grey and nothing else matters

 

before i start, did you notice my pictures are fab??? :) thanks to my brother-in-law benj and his trusty SLR :) i am now all for SLR. i am not afraid of my pores anymore. LOL.

and lookie, lookie, THE FAUX FUR VEST!!! the only thing i asked my sister for when she comes home. i love love love it! i sleep with it! =P better than a naked man. oops.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

faux fur vest from canada. thrifted gray top. Ralph Lauren bag. gray skinnies from SM. Primadonna booties. Ray Ban aviator. locket necklace and cocktail ring both given by a friend.

so we went to tagaytay to celebrate my  lola's 68th birthday. had lunch at josephine's :) also went to caleruega to reminisce...my sister and her husband are on their 4th year now after marrying in caleruega way back 2006. i am now praying for a niece or a nephew :) :) :) had a dinner reunion at the faustino residence after, super fun too! we miss lola :( i love my cousins :)

white moon

HELLO EVERYONE!!!! I AM BACK!!!!

i'm so sorry for the lack of posts. i did say i'll be busy because my sister is in town so i am updating my blog just now. the schedule was really tight and jampacked! i don't even tweet as much and you know how much i tweet! moving on...

white moon is awesome!!! i swear on chanel, i will go back to this place, don on a dress and some flats. if only i wasn't going to member's only after, i would have not worn this outfit because it is not really sunset-friendly (notice me sweating?). nonetheless, i was able to enjoy the sunset by the bay while sipping some mojito and talkies with my favorite people (benj, my sister and ate jing) :) :) :) 

before that, we had early dinner at makansutra...THUMBS DOWN :( :( :( 

after party with the cousins in member's only and midnight snack at serendra. ended the night with some BV. i just realized that it takes a lot for me to get mad. but i'm glad i was able to release everything out. i made my point. now, i'm moving on.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

shoulder padded embellished gray top and booties from SM. thrifted skirt. Anne Klein tights. silver sling mesh bag and cocktail ring both given by a friend.

about the outfit, shoulder pads are bacccccccccccckkk!!!!!!!!!!!! saw the same concept in dorothy perkins yesterday but it was a dress and it was 1.2k...mine's 600 from SM. SCORE!!!

P.S.

abbs, you'll love it here! lets have sunset dinner here!!! i miss you!!!

xx

Castor Oil Challenge: My Planned Routine

Castor oil is really thick and some even say that it smells (I don't smell it *Kanye shrug*). You may find it beneficial to mix the Castor oil with a carrier oil. Carrier oils include:

Sweet Almond Oil	Kukui Nut Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil	Macadamia Nut Oil
Avocado Oil	Watermelon Seed Oil
Meadowfoam Oil	Jojoba Oil
Borage Seed Oil	Sunflower Oil
Seabuckthorn Berry Oil	Hemp Seed Oil
Tea Tree Oil	Sesame Oil
Peanut Oil	Hazelnut Oil
Cranberry Seed Oil	Pecan Oil
Evening Primrose Oil	Pomegranate Seed Oil
Coconut Oil	Grapeseed Oil
Rose Hip Oil	Olive Oil

You can find the majority of these oils in any health food store. Olive oil will probably be the easiest to find-it is in almost every grocery store. From previous information I have read-the greener the olive oil the better. But to be honest, my hair response the same way to olive oil no matter the color.Mixing the olive oil with a carrier oil can be tricky.

If you look at some homemade hair product recipes out there you will notice that when Castor is used, the same amount of carrier oil is used. Some people apply the Castor oil straight with no chaser. The choice is yours. Listen to your hair and give it what it asks for.

The rules of the challenge say to apply at least twice a week. Castor oil has anti-fungal properties so if you have a serious dandruff problem you may want to consider a few additional days a week. The challenge will be going on for a while so feel free to start off slow and adjust your application if needed.

My plans for this challenge (and some things you may want to ponder):

Participation time frame: 2 months (Feb 1 -Apr 1)

Brand used: Walgreen�s Castor Oil and then Home Health Castor oil for the rest of the challenge

Mixing: Castor Oil and Avocado Oil (equal parts of each oil)

Application: Twice a week. Sundays and Thursdays, Sunday is my wash night.

Overall goal for this challenge: Healthier scalp, I put a lot of care into my strands but don�t really pay a lot of attention to my scalp.

I have pledged some serious dedication, I hope I can stick to it. Hold me accountable!

Healthy Hair Care on a Budget

I have noticed a lot of so-called "quality" hair care items can be on the pricey side. So what is a girl on a budget to do? Get creative and put those brain cells to use! Many products can be made right in your own kitchen. I know buying products is more of a convenience...but when you make your own, just make a lot-the amount you would pay for anyway. Additionally, you can make the product just like your hair likes it.

You want a good moisturizing quality shampoo...
Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap, because you have to dilute this soap-it lasts quite a while. Search the web for mixing/dilution options

You need a conditoner for cowashing...
VO5 & Suave are two brands that always affordable, sometimes less than $1

Deep conditioners are only good when then cost a lot....NOT!
Get a cholestoral conditioner (Lustrasilk, LeKair) and add some oil (olive, coconut, jojoba, etc) to it. I like to mix 1 cup of conditioner with almost 1/2 cup of olive oil and some essential oils.

Styling Aids....gotta have 'em
Organic Aloe Vera Gel....make it into a spritz, add it to a pomade, or use it to make a holding gel. The options are only limited by your creativity
Sweet Almond oil...a little goes a long way and gives awesome shine

So there you have it wallet friendly cleansing, conditioning, and styling. All it takes is a little research.

Castor Oil Challenge

Recently, I have came across a few videos on YouTube regarding a Castor Oil Challenge upon further investigation I discovered that quite a few of the ladies got this Challenge from Black Hair Media (BHM). The claims from the challenge include growth, healthier scalp, and less split ends. Sounds interesting huh? Well because I am more about maintaining length the healthier scalp and less splits intrigued me. So I decided it's worth a shot. I am going to follow that same rules posted on BHM. Once again, curiosity is getting the best of me. However, this challenge utilizes products that I already know that my hair loves. Therefore, I assume that no harm will be done.

I plan to try this starting on Feb 1 and going until April 1. The ending date also happens to be the date I plan to slow down on protective styles. The air should be moist again-April Showers :)

If you want to join me, I hope this gives you enough time to purchase your Castor Oil and your mixing oil.

My previous post highlight all the other benefits that can be gained from using Castor Oil.

Castor Oil

Since using Castor oil on my hair I have noticed that it has been a lot softer and maintaining moisture better after my moisturizing and sealing regimen. Depending on who I talk to about using this oil-there is potential to get the yuck face, LOL. But it doesn't make me feel bad because they just don't know...there are tons of people out there that use Castor for their hair and not for....you know :)

A few facts I found about Castor oil:

• it is typically found in the laxative section in most stores
• Castor oil contains fatty acids that aid in maintaining hair moisture and prevents drying of the hair and scalp
• Castor Oil is a humectant
• Protects the hair and scalp from infections
• helps to thicken hair (eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair strands)
• Castor oil helps keep the scalp clean between washes
• Castor oil comes from the castor bean and is a vegetable oil

Resources

Wikipedia - Castor Oil

eHow - Castor Oil Treatment

Castor Oil for Hair

Two Strand Twists Bun

I was looking for a new way to wear my twists and decided to try a bun. I didn't think it would work so I was really surprised with the outcome.

This style was so easy and quick. It took probably less than five minutes to put up once I realized what I was doing. I take the bun down at night, moisturize, seal, and wrap. Then in morning up goes the bun.