more random things...including pastels

I have been wanting to find a new medium to do my drawings in, as I love drawing faces but want to add some color as opposed to always just shading and creating with my graphite pencils. So far I have not been pleased with the things I have tried, and feel that I could really enjoy drawing more if I could pinpoint a medium that suites me.

Yesterday while we were out I stopped in Michael's, mainly for a black pen for inking drawings, and stumbled upon pastels, and thought...huh. I have considered using these many times before, but decided to actually take the plunge and give them a go, without knowing anything about how to use them.
I picked a set that only cost $5. I figured $5 isn't bad for giving something a try, not too much money wasted if I don't like it, plus there is a ton of vivid colors in this pack. Here is my fist attempt at using these pastels:

It is suppose to be Octavia from the TV show The 100. Her braid is a bit blended too much in her hair, so it is hard to see. I apparently need to work on braids! I also picked up a pack of charcoal pencils that contained several browns, blacks, and whites. Now, this purchase was a mistake. I had thought I was buying graphite pencils to add to my collection, as I do not own any white or browns, and thought maybe that is all I would need to spice up my artwork. When I got home and opened the package, I realized they were charcoal and was slightly upset at myself for not checking more carefully. I had never used charcoal pencils before, and was a little intimidated by them. However, I absolutely loved using these charcoal pencils for her hair. They work so much more beautifully than graphite pencils. I need to explore using charcoal pencils a little more I think, and I am quite fond of the pastels as well. I have enough fun stuff to work with now to see what I can come up with!