A Week(ish) in My Life

A Week(ish) in My Life

(This is a very long post, sorry I'm not sorry)

Oh man. I can't even begin to tell you my week. I feel like I've been running a marathon AND IT ISN'T EVEN OVER YET. Like, I can see the finish line in the distance but I'm starting to burn out and like, I'm dragging myself across the floor and people are yelling at me.

SO HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED:

We all remember Stephanie right? Resident arm twister, my mentor, Stephanie, right? Cool.

We're doing this competition throughout Paul Mitchell for our Queen For a Day prom campaign. The idea is to take one of the four prom looks put out by the company and then re-create it and make it your own. I didn't plan on doing it because, look- I love doing updos. I LOVE IT. And sometimes when stuff like this comes up and it's something I love to do- I hate competing. I don't want to lose and then be in doubt every time I do an updo. I just can't deal with it. YES, I AM A SORE LOSER.

So Stephanie comes up, grabbing on my elbow, "Did you send in the picture for Queen for a Day?" (We had to submit a picture to the school as like our "ticket" to be able to do the style on a model and have professional photos taken.)

"What? No. I wasn't-"

But then she gave me that look.

Anyone who knows her, knows she gives you this mom look. It's intense. It's like saying, "You better do it, right now" but WITH HER EYES. It's too much. It makes my heart crumble like when mom's disappointed with you.

"...I'll submit it today."

I did, because I'm a pansy and I don't like disappointing people.

So the next day for the photoshoot, I grab Kristina (our resident pin up model/stylist) and I'm like, "Let me slap a bob on you".

She was very patient with me, and sure enough- 15 minutes later there was a bob on her head. (It's a faux-bob, no one panic.)

Our photographer, by the way, is the owner of the school (NO PRESSURE OR ANYTHING). Kristina of course steps up to the lights and you know, does her thing- but I'm not liking it. And as most people know, authority does not scare me. So I looked to Eric-

"Can we move the light?"

"This one?"

"Yeah, I want it up here".

Eric complied, because I'm bossy and I think he liked that I wanted to move his whole set up.

"Kristina, do like... Betty Boop."

"Cool". 

AND THEN FOR SOME REASON, MAGIC HAPPENED.

I KNOW, WHAT?! How amazing is this?

For those who are curious, I did the exact technique I showed in my faux-bob tutorial- except I added red extensions to the fronts and made the bob angular to be longer on one side. Kristina liked it so much she wants to lop all her hair off. AWESOME.

Then it was "Pie in the Face" day. We did this a couple times in the last few months for RUNraising and every time- I'm way to scared to do it. I know better than to throw things at my teachers... and I genuinely like a lot of them.

But not everyone was scared-

Poor Josh, he looks weird without his pompadore.

Then Amy took me to the rodeo 2 nights in a row. We were talking in class and we realized we both were obsessed with horseback riding.

She turned to me and was like, "You going to the rodeo?"

I was like, "Are you inviting me?"

"Yes."

"Then yes."

The concerts were amazing, by the way.

I love my face in the 3rd one. I call it my "Wallace and Gromit" face. Also, who is that girl in the background? Why is she creepin' on us? Rude.

THEN I DID A LOT OF HAIR:

My sister in law is a goober, seriously. This is obviously not a hairstyle by my creation but I did help...

Then I did a prom updo. Sorry I look so awkward Page.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE. I have no idea what Jae is doing, but it is hysterical.

Here's the final product! She seemed really happy and I loved the style on her.

Not pictured is the other girl I helped Jae do, or the other haircut I did on my sister in law's sister. OR THE MILLION OTHER THINGS I DID THIS WEEK. 

Although it's been so hectic, I've had such a good time this week just doing my thing and being with my amazing group of friends and Paul Mitchell family. 

Hopefully next week is just as good,

-SamanthaK

Just a Plain Old Blog: Throw Back Thursday

Throwback Thursday: Core

So yesterday after school I spent some time with the social networking club. (This was mostly in part because my core teacher/mentor twisted my arm and wanted me to talk about blogs. Which is hilarious, as this blog is what? a week old, tops?)

