This should give the seeds several months to start growing before it starts to get super warm, and it will be after the coldest months so that the seeds don’t go through a difficult frost.  Starting in January is for the Northern Hemisphere. While you can try planting the seeds directly into the ground outside, you'll have much better luck if you start growing your seedling indoors. Check with your local nursery or garden store to see if they sell delphinium seeds. If they don't, you can find and purchase them online.  Do a quick online search to find reputable seed sellers. Read the instructions on the seed packet after you get it before starting the planting process—there are usually climate-specific suggestions about when you should start planting, as well as other variable conditions. Dampen a paper towel and place the seeds you’d like to plant on half of the paper towel. Fold the other half of the paper towel over the seeds so that they’re in the middle, and place the soaking seeds in the fridge to germinate. Once they've germinated, you'll see a white tail growing out of the seed.   Place the paper towel and seeds in a plastic bag before they germinate to prevent them from drying out. The seeds could take anywhere from a few days to over a week to germinate, so be patient and check on them daily. Use fresh, nutrient-rich potting soil and/or compost and put it in a container, filling it most of the way up. You can use a small pot, a plastic seed tray, or even a small scrap container.  Get the soil moist before planting the seeds by spraying it with a spray bottle filled with water. If you don't have a container, use small scrap containers such as the plastic container that berries come in at the grocery store—they're a great size and even have holes for draining. Take the seeds out of the paper towel and gently drop them into the soil, trying to get them as evenly spaced as possible. Spread a fine layer of soil over the seeds to ensure they're covered.  If you're using a seed tray, try to put 2-3 seeds in each section. If the pot is a bit larger, you can sprinkle 5-7 seeds. You don’t need to measure out where each seed goes, just try to spread them in each area of the container. The layer of soil shouldn’t be thick, you just want to make sure the seeds aren’t exposed—a thickness of 1 centimetre (0.39 in) should work fine. Use the same nutrient-rich soil that you used in the container. Once your seeds are planted, check the soil daily to ensure it’s nice and moist. Place the seeds in a spot that gets access to lots of sunlight, such as a windowsill.  Use a spray bottle to keep the soil nicely wet, if possible. If you don't have a spray bottle, fill a small cup with water and slowly water the seeds. At this point, the seedlings should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) tall. Once you see at least 2 pairs of healthy leaves that have grown, you can begin to help the young plants adjust to the outdoors.  Avoid placing the pot in direct sunlight when they're first placed outside, and protect them from any wind. Leave the plants outside in their original pot for about a week, monitoring them to make sure they're hydrated and healthy. If the weather is supposed to turn cold overnight, bring the seedlings inside and place them back outside in the morning. You're transferring them when winter is over, so the days should be warm. Look for a sunny spot in your garden or yard that has well-draining soil. Dig a hole that's twice the size of the small seedling root ball, and place the plant into the hole, covering up the roots with soil. Keep the young seedling well-watered while it's adjusting to its new environment.

Summary: Plant in late January for the best results. Purchase the seeds from a nursery or website. Presoak your seeds to allow them to germinate before planting. Prepare a container with potting soil and compost in it. Sprinkle the seeds into the container before covering them with soil. Keep the potting soil moist and in a sunny spot so the seeds will grow. Expose the seedlings to the outdoors once they have at least 2 pairs of leaves. Transfer the plants into the ground after a week of adjustment.


If you want a quick way to combat bed head, hold your comb under running water or lightly mist your hair with a spray bottle. Once your hair is slightly damp, comb it into your favorite style. Another benefit of short hair is that you can use your fingers to create a cool hair style! Just tousle your damp hair, then let it air dry. Protect your hair from heat damage by using rollers. Wrap your damp hair around soft rollers, then allow it to air dry for several hours or overnight (or sit under a hooded dryer). You may need to use a smaller roller in your hair if your hair is very short.  Special styling tools called end papers can help you grip the end of short hair to wrap sections evenly around rollers. If you have to go out while you have rollers in your hair, wrap a pretty scarf around your head. A pillowcase can absorb moisture from your hair, and friction as you move your head across your pillow can cause your hair to break. Protect your hair by wrapping it in a silk scarf before you go to sleep. This will also help your hairstyle last longer. If you don't have a silk scarf, try buying a silk pillowcase.

Summary: Style your hair quickly with a damp comb or a spray bottle. Try roller setting your hair instead of heat styling it. Wrap your hair at night in a silk scarf.


Testing out a nude before you take it home is essential, but you don't want to apply it to your lips (too many germs!). A good place to try it out is the back of your hand, where you can see how it looks against your skin before you purchase it.  You can also try it on your inner wrist, which may match the color of your face and lips more closely. At some department stores where the testers are closely monitored, an associate may be willing to scrape off the top level of the tester for you. Then, use an applicator to try the color on your lips. Never use the tester lipstick directly on your mouth. Often, the outer edges of your lips will be slightly darker than the rest of your lips, particularly if you have a darker skin tone. When looking at the color, make sure you match the outer edge of your lips. Otherwise, it can leave your lips looking washed out. When picking out a color, think about your natural lip color. Try to pick something that is similar. You want it to work with your lip color rather than against it, as it will be more difficult to achieve a nude effect with a lipstick that works against your natural color.  That is, if you have naturally rosy lips, try to pick a nude with a hint of rose. If your lips have brown tint, find a similar tone.
Summary: Test it on your hand. Match the color to the outer edge of your lips. Stay in the same shade range as your natural lip color.