LoveYourTresses

London Events | "Hair Week"

2013-05-20T14:33:00.002+01:00

As it's hard to keep up with every event in the UK I figured I'd give you the 411 on all events I will be attending this "UK Hair Week" alongside some of the other beautiful UK bloggers/vloggers.
With more than 4 big events happening over the course of just 3 days I think it's fair to deem this coming week "UK Hair Week" right?!
Well here goes some info already!

[1] 25th May - Curlvolutions Curlfriends Day Out

[here is my post on lasts years Event]

[2] Sunday/Bank Holiday Monday 26th & 27th May - Afro Hair & Beauty Live

[3] Bank Holiday Monday 27th May - Strength of Nature Brit Beauty

Avec amour... Fiona
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Looking For Your Girl ?

2013-05-18T22:39:00.003+01:00

Hi Loves!
Just put together a quick post to let you all know where you can find when I'm not on the blog. In most cases I'm either talking Hair, Happiness, Food, Zara or something along those lines! If you dig any of those then hey I'm your girl!
Hope you've had a great Saturday so far x

Instagram Youtube Facebook Twitter - well this usually feeds from FB but hey! Tumblr Pinterest - I love this!

Avec amour... Fiona
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Vacation | Thailand Holiday Picture Diary

2013-05-17T13:04:00.002+01:00

We're back!!! Well we've been back since last week but on both ends it feels like we've been on a rollercoaster trip since, work, work and more work! City life is definitely a love hate relationship.
Did I mention myself and some of my UK girlies are helping to plan an event as well as my prep for some serious upcoming exams at work in June?! Let's just say this post was oh so necessary for a moment of reminiscing and relaxed thoughts!

In other news as said in my previous post, I vlogged the entire trip with my sister but couldn't bring myself to actually post the vlogs here and on YT. I guess as much as the blog has become a little more liberal (a.k.a not solely Hair talk), I am not so sure the "get to know Fiona" vlog is something people care for, of course I'm leaving this open for debate, if you guys want to get to know me out of Haircare world then let me know and the posts will go up!

- Enjoy and Happy Friday -

Ramada Encore Bangkok Hotel #winning

Hotel view

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market River Tour

Elephant Ride Tour

Coconut Ice cream

MBK Mall Shopping

Slushed Pineapple Juice, as fresh as it gets and a necessary heat fix!

After hours of shopping at the amazing Chatuchak weekend market

Dinner by the River in Krabi

Roti Pratha & Chocolate sauce with condensed milk... my addiction

Hotel Rooftop Bangkok

Hotel in Krabi

Krabi, Ao Nang Beach

Silom Cooking School

Lunch served... Pad Thai

Avec amour...
Fiona
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Far far away... Vacation Time!

2013-05-02T09:43:00.001+01:00

Ahhhh how did I not tell you guys I was going on holiday??! I’m actually on the plane writing this as we speak and will have it up as soon as I land and get me some wifi!

I’m off to a hot hot HOT and beautiful place with my older sister for a much needed VACAY, and have decided to post and vlog whilst away… I took some shots before I left of some of the essentials I threw in my suitcase, Haircare products dominate of course! I had a few ratchet moments scooping products into other product containers, a.k.a do not be fooled by the products you see, most are not what they appear to be! Also did you peep the RPG SHOW box at the back there?! Yep, I was sent a lace wig unit and can’t wait to do a show and tell for you all… Dare I say her name is Ashanti [Instagram and Facebook folks would have sneaked a peek already!]

Anyway loves that’s me for now, just finished watching 'Silver Linings Playbook' and loved it [anyone seen it?] Now time for some much needed sleep. I anticipate very little rest time in ________ so I need some energy for tomorrow mornings activities. Oh, why the lack of a Country name? We, [sis and I] kept it a secret from our girlie's at home so we can’t let the cat out of the bag till we get there!!!

See you in a day or two when I’ll be bombarding the blog with photos photos photos!!!
P.s. I have started a May photo Challenge on Instagram, so you can track my month of May adventures, Haircare life and all there too! @loveyourtresses

Avec amour... Fiona

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... All Things Ankara

2013-04-26T14:16:00.001+01:00

I find myself running back to the city a lot at the weekend, its tall rise buildings, edgy flair and ever present touches of modernism have become a lot more homelike and comforting to me than the suburban area where I've grown up and currently live. Home will always be home so I appreciate my local eyebrow threading lady, small talk with neighbours and the odd and occasional bumping into an old class mate or teacher situation... but there's something special and refreshing about the City and what we all know as.... Central London

My plans for the weekend which of course on this blog are usually referring to H-A-I-R, went awfully wrong! My twist out was a success but my hand molding hair style skills were not, hence why I threw on my fave Ankara print fabric and decided not to get stressed out by the not so good hair day! You know the ones that have you thinking the only solution is the blow dryer?! [The devil is a liar!!!] [don't you love the things African parents say?!]

So here I am Ankara loving, heat free hair repping... enjoying another London river view! P.s. I've not used a drop of heat in over 9 weeks now!!! Feels so darn good y'all!!!

