Diet: Healthy Salad and my status

Posted on August 18, 2011 by arleen

“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” — Marilyn Monroe

What a stinking struggle people! If you know anything about being overweight, you would know that losing weight is REALLY HARD!  It all sounds simple when people say “eat better and work out”, but it is truly a lot of work.  Especially if you are married with little kids.  I can’t get creative enough…there aren’t enough hours in the day that will allow me to make more time for me.

But truly…”time for me”!  Time for me is shopping, movies, sightseeing, spas, salons, dancing, girlfriends…NOT working out!  Specially when I have very little time off from my regular life.

Err!  I keep playing the trying game, and the truth is that I have to make that time.  I am working out at lunchtime by my job.  I am not a morning person and I can’t go in the evenings…so for now that will have to do.  I like coming home to unwind with the kids and cook, so…not much time for anything else…commute is long!

For now I just wanted to update you on my status and to give you some really good idea for a salad.

Part of the problem for me is that I rarely have veggies, and when I do, is once a week or every other week, or they are too starchy.  I have been putting effort into having more veggies and fruits DAILY.  Some raw and some cooked.

One of my favorite salads right now is really inexpensive and healthy.

BEET salad.

Ingredients

Beets (cooked and cut into cubes)

Cilantro

Carrots (thinly sliced)

Green beans (cooked)

½ tbsp. Italian dressing (homemade or store bought)

You combine all of these ingredients together with a little bit of Italian dressing and you have a great salad.  You can use sweet peas, corn, any other ingredient you would prefer if you do not agree with green beans.

Enjoy and wish me luck on this journey!

 

 

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Hair: Hair + Indigo

Posted on August 18, 2011 by arleen

This summer I wanted something different for my look. I decided to change the color to a dark blonde.  I loved it in the beginning because it was new, but eventually I missed my old color.  I knew that I couldn’t put another harsh chemical on my hair or it would be the last of it so I tried the two step Henna + Indigo treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

My hair is naturally medium brown and I didn’t want it to turn black with the indigo.  By keeping it on my hair for about 20-30 minutes I was able to get a nice medium brown and not a black.  So if your natural hair is dark and you want to go back to your natural hair color without the chemicals you should try the two step treatment.

Also, my mother suffers from Lupus and has been causing her to lose her hair.  She has been dying her hair black since before I was born.  I convinced her to do the treatment…and let me tell you, it worked!!! It covered the gray beautifully.  I left the Indigo on her hair for about 3 hours, and she was thrilled to know that she can possibly be saving the rest of hair by using natural products from now on.

A point for me!!! Luv you mom.

You can find recipes and supplies on Henna for Hair.

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Makeup: Chanel 2011 Collection

Posted on August 18, 2011 by arleen
I love the new fall collection from Chanel.  I especially love the Illusion D’ombre long wear eyeshadows. They are all my favorites but I really love #83 named Illusiore for both day and evening looks.  Pretty pricey I would say, $36 a small jar, but a little goes a long way and the consistency itself goes on well and blends well. 

If you are looking for something more affordable, Urban Decay 24/7 shadow pencils are great!  Barbacuda is very similar to #83 from Chanel and it only costs $20.

Another option to go with would be Make-up Forever waterproof shadows as well. Both MUFE and Urban Decay you can find at Sephora.  Chanel products you can find at department stores like Bloomingdales, Macy’s or a Chanel boutique.

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Repurpose

Posted on August 14, 2011 by arleen
Hello Family,
Just wanted to share with you some ideas for repurposing items that you would otherwise consider throwing out.  Not the best pictures but anyway, I have about 4 scrabble games and my husband wanted to get rid of one.  I decided to put a quote together and glue it.  I have it leaning on my coffee table with plants and magazines around it.  It’s nice!  It’s a nice reminder of what we are all about.  You can also frame it and hang it up.
This plant stand wasn’t being put to use.  You can use it for hanging hats…it will maintain the shape nicely, or for scarfs.  I also use it to store my makeup brushes.  I have not come around to do it, but I would paint the stand in an accent color (red, blue or just white) to make it pop and blend with the decor of the house…same thing for the vase that is holding my brushes.  Instead of shopping for a new one, I can simply paint it and glue some decorating pieces to it.

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Hair: My babies Hair

Posted on August 14, 2011 by arleen

“It’s the tiniest thing I ever decided to put my whole life into“–Terri Gullemets

My daughter has very soft curls that can easily frizz and tangle.  Lately I have been using Almond oil before managing her hair. I have been using Marico’s Almond Gold oil and although its not completely natural I absolutely love it for her and also my son.  It helps me detangle her hair nicely with little breakage, adds shine and maintains a polished look with no flyaway hairs when styling. It has a wonderful scent and its light enough to leave her hair still bouncy and with definition.

