever changed my makeup game.

More: How Herbivore’s Lapis Face Oil With Blue Tansy Transformed My Skin

We’ve all dealt with the struggle that is matte lipstick. It looks so, so good when you first swipe it on, but after an hour it manages to suck all of the moisture from your lips right before flaking and peeling off in patches. Fun! So you can imagine why I wasn’t super-hopeful when I got my hands on the Victoria’s Secret Velvet Matte Cream Lip Stain. I figured it’d have the same sort of dry, flaky finish that I’ve come to expect from all matte lip products, but I was so surprised to find that the formula felt nothing like a traditional stain when I swiped it on. I dare say that it felt — get ready for this — good? Excellent, even? I know, it doesn’t make sense.

Unlike most lip stains that are essentially glorified markers that bleed a layer of uneven ink across your mouth, this one feels like a cross between a lip balm and a dollop of whipped cream. No, really — the formula is slightly whipped and subtly vanilla-scented (sweet, but not at all cloying), and though I usually call bullshit on products that claim to be both matte and “nourishing,” this one truly left my lips feeling shockingly soft thanks to its olive oil- and vitamin E-infused formula.

Because of the cream-like formula, you only need to swipe on one layer to get the fully opaque shade, and then, just like all lip stains should allow you to do (but rarely do), you get to forget about it — no touch ups necessary. Even after three hours of drinking coffee and snacking, when the initial whipped layer had faded off my lips, I was left with a gorgeous, hyper-pigmented stain that felt silky. There’s even a wash of color on my lips when I got home after work — that’s a full nine hours later, guys — which is pretty much mind-boggling. Like, I kid you not when I say that this stain has made my matte lip dreams come true.

At $14 a tube, these lip stains aren’t the cheapest thing out there (especially when you consider the fact that you’ll want to buy all 11 shades), but trust me when I say that every penny spent toward it will make up for the many not-so-amazing matte lipstick experiences that have scarred you. Now I just need to get over my heavy guilt for ever doubting Victoria’s Secret in the first place — the lip gloss-loving middle schooler in me says sorry.

More: Uh, Kate Bosworth’s Braided Ponytail Is the Coolest Thing We’ve Ever Seen

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Acne sucks. Yes, it’s a harsh reality of life when you’re in middle school, but when those zits follow you into adulthood? That’s just freaking unfair, especially when virtually everything in the skin care aisle seems to burn the hell out of your skin without actually killing the acne, which is exactly what was happening to me. So, as a wellness-junkie who hates resorting to prescription treatments, I made it my mission to discover a natural solution that I wouldn’t hate putting on my face. And after some deep internet searching and experimenting, I found my current go-to product for not just acne, but all skin issues: tea tree oil.

More: The Weird Reason Khloé Kardashian Won’t Thread Her Eyebrows

OK, yes, you’ve most definitely heard of tea tree oil before, but I’m not talking about it in a granola-eating, eco-friendly way. I’m telling you this stuff really works — it totally cleared up my worst breakouts when no other product could — and it has the research to prove it. Studies show that tea tree oil is just as effective at treating acne as benzoyl peroxide (one of the most common acne-fighting ingredients), but with way fewer side effects, like burning, itching, peeling and irritation. Plus, it’s all-natural, squeezed right from the leaves of a tree, so you know exactly what you’re putting on your skin. “Tea tree oil may help kill some of the bacteria on the skin that cause inflammation and acne breakouts,” says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research at the dermatology department at Mount Sinai Medical Center. “It can be used as a spot treatment or as a full face treatment to both eliminate the pimples that you have and also help prevent new ones from popping up.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean you want to douse your face in pure, 100 percent tea tree oil — this stuff is potent, so use the pure, concentrated stuff as a nightly spot-treatment only. And if your skin is super-sensitive or you have too many zits to spot-treat every night, try using a product with tea tree oil as its main ingredient, like a lotion or face mask. Yes, these magical products exist, and yes, I’ve rounded them up for you below. Regardless of the product you decide on, though, be prepared to fall in love with tea tree oil. It’s pretty dreamy.

More: The 10 Best Mother’s Day Beauty Gifts That Don’t Suck

If you want to spot-treat your zits...

If you have breakouts on your face and body...

Desert Essence tea tree oil cleansing pads (Desert Essence, $7.99)

If you have acne-prone skin that's super-dry...

If you have a sudden breakout that needs to calm down...

If you have acne-prone skin that's super-oily...

If you have acne-prone skin that's somewhat sensitive...

If you need to spot-treat your sensitive skin...

If you have breakouts on your back or butt...

If you have acne-prone skin that hates spot treatments...

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Raise your hand if you'd totally be down to hit the beach with a piña colada right now! Yeah, that's what we thought. We'd be hard pressed to find a person who isn't in love with the tropical beverage — which is why this fruity take on a DIY exfoliating face scrub is about to be everybody's summer beauty obsession.

This DIY face scrub is so much cheaper than getting a facial and leaves your skin feeling healthy and soft. Face scrubs are a great part of a daily routine, and we love the refreshed feeling we get from them. Making a face scrub takes mere minutes, but the revitalizing effects help you feel fresh all day.

This super simple facial scrub calls for just three ingredients: pineapple, coconut milk and pure cane sugar. All of these ingredients are beneficial to our skin and when mixed together create a powerful scrub that just so happens to remind us of our favorite beachy drink.

More: The 5 Best Natural Drugstore Moisturizers for Under $15

Coconut milk contains a lot of fat that helps to break down the oils and dirt in your pores. Pineapples have enzymes that help to get rid of the dead skin cells that the coconut milk has helped to break down.