What are you all up to? Any weekend plans?

Photos by GrandCulturePhotography

Avec amour...
Fiona

p.s. If I'm not here you'll defo catch me on on Instragram ^_^ @loveyourtresses

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Deep Conditioning | But are You doing it Right?

2013-04-17T19:08:00.000+01:00

Soooo this may seem like a very silly post title especially for all of the advanced Hair Lovers who can shampoo, deep condition and even flat iron with their eyes closed! But we all get caught up in the activities of life [busy, busy, busy!], and often tend to find quick fixes/shortcuts when it comes to Haircare, which to our surprise may actually be a bigger waste of time than we actually know!

For many years I was of the school of thought that whatever you smother onto your hair, better well penetrate right through the shaft and fix any rusty nuts, bolts, perforations, heat damaged black holes that were in existence. However, truth is in most cases your average Deep Conditioner has just a few, dare I say 3 or 4 ingredients, that can actually penetrate your hair. In most cases the other 5, 10, 15 ingredients are purposed to serve another very important role during the deep conditioning process; which is to help smooth down the surface of the cuticle, keep hair moisturised and also soften the outer strands of our hair, otherwise known as adsorption.

So what does this mean and what habits may be preventing you from benefiting from adsorption and penetration???
Penetration

This may just be a reminder to myself of my past time lack of knowledge [so take no offence if you've never done this!], but if you've ever been one to expect penetration from Oils which you've heard penetrate e.g Coconut Oil, and are doing this on wet hair post shampooing... waste of time! Oil repels water so there really is no hope for the Coconut Oil molecules [forgive my lack of scientific terms!] to penetrate past the barrier of H2O molecules. Hence why using penetrable Oils on dry hair is when you can enjoy their full benefits... Secondly, if your ultimate goal is penetration, picking the cheapest DC for convenience may not be the best idea. Looking at this not so very long list of ingredients that can actually penetrate, may be a great start in your search for products to look for when "Deep Conditioner for penetration" shopping:

- Water -
- Hydrolysed Wheat Protein -
- Coconut Oil -
- Cetrimonium Bromide -
- Caffeine -
- Panthenol - - some Amino Acids -
- artificial Peptides -
- some Silicones or Amodimethicones
- Hydrolysed Palm Oil -
- 18MEA -
[please note this list is subject to hair typing i.e natural, relaxed etc. Will post research links at the end for Hair Nerds like myself ^_^]
Adsorption
1) Shampoo --> Deep Condition --> Rinse 2) Deep Condition --> Shampoo --> Rinse
3)Deep Condition --> Shampoo --> Condition--> Rinse 4) Pre-poo--> Shampoo --> Deep Condition --> Rinse

It would be wrong for me to say either of the wash day methods above are wrong or the only way to deep condition, however, having experimented with all I believe and find Step 4 offers the most benefits for both penetration and adsorption. Let me share the reasons why:

- You treat your hair to some Oils or beneficial Pre-Shampoo treatments e.g. [my Staples List] before shampooing which help reduce Shampoo stripping effects.

- You Restore the necessary ph balance in your hair by counteracting the negatively charged Shampoo with positively charged Conditioner.

- You then finish by rinsing this out to prevent any product build up and to commence with styling.
Looking at method 1 this would be a joint 1st place as sometimes let's be real there simply isn't enough time to pre-poo. As for method 2, not finishing with Conditioner will leave hair dry and with the wrong ph. Finally step 3 does not seem harmful, but there's a whole extra post that would need to be dedicated to the topic of hygral fatigue a.k.a causing our hair to expand too much... let's leave that for another day shall we or check out the research links below!

I could go on forever guys but I'm sure this is a long enough read as it is! I was sent the HairTherapyWrap some months ago and have used this religiously on wash days for deep conditioning, especially if I pre-poo with Coconut Oil which did you know can take up to 16 hours to penetrate?!!

- So what next... should we talk favourite DC's?!
Research articles: Huge credit to Natural Haven for her extensive Hair research of which this Post refers to mainly [1] , [2], [3] , [4]

Avec amour... Fiona

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A Wintery London Spring

2013-04-15T15:44:00.000+01:00

The UK weather man must have such a boring job, I mean every day reporting the same old grim, grey, wet spells must have some sort of negative effect on your mojo right?! Anyway #I'mNotInvolved2013! I took myself away from the comfort of my warm, and welcoming duvet sheets to a nearby pond for some alone time [didn't end up being alone though!]
Why the need to dress up you ask? Well I leave that down to Creta, as you folks may know I've been feeling super sassy and diva-ish since getting her :p so I figured there was no reason not to dress up right?!
Oh and did I mention wig wearing means I really don't trip over my hair getting wet or blown in the wrong direction anymore! It's so liberating ladies you should consider it! Here was a lucky no-rain, a tad of sunshine and a whole lot of wind kinda day in photos!

Talent behind the camera: GrandCulturePhotography

Anyway that's enough of me already! I apologise for the lack of posting of recent. I had quite a few things going on and found it easier to keep you posted on all things Me & Hair on Instagram!

