Mixology || Coconut Milk Shampoo

Liquid castile soap is generally made from olive oil (and/or other oils) and water. Though some naturals have shied away from it with all the talk of pH, the reality is that other naturals have faired fine using it in their shampoo recipes. If you are interested in giving liquid castile soap a try, the following mixture involves the addition of organic coconut milk (for dilution and additional lathering), distilled water (for further dilution), and safflower oil (for moisture).

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
3 tbsp organic coconut milk
1 tsp distilled water
1 tsp safflower oil (add more if you desire)

Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bottle. Shake the bottle well before use.
2. Save the remainder in a closed bottle for future use (up to a few weeks).
3. Follow up with an apple cider vinegar rinse (if necessary) for pH balance.

Hair Diary || Summer Regimen of Wash-n-gos and Braid-outs

(LEFT) Wash-n-go puffs.  No gel.
(RIGHT) Braid-out on flat-ironed hair.

Alright, so I want to wear my hair out this summer (after years of protective styling ~99% of the time).  I will largely wear a mix of braid-outs on low-heat flat-ironed hair AND wash-n-gos.  Here are more details:

MY WASH-N-GOS (inspired by long-haired type 4 Cynthiarf):
So I first tried Cynthiarf's method a few months ago, and was surprised at how little my hair became tangled from daily wash-n-gos.  And to think that after my hair grew past shoulder-length (years ago), that that was the end of wash-n-gos for me.  Well, I was wrong after having tried this lady's technique.

Here's my wash-n-go regimen for the summer:
- Pre-poo overnight with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO)
- Shampoo weekly (Desert Essence Tea Tree Shampoo) followed by quick conditioner
- Co-wash daily (Suave, Tresemme)
- Finger comb while co-washing (view Cynthiarf's tutorial of this process)
- Shake and go

MY BRAID-OUTS ON STRAIGHT HAIR (inspired by long-haired type 4 JoStylin):
Now, JoStylin does her braid-outs on blow-dried hair, but I am not a fan of blow drying on my hair (more on this another time).  Instead, I will do my braid-outs on lightly flat-ironed hair (i.e., 300 degrees F).  Other than this change, I love her simple routine as well as how she leaves a few braids in the back.  (Read my previous post about JoStylin.)

Here's my braid-out regimen for the summer:
- Pre-poo overnight with EVCO
- Shampoo then deep condition (ORS Replenishing Pak, Tresemme Split Ends)
- Moisturize/seal with Shea Butter Mixture
- Air-dry in big braids/twists
- Flat-iron on low heat (300 degrees F, Proclaim Heat Protectant though I prefer Carol's Daughter)
- Put in 6-8 big braids for braid-out
- Re-braid nightly; Rock hair for 2-3 weeks

And that's it!  Now for more hair photos:

Wash-n-go puff with flash.  Cottony. 

Wash-n-go after air-drying throughout the day.
I swear I can enter a shrinkage contest.  Where's the application?

Flat-iron (~340 F) before my previous braid-out.  Future flat-iron jobs will be 300 F max.  This is because I plan to flat-iron a little more frequently this summer (for the braid-out regimen).

Oldies, But Goodies

1. Hair and Sun Damage
2. Black Skin and Sunscreen
3. More on Eggs ... Food for the Hair
4. Boar Brush = Damage to Your Edges?
5. To Buy Organic? That is the Question

Protective Style Lookbook || Glam Updo on Stretched Hair

By popular demand, this is a series showcasing various protective hair styles.  Protective styling does not have to be boring. :o)

Model: Mz_tammy

Difficulty level: 3/5

Skin Care || Eliminating Under Eye Bags

Do you have annoying bags under your eyes?  Well, depending on the cause of the bags, there may be a fix.  Here is a snippet of a few of these causes and fixes:

"Switch your sleep position. Your sleep position may be contributing to under-eye bags. Thanks to gravity, sleeping on your side or stomach can encourage fluids to collect under your eyes. If you're a side sleeper, you may notice a heavier bag on the side you sleep on. [Dermatologist Valerie Goldburt, MD, PhD, of NYU Langone Medical Center] advises her patients who wake up with puffy eyes to sleep on their back and add an extra pillow under their head. 
.... 

Other everyday habits, including rubbing your eyes frequently, going to bed with makeup on, and excessive drinking, can contribute to under-eye bags, too. "Sleeping in eye makeup can irritate your eyes, causing fluids to pool," Goldburt says. Heavy alcohol drinking causes dehydration. That weakens the delicate skin around the eyes, making it more likely to sink into a pouch.
.... 

Eye bags are very common, and are usually not related to your health. But if your bags appear suddenly and you're not suffering from allergies, a sinus infection, or a cold -- and they don't ease up when you try the lifestyle steps mentioned above -- it's a good idea to see your doctor. Some thyroid or kidney problems can cause under-eye fluid retention, notes New York dermatologist Craig Austin, MD."

