Spectacular Nails for the Fourth

The Fourth of July is right around the corner. Celebrate your independence while also looking fab all the way down to your nails. While you could just paint your nails red, white and blue and be done with it, pump it up a notch so there's no doubt you love the U S of A with these nail art inspirations:

photo credit

Not quite that good with a steady hand? Try this simple accent nail mani, or use the technique on all your nails instead.

photo credit

Nautical and festive? What's more I Love America than that? Not much, in our opinion. Not only is this super cute on the fingers, it's also a great way to do your toes to dress up your favorite flip flops.

photo credit

Stars and stripes go right along with everything the Fourth is about. Add them all to your nails!

photo credit

Recreate your favorite fireworks shooting into the air with this red, white and OH art with the added fun of sparkles

photo credit

Bam! Shiny, shimmery and patriotic. Not only does this mani scream Fourth of July, it also doubles as a Wonder Woman costume addition.

photo credit

Make Uncle Sam proud with this nail art to rival the art in the skies after your backyard BBQ. 

Do you have a perfect mani for the fourth or have you found the perfect art you want to try instead?

Find Dry Shampoo in Your Pantry

So, you love the idea of dry shampoo. Obviously, because it works and gives you limp locks a little oomph to make it through another day or evening without having to wash your hair and dry out your scalp unnecessarily. If you love an all-natural approach to your beauty and hair products then why not mix up a batch of your own dry shampoo at home? Brunettes can make a blend that isn't white and actually blends in with their hair color. The ingredients for your head's new BFF are as close as your pantry. In fact, you really only need one or two items.

If you're a blonde, reach for the cornstarch. A few drops of your favorite essential oil - say, lemon or lavender - added to 1/4 cup can give it a lovely smell, too. 

If you're a brunette, add one tablespoon of cocoa powder to 1/4 cup of cornstarch. Shake it up, taking care to not mix with your hands and ruin it with the oils on your hands. This will give it a darker tint that won't leave you looking like you got caught in a baking fight. You can also add essential oils to this if you want a scent other than the faint chocolate of the cocoa powder. 

Get a wide makeup brush to use specifically with your dry shampoo and tap it over your roots to keep your hair grease-free and fresh looking.

Have you tried making your own dry shampoo before? If so how did it turn out?