Maxis and Moments

10 KILOGRAMS IN 3 MONTHS CHALLENGE

2012-01-01T15:06:00.000+00:00

Yup, it is back! Today is the 1st of January and I have decided to get back on my weight loss journey. I put it on hold due to university but that really isn't a good enough reason. Especially when there are people with bigger problems and deadlines than I have that manage to make time to exercise.

The week will run till the 7th, where I will post up my results and how many pounds I have lost. Let me begin by saying that today I had a massive serving of trifle, I just could not resit it. I didn't have any breakfast and I had a double serving of rice. Yup, bad eating. I can not afford the gym any more, hard times. So the only exercise will be walking and indoor fitness routines. I might do 30 day shred, we'll see. So here is to the pounds I will get rid of, yup all 20 of them. And hopefully keep them off.

2012, HERE I COME!!

2011-12-31T14:56:00.000+00:00

I am so sorry for going AWOL, its been a month and some days since my last post. This is because I am so busy with university work, human biology is no joke! I can see why loads of people would drop out. I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I spent it cooking and ignoring shots at my turkey! So, less than 12 hours till 2012 I decided to make a "what I plan on doing in 2012" list. Its a list of stuff that I need to get done this year, so I thought I would share it here.

I failed in this area, I gained 4 pounds back from Christmas, exam stress and drama! I need to get back on my weight loss, by making time for myself and my body. My goal weight is still 75kg and I am currently 86- 87-ish, another 10 kg (20 pounds) to lose! Only this time around, I am losing a pound a week. More of this later on, I start my "no carb" phase tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.

I haven't had much time to take care of my hair properly so I had a weave done. No worries, my hairline is intact and has grown rather well. I even have 'baby hair' on my forehead! I won a blog competition from andree marie, who is an amazing blogger and hair stylist, I won a free wash, cut and finish. And Lord knows I need to have my hair properly trimmed! I am getting it done on the 9th of Jan, I can't wait! My hair grows, the only problem is retention, breakage is a bitch! I can't wait to get my weave out, I have had this weave in longer than Kim Kardashian's marriage!

OK, so when I couldn't get into my jeans before uni began I had to make the best of things and just roll with it. So I wore dresses. Correction, I wear dresses. Everyday. To university. All the time. And it feels amazing!!! When you wear what makes you look good, you feel good. I know it sounds so cliche but it is so true. This year, I will only buy clothes that I feel absolutely amazing in, who cares if I wear a black lace maxi dress to my analytical techniques lab experiments.

My older sister is getting married!! To a wonderful man, yes I approve. Guess who is the maid of honour? Me!! I am not the most 'wedding friendly' and my sister and I are complete opposites. She is Christmas and I am Halloween! I am on full maid of honour duty! And I will prepare the hen party, yup there will be a stripper!

I live in London therefore I see no point of having a car. But my loving sister, aka extra driver is moving out so I will probably have to drive myself to Sainsbury's to buy Kelly's Cornwell clotted cream ice cream. And my honeymoon plans are to drive and fly from Cape to Cario. I need to get my license this year.

My baby lives in Leicester. I live in London. It takes 3 hours to get to his and three hours to get back home. All in one day. Thank you African traditions!! It is really hard to see him once a week only. And sometimes going two weeks without seeing him. It sucks. Me no likey. So this year, I just want to put in extra bit of effort in my relationship and just get through another year. P.S_I love you Stevie.

I have never been on the London eye, or the London zoo or the London aquarium! I live in London and I have never seen or done the London basics! I haven't been to all of its museums, gardens and it is rather shameful. I live in such a wonderful city why haven't I gone to explore it? I am going to start a little explore London segment!

I am in love with Paris! And this year I plan on visiting it. The food, oh the food!! And shopping, I plan on doing my summer sales in Paris. I need to visit! I MUST!! I so want to see the world.

This directly relates to my weight and over all body health. Food is responsible for human health, I strongly believe that you can reverse certain diseases by changing your diet. It can also be used in the anti-ageing process. No matter how many creams that you put on your face, what you eat has more of an effect. FACT. You can absorb only so much via your skin. You can absorb a million times more by putting in your mouth.

I need to get a job! I am sick of being a member of Broke Phi Broke! I needs to be getting paper! How am I supposed to be a baller when I am not getting any paper? I dont even care, well, I kinda do care, what kind of a job it is. I might just get back into retail or try and get into the NHS. I would prefer something in the line of my degree. And my summer placement, I need to secure my summer placement. I want a career, not a job.