I did my best explaining what I want this blog to be, and what I hope it becomes- and it must have been what they wanted to hear because now I'm in the mix for relaunching the school's youtube channel and maybe starting a blog for it. WHAT, I KNOW. APPARENTLY, I'M KINDA GOOD AT THIS.

The topic migrated to Core, and seeing as it was Throwback Thursday, I wanted to talk about my core experience.

Now, I really wanted to find pictures for you guys, but I have literally none. I was so scared to pull out my cell phone in core and get in trouble that I have NO photos. I think the only one I have was when Stephanie made us take pictures of our first perms. I think she worded it like, "No, seriously. Go get your phones out of your lockers. It's ok, I won't bust you."

Keep in mind, Core is also a long program. You're in Core learning EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING in a matter of 6 weeks, then you move to the Adaptive where you drill in those skills all day every day, then halfway through the year you bump to Creative where you get to take those skills and then BREAK ALL THE RULES AND DO COOL LOOKING HAIRCUTS. Can you tell I'm close to being a Creative?

To put this into a better analogy- Core is where you have a spark. Core is when everything is fresh and new and exciting, and sparking up is easy. Being an Adaptive is a nurturing process- you have to somehow get that spark to turn into a flame and sometimes the spark burns out, it happens to the best of us. It's easy to spark up again, it really is- so try not to be discouraged. Creative though, that's when the flame turns into a fire. You're way closer to graduation, and a real job, and then suddenly that fire turns into an inferno and by that time, you're out the door. 

So, like I said, Core was easy... for most people.

Here's a sad little background story:

I had an incredibly painful divorce a few years ago. It left me in a state where I didn't want to go outside for MONTHS. I was scared to be around people because it felt like their talking was a constant static. I could hear them talking, but my mind was going too fast to hear it. What were they thinking of me? What was I putting out there? Did I look like a bitter divorcee? Did I act normal? My life was a constant worry of trying to wade through other people's thoughts that I couldn't have one for myself- and I couldn't produce a coherent thought. 

It was, to put it lightly, hell.

And right before I was to go into Paul Mitchell for my first day for Core, I still had tremendous social anxiety. Crowds were the worst and of course as everyone knows, Core is when you're locked in a room with 15 other people all day every day. 

So the night before, I cried. I cried big, alligator, swan song tears. Another anxiety of mine is starting something and not being able to finish. I'd rather never start than never finish. I told myself, "You're not doing this. Just call the school tomorrow and tell them it's not happening."

But when I woke up the next morning, I was so tired- I was on auto pilot. I got dressed in the outfit I had laid out, I grabbed my book bag and I drove 25 minutes to school. I don't remember anything about getting there. I just assumed I did all this stuff because I didn't show up to school naked.

Core the first few days were rough. I kept pretending to go to the bathroom so I could be alone for 3 minutes. It was like running a marathon with your mind. But Stephanie, my teacher/mentor/resistant arm twister, was gentle. She was encouraging and quietly pushed me to continue. I don't think she knew what she was doing. In fact in the 8 months she's known me, I don't think I've ever told her about my anxiety. And I'm grateful for her constantly twisting my arm and making me do more and be better.

And on the flip side, I was in a small and very rare core. We were a group that ACTUALLY liked each other. It can be hard, with so many girls in a small room- in fact, it could have been a war zone. Somehow I managed to get into a Core group where everyone was supportive and genuinely wanted us to make it through together. We went to lunch together, we studied together, and 8 months later we're still friends. I know personally, I've made a solid group of friends there that I know I'll carry with me when school's over.

I was really lucky. Had it been another Core, another teacher, another year, I would have dropped out. I would have quit on a career that was so obviously right for me. I would have never experienced fashion shows, behind the scenes work, photo-shoots... I could have missed out on something amazing.

Shout out to Core 60! Danysha, Michael, Megan, Jae, Melly, Kaylene, Irene, Blanca, Maria, and Alexis. And of course, shout-out to Stephanie (who literally twisted my arm into something amazing).

Happy Throwback Thursday,

SamanthaK

(I promise I'll do my tutorials and fun stuff soon).

