A Hair Story: Sarah & the Pixie Invasion

Photo by: Rory M.

Today, we are pleased to welcome a guest blogger to Eye of the Beholder! Sarah is a nursing student in the Boston area who recently started a new chapter of her hair history, or as we like to call it, "hair story". Sarah joined the force of what I (Rory) like to call the "Pixie Invasion". It's true, pixie cuts are in! What I like about the pixie cut is that it is for any age group. Grandmas, moms, teens, little girls, we've seen 'em all. Each age group brings something special to the 'do, and the look brings out the best in any age. However, any drastic change to one's hair can be a little daunting, and let's face it, emotional. Sarah talks a little about her choice, and how the new look has impacted her style.

~

I’m always up for trying new things, and getting a pixie cut has been on my bucket list for some time. While I had typically been fond of longer hair, seeing other people my age with pixies gave me the motivation to get one. It had always been in the back of my mind, and when the thought would pop up I’d tell myself that there would be a better time for short hair later on in life, but seeing other people taking the leap and chopping it all off made me think “what am I waiting for?”. So, although it’s been in the back of my mind for a few years now, the actual decision making process took place over about twenty-four hours. Semi-spur-of-the-moment.


Sitting in the chair, it didn’t really hit me that I was getting my hair cut off. I could see it happening, but I didn’t have any sort of internal crisis, as if it were an integral part of my identity. My opinion was that, hey, hair grows back. So, as I sat there wondering what all of my family and friends would think (I was surprising almost everyone I knew), she trimmed every lock of my hair down to about an inch.


Usually when I would get “drastic” haircuts (long to shoulder length, etc.) I’d love it that night, hate it the next day, then get used to it over the next few weeks. This time, however, I felt no regrets, no dislike for my haircut. I feel like I’ve owned it from the start. It’s been about eight weeks now, and not once have I regretted getting a pixie. Although at the beginning I was insecure about the big change, I feel like it’s given me so much self-confidence. 

I’ve been wearing a lot of dresses and skirts since cutting my hair; I’ve felt it necessary to “girly” things up a bit. I’ve also been trying new make-up techniques, accentuating my facial features because they’re pretty center-stage right now. I’ve been wearing different earrings. Pre-pixie I’d wear the same pair for days; my hair usually covered my ears anyway. Now I’m more likely to rock dangling earrings and larger earrings rather than my usual small, gemstone studs.

I believe that the pixie-cut fits me well, but I don’t know if I’d say better. I definitely think that I have the right face and head shape for it, and am very pleased with how it looks, but I still really like my longer hair. It takes a lot less work, which is a definite plus; typical styling – from blow-drying to the finished product – takes about ten minutes tops. Although the styling is so quick, there is a downside: because my hair is naturally very wavy, cow-licky and frizzy, any humidity whatsoever (like 75% of the days this summer) my hair gets really full and the moisture negates any attempt that I had made to smooth out my unruly hair. I do miss the option of putting my hair up into a bun on this type of day. In the end, I’m really glad that I got a pixie cut, and though I probably won’t have it for the rest of my life, I’m going to work it while I do.


Sarah 

~

Do you have a hair story to share? Send it to anewbeautyblog@gmail.com!

Cooking with Kelsey: Pancakes

Photo by: Rory M

This summer I’ve been working a lot. Like, stretches without a day off in the foreseeable future “a lot”.  So when I do get a day to myself, I’m determined to make the most of it. Sitting in my bedroom on Tumblr all day just doesn’t cut it like it did last summer (although I swear they invented endless scroll just for me).  But I’ve recently lost 100 pounds, and I didn’t do it by sitting in my room on the Internet. I did it by doing. 

Today, with one of my precious days off, I went on a bike ride. A bike ride of the fourteen mile, crossing town lines, hours long variety. I visited a state park, scared the living bajeezus out of several motorists unaccustomed to sharing the road with a cyclist, and cursed my gears when they decided for themselves when a good time to shift was (it’s not as I’m cresting a huge hill, Mr. Bike). But I digress. 

While cycling isn’t nearly as strenuous as running or other more intense forms of cardio, riding for that long does burn a lot of calories. This results in what I will hereby refer to as the “Pancake Plateau”, and it goes a little something like this:

Mile 4: You know what I haven’t had in a long time? Pancakes.
Mile 7: I think I’ll make some pancakes when I get home.
Mile 9: I really want pancakes.
Mile 12: PANCAKEPANCAKEPANCAKEPANCAKEPANCAKE. 

