How cute is this heart-shaped braid from Cozy’s Complete Guide to Girls’ Hair? It’s meant for young girls, but us “big girls” can rock this look too. Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

What You’ll Need:

• Wide-tooth comb
• Fine-tooth comb
• Hair clip
• Ponytail holders

Time:
15 minutes

Step 1: Starting with damp hair (either towel-dried or misted), use a wide-tooth comb to detangle the hair.  Then, using a fine-tooth comb, part the hair down the middle of the head.  Clip one side up right above the ear.

Step 2: On the other side of the part, use the fine comb to gather a thin section of hair from the crown.  This section should measure about 2 inches from the hairline to the top of the head.

Step 3: Divide this section into three, and begin a French braid starting at the crown and curving toward the temple, then toward the back of the head, like the top lobe of a heart.  You will be lifting hair into the braid only from this side of the part.  Leave no loose hair in front of the ears.

Step 4: When you reach the center part at the back of the head, secure the braid with a ponytail holder.  If the hair is very long, end the braid about midear; the ends will hang down the back.

Step 5: Unclip the hair on the other side of the part and repeat the process.  Secure with a ponytail holder.

Step 6: Join the ends of the braids together in the back with a ponytail holder to form the bottom point of the heart.

Jen

As we approach the dead of winter, it is hard to imagine the bright, warm paradise that we had just a few months ago! Spraying on some Bath and Body Works Aruba Coconut body spray definitely helped cure my winter blues (at least for a little bit).

Not going to lie, I was a little hesitant to try it, knowing a lot of coconut sprays smell exactly like tanning oil, and I was pleasantly surprised with Bath and Body Works rendition of their Tropics line, especially with it being introduced in the winter. The body spray has just a hint of the coconut and vanilla scent. It has more of a light-but-musky scent as opposed to a strong, fruity smell that would be more applicable for the summer.

I’ve had many complements about the body spray from friends and am all in all very pleased with the product! While not being over-the-top coconut, it is a wonderful fragrance to combat the cold weather.

For $12.50, it is definitely in my broke-college-student budget! The scent lasts for quite a while, and is one of those sprays that is a fun enough scent for teenagers, yet subtle enough for adults as well. Definitely check it out at your nearest Bath and Body Works, it’s worth it!

Emily

Spring is coming and this season it’s all about bright, bold, and beautiful pops of color that will make people stop and stare! (In a good way, of course). Cruelty free brand, Youngblood, has come up with a fun Spring collection that not only highlights and subtly enhances your own natural beauty, but also gives you that perfect dose of gorgeous color that will make you stand out in a crowd.

Go bold and try the Youngblood lipstick in Tangelo, a sheer, creamy coral-orange (pictured top). You know how I love me some orange shades!

And, I LOVE the Youngblood Luminous Crème Blush – available soon in four shades (top to bottom):

• Rose Quartz (a silvery petal-pink)
• Taffeta (a lustrous bubblegum pink)
• Tropical Glow (a peachy-pink tone with golden shimmer)
• Champagne Life (a bubbly taupe with a shimmery sheen)

I’m not usually a cream blush kinda girl, but I actually love these. They go on sheer (I put A LOT of product on my arm in the swatch pic so you can really see the colors) and they don’t make my face feel greasy. I have combination skin and I can wear these natural-looking, fun colors with no problems.

They also have an Eye-lluminating Duo – a dual-ended pencil with two neutral tones (Matte, a pink-nude; and Shimmer, an iridescent champagne-beige) that you can use to highlight under the brow, on upper or lower water lines or even the tops of your cheeks!

These products will be available for purchase on March 1st.

Jen

Petunia Essentials was started by a woman named MyLynda who, like most of us ladies, loved bath and body products. She got her degrees in mathematics and industrial engineering (!) and then became an attorney. As her allergies became worse and worse, she started making her own beauty products without harsh ingredients found in many mainstream brands. Her friends and family kept asking about the “potions” she was cooking up and they became popular in her inner-circle. Eventually MyLynda chose to follow a new career path she had never dreamed for herself – beauty product entrepreneur!

I love supporting indie businesses whenever I can (I have an Etsy problem) and I especially love supporting women business owners (since I am one!).

A review from a happy customer: “I purchased soaps from this company for my guest bath. This past weekend, several guests commented on the lovely fragrances. We have Brown Sugar & Fig and Lavender. Thank you for a great product.”

Petunia Essentials specializes in hand made, natural and vegetable based, cruelty free bath and body products, including moisturizing bar and liquid soaps, whipped body butters, lotion crèmes and aromatic bath salts. They use hydrating and healing oils like olive oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil and sweet almond oil with quality essential oils, fragrance oils, and botanicals like lavender buds, rose petals, and jasmine flowers. Only cruelty free, natural and safe ingredients are used.

And if you haven’t already, read our review of Petunia Essentials cruelty free beauty products!

Want to win a Petunia Essentials gift set containing a body butter, a shower gel and a body spray? Just wait for the Rafflecopter form below to load and follow the instructions. You must be 18 or older to enter. US only. By entering you agree to the official rules.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Denise Richards is one of my hair idols. What I wouldn’t give to have her long, voluminous locks! I was excited to hear that she now has her own line of volumizing, cruelty free hair products! Produced by veteran hair care brand, Cristophe, Denise’s “Volume Extend” line has the following products: shampoo, conditioner, styling creme, volumizing spray and finishing spray.

The Denise Richards Volume Extend by Cristophe hair care collection is a revolutionary product line with a new technology and product formula which penetrates the hair shaft to actually increase the hair strands diameter;  giving the hair amazing beauty, body, volume, and shine. The line is completely paraben, sulfate, and cruelty free.

I loved all of the products. A little goes a long way – especially for the styling products. The styling creme is for damp hair and the volumizing spray can be used on damp or dry hair – great for a mid-afternoon pick me up or after-work happy hour date! It also contains UV protectors, Vitamin C and creatine to strengthen hair.

You really only need a tiny bit of the styling creme, so this is a really cost-effective purchase ($14.99 for 3 oz). Apply to damp hair and then blowdry and style as usual for great volume.

The shampoo and conditioner have wheat proteins, sugarcane, green tea, lemon, apple, sea fennel, probiotics (“good” bacteria) and peptides to boost hair strength and volume. A pretty unique blend of ingredients!

The finishing spray is a hair spray that you can use on your roots to boost volume, set a hairstyle or use when your hair is getting oily and needs a boost!

How would you like to win a full set of Denise Richards Volume Extend hair products? Just sign up for the My Beauty Bunny newsletter and leave the email address you used to sign up in a comment below, telling me which Denise Richards product you are most excited to try. If you’re already signed up, just leave a comment below. The winner’s email address will be verified. For an extra entry, like the Cristophe Facebook page. Leave a separate comment for each entry. You get up to 2 entries. Any additional comments will be deleted for the purposes of this contest! If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t repost. It just means I haven’t approved it yet!

You must be 18 or older, US only. Ends 2/29/12. By entering, you agree to the official rules here.

Want more? Check out our Beauty Blogger Coalition $500 Visa gift card giveaway!

Jen