March Thoughts

Another month has passed already?! It sure seems like 2016 is zipping by! I would have loved to have filmed March vlog, but there just hasn’t been enough time in the day to do so. I hope you don’t mind another blog post then! :o)

March actually was a lot happier than February. I was recovering from a lot of defeats and have taken time to reflect on how to improve myself. I made a list of some memorable moments from March so let’s dive in!

Dyed hair – One of the most exciting changes this month was dying my hair back to pink. Last October I shaved my head and have been letting it grow without any bleach or dye. It was getting about an inch or so long and was just a boring dark brown color. Since I don’t really have a plan on what to do with it, I decided to dye it pink again! Even though I still wear wigs from time to time, I enjoy having my colorful ‘do back.

Gaming – Let’s start with EQ Next. This is a game that was announced back when I attended SOE Live several years ago. I’ve always been a big Ever Quest fan and was really excited for EQ Next. Well sadly, they announced that the game will no longer be happening. It broke my heart to read about it. I may need to revisit EQ2 soon. In happier news, I’ve been playing a lot of Dragon Mania Legends which is a mobile app game that is very easy and addicting. In March, they released a new “Clans” feature where you can group with friends to earn new rewards. It’s one of the only mobile games I’ve actually stuck with now for a nearly year! Finally let’s get into a recap of Guild Wars 2. This month I decided to make the legendary shield The Flameseeker Prophecies. I had almost all the materials for it and really liked the design so I just went for it. A few days later the devs announced that they were postponing the release of new legendary weapons indefinitely! What!! So that means all this time waiting for the new weapons that they promised with the expansion won’t be happening after all. I admit I was pretty bummed about this news. I would have made the sword Bolt instead of the shield, but I was waiting for the new sword to come out. I guess that won’t happen so now I will be making Bolt next. Some good things that happened in GW2 was the new raid wing, the return of the Bunny Ears and the big giveaway party I hosted on my stream. I gave away lots of prizes and had a fun time in Lions Arch with my friends and guildies. I’ll be hosting a giveaway on the last Friday of every month so if you missed it you can join us for the next one!

Moving – You can read the whole story on this blog post. But the TLDR version is I made a trip down to Houston to look for an apartment and find a new job. I found a very nice place that would be available mid April so I made the jump and signed a lease! I’m nervous and a little sad to be leaving Dallas, but this will be a good opportunity for me. It will be fun to explore a new place and also get back in to the beauty industry for my career. So I am looking forward to the move. It’s just been very hectic now trying to organize, clean, and pack my things in preparation.

Divergent – I saw Allegiant in theaters this month. Here’s my mini review of the new movie: I’ve been a big fan of the books and really loved the first movie. The second movie was okay but seemed too heavy on CGI. I was hoping the 3rd installment of the series would redeem itself but it left me going home really unhappy. It’s like they totally forgot about telling a good story and focused all of their money and energy on visual effects again. Also, Tris just seemed very unlike herself and lost all of her character development. Many of the scenes and lines came off cheesy and nearly made me laugh (and not in a good way.) The only thing I enjoyed about the movie was Four. The actor played his role well and the character made smart decisions and looked like a badass. I enjoyed his moments more than any others, but it still wasn’t enough to get me excited for the last movie due next year.

Easter – It was a little weird having Easter so early. Isn’t it usually in April? My family and I kept things pretty laid back and decided to order pizza for the weekend. I also got some cute cards in the mail and had a great day!

Store – While cleaning out my room and closet I found tons of nice purses, jewelry and decor that I just no longer use -or never used to begin with – and decided to open a Storenvy! I have had 2 sales so far and hope that my other items will find a new home soon. The money will help go towards my move, too! omglitzy.storenvy.com

Pixie update – This actually happened today rather than in March but since it’s fresh on my mind I wanted to fill you in! I took Pixie in for her 2 month check up on the state of her gums and teeth and the vet said things are still looking good! I’m glad the few teeth she has left are doing alright so she won’t need any removed any time soon. I let the vet know that I am moving to Houston and it was a little sad to say goodbye. They’ve been a great clinic to go to and have really taken good care of Pixie. I hope I can find another nice vet in Houston.

That’s about all I can think of for March! Overall I would say it was a very good month. ^.^

Xoxo,

Glitzy

Wig Review! Kamo Wig from Amazon

Hey everyone! I made my first “review video” for my YouTube channel!!! It’s all about a wig I have been wearing a lot lately that I purchased from Amazon. As you may know, I own and wear a lot of wigs. I’ve been meaning to make reviews for them so I’m really excited to finally share this with you!