Just a Basic Blog Post, THANKING MY WONDERFUL FAMILY

Blog Post: Saying Thank You to Like, Everyone.

I thought today was going to be a normal day. Honest. I thought it wasn't going to be a big deal. HOWEVER, when I went on break and came back to this:

- I probably should have known better. 

Today was one of the last FUNraisers we were going to do (FUNraising, fyi, is 3 months out of the year where all the Paul Mitchell schools do everything in their power to raise a lot of money for a list of charities like Cancer Schmancer, Food for Africa, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc) and for this particular day we were doing an hour of jam-packed fund raising. For each certain dollar increment, you could pop a balloon and win whatever was listed inside. And then to top the whole thing off with a cherry, the first 5 people to reach a crazy insane dollar amount won a trip to Orlando (all expenses paid) to go to a giant hair show called Premiere Orlando. They were going to pay for the ticket, the airline ticket, and the hotel- basically leaving me with just paying for food.

I thought, "I can do this".

So after some very stressful phone calls, I was one of the last people to get a ticket. I literally cried, I was so excited. It's very rare I get to do things like this, and as most people know travelling means everything to me. Exploring, learning, expanding as an artist is my whole entire world. If I could live in a suitcase, I would. As they say, I have the wanderlust. 

So when I turned in my payments and turned to leave, one of the learning leaders says, "You ready to pop balloons?"

This is a picture my friend Devon took of me, after crying my makeup off, doing my infamous raptor arms. (If you don't know me, I do dinosaur raptor arms sometimes when I'm excited or nervous, LIKE A CRAZY PERSON.)

I had totally forgotten about the balloons entirely, and I would have been totally fine if they had said the trip was the only thing I would get.

INSTEAD I MADE OUT LIKE A BANDIT:

I got a zip up tool case by Angus Mitchell, several bottles of product (including a case of Awapuhi styling products and almost the full range of curls products), 2 different Dermalogica kits, colorless powder, a puff, all kinds of different combs, a manicurist kit (that is beautiful), a t-shirt, brushes, bags, a travel blow dryer  clips, a mirror, and a GIANT AWESOME KIT BAG TO PUT IT ALL IN. I thought it was just a duffel until I opened it up and it's meant for travelling stylists. 

I can't even begin to tell you how great it felt to know I'm set up, officially, for doing hair shows or weddings, or basically anything I want to do because my school gave me an amazing opportunity. Paul Mitchell really does feel like a family and a home to me, and I don't think I would have gotten half the opportunities offered here if I had chosen another school.

And on top of that:

My Paul Mitchell family took pictures of me and posted them to their instagrams, congratulating me and supporting me. I'm so grateful for the friends I have at my school. They genuinely see something in me, and want me to do well. 

So I just want to say thank you, to my non-relative family who supports me and uplifts me. I know it's cheesy, but it's so important to me that you're here sharing these experiences with me because I wouldn't be anywhere near here without you guys. Especially you people who have seen me at my lowest of lows and still love me. I love you guys so much. 

Expect more to come,

-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do: A Great Gatsby Inspired Faux-bob

You Too Can Do: A Great Gatsby Inspired Faux-bob

So a follower named Page gave me the awesome suggestion to do some prom tutorials. And you know me, I LOVE A CHALLENGE. 

But here's the problem- it is hard to take pictures of the back of your head and then explain what's happening in updos. So what I did instead was make a video.

But here's the problem with the video- I AM A TOTAL SPAZ. I apologize for nothing, and I realize how janky this whole thing looks, but whatever, I DO IT FOR YOU.

I should add, because I forgot to say this in my video- spray the whole thing with a strong hold hairspray when you're done with your style. Kind of a duh move, but I totally spazzed. And make sure to shake your head around a lot, so that you can find any spots that aren't secure- then secure them with more pins or hairspray.

This screen grab is an accurate portrayal of me, and I think we all know that.

Also, enjoy seeing my fat dog <3

-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do: My Morning Routines (busy days/stressful days)

You Too Can Do: My Morning Routines

Busy days:

Step 1: Make coffee. Do this before anything else. Peeing, brushing your teeth, acknowledging the world- those things can WAIT.

