Happy Belated Birthday to the Old Blog +Versatile Blogger Award

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This blog really turned 1 sometime in February but being the attentive blogger that I am it totally passed me by. Not to sound vain but when I started this blog I knew I would have some followers just not as much as I have managed to keep. I want to welcome all of my new followers as well as appreciate those who have stuck with me since day 1. This is where I keep all of my weird interests alive as well as give my mind a break when I have so many ideas running through my head. So once again I thank all of you ladies (and some fellas too) for making every post possible!

This was awarded to me this past January by the beautiful beauty Blogger EV over at Mozarella and Makeup. I want to thank her for thinking about the old blog and considering me a versatile gal! I appreciate it.

The rules are to share 7 random things about myself so here goes…..



World Map in my home office…..



1. I’m fascinated by world maps and globes. I have a huge world map in my small home office, just need a cute globe to go with it.

2. I read and collect dictionaries as if they were story books. I just like to lounge around and read the meaning of common words as well as come across new ones.

3. I make lists like nobody’s business, life’s list, food list, bills list, to do today, tomorrow and forever lists and really the list goes on.

4. I can sing…. I got a little diva voice in me.

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5. I know how to read the tarot cards.

6. I eat really heavy for breakfast. Rice beans, basically a feast. It keeps me from eating so much throughout the day……For example:

via remolacha.net

Mangu- mashed plantains with boiled eggs.

Pastel en hoja

This is mashed root vegetables with meat fillings……

7. My favorite foods in the whole world is Ecuadorian food. Ceviches, encebollados, cazulea de pescado uyyy the list goes on. If you are in NYC and happen to be in Brooklyn you must go to Barzola’s Ecuadorian restaurant.

So there is so much more to me but that is just the surface…… I will resume to regular posting this week. March was a very busy month for me. I have several hair product reviews (long over due), a lentil side dish tutorial as well as many more so stay tuned!

Rollersetting and Baby Banana Food Deep Conditioner

I have been loving banana baby food for my hair lately. It has been a favorite among many of my readers as well. When the lovely Miss Esspi (check out her blog here) asked if I would get fabulous results with rollersets I wondered and decided to give it a try. I had been using this deep conditioner bi weekly for the past couple of weeks and decided to try it out with rollersets recently.

 

So I did my usual, I used the same ingredients I did on my last banana baby food DC post, but this time I added a little castor oil (about a tablespoon). I used my rosewater/ aloe vera juice mix as a leave in and these were the results……..

I have to say I LOVEEE this Deep Conditioner. I used to be a silicon mix freak, but since giving up silicones and many other commercial hair products I have not been rollersetting much, up until now.

So this was my hair hot off the rollers. Very shiny and soft hair. I was very impressed with how well my hair turned out. This deep conditioner put many of my beloved commercial DC to SHAME……

So I combed through the rollerset curls…..

and wrapped my hair in what many call a “Dubbie Wrap”. This helps with the waves at the roots and also gives my hair the straight look without having to use a flat iron.

After a couple of hours I let my hair out. I went out for the evening and wrapped my hair again that night.

The following day and that week I kept my hair in protective styles for the most part.

This is what I have been working with. I still can’t get over how healthy my hair is. I had amazing shine and not to mention softness for days. I have been roller setting more often, of course using this DC as my holy grail and love it.

So once again Baby Banana food has saved my pockets and has left me with amazing hair too. No matter if air drying or with heat styles this Deep Conditioner definitely has come through for my hair, all the while strengthening and moisturizing my hair at the same time. So there goes, not much to say other than this will be my staple DC for months to come.

Inspired Nail of These Days…..Plus a Journal

I’m not a nail polish kind of girl mostly because the smell of nail polish lingers for way too long driving my sinuses insane.

So I usually just leave my nails bare with clear polish. But I have been getting bored with the same old same old, so I decided to trim my nails a bit and give them some color. While going through my many favorite beauty blogs I came across Glam doll Lumi’s Nail art of the week. Here it is:



Via glam doll Lumi



 She is so talented, My gosh! I instantly fell in love with the design and had to recreate it.

So I went out and got the nude polish which is gorgeous by itself. It’s wet n wild’s Private Viewing. This is my inspired nail…..

I gave my self a trim and a mini manicure….

and this is how they came out. I was complimented all week on my nails and just love how simple it came out. For the cheetah print I just did semi circles and filled it in with the gold.. Very easy. Thanks Lumi you are fabulous!

