Learn how to be a better dancer with tips from the professionals! We got the scoop on trending dancewear, dance auditions tricks, dance beauty tips and more!
Sugar is good for your skin. Unfortunately, it’s not as healthy to our intestines as we would like it to be. A good scrub can do wonders for your skin and it’s inexpensive to make at home. Those sugar scrubs on the shelves are expensive and well when you see the recipes below, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start your own sugar scrub company. It takes under 10 minutes and creates silky skin.
2 parts sugar (white or brown)
1 part oil (almond, coconut, or olive)
1/2 tsp Vitamin E oil (You can also take the gel from capsules)
Since we received a overwhelmingly positive response from our first Ballet Bun Hairstyle article, we decided to give you more of what you like! So here it is, part deux of our favorite, low-maintenance, but super-fly ballet bun hairstyles for the holiday season:
Kriss-Kross
This is a quick way to jazz up your ordinary bun in 3 easy steps!
Photo via Digu
Instructions
(Top Left) Part hair horizontally and pull the top half of your hair into a secure donut bun. Separate the bottom half in two sections.
(Top Right) Cross bottom-right section under bun and towards the left. Wrap hair around bun securing loose ends with bobby pins.
(Bottom Left) Repeat step 2 with remaining hair.
Fly Gyal Tip: secure all pieces with bobby pins that match your hair color, and use hairspray, holding gel, or edge control for stubborn fly-aways.
Braid Into Bun
Perfect for dancers at competitions or performances with quick costume changes. The bun can be removed and replaced with a cute low-pony extension, or you can embellish the braids with mini flowers or rhinestone pins.
Photo via Pretty Designs
Twisted Bun
This “do” is great for gyals-on-the-go who need to look flawless on a limited time crunch. This hairstyle covers all bases! It’s chic, effortless, and takes less than a minute to achieve. I’d say this is a clear winner!
Photo via My Own Little Playground
Fly Gyal Tip: When wearing a loose or messy bun, let baby hairs fall loosely around the sides of your face to achieve an effortlessly chic look.
Double Rope Bun
They say, “the bigger the better,” right? So why not apply that motto to your ballet bun hairstyle? You’re going to be amazed when you see how easy it is to achieve this look!
Photo via The Beauty Department
Advanced Ballerina Bun
This is for our advanced gyals who have a little more time to play around with their ballet bun hairstyles. But boy, oh boy, will the rewards be worth it in the end! This hairstyle is super unique, sophisticated and screams professional. With this coiffure (and poise), you can walk into any dance audition and steal the attention. Merde!
Section off a two-inch piece of hair from the front of your head. Pull the rest of your hair up into a high ponytail and secure with an elastic band.
Pull a 1/2-inch piece of hair from the front side and split into two separate pieces. Pull a 1/4-inch section out of the ponytail and start braiding with the other two pieces of hair.
Continue braiding, using the French braid technique of gradually adding pieces to the braid as you work your way around the head. Stop once you have pulled all the hair from the pony.
Experiment with your cateye looks this season, and go from basic to breathtaking with a few simple adjustments.
Hypnotizing Blues
Mesmerize the crowd with your electric gaze and spice up that ordinary cateye with a cobalt blue liner applied neatly on top of the black. This look is great for gyal’s of all eye colors. I recommend Makeup Forever’s, Aqua Line collection in turquoise blue.
Photo via Pinterest
Golden Eye
Create this glamourous look by applying a thin line of your favorite golden eyeliner from the inner corner of your eyes and extend out to meet the liner on your upper lid. My favorite gold liner is by URBAN DECAY
Photo via Pinterest
Stage Cateye
Looking for a cateye that’s easy to apply, works on all skin tones, and has the right amount of dramatic flare for dance performances? Then you’ll want to try this one out. For some extra oomph, dab a bit of red glitter on top of the red shadow to really make those eyes pop! Checkout these vibrant cosmetic glitters from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics!
Photo via Makeup by Siryn
Learn how to get the perfect cateye from makeup master, Jean Paul Gaultier, here!
Prep your skin for a fabulous fall glow with this confection of copper. My autumn skin essentials always include a good body scrub and moisturizer, a soothing and effective lip balm, a new fragrance to compliment the new season, and I always like to change up the color palette for my nail lacquers.
