While the Cat’s away The Mice will Play!

I meant to put this up right before Christmas but time caught up with me and with all the stuff I had to do this past weekend  decided to leave it for today…..

 I have to get a lot done from here on to the next year. So I will be taking a mini Hiatus of several weeks. I’ll be back mid January fresh and rested hopefully with a few new goodies a lots of new stuff to review and talk about. Until then keep yourself busy with some of my favorite blogs!

First I want to thank Larita from Larita’s Makeup for giving me this fabulous blog award! Like always I appreciate it.

I pass this on to all of my lovely followers!

Now let’s get into some good reads…….

http://www.profreshstyle.com/

I’ve been getting into fashion blogs lately. And I’m all for the expression of self. The lovely lady over at pro fresh styles serves you just that along with her enticing love, lust diary series, Reader appreciation posts where she highlights her favorite reader’s comments and most recently her retreat series which I love.

http://www.fashionbananas.com/

Delmy is an amazing fashionista.  Her sense of style is very versatile, daring, yet demure. I love how daring she can be with her hair cutting it short leaving it long. A lovely blog featuring amazing shoes, dresses and all the girly things in between.

http://naturallyobsessed.onsugar.com/

Kinky Kurly Queen has amazing hair. Her recipes always has me heading to the fridge and her weekly food for thought always leaves you with a little extra knowledge. She also features other ladies hair journeys which is helpful since you can always pick up a hair tip every now and then.

http://crunchybetty.com/

You have food on your face! As you should. This is my ultimate go to blog for all things homemade. Be it household, hair, skin all or those naturally homemade things in between Crunchy Betty has the goods.

http://lafeem.blogspot.com/

This is where high fashion and all the fabulous and gorgeous models converge to give a little highlight as to what’s trending in fashion.

Kimberly Snyder’s Health and Beauty Blog

This is my ultimate health and beauty blog. Kimberly is a nutritionist traveling the entire world in search for the best foods and experiences. She teaches you so many things concerning your health. True beauty comes from a healthy lifesyle and kimberly def inpires many to do so.

http://vendellablog.blogspot.com/

Makeup reviews, DIY beauty projects……

http://www.mzfashioncloset.com/

Dhalia is truly a MZ. when it comes to fashion. She rocks the most amazing shoes, sense of style is fabulous and as a makeup artist her makeup game is always on point.

http://nubiasnonsense.blogspot.com/

Nubia is such a liberating person. She inspires me all the time and her heart is always open to new fashionistas. She always knows where the great parties are too. Def a cool girl.

http://www.samanthadietz.com/

An up and coming photographer which not only captures images but always leaves you with the stories behind them. Samantha recently shot her first wedding in which she did an amazing job too.

http://www.socialitedreams.com/

Vonnie is a treat and her smile is amazing. From parties, good food, fashion and beauty tips and not to mention those lovely hump day eye candy she feautures you simply can’t go wrong here!

http://vividfusion.blogspot.com/

Makeup galore. Love her tutorials! Check her out!

http://canelawomyn.blogspot.com/

Canela Woman is very outspoken and she blogs about those things that have crossed my mind but never discussed. I like how her opinions leave you with a whole new perspective.

http://jilliecat.blogspot.com/

http://gorgeousglam.blogspot.com/

 Glam Doll Lumi

http://lloronaarts.blogspot.com/

Dolce Vanity

Beauty Thesis

Complex Simplicity

Girl On the Moon

Miss Cindia

Cosmetics Aficionado

I’m sure I missed out on a few others I meant to mention, so make sure you check out my blog roll on my side bar and all the other blogs I’m loving Here.

 

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Tag: Christmas Wish List

I was tagged to do a Christmas wish list by the lovely lady over at Beauty with Brains. This year will be a bit low key for me. Instead of gifts I will be taking my family members out and about. Dinner with my mom, clubbing with the sis and a few other places everyone has in mind. I felt it to be a great idea since I don’t get to actually do things with the the family that often since everyone’s schedule seems to clash.

As far as my wants If I had my way I would be thrilled to see each and every one of these on Christmas morning.

The creator of these amazing and one of a kind accessories comes from Birmingham Lady. Not only does her jewelry match my personality, but her blog is so adorable truly one of a kind and unique. As some of you may know I have a thing for evil eye jewelry. She has these amazing bracelets and evil eye brooches which I love.