Step 2: Drink said coffee, and get distracted AGAIN by those quails outside your window. LOUD IS WHAT THEY ARE.

Step 3: Today's going to be long, like, so long. So make yourself a really good but quick lunch. Pancakes are kind of my go-to.

Step 4: So you got distracted making Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes- you now have 5 minutes to do a full face of makeup and your hair.

Step 5: Accidentally get hairspray in your coffee.

Step 6: Drink it anyway, you don't have time to make a new cup, and besides- YOU ARE TOO POOR TO BE THROWIN' AWAY GOOD COFFEE.

Stressful days:

Step 1: Wake up hating the world. 

Step 2: THEN YOU REMEMBERED YOU BOUGHT COFFEE AND NOW EVERYTHING IS OK.

Step 3: Slip and fall on the floor on the way to get coffee, and now you hate the world again.

Step 4: Do a really great job on your makeup, and then decide you can live with the way the world is, I guess. Also- Eyebrows. On. Point.

Step 5: Try out a new hairstyle you've been promising your friend you'd do for like 2 weeks, even though you're pretty sure you'll look stupid.

Step 6: SOMEHOW PULL IT OFF. (My teachers all flipped over the style and everyone thought I cut it. Part of me now wants to hack off all my hair.)

-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do/Review Time: It's a 10

You Too Can Do/Review Time: It's a 10

Today's a little bit of a weird one. This post is mostly about giving your hair a little love, but also, I want to talk about some of the It's a 10 products because let's face it, I talk a lot about Paul Mitchell and I want to give some other brands a shout out.

Step 1: Deep conditioning. I love this picture, I look like a Swedish chef. 

Don't let products fool you, kids. Sometimes a conditioner is just a conditioner, and can't deliver much of a punch- which is why it's so important to find a good mask that you can use every so often that can actually do some miracle work. I've used a lot of home remedy style masks, and even some oils but this by far is one of the better products and consistencies I've worked with. The It's a 10 Mask is so thick it actually feels more like a mask and the cool part is you can use a little bit in the shower for 3 minutes as a quick solution, or you can slather it on and leave it on for 10-15 minutes for a deep treatment. I did the 15 minutes and stuck it under a shower cap to let the heat from my head help it soak in. It's best to try and wring the water out of your hair before applying so that it'll soak it in even more.

Step 2: Leave-ins. Everyone who knows me, knows I love the It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Product. The name is stupid, the list of what it "does" on the back is terrible, but the product itself is amazing. I coat my ends with this and then use a brush to distribute it through my hair. Love, love, love, love.

Step 3: The Mousse and the Volumizing Blow Dry spray were new things to me, and I haven't used them before. Helpful hint, make sure you read the directions on the back of stuff. Sometimes the reason you don't like something is because you totally messed it up. SO, after using these products a few times, I will say they are pretty good. HOWEVER, the mousse can be kind of drying, which is annoying after you've spent a good half hour doing all the treatments and such. It's a mousse that's "ok" but you guys know I love my Awapuhi Hydrocream Whip so much more. The blow dry spray is actually kind of cool. I felt like it gave me volume and actually helped keep my hair from turning greasy. I know, weird, but cool.

Step 4: After curling your hair, or straightening, or whatever you cool kids are doing (I think crimping is kinda "in" now), make sure to use a hairspray to lock in the style and keep fly-aways in check. I actually really like this hairspray. It's very flexible and the smell is nice. It's not sticky or wet feeling and it kept my curls bouncy all day. Do I like it as much as my BedHead Massive shine hairspray or my Paul Mitchell Clean Spray? Eh, maybe not but it's still pretty dang good. 

All in all, like most product companies, there's hits and misses. It's a 10 though makes some pretty amazing stuff, and a few of these are already my holy grails. The odds of you picking a dud are pretty slim.

-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do: T-Swift Hair

You Too Can Do: TSwift Hair

I should preface this You Too Can Do with this: My hair naturally diffuses like this. If your hair is stick straight, you're definitely going to have to curl your hair instead of just diffuse/blow drying it. I would use a 3/4 in iron or something smaller for the same look I have here.