For those who know me, know that I just loveeeee journals, notebooks, anything with a blank piece of paper really. While shopping for polishes I came across this amazing journal for 3 bucks.

I love to write and needed something to keep my recipes in so this turned out great.

Homemade Facials: Strawberry and Honey + A Banana and Molasses Facial

A few years back when I first got into homemade beauty and skin care my first ever facial was a strawberry and honey facial. It was my go to for face masks and it always left my skin feeling ultra soft and clear. Now that strawberries are in season I decided to revisit my favorite face mask. It’s been a while since I have done a strawberry/honey facial so I decided last weekend to give myself a treat.

Strawberries are not only delicious when in season, but it’s very beneficial for those with oily skin thanks to it’s natural astringent qualities. Strawberries also contains Salicylic Acid (one of the AHA’s/BHA mentioned here) which naturally exfoliates the skin of dead skin cells leaving you with soft and glowing skin.

Strawberries and Your Skin

Combats excess oil

Helps ligthen skin

Helps clear acne

Tightens pores

although not skin related…..Strawberries also helps whiten teeth naturally.

Honey of course is a natural moisturizer and a natural antiseptic keeping pimples and blemishes at bay. Which is why I like to use this facial when I have pimples. So now that they are in season put them strawberries to use.

I also discovered a new snack, honey dipped strawberries, ultra satisfying for my hard to manage sweet tooth……..

Banana, Honey and Blackstrap Molasses facial

So I had a half eaten Banana lying around the other day which I saved for a facial. I love Banana facials because it gives my skin this amazing glow and ultra soft feel.

So I took it out of the peel and it was perfect for a facial.

You can just add the honey for it’s rich moisturizing benefits…..

But I decided to add Molasses too.

Molasses contains Glycolic Acid which is also a natural AHA. It naturally exfoliates your skin allowing for new healthier skin cells to take over.

I just mixed the honey, molasses and banana together and left it in for about 15 mins. I rinsed and was left with soft glowing skin.

I tend to do one or the other facial once or twice a week, especially before a big night out since it tends to make my makeup look 10 times better. You can easily try these facials as well as add a wide variety of ingredients, like yogurt, milk,essential oils or whatever your skin may need.

Burning Incense: Dragon’s Blood

Recently while stocking up on incense I got the usual (Frank, Myrrh, Sandalwood) but this time I wanted to try something else and decided to try Dragon’s Blood. I’ve heard of dragon’s blood incense before but never really got around to getting it, this time I picked up a small sample pack of resins for about 3 bucks.

Dragon’s blood resins has been known to be used for a variety of uses such as medicinal and spiritual. The resin, comes from a variety of the plant species known as Daemonorops draco, and many others known throughout Africa, Europe and other parts of the world. Dragon’s Blood is known to heal wounds, treat intestinal disorders as well as an ideal dye for a variety of things from wool to varnishes.

Dragon’s Blood spiritual aspects are associated with protection. It is a very potent incense to burn to help overcome all types of negativity. While clearing my house be it for an intended purpose or when I feel like my house needs a little positive and productive energy boost, I typically reach for Frank and Myrrh. I find that they help balance the energy around the house, helping maintain a calm and peaceful environment. Dragon’s blood can also be very useful for this purpose as well, especially if you find the energy around you to be stagnant, chaotic, confusing or just plain draining.

Dragon’s Blood incense can be a very potent incense to have as I have come to learn. Ruled by the fiery planet of mars associated with fire and war, dragon’s blood can be a very beneficial incense to burn for protection from all types of low and non productive energy.

 

Dragon’s blood scent reminds me of camphor which has this very sterile almost medicinal scent to it. It’s really not the ideal incense to burn just for the scent, which is why it’s typically used for cleansing rituals. It is said that dragon’s blood helps enhance vibrations which is why I typically mix it with sandalwood. Sandalwood is mostly to purify whereas Dragon’s blood is meant to repel and banish.

Since it’s just me and my boyfriend in my home and I seldom have much people over, I don’t really need to do a house clearing very often. Usually once or twice a month helps maintain that positive balance we strive for on a daily basis. On the other hand many of my family members maintain a very active household where sometimes the energy can be a bit chaotic. This past weekend I was petitioned by my cousin to do a little house clearing for her since she got word from my sister on how well it went for her the last time I did a house clearing at her house.

I immediately put dragon’s blood to work along with frank and myrrh for a triple dose of protective energy. I then followed the mix with sandalwood which helps balance Dragon’s blood rather sterile scent. Sandalwood’s sweet scent helps purify while creating a pleasing and soothing aroma.