Before I go any recommendations on a great vendor of human hair wigs similar to my Creta girl, she's giving up on me already... *sigh* the joys of synthetic wigs?!
Avec amour...
Fiona
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New Video | Creta Girl Review & Blending

2013-03-28T10:46:00.002Z

Happy Thursday Belles!
Finally finished editing the Creta Girl Review & Blending Tutorial Vid! The little sis got involved too...

kids of today eh?!!!
I am currently trying to stop myself from emptying the bank with wig orders! Pray for me folks it's serious!!!
Now onto prepping a Hair post for tomorrow... Have a great day xxx

Avec amour... Fiona

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New Hair... Finding Love with Creta Girl

2013-03-21T18:43:00.001Z

Ahhhhhh I know I know I've been away for too long again! Well I do hope you all saw my M.I.A notice post on Facebook because I did say I'd be a cyber ghost for a few days! Anyway I'm back and with new Hair!!! Where do I even start?! Well how about with how in love I am with this diva wig! May I introduce Miss Creta Girl! Flyest kinky curly chick I ever did own!

Now unto some specs... well you all know I mentioned in my New Years Post I would be protective styling for the most part of the year, or well at least up until my big chop in November [*scream!!!*], so when I found this treat, after some hours of Youtube stalking, there was no way I was not going to invest... At only £25 incl delivery who wouldn't right?!

Colour: 1b
Length : Armpit Length

To blend I simply braided a small segment of my hair at the front, used some perm rods to add curl definition and then unraveled and blended with my fingers. As you can see I opted for a pinned side sweep, but this looks real cute with a middle part too. You can also wear a low ponytail and bun which I plan on experimenting some more with this weekend! [Here is an instagram pic of me playing around with Creta].

I wasn't sure if this also called for a YouTube review so I guess y'all can let me know... but in the meantime ladies, relaxed, natural, transitioning or loc'd don't be scared to experiment with a wig, it really does add some spring to your step. P.s. the Beyonce Sasha Fierce thing is real! When I'm wearing this I feel all kinds of Diva! Nice diva though!!! Haha

Here are some pics... Enjoy xxx

Back shot... I stretched the curl with a hairband hence the uneven drop

Blending

*Oh p.s. here is the ebay link for the wig*

Avec amour... Fiona
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Weekend as a Natural + A Mini Dress Up

2013-03-04T16:29:00.002Z

Quote - William Faulkner

I spent the weekend stuck indoors bar a few hours because my younger sister has chicken pox! Who even gets that these days! I had no idea it still existed! Anyway I had 3 hours of freedom on Saturday so I decided to get all dressed up and make the most out of it, hair, clothes, shoes and all!!!

I love the stage I've reached in my Hair journey and transition right now. One minute I'm in a clipped in weave, the next I'm loving the kinked and slightly poofed top bun look.

I had a wee soppy moment when looking at these pictures, because this time last year there is no way in the world I would have rocked any other look than a smooth.straightened sleek bun, and now... Well lets just say my perception of beauty has changed drastically and I'm just in a happy place!

I achieved this look with a simply bantu knot out, so far that has to be my staple transitioning style. I used a product I love love love and have quite badly left in the dark a.k.a Curl Me Soft Leave-In Hair Cream and of course the previously mentioned Twist and Set Lotion by Design Essentials. I will be doing a long overdue bulk review on some prodcts I was sent by Afrotherapy which included the Curl Me Soft Leave-In Hair Cream so stay tuned for that this week.

In the mean time here are some snaps, have a blessed and truly wonderful monday xxx

Loving this Nude Nail Polish - Toffee by Maxfactor

Took it right back to my "want to be mixed race" secondary school days and achieved the curl with gel and a cotton bud!!! Crack myself up!!!

Can any picture do these enough justice?

Does anyone else tuck in their skinnies?

Avec amour... Fiona

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Diary of A Mixtress | Henna Hearts Tutorial

2013-02-26T19:12:00.003Z

Well Hello Hi to the post I promised I would have up on Sunday, all I can say is video editing is an absolute chore when your SD card swipes and you have to record from scratch! It's the worst thing that can happen in blog world, but let's move on and enjoy the post already, because Lord knows I am so happy it's finally here and I can share it with you!

Following my Post and re-discovered love for Ayurveda and Ayurvedic products I decided to whizz up a late Valentines Day treat and easy Haircare Product storage solution.

I won't bore you with the ins and outs of why [pro's and con's] and how to incorporate Henna into your regime, I'll let my Prelude Henna for Hair 101 Video do all of the talking!

So now onto a mini Pictorial and Video on how to get your Mixtress on Henna Style!

Enjoy and let me know what you think... Yay or Nay for Henna ?!!