Step 1: Pick good products. Seriously. It's so important for curly haired gals to pick the right stuff. What I used was Paul Mitchell Quick Slip (to cut down on my dry time) and Ultimate Wave (to enhance waves, duh-doy).

Step 2: Diffuse your hair til about 80% dry. Then use a little more Ultimate Wave afterword to decrease frizzing. 

Step 3: Do other stuff while you wait for your hair to dry that extra 20%. I drank coffee and got distracted by that family of quails living in my orange trees. They sound like a bunch of drunk girls.

Step 4: Fix anything that isn't looking right. I always flat iron my bangs because if they didn't, they'd look gross. 

Step 5: Remember how I said Paul Mitchell Construction Paste makes you feel like Spider Man? Yeah. Here's the proof.

Step 6: Enjoy those waves, and go write songs about boyfriends who've done you wrong. I feel like T-Swift would approve.

-SamanthaK

Review Time: Holy Grail Hair

Review Time: Holy Grail Hair

Lets pretend I got stranded on a desert island and I could only have 5 hair styling items, not including hot tools. I know that was crazy specific and you were probably like, "why would you need hair stuff on a desert island?"

I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THERE ARE CUTE BOYS, QUIT JUDGING ME. YOUR NAME AIN'T JUDY.

So here we go, in order of no reason at all:

Paul Mitchell Hot Off the Press: This is by far one of the better heat protectants I've tried. It's a light aerosol mist, it doesn't leave your hair all wet or gross. It literally feels like I put nothing on, and I love that. Although my hair is dense, it really is quite fine and it can get weighed down really easily. And when it comes to heavy products, I'd rather them be in the form of leave in conditioners or something along those lines. You can really only use this on already dry hair that's ready to be curled or straightened, or whatever- which is why I have a heat protectant in my leave in conditioner so that I'm covered for blow drying- but don't worry, I'll get to that in a second.

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product: Ok, first of all, this is awesome. I can't even begin to tell you the wonders of this stuff. It works as a heat protector before blow drying (see, I got to it), it decreases frizz, adds moisture, and works like a detangler. It's awesome- however, the only thing that bugs me to death is the fact that when it lists the "10" things it supposedly does, half of them are the same thing- just worded differently. I would have been totally fine if they renamed it "It's 5" or whatever. I would still use it, BECAUSE IT WORKS. Helpful hint, it's actually quite thick and a little goes a long way, so what I do is mix a little bit of water in it to loosen it up and help it work through the hair a little better- plus it makes your product last a little longer.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist: This is one of those weird kind of products where it does so many things and yet, nothing really at all. In terms of moisture, it's ok, but it's not like the It's a 10 product I talked about before. However, what I love about it is all the quick fix type stuff it does. Is your skin a little dull and dry? Spray it on your face. Is your hair all static-y after trying on those rayon shirts at Forever 21? Spray it on your hair. Do you want to put an ombre in someone's hair but don't want it to look dip-dyed? Spray it on the tops to diffuse the lightener. I'm telling you, it does so many little things, it's awesome. However, don't be fooled, it's just glorified water.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Hydrocream Whip: Long name for a product right? It's a total pet peeve of mine. But anyway, I love this mousse because it's not a typical mousse. Like most people know, you get all excited to use a new mousse but then you spray it out and it's all puffy and enormous until you touch it and then it turns into nothing. And then on top of that, when you apply it, it makes your hair crunchy. I KNOW, I HATE THAT TOO, so I was really sceptical trying this out, but it's actually really great. The consistency itself is more like cool whip, so when you touch it- it doesn't disappear. And it works more like a leave in conditioner- adding moisture and shine to your hair so that when you hit it with the blow dryer, it has a soft feel and look. I feel like when I don't use this, I can tell. And the best part is, it's great for curls too. You can use it in team with a diffuser for soft curls that don't get all crazy because it adds just the right amount of weight- enough to control frizz, but not enough to pull out your curls.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST-

