Thursday, October 29, 2009

COLD REGIMEN


Now that the cold and wet weather has set in I needed to make some changes to my daily routine..NO more Wash and Go's...might be why I caught the FLU this year ?
SO in order to facilitate some growth and moisture in the new environment I'm and going to try this.

Poo-ing every 3 to 4 days...Deep conditioning with MTG. Herbal Essense Hydrationconditiner and OLIVE oil


For moisture and sealing I will be using Olive oil mixed with a lil bit of coconut oil and Shea butter....

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Inspiration

In what you say of another, apply the test of kindness, necessity and truth, and let nothing pass your lips without a 2/3 majority.

Monday, October 26, 2009

HAIRFLUENCE #4

................Introducing CAREE!!!!

NM: What’s your name how old are you and where are you from?
Caree Banton, 27, from Jamaica

NM: Why did you make the decision to go natural, and when did you do it?
I always wanted to go natural, mostly because I really loved Lauryn Hill's look when she bursted on the scene with the Fugees in the early '90s. But also because I really wanted to make a statement to my really snobbish family--have them think twice about judging the lifestyle of Jamaican Rastafarians. I figured if somebody in their family have dreadlocks too, then ... I wanted to go natural from the late 90s but since I had to remain in my parents' home, it thought it most prudent to wait. I decided, after several attempts in college, to finally grow looks around the end of 2002.



NM: What products/ingredients do you use?
I started out using lock it up, then there are some Jamaican mango lime products (smells great and available at most hair stores)


NM: Could you describe your regimen?
Hmmm, I don't have much of one. Sometimes I like having it neat and sometimes I like it looking real unkempt!

NM: What mistakes have you made in your natural journey that you've learned from?
One time my roots had grown out so much I decided to texturize it. (don't do that, makes your hair really weak).


NM: Where do you get style inspiration from?
I really hate the elaborate styling of dreadlocks. But sometimes if I am wearing something really chic I will do my hair up nicely. I consider myself some kind of a bohemian-chic girl, so I often come up with hairstyles that reflects that!

NM: How does your hair work for your life?
Hmmm, when I played college soccer it was great! No sweating out perms and all this other crap. But my hair is beginning to get on my nerves now. Mostly because I like changes and having dreads don't allow for much versatility. You also find that maintaining dreadlocks can take up just as much time (sometimes even more) than having a perm. That defeats one of the purpose of why I got them in the first place!

NM: Did it take long for your hair to grow out?
If you put braids (extensions) in your hair, it will grow out quickly, i've found.


NM: What's the best thing about being natural?
The absolutely best thing is that you don't look like a Rhianna wannabe! Everybody else walking around in the same hairstyle, all this fake ass wigs, hair pieces, running from themselves...They all FAIL and lose at life! I like looking different!

NM: Favorite Quote?
Happy to be Nappy homie!

and anything else you'd like to add for your POST!!!
April, I'm really impressed with your move. I admire you for that. Let's keep in touch.

Friday, October 23, 2009

HELP

***As family I do respect you all's opinion so please respond. I am trying to find a better way to get them to know each other but not make Kaygan feel like shes being forced away!


SO I am definitely feeling some kind of way RIGHT now...and let me tell you WHY!!!
I know at times I can be real emotional and MOST people can not handle that about me but Last night, My 2 year old daughter asked me why her Daddy couldn't spend her birthday with her?

Right the look on her face was so SAD...It made me cry..For Cryng out loud she's 2 and has to process this type of emotion already...I know I cant PROTECT her from everything BUT DAMN IT its my job to TRY and at this point in OUR lives I just dont have the time or energy to waste on ANYONE who isnt on the same page as me!
SO here's a lil background story if you dont already know....me and her father havent been together for almost 3yrs now...which is fine..WE didnt work but we were BLESSED with her and now have to find a way to be BETTER PARENTS...Better than our PARENT at least (we are both from broken homes).
No niether on of us are perfect not trying to pretend to be but I do know my daughter and I know on a certain level how she's gonna respond. WE stay in Oklahoma he in Cali....
She has only seen/meet her father a total of 5 maybe 6 times. So to her he is a STRANGER...But for some reason he CAN not or refuses to see this....WE argue everytime we talk because I wont allow him to take her with him to Cali or even an hour away if she doesn't want to go...and after last night I am still standing firm in my decision. HE is not very consistent with TRYING to stay in contact with her and everytime he comes to visit WE (my family and I) break our backs to try and make him and his company feel welcome and accomadating to their schedules...Taking off of work...leaving school early....DOING EVERYTHING so that Kaygan is comfortable around them...
WELL NOT ANYMORE...I'm gonna start being SELFISH for the sake of my daughter...SHE needs consistency, LOVE and most of all understanding and since it seems like I'm the only one who thinks or cares about that then I guess the rest will just have to fall in line!
LOL...When I first started this I was gonna ask for ways to try to communicate better with her father and maybe ways to try to be more accomadating...
But I realized that the only person I need to worry about accomadating is KAYGAN RENEE COURTNEY!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

BOOT, BOOTS, BOOTs




I consider myself the fashionista on a BUDGET!!!
so here are a couple of cute boots that are very budget friendly!