While burning dragon’s blood you can’t help but be mesmerized by the rich red color the resin burns into. So if you are a bit curious about incense and their ability to help shift energy around you, don’t be afraid to grab some dragon’s blood incense and see how well it can work for you.

Natural Hair Notes: Blackstrap Molasses Hair Treatment



Dec 2010 before trim



 

I finally got my hair trimmed this past Feb after about a year and 2 months since my last trim. I don’t know what took me so long but I finally got it over with. I did not have a lot of bad ends but enough to have made a difference in my hair. Since trimming I find that my hair is much bouncier and thicker, so I will make sure to trim at least once every 6 months or so.

I’ve been a bad girl as far as the salon visits and all the heat I have been exposing my hair to. I have gotten a little too flat iron happy lately so I have been deep conditioning and protective styling for the most part of February.

I decided to do another Black Strap Molasses treatment since I was due for a protein/strengthening treatment last weekend. I tend to use eggs and mayo but decided to try molasses again since it did such a nice job the first time around. I decided to use it as a pre-shampoo treatment like I did the first time. I did not mix it with anything. I used the molasses alone with a little bit of water since molasses can be super sticky and difficult to distribute throughout the hair if not diluted with water.

Molasses used as a hair treatment, helps soften and strengthen the hair especially if you notice a bit of shedding all the while providing shine to the hair.

I simply parted my hair in four sections and made sure I coated every strand.

This is what it looked liked with blackstrap. It made it look like I had a hair dye in my hair. I left it in my hair for about an hour rinsed and followed with an avocado hair treatment.

Please make sure you wear clothing you don’t need since it can get a little messy.

I followed up The Black Strap Molasses treatment with an avocado Deep Conditioner I made. I simply added honey and castor oil and left it in for 2 hours.

These were the reults soft, shiny and strong curly hair.

I used my rosewater and Aloe Juice mist as a leave in and once my hair dried, I used Bee Mine’s Balancing Cream, Sealed with castor oil (switced to castor from grapeseed) did a long braid in my hair and that was it.

 

 

I have been basically keeping my regimen simple. I try to do a homemade treatment every week or so. I’m also loving how soft my hair is when I use aloe and rosewater as a leave in. I will use Blackstrap in my other hair treatments since it helps keep my hair strong, shiny and soft.

Revisiting Dry Brushing + My Current Skin Care Regimen for Soft Glowing Skin by Spring

My poor little loofah…….. Soon as the cold weather came around I have basically abandoned it. Which has really been a shame considering how dried out my skin has been this winter. But now that the warm weather is approaching it will make a much welcome come back into my skin care regimen (along with my body scrubs and new found love for body butters).

Everyone is familiar with the bath loofah, however like I mentioned in my last post not all loofahs are created equal. I won’t get into too much detail in this post but you can check out the post here where I elaborated a bit on it.

I use my loofah while in the shower but every now and then I like to dry brush. Dry brushing not only exfoliates your skin leaving it soft and supple, but it can also benefit your health in many ways.

The Many Benefits of Dry Brushing

Tightens Skin

Stimulates Circulation

Helps with Cellulite

Strengthens Immune System by stimulating The Lymphatic System

Aids the body with Detoxification

Benefits the Nervous System

Promotes Skin cell renewal essential for soft and healthy skin

You don’t necessarily need this type of loofah to dry brush, so long as you find something with natural bristles. I’ve seen exfoliating gloves and brushes at my local drugstore and natural health store so look around and see what you find. It’s recommended to dry brush in the morning since dry brushing tends to stimulate you, but I have found that it helps in the evenings as well. So it can be a great way to get your day started feeling invigorated and refreshed.

For more info on dry brushing check these sources out:

Jash Botanicals

Natural Health Techniques

Healing Lifestyles

So right after dry brushing I jump in the shower and grab my homemade body scrub I make every couple of weeks. As you all know Vanilla Oil and I have an amazing affair and I still can’t get enough of it, using it in everything.

What I Used

1 cup of Brown Sugar: Contains Glycolic acid which gently exfoliates and dissolves dead skin

1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil: Contains antimicrobial and anti oxidant properties also softens and moisturizes the skin

1/2 Tsp of Sweet Almond Oil: Moisturizes, soothes and softens dry skin

1/2 Tsp Grape seed Oil: Antioxidant, Antinflammatory, Astringent and antiseptic (ideal for oily acne prone skin) Tones and tightens skin

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essential Oil: used for scent which helps relax

1/2 Tsp Vitamin E Oil: Antioxidant and used as preservative

In my empty container I added the brown Sugar Followed by Coconut oil

Then I added the rest of the oils about 1/2 tsp of each

I just mixed it all together and started scrubbing away……

For an even more ultra amazing silky feel I followed up with my home made body butter. This time around I whipped it which left me with a very nice texture.