Paul Mitchell Construction Paste: I know what you're thinking. "This is a product for dudes", and I totally get that. Hear me out.... it's awesome. I've never worked with a pomade that worked nicely with long hair until this one. It comes in a squeeze tube and is a little strange to work with at first, but I love it. It smells like a clean manly man, and you have to warm it up between your fingers. Also, if you rub it between your fingers for a second and then clap your hands, you can see all the little mesh fibers that you're trying to activate with the heat from your hands. YOU CAN PRETEND TO BE SPIDER MAN. IT'S GREAT. Also, I've sold a bunch of tubes by just doing that. The selling point for me though, to be honest, was how great it is for curls. I just run my fingers through my curls and it makes them shinier, piecier, and all around so much prettier. And it really does help them last longer through the night. I bought my first tube 8 months ago and I haven't even reached the halfway mark on it yet. It LASTS, making it cost effective. And if your boyfriend/husband/whatever-friend stays over, he can use it and not feel embarrassed.

So...go buy them, you won't regret it.

-SamanthaK

Review Time

Review Time: Paul Mitchell Curls Line

So I got some samples for 3 of the Paul Mitchell Curls Line products, and I think we should do a little reviewin'.

Frame of reference: My hair is (obviously) lightened, my ends are semi-porous, I do a LOT of heat styling and lies somewhere between wavy and curly.

Spring Loaded Detangling Shampoo: Ok, I sort of don't get this product. I love a shampoo that lathers, maybe it's just me but I feel like it really does a deep clean. This shampoo is not really supposed to lather since it's sulfate free and it's moisturizing (as in, you shouldn't have to use a conditioner afterword). Maybe I'm biased by the lather, I don't know, but I didn't know what to do with this. I felt like I had to use a lot more product to get it to spread through my (dense) hair nicer and since it didn't lather up into a thick soap, I felt like my brain exploded. And I'm SO USED to using conditioner I still ended up using it anyway.

Do I think it's a good product though? Yes. Do I think it left my hair moisturized enough to skip a conditioner? Maybe not, but my hair also needs a lot of care because of the IMMENSE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE I've done to it. I feel like maybe this is suited more towards curly haired gals who lie somewhere in the normal to dry scale and I'm maybe on the dry to extremely dry side.

Ultimate Wave: THIS IS AWESOME. GO GET YOUR WALLET, DRIVE TO THE STORE, AND BUY THIS. I love that this is hydrating and decreases frizz without totally weighing your hair down. This stuff, man, I can't even deal. I went out and bought the full sized bottle as soon as I tried it. If you're the type who loves beach waves but hates how salt sprays dry out your hair- THIS IS THE ANSWER. I've been pretty much using it all the time if I want to air dry or diffuse my hair for my normal/natural curls. I've even used it a little on dry hair just for definition and it totally works.

Full Circle Leave in Treatment: I like this too, a lot. I bought this in the full size. Now although I think it's quite a bit similar to Ultimate Wave, it is definitely a different product. It really does more in terms of hydration and packs a stronger punch than Ultimate Wave since it is a leave in treatment as opposed to Ultimate Wave, which is just a styling product. I feel like this would be great if you have damaged hair, or you have delicate, easily breakable hair, or if you have extreme curls that need some lovin'. I've used this alone as a treatment/styling product and it works really well and still looks nice when you air dry.

All in all, give them a try. I know certain places have the travel-sized versions if you're anything like me and hate wasting good money on terrible products. Plus if you're a hair stylist and you buy these at Cosmoprof, sometimes they'll include a curls DVD that explains the product and different methods of using it. (My DVD had how to's for curly hair color placement, product knowledge, cuts, and a perm on it. I have no idea if they're all the same, but I will assume so).

Hope you curly haired gals enjoyed this,
-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do: Dirty Hair Don't Care Bun

You Too Can Do: Dirty Hair Don't Care Bun

aka the Bird Nest Chignon

Step 1: Your hair is disgusting, and you're like, "Ain't nobody got time for this." So spray EVERYTHING with dry shampoo. I like Pssst as a drugstore/Ulta option, but I think Paul Mitchell Dry Wash is a really nice flexible option. (I know it's a little pricey, but, hey, quality right?)

Step 2: Rub it in and brush it though. (I don't know why I look so concerned in that panel).

