My Authentic Routine

People ask me all the time what I do to keep my skin in good health. Authentic from head to toe... SERIOUSLY!!!! It's like my Windex!! Though some would like to believe I wake up with a commercial like glow, it doesn't come without using the right product and paying attention to what my skin needs when it needs it. Authentic has made this very simple.

Ok... I've got to nerd out for a second so that you know it's not just magic and why it really works. In short, it's all in the ingredients (duh right?!?); Carthame (safflower) Oil, Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter etc. All of these yums are crammed into jars of awesomeness for us to apply to our hair, face and body, all designed with the sole purpose to make us glow from head to toe. Carthame oil was used in ancient Egyptian milk baths and is a long used topical ointment for an array of skin ailments and burns. Jojoba oil mimics the oils we produce naturally. Shea butter is high in vitamins A and E giving it amazing anti-aging properties and has been linked to boosts in collogen production... I could go on FOREVER!!! With their powers combined, they give your skin the opportunity to perform at its best; Carthame oil resolves any topical issues you may have, jojoba oil keeps the skin "fed" to ensure your skin doesn't  FREAK OUT and over produce any unneeded oils, Shea Butter hangs out to make sure our skin stays fresh, young and ready to party.... Are you ready to party?!?

Ok... So here's how I use it:

Authentic Cleansing Nectar- I wash my face and body with it in the shower and depending on my hair's needs, will shampoo with it on occasion. For my hair typically stick to Melu and Love for heat protection and straightening but in a pinch or if I'm wearing my hair curly, I'll use the nectar of the gods and it gets the job done. The Cleansing Nectar leaves my skin feeling refreshed and not stripped and tight like some cleansers tend to.









Authentic Replenishing Butter- I use this as a daily moisturizer for my face and body. It is BY FAR my top favorite moisturizer for my face. It's not heavy at all and leaves my skin still feeling like skin.








Authentic Moisturising Balm- Eye mask, make up remover, curl cream, eczema and dry patch healer, scratchy elbow cure, tattoo cream, floor burn ailment.... should I go on? You can use this for just about anything!!! I sometimes use in in place of or in conjunction with my Replenishing Butter when the weather is extra dry in the Winter. It gives my hair enough moisture that I can use it as a curl cream and add it to flat ironed hair when it's looking a little parched. This is probably my favorite of all of the Authentic family due to its versatility and the fact that it's clearing up the wrinkles that have started around my eyes. I would make sheets out of the stuff and sleep in them if I could!!!

Authentic Nourishing Oil- I consider Nourishing Oil to be my foundation for all things Authentic. It's the purest form of what makes Authentic so awesome, the don of the Authentic Family. I use this my in epsom salt baths (when I get a chance to take one) for the scent as well as the skin soothing properties. It serves as a back up when I run out of my Butter or Balm and is the "go hard" for any ailments that need resolution that the Butter and Balm couldn't take care of.




 Again... I could go on and on about Authentic. It's a true and honest way to take care of your skin, a representation of the intentions of Davines as a company.... It is my crack... Hehe!!!

Pinterst + The Holidays = Awesomesauce!!!

Pinterest has swept the lands and I have to admit, I'm quite obsessed!!! ....By obsessed I mean that I fell asleep pinning last night with my phone in my hand... I admit that's a little extreme but I just can't help myself!! I'm going to need a support group soon so if I go missing any time in the near future, I'm at the Betty Ford equivalent for recovering "pinning" addicts.

I guess I should explain...

I'm a very visual and kinesthetic person. If I can't see it, touch it or do it, I have a hard time learning how to complete it. Pinterest is fantastic for this in that I can see pictures of stuff that I like, hair related or not, and learn how to make it happen!! Exciting right?!? I love this particularly for the holidays because I love to bake for my friends and there are A MILLION hair ideas on the interwebs that I would love to try. This allows me to create boards of stuff that inspires me and hopefully inspires you. It's a hub for clients to point and say "Let's do that!!!" which makes my job that much easier!!

I've created quite a few boards (obsessed) including a board called "Inspiration" of pins I've found that spark my creativity and a board called "DO Try This At Home" of pins I think that my clients would be interested in trying at home (hair, skin care and other random stuff :D). I also have a "Hair" board of pictures I've taken of my work while here at Indigo.

Please feel free to follow any of my boards or all of them for that matter. I pin like a mad person so I guarantee you won't be bored!! If you're worried that you might be enabling me, you will be but realize that the pinning will happen no matter what and, let's face it, you don't want to miss out on this brand of awesomeness... You just don't!! Haha!!!

Follow Indigo: Indigo253

Indigo's First YouTube Video

So... I decided instead of just being so proud of the fact that I can now sew my hair when it's curly, I should make a video of it and share it with the entire world!!! Here it is!!! This is my first tutorial video and I'm doing my own hair so if not for anything else, watch to catch the awesome faces I'm making throughout. Next time I make one, I'll try and set music to it but for now, without sound will have to do. Enjoy!!!

It's Called a Filler.... I Guess :D

This is a little something I threw together for a client who is getting married soon and wants unbelievably big hair :) I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE big hair, so this was a treat to be able to tell her that her dreams of big hair were possible When I sat her down for her consultation and gave her "the talk" about how in most photos with long luxurious or big hair, there's a lot of hair there that's was added to create a look. As I like to say, "There's a whole lotta weave up in that mess!!!" Haha!!! So I showed her the "filler" I made, she looked at is sideways after which I reassured her that it was definitely going to work and we moved forward with the style.








Here's how I did it:

Materials Needed:
1 or 2 packs of braiding weave to match the hair color (cost $3-$5 a pack... no need to buy the good stuff!!)

netted wig cap or hair net (cost $1-$2)

wig brush/back combing brush ($.49-$5 depending on brand)

crafting thread ($3-$5)

crafting needle ($1-$2) Shhhh... I used my weave needle!! Ha!!!

scissors (Meh... I don't remember!! Ha!!)

  Step 1: Remove braiding weave from package being careful not to let the hair separate. Tie a knot in the hair mid way down the length to create two equal sections of braid-able hair.

Step 2: Combine the braid-able sections and separate them into 3 equal sections.

 Step 4: Backcomb the 3 equal sections you created.

 Step 5: Braid the 3 backcombed sections. When you get to the end, combine the ends of each section and back comb them together to finish the braid.

Step 6:  Take the braided weave and pack into the wig cap/hair net.

Step 7- Once the enclosure is sewn shut, cut off the excess wig cap/hair net.

 Step 8- Viola'!!! Your filler is now complete and ready to mount on someone's head :D Marvel in your aweosomeness and take a bow!!

This is the end result of Heather's updo practice for her big day. I back combed the front and crown sections, placed the filler in the area where volume was needed most. I sewed it in by placing her curled hair over the top, loosely stitching that in with the same black crafting thread and then picking up the remainder of her curls and stitching that in to the filler as well.

Beautiful right?!? I have to say, I was quite impressed with myself and my craftiness when I was done. Hopefully this is something you can apply to future crazy big updos or at home dos in place of crap tons of back combing. I think this is a great alternative to the God forsaken Bumpit and an easier to hide version of the loofa trick. Try it and let me know how it works out for you!!

Quick Tip: For an even more spectacularly voluminous look, add more hair to the hair net or make multiple fillers to pin or sew in.