Working in the beauty industry (and owning a salon) for as long as I have, I’ve seen so many trends come and go. But there are certain staples that have stood the test of time, and that you can leverage into your beauty routines, too!

Iconic Fashion

When I think about classic, never out of style fashion, I always go back to a good 1980s or early 1990s Vogue cover, when designers were looking ahead, but the internet hadn’t quite boomed yet. What I take away from those pages, and from my own memories of that time, is the importance of having at least one pair of incredible, well fit jeans — the kind that look like they were tailor-made for your body. A classic wash of blue denim is so versatile, and never goes out of style.

Hint, hint, finding a great tailor to make those jeans for you or going to an upscale clothing store that offers tailoring is a win. That's just a secret little hint for you, friends. Taking that extra step is so worth it, because that classic, really great pair of jeans can be worn into an office meeting, to teacher conferences, church activities, and then to date night. Talk about versatility and bang for your buck!

As far as what to pair with that amazing pair of jeans, a classic black cashmere turtleneck is a piece that I believe all of us should have in our wardrobe. It's gorgeous year after year, and for those of us who live in colder climates, it can be worn for months on end. You can accessorize it endlessly to make it feel fresh with each outfit, or wear it on its own without anyone blinking an eye.

Hair that doesn’t age 

Now when it comes to hair that is never off-trend, I think of the classic Bob, with some layers so that it's not too bulky at the bottom. Whether it falls at the jaw, below the jaw, at the collarbone, or just above the collarbone, switching things up with a big chop or maintaining a bob you already have can give you a stunningly put-together look. The key is finessing it to your unique hair and face shape; the cut that’s best is typically influenced by how thick your hair is and your facial structure. 

Additionally on hair, another classic is incorporating long, wispy bangs — whether it's a thick wispy bang, if they’re thin, or even just piecey bangs — a classic soft bang has always stood the test of time. Even if you are someone that pulls your hair up, you can still have those beautiful feminine, soft pieces that fall around the face. Regardless of if your bang hits at your eyebrow, at your cheekbone, or at the tip of your nose, they can add so much dimension and framing to your haircut. Think of the curtain bangs that are really in right now, and you’ll catch my drift.

Makeup 101 

There are few trends that are both bold and timeless, but one that you can never go wrong with would be a classic red lip, mascara, and defined eyebrow. 

Yep, simple as one, two, three.

Just like a good quality black cashmere sweater, a good mascara is sometimes all that you need. Now you’ll want to make sure the quality is what you deserve, meaning that it’s not going to flake off. As far as which products I recommend, everybody is different. No single product is the King of all Kings and works for every single person. It comes down to your body’s chemistry. When searching for a product that suits you best, ask yourself questions like: How often do I touch my eyes? Do I have watery eyes? Do I have oily skin?

And the cool thing is, if the products out there aren’t giving you the desired look, lash lift and tints are now an option. (Lash lifts involve curling and lifting your natural lashes, followed by tinting to enhance their color. The process uses your own lashes, so it provides a natural look. The effects of a lash lift can last up to eight weeks and require minimal maintenance.) So for those that maybe get tired of wearing mascara, or if you have stick straight eyelashes, I would recommend doing a lash lift and tint via a visit to your chosen salon. Even my bridal clients in the salon have preferred to do a lash lift and tint over doing a glue-on lash. 

Personally, I have the Lashe extensions that are individually glued on lash by lash, and it saves me tons of time in the morning. I only have to maintain them every two and a half weeks when I go and get my lash fill. (This schedule reminds me of the maintenance of acrylic nails, if that helps any of you visualize it better!) In the time between appointments, you’ll experience some “shedding.” Meaning that week after week you start to just have a little bit more shedding of the lashes, as they naturally thin back out. When it does come time for your appointment, it is typically rather relaxing — you're laying down on a massage table outfitted with a pillow and a blanket to put across your legs for comfort, and you basically go to sleep and take a nap. (Who wouldn't love an hour-long nap uninterrupted?) The lash tech will likely encourage you not to talk, because doing so makes your eyes move underneath your eyelids. This is just another way to achieve that mascara look, without the day-to-day application. 

Now onto the defined eyebrow. Eyebrows (along with your lashes) frame the windows that look into your soul (your eyes!) So paying close attention to your eyebrows, whether you get yours waxed, threaded, laminated, or microbladed — the latter is a kind of less aggressive step before tattooing, and you don't get that weirdness of the fade, like tattooing can do — is an important consideration. 

Getting your brows microbladed if you don't have very much brow hair, or if your brow hair is super, super light, can be a great alternative for you. I highly recommend that if you are looking for someone to do microblading for your eyebrows, that you are looking extensively at a portfolio of their work (nowadays you do so by scanning their Instagram.) When working with a professional, I suggest bringing visuals that showcase what you do like vs. what you know you don’t like. Microblading is a great option, just like eyelash lift and tints, because again when morning comes, you’ve got another component already in place, perfectly aligned, and there's no fuss for you. Luckily, microblading doesn’t have the same necessary maintenance as lash lift and tints do, so you're really only going to get them touched up maybe once every two to three years. This can be a total game changer. 

Here are a few brow service descriptions for you, as you think through which to try out… 

Brow waxing: A method of removing unwanted hair, and shaping the eyebrow into the desired shape, using either cold or hot wax. 

Brow threading: The process of removing eyebrow hair using a piece of thread, the thread is typically made of cotton and is relatively thin to allow a stronger hold on each strand. Eyebrow threading was practiced in multiple different cultures for several thousand years.

Brow lamination: This process involves coating the brows with two different chemicals: a relaxing cream and a setting solution. These chemicals allow the brow technician to brush the brows upward and "set" the hairs in this new direction. The brow lamination procedure typically takes about an hour. 

Brow microblading: A technique that involves etching hairlike strokes onto the skin between your natural brow hairs using ink and a needle, producing a semi permanent result. (It's not nearly as painful as it sounds!)

Pairing your lifted and tinted lashes, and your defined brows, with a bold red lip never goes out of style.

Those are, as I love to say, my Quinnessentials! My must haves. As always, I love to hear from you, friends, regarding things that you have been able to take away, things that you have enjoyed yourself, or maybe there are classics that you feel like I should have mentioned here. 

Remember to have fun while you explore what works best for you. Cheering you on, always.

🤍 Quinn