For the remainder of the article, check out WEBMD.

Healthy Body || Get BIKINI ready by June!

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

Do you keep staring at your favorite bikini every time you go out shopping?

Why not find a reason to buy it plus more new items for your new sexy body?

I am here today to share some tips that should help you get your body bikini ready for this summer!

1. Ditch the soda and start drinking water! Studies have proven that individuals that drink more carbonated or sugary beverages will gain weight or have troubles losing the unwanted weight you currently have. Drinking water will help flush your system as well as keep your body properly hydrated. I would suggest starting with 2 Liters and start working your way up to about a gallon of water a day. YES I SAID A GALLON! 
2. Ditch the fast food! Take a stand NOW to start cooking your meals and try not to “grab something that is easy”. Cooking your own meals allows you to see exactly what you are putting in your body. And, it also allows you the chance to plan your meals and possibly SAVE money! Try having 5 small meals a day. Start with breakfast and have a meal every 3 hours. Each meal should be around 400 calories. You should have a good source of protein (like chicken or fish and for breakfast things like egg whites or whole eggs), a nice serving of veggies, and one good carbohydrate source (like brown rice, whole grain bread, sweet potatoes). 
3. WORK OUT!!! Yes get up and get active! You want to try to work out 5 days a week. Try NOT to take more than two days off in a row. You should spend 30-45 minutes of cardio and getting your heart rate up. And you also need a good strength training program. YES LADIES YOU NEED TO LIFT WEIGHTS! No you will not get big and bulky. Strength training will allow you to build your muscles and start to get more tone. 
   
   
   
4. HAVE A PLAN! Ladies you should plan out your meals, workouts, trips to the store, and anything else! If you FAIL TO PLAN you PLAN TO FAIL. If you plan these things out you will be prepared and ready for your meals and workouts during the week. This will allow you the chance to not make excuses when you are running late or need to find food to eat. Keep a journal so you are able to keep track of what all is going on. You want to be able to visually keep track of what is going on. 
   
   
   
5. Find and keep your own motivation. You have to find something that keeps you motivated. It can be images, quotes, bible verses, or anything! You have to keep things so that you can keep yourself motivated on the days you do not feel motivated. Sometimes you need someone to keep you motivated or someone to help hold you accountable for your actions. This can be a friend, co-worker, or family member.

These are all very important tools that you can use to help you get ready for the summer. There are no magic pills or crash diets that can help you. Try to eat fresh whole foods (stay away from processed foods) and drink plenty of water. You want to cut back on drinking alcohol and increase your activity levels. You do not have to belong to a gym to get a good workout. You can find many workouts online that you can do at home!

You have the tools to reach your goals! So why not start NOW so you can flaunt your confidence and new body this summer. This is Stephanie from Infinite Life Fitness. Please feel free to stop by my blog for more health and fitness tips!

Hair Diary || Scissor Happy and More ...

It has been a while since I posted a chapter in the "Hair Diary".  Well, up until recently, I had been wearing small twists (see the "Twist Series") for about 4 weeks.  Prior to that, I had another set of twists.  Now I'm taking a break and alternating between braid-outs and braided updos on straightened hair for the next three weeks.

LEFT: What I would I call an example of what healthy, layered ends look like.
RIGHT: An example of a blunt cut.  Even when our hair is cut in such a manner, it will gradually grow out of the blunt cut (and similar to what we see in the LEFT photo).

These ladies have some of the longest hair in the world, but what do you think about their ends?   (I leave it up to you to decide.)

Oh, and what is this about being "scissor happy"?  Well, I cut (not trimmed) about 2+ inches off my hair.  The ends were not visibly damaged but they were thin to me, which naturally happens as our strands can longer and experience more wear.  Additionally, I have been desiring a short, blunt cut for some weeks now.  Thinking I'm just going through a phase, I decided to cut my hair somewhat blunt and a bit shorter rather than go all the way.  Now I'm officially MBL (mid-back length) again.  It was hard to stop cutting further so I had to really talk myself out it. :o)

And now for more hair pics:

Though split ends were minimal, I felt like the ends of my twists needed a good trim because they were thin.  I gave them one ... and some.  I cut 2+ inches total (maybe more, I don't know since I stopped measuring after a while).

(Twist shot from Aug. 2012.)  This gives an idea of the ends I have been holding onto for almost two years now (aside from a few dusting sessions). 

The final product.  (After a light flat-iron, braids, and another cut included in the 2+ inches.)  I had to talk myself out of cutting another couple of inches.

The final product.  (After a light flat-iron, braids, and another cut included in the 2+ inches.)  Tried to get a complete shot of the ends but after several attempts, I gave up for the day.  I'll try again in the near future.