Skincare Routine

Hello Berries!

I have the most confusing skin ever. It’s sensitive, dry, and oily, but not combination type skin. I have seborrheic dermatitis and my skin gets red, inflamed, and flaky. I am constantly dealing with flare ups and an uneven skin tone in my t-zone and hairline. I have learned how to combat this for the most part and here are some things that I do to my skin, to keep it fairly healthy.

**** This is what I do to MY skin and it works for me. I may break some skincare rules, but I am okay with that.

I wash my face daily with Shea Moisture Black Soap. I follow up with coconut oil or homemade shea butter mix.

 Once a week I use St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I cannot use it more often, because it irritates my skin very badly, but I really like it to remove the flaky skin I get from seborrheic dermatitis. I then follow up with my daily face washing routine.

Once a month I use Bentonite Clay mixed with apple cider vinegar and aloe vera juice. I use this to pull all of the impurities out of my skin and close my pores.

I sometimes use Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer, but I do not really care for it.

I am looking for a good moisturizer, but my shea butter has been working fairly well for now. It does not leave my skin over greasy or dry.

If I am having acne problems, I use Paula’s Choice Clear Acne Kit. It comes with Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser, Clear Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution, and Clear Daily Skin Clearing Treatment.

Question: What do you use on your skin?

Thanks for staying beautiful

XOXO

I Flat Ironed my Hair

Hello Berries! On May 20^th, 2015, I celebrated my 3 year natural hair anniversary. I am so excited to be able to be natural for this long and see my growth and development with my hair so far. I decided to lightly press my hair to give myself a trim. I will have another blog post after this one talking more about my hair journey so hair. This one is just about my press and trim.

I used my blow dryer on high heat, high speed for about a minute and a half on each section (about 10 sections total). Then I blow dried on cool heat, high speed all over. I flat ironed my hair at 395 degrees with two passes to lightly straighten my hair. I ended up cutting about an inch off, which isn’t bad at all for not trimming in 6 months. I did not trim it evenly, because I do not wear my hair straight or out very much. Also, I really do not care if it is straight, because my hair grows pretty evenly all over. To me it looks fine and honestly, that is all that matters when it comes to my hair.

****All these pictures are unedited images shot on my phone camera. They are not the best quality, so just bare with me.

This is before I blow dried and pressed my hair. It is in its natural state and is so curly.

This is after I blow dried one side of my head. My ends look raggedy and a hot mess.

The back view after I blow dried both sides of my hair.

Front view of my blow dried hair.

After flat ironing the back sections. This was before I trimmed my ends.

After flat ironing and trimming my ends. It looks so thick, full, and healthy.

Back view of my flat ironed and trimmed hair. You can see it is slightly uneven, but nothing major.

After I flat ironed and trimmed my ends, I put it in two braids and kept it like this. It was not straight enough to wear it out, for me, plus it is very humid here. I really like my hair in this still.

Thanks for being beautiful XOXO

7 Things I Love About My Natural Hair

1. I love my curl pattern.
   • I am a 3c/4a curl and it is just beautiful. Although I have some curl issues going on, when my curls are good, they are very good.
2. I love the length.
   • Although I am not at my ultimate goal, I am very close. I am currently grazing bra strap/neck length when shrunken and my ultimate goal is about mid-back or shoulder length when shrunken.
3. I love the color.
   • My hair is three different shades of messed up. I dyed it in September and it was bad. My roots turned orange and my previously dyed hair turned brown. Now that my roots have grown out my hair is dark brown, orangish-bronze, and brown. Next dyed job will be done professionally.
4. I love the way people ask about my hair.
   • Although I do not my hair to be touched, I do love when people ask about it. I love giving hair tips and people asking can I do their hair.
5. I love making my own products.
   • I have an excuse to buy butter and oils and make all these concoctions and try new products and tell people about them and allow them to try them.
6. I love the thickness.
   • My hair is thick and I mean THICK! That’s all I can say about it.
7. I love that it is my hair.
   • It is mines and I grew it. I hear the craziest questions about my hair and I love it. I love the attention and the way it looks and feels. I just love my natural hair.

Update

Hello Berries!

I have been trying to post more, and now that I am done with classes, I will be able to. I have decided to keep my post short, sweet, and to the point. I am working on my old laptop, until I get my other one fixed, hopefully by September, I will start making longer post. I have decided to make a new series called, 7 Thing I Love. I will come up with a random topic and tell you seven things that I like about it. I will post these randomly, aiming for two to three times a week. I am also trying to take more Look of the Week post and how I Got This Look post, but since it is the warmer months, I have not really done anything to my hair, except the basics. I also have not painted my nails, so I cannot post those pictures. I am just being a little lazy now, so please excuse my slacking off. I am working on starting a YouTube channel and in September I will be making more post and vlogs.

Thanks for staying beautiful XOXO

21 Natural Hair Questions Part 1

I’ve been natural for almost 3 years and I transitioned for 11 months. I have not had a relaxer since June 2011. I am very proud of myself and my hair growth. It has been a hard journey, but I am still on the road to healthy, natural hair.

1. Why did you start taking better care of your hair?

I started taking care of my hair, because I went away to college and couldn’t come home every week for a wash and set. I also did not trust anyone to do my hair, so I just did my own hair.