As you can imagine, by the time I walked back into my house, there was only one thing to be done: make pancakes. 

Photo by: Kelsey S.

Part of losing an incredible amount of weight is accepting that some foods are a no-no. Pancakes as I formerly knew them were one of those foods. Griddle-fried, filled with chocolate chips, slathered in butter and syrup…not exactly conducive to maintaining a 100 pound weight loss. 

So I got creative. And the result?

These babies. These are without a doubt the lightest, fluffiest, most flavorful pancakes I have ever had, pre- or post-weight loss. They are sweet enough without syrup and moist enough without butter. And the best part? The entire recipe amounts to 143 calories. The.Whole.Recipe. So if you can’t imagine pancakes without syrup, drown ‘em. Switch out the apples for chocolate chips without a care in the world. Slather them in lard for all I care. These are God’s gift to the health conscious and junk food enthusiast alike. And here’s how to make them. 

Photo by: Kelsey S.

You will need:
2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
A dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
1 tablespoon milk
¼ teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
1 egg white
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1-2 tablespoons Splenda (3-6 packets; I used 5 and found it a bit much).
½ an apple

In a cup or small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar. Set aside and allow the milk to curdle. 

In another small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set that aside. 

Photo by: Kelsey S.

Separate out the egg white and combine it with the cream of tartar. (Do not use carton egg whites; for whatever reason, they don’t come together like real eggs do).

Using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high until they form white, soft peaks. 

Add in the Splenda gradually and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Shut the mixer off; set the bowl aside. 

To the sour milk, add a tablespoon of water and the applesauce. Stir, then add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until combined. 

Spoon the pancake batter into the egg white mixture and gently fold until combined. Do not overmix. 

Photo by: Kelsey S.

Chop up your apple into bite sized pieces (and try not to eat all of the pieces in the process). Fold those into the batter as well.

Coat a skillet with Pam (or oil or butter) and put it on your stovetop at low to medium heat (about a 4 on a 1-10 dial). When the skillet’s hot, spoon a palm-sized amount of batter into the skillet. Let it cook for about 4 minutes, until bubbles start to break the surface and the edges set. 

…and not a second before or you’ll end up with a mess. Flip them and let them cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. 

Make sure you re-spray your pan in between cooking rounds; because the pancakes have so little fat, they have nothing to keep them from not sticking. This recipe yields about 4 palm-sized pancakes (if you don’t eat the first one while the others cook... )

Photo by: Kelsey S. 

What you do with them next is up to you. Eat them slowly. Devour them quickly. Die happy. 

Nutritional information: Calories (143), Carbohydrates (29g), Fat (1g), Protein (6g)

Meet Kelsey

Photo by: Rory M.

Hello Beauty Bloggers!

Let me (Rory) introduce you to my friend, Kelsey. When I was entering my junior year of high school, I transferred schools, and I attribute much of the quality of my transfer (and the remainder of my time in high school) to this girl. It's the typical cafeteria scene- New girl walks in, nobody notices, she shuffles left and right, thinks she recognizes someone, then doesn't. Finally, when she concludes that there's nowhere to eat but the corner bathroom stall, she's approached tentatively and invited to sit with some classmates. From there it was Shakespeare, prom dresses, writing poetry in Physics, AP exams, eating cookie dough in Chemistry, and eventually graduation. I'm a lucky gal, and am so excited to share my friend and her thoughts on health and body image. So without further ado, heeere's Kelsey!

~

If you had asked me two and a half years ago, when I was halfway through my senior year and over one hundred pounds heavier, what I wanted out of being thin, one of my first answers would have been “to be desirable”. (Although if we’re truthful, it probably would have been phrased more coarsely, like “a boyfriend” or “to be hot”. I’d like to think my vocabulary and tact have matured a bit since then).  Fast forward, and if I could go back in time, I’d tell fat me “not so fast”. 

One of the things that happens when you’re young and heavy is that people are quick to define you by anything other than your weight. You become “you know, that junior that played the guard in the fall play” or “the girl with brown hair that ran the Christmas Toy Drive”. Anything to avoid stating the most obvious identifier as “the fat girl from English class”. In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise: acquaintances and even strangers knew that I was smart, bold, driven, before I had a chance to show them.