Ingredients:

60g Cocoa Butter

120g Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

45g BAQ Henna

60g Hibiscus Powder

60g Brahmi Powder

60g Shikakai Powder

Product Suppliers:

Powders - SheaButterCottage

Butter - Ghana

Oil - Holland & Barretts

Heart Silicone Ice Cube Tray - Morrisons

Application tips:

- Melt cubes with a very tiny amount of hot water to form thick paste. Mix with fave DC and apply -
or

- Slightly melt cubes to form thick paste and mix with coconut milk and apply -

- Depending on the results you want leave in from as little as 20 mins to an hour under steam cap.The longer the more visible the colour effects! -

Tools : Mixing Bowl, Jug, wooden Spoon, Measuring Cups & an Ice Cube Tray

End Result!!!

Check out the Tutorial Video for more!

Avec amour...

Fiona

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5 February Articles

2013-02-25T20:31:00.004Z

Where are the Hair posts you ask?!!
I figured I would start the week on a lighter note with a 5 Articles Post, because I am about to bombard the blog with some Hair, Hair and more Hair talk this week! I've got some reviews in the pipeline and some good old Haircare posts, but I'll let you enjoy your Monday evening and fill you in tomorrow!
As for now here are my February articles x

Stella & Dot Jewels, they are sooooo pretty aren't they?!!

A beautiful necklace from Ghana, can't wait for Summer!

Any guesses which tutorial I'm posting tomorrow?!!

Don't ask! Bought some liquid Collagen from Holland & Barretts just for fun!

HMV closing down Sale, some chick flicks for quiet evenings

Avec amour ... Fiona

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The Glorious Hair Update | 15 Months Post Relaxer

2013-02-12T15:55:00.000Z

I've been at this transitioning thing now for 15 months and not only am I darn right proud of myself for not giving up, but I'm anticipating my chop more and more and what my hair will look like more and more! My desire to go natural was mainly fueled by the heads of hair that were of a more curly, ringlety texture as opposed to fro/kinky like, and as wisdom has it, I have learned that the expectation of my hairs texture may prove to disappoint when the scissors come into contact with my hair that fortunate day in November. Why? Because seeing a few curls on a wash day is by no means a depiction of my hair type. Let's just say hair changes when it doesn't have relaxed ends to hold on to!!!
Anyway I've just been reflecting about my Healthy Hair Journey since my cut in Nov 2011 and the progress of hair growth and health. I'm happy that there have been no drastic set backs, or hair thinning etc, let's be honest the 2 textured thing is not for the light hearted.
I washed my hair this weekend just gone and did my usual, water to hair "peep the curls" experiment. It's already so apparent that the back of my hair holds a much tighter curl than the front. I say it now and I'll say it again... shrinkage is serious!!!
So enough of my rambling here is a hair breakdown of my hair since Nov 2011 and the intial post on why I really decided to go Au Natural.

From Left to Right | Nov 2011 Bra Strap Length , Nov 2011 Hair Cut, June 2012 Seven months post relaxer Hair growth, Oct 2012 another Hair Cut 11 months Post relaxer.

Besides the first picture I've pretty much been cutting my hair to just past shoulder length every 4-6 months just so that the big cut/chop this coming November isn't as frightening for me!

10 months post relaxer Hair growth and curl check

15 months post relaxer Hair growth and curl check

P.s. excuse the photos couldn't find my camera battery so had to stick to the phone.
My two texture hair tolerance levels are extremely low right now (plus I mentioned I'd be protective styling a lot this year) so I braided my hair back and threw on some homemade weave clips, the same ones I mentioned in this video here.
I was thinking of doing a video on how to sew, braid up and install the weave clips, but there are quite a few vids out already, let me know if you'd like one anyway!

Avec amour... Fiona

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5 Saturday Articles...

2013-02-09T18:31:00.000Z

Hola, Guten Tag and all the rest folks!
So this is the first, second or third Saturday this year I have spent the entire day at home and no guesses as to why! Hair!!! Yep today has been one of those take your hair to the Spa kinda days and I'm currently DC'ing so figured I'd shoot a quick post to show y'all a few treats I've either bought or received. Hope you're having a great Saturday ^_^

I have VERY visible eye wrinkles and decided it was high time I bought some eye products, *Avene and Guinot. Also needed to re-stock on my BB face cream and Triology toner

My first M.A.C shadows [Brow Down, Antiqued and Texture, bring on my inner MUA! *jokes*

Some Mixed Roots Curly Kinky products I received to trial out

You guys know how I feel about Zara right?!!! *drool*

The first bundle of hair for my 2013 U-Part Wig Lifestyle!

Avec amour... Fiona

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NEW VIDEO | HAIR | My Front Bun Turban Tutorial

2013-02-06T18:17:00.000Z

Hey Loves!

Happy Hump day and well hello hi my first video post of the year!!! Thought I should compliment my Finding Your Inner Turbanista Post, as a few ladies requested it.

Hope you enjoy ^_^
So does this mean I'm back to Youtube Vlogging? Ahhhhhhh Yeah!!!

Avec amour... Fiona

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Never Half Hearted | Instagram Updates

2013-01-31T23:02:00.002Z

Good Evening Belles,
just a quick post, I literally just finished a 10 minute tug-o-war with myself deciding on whether or not to post this because one, it's not a "post" post and two, it seems pretty darn lazy, but Alas my loves the past week has been super busy so instagram is just about the only cyber avenue I've had time to commit to, so shoot I may aswell keep you filled in on that right?!
Videos coming this weekend and some posts in the pipeline for next week!