25% OFF ASOS

2011-11-23T23:18:00.000+00:00

Hurry up my luvies, it started at 9 am today! No NUS card needed. You can check out my previous post about it here! I would advise every one to use this discount, especially for Christmas gifts section Asos is currently running. Enjoy stimulating the economy!

20% OFF URBAN OUTFITTERS

2011-11-23T20:44:00.000+00:00

Let the Christmas extreme theme-ing begin! UO are offering 20% off everything in store tomorrow and online today at 8. Funny thing is that is is 8:45 and their website is currently down. Really guys? It only last 36 hours and code is JINGLE. Enjoy the shopping my luvies.

ELF PROMOTIONAL DISCOUNTS

2011-11-18T23:38:00.000+00:00

Let's see now, clearly ELF just want me to spend the last few pennies that are sitting in my account. If they didn't then why would they have so many offers at the same time. And only code per order! Aaaarrgh!! The first offer is the Beauty to go 6 in 1 palette is down from £20 to £10. It has 60 eye shadows, 12 lipsticks and 6 blushes. All for a tenner, me think this is an amazing deal! The code is HP6ONE and expires Monday.
The other discount which I do not care much for because I am not a fan of rhinestones is £5 off the new tool kit, which is bedazzled. And lastly the beauty baron (like his age on facebook!) is still running promotion for 20% off or free delivery. Type in TOPSECRET15 for 20% off or SHHDELEU for free delivery.
Enjoy the shopping my luvies.
In other news I have spent those pennies.

URBAN DECAY PRIMER POTION

2011-11-18T15:23:00.000+00:00

Ok, so you know how suppliers give big retail companies a discount when they bulk in bulk? Buyapowa.com is a website which brings a group of people to buy a certain item in bulk, about a hundred and because of that the price of the item goes down! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Today's co-buy is the urban decay primer potion which is a beauty must! Especially if you work long hours and need your eye shadow to last long. And it also makes chalky eye shadows which have bad/minimum pigmentation more colourful, especially on dark skin! I use the tiny bottle with the wand that came in with my urban decay naked palette. I think it is such a good buy and £1 for postage and packaging I am definitely buying this little bottle up.

You can learn more about how it works from here. And I think the next co-buy will be the urban decay naked palette.

CARNABY 20% SHOPPING PARTY

2011-11-06T22:43:00.000+00:00

Another party!! The last shopping party Carnaby street had was in May and I purchased my first liquid foundation (hello MAC face and body, how you doing?), I still can't believe that they are having another party! The list is up there, if you are like me I am going at least a day in advance and figure out what they hell I need and come back on the actual date because there is always a crowd. You can get your ticket by registering over here. Here's to 20% off MAC, me thinks I will get my first lipstick or eye shadow or something I find it very hard to pass up the opportunity. And I might buy my brother a pair of Vans for Christmas...

See you there my luvies.

25% OFF ASOS

2011-11-03T00:43:00.000+00:00

I have no idea why this bit of info wasn't sent to my inbox! Student are being given 25% off ASOS via UniDays. And best of all every student can get it(NO NUS CARD REQUIRED!), all you have to do is register with UniDays and you will be sent a specific code, which cannot be shared with others. I think its got to do with using your university's portal or something. It ends on Friday at 9 am, I don't think it is available on sale items as usual. I might go a bit loco in the jewellery department. Mama needs some new bling. Enjoy shopping my luvies.

HAIR HAUL.

2011-10-27T22:41:00.001+01:00

Guess who went ape-shit crazy?

So I bought a pair of shoes from Primark in Leicester (best Primark I have ever been to!) and they were on sale for £6, when I got home in London and tried them on, they did not fit. At all. Come Monday I decided to take to shoes back get a refund in Peckham and buy castor oil instead. Lets just say from the picture above that I did not stick to that £6 budget!

Jojoba, Castor and Argan oil

I literally screamed when I found these bad boys especially the Jojoba and Argan! I have been wanting them for ages! Jojoba is extra special because this oil is the closest to the natural oils that we secrete. It also penetrates the hair shaft and is great as a conditioner, it is antibacterial, moisturizing and helps new hair growth. And it is great for the skin as well, it has so msny more benefits. And best of all it was £3.49.