I didn’t notice it right away, but being thin erased the need to identify me by my accomplishments. In conjunction with this, my talents were no longer recognized; it was no longer necessary knowledge that I was an actress or in the National Honor Society. People didn’t have to peel back the layers to find something pleasant to identify me with. I was pretty; that was enough.

This shift became even more obvious during my first real relationship. For the first time in my life, I would frequently feel like I was only valued for my appearance. It didn’t matter that I had landed a role in the newest Renaissance play or that I’d made the Dean’s list for three consecutive semesters. That I was smart or clever or kind was suddenly a bonus, an afterthought. I was an object, a trophy, a pretty little number on my man’s arm. I was something to ogle, something for my boyfriend’s friends to congratulate him for obtaining. Something. No one had to look past my appearance to find value in my intelligence, wit, or charisma. And sometimes I wished they would. 

It’s a sad situation in society where the layers of a person are judged from appearance in. I’ve learned that in order to remain in someone’s memory as someone of substance, I have to project that substance that much more.  It’s difficult not to get cynical, but I’m learning that although society will always judge me appearance-first, I can give them more on top of it. I can be friendly and kind and honest and sarcastic and pretty. My outer beauty doesn't have to be my only beauty if I don't let it be. 

Kelsey

The New Normal

 

 

Photo by: Rory M.

Hello Beauty Bloggers! Remember me?

I know it's been awhile, so let me catch you up with what's been going on around here! 

Alysha has been globe-trotting to Senegal and Spain, and I've been taking some time to myself and working on other projects as well. But we're back, and we're looking forward to some exciting guest posts this week! But first, a word from your editors, or just me.


One of my favorite parts of taking a shower is trying the new products that I find there (i.e. sister's shampoo, mom's body wash, dad's shaving cream, etc.). Maybe that's weird, but before you judge too harshly, keep reading. 


Last night, I found a 2-in-1 shampoo for "Normal Hair". Wait, what?! What is normal hair? I asked myself. Then I got angry, and I asked that shampoo-conditioner-hybrid-freak what in the world it knows about normal hair, and where does it get off telling me that there even is such a thing as normal hair? 


Okay, maybe I overreacted, but to me it seems a little silly to assume that "normal" is a concept that is universal, constant, and objective. For instance, it may be considered "abnormal" for my sister to have curly red hair when you look at the rest of my family that has straight brown hair. However, if you were to unravel her DNA, you would find that she is actually wired to have fabulous red curls. 


Like most things, I started to relay this encounter with my life at this point. (It was a fairly long shower.) I began to think about how I interpret normalcy, and if I, like this product, am limiting myself. You see, I came to the conclusion that "normal" is relative to a specific environment. For instance, it is considered abnormal to sing aloud at work. I sing aloud all the time when I'm not at work. However, if my boss began singing aloud at work, perhaps I would also, and then maybe my co-workers would. Then, with time, it could be abnormal to not sing at work. How awesome would that be?


With that example, I began to replace singing at work with other things. These include smiling at strangers, loading the dishwasher when it's "not my turn", and telling friends and family that I love them. Perhaps this is idealist and far-fetched, but maybe if we all took time to establish a better "normal", it could make a difference in how we live and treat other people. At least it'd be a good use of shower time. 


Happy Monday,
Rory



 

Challenge Accepted (Finger Waves)

Original Photo:

 

Challenge Accepted:

Photo by: Rory M.

Photo by: Rory M

Meet Kristin!! Kristin is an awesome lady with a fabulous pixie cut! 

We received a request quite some time ago for a finger wave style. I (Rory) was actually very nervous about this challenge. It seemed like a very difficult style, and it was one that I had never done before! We chose to do it with short hair because it seemed like a great way to add variation to a shorter style.

Photo by: Tessa M.

Step 1: Begin with wet hair. We sprayed dry hair with water, but it would have probably been better to start with drenched hair, and then patted it dry. We also used a lot of mousse. Mousse can be substituted for gel, or other hair-holding products.
Step 2: Part the hair. It seems simple enough, but the part is essential to the overall look, and its placement makes a difference. We gave Kristin a deep side part.

Step 3: Place finger parallel to the part, about a half-inch from the line.

Step 4:(While finger is in place)Holding fine-toothed comb perpendicular to the part, comb hair forward, towards the face. 