Top Left to Right:
[1] So head wraps are defo my new thing! I think this calls for a scarf shopping trip/haul!!!

[2] Smoothie prep for the next 6 days!!! It's been a busy week but these are a must either way #smoothieADay2013

[3] Absolutely knackered after a long day serving at a Nigerian wedding and now I have to wash this head of afro wonderfulness! Either way its worth it knowing she loves her fro now, so off to cowashing we go!!! #naturalkids

Bottom Left to Right:
[4] Home ill and off work but managed to fix myself a quick snack. Forgot how much I love sautéed garlic butter mushrooms. So delish!!!

[5] Wedding Flow!!!

[6] Fell off the Smoothie bandwagon for 2 days but back on it now! I love the way apples overpower the taste of Spinach... Thank God!!! INGREDIENTS: 3 Apples, 1 Kiwi & 2 Handfuls of Spinach

P.s It's almost Friday... wohooooo!!! This song came to mind when I just wrote that! Who remembers this old school jam!!!

Have a blessed and truly fulfilling weekend! xxx
Avec amour... Fiona

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Today's Hair | Straight Hair the Curly Way + Design Essentials Review

2013-01-26T10:04:00.002Z

Okay ladies so I decided to do the one thing you should never do the day before you go to an important event ... [1] try out a new product and [2] attempt a new hairstyle! I know Bantu Knot Outs are child's play but not when you don't plan on wearing them the usual way! Anyway you'll be glad to know that thanks to the products above and a slightly uncomfortable nights sleep [blame the bumps], I actually fell in love with the look I'm sporting below and have also added a new product to my Product Staples List!

Design Essentials Curl Enhancing Mousse

PRICE| $15.99 approx £11

INGREDIENTS | Water (Aqua), Polyquaternium 55, Cetyl Triethylmonium Olivate Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate, Decyl Glucoside, Cetrimonium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone (and) Caprylyl Glycol, PEG 75 Lanolin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Fragrance (Parfum), Dimethicone Coployol, Citric Acid, FD&C Blue No.1 (C.I.42090), FD&C Yellow No.5 (C.I. 19140)

PROS: Medium hold and easy to use

CONS: I was neither disappointed nor blown away by the product so no "con" per say

Design Essentials Natural Twist & Set Setting Lotion

PRICE| $13.99 approx £9

INGREDIENTS | Water (Aqua), Polyquaternium 11, Cetyl Triethylmonium Olivate Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone Copolyol, Methylisothiazolinone (and) Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Fragrance (Parfum), PEG 75 Lanolin, DMDM Hydantoin, Citric Acid, Silk Amino Acid, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Jojoba Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Collagen, FD&C Blue No. 1 (C.I.42090), FD&C Red No. 33 (C.I. 17200)

PROS: The product has GREAT slip and a very silky smooth consistency, it glided on and moisturised which in turn allowed my hair to twist more easily.

CONS: The only con for me has to be the spritz cap. You'll see in the photo below one squirt literally focuses on a small area of hair. I think a cap with a mechanism similar to that of a mist cap would make this product perfect.

Finally just before peeping the photos, I have to put it out there and say [despite the labelling]... these products are NOT just for natural hair! I can see why they may be marketed in this way, but having tried this on straight [not yet fully natural] hair, I do solemnly swear they work a treat on straight hair too!!! I'll defo keep these in my stash to use on my hair in its non straightened state, but as for now that's my two pence!

Top : Natural Twist & Set Setting Lotion / Bottom : Curl Enhancing Mousse

Pinned up and loving it!

Fluffing out the knots...

Day 2 & Back to Buns!!!

Have a fab Saturday!!!

Avec amour... Fiona

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Finding Your... Inner Turbanista

2013-01-23T13:03:00.000Z

Forgive the late slap bang in the middle of the week and no hearing from me since last week post! I caught a bad cold which turned out to be a chest infection and just wanted to lay in bed and sleep the entire time! I find it quite ironic how I caught a cold when I fell off the wagon and missed by daily smoothie intake TWICE! Karma folks, karma!!!

Anyway back to this post and my new discovered love! You guys can definitely bear witness to the fact that I am one plain Jane when it comes to Hairstyles, in fact it takes a challenge like this one to get me creative, and once that's done I'm back to buns! You can imagine my excitement when I gave the turban look a try and actually loved it!

So for anyone having a serious not leaving the house kinda hair day, or for that extra protective touch, I would definitely recommend a trip to Portobello road for a yummy 5ft long silky soft scarf!

Anyone else feeling the Turban look right now? Or is it just me?!

Happy Hump Day Loves! Avec amour... Fiona Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

2013 The Year of Ayurveda

2013-01-16T21:13:00.002Z

I've long been impressed by the nourishing, strengthening and growth enhancing properties of Ayurvedic products in a Haircare Regime. The long list of herbs and ingredients can been quite overwhelming and put you off immediately, but giving these products a try may just be your saving Grace!

