2011's Most Popular.

My top 3 posts of 2011:

1. Day 1. Can you believe that was 3 months ago already? I mean, it wasn't that long ago... but I look so young and naive!




2. Scene Hair. I can't figure out why this one is so popular... but I'm fairly certain that most of the people who end up clicking on my site are looking at how to do it... which means we're sort of after different things, here. #1) I don't try not to do duck face. #2) I'm not 13. #3) My hair looks, um... normal.



3. Bantu Knot-Out. That was BY FAR my worst hair day of this 365-day project yet. OOF-dah it was bad.


Oh wow... of all the posts in the past couple months that I really like... it seems your favorites are 3 of my least favorite. Maybe in 2012 my most popular posts will be ones like the Holiday Updo, my Chignon, or the Braided Bun... only time will tell!

Oh-- and P.S. If you're visiting today from Heather's blog-- you rock! So happy to have you!

Cheers! xoxo

The Braided Bun.


As I promised yesterday, I said I would try a new style, inspired by this style from The Beauty Department. The braided bun.

Let me begin by saying, I followed their tutorial to a T, minus the added hairspray spritz in the end. It is so easy. I did make one modification by changing my top 2 braids to corn row French braids instead of regular plaits.

My only complaint about this hairstyle, in my eyes, is that if you have thin or fine hair... this one will be tricky. It's not hard to do, by any means, but making the bun look nice and full is definitely a trick. I pulled my braid plaits apart like they suggested, and even tried to strategically pin my hair... but I couldn't do anything to make it look more full. Clearly, the girl from TBD has amazingly thick hair. Her bun is outstanding. Mine is just so-so. I also apologize for my visible clear elastic bands. Those buggers were tough to hide with my fine, shorter hair!

Nevertheless, it is a gorgeous style that I can't wait to wear more often. I am seriously considering it for a New Year's Eve style. Any plans yet on what you'll be doing with your hair?

xoxo

NYE Hair Idea.

Good morning, fancy ladies!

Yesterday, The Beauty Department posted the most fabulous style, a tutorial for a braided bun. Please consider going to their site and checking it out. They feature a step-by-step tutorial and it looks so amazing. I might have to try this look tomorrow!

Source.

Goody Pony Pouf.


Mornin', Ladies!

Have you heard of the Goody Pony Pouf? It promises to give your hair oomph and fluff without the hassles of teasing. I was convinced that I had to give it a shot, so I picked it up at my local Walgreens the other day.

You're supposed to secure your hair in the barette and then pull little sections into the holes to make them pouf out, giving them that teased-to-perfection look.

The only problem... it's not all it's cracked up to be. It didn't hold my hair in place and seemed to keep slipping down my ponytail. That's probably because my hair is so fine. My hair didn't stay in those little holes... so that looked weird. And even when my hair was in the pouf-holes, you could still see them so it just looked like I was wearing a funky barette all day. Not a fan.

If you insist on giving this a shot... be my guest. But it wasn't my favorite.

[[UPDATE]]

WELL... THIS IS EMBARRASSING. I was informed by a lovely reader that I put it in upside down! No wonder!! 

Braid Up Your Bun.


Happy Day-After-Christmas!!

I totally already got my post-jingle-bell shopping in, and saved no money. But that's alright, it was at a consignment shop... so the prices were all drastically reduced anyway.

I'm constantly looking for new ways to mix up my bun, so today I tried a little trick that I saw on The Beauty Department. It's a ballerina bun with a French braid up the back. It's modeled after this style.

Now, you may be wondering how in the heck I did this on my own head. Simple. Kind of.

I pulled the top half of my hair into a ponytail. Then, I flipped my head upside down and French braided the bottom half away from my neck. I secured it with a clear plastic elastic and then included it in the ponytail on top of my head. For the ballerina bun, I simply twisted my ponytail around the ponytail holder and pinned it in place, just like they did at The Beauty Department.

Oh-- and if you're not the most skilled at French braiding... have a buddy help you out! That's why my braid is so messy... it was hard to braid upside down! It's a rockin' style that adds spunk and personality to any messy bun.

xoxo

From The Arc-HIVE.

Here's to reminiscing hairspray, teasing, dyeing and frying:

December, 2006 with my brother Stewart.
December, 2007 with my friend Sarah.

Have a Good Hair Day.

Last week at work we had a Secret Santa gift exchange. My good buddy (and blogger extraordinaire), Zoë, ended up having me, and she gave me the cutest and funniest gift.


A BSU scarf, a Forever 21 BSU-colored beanie, and a Sally's gift card. I laughed out loud at that gift card. Thank you, Zoë. You truly made my day in many more ways than one.

P.S... Zoë did mention that the gift card was not due to my consistent haphazard appearance... however I think she was just saying that with a little *wink-wink* that seriously... I need to get it together. So Zoë, thank you for funding my future beautiful hair days. You're a rockstar. xoxo

Twist & Pin Updo.


