Back in July, I started talking to this guy through MySpace. As we got to know each other more, I started to develop something of a crush on him, because he’s unlike anyone else I’ve ever known. We finally came to the conclusion that we should definitely meet, but the 1,200 miles between us and his rigorous school schedule made it nearly impossible for him to travel to New York… so I overcame my fear of flying, and traveled to him.

This was nearly two weeks ago, and it was then during my visit that we officialized our relationship. We’re in the process of planning our next get-together, during which he’ll definitely come up here, and we already started working out summer plans, as well. Though long-distance relationships are undoubtedly difficult, I’m certain we can make it work. He makes me happier than I’ve ever been before.

Anyway, enough about my love life. Haha. Last week was a regional competition that my teacher had urged me to participate in, after I took first place in the updo competition back in January. For this competition, I not only had to complete an updo, but I was also required to display aptitude in a state board perm set and eight pin curls with the ridge and c-shaping (it may seem confusing, but fellow cosmetologists will understand. Haha). I was competing against seven other girls from different schools, and looking around at their updos and skills, I didn’t even have hopes of placing. Well, I was wrong, because I ended up taking second place! I think my teacher was more excited than I was; as soon as we heard my name announced, she started calling everyone to tell them. And she even insisted that I bring my trophy in the following Monday to show off to the class. XD

It was all very exciting, but I’m glad it’s over. Actually, I’m glad I don’t have to practice updos or state board skills on the regular any more. It was also very stressful, and now that it’s over I feel so relieved!

Going back to school for cosmetology was probably the best career move that I could have made. I’ve been swamped for the past couple weeks, taking bookings from my friends to cut and color their hair. Foil sets seems to be my specialty; I’ve done three so far, and they all came out looking amazing.

March is coming up soon, and that means that my life will be the busiest it’s ever been. I’ve got less than two and a half weeks until my trip I’ve been looking forward to, and that’s probably the one thing I’m looking forward to the most. Shortly after that is the International Beauty Show, an updo/state board skills competition I’ll be participating in, the high school’s musical which I may or may not be helping out with (cosmetically), and more that I can’t even think of right now.

You know what I hate? People who assume that boys and girls can’t be friends without an ulterior motive. Just because I hang out with male friends doesn’t mean I’m sleeping with them or have any romantic interest in them. Just sayin’.

I’ve already made three networking contacts, two of them being former teachers from high school. The third works in a nail salon, and said that if I get business cards made up, she’ll put them in her salon. If I get chosen for the next SkillsUSA competition, that will be in March. My former fashion teacher wants to enlist me to help out with not only the next fashion show they put together, but also with the school’s musical. My other former teacher needs someone to help with styling for portfolio photos, and it could eventually turn into a paid gimmick. A friend of mine is getting married in November and I’ve been promised the job as her makeup artist and stylist, and I have friends practically lined up wanting to be my guinea pigs to practice on.

It’s a shame that I didn’t get to start doing this a couple years ago when I first became interested in beauty school. I was discouraged, and was told that “beauty school is for high school drop-outs.” Well, the school that I’m going to requires a high school diploma or equivalent to join the program, so the statement used to discourage me wasn’t entirely accurate. Plus, there’s a lot more to learning about hair, skin, and nails than you might think… it’s definitely not a course for those who completely lack intelligence (though I will admit, the girls in my class are pretty ditzy). The course includes basic anatomy and physiology principles, specific techniques, theory, and some of the stuff we practice is fairly difficult.

But anyway, I’m really glad I decided to take cosmetology. It’s a big part of everything that’s going right with my life, and I really think it’s my calling. This is what I was “meant” to do.

I’ve had my Orihime wig for about a year. Every time I come home from a con, it’s tangled, frizzy, and ends up getting thrown in a closet or cupboard that way until the next con or event rolls around. So how do I keep my Orihime wig looking sleek, sexy, and brand new every time I wear it? Simple. I take a straightener to it.

WARNING: Proceed at your own risk when straightening a synthetic wig. My wig is made out of high-quality Japanese fiber. I would NOT attempt something like this on a party store wig. If you’re not sure if it’ll work, test on a small section of the wig in an area which won’t be noticeable if you fuck it up.

When I first got my Orihime wig, it had a loose curl to it, but it was the only wig I could find in that length and color. I’d read various tutorials online on how to straighten a curly wig using hot water, steam, etc. None of them were practical for me. So I made my own attempt.