I noticed the benefits of Ayurveda in my Hair Regime in Feb 2012 when I did my 7 Months Post Relaxer Length Check following my big relaxer cut in November. Okay the growth wasn't Rapunzel jaw dropping kinda long but considering my transitioning struggles, I knew my DIY Scalp Oil which is comprised of a good load of Ayurvedic ingredients, was definitely the reason I had a good amount of new growth and my hair was and still is super healthy. So if you like what you've heard so far and are thinking of adding some Ayurvedic spice to your life then here are some simple steps on how...

First things first what exactly is Ayurveda? Ayurvedic regimes incorporate the use of herbs and natural powders native to India which are used religiously and renown for the evident role they play in boosting long, thick and voluptuous hair. To top it off they are preservative/silicone/synthetic ingredient and sulphate free! Toot that horn!!!
Ayurvedic Ingredients List I've decided against a long winded list but stuck to the products that are easily accessible and that focus on specific hair needs. Hey you may even have some of these in your spice cupboard already!!! I've also highlighted the ones I use...

Neem | Acts as an antibacterial powder which is widely used to cure or control dandruff, therefore promoting a healthy scalp.

Henna | Natural dye as well as hair strengthener and temporary shaft thickener which is also used to encourage smoother and shinier hair.

Brahmi | Antioxidant properties, known to reduce hair loss and promote growth and hair strengthening.

Amla | Great hair conditioning properties whilst also strengthening, nourishing and keeping grey hairs at bay

Bhringraj | Used as a natural conditioning agent as well as hair loss reducer.

Shikakai | Used as a scalp cleansing agent

Hibiscus | Encourages healthy hair growth, conditions hair, prevents hair loss and also known to thicken new growth.

So how do you incorporate Ayurveda into your Regime the simple way? My rule of thumb with Ayurveda is a little goes a long way! A tsp or two in every step of your hair regime is all you need
Shampoo + 1/2 tsp Hibiscus + 1/2 tsp Neem
Conditioner [co-wash] +1/2 tsp Hibiscus + 1/2 tsp Neem + 1/2 tsp Brahmi

As for Deep conditioning and Pre-pooing here are some recipes I love love love...

Coconut Relaxer Pre-poo / Hot Oil Treatment [old post here]

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Coconut oil

1 tsp of Brahmi
Slightly warm the EVCO and then mix the Brahmi Powder into the oil. Then slowly drizzle unto your scalp and massage through your hair. Pre-poo overnight under a shower cap and wake up to butter soft hair in the morning!

Henna Gloss Protein Deep Conditioner [old post here] 100g BAQ Henna powder

1 cup of Conditioner

1 cup Deep Conditioner

20g Neem powder

2 tbsps Shea butter

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Mix Henna and Neem Powder in a bowl then add 1 cup of Deep Conditioner and 1 cup of regular Conditioner to the powder mix. Then add melted Shea butter and melted EVCO into the mix. Part hair into sections and apply Henna using gloves. Leave Henna gloss treatment for one hour or longer depending on the outcome you want (longer = deeper conditioning + more visible colour effects). Rinse Hair thoroughly and co-wash to finish off.

Coconut Cream Softening Deep Conditioner

1 Cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup of Coconut Cream 2 tbsp of Hibiscus Powder
Mix solidified EVCO with Coconut Cream and Hibiscus Powder. Apply all over hair and leave under shower cap for an hour. Then rinse and commence with quick co-wash to get rid of oil residue.

The softness I get when I pre-poo overnight in braids with the Coconut Relaxer Recipe

My Hair in its shiny and thick glory!

P.s I'll post a separate post on my growth oil I think it deserves a post all to itself!
Anyone else had great experiences with Ayurvedic Products? Added note: I buy my ingredients from local Asian or Afro Caribbean hair shops and also from SheaButterCottage
Avec amour... Fiona

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Top Knot Buns & Sequin Delights

2013-01-07T12:46:00.001Z

I visited the Darren Scott Salon yet again last week and had my hair treated and straightened... Yes I know guilty pleasure! As you may have seen on my 2013 Goals Post I mentioned one of my goals would be to wear protective styles 80% of the time this year, so let's just say it's going to be a long time before my entire head of hair is straightened again in 2013!
On that note I can't get over how healthy and thick my hair is in its 13+ months post relaxer straightened transitioning state, I can't peep split ends even with a magnifying glass [crack myself up!] and know this transition is thus far definitely working out for the best ^_^
Anyway enough of the rambling, I'm a sucker for a top knot bun and the colour black, the combination make me feel so chic! So here I am on my way out wearing my favourite hairstyle and favourite colour.
Hope you all had a productive and bright weekend!

Avec amour... Fiona

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Hello 2013...

2013-01-06T22:12:00.000Z

We're still one week in so I'll still go on and wish you all a very happy, prosperous, joy filled and bright 2013 ahead! As just about everyone on the blogosphere has already done, I too have created an extensive list of goals for the New Year. Not just hair related, oh no I'm talking Hair, Skin, Body, Career, Faith, Family, Relationship the whole lot!
I figured there's no better time than to implement one of my main goals now... to blog more frequently!!! So here goes my goal list and first post for the year! Cheers to that!!!

