Gifts for Men

Every year it seems harder to find that perfect gift for that man in your life. Whether that's a brother, father, partner or so forth. Well this year look no further. Taylor Maid has created a store just for them, The Mini Moustachery.

We carry many different lines including our own of luxury mens grooming products. We have Gift bundles available now for any Holidays ranging from $30-$100.

Deluxe Beard Care Kits

We also carry a variety of Men's Hair care. Men can be just as much babies about their products as us Woman so get him something his hair will enjoy. The great thing about buying professional quality hair care instead of drug store is it will not only work better on the hair it is more concentrated and so you can use less product more water making it last much longer.

Kava Conditioner

Marrakesh Men's Line

Zombify Yourself In just 5 Steps!

With Zombies being a huge costume this halloween we are going to give you some makeup tips to help you achieve that awesome Walking dead look that is simple and all the products can be bought at Taylor Maid.

Step 1:
You always want to start with a clean canvas. Wash your face with warm water and an oil free cleanser, then pat dry and avoid putting sunscreen or any moisturizers on your skin because that can make any prosthetic not stay on as effectively.
If you have long hair pull it back into a pony tail away from your face so you can work better. For you guys you will want to shave prior because if you don't latex and glue can get in your facial hair making removal painful.

Step 2:
Now you are ready to apply your "weapon" of choice. Start with using wither Liquid Latex or gelatin to create that deep wound or gash. You can do so may things with these 2 products such as open wounds, gashes, bit marks, broken facial bones, rotting flesh and more.
Start by applying these before any makeup is put on. If you choice latex apply a few layers and allow to dry between applications. If using gelatin then apply to the thickness desired. You can also use prosthetic pieces.
It is ok if you choose to not use this effect.  You can still get a Hideously decayed look without them.

Step 3:
You are now ready to apply your makeup. Make sure that you are using High quality makeup such as Ben Nye, Kryolan,  Taylor Maid FX ect. Low quality makeup can be harsh on your skin so make sure you use the best, which doesn't always mean expensive.
Start with a white base makeup and apply to the entire face and neck allow to dry and then add other colors on top such as purple and blues for bruising or greens, yellow and greys for more rotting.

Step 4:
Darken your eyes. Apply a liner and smudge each eye then apply a dark grey or brown to create dark circles. You can again add the various colors for the effect you want to achieve. You will also want to Hollow out cheek bones and neck. Because we all know Zombies often look emaciated- smart brains are hard to come by when your a zombie...or any brain!
You can get this sunken in look by sucking in your cheeks like a fish face and lightly blending black powder or cream makeup into the hollows.

Step 5:
BLOOD! You can't be a good Zombie with out blood. There are so many differant bloods that we carry so can get any effect you want. We have Aged Blood, Thick Blood, Magic dry Blood and more.

Tips-
*Use a FX boar brush to create a spattered effect
*get a little bowl full and dip your mouth in it to look like you just fed.
*When using the liquid blood start and the hair line and let it drip down your face
*Use the thicker blood to make your deeper wounds

And there you have it your perfect zombie! Finish off your look with some of your great Cosmetic lens.

Tips and Tricks for your Lips

Using Lip Liner correctly:
Next to Mascara, Lip Liner is a product that if over used or used incorrectly can make it look like your makeup is caked on. When you use liner more subtly it can make your lips look younger, fuller and more defined.
Lip Liner can also help adhere lip gloss and lip stick giving it the all day look without bleeding into fine lines.

Here are some Rules to using lip liner:

1) Never use lip liner that is much darker then your lipstick. Never! 
This an give you a ridged look and the trends now are looking for the somewhat natural look. But even if you go with a bold red lip if you use a liner that is maybe one shade darker then your lips will actually look fuller and more luscious then if you used a harsh liner color.

(photo credit popsugar.com)

2) Soften the liner
Yes you should sharpen the pencil liner before using but then draw back and forth on your hand to soften the tip before application. This will give a softer edge and prettier all around look. I personally use Taylor Maid Pencil liner, Sorme lip pencil and also the Palladio roll up liner which keeps the tip softened and it is nice to not have to worry about sharpening.

3) Don't over draw
I know we all want that Angelina Jolie lip pout look but over drawing your lip liner too much can make you look like a fish face. So if you are trying to achieve that fuller plumper look, then use your liner just slightly above your own lip line for that little extra oomph.

4) Play up your cupids bow
The cupids bow is that sexy little peak in the middle of your top lip. You can either draw an X from tip to tip that will help you guide your lipstick our just your regular trace lip liner. But how ever you wish to highlight that area make sure it is the spot light of your lips

(Photo credit herinterest.com)

5) Liner can multi task
Most people don't use this little secret, but did you know that your lip liner can double for a great matte lipstick look? Well now you do. That matte texture is very trendy right know and often stays better then a lip gloss or even occasionally lipstick.

(photo credit http://www.vanitynoapologies.com)

So always make sure if you decide to use lip liner blend the sharp lines and also give that little extra plump if you want a dramatic look.