Ok, ladies, try not to freak out, panic, and do what I think you’re gonna do. From experience, it’s best to take a seat when you first find out this information. Are you sitting down? Good. Word on the street is our favorite shoe designer just dropped a new line of polishes to pair perfectly with those red-soled goddess pumps. I know!! I told you not to freak out, but that’s right! The nail polish that first inspired Christian Louboutin’s “red bottoms” are now at our fingertips, in stores and ready to buy! Like his shoes, you will have to shell out some dough, but if you’re on a budget, at $50, this is the best way to to get up-close-and-personal to the signature red that makes Louboutin’s artistry so coveted.
The History
Christian Louboutin has been drawing sketches of shoes since he was a teenager. After a long break from the business, he decided to get back in the game and open up his own atelier. Inspired by Warhol and the Pop art movement, he designed a shoe in 1992 called, Pensée. Legend has it, his assistant modeled a prototype of the shoe for one last inspection, and after some time, he felt he was still missing something. Back at the drawing board, he pondered, and his assistant went back to her desk bored, and began to paint her nails. After watching her carefully stroke her nails with the scarlet polish he knew he found the answer. “So I grabbed her nail polish, and painted the soles.”
photo via Kéla’s Kloset
The Polish
According to this iconic designer, “the ultimate goal of the nail colour was to evoke shiny lacquer imprisoned in a piece of faceted crystal.” The point is to indulge, luxuriate, and delight “in the pleasure of the object as well as in the pleasure of the colour.”
I just want to point out, Louboutin is famous for his “envelops,” aka packaging (but we’ll say envelops because he hates term “packaging”), and this beauty product lives up to his legendary artistry in design. Not only is the polish encapsulated in crystal, but it’s topped off with an 8-inch long, pointy spire, that guess what, is also inspired by one of his previous shoe designs – the 8 inch heel Ballerina Ultima.
photo via Fashion Love
More to Come
That’s right, there’s more 🙂 Starting August 31st, the Louboutin team will release 30 new additional hues in 3 distinct color groupings: the pops, the nudes, and the noirs. Notice how much detail and thought went into the design of his bottles. I especially admire the way they matched the color of the bottle caps with the polish palette. Stark silver for the pops, a matted gold for the nudes, and a shiny gunmetal effect for the noirs.
As inspiration for the color palette, the team studied swatches of fabric and leather samples that are closely tied with the designer’s aesthetic from previous collections. Once the colors were chosen, they manipulated the hues to complement varying skin tones. I look forward to trying them all 🙂
All hail the bun! It is the quintessential hairstyle for every dancer in the business. Most popular amongst ballerinas, this functional style is paramount for keeping hair out of your face and tying up the loose ends that can potentially weigh you down while turning. However you don’t have to be a “bunhead” to sport a stylish knot every now and again.
Perfect for 2-3 day hair, the bun is sophisticated and is the best hairstyle for showing off your beautiful face. So don’t worry if you skipped a day of shampooing. After watching these video tutorials below, you’ll be ready to conquer that oily, stretched mane like a pro!
You ever get a casting notice where the director asks you to come with a “fresh, natural look?” As a model, dancer or actor, you will go on a lot of auditions where this is the case. So do you show up bare-faced, with no makeup at all? Or does it mean to wear the makeup you use on a daily basis? The answer is it’s somewhere in between. You don’t want to go to the audition like you just woke up, and you don’t want to wear caked-on, heavy makeup. Instead, only apply beauty products that brighten your face and accentuate you assets. For example, if you have high cheek bones, wear bronzer and a touch of rosy blush to play them up. Or if you have beautiful, full lips wear a neutral lip gloss to pucker up that kisser. You want to stay away from glitter and dark eyeshadows, though.
When I go to auditions that require minimal makeup and a fresh face, I like to stick to the basics:
FACE
Primer. To achieve a more natural look for the camera, I recommend prepping your face with primer specifically for photo finishing. My favorites are from MAKEUP FOREVER and SMASHBOX.
Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer$34
Smashbox Iconic Photo Finish Foundation Primer$10
Highlighter. Highlighting is great for adding dimension and brightening up those areas where the light shines on your face. I recommend applying under the eyes, along the nose bone, on the t-zone, and on the chin. When I shop for a highlighter, I usually pick a color that is 2-3 shades lighter than my skin tone, and I like to have one that works well as a concealer. My favorite is from L’OREAL. I never leave home without it!
L’OREAL Studio Secrets Magic Lumi Highlighter $13
Foundation. When I use the word “foundation” in this article, I use the term lightly. In all honesty, you don’t want to look like you are wearing foundation at all. To get a natural look you want to stay away from liquid or pressed compact foundations. Instead, shop for a BB cream with photo finishing properties. BB creams, or Beauty Balms, are the perfect way to get glowing skin because they are multi-taskers. They moisturize, prime, perfect, control oil, and protect for flawless skin on set and beyond. My favorites are from SMASHBOX, REVLON, and STILA
Stila Stay All Day™ 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm $13
SMASHBOX
Camera Ready BB Cream $39
Revlon Photo Ready BB Cream Skin Perfector $12
EYES/CHEEKS
Cheeks. To get what I like to call, “the J Lo glow,” contour the cheek bones and hairline with a wee bit of bronzer. This will really add dimension and brighten your face. Dab a bit of your favorite blush on the apples of your cheeks and you’re good to go.
Eyes. When it comes to getting a natural look for the eyes, less and lighter is more. Using the same bronzer, sweep a small amount across your lids. To really make ’em pop, apply a brow highlighter on your brow bone and on the inner corners of your eyes. My favorite is by BENEFIT.
Stroke on a brown eyeliner just along the upper lash line. Try to make it look as natural as possible, remember the point is to look like you don’t have any make up on at all. If you want to further accentuate your eyes (which I recommend), lightly brush mascara on the tips of your upper and lower lashes.
BENEFIT COSMETICS High Brow $20
LIPS
To finish off the look, apply a natural, semi-translucent lip balm that moisturizes the lips. If you have thinner lips, shop for a product that plumpens the pout. My favorite is by BUXOM in Bunny.
Buxom Full-on Lip Polish in Bunny $19
For more help achieving the perfect natural look for your next dance, acting or modeling audition, check out these videos from the pros below:
One of my personal favorite beauty buys on a dime is definitely apple cider vinegar. The other day, I heard some girls talking on the subway about getting shiner locks by using an apple cider vinegar + water rinse after shampooing and right before conditioning. So, I went home, did some investigating of my own on the web for the perfect water to vinegar ratio mix, then put the rumor to the test. I have to say, I was a bit hesitant at first because of the overpowering odor, but after rinsing it out I didn’t smell a trace of vinegar in my hair. I was very pleased with the results! The mixture left my hair shiny and healthier looking. Here’s why:
Apple cider vinegar helps restore the hair’s pH balance because it has a similar acidity level as natural hair. ACV has a pH balance of 3 and hair stands between 4.5-5.5. Water has a pH balance of 7 so when you are creating your own mixture you want to add enough H2O to bring the acidity level up to 4.
ACV is a natural germ killer and cleaning agent for dry scalp
Serves as a conditioner that can remove buildup on the scalp and follicles from daily hair products and alkaline-containing shampoos.
ACV seals the hair cuticle which reflects light, resulting in smooth, shiny, and untangled strands.
Rinse Recipe:
1 part Water
1 part Apple Cider Vinegar
How to Use:
Mix the two above ingredients together in a bottle of your choice (spray bottle is even better), and take into the shower with you. After shampooing, apply mixture to hair starting at root and spreading evenly to the ends. Massage into hair and leave on for a few minutes. Rinse, and voila! You don’t even need to condition your hair.
Other Uses:
Apple Cider Vinegar is also great for restoring your skins complexion and natural moisturizers. Like your hair, your skin has a naturally acidic pH balance of 5.5. When we apply certain beauty products with alkaline pH levels higher than 7, they strip away our natural moisturizers and cause serious dryness and complexion problems. Who’s wants that? ACV can prove to be a fabulous all natural and affordable skin and face toner (1 part ACV + 2 parts H2O).
For centuries, Morocco has housed some of the most coveted beauty secrets and treatments for women. The diverse landscape of beaches, mountains, and desserts is a goldmine for beauty enthusiasts interested in replacing their everyday products with all natural and organic ingredients. For example, Henna, lava clay masks, black khol, Rhassoul rocks, and the most widely known, Argan oil are just a few of the Moroccan-born beauty gems passed down from generation-to-generation. If you ever get the chance to visit this North African Kingdom, be sure to indulge in tradition and browse through the markets, or souks, and shop your favorite Moroccan beauty treasures. I highlighted three of my favorites below:
3. Black Kohl Powder
Black kohl powder is a symbol for many religious and therapeutic properties in the Middle East. Believed to be the first commercially used makeup product dating back to ancient Egypt, many mummified pharaohs have been found with the product in their tombs, symbolizing its importance in life and the afterlife. Often made by grinding a natural rock called galena,also known as lead sulfate, black kohl is also believed to have healing powers. Before Ray Bans, it was used as an antimicrobial substance for the eyes, and was worn by many to help protect from the glare of the sun and its harmful UV rays. Today, black kohl powder is primarily used as a cosmetic eye liner and shadow to give ladies a sultry smokey eye.
2. Argan Oil
Argan oil comes from the fruit of the Argan tree which is native to Morocco. This all natural oil is great because it’s high in vitamin E and essential fatty acids which is perfect for the hair, nails, and skin. Unlike other oils, argan oil works well as a moisturizer for the skin because it absorbs well, and doesn’t have a greasy feel. There are so many ways to use argan oil for trouble spots. Below are a few benefits:
Lip moisturizer
Heals acne and minimizes scarring
Hand and cuticle moisturizer
Hair moisturizer
1. Moroccan Red Clay
If you have oily, acne prone skin and you’re looking for a way to shrink those pesky pores, eliminate blackheads, and balance out an uneven skin tone, then you’ll love this traditional Moroccan beauty treatment. Red clay is a refined powder that is rich in detoxifying minerals and natural skin healing properties such as Dolomite, Silica, Ferric Oxidek and a high iron oxide, giving it that signature red appearance. If used regularly (once a week), you will begin to experience other great benefits, like:
Soothes skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, sunburn and psoriasis
Cleanses and exfoliates inflamed skin
Detoxifies and improves blod circulation
Improves skin’s texture, leaving it feeling soft and radiant
Can be used as an overall body treatment for problematic breakout areas like the back and chest
*Beauty Tip: when mixing your own mask, instead of using regular water, opt for a tablespoon of your favorite toner like rose water. For extra benefits, add a few drops of lavender, jojoba, tea tree OR rose essential oil. Whatever helps you out the most!
*As always, consult a physician before making any changes to your skincare regiment.
If you thought this article was rad, share it with your favorite gyal pals! Our online dance fashion boutique is pretty cool too 😉
With St. Patty’s day approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight a few of my favorite golden-hued makeups.
Lips
Next time you’re thinking of partying with the gyal’s, try a dark but subtle smokey eye and a gold lip (like Dolce & Gabbana’s limited edition classic cream lipstick in Topazio).
Eyeshadow Palette
During the day, try substituting your nude eye palette with gold color combos like Sephora’s Moonshadow Baked Palette in In the Nude (My personal favorite. I use this palette on a daily basis). The shadow goes on lightly and has a soft shimmer of glitter. It’s even better when you apply a shadow primer to your lids prior to application.
Eyeshadow
If you’re looking for a bolder golden eye, try M.A.C’s eye shadow in Gorgeous Gold. It’s vibrant, goes on as seen, and is the perfect color for dance performances and auditions.
Liner
If you’re looking for a creamier version of M.A.C’s bold eyeshadow, try Sephora’s jumbo liner in gold. Apply to your lips, eyes, or anywhere else you need a little extra highlighting. It’s super affordable and the best part for us sweaty dancers, it’s waterproof!
Nails
My favortie nail polish right has got to be Formula X. The polish is so sophisticated, dense, and shiny. You seriously only need one coat to achieve that perfect manicure. They have polishes in every color imaginable and even some with special effect features like hologram, and speckled paint. The glitter polishes are explosive! I have never came across another glitter polish I’ve been so satisfied with. It shines like a dream, and one coat is enough to cover your entire nail with glitter! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself! I promise you will fall in love with this collection.
Dancer Must Have!
Gold body glitter is the perfect finishing touch to any dancer’s performance makeup. The best way to use this golden glitter powder is to dab a moderate amount on your decollete, arms, and eyes (if using as a shadow, dip your brush in a little H2O to get the glitter to better stick to your lid). To get the glitter to stick to the skin better, try spraying with hairspray after application (do not spray hairspray anywhere near your eyes!).
If you liked this article, please share with your favorite Gyal pals! Also, don’t forget to stop by our online boutique and shop the hottest trends in dance wear.
Photo via CDN1
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