Vanity post

I'm doing cartwheels today, because my dissertation revisions have been approved and even complimented. I kinda feel like this dude:

One of the theoretical chapters needs just a little spiffying to be more journal-ish, but it shouldn't take too long. And I'm working on a very fun article on dialect and socio-historical residential patterns in New Orleans. It's due today...it's gonna be a long night. Still, linguist Jess is a happy camper!

In celebration, I am sharing two non-academic beauty-related items: coral lipstick and caring for curly hair! (note: these are just personal endorsements. I get no money for them.)

1. I finally found a coral lipstick that I love. Last year I found the perfect red in the Sephora Lipstain 'Always Red.' The perfect coral has proved more elusive. Beware Pepto Bismol-Pink lips! After a couple of misses, the right coral for me turned out to be L'Oreal Colour Riche in 'Volcanic.' I like pairing it with minimalist eyes: light yellowy gold shadow all over, no eyeliner, and lots of mascara--I love Maybelline Falsies. (For what it's worth, I've got a ruddy complexion, which my friend Melissa generously calls 'English Rose.' On a bad day it's more 'Drunken WASP.')

2. I recently got directed to this excellent website on curly haircare, naturallycurly.com. If you've never visited, it can be overwhelming. Here is a link to a summary of methods. Even better, here are the tips that have radically improve my curls. I have loose curls/wavy hair that curls up with product, and relaxes into waves easily. My challenge, besides frizz, is the lack of body at the root. Too often my hair is flat on top, and drifts outward, creating an isosceles triangle head and a very sad Jess. No es bueno. So here's the new regimen:

• I wash my hair no more than 3 days a week with a sulfate-free shampoo. Sometimes I just scrub with brown sugar. Currently I'm loving Jessicurl. The maker has a really informative site, and her products are awesome and fairly priced. (Some folks use a baking soda scrub followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse, but I found my hair smelled too much like vinegar-soaked ass afterward to be down with that method.)

• I apply conditioner (either lightweight Aloeba by Jessicurl or the richer and floral-scented Honeysuckle Rose by Aubrey), leave it in while I shave or whatever, and then, here's the kicker, I rinse it out with my head upside down! That's when you can comb it or brush it downwards with a denman brush or any other plastic many-bristled brush. 

•  Add some product, either gel or curl cream, to your very wet hair with your head still upside down. Comb through.

• Plop! I lay a pillowcase on the counter or toilet seat, lower my inverted head down so that the wet hair "plops" down into the fabric, and then roll the sides around and tuck. Here's a better explanation with diagrams by the pros, if you have no idea what the hell I was just saying: plopping. 

•  After 10-15 minutes, remove fabric, fingerstyle part, add a little more product of your choice. Either air dry or diffuse. 

It's been a total game changer! Body at the root? Check. Bigger, fatter, shinier curls? Check. Let me also add that my sister totally told me to do all of this last year, but did I listen? No. I owe you a drink, Patina!