Castor oil is what my mum used to use when I was growing up and I had the longest hair ever! I personally think this oil stimulates the scalp and therefore hair grows much quicker and thicker. I have broken a comb or two trying to comb out the hair that has grown whilst my use of castor oil. This stuff truly works. It works so well everytime I go out to Peckham for supplies none of the stores have it, it is always sold out. I go to the same shop and the manager hides away one bottle for me, and the price for £1.99 is a bargain.

Argan (Moroccan oil) has been talked about non stop due to the "Moroccan oil" brand, which is packed to the brim with silicones and at £30 for a 100ml bottle, me no thinks so. And when I saw this little beauty I was so happy, Argan oil had ridiculously high levels of Vitamin E, fatty acid,Omega 6 and phytosterols (ah-mazing when it comes to healing scars, ezcema, stretch marks, acne and wrinkles), my hair after using this dried in about 2 and a half hours, no hair dryer( it died 3 months ago and I am not bothered enough to buy a new one), it is a over all great oil and I can wait for the strengthening effects to kick in. For 150ml of pure Argan oil ( and almond oil as a carrier oil, I checked the back for the ingredient list, always) the price is just wonderful, £5.49

Sweet almond oil and Glycerine

I love sweet almond oil! I use this on my face every night as it is great for dealing with hyperpigmentation, after shaving, it has reduced, nope eliminated ingrown hairs, I add it to my body butters for extra moisture especially now in cold weather. It is packed with fatty acid and vitamins, helps to protect against free radicals. Its just so lovely, and only £1.99 for 250ml, I will forever repurchase this oil. I love it that much.

Glycerin is usually the second or third ingredient is good hair products, why because it is an extremelly excellect humectant, it attracts water to itself. And it is more stable with water present, meaning that under no circumstances (unless high amounts of energy) is glycerin letting go of water resulting in hair being moisturized! Oh look, my Human Biology degree is being put to use! And natural hair treated with glycerin is resistant to premature breakage, relaxed hair isn't though. I bookmarked this old post from my favourite natural hair blog, she explains the science behind it all. Price is £1.99 for 250 ml

Organic Root Stimulator Smooth n Hold Pudding and Coconut oil

I have been using this for a week and I am in love with this pudding! I luuuuuuurv. I tie my hair up daily in a bun and this has been such a great help especially when I have university lectures in the morning. Organic root stimulator smooth n hold pudding for starters smells lovely, like fresh cut cucumbers, it is light in texture almost like a whipped body butter. It feels just like a body butter and most importantly for me is that even though ORS say that is is a moisturising gel it does NOT feel like a gel. I would not touch this with a stick if it made my hair feel like a gel, you know that hard, stiffness, "dry-ish-ness", that plain gel nasty-ness! It is ridiculously soft, mega soft, no complaints on this baby. My hair is moisturised, looks shiny and healthy is sooooo manageable! I get a perfect bun in 5-8 mins which for me is an accomplishment on the scale of Nobel. The pudding does not flake at all and contains no alcohol. The ingredient list is pretty decent with water and coconut oil and the first two then Mineral oil, which is okay if added after hair has been moisturised as it coats the hair and stops moisture from leaving and entering. Then polyquaternuim-11 that has antistatic properties,holds hairstyles in place and also water binds to it. Gylcerin is fifth and I pretty much stop paying attention after that, it has avocado, almond, olive and jojoba oil present. I would strongly advise everyone, relaxed, natural or tex-laxed to buy this bad boy of a pudding. And for £2.49 for 368g of product I am definitely repurchasing this tub of MacLoving.

My last oil was coconut, if oils were musicians, coconut would be Beyonce. Why? Because she is King B (guess who is a fan?) Coconut oil helps with over all hair health because it penetrates the cortex and shaft. It reduces the amount of protein lost in hair, and protein results in stronger hair which is equal to less breakage and over all longer, healthier hair. It eliminates dandruff and gets rid of lice and lice eggs. It is high in Vitamin E and K and fatty acids that protects hair form microbial action which is the number one reason as to why we have hair loss. It has a high moisture retaining capacity which means it does not let moisture escape the hair and hair therefore moisturised and soft. The secret to longer and healthier black hair is getting the protein and moisture balance right and this oil does both. This oil is a conditioning, moisturising and strengthening oil and if there is an oil to start with this is it. This 500ml tub of coconut oil was £1.79