This batch came out a lot better and I got the consistency and texture I was looking for after about 20 minutes of non stop whipping, by hand! It was worth it though because I just loveeee how soft and smooth my skin feels. Definitely posting my tutorial soon.

So basically that’s my routine now, Dry brushing, exfoliating and experimenting with body butters, soft glistening skin just in time for summer!

Weekend Food Shopping + My Cauliflower Salad

This is what I typically get when I go on my bi weekly produce shopping spree. Plum tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, cucumbers, kiwi etc. This winter has been a pretty good winter as far as food and my diet has been concerned. I don’t really stress too much about what I eat or my weight. If I like it and want it, I eat it. But I do pay attention and limit the amount of processed/junk food I consume, always trying to maintain a healthy balance. What I really have been focusing on these past couple of years is perfecting my cooking skills to help better my health as well as keep an open mind when it comes to trying new things.

 

One of these new things I have incorporated into my diet is cauliflower. I’ve had cauliflower before but recently it has become my main staple as far as salads have been concerned. Last year I was loving my watercress and avocado salads (very nutritious and healthy by the way) but this time around cauliflower has been stealing the show.

Cauliflower is related to not only broccoli but also, kale and cabbage all belonging to the cruciferous family. Cauliflower is not green like broccoli because cauliflower’s leaves blocks the sun, preventing the growing cauliflower from producing Chlorophyll or it’s green color rather.

I’m not a big fan of broccoli anyway because the taste tends to be a little too “green” not because of the color, just the earthy taste to it I guess. Cauliflower on the other hand tends to have a much more lighter and not too overpowering taste which complements most of my dishes.

Not only is cauliflower delicious but contains a variety of health benefits as well:

Strengthens the immune system

Contains Vitamin C

Antioxidant

Prevents strokes and heart attacks

Helps immune system fight infections, viruses,colds

Contains fiber helping prevent constipation

Detoxifies Blood

Fights and prevents many types of cancers

My cauliflower dipping Concoction

I love the taste of cauliflower so I can eat it with no dressing at all, but while over at  WHAT’S COOKIN one of my favorite food blogs, I was inspired by this amazing red vinaigrette recipe which makes for a tasty and delicious dressing.

I simply chopped up some onions and tomatoes and added my dressing and simply used it as a salad/ dipping sauce for my cauliflower.

You can also add avocados, cucumbers or whatever you desire really. The best way to have cauliflower is to lightly saute them or steam them. If you choose to boil them make sure to not leave them in for more than 3 minutes otherwise they will get full of water and end up all mushy.

Cauliflower is a great dish to have year round. I find I will enjoy cauliflower well into the summer considering it has such a light, pleasing taste.

I also picked up a bag of lentils to make this week. A lovely reader requested I do a tutorial so I will be working on that, stay tuned!

Natural Health Food Store Haul + My first Homemade Body Butter

A couple of weekends ago I went to my natural health food store to stock up on my tea obsession as well as pick up a new essential oil I have been meaning to get for the longest.

As of late I have been drinking white tea. It’s such a sweet and light tasting tea that I was hooked for weeks. Then recently I decided to switch it up a bit and try Oolong tea which turned out to be just as good.

I’ve been on a tea high since this past fall and have been very happy I have finally discovered and given tea a chance. Now I know why tea lovers are so picky about their stuff…. Oolong tea, like white tea is sweet but with a light earthy tone to it. The after taste is just right for me and not too overbearing.

Oolong tea is semi fermented and lies between green and black tea, containing moderate amounts of caffeine. Oolong tea is known to stimulate the digestive system and like most teas helps maintain a clearer mind.

Tea has a cleansing effect helping those who deal with constipation maintain a regular schedule which helps rid the body of toxins more efficiently. I like how light and refreshed I feel after having tea and not to mention all the health benefits I get from a cup of tea everyday.

My morning tea ritual consists of 1-2 cups when I wake up and another cup when I get to work.

