Braunwyn Windham-Burke’s Floral Cover Up Dress on Instagram

Real Housewives of Orange County 2020 Instagram Fashion

Braunwyn Windham-Burkes’s floral cover up dress on Instagram was so cute. It’s perfect for any beach or pool day with family and friends. I actually could’ve used a dress like this last week for when my fam was in Austin and we drove 25 min up the coast road for a little lake time. My swimsuit game is getting pretty strong, but I’ve realized I don’t really have many cute dresses or cover ups to wear over them. So Braunwyn’s adorable floral cover up dress is the perfect reminder of my next summer purchase. That and maybe a piña colada to match.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here To See Her Sold Out Free People Gypsy Dress

Photo : @braunwynwindhamburke

Originally posted at: Braunwyn Windham-Burke’s Floral Cover Up Dress

If you’re a so-called “bottle blonde,” and have to resort to salon services to maintain your lightened locks, you know that being blonde is not only expensive AF, but it’s also just downright hard. Before taking a deep dive into our comprehensive blonde hair color guide informed by Los Angeles based colorist (and bona fide blonde guru) Linet K, let’s first address some of the potential reasons for why we oftentimes find ourselves leaving the salon dissatisfied (and sometimes straight-up horrified) with the end result. The most common reason for leaving the salon in a state of distress is that your expectations simply weren’t realistic and/or weren’t matched with your budget, the condition of your hair, your natural color’s aptitude to lift (lighten), or the time limit you’d allotted for the service.

If you’ve ever tried to go from a brunette (or worse, redhead) to blonde with only one salon session, you’ve probably been told that this transformation is virtually impossible to undergo within one day if you plan on actually leaving with some hair left on your head. Of course, aside from consulting with your colorist about possibilities and options, it’s also possible you weren’t specific enough in communicating your hair goals or simply didn’t even know what you wanted (all you knew is that it wasn’t what you left with).

Even if you have the most amazing colorist in your city and bring in the most illustrative inspiration pics the margin of “error,” walking out of the salon with the exact shade, undertone and effect you dreamed of us is unlikely without the right vocabulary.  Not only is there a highly nuanced shade palette when it comes to a vast range of different hues under the broad “blonde” umbrella, but there is also a slew of different tones (ash, neutral, golden, icy…and the list goes on). There’s also a ton of different blonding techniques that will each give you a different look.

On top of this, colorists and hairstylists seem to have adopted their own language choc-full of mystifying terms and descriptives, and if you don’t know the jargon, you may be at a disadvantage when you’re trying to distinguish whether you’re coveting dimension, a smudged root, or blended babylights, or whether you’re looking for a “bronde,” baby blonde or champagne-hued accent highlights. “The best thing to do is to take in photos of what you like because your interpretation or understanding of cool, neutral, and platinum are not the same or someone else’s understanding of those terms,” Linet advises.

View this post on Instagram

Bed head never looked so good. #Blondebalayage @balayagebylinet #LinetK #olaplex #redken

A post shared by Linet K. LA NYC SF (@balayagebylinet) on Dec 20, 2018 at 6:54pm PST

Balayage, babylights and partial highlights offer the most natural-looking blonde requiring less maintenance and offering a more forgiving grow-up process, while bleach and tones give an all-over blonde (often platinum-white) but you’ll have to be religious about root touch-ups every 3-4 weeks to avoid stark lines of demarcation. “Balayage lasts for between 3-6 months, whereas highlights need a touch up every 4-6 weeks, so you can save money with a balayage with more infrequent salon visits,” she says.

According to Linet, it’s also important to factor in the condition of your hair, if you have a ton of breakage from previous bleach jobs or excessive heat styling, a bleach and tone or platinum highlights, aren’t ideal. “Balayage [tend to be] the least damaging because the bleach doesn’t go all the way up to the root, and there are fewer pieces of hair bleached compared to highlights or babylights,” she says. Regardless of which technique and tone you decide, ensuring you protect the integrity of your hair (another popular salon term, I’ve heard numerous times), selecting the right products to maintain your hair’s health and keep your locks bright and brass-free is essential.