Almond oil is composed of fats and fatty acids that are valuable for almost all types of hair as it proves to be very nourishing, and softens and strengthens the hair. It also proves to be a very good cleansing agent. If applied a few hours before you go for a bath, the sticky fats on the oil absorb and gather the particles and the particulates of dust and pollution that have entered your hair. Eventually, when you wash your hair, the whole mixture of oil and dirt gets washed off effectively cleansing your hair and your scalp.

Almond oil can be essentially used as an emollient, which manages to soothe your hair and skin. As an emollient, almond oil also tends to have a very stable and neutral state once applied.

My daughters hair routine

  1. Prepoo-  I massage coconut oil on her hair and put it in a soft bun for about one hour while she plays around the house
  2. Shampoo-  I shampoo her hair with Dove. (I only shampoo her hair twice a week)
  3. Conditioner- I use Hello Hydration by Herbal Essence (the best) and detangle her hair starting from the ends with a wide comb
  4. Style- I apply almond oil and brush her hair softly and style as desired

 

Almond Oil’s Benefits

Excellent emollient – soothes and softens the skin and hair Relieves skin irritation, rashes and burns
Treats dry skin by balancing the skin’s moisture level
Ideal consistency for use in massageSoft aroma. 

Precautions

People with nut allergies should avoid Almond oil.
Bitter almond oil is toxic unlike sweet and pure almond oilStore in a dark cool environment and refrigerate after opening, almond oil can go bad

 

 

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Hair: My regimen and what I love.

Posted on August 14, 2011 by arleen

My hair has been growing pretty fast.  I am still experimenting with oils and butters, and like to stick to regiments that are natural/organic.  It has grown pretty fast.  I HAVE to shampoo twice to three times a week because I can’t stand just washing it once a week…or even more, once a month like some naturals do. I am not there yet!! But since I have minimized the amount of products that I put on my hair, I have been able to minimize the washing.

This is what I swear by:

Shampoo

I pre-poo my hair overnight with either oils, powder herbal infusions with conditioner…anything that will add moisture to my hair.

I use sulfate free shampoos…one that I have been using lately and that I love is Terressentials.  Its USDA certified.  Initially I didn’t like the feel of my hair, but after reading the instructions I understood why. However, after a few washes I have felt a difference in my hair and noticed a different curl pattern that I love.

Detangling methods

My hair is still pretty short, I don’t necessarily have to part my hair in sections, but I do use a good conditioner with lots of slip and a wide comb to detangle.  My choice of conditioner for detangling my hair is Hello Hydration from Herbal Essence.  I looove this product.  Not completely organic but surely works nicely with my hair.

Moisturizing

I moisturize with raw Shea butter and oils.  I use a mixer and pour oils like jojoba, avocado, coconut, coconut milk, lavender essential oil and scoop out some Shea butter and mix it together until nicely combined and smooth.  I also use Shea Moisture Smoothie, which is sold at CVS and Walgreens, and I love it.

When spritzing my hair to restyle I use equal parts of water and aloe vera juice in a spray bottle for added moisture.

Clean, natural products

The cleaner the products the better it will be for your hair.  Silicones, mineral oil, alcohol, along with many other ingredients coat your hair and build up on your hair preventing moisture from penetrating the hair.  The cleaner and more organic the product is, the more nourishing it will be and the easier it will wash off.

Deep conditioning

My hair is very tight curled.  The more textured your hair is the more moisture you need.  I deep condition with coconut oils, mashed up avocado (the older and browner the better it is for your hair), mayo, protein treatments like Henna.  I put them on, put the heating cap on and I am finished within 20 minutes.  Protein treatment vary from 1 hour to overnight.

Protecting hair from breakage

I use a satin pillowcase to prevent breakage and to stretch the life of my curl.

I don’t use rubberbands, instead I cut a long strip of a pantyhose and use that for tying my hair

I never pull my hair or rip apart/out knots.  Dabbing a little conditioner on those knots with some water will help detangle them.

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Makeup: Inspirational

Posted on August 12, 2011 by arleen

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Hair: Inspiration

Posted on August 12, 2011 by arleen

 

Source: (lecoil, Pull my dreads)

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The truth about Lye!

Posted on July 26, 2011 by arleen
Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring- Marilyn Monroe

Did you know that chemicals found in relaxers are used to unclog sinks and remove fur from animal skin? Did you know that the FDA banned manufacturers of household liquid drainer from using more than 10% solution of Sodium Hydroxide because it corrodes drain pipes?  Can you imagine what it can do to your hair?  This is the cream that black and biracial humans resort to for beauty!

There are two types of relaxers.  Some with lye and others with no lye.  Both are equally damaging to hair.  They both strip your hair and break down its structure.  This white cream penetrates deep into your hair breaking down its bonds, what once was curly hair, is now straight hair, irreversibly damaging your hairs structure forever.

