It has been a whole month since, I did my last braid-out and I’m really loving how it came out today…

I did something a little different from the normal braid-out. After I took out all of the braids, I proceed to put two ponytails in. Then band all the way to the ends, over night. It gave me a bra strap length braid-out, which I normally can’t get unless I use heat. So this is a great replacement method for blow drying and flat ironing.  
Even though I am heat training, It doesn't mean I use heat all the time. There are times where I take breaks. This method is one of my new favorite tricks for length.

I'm a cooking machine

For dinner I went for an asain theme. It was really good.

The cream cheese wongtong  were really easy to make. I just goggled it. Before I could finish plating my dish, hubby was eating them.

I had organic brown rice instead of white.  I was trying to balance out this unhealthy meal...lol. I don't think it worked.

The sauce was just a mixture of both bottles I didn't measure ....next time I will.


Now for the veggies I had a cup and a half for all of them.

Onions 

Carrots 

Green and red bell peppers.

Lastly I breaded and fried 2 blocks of firm tofu.

spring nail art hot off the press

nail care

nail art of the week

 I haven't been taking care of my nails. They keep breaking and peeling. Nail care is just like hair care. You have to be consistent. So I'm getting back on the nail care band wagon. 

 My nail care routine is really simple. First I cut and shape them as desired (I like square tips). If one of my nails break, I don't cut them all short, to match the broken one. I just shape the short ones and slightly shorten the longer ones for a more even look.

 Second, I moisturized my nails and cuticles with a random oil mixture. The mixture is whatever in my oil collection at the time...

After leaving on for 15 minutes, I rinse it off with warm water and let it air dry. Once my nails are dry, then I paint as desired.

Going back to the braids until June

The braids are back

 I flat-ironed my hair in Febuary on the 6th to be more exact. It came out nice but after nine days the game was over and I had to wash it. I just can't go to long without washing my hair. Going nine days was a miracle

As some might know my hair was around 16 inches on the longest point of my strands. Its grown a little bit since that video in January. I mentioned recently in a video, how I noticed a lot of naturals don't know how to have fun with their hair.  I understand our hair is fragile and easy to break but that doesn't mean we can't do anything to our hair. I dyed my hair and all of a sudden its the end of the world or if I straighten it. I'm going to be bald. Ok, I don't know everything and that is for dang sure. I would say, I don't know anything and that I feel like a newb at this hair care stuff.... but I'm not going to live in fear everyday that my hair Is going to fall out or break off. I guess the fear has been inbreed In our culture.  To the textured culture hair is our beauty. If you have beautiful hair than your one step closer to the ideal women. 

When I first got into hair care I didn't know that being a natural came with all this baggage and Compartmentalization. If your wounder what that means it is an unconscious psychological defense mechanism used to avoid cognitive dissonance, or the mental discomfort and anxiety caused by a person having conflicting values, cognitions, emotions, beliefs, etc. within themselves. Compartmentalization allows these conflicting ideas to co-exist by inhibiting direct or explicit acknowledgement and interaction between separate compartmentalized self states. This is the best way I can explain naturals.

list of naturals:

1.Those who use only natural products

2.Those who use only ph balanced water to clean their hair and raw organic products to moisturize

3. Those who use synthetic hair care products (petroleum, cones,  sulphates and ETC..)

4. Those who dye their hair

5. Those who use heat and those who don't

6. Those who comb and brush their hair to those who choose to dread.

The list could go on. 

 There is all this division and stress that is created from something that is supposed to be a symbol of uniqueness, freedom and beauty. I guess it just wishful thinking when I say. Being natural is being who you are to the best of your ability. 

"RANT OVER"

So while my hair was out of braids for the Month and a half,I wore buns everyday. Similar to the ones below. It was really fun coming up with different bun styles. During this time, it was just easier to bun my hair than to do braid-outs.  The only issue I had was the fact that I couldn't wash my hair as often. I had to make a decision. Wash my hair more often or deal with a itchy scalp. 