The sugar helps both the coconut milk and the pineapple to exfoliate the skin. The fine grain of the sugar is soft on the face but helps to scrub out any dirt in your pores.

To make this scrub, you add the pineapple and coconut milk to a food processor. Pulse until smooth and then stir in the sugar. Use clean hands to apply the scrub, and you're own your way to softer, smoother skin.

Piña colada-inspired DIY facial scrub

Yields 1

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons fresh pineapple
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse together the pineapple and coconut milk until completely smooth.
2. Stir in the sugar.
3. Wash your hands and apply the scrub to your face touching everywhere but the eye area.
4. Rinse the scrub with warm water.

Originally published July 2014. Updated May 2017.

Every so often, a new ingredient comes along that’s quickly heralded as the next big thing in the skin care world (lookin’ at you, argan oil), and recently, that very special ingredient has been charcoal. Yup, the same stuff your dad gets really excited about when it’s grill time in the summer, except this time, it’s for your acne-loving face.

More: Should I Use Retinol to Get Rid of Acne?

Here’s the gist: Activated charcoal acts like a lint roller for the gunk on your skin, sticking to all the dirt and oil in your pores, then rinsing away when you wash your face. Basically, it’s an excellent ingredient for the oily- and acne-prone among us. Of course, not all charcoal products are the same, and if you have slightly sensitive or dry skin, you might find charcoal to be too drying and harsh when used in masks, creams and spot treatments.

That is why we’re really loving charcoal cleansers, which give you a taste of charcoal, without totally dehydrating your skin. So we rounded up the best charcoal face washes for almost every skin type (yes, even you, you sensitive and acne-prone, you) to help you tiptoe into the wild, wild world of charcoal without too much commitment. Just massage each cleanser into your skin for a full 30 seconds to see a cleaner, more mattified complexion after toweling off. Check out the list below and get cleansing!

More: The 9 Coolest Color-Changing Products We’re Obsessed With

If your face loves to break out...

Bioré Charcoal Acne Clearing Cleanser (Target, $6.49)

If your skin is riddled with blackheads...

Garnier Skinative Clean+ Blackhead Eliminating Scrub (Walmart, $5.97)

If you have dull, clogged skin...

Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser (Sephora, $30)

If your skin gets oil-slicked by breakfast…

Morihata Binchotan Facial Soap (Peach & Lily, $31)

If you have somewhat sensitive skin…

Lush Dark Angels Face and Body Cleanser (Lush, $13.95)

If you have dry, blemish-prone skin...

Charasu face wash (Otter Wax, $19.95)

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

I'll get right to it: My hair is generally flat and limp and thin and lifeless and terrible. It air-dries into a stringy, straight-over-here-but-wavy-other-there mess that no cream or balm or low chignon can fix, and when left to its own devices, it’ll mat itself to the crown of my head and cowlick toward the front. Fun!

More: Apple Cider Vinegar Gave Me the Shiniest Hair Ever

Adding to the terribleness of it all is the fact that I have a long face. If my hair falls apathetically alongside it, it looks almost comically long. If that sounds like a first-world problem, it’s because it is — but it’s enough to make me invest half my annual salary in volumizing shampoos, teaser combs and thickening sprays.

But there’s one product — my desert island product, if you will — that I’m literally never without. I carry it in my purse alongside my wallet and keys, and it travels with me next to my sunscreen and mascara when I’m going out of town: Big Sexy Hair’s Powder Play. Anyone who knows me probably associates me with the tiny red bottle if only because I recommend it to anyone who’ll listen. StyleCaster’s beauty editor Chloe once described my obsession with it as something she “genuinely believes [I] would run into a burning building filled with sharks to save” — and it’s true.

In short, Powder Play is a texturizing powder that lends natural-looking grit and volume to your hair. Once my hair’s dry, I like to sprinkle some into the palm of my hand, flip my head over, zhoosh it into the crown of my head and flip back over to see noticeably thicker, sexier hair. If I’m putting a curl in my hair, I’ll run a little bit through my mid-lengths too — it gives my limp strands enough grip to hold onto the curl without the crunch that a hairspray or beach spray might leave behind. It leaves my hair more matte than shiny — but that’s my personal preference.

For anyone who prefers a less gritty texture, the brand just came out with a new iteration called Powder Play Lite, which diffuses into a cloud-like puff from a pump rather than a shaker. It still relies on silica silylate for volume, but it also has acai berry pulp oil and passion fruit seed for a slightly softer, more touchable finish. It’s similarly priced and is great for someone who wants the hold but can’t rule out the possibility of someone running their hands through their hair. (My boyfriend wouldn’t dare.)

More: How to Wash Your Hair — the Right Way

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Have you heard of this new olive oil hair mask? Or this DIY olive oil cleansing conditioner? Or this olive oil-soaked towel that wraps around your olive oil-coated hair after you rinse it with pure olive oil squeezed from a handful of organic Italian olives?! Yeah, in case you haven’t caught on, coconut oil has been kicked to the curb, and olive oil is now being touted as the most magical hair-fixing ingredient to have ever graced the Earth. But is olive oil actually good for your hair? We went to the experts to find out.

More: How I Used Oil to Treat My Acne

And by experts, we mean cosmetic chemist Joe Cincotta, who spends half of his days being a scientist in cosmetic laboratories and the other half of his day fending off “WTF is this?!” emails from swarms of beauty editors. Or, at least, I assume that’s the case. But I had only one question for Cincotta: Is olive oil actually good for your hair? Because if you were — or still are — an avid lover of coconut oil hair treatments, you’ve undoubtedly heard the claims that prolonged use of coconut oil can cause protein buildup in your hair cuticle, leading to brittle strands and frizz, and now some are concerned that olive oil could have the same effect.