If your wig is really tangled, you’ll want to condition it first. Fill a sink or large basin with lukewarm water, dunk your wig in to thoroughly soak it, then apply regular conditioner to the wig and really work it in. Rinse out the conditioner by swirling it around in the water and squeezing it with your hands. Once it doesn’t have any obvious amounts of conditioner in it anymore, gently squeeze any excess water out, and then place it on a wig head, comb out (DO NOT USE A BRUSH) thoroughly, and let air dry.

Once the wig is dry, get a straightener that you can adjust the heat, a spray bottle full of water, and I usually have a spray de-tangler or light-weight de-frizzer handy. Make sure your straightener is on the lowest heat possible. I work in sections, starting at the back of the wig and working towards the front/top. Combing is essential. You don’t want to heat-seal in any kinks or knots. This part requires a LOT of time and patience, because you’ll need to work in small sections to get the best results, and depending on the length of your wig, this can take a LONG time. I use the spray bottle of water to keep the wig slightly damp so it doesn’t burn, and I use a de-tangling or de-frizzing spray to keep the fibers somewhat lubricated.

That’s about it, hope it helps those looking to revive/restyle their synthetic wigs, but are afraid of using hot tools. Does anyone else have tips for keeping their cosplay wigs in tip-top shape?

Ignore the silly face. It ended up being the best picture of the makeup. Below is a picture and a list of the stuff I used to achieve the entire look.

1 – Garnier Fructis Sleek &ampl Shine leave-in conditioning cream
2 – TREsseme no-frizz shine spray
3 – MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation
4 – Maybelline shine-free loose powder
5 – Revlon SkinLights face illuminating loose powder
6 – Prestige liquid eyeliner: black
7 – Prestige liquid eyeliner: white
8 – Prestige kohl eyeliner: black
9 – N.Y.C. eyeliner pencil: white
10 – Wet n’ Wild Mega Glitter loose glitter
11 – Makeup Forever Star Powder: pink
12 – Jordana eyeliner: dark brown
13 – Urban Decay palette (I used the green, which is called “graffiti”)
14 – Pantene Pro-V sculpting wax
15 – Remington Wet2Straight straightener

I think I’m going to do a tutorial on this look, because I really enjoyed it. Also, if anyone has suggestions for makeup video tutorials, let me know! I only made three so far, and I’ve been slacking on editing a fourth, but I think I’m going to do a few this week!

A couple months ago I bleached my hair, trimmed it, and gave myself bangs. This is the look I was eventually going for, but I was too scared to attempt to layer my own hair. So on Monday I made a hair appointment and this is what I ended up with! I must say I’m quite happy with the way it came out and I’m kind of in love with my hair now.

The only downside is that my hair requires a lot more maintenance now. If I’m having a bad day, I can’t just toss it up in a ponytail and forget about it. Actually, I stopped being able to do that when I gave myself bangs; I still had to straighten those or clip them back. I better invest in some more hair clips. XD

Just a note to those with sensitive skin: please be cautious if you try this. If your skin irritates easily, you may not want to exfoliate on a daily basis.

I start off by exfoliating in the shower, with my body wash of choice and a sponge. I don’t know how good it is for my skin, but I use the rough side of a regular kitchen sponge (never used on dishes… used it for the shower straight out of the package). After I’m done exfoliating (and doing everything else that needs to be done in the shower), I apply baby oil before I get out. I use baby oil with aloe vera and vitamin E added into it. Just make sure you apply sparingly, and while your body is still wet (which is why I apply while the shower is still running), otherwise if you put too much on, you’ll feel greasy. This really helps seal the moisture in to your skin. After I get out of the shower, I towel off really thoroughly (air drying leaves me feeling greasy from the baby oil), and then apply lotion.

Like I’ve said, it really hasn’t done much to lighten the tan I’ve been trying to fade, but I’ve noticed that my skin looks and feels better than it did weeks ago.

Anyway, lately I’ve taken to making some makeup video tutorials, and I’m actually quite fond of the way they turned out! In recent years, I’ve gotten quite a lot of compliments on the way I do my makeup, and my friends are always asking me to apply their makeup or show them how, etc. Since I don’t have much experience with applying makeup on other people (my mom doesn’t wear makeup and I don’t get along with my sisters), I figured the best place to start would be to make some instructional videos, so my friends can attempt the same makeup that I do regularly.

These are the videos I’ve made so far:

- Makeup Tutorial – Black & Teal Sparkly Eye Makeup
- Makeup Tutorial – Bright Pink & Yellow Eye Makeup
- Makeup Tutorial – Visual Kei Inspired Makeup

Also, if you enjoy my videos and find them helpful/amusing/cute, please rate and comment! Thanks.