The two products she recommends to her blonde clients? A good bond-builder and violet-hued shampoo. “Olaplex will keep the hair strong and healthy! Purple shampoo only once week to keep it bright, otherwise it will start looking grey,” she suggests. See below for some of our favorite blonde looks and find out exactly how to ask for them.

ImaxTree.

Icy Platinum Bleach & Tone

A bleach and tone service involves the process of applying bleach in section to the entire head to a pale yellow or white level and then applying a toner to get the desired undertone. This icy (white, cool-toned cast) is achieved by using a purple or ash toned glaze over pre-lightened locks. As mentioned, bleach and tone blondes should expect a high-maintenance and expensive salon routine because root regrowth looks stark compared to sectional highlights, hand-painted balayage, or super blended babylights.

ImaxTree

Butter Blonde Highlights With Smudged Root

Butter blonde tones are universally flattering on a wide range of skin tones, and they require much less upkeep with maintaining the tone than ash, ice, platinum, and cooler-toned hues. She also appears to have what’s called a smudged root: a process that involves the colorist adding a glaze or demi-permanent gloss darker than the blonde color applied over your roots to soften any harsh lines from your highlights and to help make the grow-out look a bit more natural for those who prefer to only visit the salon for touch-ups a couple of times a year.

ImaxTree.

Mushroom Blonde Color Melt

Mushroom blonde is probably one of the biggest hair color trends swirling about this summer, and for good reason. The ash-based hue is a combination of grayish-brown and neutral blonde, infused with highlights and low-lights in a myriad of different shades and tones for an ultra-natural look that still delivers ample dimension and character. The color melt technique is a popular way to nail this look because it concentrates on lighter shades at the bottom of the hair with a gradient effect from the root to strands. It’s one of the most fuss-free hair services you can choose, and it complements the multifaceted ‘shroom shades beautifully.

ImaxTree.

Golden Blonde Babylights

Babylights are one of the go-to highlighting methods used on clients looking for a super-natural looking blonde that mimics the enviable soft dimension you’ll see on naturally blonde tresses of children (most people lose this lustrous effect with age). This method offers a super-subtle look and tends to grow out beautifully depending on how light you go.

ImaxTree.

Beige Blonde With Dimensional Baby Blonde Highlights

This beige blonde base has a pop of dimension courtesy of brighter, baby blonde highlights that are more distinctive in the strands than subtle babylights. This is a prime example of a dimensional blonde that has a distinctive separation of hues without looking chunky or stripey.

ImaxTree.

Silver Blonde Bleach & Tone

Another bleach and tone example, this striking blonde has been bleached to a pale yellow and toned with an ash or silver toner to create a grayish hue. If you choose to rock this look, prepare for some serious commitment when it comes to your maintenance routine. We advise investing a silver or violet-hued shampoo to maintain the brilliance and counteract brass (especially if your natural hair color is darker) in between salon visits.

ImaxTree.

Ash Blonde With Platinum Accent Highlights

This ash-blonde look is accented with a touch of face-framing highlights positioned strategically around the face for a sun-kissed effect. I’ve also heard these accent or face frame highlights referred to as “pops,” crown highlights and frosted tip highlights in salons.

ImaxTree.

Honey Blonde Balayage

Giselle’s signature beachy highlights look effortless and sexy — and they’re actually just as low-key when it comes to maintenance and grow-out as they seem. Balayage is a process of highlighting that (usually) favor the hand-painting technique for placement rather than foils for a more natural look. Balayage often has a rootier look, without being full-on ombre.

ImaxTree.

Dimensional Platinum Highlights

Just because you want to go platinum doesn’t necessarily mean you need to go the bleach and tone route. You can ask your colorist for thicker full highlights using foils to get an almost-white hue with pieces of your natural or a slightly darker base peeking through. This gives you the ultra-bright blonde look you’re after, but it’s a little less damaging and much more forgiving when it comes to root re-growth.