The Kamo 26″ Layered Wig was purchased from Amazon by ME! I was not paid or asked to make this review. I was looking for a natural wig to wear on my Twitch streams and came across it on Amazon. It had decent reviews and for only $16.99 I figured it was worth the try. Turns out it’s one of my all time favorite wigs now! I loved it so much I bought two – one to leave long and another to trim a little shorter. I’ve been wearing it a lot lately and it looks and feels very natural. Please check out my video for more details and a better look at it! This wig would be great for cosplayers or anyone that is on a budget and looking for a nice blonde wig.

xoxo,

Glitzy

Giveaway: Galaxy Hair Bows from Inspired By Nerd

I’m very excited to team up with local geek girl and crafter Inspired By Nerd! You have a chance to win one of the two fabulous galaxy hair bows as seen in the photos!

“These are two galaxy hair bows from Inspired by Nerd. Inspired by Nerd is your go to for geeky/nerdy fandom inspired accessories and home goods. I offer hair accessories, ID wallets, a few plush items, blankets, towels, hats, and other items that are geared towards your favorite fandoms! TV shows, movies, video games, I’ve got ’em!”

See something else you love from the shop? Well Inspired By Nerd has generously set up a special coupon for GlitzyGeekGirl readers to use at check out!

“The coupon code is GLITZYGEEK for 15% off your total purchase from my shop!”

Visit Inspired By Nerd on Etsy and Facebook.

Entering is easy! Just follow these steps on the Rafflecopter widget. Two winners will be picked at random and each mailed one of the galaxy hair bows from Inspired By Nerd. This contest is open to US RESIDENTS only. Once the winners are selected, they will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond otherwise a new winner will be chosen. Contest ends on 11:59 pm CST Saturday July 11, 2015. No purchase necessary. Good luck! 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tutorial: Rapunzel Tiara

I've got a dream! I've got a dream!

It's to be a princess, of course! I had been looking for an affordable Rapunzel crown for quite some time but sadly could only find child sizes. So one night I decided to make the crown myself with whatever materials I had laying around.

 And to help other lost princesses I decided to make a tutorial so you can become royalty as well!

Halloween 2014

You might think that a cosplayer would go all out on Halloween with an elaborate costume. Well that is usually not the case. Haha! I would say most of my cosplay friends actually enjoy buying either a store bought costume or wearing something more simple. For me, I have been dying to wear this Korilakkuma Kigurumi I bought at AKon. I dressed it up with my pink wavy wig from Gothic Lolita Wigs!

Most of the day I played Guild Wars 2. If only all the people I grouped with that day knew what I was wearing behind the computer! lol

Even my character in game was dressed up for the Halloween festivities.

My family and I ordered pizza. Yum! My favorite!

Finally, that evening we were ready to hand out the candy bags my mom and I made. Each bag had several candy bars and crackers and other sweets in them.

I had a lot of fun giving out candy to the kiddos! One parent asked if I was a polar bear. But most of the kids said they liked my outfit. There was a block party going on down our street so once that ended all the kids came to the door at once. It kinda bummed me out because they were rushing and I was rushing and I didn’t get to see their costumes very well. I do remember three kids were dressed as crayons. I think they were my favorite!

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Did you dress up as anything on Halloween?

Healthy Hair Color Tips: Bleaching and Funky Colors

A question I am asked a lot is “How do you keep your hair so healthy?” Well let me first admit that my hair has been through a lot! But being a hairstylist that’s quite normal. We love to change our hair color often! It can take a toll on the strength and integrity of your hair strands. So over the years I’ve figured out what works best for *my* hair. I’m hoping this post will help others that might need some hair care advice, but remember everyone’s hair is different. I’ve been doing hair professionally since 2007, and I’ve seen firsthand the effects various dyes and products can do on hair. So definitely talk to your stylist for a professional opinion because they will know best!

For my own hair, I bleach the new growth (roots) with Wella’s Blondor and 40 volume developer. If I need to strip the color out of the ends of my hair I will use a lower volume that is not as strong. 40 volume on the ends of your hair is a bad idea! Sometimes I’ll wet my ends and shampoo it lightly then lather in some 40 vol bleach. That dilutes it a little and won’t be as harsh on your hair.

I typically let bleach sit on my hair for about 30 minutes under a shower cap. If you plan on doing a bright, funky color then you need your hair as light as possible and may need to sit longer. The best way to explain this is to picture a white piece of paper and different color crayons. The colors will be bright on the white paper, but if you took a darker piece of paper the colors won’t be as vibrant.

Once my hair is light enough, I rinse the bleach out with cold water (yes cold cold) and shampoo it with It’s A 10 Keratin shampoo. When coloring, I don’t use conditioner afterwards. This way my hair is more porous and the funky color will last longer.

Then I gently blowdry my hair until it’s completely dry and plan what color I want to do next. Lately I’ve been doing pastels. To make a pastel dye I squeeze a bunch of conditioner into a bowl. (I use any cheap conditioner since I use a lot of it. Just make sure it’s white. I used a blue one once and it didn’t lighten my dye.) Add some drops of color to your conditioner and stir. If it’s too light then keep adding more color until you like it. Here are some brands of color I use:

Special Effects

Manic Panic

ION Pastel

RAW Color

When you like the color in your bowl, start putting it on your hair. Always start at your scalp and work down the hair strand. Be sure to take small sections and completely saturate the hair. Funky colors will last longer if you really soak the hair in it. Then I put on another shower cap and let it sit for at least an hour. The longer the better! Most funky colors are demi-permanent, which means they don’t have any ammonia in them. They are not as harmful to your hair. Plus most of your concoction is conditioner and letting it sit on your hair for 1 hour+ is awesome. Your hair is so happy right now.