Africare Oil Moisturiser

Ok, so I have a confession to make, since my big chop I have been using a certain moisturiser that I was in love with, we were happy, It did what I wanted and needed but a couple of months ago I realised that the texture of my hair was getting straighter and straighter. I know it could be due to my constant brushing in the same direction but you know, I will probably have to cut it all off again. So I ditched it, and bought this little hunk a dunk. I have not used it before but I have heard good things about the brand plus the ingredient list was rather enticing, the amount of protein would be beneficial for my ends which are straight as a bone! They aren't damaged, pretty thick and healthy actually, hence the need to extra protein from the moisturiser just to make sure they don't break off. This is for my ends really, and it was £4.99 for 236ml

Ingredients: Aqua, Carnation Oil, Propylene, Glycol, Pineapple Extract, Hydrolysed collagen, Hydrolysed Wheat Protein, Petrolatum, Jojoba Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Glycerol Monstrate, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, DMDM Hydention, FD&C Yellow#5, FD&C Yellow#6, Fragrance.

200 bobby pins.

I popped into the pound store got these, 200 booby pins for a pound. I cannot stress how important these are especially if you tie your hair up or need to bush it daily. They eliminate the need to over brush the ends of hair, and thus leaving for ends to grow and resulting in less breakage. When I tie my hair up I have a few stray hairs on my sides, you know near the bun instead of brushing them till they lie flat, I stick a pin in and job done. Ends protected.

Pack of shower caps and ok, I have completely blanked out as what to call them!

I call them hair bands, they were a pound from Primak and notice how they do not have mettallic clips? Those clips break hair off like crazy, they damage the hair everytime they are used. So it is better and ultimately cheaper( 30 for a pound) to buy the ones with no metal bits on them. Shower caps were from the pound store and they are a pack of three. It is winter here so there is going to be a lot of deep conditioning going on. A lot!

By the way this is my 100th post!

AMERICAN APPAREL FLEA MARKET 90% OFF

2011-10-15T13:10:00.000+01:00

Does anyone remember last year or so American Apparel had this event and they totally underestimated Londoners and we came in all of your London glory? And the BBC news reported it as a "mini-riot" and the police were involved, some people got arrested and it had to be shut down and yada yada lots of dramarama? Good times, good times.

Anywho this time around American Apparel seem to have put more effort into it and the market will run from Thursday 20th October to Tuesday the 25th of October, from 9 am to 9 pm. It will be held at the Old Truman Brewery(again!) in Brick Lane. Items start from £1 so I might pop in on Friday as that is the only day I have free. All the information is on facebook, link is here.

£5, £10 AND £20 OFF THE BODY SHOP

2011-10-14T01:23:00.000+01:00

For this weekend only the Body Shop are having offers on their website, if you spend £15,you get a fiver off, £10 off if you spend £25 or more and my favorite £20 if you spend £40 or more. The latter offer in my opinion works out as 50% off discount! And the best bit is that Body Shop have so many offers and you can use the discount on these offers, such as buy one body butter and get the other half price, the autumn seasoned products have 30% to 50% discounts and you get a free gift if you spend over £15 on skincare products. The promotional code is SUPERSAVE and it expires at noon on the Wednesday the 19th of October.

Looky at my purchase, the total worth is about £65.50 and yet I paid a lovely £20.50! £45 SAVING!! Free standard delivery, 50% off on the honey and oat scrub mask, and a free vitamin C skin reviver which sells at £13! I also noticed how the shower gels/creams come in bigger bottles than sold in stores, 400 ml and 750ml for the mango and satsuma. And yup, I bought a little facial brush, I cannot and will not buy into the Clarisonic brush hype!Cant wait for it to arrive. Enjoy shopping my luvies!

TOPSHOP FREE DELIVERY

2011-10-13T00:15:00.000+01:00

Hmmmm..I know it is free delivery but Topshop have the highest delivery charge! £4!! Its unbelievable especially when ASOS and many other stores have free delivery. I am going to order a pound sale item or something mega mega cheap (if I can find anything!) just out of spite! Lol, I love you Topshop!

15% OFF AMERICAN APPAREL

2011-10-13T00:07:00.000+01:00

AA are offering 15% off everything online, the code is STORE15, I wish the British website would update their beauty dept. like the American one. I would love a discount on Kinky curly hair products, £14 for hair gel is a bit much. By the way you can use the discount on sale and marked down items. Enjoy shopping.

40% OFF ELF

2011-10-12T23:59:00.000+01:00

So last month ELF had their last ever ever 50% off discount, fast foward to today, the lovely people at ELF are offering 40% off all of the ELF products from Tuesday til Thursday. It is an "after dark" discount valid from 5:30pm to 9:30am the next morning, so Friday will be the last day. The codes for Wednesday and Thursday are DARKWED and DARKTHUR respectively.
I recently purchased the ELF studio complexion brush, which is amazing, not as great as the powder brush. That brush itself deserves all of the awards. Enjoy shopping my lovies.

10 KILOGRAMS IN 3 MONTHS CHALLENGE WEEK UPDATE

2011-10-11T10:58:00.000+01:00

I know I am supposed to on my challenge but I am feeling a bit sick and I have university as well. I hope to start my challenge next week.

20% OFF TOPSHOP

2011-10-07T21:48:00.000+01:00

Topshop are offering a 20% discount for students. It ends on sunday instore and midday on monday online. Enjoy shopping.

20% OFF RIVER ISLAND

2011-09-27T20:06:00.000+01:00

River Island, stop it! You are spoiling us! Twice this year! What have we done to get a second student discount promotion! Wow! I am typing in shock because they are the most stingy high street store I know! Oh, wait, hello Uniqlo you-no-longer-offering-student-discount bastard!

Please check if your store (and double check, espc London the store is Oxford street 213, it is not the store near John Lewis)is on the list, and check to see what items that you like online so that when you get to the store it is just grab and go! Enjoy shopping.

10 KILOGRAMS IN 3 MONTHS CHALLENGE WEEK 12

2011-09-25T23:32:00.000+01:00

Well ladies and gentlemen this is the end. The finale chapter. 12 weeks of wonderful workouts and healthy eating choices. I am currently 84.4kg, I lost 8 kilograms of fat, a lovely 18 pounds of fatty, fat fat!

It was my birthday three days ago I am officially classified as a young female adult. I was in Manchester, Warrington, Chester, Cheshire and Stockport over the past three days. I went to see an old family friend get married, I have known her and her family since I was 4. Seeing my friend get married kind of made me think about my life and what I want to achieve, my goals. I thought about this weight loss challenge and the goals and I realised that I had done this, lost 8 kg all by myself. With no personal trainer, no diet chef, no weight watchters, no weight loss pills, just me, myself and I. And if I had done this because I was really determined why cant I achieve any of my other goals like a career that I enjoy or a lovely Zambian wedding.

I am 2 lbs away from losing the bottom last chunk of fat!

Buuuuuuuut unfortunately, my jeans do not fit me. Boo hoo! I have the pics but I am too lazy and tired to transfer and upload. And my tummy is not as flat as I would appreciate it to be soooooooo...I have decided to continue on my weight loss challenge. I did not gain all this extra weight in 3 months so why the hell would I lose it in three months? Heck the weight gain took a year and three months! I am a size 14 on top and a 14-16 on the bottom. Cheers to my size 14 M&S trousers and my H & M shorts that I can fit into completely! Uni begins tomorrow so I will begin my challenge on the 3rd of Oct when I have my timetables, same goal, same time frame, hopefully if anyone would like to join me, please do leave a comment. I am off to bed now.

Goodnight my luvlies.

20% OFF ASOS

2011-09-14T11:26:00.000+01:00

London Fashion Week is here! Fashion Nights Out has happened and the High Street Fashion Week has already gone. ASOS are offering a 20% discount on new full priced season items. The promo code is HAPPYLFW. Enjoy shopping.

20% OFF MISS SELFRIDGE

2011-09-14T10:48:00.000+01:00

Yup, school is back! And you know what that means; all the high street and online shops will be offering 20% discount for students. They know that we just got our student finance loans and EMA's ( haven't the govt. cancelled that yet? the bastards! worse than Margaret Thatcher). The first to do so this year is Miss Selfridge, for a limited time, until the 27th of September you can go in store and get 20% off.

However, you can only use an NUS card online. To every student in the UK, GET AN NUS EXTRA CARD! I know it is a tenner but you will save so much money that the card will practically pay for itself in the end. You get at least 10% off at Suerdrug, Pizza Express,Dominos, Asos, Game, Mc Donalds, Dorothy Perkins, Odeon and Vue cinemas. Trust me! You need this card in your life!

10 KILOGRAMS IN 3 MONTHS CHALLENGE WEEK 11

2011-09-14T10:32:00.000+01:00

So I am currently 85.5. 200g less than I was last week. Aunt Flo is packing her bags right about now. These are my confessions; last week I ate rather recklessly and did not go to the gym so I knew that this was going to be my result.

I have 9 days to go. I am aiming to finish my challenge in the 83 kg range, which is a bit of a leap but heck I will put in work at the gym in the morning and go for a walk/run in the park in the evening plus all those bedroom-yoga-exercises. And most importantly keeping an eye on my portion control, because weight loss is 75% diet and 25% exercise. Till' next week my luvies!

10 KILOGRAMS IN 3 MONTHS CHALLENGE WEEK 10

2011-09-08T13:41:00.000+01:00

I just want to get my teddy and pass out.

I am writing this on my death bed, well it feels like my death bed. Aunt Flo is in town and the bitch has come at me so hard bro. I am currently in a fetal position on my bed screaming why God, why!! Aaaaaarrggghhhh! FML. There isn't much to say, am in a foul mood, I havent been to the gym all week, I have missed out on 3 sessions, maybe I will drag my behind to the gym. Which is highly unlikely.

The weight is at 85.7kg, isn't that the same as last week?? On the positive side at least the number isn't as big as I thought, Aunt Flo always makes me pack on a couple extra pounds so I am not fussed. I just want this bloody nightmare to end. NOW.

One great thing about this week is I got all my old clothes that I put away, ok, hid away because I could not fit into them, and I tried on each and every item. They are currently enjoying the comfort of being back in my wardrobe. I tried on all on, except the jeans. Those size 14 jeans are on hold until my birthday. My t shirts, skirts, dresses, tops, jumpers, coats, sweaters, all fit my body. I felt very very proud of myself. I have accomplished half, ok, three quarters of my goal, now to fit into my 20 pairs of jeans. Yes, I have 20, minus my jeggings. I take care of my jeans, they are washed after two to three wears, always washed inside out, and always taken off the minute I get home. Firstly, I do not like them faded and secondly I love taking my jeans off after a long day in them, its the same "bra- feeling". Go me! Only 2 weeks left!

10 KILOGRAMS IN 3 MONTHS CHALLENGE WEEK 9

2011-08-31T14:09:00.000+01:00

23 more days till I am like "set timer on camera then pose..."

Tomorrow is the first of September! 23 more days. I have lost weight people! I am a lovely 85.8 kg that is down from 87.5 kg, almost 2 kilos= 4.4 pounds. Unfreaking believable! And the best bit is that the water weight I had, it is still the same, 48.2 a kilo heavier. I am a pretty happy bunny.

I have eaten okayish this week, so I have eaten three bars of chocolate, it is not my fault! They were Cadbury cashew nut and coconut chocolate bars! It is the most amazing chocolate bar known to man, my mom brought some back from Kenya. They were amazing. Monday was my sister's engagement party which meant loooooaaads of food and different types of cakes, donuts, biscuits, chocolates, EVERYTHING! I did try but not as well as I could, I went over my one 250 ml glass of Coca Cola a week rule. Bad Cho Cho, bad! And to make matters worse/better..I had a champagne lunch yesterday with my best friend. Lovely yummy bubbly, sandwiches, tea, sweets, scones and fruit! Really, really lovely.

250ml of Coca Cola equals 105 calories and 29grams of sugar, which is 29% of sugar intake! And we all drink the 500ml bottle, which is now 210 calories and 58 grams of sugar which is 60% o sugar intake which will in the end get stored as FAT!

Gym was bad, Friday was raining, cats and dogs, Saturday I was with Stevie, Sunday I was made to stay on and eat lunch at church, Monday was the Zambian engagement and I was supposed to be present and taking notes, Tuesday I was out with LaLa. So ummm...yea, 5 days no gym. Don't worry I am off to the gym as soon as I finish typing this...and watching awkward online!

The Hair Chronicles...Neem Oil For Hair Growth (MN substitute)

2011-08-30T02:14:00.000+01:00

My hair oils; neem, castor, coconut and almond.

These are all the oils that I use on my hair, I decided to show what exactly is going on with my hair and what products that I am using. I am in love with natural oils, they have so many benefits and are all rather cheap.

So the first in the "series" is Neem Oil- this is an Indian oil that has been used for thousands of years, it is used in making cosmetics, it is used as an insecticides, cures skin disorders, it is also anti-fungal, used as contraception, as an immune booster. This little bad boy has a lot to offer, the Indian lady at the store I got this from swore that it has boosted her hair growth.

I have been using Neem oil for over two months now, and let me start by putting a disclaimer out there! This stuff STINKS! Almost on the level of decaying flesh. When I first purchased it I happily poured it all over my scalp before a gym session. Error! Wrong! Computer says no! It stank so bad, my brother and sister begged me to wash it out. Three different shampoos and two different types of conditioner, my hair still smelt like death! It was really, really, really bad, I would rather go 6 months without washing my hair than a day with my hair smelling like that. Never again.

Now the positives, my hair has grown, pretty well. I trimmed my ends, about a inch off two months ago and I have regained it all. I must put a pic up some time. Seriously. Neem oil works, I will say that it promotes hair growth because it is anti-fungal. A clean scalp = hair growth. Fact. My scalp is also in really good condition, no flakes, no itching, no nada. A main point I want to raise is many women on youtube using MN, Daktarin, for hair growth, this oil will have the same hair growth results without the unbearable side effects, those damn migraines! I know this because Neem oil is used to cure thrush and jock itch, this is what MN is used to cure. So get some Neem oil instead, its natural, may smell horrible but it is safer in the end.

Hair is not breaking, now I know that I cannot say that this one thing is responsible for my hair growth but I would say it is a massive factor! I mix Neem oil with the other oils in the photo above because it requires a carrier oil.

HAIR BOOTCAMP

2011-08-28T22:40:00.000+01:00

So this is a cut and copy from Lauren Conrad's website, thebeautydepartment.com. It has become one of my favourite websites of all time. She addresses all skin tones, all hair types, everything! I was and still am Team Lauren, and her website is another reason why I love her. There is a wonderful ombre hair tutorial that she did on the website, and many make up and hair tutorials! It is a must if you are like me and still learning the bits and bobs of hair and make up. Have a look.

Alright. This is serious. As promised, you’re all getting a free trip to hair boot camp this weekend. This is a post for those of you who asked for a hardcore hair health plan. If you don’t have time to do it this weekend, MAKE TIME! (That’s my best boot camp yell.) Look through these images and see which of these lovely ladies most represents your hair type. Once you find your number(s), follow the letter keys at the bottom. Do as many as you can over a weekend. Without a doubt, this little health boost for your hair will have you well on your way to shiny strands!

1. Naturally curly hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, M, O, P, Q

2. Virgin hair: Weekend- A, B, D, H, I Regularly- J, L, M (twice a month), O, Q, S

3. Color treated hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, F (for hilights), G (blondes), H (brunettes/redheads), Regularly- J (blondes), K (brunettes/redheads), M (brunettes/redheads), N (blondes), O, P, Q, R, S

4. Heavy + straight hair: Weekend- A, B, D, H, I Regularly- J, L, M (on the ends), O, P, Q, S

5. Bleached or high-lift blonde hair: Weekend- A (only shampoo once with clarifying shampoo. if you need to shampoo again, use your regular shampoo!), B, D, E, F, G, I Regularly- J, alternate M + N, O, P, Q, R, S

6. Naturally wavy or frizzy hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, L, M, O, P, Q, S

7. Beach hair or hair affected by weather: Weekend- A, B, D, E, F (if yellowed from sun + salt water), H, I Regularly- J (if hair is colored) K (if hair is not colored), L, M, O (you can also apply spray-on sunscreen to your hair before going to the beach), P, R

8. Hair with extensions or a weave: Weekend- A, B, C, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, L, M, O, P (on your hair and the extension or weave hair), Q, R, S

YOUR WEEKEND TO DO:

A. Shampoo your hair with a clarifying shampoo. Focus on massaging it into your scalp using your fingertips and let it naturally clean the ends as you rinse it through. This will remove any film caused by product build-up or natural oil build-up. That film will be a dulling residue in the long run, so you need to remove it when you feel it. If your shampoo doesn’t lather, try shampooing it one more time. When hair is clean, it lathers. That’s when you know you’ve removed all the gunk. Good lather = clean slate! Note: This is NOT something you would do every time you shampoo because it would be TOO cleansing and strip all the nutrients. Only do this once or twice a month.

B. Blend 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup jojoba oil + 1/4 cup coconut oil in a bowl. At night, apply a light amount to your ends and put it in a low braid or bun. Don’t soak it or you’ll end up with a greasy pillow! The size of a nickel or quarter will be plenty. It moisturizes while you sleep! In the morning, wake up and apply a more liberal coat from the middle to the ends of your hair. (Rub a little into your scalp if it’s dry! If you have an oily scalp, skip it.) Put it in a low bun for the day. You OBVIOUSLY want to do this on a low-key weekend because walking around with oil in your hair isn’t exactly… a trend. In the evening, shampoo lightly to remove oils and condition as usual.

C. If you have extensions or a weave, it’s really important to clean your real hair, so focus on getting in between the wefts with shampoo + your fingertips. Repeat if necessary until it lathers. Do small, gentle, circular motions with your fingertips. Not too rough or you will tangle the hair above your extensions or weave. Let the shampoo rinse through the ends as you rinse it out. It’s never a good idea to vigorously scrub at the ends of extensions or a weave. That can be a bad scene. Condition heavily from middle to ends. Avoid getting conditioner near the tops of the extensions because that can cause slipping. Make sure to rinse all shampoo + conditioner out from in between wefts or your scalp will itch.

D. Whip up this Kitchen Beautician mask as directed, put it on from roots to ends + put a shower cap or saran wrap over it. Apply light heat with a blow dryer. Let it sit for one hour. Rinse + lightly shampoo.

E. Check out your hair under a microscope. Rough towel drying can surprisingly cause damage. Try switching out your hair towel out for an old absorbent t-shirt! This is one of my favorite tricks for eliminating frizz!!

F. Shampoo for 2-3 minutes using a purple shampoo! Toning shampoo has a dark purple base and will cut out unwanted yellow-y or brassy tones. It looks scary and dark when it comes out of the bottle but don’t worry. Ask your colorist which one they’d recommend.

G. Ask your colorist or hairstylist to recommend a repairing protein mask. Protein masks are used to re-build weakened or chemically-compromised hair.

H. Ask your colorist or hairstylist to recommend a moisturizing mask. Moisture is much different that protein. Moisture masks are extremely important for naturally curly hair, virgin hair, and those with single-process color.

I. Apply leave-in conditioner! It helps detangle, seals down the cuticle, restores the ph balance, and promotes shine. Try to find one that’s weightless!

YOUR REGULAR TO DO:

J. Switch to a sulfate free shampoo + conditioner. To put it simply, they don’t strip the proteins from your hair. There’s no point to doing protein treatments if you’re just going to wash them out, right?

K. Use a moisture rich shampoo + conditioner. Curly/wavy hair naturally lacks moisture. It’s less about proteins for this kind of hair and more about retaining moisture. Maybe even try a natural or organic brand from your local health food store!

L. When in the shower, be sure to focus on shampooing the root until it lathers and conditioning the middle to ends. This will this will create the cleanest canvas and maximize volume for hair that’s straight or heavy.

M. Continue using a moisturizing mask once a week! It will soften your hair and promote shine. It will also help eliminate dryness that can lead to breakage.

N. Continue using a protein mask twice a month. It will strengthen your hair from the outside in and creates a protective protein shell in the long run. Great for weakened hair caused by over-processing!

O. Use a protective serum or argan oil on your ends before + after blow drying. Also great for eliminating frizz and creating shine when air-drying.

P. Every 8 weeks, go in and get a color gloss with your hair colorist or do a store-bought color glaze at home. I say it all the time and I think everyone should do this! It’s like a band-aid for the hair. You can actually extend the life of your haircut by doing this in between cuts. It literally seals down split ends temporarily.

Q. If you’re guilty of OVERSTYLING from blowing out or curling your hair every day, substitute one or two of those days with a non-heat styled updo, like a messy ponytail, the Ballerina Bun or the Fun Bun.

R. Invest in the best shampoo, conditioner and/or leave-in conditioner. If you’re spending a lot of money on a beautiful hair color, you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible and doesn’t fade. Most of the time, higher-end brands DO use higher quality ingredients. Find out what your hairstylist thinks will make the biggest difference. Try it out. Keep the receipt, because most high-end brands also guarantee their products.

S. Don’t spray hairspray before you curl or flat iron! You’re basically baking alcohol into your hair. Try your best to only spray after you use a hot tool of any kind. If you need the extra help with hold, use a thermal protectant spray. Any hairstylist will be able to help you find a good one!

Now, I know you guys want product recommendations, but like I’ve said before, you should try and get a recommendation in person from a professional! If you can’t make it in to the salon, I personally look to Allure for product reviews because they have the best break downs. Do your research + get samples! Just because a bottle is pretty and the product smells good, doesn’t mean it’s doing the best job. And last but certainly not least, continue taking vitamins for MAXIMUM hair health!

Xx Kristin

Tags: boot, boot camp, bootcamp, camp, conditioner, conditioning, hair bootcamp, hair repair, kristin ess, lauren conrad, moisturize, the beauty department,thebeautydepartment.com