2. What are your 2 favorite hair products?

-Tresemme Flawless Curls Conditioner and Homemade Whipped Shea Butter

3. Whose hair did you admire as a child?

It was this girl in my class that had the prettiest long hair. I remember for picture day in 3^rd grade she wore it down and it was so pretty.

4. What is your ultimate goal length?

My ultimate goal is shoulder length when shrunken. I guess that would be able mid-back/above waist length when straighten.

5. How are you going to celebrate when you reach your ultimate goal length?

I would probably go get a Deva Cut and some reddish brown highlights.

6. Two styles you want to try at your goal length?

Dinosaur Braids or a Wash and Go

7. Which do you prefer: Health or Length?

Health!!!!

8. Which do you prefer: hair ties with no metal parts or butterfly clips?

Hair Ties

9. What products do you prefer?

Homemade products or Indie Products

10. Which product/technique do you think is over-rated?

Co-Washing

11. Which product/technique do you think is under-rated?

Vo5

12. What is your favorite part of your hair regimen?

Styling

13. What is the most annoying part of your hair regimen?

Shampooing

14. Oils or Butters?

Butters!!!

15. Buns or Ponytails?

Buns

16. Wigs or Weaves?

Neither

17. What is your opinion of growth aids?

Most seem like lies, but they might work. I’ve never used them.

18. At what length do you consider hair long?

Bra Strap Length

19. When is the last time you visited a salon?

January 2014

20. What do you like to surf most often: YouTube channels, personal blogs, or hair forums?

YouTube

21. And finally, what piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out on their hair journey?

Patience, love, and care will get you conquer all of the hair stress you will go through.

Look of the Week

Hello Berries !

This has been a lazy week. So I’ve been lazy with my hair and nails. I do love the look I’ve achieved.

Nails of the Week

Very simple polish. Two coats of Twisted Affair by LA Colors.

Hair of the Week

This week I did an undefined wash and go. I loved the results and I had so much volume. I also used all of my own hair products.

Thanks for staying beautiful

XOXO

How I Got This Look

My simple side pony puff was a complete accident. My braid out didn’t turn out right, so I had to improvise.

Products I Used
*Allaffia Liquid Black Soap
*Motions Natural Conditioning Shampoo
*Tresemme Flawless Curls Conditioner
*Cantu Shea  Butter Argan Oil Leave In Conditioner
*Coconut Oil

After taking down my still damp braids, I realized I had to find another style, so I brushed it back & put it into a side ponytail.

Thanks for  staying beautiful

XOXO

How I Got This Style

My favorite style , the wash & go. I love this style & I get so many compliments.

*Products Used
-Shampoo with Suave Professionals Rosemary and Mint and Creme of Nature Argan Oil
-Conditioned with Tresemme Flawless Curls
-Styled with Cantu Shea Butter Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, and Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel

I raked the leave in conditioner & coconut oil into large sections. Then I took subsections & raked in the gel. I allowed my hair to dry in a towel for 20 minutes & scrunched out my hair to remove access product. I diffused on high heat/high speed for 15 minutes. I then scrunched the gel cast out of my hair with more coconut oil to make soft & add shine.

Thanks for being beautiful XOXO

Look of the Week

Hello Berries !

I am starting a new weekly posts called Look of the Week. I am starting to get lazy with my hair & I’m trying to do more low manipulation & protective styles, so I will be trying to keep my hair in certain styles for a week at a time. Also, I’m becoming obsessed with nail polishes, so I will also be posting my nails of the week.

Hair of the Week:
A simple chunky braid out that didn’t dry completely, so it’s just fluffy. I did 9 braid using Cantu Shea Butter Argan Oil Leave In Treatment & homemade whipped Shea Butter.

Nails of the Week:
My nails are painted Bubble Gum Pink by E.L.F. & the black & silver color doesn’t have a name.

Thanks for staying beautiful !

XOXO

Organix Brazilian Keratin Treatment

Hello Berries ,

I did my Keratin Treatment a few weeks ago & it went pretty well. I didn’t get any heat damage or anything. I will not being putting any heat in my hair for awhile, I’m still not sure when. I did trim my ends & took about an inch, which is good for not trimming my ends since June. I have been twisting my hair up or wearing buns for the passed two weeks. My hair did not get very straight, but it was fine for what I was trying to achieve.

****Please excuse my face. I was not wearing any makeup & my skin looks bad !

This was after washing my hair & letting it dry.

This was after letting it dry until it was mostly dry.

This was after I applied the treatment.

This was after I blow dried one side of my hair. My hair loss weird here.

This was after I finished flat ironing & trimming. I am currently pushing bra strap length. I was at bra strap length before I trimmed my ends.

These were my ends before I trimmed them. They looked raggedy & a hot mess. My hair does look thick & full.

This was my hair before I trimmed it. It was touching my bra strap , but I would not call it full bra strap length, because I had to pull it to reach my bra.

Well this my Brazilian Keratin Treatment process & a process it was. I did enjoy the ease of straightened hair. I am still deciding what my next step of this hair journey is & honestly it is not an easy journey, but I try to manage & stay positive.

Thanks for staying beautiful !