ImaxTree.

Bronde With Ribbon Highlights

Bronde (you guessed it, a slightly blonder brunette shade) is a great option for those on a budget or those who don’t want to fuss with frequent salon appointments to deal with roots. It adds just a touch of dimension and brightness to your natural (or color-treated) hue without a huge investment or commitment. This bronde shade has a pop of blonde with cascading, ultra-thin “ribbon highlights” position around the entire head (as opposed to accent highlights) where the sun would naturally hit.

Amazon.

Olaxplex No. 3 Hair Protector

This O.G. bond-builder is the perfect take-home product to prevent and repair bleach-induced damage. I’ve never heard a colorist or hair expert not recommend this.

Buy: Olaxplex No. 3 Hair Protector $28

Amazon.

Fanola No Yellow Shampoo

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this violet-tinged shampoo is the ultimate brass-blocker I’ve found. Colorists swear by it — even to use in place of an actual toner. It’s that good.

Buy: Fanola No Yellow Shampoo $24.99

Amazon.

ColorLites Color-Depositing Shampoo

This pigmented color-depositing shampoo comes in a variety of hue-enhancing shades, including options for white platinums, golden highlights, and beige blondes.

Buy: ColorLites Color-Depositing Shampoo $35

Amazon.

Luesta Hair Brightening Mask

This two-in-one hair mask delivers anti-brass powers to keep yellow tones at bay, while also conditioning the hair to reverse breakage and bleach damage.

Buy: Luesta Hair Brightening Mask $26.90

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Though it’s great to shop BIPOC-owned brands anywhere you can, shopping Black-owned beauty brands from Etsy can help you support smaller companies that might not have the capital to get into a big store. You can actually find small-batch, handmade goods such as haircare, skincare, nails, body products and even hair accessories. One of the best parts about Etsy is all the legit reviews so you can trust what you’re ordering is as great as it looks.

There are hundreds of Black-owned brands on Etsy so this is not even close to a comprehensive list. But it’s a good place to start with a variety of different types of shops from all over the country. Shop skin salves from New York City, shampoo bars from Maryland, hair gel for curls from Georgia and headbands from Texas. Get in on the hair accessory trend with kitchy pins made in Flordia and DIY your own mani with press-on nails from New Jersey. The possibilities are endless.

Don’t just stop with these seven shops. Continue through Etsy’s massive database of quality goods, many of which are seriously affordable. Stock up for your BFF’s next birthday, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Image: Etsy.

Harlem Roots

This New York-based brand hawks custom teas, hair oil and all kinds of salves, including this eczema relief cream.

Image: Etsy.

Indulgence Spa

Shop body butter, hair masks and shampoo bars from this Maryland-based shop.

Image: Etsy.

Fro.ology Haircare

Based out of Georgia, Fro.ology creates everything you need for healthy curls, including deep conditioners, hair tea rinse and flaxseed gel.

Image: Etsy.

Black Upsurge

This Texas-based company works to “celebrate being Black every day.” In addition to tees, notebooks and pins, we’re loving these knotted headbands made from African fabrics.

Image: Etsy.

BoyyyBye

Don’t skip over this chic accessories brand based out of Flordia. It sells kitchy hair clips, as well as earrings and necklaces.

Image: Etsy.

Carrington Company

Missing your usual talons? Order some press-ons from this New Jersey-based company. We love these orange coffin nails, as well as the crystal-adorned styles.

Image: Etsy.

Kalone Kazmediks

Save your dry skin and hands with this ultra-calming moisturizer. (It comes with a cute key chain!)

While full-coverage, matte foundation is nice for special occasions, it can often be too heavy for day-to-day wear—especially when you’re working from home or having a lazy day in with friends. Well, grab those reward points because some of the best tinted moisturizers can be found at Sephora. From lightweight hydrating coverage to buildable tinted moisturizer with sun protection, there’s an option for everyone and every skin type.