I don’t even know where to start with this one….. I truly adore Leila Hjazi’s art. She can transform anything into a master piece. When I first came across her etsy shop I was floored when I saw this mirror. Anything day of the dead I love. The skulls,colors and the coquettish flare each piece has truly calls me!

It’s sold much to my delight. But I’m sure who ever owns it now has a great item in hand. You can check out these and many more fabulous stuff on at her Etsy shop Illustrated Ink or check out her works in progress on her blog here.

I have an obsession with concealers. This benefit concealerholic has my name written all over it.

Bentonite Clay

I have been meaning to get this for the longest…. It’s great for the skin and hair. It’s natural and versatile.

Second to concealer my second makeup obsession is tinted moisturizers. I’m battling it out between Laura’s TM and a TM by Suki.

Suki Color

 I need a new juicer. I would prefer one with a food processor as well. My poor old little juicer is way too old which is why I don’t use it that often. This spring I’m hoping to juice a lot more and so I will be needing one of these.

And last but not least head out to the Islands and dance my life away! Wepaa!

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/5pklEgxcOeE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999

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How To Cleanse and Purify Your Environment Using Incense Part 1

Since a teenager I’ve always been a huge fan of incense, be it coconut, vanilla and scents dedicated to deities, it was my all time favorite hobby and collecting them would always turn into an adventure.

Burning incense is a very ancient practice spanning thousands of years, cultures and uses. The varied uses for incense encompasses many different religions and spiritual practices as well. It is said that the three wise men who visited Jesus lavished him with splendid gifts which actually included Frankincense and Myrrh. Native Americans most commonly used sage and a variety of herbs to perform ceremonies, prayers and cleansings as well as the Egyptians and ancient Romans. In India it’s closely linked with Ayurveda medicine, while in Japan, making incense is a form of art taken very seriously.

  It wasn’t until this past summer however, that I revisited my passion for incense. While purchasing some goodies from my local African street vendor (mostly Shea butter) I noticed a stack of what seemed like pebbles in clear bags lying next to the usual stick incenses. What I thought to be decorative pebbles were in fact loose frankincense and myrrh resins.

 

 I had never tried this type of loose incense before and my curiosity made me buy a pack of each.  I became even more intrigued when he mentioned that I needed charcoal which left me a bit confused. He nicely informed me that I would not be able to light it unless I had charcoal. So along with the incense resins of frank and myrrh I bought, I also got a pack of charcoal.

So like me you may be wondering why the charcoal and how do you use it?

There are basically two types of incense:

Combustible

Combustible incenses are most commonly used. This type of  incense is popular because it can be instantly lit and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Examples include incense sticks, cones and swirls.

Source

Non combustible

Non Combustible incense requires a hot charcoal block (like the one shown above) in which you sprinkle the loose incense into. For example herbs, resins, spices etc.

The charcoal helps maintain a significant amount of heat which in turn burns whatever incense you choose. Typically these charcoal blocks have a round groove where it holds the incense in place. What helps ignite the charcoal block is the saltpeter (potassium nitrate) most charcoal blocks (and incense sticks) are made with. When fully lit, the saltpeter will sparkle and ignite throughout the block, glowing red indicating it’s ready to burn whatever incense you choose.

The difference between the two is the amount of smoke each type emits. Incense sticks, cones etc tend to let out a more controlled smoke, ideal for meditation, clearing of a small space or to simply enjoy the aroma. Loose incense with charcoal on the other hand, tends to billow out a lot of smoke and it’s mostly used for spiritual cleansing of spaces and environments sort of like smudging.

The idea of using smoke and the aroma derived from the many herbs available, to clear and purify places, people and things is perhaps as ancient as fire itself. Everyday we tend to be unfortunately, exposed to more negativity than not. This is why it’s important to leave those vibrations (and people) at the door and try to maintain a more positive, productive and fruitful environment. Negativity rears it’s ugly head in all forms. Be it the argumentative household, envious neighbor always in your house, stressful day at work, trouble sleeping and the many more things that do not really describe a peaceful environment are just some examples of negative, stagnant energy that seems to take up permanent residence in your household and surroundings.

You can yourself with incense clear your environment of any undesirable elements with simply focusing your intent on a more peaceful ambiance along with a few simple ingredients and must have tools.