Thankfully, though, Cincotta assures me that the whole protein-building thing is all bullshit and that olive oil is actually awesome for your hair, especially if yours is in desperate need of potent moisture. “Both coconut oil and olive oil have a thousand-year-long history of being an excellent conditioner for skin and hair,” says Cincotta, noting that olive oil is heavier and richer than coconut oil, making it excellent for anyone with naturally frizzy, curly, kinky, damaged or color-treated hair.

“All of these hair types tend to have more porous hair shafts, and when the hair is porous, it can’t hold onto its natural moisture, making it really brittle and dry,” says Cincotta. “So when you douse your hair in olive oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, the oils penetrate the hair shaft and rebalance the hair’s ability to hold moisture, while the vitamin E fights off the free-radical damage from sunlight and pollution.” And yes, these benefits stick around until you wash your hair, so if you only shampoo once a week, you’re looking at seven-dayslong protection and happiness.

Basically, olive oil is a total boss. Before you run out and buy a bottle of conditioner decorated with olives, though, hold up: “The level of olive oil found in commercial products is generally so low, it’s not really going to penetrate your hair that much,” says Cincotta. Which could be a good thing if you have fine hair since it won’t weigh your hair down as much as the oil straight from your kitchen. Instead, Cincotta recommends trying a hot oil treatment: Warm up a cup of olive oil in warm water or in the microwave, transfer it to an applicator bottle (or just use your hands to scoop up the oil, though be prepared for the mess), then section off three-inch pieces of hair and massage the oil from root to tip. Wrap your head in a towel for 30 minutes, then shampoo and condition your hair as usual. Then take a picture, come back here and tell us how much you love your new insanely hydrated, healthy hair.

More: The 9 Best Eye Creams That Actually Get Rid of Wrinkles

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Just when you thought your middle school days of attempting beachy waves were over (damn it, Mischa Barton circa 2005, how did your hair always look so perfect?!), the mermaid trend struck the world, prompting everyone to look as ethereally washed-ashore as humanly possible. And, unfortunately for us and our uncoordinated hands, we never actually got the hang of creating beachy waves with a curling iron, much less a curling wand, which makes us feel 13 years old all over again, save for the braces and crippling self-doubt (thank God).

More: 13 Best Korean Beauty Products That’ll Truly Transform Your Skin

But hey! Now we’re adults! With access to professional hairstylists and all of the knowledge in the world! So we asked hairstylist and magic-maker Jasmine Santiago to show us exactly how to create simple, easy beachy waves without needing to buy a beachfront house in Orange County or a third arm. Oh, and did we mention this tutorial is broken down in super easy-to-follow GIFs for your viewing pleasure? Welcome to the hair revolution.

Photographer: Tory Rust

Model: Olga with MSA Models

Makeup: Ashleigh Ciucci

Hair: Jasmine Santiago

More: OK, Is Olive Oil Actually Good for Your Hair?

Step 1: Get some grit

After towel-drying your wet hair — or better yet just squeezing it with a T-shirt to reduce frizz — spritz a sea salt or wave spray all over from root to tip, then rake your fingers through your hair to distribute the product.

Products to try:

1. Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray (Bumble and Bumble, $27)
2. Not Your Mother's Beach Babe sea salt spray (Target, $5)
3. Ouai Wave Spray (Ouai, $26)

Step 2: Diffuse for extra texture

Unless your hair naturally dries in mermaid-like waves — in which case, good for you, now go away — you'll need to diffuse it to bring out some waves and texture. Lightly twist and plop sections of hair into the bowl of the diffuser (keep the heat and airflow on medium) until your hair is about 75 percent dry, then remove it from the heat and let the rest air-dry to prevent flyaways or poofing.

Step 3: Curl it back

Starting with the face-framing layers near your hairline, wrap a 3-inch section of hair around a 1-1/2-inch curling wand, like the Remington Ceramic Pearl, twisting the hair in the direction away from your face. Hold for five seconds, then unravel, tugging on the hair to loosen the curl before it cools.

Step 4: Curl it forward

The trick to natural-looking waves and curls is to make sure you alternate the direction in which you curl each section. So after curling the front piece away from your face, pick up the 2-inch section next to it and twist it around the wand toward your face. Hold for five seconds, then release and tug. Continue alternating directions around your hair until all pieces are curled.

Step 5: Deconstruct it

Now's the fun — or possibly anxiety-producing, depending on your personality — part. Mess it up. Beachy waves should look imperfect and accidental, which means you don't want to see any distinct curls by the time you're finished. Rake through the waves with your fingers, and if you want more piece-y texture, blast the roots with a texturizing spray (like IGK Beach Club Texture Spray) for volume and lightly mist the lower lengths of hair with a lightweight, hydrating sea salt spray, like Herbivore Coconut + Sea Salt Sea Mist. Let it dry, then scrunch, shake and let your inner OC kid feel vindicated.

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

If the last time you attempted to curl your hair was for your high school prom, in which you ended up with crunchy sausage curls and lifetime’s worth of bad pictures still framed on your mom’s mantel, then yeah, we’ve been there. Because for some reason, curling your hair is not as easy as it looks despite the billion YouTube tutorials and dozens of times we’ve watched friends do it.

More: The 2-Ingredient DIY That Gave Me the Shiniest Hair of My Life

But if you’ve sworn off curling irons and wands in favor of, uh, whatever the hell your hair naturally does on its own, please come back into the fold, because we got hairstylist and semi-wizard Jasmine Santiago to show us exactly how to curl our hair in the easiest of beginner tutorials. And when we say easy, we really do mean easy — just three GIF-filled steps and a tiny bit of patience. So click through to see the how-to, and then maybe politely ask your mom to update her photos.

Photographer: Tory Rust

Model:  Olga with MSA Models

Makeup: Ashleigh Ciucci

Hair: Jasmine Santiago

More: 13 Best Korean Beauty Products That’ll Truly Transform Your Skin

Step 2: Curl it forward

Step 3: Add some texture

Step 4: Vogue

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Sunscreen is something that we should all be thinking about every day, regardless of the time of year. After all, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, affecting 1 in 5 adults. The No. 1 thing we can do to protect our skin from cancer is to use sunscreen every time we're in the sun — not just in the summer. And the bottles currently on our shelves? Olay Complete All Day Moisturizers With SPF for Sensitive Skin.

More: 6 Peeling Skin Remedies We All Need After a Bad Sunburn

"In the summer, we're closer to the sun," Dr. William Wooden, director of operative services at Indiana University Health says. "However, the sun never stops emitting UV radiation, which is what causes the damage. It is always there, all year-round." As such, sunscreen application should be a part of your beauty routine, regardless of the temperature or time of year. "Any time you're spending time in the sun, no matter the season, remember sunscreen," he says.

Here are Wooden's tips for keeping your skin safe from harmful UV rays all year-round.

More: Sorry Mom, But the Spray Sunscreen Really Is as Bad as They Say

During summer and in hot climates

"In the summer, we often spend time at the beach and have moist, warm air and reflection of UV rays from the water and sand," Wooden says. Wearing sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15 to 30 will give good protection, but it needs to be reapplied regularly. "It’s important to remember to put on enough, and keep in mind that activity, water and sweat can remove the sunscreen," he says.

During fall and in cool climates

As fall arrives and the weather cools down, UV rays can be damaging your skin any time the sun comes out. If you're spending time outdoors, Wooden suggests reaching for SPF 15 to 30.

During winter and in cold climates

"In the winter, we have dry, cold air and a strong reflection of rays if there is snow," Wooden says, adding that for skiers, "elevation also plays a role in high elevation areas the UV exposure is higher." He recommends sticking with an SPF of 15 to 30, but adding in a moisturizer to help with the drying effects cold air can have on skin.

During spring and in warm climates

When warm weather first starts, "we have more skin exposed and are more at risk," Wooden says. Sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15 to 30 should be applied at least once daily.

Forget the myth that sunscreen is only for summer, and protect your skin all year long.

More: Do you Really Need Different Sunscreens for Your Body and Face?

This post was sponsored by Olay.

Guys, in case your newsfeed hasn’t already informed you with one-million Justin Timberlake memes (we get it, OK?! WE GET IT), it’s officially May. So let’s take a moment to remember April in all of its rainy glory, and then join us in celebrating a month of pleasant temperatures and total #springvibes—or for some, headache-inducing allergy vibes (to each her own, right?). But whatever May means for you, there’s one thing that the beauty-obsessed can confirm: There’s no better way to kick off the month than by scooping up the latest, literally-just-hit-the-site arrivals from Sephora.

More: How to Create Easy Beachy Waves (as Told by Gifs!)

At the beginning of each month, Sephora brings its A-game and drops some insanely exciting new releases for all to play with, and the May selection is no exception. We’re talkin’ a K-beauty coconut-water facial mist from Too Cool For School, and a super-pigmented and long-lasting lip liner from Kat Von D—yeah, that good. But before you get all overwhelmed, we’ve gone ahead and narrowed down the new arrivals to seven products you absolutely need right now.

And because we know firsthand that a beauty product obsession isn’t exactly bank account friendly, all seven are under $20. So go ahead and take a peek at our picks (or, like, immediately add them all to your shopping cart) and don’t forget to check back next month for our June selection.

More: The Craziest, Weirdest, and Coolest 2017 Met Gala Beauty Looks

Murad Hydro-Glow Aqua Peel

Murad Hydro-Glow Aqua Peel, $12.50; at Sephora

Rosebud Perfume Co. Tropical Ambrosia Lip Balm

Rosebud Perfume Co. Tropical Ambrosia Lip Balm, $7; at Sephora

Too Cool For School Coconut Milky Mist

Too Cool For School Coconut Milky Mist, $14; at Sephora

Kat Von D Everlasting Lip Liner

Kat Von D Everlasting Lip Liner, $18; at Sephora

Sephora Collection Moisturizing Shower Oil

Sephora Collection Moisturizing Shower Oil, $17; at Sephora

Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Long-Lasting Water-Resistant Lip Topcoat

Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Long-Lasting Water-Resistant Lip Topcoat, $18; at Sephora

Tarte Clean Queen Vegan Deodorant

Tarte Clean Queen Vegan Deodorant, $14; at Sephora

Originally posted on StyleCaster.com

Y'all, tip shaming on the internet is real — and it leaves a lot of us frozen in fear that we aren't ponying up enough gratuity when we go out. But we're not just talking restaurants, here. Even when we hit the salon we're constantly worried we're not throwing enough cash our stylist's way.

While it's true that a pro stylist is less likely to post a screenshot of a bad tip on Facebook than, say, a waiter, you know they're gonna remember how much you left next time you schedule an appointment — and we don't want to mess with the person who does our hair.

Since rules for appropriate salon tipping still seem kind of ambiguous, we did a little research to see just how much we should be leaving and included some other salon etiquette.

More: How to Get Big, Messy, Voluminous Hair in 4 Easy Steps

How much should I tip my hair stylist?

The Emily Post Institute, which "serves as a 'civility barometer' in American society," suggests tipping a hairstylist 15 to 20 percent.

Hairstylist Tamara Ianos, who is an independent contractor at Innerlooks in Phoenix, Arizona, believes people should tip what they want depending on the services they receive. The more services a hairstylist offers, the more a tip is appreciated. She also draws distinction between an independent contractor and a commissioned employee (a person who rents a booth from a salon would be an independent contractor, for instance). The latter may only earn 60 to 70 percent, or even as little as 30 percent, of the salon's listed service cost. The rest goes to the salon, so tips are even more significant to these stylists.

What if there's more than one person working on my hair? How much do I tip the others?

Depending on the salon, tipping the shampoo person may or may not be necessary. Don Browne, an independent hairstylist who rents space at Café Paris in Phoenix, Arizona, confirms if a stylist's assistant shampoos your hair and she works for the salon or someone else, the stylist will typically give her a tip for helping out.

If the shampoo person works for the stylist though, it is generally acceptable for the client to tip her. Tipping.org, the original tipping page, recommends tipping $1 to $2 for a shampoo person — however, Elie Camoro, a top stylist at Frederic Fekkai, told Today that you should up the tip to $3 to $5 in bigger salons. If in doubt, ask the receptionist or client coordinator when you schedule an appointment.

Emily Post also points out that you can request that your 15 to 20 percent tip be split among those who served you.

More: Here’s Exactly How to Dry Curls for Smooth, Frizz-Free Hair

What if I don't want someone separate to shampoo/wash my hair?

Browne believes it is absolutely acceptable to request that another person not shampoo a client's hair, whatever the reason. He confirms, "The bottom line is the client pays the stylist's salary so the stylist should do what it takes to make them happy."

What if I hate the cut? Can I demand a fix for free?

If a client is unhappy with a service, Ianos has no qualms about waiving the cost and always offers a fix to be scheduled at a later date. Some salons may have a policy on dealing with unhappy clients while independent contractors set their own policies. Ianos says a disappointed client often is the result of a miscommunication and suggests people bring a picture of exactly what they want their hairstyle to look like to avoid any confusion.

Here are some terms to know for effectively communicating with your hairstylist

• Fringe - refers to a straight across bang
• Swooping - refers to a bang that swoops to the side
• Inverted - a style that is slightly shorter in the back and longer in the front
• Texturizing - eliminating or thinning hair
• Peek-a-boo highlights - chunky colors underneath that are not completely noticeable on top
• Layers - these can be shorter or longer
• Face frame - a hairstyle that tapers in the front
• Chunky/blended highlights - chunky highlights are large sections of color, while blended highlights are not as heavy with lots of thin streaks

Originally published August 2010. Updated May 2017.

No two women are exactly alike, and pretty much the same can be said for their beauty routines. Some women live by their beauty schedules, unable to start their day until they've completed every step. Others are way less stressed about it — just making sure to adhere to a few key steps as often as possible. Most, however, probably fall somewhere in the middle.

I asked the editors at SheKnows to tell me about their beauty routines, and the differences were astounding. These lovely ladies are proof that whatever works for you... just plain works.

More: 15 Pretty Eye Makeup Ideas for Endless Inspiration

Beauty routines

"Executing my beauty routine is one of my favorite parts of my day. I start with a nice moisturizing cleanser in the shower, and when I hop out, I tone my face with a little bit of apple cider vinegar mixed with water (apple cider vinegar can fix anything — I swear). I use dissolving teeth-whitening strips twice a day, so I usually pop the first set on and let them dissolve while my toner dries. Then it's time for the fun stuff. First up: a hydrating serum. I live in Arizona, so hydration and sun protection are extra important for me (we basically have no cloudy days). Next, I dab an anti-aging eye cream around my eyes and I slather on a moisturizer with SPF already in it. Lately, my favorite moisturizer is Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer SPF 15. It works with – not against your beauty routine due to the lightweight formula. And because it's not thick and greasy, you can easily layer makeup on top of it. My makeup routine varies a lot. I actually keep it pretty simple during the week and save the heavier makeup looks for weekends. So I usually just apply a BB cream, a little bronzer, some blush and mascara and head out the door. When I get home, the first thing I do (aside from changing out of my work clothes) is take off all my makeup. I realize this is an unpopular opinion, but I do not like makeup-removing wipes. So I scrub it all off with a hydrating cleanser and wash cloth. Then I coat my face with a thick layer of anti-aging night cream. Right before bed, I'll pop on my second set of whitening strips and let them dissolve while I sleep." — Kenzie Mastroe, SheKnows branded content editor

"I’m not exaggerating when I say that executing my skin care regimen is one of the highlights of my day, second to drinking my morning coffee. While the brands I use change frequently, the actual products and order in which I apply them never does, and I find Zen in the familiarity. In the morning, my routine starts in the shower, where I wash my face with a gentle cleanser. After I towel off, I immediately reach for a toner to rebalance my skin, then follow that up with a slick of serum for deep hydration. Next, I gently tap on an eye cream and cap things off with an SPF moisturizer — sun protection is non-negotiable for daytime. At night, things look pretty much the same, except I swap out the SPF moisturizer for a richer nighttime formula."  — Cristina Velocci, SheKnows director of editorial operations

"Maybe I should try harder, but my routine is pretty simple. I wash my face at night, I put on a night cream/moisturizer and then I go to bed. I then wake up, put on my makeup (just mascara and maybe eyeliner) and go." — Kristine Cannon, SheKnows entertainment editor

More: 5 Pretty Braids You Can Actually Do on Short Hair

"In the last couple of years (I’m 47) my skin has changed. I used to be oily and acne-prone, and now my skin is so dry and so damn sensitive. So my nighttime regimen consists of 1) wiping off my makeup and 2) oiling up. And I do mean oil — I use almond oil on my face. In the mornings, I just oil up some more and then wipe off the excess. Seriously, I’m so dry." — Alice Bradley, SheKnows parenting editor

"While I do like to take care of my skin (and always do basic bare-minimum stuff like EOD cleansing/makeup removal and putting on SPF before going out), I can also be a little lazy at times and don't always remember to put on under-eye cream before bed, moisturize my neck, etc. To make up for my everyday lapses, once a week I'll do either a moisturizing/superfood mask or a pore-cleansing strip (there's nothing more satisfying than removing a bunch of whiteheads in one go). So far, it seems to work pretty well, although now that I'm about to be 30, I'll probably have to start getting more serious about my everyday regimen." — Hannah Hickok, SheKnows lifestyle editor

More: How to Exfoliate Like a Skin Care Pro

"My beauty routine is to sweat as often as possible. Hiking, dancing, rock climbing, paddle boarding, whatever I can get my hands on. It centers me in my body and helps me appreciate it for the awesome organism it is. I'm also pretty religious about brushing and flossing." — Colleen Stinchcombe, SheKnows community editor

"I rarely wear makeup, but if I do, I'll wipe it off — usually with a baby wipe — before going to bed. There's no strategy to that other than the fact that baby wipes are exponentially cheaper than facial wipes. I put on some sort of SPF in the morning — either a basic moisturizer or a CC cream. I exfoliate my face once a week in the shower, but other than that (and the wipes) I just splash some water on my face and call it a day." — Elizabeth Yuko, SheKnows health and beauty editor

"First disclaimer — I have been obsessed with skin care since my late teens and obsess over probably more than is healthy. Second disclaimer — I have insanely dry skin, so the products I use and tout are ones that have helped me see an actual difference. I usually wash my face with a gentle exfoliator — occasionally using a buffing/exfoliating sponge to remove dry skin (I'm telling you, it's so bad). Three days a week, I wash my face using a pro-collagen cleansing balm followed by facial oil. I can't live without facial oil now. It's changed my life and that's not an exaggeration. After I massage the oil into my face (counterclockwise circles around my eyes), I top it off with pro-collagen cream." — Lauren Kelly, SheKnows entertainment editor

What does your beauty routine look like? Let us know in the comment section below.

This post was sponsored by Olay.

Pastes, oils, pomades, gels, masks, mousse, leave-in conditioner — are we seriously supposed to have all of these damn hair products in our bathroom? We're so down to have the best hair ever, but we're not here for having our counters overflow with products that aren't really doing anything for us.

We hit up some salon industry pros to find out how to simplify our hair routines by streamlining our beauty arsenal — because we want to know what we really need and what we can live without.

Product overload

Not every woman needs a drawer filled with 20 different hair products — that's what the professionals are for. But modern advertising has kind of taught us to believe that we need loads of products, says NYC hairstylist Natasha Leibel.

"With all the mass marketing and product saturation that is thrown at us each day, we are consistently bombarded with merchandise overload which leads to confusion, over-consumption and usually breaking the bank," she says.

So how can we filter out all the fluff to determine what our hair really needs?

"When we think about what hair products we should be using when trying to minimize our daily regime, we really need to get back to basics. Think cleansing, hydrating, protecting, styling and finishing," Leibel says.

More: 10 Five-Minute Hairstyles You Need in Your Arsenal

The only products you'll ever need

We all need certain products for special events, but what are the ones you should turn to in your daily life if you're looking to simplify your beauty routine? Keep it simple, silly.

"Good hair care starts with healthy hair. By hydrating the hair, you're building a stronger foundation for styling. Utilizing four to five products is truly all you need because excess of products can weigh the hair down. Less is more for day-to-day styling," says NYC hairstylist Adam Maclay.

Maclay cites shampoo, conditioner, a leave-in and styling product and a hairspray as the only products you really need, and Leibel agrees.

And if you're looking to save some money on the essentials, don't be afraid to go DIY, Leibel says.

"We forget that many of our products have multifunctional uses and can be cross referenced within our daily routine," she says. "For example, your daily conditioner can be cocktailed with spring water to create a spray leave-in conditioner. Or when a small amount is used on dry hair, it doubles as a styling balm."

Product priorities

So why are these product types so important for our hair's health? That's the easy part. Conditioning tops Leibel's list because it's a way to recover after all the harsh treatment we subject our locks to.

"Most women are fairly tough on their hair — coloring, curling, straightening, etc. I believe that conditioning your hair should be of top priority," she points out. "Products that hydrate, protect and nourish maximize longevity in color."

Shampoo's importance is undeniable because it helps cleanse our strained locks, but leave-in products are something many women don't — but should — use. Why? As Maclay explains, a leave-in product can protect your hair against heat styling and color fading.

Product picks

Here are some of our current top picks for must-have products.