This weekend I attended a holiday party, and I wanted an updo that was feminine, romantic, and simple. Taking the romantic cue, I put together this look inspired by this style from Hair Romance.

It's the classic twist & pin. Ready for the steps? Grab a section of hair. Twist. Pin. Repeat. Voilà.

I don't think it could be more simple. Each twist used between 1-2 bobby pins. And remember, this lasted all day without any hairspray or teasing. It's a fabulous holiday party look, and takes less than 5 minutes to do. My vote? It's a winner.

Holiday Updo.


* Sweater: Thrifted * Earrings: Gifted * Headband: Burlington Coat Factory *

Yesterday I received an email from a dear little lady named Emily. She sent me a YouTube video with the most adorable style from HeyKayli. Needless to say, I loved, loved loved it.

All you do is place a simple elastic headband on your head, twist a couple pieces of your hair around it, and you're good to go!

I modified the version from HeyKayli a little bit. She pulled the headband down over her forehead, and I'm not such a huge fan of that style, so I left the band on the top of my head. Also, I decided to sweep mine to the side in a low ponytail to make it more of an updo look. I also think this would look fab with a messy side bun. OOH... now I want to try it.

I plan on wearing a one-shoulder dress for New Year's Eve, and this would be such a fun style to rock along with it. Do you think you'll be trying this messy-but-chic style these holidays?

Oh, and don't forget... if you want to be awesome-blossom like miss Emily and send me suggestions for hairstyles, please don't hesitate to do so! xoxo

10 Ways to Wear a Braid


Good morning, lovelies!

Am I teasing you with that whole "10 ways to wear a braid" thing? Good... because in order to read about it, you're going to have to visit a dear girl named Natalia. She blogs over at Ma Nouvelle Mode (BAH! Love that blog name!), and I'm guest posting for her today.

If you're a religious reader of mine (do I even have those?... {Cat & Millimowze!!}) you'll realize that you've seen these styles before... but it's fun seeing them all put together in a big, fun compilation!

Oh... and if you're visiting from Natalia's blog... bienvenu!! I couldn't be happier that you're here.

Twist Braid.


Sometimes I don't always like the traditional braid. That's where the twist braid comes in. Think of a braid with a twist. It's so simple... and you can find how to do it with this tutorial from The Beauty Department. They are definitely my go-to beauty resource, and I was so happy to finally have a chance to test out this braid.

I sure have been showcasing a lot of braids lately. That's because I'm preparing for a guest post tomorrow, so be sure to check back here for that link to a fun new blog!

P.S.>> Sorry for my super-messy hair lately! Not having a blow dryer is killing me!!!

Fishtail Braid.



This is my first ever fishtail braid.
I have never done it before because I didn't think my hair was long enough.

Moral of the story? Don't ever doubt yourself.
Do it if you want to. Capiche?

However, I will admit that fishtail braids do usually look better on longer hair.
For an awesome tutorial, I'd recommend checking out what Ashley did here.
Her hair is b-e-a-UTIFUL and she does an awesome job with her hair.
Or, if you prefer a video tutorial, head on over to our friend YouTube with this video.

Mine, as you can tell, is definitely leftover from yesterday.
I love the look of the two different different braids together.
Oh, and do you love my strategic flower placement to hold my loose ends in place?
I probably wouldn't need those if I was able to use hairspray. *Sigh*. 

I hope you have a FABULOUS weekend! xoxo

Three By Three.


Good morning!

Are you ever in the mood to braid your hair back but don't want just a simple braided plait? How about you try a Three by Three! I called it that because it's 3 pieces of hair in a braid, times three (duhhh). You simply braid back 3 little braids and then braid those braids together! You can make them as large and funky, or as small and neat as you like them. Have fun!

Sheesh... how many times can I say braid today? 8. To be exact.

P.S. My curls are thanks to my trusty Wrap Snap & Go curlers.

Nightmares.


OK. I need to tell you. I have literally been having nightmares about my hair lately. I think this whole 365-day project is really getting to me.

I wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat (literally), and I had just had a dream where I accidentally blow dried my hair or used some quick spritzes of hair spray.

I know that sounds so silly... but while I'm dreaming it... it's just horrible! In addition to messing up my BBB challenge, in the dream I always end up getting caught and I make them promise me they won't rat me out. Jeez... talk about no integrity!

Anyway... I want these crazy nightmares to go away. I know I can make it through the 365 days of this project... or am I dreaming again?

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Scrunch It!


You know those days when you wake up,
Have approximately 5 minutes to get ready,
and your hair just isn't your first priority?
Those are the days I do this.
 
Scrunching.
However, normally when I scrunch my hair
I also use gel and a blow dryer.
Since I can't use either of those,
I sprayed my wet hair with It's A 10 leave-in conditioner,
scrunched my hair with my fingers a couple of times,
and let that hot mess dry.