This will be a two part series focusing on incense and how you can use it for a variety of things. In my next post I will show you how I use incense to clear my home, the essential tools you will need before you start, as well as some incense recipes I have been experimenting with.

So stayed tuned for part 2.

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Nyx Ulysses Lipstick, Nyx Concealer + MAC Raizin Blush and more

Much to my boyfriend’s delight I’ve been doing a lot of shopping lately. Not much really if you ask me, these are just a couple of things I’ve purchased in the last few months.

My latest Nyx purchase has been this round lipstick called Ulysses and concealer in Light.

The lipstick is very beautiful. Ulysses has this red/orange tone to it almost like terracotta but more on the red side. I love this color on my warm skin tone and has been on heavy rotation recently.

Ulysses on Lips

This a very nice lipstick to use if you want to go for a more toned down red lip look…….

When I first purchased this concealer I was still gloriously tan so it was a bit too light for me. But now that my fabulous tan has faded, it seems to be the perfect match for now.

I like the coverage I get and it’s creamy enough to blend. It has not creased on me which is a plus for my oily skin and for the price, 4 bucks not a bad concealer at all.

I used a little too much here, but it’s just to give an idea.

A little bit of this concealer goes a long way. I like the finish not too dry looking at all, like some tend to be on me.

While shopping for ingredients for my dish here, I stopped by walmart’s makeup section. I lost (or thought I lost) my powder brush I have been using as a bronzer brush, from eco tools. Turns out it was in my sister’s room while visiting the other weekend.

In need of a brush that could decently apply my bronzer I panicked and purchased walmarts’s powder brush and along the way picked up the angled blush brush too.

I like this powder brush, it’s not too dense or flimsy and it picks up bronzer quite well. The application is really nice as well. Def a keeper and I actually use this one more often than my thought to have been lost eco tools one.

The angled blush brush is OK. I just use it for my brown blushes every now and then. I find it’s a bit too dense for my liking in a blush brush but it does it’s work.

While out and about with the boyfriend the other evening I decided to stop buy bloomingdales’ and check MAC out. I ended up with a concealer and a blush.

I got this powder blush in Raizin. Don’t be fooled by the name it has no resemblance to raisins in color. In fact it too has this gorgeous red/ Orange terracotta tone to it. When I paired it with Nyx ulysses it was like a match made in heaven. I adore matte blushes because they tend to balance my oily skin and this one looks perfect on my skin tone.

I pair and wear these two out a lot especially for work. I get lots of compliments when I do my makeup with these two.

Raizin I’m always on the mad hunt for the next best concealer and of course had to pick one up. I let the makeup artist pick one out for me and she came up with select moisture cover in NW35. When she tested it on me at the store it looked like a dead on match but when I got to the natural light at home when I tried it the next day, it was wayyy too orange and dark for me. So I’m returning this one for a shade lighter perhaps.

I also got this Tinted Moisturizer from Avon’s Meet Mark Line recently. I got it in honey golden. I’m returning this because the color is almost non existant and left my complexion looking weird. It also had this weird sunscreen scent which turned me off even more. So far the Sonia Kashuk TM is still working for me.

My boyfriend’s aunt got her hands on what seems to be the last 2 wet n wild palettes so many rave about. Luckily she was nice enough to let me have greed and vanity and I have to say that I’m smitten with them.

There are so many looks online so far my favorite looks have been by Beverly over at FULLYBEATABLE. So make sure you check her out for the best swatches ever!

As with many wet n wild palettes you can never go wrong and I decided to do a quick look for a Christmas party I went to last weekend. I used wet n wild’s starry nights in meteor. This quad came out some time last year I think.

I’ve been asked to do tutorials which I will. Soon as I get a better camera.

I don’t do shimmers much but it was a toned down type of shimmer with very nice and decently pigmented colors.

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Hungry? Green Pigeon Peas with Coconut (Moro de Gandules con Coco)

 My favorite holiday dish ever is Moro de gandules con coco (pigeon peas). A must have dish for Christmas time especially throughout the Caribbean. This is my first attempt making this particular dish. Since I usually have moro de gandules (without the coconut milk), I decided to give it a try after checking the recipe out on Dominicancooking.com. I was a little hesitant given the coconut milk, but it’s basically the same way I usually do my moros, the only difference was the coconut milk, so I went for it.