BODY/HEALTH
- Drink 1litre of water a day [previously went days without so this is MAJOR!] -
- A Fruit and/or Veg Smoothie a Day [peep the Instagram Pics I'm loving it so far] -

- Daily Nutritional Supplement intake [I throw these into my Smoothie] -
- 1 session of Hot Bikram Yoga a week or a 30 min Nike workout session twice a week -

SKINCARE

- Always finish face wash with cold H20 rinse -
- Apply Eye Cream and SPF daily [no excuses] - + Monday, Wednesday & Saturday - Special Skincare Regime involving Steaming, Exfoliation and a Face Mask - [So far loving my Homemade Turmeric, Green Tea and Honey Argan Face Mask]

just a few treats to make the healthy Skin journey easier!

HAIRCARE

- 80% Protective Styling [Two U-Part Wigs and a tutorial on the way] -
- Big Chop Nov 2013 - so many more but too many to write!

BLOGGING
- Post at the very least once a week -
- Video/Youtube Post at least 1x every fortnight -

OTHER PERSONAL GOALS
- To grow closer to my God [started a 1 year Bible reading plan very excited!] -
- To actually put on some weight already! [First weigh in done and tracking the progress!] -

and of course some other goals that may have you snoring before I've finished mentioning them all! All in all I believe it will be a great year!!!
Have you written your goals? Any similar? Let a girl know!

Avec amour... Fiona
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Mahogany Naturals | Yet Another Review!!!

2012-12-19T09:20:00.002Z

Bonjour Loves!

I told you I'd be flooding the blog with some very late reviews right? Well here goes another one I thought I'd squeeze in before the year is out!!!

I was sent the Mahogany Naturals Pre-poo and Ayurvedic Shampoo a few months back to review from the founder of Mahogany Naturals, Tope Beesley. I was very keen on trying the Pre-poo because I am a HUGE Pre-poo fan. My hair is easily stripped by even the mildest of Shampoos, which means pre-pooing is a must for me.

Quick Pre-poo lowdown [Fionapedia!]: A Pre-poo is a pre-Shampoo treatment used to extra nourish , condition and prepare your hair for washing. Pre-poos help to reduce the potential stripping effects of some Shampoos by coating the outer strand of your hair with a light protective coating. It can be in oil form or cream based and can be left on the strands of your hair from as little as 20 minutes to overnight. It often results in softer and healthier feeling hair.

At the same Founder Tope told me her Ayurvedic Shampoo was very moisturising and would not need to be followed up with a Conditioner. Of course I had to put that to the test!

Pre-Poo Treament

Price | £12.95

Ingredients | Contains Organic Aloe vera, Organic honey, avocado oil, coconut oil, emu oil, virgin olive oil, silk amino acid, jojoba, vegetable glycerine, rosemary, vitamin E.

Claims | Specially formulated for dry, damaged and thirsty hair. Protects the hair and scalp from any harsh cleansers, adds softness, moisture and shine. Makes the detangling process easy.

My Thoughts... The Pre-poo had a very different consistency to that of the Pre-poos I usually use from my Staples List. It was very runny and had a very natural honey/avocado smell. I found the application to be quite messy but focused more on the results of the treatment. I wasn't blown away by the Pre-poo and didn't find it to be as effective as the other Pre-poos I use on a bi-weekly basis. My hair didn't feel as soft as I had hoped. As a mixtress myself I do love the fact that this Pre-poo is 100% natural and think that in my case a more solid and thick treatment with more oils would have favoured my hair type. I also know my hair has never taken very well to products that contain honey so this may have been why I found the product to be slightly sticky.

Ayurvedic Moisture Rich Shampoo

It appears the Shampoo is no longer sold on the Mahogany Naturals site, but I found the Shampoo also did not agree very well with my hair. It was very fluid in consistency and not as dense as other Shampoos I have used, which was quite helpful in the sense that with so much re-growth you need something that is easily dispersed, and will quickly find itself on your scalp because it's so fluid. As for its moisturising abilities I still had to follow up with a deep conditioning treatment afterwards, and somehow more so because my hair felt quite dry afterwards. This may be due to the nature of my hair in its transitioning state as I know others have used it and have not mentioned it to be drying.

All in all I found the Pre-poo to be the most useful of the products, I will not be repurchasing any of the above as I find my staples work better for me.

Avec amour... Fiona
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5 Articles...

2012-12-04T18:22:00.001Z

It seems over the past few months I've blogged more about fashion than I have about Hair! So much for a Hair blog right?! Let's just say I've picked up a few new interests over the past few months, and as much as I lurrvvve Haircare I feel this is the perfect avenue for me to express and share what I love besides Haircare. On that note I will say however I'll be upping the hair knowledge posts, in hopes of eventually reaching a healthy balance... Haircare, Fixed Income, Fashion & Food... yup that pretty much sums me up!