Step 3: PIN BACK THOSE DISGUSTING DIRTY BANGS. No one wants to see those.
Step 4: Make a really cute ombre pony. I have an ombre, there are many like it, but this one is mine.
Step 5: Tease and jack it up to Jesus.

Step 6: Twist and pin until you achieve a really big bird nest looking messy bun. GLAM, RIGHT?!

-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do: Birthday Curls

You Too Can Do: Birthday Curls

(This was posted on my instagram on my ACTUAL birthday-Feb 23)

Step 1: Spiral curl you entire head with a 1 inch iron. I aimed for Lana Del Rey in her new "Ride" video, but landed on Shirley Temple. WHATEVER, THINGS HAPPEN.
Step 2: Fluff. A lot.

Step 3: Back comb the ends with your fingers for a fluffier effect.

Step 4: Give yourself a sexy face and don't apologize to no one.

-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do: My Morning Routine

You Too Can Do: My Morning Routine

Step 1: Wake up and realize you look like an extra on the set of Les Mis- which is to say, horrendous. 

Step 2: Avoid doing anything for awhile, and instead make coffee and re-evaluate your life choices.

Step 3: Decide that you're running late and want to be lazy with your hair. So, spray Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist all over the place until your hair is damp.
Step 4: Scrunch for waves.
Step 5: But then decide to bust out your trusty 1 inch Hot Tools Curling Iron and do by far, the most lazy curls in the entire world. (But it's cool, you look effortless-chic).

-SamanthaK

You Too Can Do: Curly Hair

You Too Can Do: Curly Hair

Step 1: Pick your products wisely. Don't buy stuff that's made for other people, cause you're just wasting your money. Understanding you hair type is half the battle, and knowledge is power. (I guess I'm Captain Planet now?) For reference, my hair is dry and wavy/curly. So I used It's a 10 miracle leave in product, then Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Hydro-Whip Cream on damp hair.
Step 2: Diffuse your hair with one of those diffuser attachments that kind of look like fingers. You're looking for 80% dryness.
Step 3: You're gonna look like a poodle, don't panic yet. Add Awapuhi Moisture Mist and scrunch your hair just a little bit.
Step 4: Wait for your hair to dry the rest of the way, doing it this way seems to control my frizz issues. So, do other stuff in the mean time- like curling your stick straight lashes that you hate with a burning passion.

Step 5: Go ahead and heat up your iron. I use a 3/4 in Marcel Hot Tools Iron, it's probably the closest size in comparison to my natural curl. 

Step 6: Fix any non-curly parts or your incredibly short bangs that look like stringy noodles unless you curl them. Make sure you use something like Paul Mitchell Hot off the Press so you don't, you know, burn your hair off like that girl in the youtube video. At the very end, I like using Paul Mitchell Construction Paste because it holds my curls, adds shine, and I get to pretend like I'm Spider Man. (Don't judge, you probably would too).

So now you look like T-Swift. If you got to the T-Swift stage, you did it right.

-SamanthaK

The Download.

Welcome to You Too Can Do:

Sorry this probably isn't what you were expecting. You were probably googling like, "How to fix a sprinkler" or "How to get suspicious stains out of the carpet at the new house I moved into" and somehow landed on this blog and now you're like, "What is this?"

Well, "this" is a tutorial blog. I'll admit, it's mostly going to be hair related, seeing as I'm a hairstylist by trade- but I like to throw new things in the mix. I mean, I'm not called "the Martha Stewart" at my school for nothin'.

Hopefully in the future I'll get into some video blogging but at the moment I'm a beauty school student and therefore I blow all my money on hair crimpers and do-dads, so unless you like videos made on iPhones- it may be awhile...

But for now I'm doing tutorials and they're fun, and stuff.

And if you're really interested in me and stuff I do- check me out on the following other social media programs:

Instagram (my favorite): Samanthakw
Twitter (not my fav, sorry guys): samanthakweis
Facebook (personal): Samantha Weis
Facebook (professional): Samantha K Weis Hairstylist

I hope you stick around and look through my posts, but I get it if you don't. You've got stains and sprinklers to worry about. (You can bookmark me and read later though, I won't tell anyone.)

-SamanthaK