So you know I slapped those braids right back in my hair.  It seems like braids is the best style for me and I just love them for the versatility they give me. I can wash them as often as I like.

  Life doesn't get any better than this, clean hair and scalp. In the above pictures is my curly pattern after multiple heat sessions. I have tons and tons of waves and it looks like I have a Jerry curl...lol.

Patching up those holes

I threw away a lot of cute clothes, because I couldn't figure out how to patch clothes. With a little time and practice, I came up with this simple technique. This technique can be done on most items of clothing. Here below I show you how with a jacket.

Hope this post makes your favorite jeans wearable. So you can finally and quickly fix those pants, that are torn in all the wrong place....

Silk Elements Kera Minerals Smoothing Deep Conditoner product review

My Thoughts

Silk Elements Kera Minerals Smoothing Deep Conditioner is formulated with Seriseal Complex. Ok, so Seriseal is supposed to be that new nano technology. Where they make the particles small enough to fit in the hair cuticles. It's not that new. I think they got their idea from another company but.... any who. All they do is finely grind and mix Sercin Silk Protein with hair keratin to produce a glue like material, that is to result in strong and shinier hair. They say with prolonged use my hair will become strong and softer. It is step three in a new BKT like product, but you can buy the deep conditioner separate from the kit. I bought it on sale at Sally's for $ 4.99 .  

after deep conditioning for a hour.

It says to leave it on for only 5 minutes but I left it on for 30 the first time and a whole hour the second time. Both times it made my hair feel really soft. It was kind-ah freaky. The first use I got a softer feel, but with no real strength. The second time my hair felt like it had more strength. The smell is very unique, I like it.
So I would rate this product * * * * *

pony

bun the pony

twisted my braids around the bun.

Ingrediant

WATER ,CETEARYL ALCOHOL ,HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN PG-PROPYL SILAN ,QUATERNIUM-91 ,HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN PG-PROPYL S ,"Cropeptide W" ,hydrolyzed wheat protein ,hydrolyzed wheat starch ,HYDROLYZED KERATIN ,DI-PPG-2 MYRETH-10 ADIPATE ,CETRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE ,BEHENTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE ,POLYQUATERNIUM-7 ,SERICIN ,CETYL ALCOHOL ,GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE ,CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE ,BEHENTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE ,SACCHAROMYCES/ZINC FERMENT ,SACCHAROMYCES/COPPER FERMENT ,SACCHAROMYCES/MAGNESIUM FERMENT ,SACCHAROMYCES/IRON FERMENT ,SACCHAROMYCES/SILICON FERMENT ,PROPYLENE GLYCOL ,SODIUM CHLORIDE ,BUTYLENE GLYCOL ,C10-40 ISOALKYLAMIDOPROPYLETHYLDIMONIUM ,FRAGRANCE ,DISODIUM EDTA ,PHENOXYETHANOL ,CAPRYLYL GLYCOL ,ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN ,HEXYLENE GLYCOL ,LIMONENE ,LINALOOL

Got a small chest and butt....Hollla!

Finally there are bras and panties that are sexy and flirty for the small chested no butt girls like me. I going to be real with ya'll. I wasn't really blessed on top or in the back. I lift weights so I can look like I have some curves. Ravijour has cute stuff like this below. I'm going to order these bad boys. Hubby wont know what to do with himself. It sad but I don't own any regular bra. I only have workout bras. It just ended up that way. I workout a lot, so workout bras became the priority. 

      Now if these 80 pound models can look like they got boobs then you know this bra is banging....

check out them out

http://www.ravijour.com/?#/style/

http://fashionwalker.com/ravijour/index2.php

         they really cute ones run around 4000 -6000 yen... which equals around $40- 60 give or take...

and don't worry the website should be able to be translated to English if you use chrome...

Being cheap is fun...

 Hey you guys. Hubby is one of the cheapest people I know. If its not a deal he's not going to move. So when he saved up two coupons to Papa John's pizza he jumped at the opportunity. He was able to get any two large Pizzas and a 2 litter of Sierra Mist for only $4.03. I was like what is this real.

we love you Big Papa

hubby is about to be a fatty

Don't touch my pizza

Now I got to find away to burn all this extra calories off...elliptical here I come.

