Do the Donut

Photo by: Rory M.

Hello Beauty Bloggers! Today, I want to share one of my favorite recent beauty tricks! In 2012, the sock bun took us by storm. It is fun, easy to do, easy to accessorize, and looks fabulous! However, I found a device that makes it even easier! Enter the donut.

The donut is made of a meshy, spongy material, and comes in multiple sizes and colors. What I like about it is the hair tends to hold better to the material, and it allows bobby pins to be inserted directly into the device, making for better security. If that isn't enough, it also comes in my hair color, which makes it harder to spot.

Here's how it works!

Step 1: Tie hair off in a pony tail at the point where you want your bun.

Photo by: Rory M.

Step 2: Pull the pony through the center of the donut.

Photo by: Rory M. 

Photo by: Rory M. 

Step 3: Slide the donut up the pony until it gets to the ends. Don't go so far that the pieces begin to fall out. If that happens, slide it back down and repeat Step 3.

Step 4: Tuck the ends under the donut. I even tuck them back up in to the center of the donut for maximum hold.

Step 5: Start turning the donut inside out, rolling it down the ponytail until you get to the base. The number of turns depend on the length of your hair. The longer the hair, the more turns.

The bun will probably be a little loose when you get to the bottom. I pin the loose hairs under the bun (or into it) to make it tighter.

Photo by: Rory M. 

Experiment with some accessories (flowers, bows, etc.) to make it your own! There are a bazilion (yes, that many) ways to get creative with a fun bun!

Photo by: Rory M. 

Be sure to share some of your ideas with us at: anewbeautyblog@gmail.com!

High Resolution

Photo by: Rory M. 

Today's topic is a difficult one for me, but I feel it is too important to ignore. So, here goes!

According to Facebook, the most popular 2013 New Year's Resolution is to lose weight. Although I'm not surprised by the statistic, it was initially saddening. Don't get me wrong - I think it's great when people take care of their bodies, and feel good doing it.

I've lived much of my life feeling insecure about my own body. In high school, I tried dieting, different exercise regimes, some healthy and some not. I read books and watched programs, and it quickly became an obsession. Despite all the time and energy I put into feeling great about my body, I never felt truly comfortable.

The reason for this is that I was putting effort into changing my body with the belief that when it was what I wanted, I would accept it. In college, I realized that my body would change and fluctuate my entire life, and the secret to feeling great wasn't to look great.

Feeling great came when I stopped comparing myself to other people. It happened when every negative thought was followed by ten positive ones, until the negative thoughts stopped altogether. A positive self-image came as a result of understanding that my body is unique, and rather than trying to look like other people, I should celebrate what I have, and take care of it.

If you resolved to improve your body this year, you have the full support of EOB! However, I challenge you to take your resolution one step further, and work on building a more positive self-image. Every morning, list five things you like about who you are. Surround yourself with positive people. And never, ever, entertain the idea that you are not beautiful.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so focus those eyes to see the real, beautiful you!

Happy New Year,

Rory

"A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." -Roald Dahl, The Twits