8 Reasons you shouldn't wash your hair everyday

Want the secret to great hair? Well I have it for you. Stop washing your hair everyday! By now it's nothing new to hear from stylist or professionals to cut down on the amount of times we wash our hair. But is any one actually doing it?

I am and I can tell you it makes a huge difference in my hair. I try to wash my hair about 3 times a week and I have noticed that I have healthier, Shinier Hair and have also notices less frizz and growth. So Ladies and gents lay off the washing.

When I tell people that I only wash my hair 3 times a week most of them react "Ugh gross" especially my husband. However most people confuse not washing your hair with not showering. Which between you and me I might go every other day before showering :)

I know that a lot can depend on what type of hair you have. I you have overly greasy hair you can feel like there is no way you can go even one day with our washing. But let me tell you the 10 reasons that may help and also may change your mind.

1) It will make your mornings easier an faster. You wont be spending the extra 10 mins in the shower to wash and you also wont be spending 10 mins on drying it. Dirty hair is actually easier to style and hey who doesn't want an extra 20 mins of sleep right?

2) Dirty hair is best for braids. When your hair is clean it is often to soft and silky to keep a good braid in place. With Braids being a trendy look right now. Dirty hair will help you achieve that extra volume and full looking braid that will stay put.

3) Gives you natural texture. Embracing your natural texture is the best thing you can do for hair. If you have curly hair, but straighten it to death every single day, you're killing and drying out your hair. And if you have straight hair you're constantly curling, you're also hurting and drying it out. Now I'm not saying you can't style your hair with heat anymore, But when you let your hairs natural texture come out it is a good break for you hair.And when it's dirty, that natural texture is more likely to look amazing. Your natural texture can not usually be achieved using a hot tools

4) Keeps your hair healthier. Washing your hair too often actually strips it of it natural oils that helps your hair maintain its natural shine and also helps it grow.

5) It keeps your hair color longer. If you dye your hair you know you are always trying to find ways to make your color last. Well this is one less thing to worry about. Washing your hair is slowly stripping color and even if you use a color safe option in time it will dull it. 

6) You get to use dry shampoo! Kava H20 Dry Shampoo is my favorite. I love this product. It will dry up any excess oil and will give you amazing volume and texture as well. 

7) Saves you money. You will obviously be using less Shampoo and Conditioner and heat products that will help you save your money

8) Dirty hair is easier to style. Did you know the best up does are done with "dirty" hair? Your hair will keep the style much better then clean hair in general. And you can always add a shine spray to spruce up your look

So Let brake the mold and stay a little dirty, trust me you will love the results 

Welcome

Welcome to the Taylor Maid Blog! Here you will find tips on Beauty, Hair Care and also Costumes.
We are excited to share our 40 years of experience with you through write ups, videos, and more.

We will have the updates on the newest products and also the ins and outs of the costume world. You can also follow us on other social media.

Why should you use Taylor Maid Professional Product over Drug Store brands?

Everyone wants to know the difference between professional hair care brands and drug store brands. Well I'm here to give you the down low to help you achieve the beautiful hair you have always wanted and its not as expensive as you think.

I had roommates in collage that used the grocery store brands and I wanted to try them because I really wanted to know if there was a difference in quality. Well there is! After using the drug store brands I felt like I had to use a lot more product then usual and after I got out of the shower I was using twice as much leave in conditioner to get the frizz and tangles out. 
I have customers ask all the time what is the difference in the drug store shampoo and what Taylor Maid carries? 

INGREDIENTS MATTERS:

Unless you have allergies ingredients isn't always the first thing on your mind. But it is a good idea to know what is in your products. Rule of thumb, when reading ANY ingredient label the first listed is always the strongest and the last listed is always the weakest. 
A few ingredients to pay attention to are water, alcohol, and sulfates.

H2O: Is water the first ingredient listed in your shampoo? This usually means that the products is more diluted then others. So you may be paying less then Salon brands but you are also getting less products. One of my favorite professional lines is Kava which has tons of natural herbs and for best results it is to be used in small amounts because when combined with water (in your hair) it is activated and with lather perfectly.

Alcohol: We all know what alcohol does and when a product has high quantities of it it can be a one way ticket to dry hair. Although there are a lot of products that need alcohol to create the right consistency but in high amounts it can be damaging and you are not getting the proteins and nutrients from your hair care

Sulfates: I feel like sulfates are all anyone cares about right now and I am willing to bet that 90% of people don't even know what sulfates do. They can dry out the hair and strip the hair of color but they also play a huge part in helping a product get suds. Taylor Maid carries a huge variety of sulfate free hair care products and it is nice to be able to go into a store and have knowledgeable staff to help me get the right product. Sorry but drug store and grocery store employees usually aren't experts on Hair care.

PRICE
I know that price can be a big determining factor in your hair care but it truly is you get what you pay for. But at Taylor Maid they have products usually 25% less then retail all the time with coupons and deals on top of that. They carry every professional products that I love KAVA, Redken,  TRI Professional, Marrakesh , Purology, Paul Mitchel and so much more. My favorite sulfate free brand is Earthly Body (Marrakesh)