Hide those scissor

Ok, I have been in LOVE.... with my scissors for two years now and its obvious that I'm lacking the length. I have good length right now but I could of been waist last year. The main reason is because I'm suffering from "scissor-happy-syndrome"

 It's a really serious problem. I see a few split ends and a couple uneven strands...and I must cut. It stems from YouTube....lol. I know----I know, from the beginning of my journey. I would watch all these videos of people who had long hair tell me that they cut their hair 4 to 5 times a year. So, my thoughts were, I want long hair like yours. I will do that tooooooooo!  The thing is, it doesn't make sense to cut your hair that much. Unless your trying to maintain your length. So, lets calculate. If you cut you hair 4 times a year and you cut an inch off each time. You will hardly see any growth. This is because the average speed hair can grow is between 5 to 6 inches a year. That would equal up to around 1 to 2 inches of retained length a year. I was living a lie these last two years. Nooooooooooo....... So I went back to YouTube with a new resolve and a little more smarts. What I pretty much heard ... now was across the board. From Asain to African American; they would only trim or cut their hair once a year. Now this was while they were growing their hair long. Once they got to the length they desired. The long hair Divas cut it more frequently.

 I have no idea why this simple concept didn't slap me in the face years ago. So I have hidden my hair scissor. No seriously I did and now I can't find them... I've been looking for them, for two weeks now. I'm about to just buy another pair. ANY WHO! My major goal is to wear only protective styles like this one

 and only cut my hair once this year. Don't get me wrong, I will still be practicing my search and destroy methods. Split ends are no joke. That's why I have be looking for those blasted scissor. The last time I got a trim was in November. So we will see whats poppin in November 2012...

The highs and lows of thin hair or balding...

Day 5

I just wanted to finish up my straight hair for 6 day. I forgot to take a pictures of the finish product of these braids but I did a braid-out. which turned out very sexy... and lasted all day. Again I was able to braid my bang to each side of my hair and pin them in the back with sparkly hair accessory. sorry for not having a picture of it.

 Dang my lip look dry omg....

 Day 6

Yeah, the final day. I have been trying to hide the flacks, which I know was going to happen. This why I dont go long with-out shampooing or co-washing my hair. Like I have mention before. Befor but never probally went over I wash my hair every other day with sulphate/sulfate free shampoo. I know most naturals would be shocked but I have a really weird scalp and it super sensitive to dirt...and a lot of oil... I never oil my scalp because It make my pores clog on my scalp and I can get infected follicles. which I totally fell like I got on the side of my head. I know EWWWWwwwwww. So what I did was the same thing for day 4 but I put a different conditioner in and I place 9 perm rods in instead of 6. I pinned and twist the hair to one side and BAM!!!

 I'm going to return to my favorite hairstyle very soon. I'm going to rock the larger braids for the rest of the year. I rocked the small braids for almost a year. Now that my hair has a little longer, rocking the bigger braids won't look so bad. I'm still trying to reach waist by the end of this year so we will see.

Lets get to some lows. I am also on another journey. I'm trying to thicken up my thin areas on my crown.

here are pictures of this area

with braids

with-out braids

I hate when people praise my hair or me for taking such good care of it. My journey is far from over whether It takes me to a dermatologist or the operation room. I have tried a lot of stuff.....trust. I am good for researching books and exploring every website. If you don't know just check out my educational videos on YouTube. This is the same issue that I have been suffering from the very begin. I just can't wait till I have the money to have the procedure i think will solve my problems. They say It cost around 7 thousand G's and its not cover by insurance. So i'm going to have to really save up. It would be great to no longer feel embarrassed or self-conscious. When you have something that makes you feel inadequant, in your outer appears. It effects your self-esteem. I'm learning to love and live... and if you or a love one is suffering from the same thing. Find support and know that you are beautiful no matter what anyone else says.

Ist about time....

Watch "Facebook Parenting: For the troubled teen." on YouTube