Once it’s time to rinse I use cold cold water again and let it run until it looks clear in the sink. I don’t shampoo or add any more conditioner to it. I just gently towel dry it and then let it air dry quite bit.

When I’m ready to blow dry I first add a quarter size amount of It’s A 10 Keratin Serum. The keratin helps rebuild the strength in your hair after the bleaching. Then I blow dry with a vent brush and flat iron as normal. After that I add another dime size amount of It’s A 10 Keratin Serum to give it a smooth and shiny finish.

It’s important not to shampoo your hair too often. I probably only wash my hair once a week. The natural oils in your hair are great moisturizers for dryness. I swear I am not endorsed by It’s A 10, but it’s also what I shampoo and condition with in-between coloring! I used a lot of products at the salon I worked at, and it’s the one I liked most. A more affordable alternative is the TRESemme Anti-Breakage collection. I’ve witnessed it work very well!

Finally, be sure to get regular trims to take care of any dead-ends, and try to avoid too much sun damage which can fade hair color and dry it out.

I hope this was helpful! Let me know! 🙂

:+:+:+:+:+:

What type of hair products do you love?

Have you ever colored your hair before?

Happy Things #23

Here are some things that have put a smile on my face lately!! 🙂

I ordered the purple macaron pillow from Squishables! It’s a lot bigger than I expected and is great for lounging around while reading or watching TV.

Pixie had a snuggle session with Pascal. They’re best of buds, aww!

I play Guild Wars 2 on and off again and laughed when I met this cute froggie the other day. 

(For you, Ser Frog!)

A couple weeks ago I dyed my hair all over purple. There’s some pics on my Instagram (@glitzygeekgirl), but I thought it looked a little too dark. So I bleached it out and went with a pastel pink/purple! I added some more tone to it since this pic, too, and like it a lot!

Aren’t these rainbow sandals totes adorbz?! (lol) I got them at DSW, and the brand is Reef. Reef makes the comfiest sandals in the world.

I couldn’t find a source, but I loved this kitty wishing on stars.

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What has made you happy lately?

Short Hair and Loving it

Having long hair was a goal of mine for many years. I wanted it long like a princess! But in reality I almost always wore up in a ponytail to get it out of my face. The length also made it more difficult for me to color it. So I’ve been toying with the idea to go back short. One night after I washed it I grabbed the scissors and just cut the tail off. My philosophy on this was if I “ruin” the length then I’ll *have* to cut it short! No turning back! I am SO glad I did it. It feels so much better to have it short and thinned out now. It’s also so easy to wear wigs for my cosplays. And the best part was it cut my drying time in half! I’m pretty happy with pink right now, but I want to experiment with more colors soon. 🙂

I cut it all myself but I don’t recommend trying this at home! I have been doing my own hair for over 10 years. 

And here’s a picture of the color I used. It’s RAW’s Fuschia Fatale mixed with a lot of conditioner to lighten it some. I let it sit for an hour or so on my head then rinse with cool water! 🙂

New Hair! Hot Pink & Half Shaved

A few weeks ago I talked myself into cutting my hair into a pixie cut! I just have A LOT of hair and it’s ridiculously thick and wavy. I have had it short before but I wanted to go extra short this time. Another reason I want a pixie cut is because I love to color my hair frequently. With the length it takes WAY too long and too much hair dye.

So I grabbed my clippers (or buzzers) and a 4 guard (size of the attachment) and went to town! I wanted to keep the top kinda spiky so I piled it up into a pony tail to cut later and shaved the sides first.

Well after I did the sides I kinda looked at it and liked it! I thought.. Hey I might as well rock this for a day or two before I cut it all off.

I think the real reason I liked it is because it reminded me of Sokka from Avatar: The Last Airbender 😀

If I was going to leave the cut alone then I knew I still had a big job ahead to color it. This was after one bleaching and kinda looks like a My Little Pony tail!

Since it was still purple and kinda yellowy I decided to bleach it again so I could have a total change.

I mixed some RAW Fuchsia Fatale with a lot of conditioner and applied it to dry hair. Then I let it sit on my hair for an hour.

After an hour I rinsed it with COLD water and let it air dry since it’d been through a lot! This is what it looks like down .. it’s like you can’t even tell I shaved half of it off!

And here is what it looks like straight.

Most of the time I wear it up in a pony tail .. Like Sokka! 😀

It’s already grown out a bit now.. So one of these days soon I will be coloring it again. I know I will eventually cut it into a short pixie, but for now this is fun and different.

:+:+:+:

Have you ever shaved part of your hair before?