SheaMoisture Moisture Retention Shampoo

This sulfate-free formula cleanses while still retaining moisture. (Target, $9)

Ouidad Superfruit Renewal Clarifying Cream Shampoo

This clarifying shampoo removes gunk, but still leaves hair soft. (Sephora, $26)

OGX Brazilian Keratin Therapy Conditioner

This stuff is super hydrating at a great price point. Plus, it smells amazing. (Ulta, $8)

Kérastase Nutritive Masque Magistral

This is mask is the bomb.com. Enough said. (Kérastase, $63)

Big Sexy Hair Powder Play

Powder Play is a texturizing powder that lends natural-looking grit and volume to your hair. One beauty editor is so obsessed with this product, she says she would run into a burning building filled with sharks just to save it. (Ulta, $17)

L’Oréal Paris Extraordinary Clay Dry Shampoo

While most dry shampoos use alcohol, corn starch, and rice starch to soak up grease, this one is formulated with gentler minerals and clays that really absorb excess scalp oils without feeling heavy, sticky, or too textured — and it costs less than 10 bucks. (L’Oréal, $7)

Originally published August 2013. Updated May 2017.

A dramatic cat eye. A bold red lip. The perfect contour. We love a strong beauty look as much as we do an occasion to wear one, but recently, it's been the no-makeup makeup trend that we find most inspiring. No overly lined eyes, no deeply pigmented blush — just a light foundation, a nude or pale lip and maybe some brow gel and a single coat of mascara.

More: 10 Easy Beauty Hacks for Damaged, Dry-As-Heck Nails

Gabrielle Union, Busy Philipps and Zoë Kravitz are among celebs embracing the look, gracing magazine covers and red carpets fresh faced.

More: The 13 Prettiest Rose Gold Eyeshadow Palettes for Spring

Ahead, we've rounded up 11 of our favorite no-makeup makeup looks. Vote for your favorite now!

This post was sponsored by Olay.

If you Google “sexy hair” right now, you’ll find about 26 million articles and images of women with tousled, messy, curly and straight hair, because attractiveness is so damn subjective and also because Google is weird. But the one thing all of these hairstyles do have in common is volume — lots and lots of soft, bouncy, gravity-defying volume, which as anyone who has ever tried to create by themselves knows is an incredibly difficult look to get at home.

More: Lucy Hale Gets Cystic Acne, & This Is How She Treats It

Hey, we’re big fans of sleek, flat-ironed hair too, but sometimes, we want to play around with having Victoria’s Secret-level hair. You know, the kind that looks like it’s being perpetually blown by a soft breeze from the shores of Ibiza? So we asked hairstylist and all-around wizard Jasmine Santiago to show us exactly how to create bouncy, messy, voluminous hair fit for a photo shoot sans a ton of tools (or skills). Click through our GIF-filled tutorial ahead to find out exactly how to get the look at home, and try not to freak out too much when you realize it’s only four steps long.

Photographer: Tory Rust

Model:  Olga with MSA Models

Makeup: Ashleigh Ciucci

Hair: Jasmine Santiago

More: The 5 Coolest, Under-$20 Makeup Brush Sets to Instagram Right Now

Step 1: Roll it out

Step 2: Wait

Step 3: Unravel

Step 4: Add some texture

Step 5: Become a model

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Quite literally, we’re obsessed with makeup brushes. There’s just something weirdly exhilarating about a new, perfectly clean set of brushes that brings us back to our elementary school days, where brand-new notebooks were the only thing worth living for during back-to-school shopping. And though we may have graduated from our beloved Mead college-ruled ‘book, our love of perfectly untouched makeup brushes has only intensified, moving past the basic black-and-silver sets to the pastel, rainbow and minimalist variety. You know, the kind that practically requires an Instagram photo to make your many followers incredibly jealous.

More: Khloé Kardashian’s Makeup Storage Organization Is Our Actual Dream

But the sad reality of fancy makeup brushes is that all too often, they’re stupid expensive. So we set out on a mission to find the coolest, most Instagram-worthy makeup brushes that not only work incredibly well, but are also under $20, so you can fuel your brush obsession while staying on good terms with your bank account. Just remember that even though these rose gold, marble and unicorn-themed brushes are basically mini pieces of art, they’re still, you know, makeup brushes, so don’t be afraid to actually use them. Scroll through — as if you haven’t already — to see them all.

More: 50 Creative Date Ideas You’ve Never Thought Of

Stonegirl Ombré Unicorn brush set

BH Cosmetics Rose Quartz brush set

Forever 21 metallic brush set

Sonia Kashuk Brush Couture

Urban Beauty United 5-piece brush kit

Ah, the elusive fishtail braid. A wild, intricate-looking beast, the fishtail braid is most native to the heads of festival-fashion girls, hidden under twine and glitter, and more recently seen on everyone from your 6-year-old sister to your 76-year-old aunt. And somehow, despite your many decades of existing, you’ve yet to master the fishtail braid with your own hands, chalking it up to another “I’m bad at braiding” loss.

More: Here’s Exactly How to Curl Your Hair Like a Pro

But alas! We think that excuse is total bullshit, because anyone — and we really do mean anyone — can learn how to braid as long as they have a really excellent tutorial and at least a few levels of patience. So we asked hairstylist Jasmine Santiago to show us exactly how to create a simple, no-frills fishtail braid for even the most basic of beginners. (Hey! That’s you!) And to make it even easier, we did the whole tutorial in GIFs, because the world is a better, happier place with GIFs in it. Scroll through to see the how-to, and get ready to finally catch your Bigfoot.

More: Uh, Oh — Are You Causing Premature Gray Hair?

Photographer: Tory Rust

Model: Olga with MSA Models

Makeup: Ashleigh Ciucci

Hair: Jasmine Santiago

Step 1: Divide and cross

Step 2: Keep on braiding

Step 3: Fatten it up

Step 4: Show it off

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Is it just us, or do Ulta’s newest arrivals somehow get increasingly impossible to resist every month? Like, regardless of our overflowing makeup cabinets and dwindling (or, um, nonexistent) funds, it’s a straight-up struggle to leave the site without buying a K-Beauty sheet mask or a new shade of a cult-favorite lipstick. So when May 1 hit, our beauty-obsessed and self-sabotaging selves couldn’t type those four letter fast enough — and as expected, the new arrivals are seriously good.

More: How to Get Big, Messy, Voluminous Hair in 4 Easy Steps

And before you go all ape shit on us for feeding into your beauty product weakness, we’ve combed through the many, many new pages of arrivals and narrowed them down to the absolute five best. And since we also like to eat and pay rent, we made sure they’re all under $15 (yes, we are wizards). Between Pacifica’s pink eye shadow palette and Benefit’s creamy highlighter, this month’s crop will give you life. So brace yourself and check out our five seriously enticing picks, and don’t forget to stop back for our June assortment.

More: The 11 Best Colorful Liquid Eyeliners You Need to Try ASAP

Pacifica Pink Nudes Mineral Eye Shadows

Maui Moisture Thicken & Restore + Bamboo Fibers Blowout Mist

Maui Moisture Thicken & Restore + Bamboo Fibers Blowout Mist (Ulta, $8.99)

Benefit Cosmetics High Beam liquid face highlighter mini

Benefit Cosmetics High Beam liquid face highlighter mini (Ulta, $12)

H20+ Oasis Lip Gel in Clear as Day

H20+ Oasis Lip Gel in Clear as Day (Ulta, $12)

Tarte Tarteist metallic shadow

Tarte Tarteist metallic shadow (Ulta, $14)

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

OK, so you know you need to use sunscreen, right? You know that 1 in 5 Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetime, and that you shouldn’t step outside without a thick layer of sunscreen covering your face (and body), lest the world strike you down? Right, good. Then you also know that most drugstore sunscreens kind of feel awful on your skin — whether they’re too heavy, sticky, oily or slimy — and that the lightweight cult-favorite formulas can also cost as much as your cell bill. Therein lies the conundrum.

Or it did until we came around. Because trust us when we say you don’t need to spend a zillion dollars just to protect your face from sun damage or skin cancer — you just need to know where to look. So we rounded up the five best sunscreens for every type of skin — including dry, sensitive, oily, acne-prone and combination — so you have literally zero excuse not to slather these formulas on every single morning. Oh, and did we mention they’re all under $10? Yup, you’re welcome. Scroll down to find your new best friend.

Dry skin: 

Aveeno Protect + Hydrate Lotion Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 50 for Face (Target, $8.19)

Sensitive skin: 

L'Oréal Paris Ideal Moisture Sensitive Skin Day Lotion SPF 25 (L'Oréal Paris, $6.99)

Oily skin:

No7 Beautiful Skin oil-free skin protector SPF 25 (Target, $9.99)

Acne-prone skin: 

Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid-Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 (Walmart, $9.97)

Combo skin: 

Eucerin Daily Protection Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen moisturizing face lotion (Walmart, $7.86)

As anyone with curly hair knows, curls can be frustrating, confusing and wildly unpredictable, depending on the humidity, time of day, Earth’s orbital position around the sun, etc. And despite your incredibly stringent routine with seven products and multiple incantations, you can still end up with a frizzy, fluffy, truly awful hair day for seemingly no rhyme or reason — at least that was the case for me until I discovered how to dry my curls by plopping.

More: The 11 Best Colorful Liquid Eyeliners You Need to Try ASAP

All right, it’s not the sexiest name in the world, but IDGAF, because this curly-drying method has literally given me the best hair of my life. After reading approximately every single curly hair tip ever posted on the internet when I was in high school, I found buried in a forum instructions on how to “plop” your wet hair for smooth, frizz-free, magical curls. I tested it out, and holy hell, the internet (for once) wasn’t lying.

Basically, plopping involves setting a large, super-soft T-shirt (an XL long-sleeve works best) on a flat surface, flipping your sopping-wet hair over and onto the center of the T-shirt, then folding, twisting and tying the sleeves around your head to form a weird, helmet-like structure with your curls nestled in the center. Unlike the classic wrapping-wet-hair-in-a-towel situation, which stretches out your curls and leaves them frizzy, plopping lets your curls sit in a self-contained mound on the top of your head, allowing them to dry with better definition and volume without any of the frizz thanks to the T-shirt.

I know; it doesn’t sound that revolutionary or hair-changing, and even I eventually stopped plopping after a few years, thinking it didn’t really make that much of a difference (and also because I moved into an apartment without a bathroom counter to plop on, but hey). But after plopping suddenly became viral last year thanks to the wonders of the internet, I Amazon’d an XXL Hanes long-sleeve T-shirt, went back to my life of plopping and immediately kicked myself for ever stopping.

Seriously — the morning after plopping my hair, I walked into work and was complimented a dozen times throughout the day. Which, again, if you have curly hair, you know isn’t an everyday thing. Now, I have about five long-sleeve T-shirts in rotation at all times, and I have a momentary freak out if I almost forget to pack one when I travel. No, plopping won’t totally fix all of your curl problems, because I’m partially convinced nothing ever can, but I’m 100 percent positive it will revolutionize your curl game, regardless of whether you air-dry or diffuse afterward. So to get you started, go get yourself a giant T-shirt, then watch the YouTube video below.

More: How to Do the Perfect Messy Bun in 3 Easy Steps (with GIFs)

Originally posted on StyleCaster.