Step 5: Remove finger, and gently replace it with bobby pin. 

Photo by: Tessa M.

Step 6: While hair is still combed towards face, place finger a half-to-full inch below pin, and  begin combing hair away from face.

Step 7:

Gently secure bobby pin.

Step 8:

Repeat Steps 3-7.

After pins are all securely in place, begin drying hair. We used hot air on a low setting. Too much force will blow hair out of place.

When hair is at its desired texture, remove pins and spray lightly with hairspray (we used aerosol). 

Photo by: Rory M.

For more information, including how to extend the waves to fit longer hair: 

• http://www.wikihow.com/Style-a-1930%27s-Finger-Wave-Hairstyle

• http://www.ehow.com/how_7175571_do-finger-waves-short-hair.html

Got a hair question? Send us a challenge at anewbeautyblog@gmail.com! 

Rory

Tessa's Just-About-Any-Occasion Look

Today, we're featuring a beauty tutorial from my (Rory's) sister, Tessa! Last week, she went to an event, and was not sure how formal it was. These events can be so difficult because when it's summer, we want to be comfortable, but still be appropriate for the occasion. I think it worked out very well, and I wanted her to describe her look in her own words. So without further ado, heeere's Tessa! 

Skin:

First, I applied my liquid foundation all over my face. I used my fingers instead of a brush because I wanted my skin to look flawless, and when I use my fingers I am able to rub the makeup into my skin more easily. I also applied foundation on my eyes to act as a primer.

Eyes:

Photo by: Rory M.

Next, I moved onto eyes. The eye shadow palette I chose had soft pastel colors, which looks good on pale skin. I first applied the orange color all over my eye. I then applied the green color onto my lid. Using the same brush, I applied the purple on the inner corners of my eyes, and I put a little bit under my eyes in the inner corner. I took the darkest shade (brown), and put it into the crease to add some definition. I then took my plum-colored eyeliner and made a very thin line as close to the roots of my lashes as I could. I then took the brown color and, using an eyeliner smudging brush, I smudged the brown color into the eyeliner, very soft, yet still defined. Lastly, I applied my mascara. I did not curl them simply because my lashes don't stay curled. But I didn't want my eyes to be the center of attention; this look is all about the overall look, meaning that it's not about having one feature pop. The entire look should be the main focus.

Cheeks:

Photo by: Rory M.

Next, I applied a light layer of powder. I didn't want my face to look photoshopped, but I wanted it to look flawless in a natural way. Then, I applied my blush. I went with a rosie red-pink because it looked cheerful and youthful. I applied it on the apples of my cheeks, going up along the cheekbone. I then applied some bronzer a little below the cheek bones to add some contouring.

Lips:

I finished with chapstick. I felt that my natural lips went well with the rest of the look, so I didn't really touch them. 

Dress:

My dress from American Eagle was perfect for the occasion. It was a great day dress, but could easily be worn for a special occasion, or a night event. I felt that the style was mature, yet was not over-the-top. All-in-all, I believe this look is carefree and bright.

Photo by: Rory M.

The Definition of Whimsy

Photo by: Rory M.

"I asked him what he meant by whimsy, and he struggled to define it. He said it's that nagging idea that life could be magical; it could be special if we were only willing to take a few risks." (Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years)

This summer, I've been challenging myself to take some risks, mostly social. These have included reaching out to people I don't know very well, forgiving past hurts, rekindling relationships, talking to strangers, and befriending a very sweet homeless woman named Jessie. These risks may not always end well, but so far, I haven't regretted taking them. 

A couple weeks ago, I made a pact with a girl that I work with that we would be sure to do something over the weekend that we hadn't done in a while. (I went mini-golfing.) It's that sort of thing that wakes me up inside; it makes life just a little more magical.

This weekend, I challenge you to take some risks. Try something new. Be whimsical.


And then tell me about it.
Rory

"When we look back on our lives, what we will remember are the crazy things we did, the times we worked harder to make a day stand out." (Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years)

66 Years and Counting

Did you know that the modern bikini is 66 years old? Well, it is, and it's never looked better! When first introduced July 5, 1946 by Frenchman, Louis Rèard, the bikini redefined summer fashion. So whether you love 'em, hate 'em, or just don't care, let's tip our hats to the bathing suit that is one of the most successful staples of beachwear.  


Happy Birthday!