KAYGAN is TWO



Two years ago, I got one of the best SURPRISES MY first BORN daughter Kaygan Renee was born at 6:36am after only 4 DRUG-free relatively easy hours of Labour. Even after Graduating Highschool and College with a double Bachelors' Degree I will say that SHE is the one of the BEST things that I have EVER made or accomplish...
My lil girl's smile can Brighten anyone's day and when she looks up at me and sayd "mommy" no matter what my heart melts....Kaygan Mommy' LOVES YOU





***her sister Jayla is just as cute too..but I am a lil BIASED!!!
Jayla and Cousin Raja sleeping


WHEW ...I MADE IT




To me it seems like I've been waiting for my hair to GROW forEVER..truthfully though its only been about 2 months..but when I digress and think about my Chemical days I remember that in all its been my whole life..I look at pictures from when I was young and I had LONG, Pretty THICK hair that stayed din plaits and twists because my Aunt Pat (REST IN PEACE) used to spend all day Friday doing all the girls hair. IT wasn't until I was about 8 or 9 and back with my MOM full time that i received my chemical introduction..(***For those of you who don't know or didn't know...I'm an Army brat both of my parents where in the Army..which meant that me and my sisters spent alot of time with extended family members while our parents where stationed elsewhere***)
MY mom is a SELF PROCLAIMED tomboy..she has the THICKEST BLACKEST hair that I have ever seen and guess what she loves to keep it short..(Oh the IRONY)

When I first started this Journey I KNEW that it wouldn't be easy and that it would take all of my patience. I never expected to ENJOY the JOURNEY as much as I felt I'd joy the end result. LOL...Man has it been a ride


Wednesday, October 21, 2009

GOTTA Try this....LOTION

Its ALMOST winter time: Time for dryness to start looming...I found this collection at BATH and Bodyworks and it is amazing....
It smells HEAVENLY...very thick and moisturizing



Bath & Body Works introduced the Shea Cashmere collection in autumn 2008. The collection is part of the True Blue Spa line and features high end, modern spa packaging. The ultra moisturizing products and warm, vanilla scent are the perfect comfort during winter months when skin can become unpleasantly dry. The line includes Shea Cashmere Foot Cream, Body Lotion, Hand Cream, Body Cream, Bubble Bath (love the cozy packaging!), and Shower Cream. Accessories include The Perfect Cashmere ballerina slippers, knit bears, and luxe robes.

BBW currently has the Shea Cashmere collection on sale at their website, and eBay has something for everyone from the luxurious line.

NEW GROWTH and NEW BOOTS :)





hmmm Sorry ladies its been kinda slow for me...Right now I am in the middle of figuring out what to do with my hair next.....I feel like I've hit an akward stage its grown out to wear it has a mind of its own..it wont lay flat nor will it stay poufy....As fall/winter has started to hit my region I have found that my hair stays really dry now...the coconut oil and shea butter mix doesnt seem to work so well now....ANY SUGGESTIONS?

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Alas to I found a cheap pair of pink boots to wear with my peri.....try amiclub.com
these pink boots were only 12.99....spend $50 and you'll get free shipping..

Word to the wise...these boots are comfortable and cute but they are thin and kinda hard to get on!!! :) Aww the PRICE OF FASHION

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Conditioner rotation

So I AM a professed Product JUNKIE!!!
ok not really what has happened is that in my transistioning phase I bought some products that I thought would work well and ahem DIDN'T..So now I'm not one to waste or thorw things away Im trying to figure out what to do with my items....A couple of bottles of conditioner have been wroking well with my conditiner rotation..using a new/ different conditioner for my bi-daily co-washes, helps me figure out what is working well on/in my hair, which depends alot on what I'm doing the the weather outside....



P.S. the bottles that have not worked AT all have been gifted to other family memebers.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

EARRINGS THAT ARE HOT

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Friday, October 2, 2009

Product Review: Surya Brasil Amala Acai Conditioner



So on my visit to ROSS I was able to Score this conditioner for only 2.99.
I figured based on the ingredienst it couldn't be that bad and the only way to find out is to try: Surya Brasil Amala Acai Melon Conditioner
here

Conditioner: Aqua (Deionized Water), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Vegetable Glycerin, Orbignya Oleifera (Babaçú) Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuaçu) Seed Butter, Parfum (Fragrance), BHT, Dissodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Paullinia Cupana (Guaraná) Fruit Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Extract, Citrus Sinensis (Orange) Organic Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone (and) Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1).

Day one: Well I used for a daily wash n go and it seems to have made my hair kinda hard...I lathered and rinse as usual and it made my scalp kinda tingly..felt really good. I noticed though when I rinsed that my hair felt reallt dry..kinda like I had used shampoo or a clarifier. after words I combed and spritz in some oil and Leave-IN conditioner


***Oct 8, 2009***
Ok so now that FALL has officially hit the Oklahoma area I will say that this conditioner HAS grown on me...After using it for my bi-daily cowash..I've noticed that my coils are a lil more defined and my hair seems alot softer than usual. I also used this to wash Kaygans hair and It left her curlz very defind and pronounced not to mention extra soft....Since I found this bottle at ROSS for cheap...I am going to try to conserve it until i find more...so it will used in the conditioner rotation that is going. (more on that later)