What I used:

 Can of gandules (pigeon peas)
Olive Oil

Red Onions

Adobo

Garlic

Green Pepper

Achiote (bija)

Chicken Bouillon

Vinegar

Coconut Milk

Rice

I tend to be very simple when it comes to my dishes and I usually eyeball my ingredients since I typically just cook for 2 (in under 20 mins). If you want added ingredients and exact measurements to serve 4 people go here. No matter what you decide to add or omit from the recipe, the process is pretty much the same.

First you want to oil you pot

Chop up your onions, Green pepper, Garlic

Add it to your heated pot

Gandules (Pigeon peas) are very popular and versatile especially throughout the Caribbean. They are like black eyed peas but green. And unlike regular green peas, which are round and plump, pigeon peas are flat.

Once the onions, garlic and pepper have cooked for about 5 minutes in the oil, add your gandules.

Now you want to add your cap of vinegar, drizzle a little adobo, add 1 boullion cube and the rest of your ingredients except for the coconut milk.

Then add water according to your measurements

Once you have added your water, add your coconut milk. I added about a 3/4 of a cup of coconut milk for my little pot, since it was a small batch and did not want the coconut milk to overpower in taste. Then you want to add your achiote packet for color.

 Let it come to a full boil………

and add your rice. Let it boil (stirring every couple of minutes) until the rice dries a bit.

Making rice can be tricky for most, but it usually depends on your stove. Electric stoves tend to be an issue so make sure you adjust your low accordingly.

After about 45mins this is what I had left….very soft and tasty rice with a slight and light hint of coconut.

The aroma was faint. The taste was very light. I just had a very light coconut after taste which was soooo good. It came out pretty good for my first time and definitely will be making this more often.

 I’ve been wanting some fried fish lately and my dear blogger friend Tiffany over @the curlworld, mentioned tilapia in the comment section on my post about Smoking points of oils. I was like “oh yes how could I forget?” I did not even reply back, I went out and got me some tilapia. (so this is your reply tiffany lol) I have not had tilapia in a while and so the reminder came at the right time because I lightly breaded it and fried in olive oil…… I was so satisfied. Tilapia is so versatile, it’s incredible the things you can make with it…. which got me thinking about some coconut tilapia perhaps??

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Silicones, Mineral Oils and My Hair

As you all know I’m in the process of overhauling my hair regimen, transitioning into a more simple and natural regimen. I’m specifically focusing on the ingredients I use on my hair. For a while now I have been meaning to do this since I have noticed that my regimen consisted mainly of cones, mineral oil and many other sinful ingredients known throughout the hair world.

In the short run my hair has benefited from these ingredients at least superficially I feel. But in the long run that may not be the case. Lately my hair has gotten very limp, weighed down and just plain lifeless. Dryness and keeping up with moisture has become rather tricky especially while air drying. I strongly suspect it’s my regimen and most of the products I have been using for the past year. So I decided to go on a silicone and mineral oil free regimen.

I mainly want to keep “cones” and mineral oil as far as possible from my hair and here’s why:

Silicones:

What’s good about it: Temporarily mends split ends, detangles, provides shine and manageability, keeps frizz at bay and gives appearance of healthier shinier hair.

What’s bad about it: Cones tend to coat the hair which is what tames frizz, giving the appearance of shiny healthy hair. However, this coating causes buildup on the hair which eventually blocks out moisture.

How to recognize cones: Recognizing silicones in hair care products can be rather daunting but taking a few seconds and familiarizing yourself with cones and their names you should get it right in no time.

A silicone ingredient typically ends with -cone, -conol, or -xane. Examples include: dimethicone, dimethiconol, amodimethicone, cyclomethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, and trimethicone. Source

My hair tends to like cones especially when rollersetting and with styles that require heat. Lately I have been air drying and the results are not the same at all. I find that cones provides my hair with a quick fix especially with straight styles that requires heat. As opposed to my curls and air dried hair which ends up dry requiring more moisturizer especially My Ors Olive oil daily moisturizer, which leads me into Mineral oil.