Uniqlo HeatTech Thermals... it's super cold here in London!

A dictionary sized Recipe book... searching for Chrsitmas Day Dessert ideas

KG Star soles...

Essie 'Wicked' - New fave colour

Products I'm currently trialing

21 days till Christmas Folks!!! Have you got your Advent Calendars?

Avec amour... Fiona

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The Christmas Holiday Gift Guide...

2012-12-03T16:57:00.002Z

So we've finally entered the carol singing, pudding eating month of December and I thought what better than to put together a small Christmas Holiday Gift Guide, with some cute and quirky gifts that you can buy for a loved one if stuck for ideas! Truth is these are some of the things I wouldn't mind waking up to on the 25th myself...
It doesn't include Loubi's, an ipad or apple gadget of some sort so I'd say the list is pretty reasonable! Wouldn't you?!
P.s I thought I'd give the blog header a bit of a Christmas makeover... Ho Ho Ho!

I. J Crew Jewel Teardrop Earrings
II. Diptyque Pomander Candle
III. Better than Good Hair by Curly Nikki
IV. Hair Therapy Wrap
V. Philip Kingsley Elasticizer ExtremeTreatment [ currently on sale!]
VI. Kurt Geiger Coco Contrast
VII. Mocha Dunk Mug
VIII. Yves Saint Laurent Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain
IX. Essie Nail Polish
X. J Crew iPhone Glitter Case

And to finish off... One of my fave old school performances of 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'... don't you just love this season... gets me all warm inside!!!
Happy Holidays!

Avec amour... Fiona
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Darren Scott Salon | The Official Review

2012-11-26T20:11:00.002Z

Okay so this 4 week fabulous straight hair story/review is one too many weeks late, but if it's any consolation it has allowed me to document my results over 4 weeks, which means the results most certainly speak for themselves!

So here's the lowdown... in October Pelumi of CareForYourHair visited the Darren Scott salon, wrote a review, dropped us some pictures and had just about everyone hopping on the 'I think I got me a new salon' bandwagon, myself included! So I gave the salon a call and turned up for my appointment in Maida Vale one early Saturday morning.

P.s. For those of you who don't know, Darren Scott is a qualified hair and make-up stylist/artist who has several celebrities in his portfolio, and who was called to style for the P&G Salon during the Paralympic Games.

Now back to the review!

I arrived early Saturday morning and was given a very warm welcome. I was then seated, offered a cuppa and introduced to James the lovely stylist who would be doing the first half of my hair treatment. Despite having my hair cut and styled by a white hair stylist before, I have to admit I was a tad bit nervous about James doing my hair, simply because I wasn't sure if he really knew what he was getting himself into! Natural hair is one thing, 11 month transitioned hair... a different ball game entirely!

However not too long after I was to discover that this wash by James would be ♫Drake- the best I have ever had♫. I was too busy snoozing to remember every fine detail, but to summarise let's just say a quick shampoo, loooooong head massage and nose alluring deep conditioning treatment [I could have eaten the air, it smelled so good! - picture of products below].

Part 2 of my wash experience then followed by James taking me back to the styling seat and telling me I would be going under the dryer. Now let's pause ladies and resume to Picture 3 below! If this isn't how to give a hair loving nerd a heart attack, then what is?! All I could think was dry this, under that? No way... tangle central and early big chop? I don't think so! Yet again a few seconds later James returned to prove my doubts wrong with some Argan Oil and what appeared to be a plastic bag... I was going to have my hair steamed!

Just to fast forward, the rest of my experience at the salon speaks for itself via the pictures below. Darren styled my hair and gave me a flawless cut and finish, the type that leaves your hair dancing in the wind [literally] and feeling like silk. The results of my treatment at the Salon have lasted 4 weeks, without the need for an extra touch of heat. Shoot I even threw in some pictures below right up until recent to show how good my hair still looks!

So on that note I'll finish and say I would give the salon a 10/10 because I can and because my hair tells me too! The salon is NOT just for black hair in fact far from, it caters to European, Asian and Afro/Caribbean hair textures. The prices are more than reasonable considering the quality of service and expertise, and hey any transitioners breaking combs and using one bottle of conditioner per wash, this may just be your fix!!!

Do check out the salon site or give the salon a call if you want to find out more about their services, and don't forget to proof the pics below!

I love me some interior design... check out the eyes! Hand painted skills!

Darren, James and Laurence in work mode

Picture 3 | Peep the scary mop that poor James had to work with! Now do you know why I was nervous!!! Post shampoo hair!

That lightbulb moment when I realised I was going to get my steam on!

Yep that's right... chop chop chop! A few steps closer to the BC!

Fresh cut... even the sunshine was appreciating!

Products : Mizani Thermasmooth Shampoo and Conditioner, Mizani Supreme Oil Conditioner, Mizani Supreme Oil,
Mizani Thermasmooth Anti-Humidity Spritz, Inoar Argan Oil, and Shu Uemura Shusu Sleek Smoothing Treatment [not in photo]

Just some photos of me enjoying my hair!

Avec amour... Fiona Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest