From Dyed and Fried to Happy and Nappy

It has been TOO long...

2011-12-23T13:27:00.003-05:00

Hi Lovelies! It has been WAY too long. After my summer internship in New York City, I moved back to Ithaca for my last year at Cornell. School mixed with wedding planning and recruiting made for a hectic life. So for the most part, I have been rockin' my natural hair. I did however get a weave for our engagement pictures. Here is one for your viewing pleasure :).

Photo by Love Life Images, Inc.

So let's talk about the weave. My weave was beautiful, but I decided to leave some of my real hair out to make it look more natural. I have never done this before. I usually get full weaves, not exposing any of my natural hair. Here is a close up (you know I can't resist showing off my handsome fiancé). This was a hasty decision because I didn't think about the maintenance for keeping my hair straight, especially since I have a trainer 3 times a week. When my hair was freshly straightened, it blended very well with the weave (this time I used wavy Indian Remy human hair). But as the days went on it was harder and harder to blend. I ended up putting heat on my hair 3 times a week and using that much heat on my hair concerned me. Since I rarely straighten my hair, I didn't want the heat to alter my curl pattern for that one section that I left out. I was very good about using heat protecting products before any heat touched my hair, but that still didn't make me feel comfortable.

Another issue I had to deal with was due to my hair thinning due to Alopecia. Making sure my scalp wasn't exposed was difficult and really left me feeling insecure. I did discover "hair shadow" which is basically eyeshadow for your scalp. The stuff is great. I was able to put this on my scalp to give the appearance of hair; this stuff was a lifesaver.

Well I managed to leave my weave in only for one month. I'm going to Brazil (yay) for 10 days and the thought of having to deal with the heat, humidity and my hair, was too much to think about. I have noticed that my curls are more relaxed in that one spot that I was flat ironing on a regular basis.

I'm glad to have my natural hair back. I'm still following my same wash, condition, and styling routine, but I am finding that I experiment with how I wear my twist outs a lot more. Here are some pics of my latest 'do. Also, I put a clear rinse in my hair a few months ago. I'm sure it has rinsed by now, but I'm loving my hair color (most of the henna has grown out).

Reasonably priced products alert! Check out Pooka.

2011-08-11T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hello lovelies. As my internship ends, reality has set in and I'm slowly realizing that I am once again a broke student (only one more year of this, praise the Lord).

Pooka Pure and Simple is an all natural, handmade beautycare line that was conceived after the creator, Dawn Fitch, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She decided to take a natural approach to hair and skincare by making her own products. I was even happier when I realized that the products are *gasp* affordable!

I had the pleasure of trying the Shea & Olive Hair Butter (4 ounces) and the Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment (4 ounces). Following are the ingredients for each:

Shea & Olive Hair Butter - Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Beeswax, Rosemary Oil, Lavender Oil, Fragrance
Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment - Avocado Oil, Olive Oil, Rosemary Oil, Lemon Oil, Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, Fragrance, Lavender Buds, Rosemary Leaf, Lemon Peel

The first thing I noticed, about both products, was the amazing smell. Both products smell so crisp and fresh and made me even more eager to try them. The great thing about the Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment, is that it comes with a dropper, which makes scalp application a breeze! The Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment claims to stimulate growth which I think is something that should be evaluated on a case by case basis. As you all know, my hair doesn't "love" oils, so I've been using the Nectar Hair Oil & Treatment for nightly scalp massages. This product also doubles as a hot oil treatment, which I have yet to try.

I've been using the Shea & Olive Hair Butter once or twice a week as a moisturizer for my twists. What is great about this product is that it doubles as a body moisturizer as well.

I can easily see both products becoming staples in my hair routine. Give them a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.

ORS Lock & Twist Gel for Two-Strand Twists

2011-08-02T19:17:00.002-04:00

Every so often, I like to switch up my products and routine. I have been craving a product that would leave my twists defined but not crunchy and this has been my quest for the summer! I remembered that I had a container of ORS (Organic Root Stimulator Lock) and Twist Gel, that I had used only once before and blogged about it. When I used it, my hair was a lot shorter, so wet sets weren't my friend at the time. But 2 weeks ago, I decided to revisit it. Before I shared the results with you all, I had to make sure they weren't a fluke and I used it again this weekend. Let me tell you....

+ = defined, soft, moisturized twists

These two products may have become my go to for my wet twist outs (at least for a little while). My curls are defined but not crunchy, soft, and moisturized. Here's the kicker... my hair looked great for an entire week. Simply retwisting and refreshing with some Moroccan Oil resulted in some beautiful styles throughout the week!

So the million dollar question is, what are the ingredients in the ORS Lock & Twist Gel? Well let me tell you, for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised: Water, Coconut Milk, Soybean Oil, PVP, Polyquarternium 37, Propyl Paraben, Methyl Paraben, DMDM Hydantoin, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Sucrose. For more info on some of the ingredients, I went to my new favorite website.

PVP - You many want to stay away from this ingredient IF in shampoos and conditioners as it may cause build-up. But in gels, it is okay.
Polyquarternium-37 - You many want to stay away from this ingredient IF in shampoos and conditioners as it may cause build-up. But in gels, it is okay.
Propyl & Methyl Paraben - Some studies (in animals) show that parabens can lead to breast cancer. Some feel very strongly about parabens, so please make sure you are fully educated before making a decision about this product or any other product containing parabens.

I have also figured out a way to combat the shrinkage I experience from wet twisting. After I finish twisting my hair and before I sit under the dryer for a few minutes (I sit under the dryer just long enough to take the wetness out of my twists and I let my twists air dry the rest of the way), I pull my twists taunt, and pin them. This way, they dry while they are stretched out.

My hair hasn't stayed this soft, for this long... maybe ever!

2011-07-14T09:24:00.006-04:00

Lovelies, I have a new discovery! What's my secret weapon, you ask? Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair conditioner. For months, I have been wondering about Dove hair care products, but already had way too many shampoos and conditioners to justify a new purchase. Finally I gave in an purchased the Intensive Repair conditioner anyways.

One Friday I worked from home and decided to try the conditioner as a pre-poo and I left it in for hours. The smell isn't overwhelming and is pleasant, the conditioner feels thick and substaintial (too often non-salon conditioners feel thin and like water), and the ingredients are okay. Here are some of the ingredients and info courtesy of Tightly Curly. I didn't list all of the ingredients, so be sure to research them and make the call for yourself. The ingredients are listed right on the Dove website as well.

The Good
Dimethicone - a silicone that conditions by preventing water loss.
Behentrimonium chloride - Used for detangling and as an anti-static ingredient and emulsifier.
Lactid Acid - Adjusts the pH and acts as a humectant, helping to attract moisture to your hair.
Dipropylene Glycol - Humectant

The Bad
Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine - This is used to keep the product from separating and can be slightly corrosive to hair if not properly neutralized.
Potassium Chloride - Is a cheap thickener.

So after a lengthy pre-poo, I continued on with my normal routine for the most part. But for my deep conditioner, I mixed my go-to Redken Butter Treat with Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Daily Treatment. I followed with the Knot Today leave-in and two-strand twisted with Jane Carter's Twist & Lock cream. Perfection is what I got!!!! My hair has been super soft and moisturized for almost a week. I haven't experienced this in a very long time, if ever.

So think about it, learn about it, and perhaps you will give it a try. I have no complaints and I am sitting here right now pre-pooing with my new staple product!

To Leave-In or Not to Leave-In...

2011-07-01T10:21:00.000-04:00

As you all know, I have an absolute love affair with Redken's Butter Treat. Over the past 4 years of experimenting with every product out there, Butter Treat is by far the best deep conditioner I have found. The instructions state that the conditioner doesn't have to be rinsed out and can be left in as a treatment. I have never done this before, because I wasn't completely convinced that this was the case. So last week I decided to leave it in, instead of rinsing it out. With that said, I didn't use Knot Today, like I normally do. I added a little Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue to each twist because I wanted my twists to maintain definition. I used very little because I didn't want my hair to have the crunchy feeling that I have had before from using the Curly Meringue.

So all was well until I untwisted my hair the next norning. My hair had this "dusty film" to it (sounds gross, doesn't it). I think I used way too much Butter Treat and the excess product dried and created a "dusty film" on my hair. It wasn't a huge deal and wasn't really noticeable, but it was gross at first because I didn't know what was going on. I'm doing my hair again today and I'm going to try using the Butter Treat as a leave-in, but I will definitely use less.

I have also been experimenting with updos, now that my hair is longer. I LOVE wearing my hair up, but it takes so many pins to keep the style secure. I bought a cute, pink flower from a craft fair last weekend in Jersey City and now I am on the hunt for more cute hair accessories. I think updos + hair accessories are my new summer go tos!

Weekly Shampoo, Condition, & Twist Routine

2011-06-20T11:23:00.000-04:00

I thought that I would post a video of my current weekly routine. Right now, this seems to be working for me, but I will keep everyone updated if I start to do something a bit different.

YouTube Chanel: HappyAndNappyElisa

2011-06-13T21:51:00.000-04:00

So I decided to start a YouTube channel. Sometimes I'm in the mood to chat rather than write an actual post. As some of you may know, this isn't my first YouTube appearance (google my name and my videos some come up in the search). Enjoy!

Post Weave Routine

2011-06-12T00:09:00.000-04:00

So first off let me say that my hair was sooooo tangled and I don't think that I managed to get all of the tangles out -- such a nightmare. I think my Alopecia is under control for the most part. I'm still taking my antibiotics. As far as I can tell, no hair is growing back. So below is what I did yesterday after I took my weave out.

Washed with Suave Rosemary + Mint shampoo (shout out to my summer employer).
Quick conditioned with Suave Rosemary + Mint conditioner and started to detangle. I tried to divide my hair into sections and comb out all of the dead hair. It was hard and like I said above, I don't think that I got all of the tangles out.
Mixed my favorite deep conditioner, Redken Butter Treat conditioner, with extra-virgin coconut oil. I let this marinate on my hair for about 5 minutes. I probably should have sat under the dryer, but I didn't have time.
While my hair was still damp, I put a few drops of Moroccan Oil through my hair. This stuff smells AMAZING. Moroccan Oil has been on my wish list for a while now, so I purchased the very small bottle at my local beauty supply store for about $12 and I am not disappointed at all!
I used what little bit that I had left of the Kinky Curly Knot Today to try to finish detangling my hair.
Using no additional product, I did very big 2-strand twists, sealed the ends with more Moroccan Oil, and let my hair air dry.

I'm just amazed at how long my hair is now. I'm sure that I need a good trim. I'm thinking of attempting to do this myself, little by little, as I continue to do my hair each week. It shouldn't be too hard to clip my ends when my hair is twisted. More to come!

Oh how I missed my natural hair!

2011-06-10T19:09:00.000-04:00

Lovelies, your girl is back! I just took my weave out and I can not BELIEVE how much my hair has grown. I still haven't washed my hair (yes -- I know that's funky), but I was pressed to take a picture and post! I will post my "after weave" regimen and pics of my 'do when I'm done.

I'm Coming Home!

2011-06-02T08:33:00.000-04:00

Hi lovelies. I know that I have been MIA for the past month or so, but I am getting back into the swing of things. In the past month, I finished my first year of business school, moved to NYC, and started my internship where I am working on a hair care brand. As you can imagine, I am in heaven.
I'm writing specifically today to share that I am taking the weave out (if I can get it out) this weekend. It's time to unleash the curls and see what I am working with. I'm feeling so anxious, excited, and ready for a change. I've missed my natural hair and have had hair envy walking through the streets of NYC.
Summer in the city calls for rocking my curls. Stay tuned for updates and pictures.

New beginning

2011-04-12T21:40:00.000-04:00

As I am sure you can tell, this blog has been stagnant. But I have so much going on in my life, and no where to write about. So enter my new blog - The Almost Life of Elisa. I am no way abandoning this blog; it's my baby. Just creating another outlet for me to talk about everything going on in my life. So please, follow along and let me know what you think!

Please help us win the Crate & Barrel 2011 Ultimate Wedding Contest!!!

2011-02-07T23:56:00.000-05:00

Lovelies!

My fiancé and I are trying to win a $100,000 wedding of a lifetime from Crate & Barrel's 2011 Ultimate Wedding contest! Please follow this link and help us out by voting! Thank you!

PS - Spread the love... we need all the help we can get!

I Miss Y'all!

2011-01-30T17:38:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, Lovelies!

So let's see if I can catch y'all up on what's going on in my life; hair and non-hair related. I'm still rocking the weave and plan to for a while. My hair seems to be growing well and I rather keep it "safe" rather than neglect it and not care for it properly due to my crazy schedule. Lord knows I miss my curls, but I just don't have the time that I used to. My goal is to continue growing my hair in both a natural and healthy way. The wedding is in 2012 and I would love to wear my natural hair either pressed with tracks (something like a Malaysian weave) or big and curly - who knows.

I started the South Beach diet a little under 2 weeks ago and I am seeing great results. Phase 1 has been tough, but I have definitely lost inches around my midsection. I am set to start Phase 2 on Wednesday, but I may do more of a Phase 1/Phase 2 mix to keep losing as much weight as possible. My doctor actually highly recommended the South Beach diet. She says that everyone should be eating this way; so give it a try if you are trying to lose weight and adopt a healthy way of eating. I really like it so far because there is no measuring involved and I am never hungry (3 meals and 2 snacks - you have to eat dessert)! I will admit, if you are a "carb fiend" like me, the first couple of days will suck... bad. But you kind of get used to it.

School is going well. My first semester was hard but taught me a lot about what I am really capable of doing when pushed to the limit. This semester is going to be just as busy, but I am taking mostly Marketing classes, which have been pretty cool thus far.

So I guess I should get back to work. Miss you all dearly!

Closure

2010-12-20T07:27:00.000-05:00

So I got the results back from my doctor a few weeks ago. I do in fact have Central Scarring Alopecia. I am happy to finally have closure on this but now it is definitely real.

She put me on antibiotics twice a day, which is good. The downside is that they make me nauseous and I have be very careful about what I eat before and after I take the medicine. I have been on them for almost a month I wasn't sure if they were "working" or not since I am still wearing a weave. I just got home for break and it was time to get my weave redone. I was dreading taking out my braids and combing through my hair. But to my surprise, I didn't lose that much hair and I really think that the medicine is working. My scalp hasn't been sore or itchy either, so I am feeling good about the prospect of not losing anymore hair.

So my plan is to keep wearing this protective style in hopes of giving my natural hair a rest. It has grown a lot and I hope to continue keeping it "safe" for a little longer. I figure the longer my hair is, the easier it will be to hide my bald spots.

Once again, the Marcella Ellis Salon did a fantastic job and I opted for something a little shorter this time. All in all things are well and I will keep you all updated on my hair health.

The Waiting Game...

2010-11-17T15:38:00.000-05:00

So things with me are pretty good. I go home for Thanksgiving Break next week and I have been doing well with my coursework. But my hair woes still continue. Last week I finally got to see the dermatologist. I had to wait months to get an appointment; literally months - I called to make an appointment when I got to school in August, and they couldn't see me until November. I'm not sure if it's because I have crappy student health insurance, or if there is just one dermatologist in Ithaca, or a combination of the two.

Well the doctor was definitely worth the wait. She was fantastic and I immediately felt more comfortable under her care than I have previously with my doctor back in DC. To my surprise, she wanted to do a scalp biopsy. Mind you... I just put this weave in and it cost a pretty penny. To my surprise, she was hip on her weave knowledge and she promised me that she wouldn't completely destroy my masterpiece :). She cut about a 1/2 inch square of the net, so my scalp was exposed and the rest...I wasn't prepared for.

Next she whips out a needle and then asks me, "Are you good with needles?" I mean I am but I wasn't prepared for all of this! I thought she was just going to look at my scalp and go from there. So she numbs the area of my scalp and literally takes a piece of my scalp and prepares it for the lab. A hair specialist is as we speak analyzing my scalp and trying to figure out if indeed have Central Scarring Alopecia. The doctor thinks that I do and she asked me how aggressively I want to try and treat this, if this is in fact the case. I told her I am willing to try anything within reason. There are some oral medications that we may be able to try, but I am waiting to hear back from her, before I think about that.

I miss my natural poof.

I'm sorry that I don't have more to say on "natural hair" at the moment, but I hope sharing my story helps others. More to come soon.

Weave-a-licious

2010-10-21T20:45:00.000-04:00

So the doctors are still trying to figure out if I truly have Alopecia or if something else is going on. In the mean time, it was getting harder and harder for me to conceal the bald/thin spots so I opted for a full weave. I used to rock weaves when I had a relaxer, but hadn't really considered getting one once I was natural, until now.

I found a salon in the DC area that specializes in weaves for women with scalp and hair issues. Marcella Ellis hair salon is located in Greenbelt, MD and was worth the money and the drive! I will definitely be going back. Her staff was gentle with my hair and put me at ease.

When I used to get weaves, I ordered my hair from Adorable Hair-Do, but I didn't have enough advance notice this time (they are located in NYC and they actually overnight the hair to you). I'm actually glad that I didn't, because the salon had virgin Indian Remy hair that I absolutely love! It is very good quality and I will be able to use it multiple times, just like the hair from Adorable.

Happy Engagement to Me!

2010-09-21T00:43:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find a package at my door. Turns out it was an engagement gift from NaturallyCurly.com! The box of hair goodies included (in addition to the list, I got some trial sizes of some other great stuff):

Mizani True Textures Curl Replenish
Mizani True Textures Moisture Stretch
Mizani True Textures Perfect Curl
Cutler Specialist Molding Putty
Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Pomade (this stuffs smells AMAZING)

So first things first, I must try something! I just took a midterm today (I started writing this yesterday, so yes, I had a midterm on a SUNDAY!) so this is my treat to myself - some good old hair time.

I washed my hair with my medicated shampoo and KC Come Clean. Instead of my normal deep conditioner (Redken Butter Treat), I used the Curl Replenish moisturizing masque. My initial thought was, "Hmmm, why did I have to use half of the container for one treatment?" So after detangling with KC Knot Today, I used a mixture of Moisture Stretch and Perfect Curl to two-strand twist. Now before you ask me... yes, the ingredient list kind of sucks (for starters there is Mineral Oil in the Moisture Stretch). After I sat under the dryer for a total of an hour, my hair felt super soft.

So fast forward to this morning. I untwisted my hair and thought it felt very soft. But as I was sitting in class and touching my hair... it felt kinda greasy. Yuck. So as of right now: 1 point for Curl Replenish and 0 for Moisture Stretch. I won't pass judgement on Perfect Curl quite yet.

Regardless, my hair looks cute.

Afro Glitz Web Awards 2010 Finalist

2010-09-20T08:13:00.000-04:00

Lovelies - I am now a finalist in the "Best Hair Blog" category for the 2010 Afro Glitz Web Awards!!! I am so excited and want to thank you all for nominating me. I am working on a post about some new products I tried last night. I will post ASAP. Hugs!

Still going strong... I think

2010-09-07T08:38:00.000-04:00

So Ithaca is treating me well, I am just busy beyond belief. And for that reason, I haven't really experimented with any new styles or products. I have been sticking to my "go to" look - the wet twist out using KCC. The summer weather has been beautiful up here - nice dry air. But summer will soon be gone and the horrid winter weather will be moving in.

I have done two henna treatments since I have been here and I hope that I can keep doing them once every few weeks. The problem is finding the time to devote to doing the treatments.

I can't tell if I am still losing my hair due to the Alopecia. Some days I am super paranoid and think that I am, and other days I feel like it looks the same. So I am trying to keep up with my vitamins and using my ointments. Getting an appointment with a dermatologist is ridiculously hard up here (I think there is only one lol).

School has started + Big news!

2010-08-19T00:10:00.000-04:00

So my blog posts will be sporadic for the next few months! The first semester of school will be no joke, but I hope to find time to update you all on my hair joys and woes.

But in huge news... I'm engaged! So now I am ever more focused on growing long, healthy hair, so I can blow it out for the wedding (and add a few tracks lol).

More to come, but I just wanted to post a quick update. Miss y'all!

I did it again...

2010-07-24T19:47:00.000-04:00

So remember that left over henna in my freezer? Well it was calling me! I had some already mixed and some that was still in the powder form. I let my frozen mix thaw (probably for about an hour or two) and then I added the rest of the henna powder I had. I brewed two green tea bags in about a cup of water and added the warm tea to my mix (probably about 1/2 cup). I had no problems mixing up the frozen with the dry.

I let the mix sit for about 30 minutes while I washed my hair. I added in about a tablespoon of honey, mixed, and applied it. After about 4 hours I rinsed it out and oh my goodness...I can see how people get hooked on henna!!! The color is fabulous, my hair is soft and my curls look so springy!

After my deep condition, I twisted my hair with KCC and Knot Today as I normally doand I am now sitting under the dryer (I usually let my hair air dry, but it takes 12+ hours and I need to catch a plane tomorrow afternoon).

I ordered some Punjabi Prime after I consulted with the folks at Mehandi.com again. I want a little more kick after day one. I will definitely post pictures of those results. Not sure if I will see any difference.

I wish that I would have discovered henna a LONG time ago!

Henna Color - Day 3

2010-07-22T08:58:00.001-04:00

So my color has changed and it isn't as "bright" as it was when I first did it. I knew that as the henna oxidized, that it would change, but I miss the initial color. I may need to experiement with another variety of henna and just deal with the super bright color on day one. Or maybe I need to sleep in the henna and let it deposit much longer. I do like how the henna looks on my natural hair color though. It looks like I have beautiful, natural looking red highlights.

My hair still feels nice and soft and I can't wait to order some more henna, but now I just need to figure out what to order. Decisions, decisions...

Thoughts?

Best of the Best Video Blog!!!

2010-07-22T08:51:00.000-04:00

Lovelies! I have great news to share. My video blog for NaturallyCurly.com is one of the "Best of the Best" for 2010! Check out the other products, blogs and video blogs included on this list as well! Thank you so much for continuing to support me. Love you all!

My First Henna Experience

2010-07-20T17:30:00.001-04:00

So I did it! My first henna experience went well. I have to admit that I was nervous. When I opened up the package of henna powder, smelled it and saw how green it was, I really had second thoughts. But after all the research I did, I calmed myself down and took a leap of faith! I used the Henna for African-American Hair from mehandi.com and followed the instructions provided by Curly Nikki in her instructional video. The only difference was that I mixed my henna and let it sit overnight before applying it. When I woke up the next day, my henna mixture was a rich, chocolate brown color, instead of green.

I was actually surprised that I didn't make a mess applying it and all in all the process was pretty easy, just time consuming. So make sure you plan out the process so you have plenty of time to mix the henna, apply it and let it sit in your hair, deep condition and then style. I left the henna in for about 4 hours. Next time I want to try sleeping in it to see if I get better results. Since this variety of henna is sifted very fine, rinsing the henna from my hair was also very easy. I got the majority of it out with just water and I washed 2 times with a cheap conditioner and it was all out.

My hair felt instantly thicker, softer, and the curl pattern in the back seemed more relaxed. The only complaint I have is the stinky smell. I will have to do something about that. I think that I read somewhere that I can add in a drop or two of an essential oil like lavender to the henna mix, but I could be making that up, so I need to verify that before I do it.

The red color is beautiful! It isn't too bright and the shade on my tips is wonderful. It is noticeable, but not because it is bright, but because it is really very pretty. I can't really see the red hue on my non-colored hair, but I wasn't outside too much today, so I will take a peek this week.

I will definitely be doing this again very soon. I am not sure if I want to use the same henna or try a different variety. Curly Nikki uses the Jamilla variety and the dye releases in 30 minutes instead of 12+ hours, so that would be great and I couldn't potentially do my hair all in the same day. Since I will be swamped with school, that would definitely be easier.

I also tried to create a video of my experience. I am not sure if I like how it turned out, so I may tape the second henna attempt and post that instead. I will let you know what I decide.

My henna arrived + cleanse update

2010-07-12T20:08:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday!

It is here! Not only is the customer service at Mehandi.com fantastic, they also ship very quickly. I placed my order on Wednesday, July 7 and the shipment arrived today! What a great way to start a Monday. Guess it doesn't hurt that my last day of work is Friday *hee hee*.

Anyways, the plan is to start prepping for my first henna experience by making sure that I have all the necessary supplies (i.e. gloves, honey, green tea, plastic cap, cheap conditioner, etc.) and either do my hair on Sunday or early next week. I need to devote at least half of the day to this process, maybe longer since this is my first time. I wish I could do my hair sooner, but it will have to wait.

So for my cleane update. So I stuck to the fruit and veggie cleanse plan for about 4.5 days and then I went out of town. I admit that I feel off... my body was not happy with me at all. I am still getting plenty of fruits and veggies, but I haven't been 100% fruits and veggies today. We will see what tomorrow brings.