What’s so great about tinted moisturizer is that the shades are pretty flexible. Most people will match with a few hues so it’s easy to find that work for you. Just look at what you get from each product to decide what works best for your skin type. Worried about fine lines and wrinkles? Look for complexion products containing neuropeptides. Or if hydration is what you’re after, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E will smooth even the flakiest skin.

Pick up one of our favorite tinted moisturizers below that will even out your skin tone and feel fresh throughout summer and beyond.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Image: Sephora.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

Fans love this tinted moisturizer for its natural-looking coverage and sun protection.

Image: Sephora.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 – Oil Free

The oil-free version of this OG favorite is a Sephora best-seller thanks to the way it controls oil but gives a healthy glow.

Image: Tarte.

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen

For medium, matte coverage, Tarte’s BB cream is your jam. It can be used under foundation as a primer or on its own.

Image: Sephora.

Perricone MD No Makeup Foundation Serum Broad Spectrum SPF 20

This lightweight foundation contains neuropeptides so it helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles while you’re wearing it.

Image: Dr Jart.

Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45

Even those with the most sensitive skin love this beauty balm for the way its smooths and hides any flaking.

Ilia.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation

Part skincare and part foundation, Ilia’s Skin Tint provides lightweight coverage with

Image: Sephora.

Sephora Collection Weekend Warrior Tone Up Cream

This vegan complexion booster smooths skin and provides lightweight coverage.

It seems like there are a bunch of trendy sunscreens everyone wears each summer. They work well with broad-spectrum SPF. Well, Consumer Reports best sunscreens 2020 just came out and it didn’t choose any of them. Of course, that doesn’t mean your favorite sunscreen isn’t a stellar choice. The organization looks at four types of sunscreen: lotions, sprays, mineral and those without the oxybenzone (meaning they’re safe for coral reefs). It evaluates the SPF claim making sure it stands up to what it promises, as well as how long you’re protected and the effectiveness of UVB blockers that shield you from the rays. A lot goes into this choice.

Each sunscreen is then ranked between 0 and 100, with 81 being the marker for the stamp of approval. Those that got an 81 and higher are considered to be Very Good or Excellent choices when it comes to UVA/UVB protection. It’s the seventh year Consumer Reports released this data. It can really help you choose sun protection for the summer and all-year-round because you know, you need SPF even if it’s cloudy.

The best part about this best-of list? Most of these choices are some of the most affordable sunscreen options out there. It turns out, you don’t have to spend big bucks to protect your skin.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Best Lotion

Image: Coppertone.

Coppertone Ultra Guard Lotion SPF 70 sunscreen

Whether this colorful packing or the regular Coppertone one, its 80-minutes of sun protection got a top score.

Image: CVS.

CVS Pharmacy Sunscreen Sun Lotion Broad Spectrum, SPF 70

CVS’s in-house sunscreen is lightweight but packs a punch with 80 minutes of of water resistant UVA/UVB protection.

Best Spray

Image: Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s Nourish Spray Sunscreen SPF 50+ Broad Spectrum

This continuous spray sunscreen is non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores.

Image: Neutrogena.

Neutrogena Beach Defense Water + Sun Protection Spray SPF 70 sunscreen

This summer favorite contains oil-free sunprotection for up to 80 minutes—even while sweating.

Best Without Oxybenzone

Image: Hawaiian Tropic.

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance Lotion SPF 50 sunscreen

This reef-safe sunscreen smooths and brightens skin with mango fruit extract, shea butter and vitamin E.

Image: Amazon.

Hawaiian Tropic Island Sport Ultra Light Spray SPF 30 sunscreen

This lightweight, water-resistant spray is non-greasy and reef-safe.

Best Mineral

Image: California Kids.

California Kids #supersensitive Tinted Lotion SPF 30+ sunscreen

This sunscreen creates a physical barrier (instead of a chemical one) offering the best sun protection.

Image: Amazon.

Badger Active Natural Mineral Cream SPF 30 Unscented sunscreen

This mineral sunscreen has only five ingredients and is great for sensitive skin.