Some health benefits of Oolong Tea:

Antioxidant: Protects against Free Radicals

Cleanses the body of toxins

Aids Digestion and Cholesterol levels

Helps clear mind of mental stress and fog

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Vanilla Oil has been on my wish list since forever and I finally got my hands on it. I mostly wanted this oil for my essential oil burner but have been using it for all sorts of things such as my body butters, body sugar scrubs and shampoo mixes. The scent of vanilla is amazing. Since getting this oil I have not stopped using it and sometimes I catch myself just running to the bottle to take a sniff of it. SMH lol

I have been burning this oil non stop and recently I have been adding a few sprinkles of ground cinnamon which leaves my house smelling like a bakery. The aroma is so soft and sweet you you can’t help but smile every time you smell it. Burning vanilla for aromatherapy purposes helps relax your mind as well as ease tension, stress and headaches.

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My skin in the past year has been a complete BRAT! I’ve been dealing with some annoying pimples, scars and just plain annoying skin. My skin is not only oily but sensitive too so I have been eliminating a lot of ingredients in my skin care regimen because of it. So far I have eliminated Tinted Moisturizers entirely. Right now bronzers are the only thing from keeping me looking like a corpse.

So I have been cleansing with this all natural Desert Essence face wash…….got it on sale for $6…. So far I like that it washes away mascara…..We shall see how well it really works soon.

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At last but not least I have been experimenting with making my own body butters usuing shea butter and Coconut Oil. Shea butter has been doing wonders for my skin since I started using it last year. I’m not much of a lotion person but since trying out shea butter and coconut oil my skin has been soaking it up.

These are my first two batches. The one on the left only conatins a 50/50 mix of shea butter and coconut oil. The one on the right contains Vanilla Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Coconut Oil and Shea Butter.

I have yet to perfect this concoction but so far I’m loving body butters. Not only can you use it on your skin but hair as well which is my ultimate goal with this shea butter and coconut oil mix. Soon as I get a hold of what I’m doing I will post a tutorial on how I do my body butters. In the mean time check out this tutorial by Glamazini, I’ve been working with.

So stay tuned for that and a lot more recipes I’ve been working with.

Natural Hair Notes: Cone Free Conditioners

One of the first products I got my hands on while building my cone free regimen was a reliable moisturizing cone free conditioner. Keeping a conditioner handy can be useful for many things such as co washing, adding it to homemade deep conditioners and of course to keep the hair moisturized and balanced (protein/moisture). There are many things to consider when shopping for a cone free conditioner or any cone free product for that matter. Here are a few things I keep in mind.

Reading the labels:

It’s obviously the only way you will know whether or not your product is loaded with cones. Although most ingredient lists can be extensive and the ingredients hard to pronounce, you don’t necessarily have to memorize each cone, the idea is to familiarize yourself with them often enough for you to tell without hesitation. When in doubt it’s best to double check. So when I’m not too sure I go to my two trusty cone reference lists.

Here’s my go to links when in doubt.

List of cone free conditioners– not the most extensive list but pretty much the same one I see all around, again check your labels.

All About Cones (BHM types of cones)– This is my go to for easy reference.

Water Soluble VS. Non Water Soluble:

Another thing that took me some time to consider but was rather easy to understand were Water soluble VS. Non water soluble cones. Basically there are two types of cones. Those that are easily rinsed with water (water soluble) vs those that require a detergent based cleanser (SLS based shampoo) to get rid of the cone (Non water Soluble).

By far the only two water soluble cones I look out for are Dimethicone Copolyols or PEG-modified dimethicones. Those with PEG affixed to the front of the cone are basically light enough to rinse with water.

For more detailed info check out Curly Nikky on her to cone or not to cone post.

More info on Water Soluble and Non Soluble Cones:

BHM All about cones

Naturally Curly: Scoop on Cones

Naturally Curly Water Solube and Non WSC’S list

There are many cone free conditioners out there and while going through the cone free conditioner list a few caught my eye. I was surprised to see VO5 strawberries and cream on the list since it’s so cheap and cone free. It was in my old hair stash and I kept it since it made the cone free cut. Another conditioner I had was mane N tail from what I have researched it does not contain cones but does have parabens. Despite them not being natural I use them every now and then as my protein conditioners. Once I run out of these two I will replace them with a natural protein based cone free conditioner.

Starting off with a cone free conditioner can be a great way to start familiarizing yourself with the different types of cones in hair products as well as tell which one works best for your hair type.

Here’s a few I have in mind for when the product junkie in me kicks in:

-Giovanni 50/50 Balanced Hair Remoisturizer conditioner

-Nature’s Gate Lavender & Aloe Conditioner

-Suave Naturals Juicy Green Apple Conditioner