Mineral Oil

Mineral oi is derived from petroleum and like cones, coats the hair which in turn builds up on the hair, blocking out moisture. It basically just sit on the hair providing no true benefit to the hair. I have to admit I hav been in denial for a bit. Mineral oil is the second ingredient in my beloved ORS olive oil which I moisturize daily with. The thought of it just sitting on my hair as opposed to truly moisturizing is killing me. It’s best to keep mineral oil based products away from the scalp since it clogs pores as well, hindering new hair growth while promoting dandruff. A lot of my favorite Dominican deep conditioners contain this ingredient like Nacidt avocado, olive oil etc!

I’m not knocking these products, if anything my hair has grown a lot in the year since using these products, questionable ingredients and all. Remember that every hair type is different. The time it take for you to notice any cone buildup can take months while other hair types instantly feel the buildup by using products with these ingredients. One way to rid or keep you hair at bay of cone buildup is by using a sulfate based shampoo or clarify often, since it’s hard to rid the hair of cone buildup without a detergent based shampoo.

I’m going to try sticking with this cone free/sulfate free all natural regimen. I’m curious to see if my hair will bounce back at least to some decent thickness. I also have been getting bored with my routine so hopefully this new venture will keep me interested. Here is a sneak peak of some of the things I’m buying to start my natural regimen.

Silicone free and ultra thick and moisturizing. I will use this as a base for my deep conditioners.

Black strap molasses. I take a tablespoon of this every morning for my anemia. But I find that my hair will like this as well.

So remember if you are going to use cone or mineral oil based products make sure you pay attention to build up especially if you are using a sulfate free shampoo, since it’s hard to rid the hair of cone buildup without a detergent based shampoo. Sulfate based shampoos help, but remember they also dry out and strip the hair of moisture. So it’s all about paying attention to your hair’s needs and of course balance.

My new hair regimen wish list is coming to life as well as my recipe stash, I’ll have a post on that soon in the mean time check these helpful links out.

Black Hair Media: All About Cones


Black Hair Media: List of Cone free Conditioners


The Natural Haven: Mineral Oil


Tightly Curly: Hair Ingredients List


Naturally Curly: What’s the scoop on Silicones?

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Cooking Oils and Their Smoking Points

I just ordered this skillet from CSN stores this week (full review on customer service and skillet coming soon). I initially wanted a saute pan that could double for a frying pan if needed. But then I came across this article which helped clarify and narrow down my search.

I don’t eat a lot of fried foods but when I do I like to have it homemade that way it’s fresh, crispy and tasty. As with anything fried the oil is what matters especially when it concerns taste. Which got me thinking about which oil would be the best to fry with. While researching, I came across the smoking points of oils, which turned out to be a very interesting cooking tidbit to know.

 The smoking point of oils is the point at which the oil starts to not only give off smoke but also the point at which the oil begins to breakdown, releasing unhealthy free radicals. Reaching the smoking point of any oil starts to destroy the many different qualities each oil possesses as well as change it’s flavor.

The higher the smoking point of the oil the better it is. Here is a brief list of oils and their smoking points: {Source}

-Avocado oil

520°F

-Safflower oil

510°F

-High quality (low acidity) extra virgin olive oil 405°F

-Coconut oil

350°F

-Extra virgin olive oil

320°F

-Almond oil

420°F

-Peanut oil

440°F

For baking: Coconut, palm, canola and high oleic safflower and sunflower oil work best.

For frying: Because they stand up well to the heat, avocado, peanut, palm and sesame oil are ideal for frying.

For sautéing: Many oils are great for sautéing, including avocado, canola, coconut, grapeseed, olive, sesame and high oleic safflower and sunflower oils.

For dipping, dressings and marinades: When it comes to making dressings and marinades, or finding oil that’s perfect to serve alongside crusty bread for dipping, you’re looking for terrific flavor. For this purpose look to flax, olive, peanut, toasted sesame or walnut oil. {Source}

Right now I cook and dress my salads with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I’ve tried coconut oil and surprisingly doesn’t leave any trace of coconut flavor. I really liked it but seems like the boyfriend’s stomach was a bit sensitive to coconut oil so I had to switch to Olive Oil.

I’m really curious about avocado oil not only does it have a high smoke point, but can be used for any beauty regimen as well. I have been on the hunt for avocado cooking oil for a while to no avail. Hopefully my natural health food store stocks up at least with one bottle like I requested. I’m just in the mood for some good ol’ fried fish…..maybe a whiting fillet or a red snapper? lol

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