I feel a slight bit frumpy today,
but it's low maintenance, and I can't ask for anything more than that!

Month 2.


 I've officially been going with the Bye Bye Beehive 365-day project for two whole months!
And look at that hair growth! It's pretty significant, don't you think? Maybe not?
I can't tell. Next month will help be a better indicator.

Anyway... were you my winner for the large ad offered at The Shine Project?
I'll give you a hint... you are one of my favorite bloggers and you made a 
BIG CHANGE to your own hair recently...
Click here. Is it you??
P.S. Email me here if it is... I couldn't find your email address anywhere!

Adorbs.


I know this is a "hair" blog.
So today I'm directing you elsewhere.

See, I have this new site series there
where I post about my unfashionable self.

It's unfashionable because fashion has purpose.
Fashion is beauty.
To be quite honest, when it comes to clothes, style and fashion
I'm a red-hot mess.

 One of my favorite reader/blogger friends named Whitney 
 left a cute comment the other day about my fashion sense.
She said,
"Aw, your fashion sense is adorbs! And hey, at least you got a great bod, sista." 
Translated, that means: Fashion sense = not so much.

So if you're interested in seeing some interesting
outfit combos and probably some oopsies...
go check out my un-fashion on Simply Aunie.

Jazz Up Your Messy Bun.


If you're looking for that extra OOMPH to add to your messy bun, why not try a couple fun braids?

Lately, I've been letting my hair rock out in a loose, messy bun. It's so easy, yet sometimes it just looks a little too simple. Today I added some braids and it definitely gave it a little *pop*. Think about trying braids, flowers, twists... anything you can think of. And then rock the heck out of it.

Beach Twist


OOh ooh OOH! I found a super-easy new hairstyle... good for wet or dry hair! I found it at Hair Romance. She does it on wet hair... but I didn't feel like washing my hair this morning, so I tried it on dry hair and it worked just fine!

Here's the process:
  1. Create a deep side part.
  2. Separate the hair on the small side of the part to one side.
  3. Twist that section of hair back along your hairline, pulling in pieces as you twist to give it a waterfall twist look.
  4. Secure that piece with a clear elastic band behind your ear to make a side ponytail.
  5. Take the hair on the big side of the part and begin twisting that hair back along your hairline, adding pieces as you go.
  6. Secure that section next to the first one, also on the side of your head.
  7. Twist the two sections together to make a bun.
  8. Secure with bobby pins.
  9. Add a fun flower!
So, I know the girl on Hair Romance did it better because all she used was a simple clip-in flower... but my dry hair wouldn't stay put with just a flower. I needed the bobby pins to keep the bun in place, and the elastics were necessary to keep the hair held tightly to my head.

I'm sure you could definitely get away with just a flower clip at the beach... but for the day-to-day with dry hair... no way, Josè!

Sidenote: my hair is really getting brunette these days! Holy bajeezie it looks dark!

Day 56.

Welcome to Day 56 of Bye Bye Beehive! Holy Moses... only 309 days of not doing my hair remain. No big deal, right?

Well, guess what? Today is actually my very first guest post right across the interwebs at The Shine Project. So if you're visiting me from Ashley's blog-- welcome! Stay a while, why dontcha?

If you were a doll and actually went to my guest post link above, you'll see that I'm giving away a large ad spot to a Shine Project reader. Seriously, that's a spot this big:


Sahhhweeeeet! You should really now go and check out her blog and my guest post because entering is easy. All you need to do is any of the following:

*Leave a comment on Ashley's blog for each you do. I've turned the comments off on this post so you can go visit hers and check my guest post out for yourself!

Imagine That.


Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner? A couple weeks ago my mom and the kids got together to take our family Christmas photo (since we haven't done one in ages). My sister's fiancè did the honors of being our photographer, and he's amazing, no?

The funny thing about these photos, to me, is my hair. It's not necessarily funny... but I'm rather surprised. That morning I just didn't know what to do with my hair. So I washed it, conditioned it, and walked out the door. Two hours later, these photos were taken. And they don't look bad. In fact, my hair looks good!

So if you can imagine-- that's absolutely NO teasing, NO hairspray, NO product, NO blowdryer, NOT EVEN a brush went through those tresses. I wish my hair did that every day!

What's your go-to hairstyle?

Comment Help.


Hey bay-bay! OK... so I just absolutely love reading your comments on my posts. They make me so happy and really lighten up my day...

And guess what?! I really want to be able to REPLY back to your comments! So you know what that means? You need to show your email on your Blogger profile.

What's that, you say? You don't know how? Well, guess what? For the Love of Blogs has an amazing little tutorial to help you show your email right here.




And do you see yours truly up there? Very fun!

All you need to do is follow these steps:
  1. Go to your Blogger Dashboard
  2. Click Edit Profile
  3. Check Show my email address
  4. Click SAVE
And poof! I will be able to reply to your comments. Boo-yah baby.
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