When you go to the Salon, your hairdresser wears gloves to avoid the chemicals, why? Well, they can eat away at the skin, however, this same chemical is sitting on your scalp and skin for a long period of time allowing your skin and scalp to absorb all of those harsh chemicals which will travel to you bloodstream and organs.

Potassium Lye, which resides in relaxers, is a very strong chemical and inhaling the chemical can cause respiratory problems.  If exposed too long it can damage your lungs.

Hopefully this will help you in making a more informed decision about using this product.  I highly recommend not relaxing children’s hair and allowing them to make that decision for themselves when they are old enough to understand the consequences.

I hope this opens your eyes a little bit to what we truly sacrifice for artificial beauty.


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A few things that you should avoid on your child’s hair.

Posted on July 26, 2011 by arleen

I get a lot of questions on what to do with kids and styling their hair.  The number one thing that I can say to parent is to accept their child’s hair and educate/learn how to take care of it.  If you have a thick tight curly hair child, you have to dedicate a longer period of time to their hair, you have to moisturize often and you have to be gentler.  There is no magic trick that will cut that time.

I found it more difficult when my daughter’s hair was shorter because styling became a 4 time a week process.  Longer hair you can nicely twist and braid; after a few days you can let them loose and pin up differently until wash day.

I recommend looking for different types of styles to inspire you and trying products that will work for them and for you.

Here are some problems and possible solutions that will help you.

TIGHT STYLING
Twists/braids/ponytails that are too tight will damage the hair and break it.  Breaking will create flyaways and thinning of the hair

 

OPTION
You can make neat styles that will look good and last long without strangling the hair.  Get acquainted with looser styles and often
let the hair rest from braiding and twisting.  Low manipulation is key to hair growth.



WRONG PRODUCTS
Certain products contain ingredients that are harmful to the hair, for example, petroleum/mineral oil.  This ingredient accumulates on the scalp and blocks hair follicles slowing down hair growth.  It makes hair look dull and tired.  Continued use of this ingredient will dry out hair because mineral oils layers over the hair shaft barricading any moisture from penetrating.

Note: I do have a couple of products that contain mineral oil like Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Conditioner.  However, I have an array of natural products that I use daily.  I apply my Cantu after I properly moisture my hair, allowing the Cantu to seal in my moisture.  There will be products that you will love that may have a not so good ingredient…you improvise!!!

OPTION
Use sulfate free shampoos, oils and natural butters to moisturize, detangle and condition hair.

I use on my children:

Shampoo- Giovanni’s sulfate free shampoo, African Black Soap, Shea Moisture
Detangler- Hello Hydration
Moisturizer- Natural oils like coconut oil, Shea butter, Shea Moisture conditioning milk
Styling- Homemade Flaxseed gel, Shea butter
Rehydrating- Aloe Juice or Aloe Juice and Coconut milk or cream
Note: When I need to wet my hair to restyle I put Aloe juice in a spray bottle and spray it on my hair as oppose to water…it provides moisture and the looseness that I am looking for.  I may add a tablespoon or two of coconut milk or cream for added moisture.

CHEMICAL STRAIGHTNERS
Texturizers and relaxers cause hair breakage, drying, burning of the scalp, hair thinning, frizzy hair, split ends, brittle hair, scalp infections…It can cause permanent damage to the scalp.
OPTION
Keep hair twisted and braided (no so tightly that can cause breakage), wrap the hair at night with a silk scarf to preserve style longer.

RUBBERBANDS OR BEADS
Rubberbands and beads clip away at the cuticle of the hair, if left too long or used often they can break hair.  I notice parents putting gel and hairspray on edges that have been broken to flatten them and make a style look better.  Not only is the band a problem but the product as well; it’s only going to make it worst.

OPTIONS
Use soft fabric tie-backs or pantyhose.  I take a pantyhose and cut into long strips and tie the hair back avoiding severe breakage or ripping of hair.

HEAT
When use excessively it can dry, break, and burn hair.

OPTION
Minimize the use to twice a month if possible, and continue to minimize as much as you can

DETANGLING
Some parents rip knots out and mercilessly pull on tangled hair causing breakage and scalp irritation, not to mention a very upset kid.

OPTION
Make time to manage your child’s hair.  Use conditioners like Hello Hydration, part hair in four, take each section and start combing from the ends up.
If you child has really thick and tight curled hair, scheduling a day to properly wash and style the hair.  Make that time conversational and bonding time.  Speak to them about their hair and what you are doing so that they themselves can appreciate it and learn how to do it as well.

Great tip- When you are in the tub detangling the hair, once a section is detangled, twist or braid hair on the spot without removing the detangling conditioner.  Once the entire head is braided/twisted run water through hair to remove all excess conditioner and pat dry the hair.

Sometimes in the time that we take to dry them up and dress them up the hair may dry up and tangle a little and make the process more difficult and longer.
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