Toys Voice Homemade Conditioner Review

So I was watching youtube as I do everyday between washing clothes, sweeping, and all the other duties of a house"wife" and came across her homemade conditioner. So I had most of the items and decided to try it.

INGREDIENTS: 1/2 rip avacado, real mayo, olive oil, banana, egg yolk (for protein) Plastic shopping bag and rubber band or a disposable shower cap.

Let me say it is not for the faint of heart, the lazy or those who need to leave the house. I mashed up the 1/2 avacado, egg yolk, olive oil, mayo and banana. Man, this stuff stinks after an hour! Me, Yes I left the house with a shower cap covered by a beenie. Yeah, I had stuff to do and ended up leaving this in for like two hours!

Me, with the wild hair after the crochet braid take down.

Deep conditioner- yuck! bantu knot to hold it.

After wash. Check out that shrinkage! I am learning to embrace it, but I LOVE big hair and as soon as it hits water or sweat, it looks like this!

So this is just a quick look at the hairdo I am rocking today after wash day before I get my trim from my sister tonight.

Please not that that ponytail puff is NOT mine. I purchased mine for $9.99 This in fact, is my hair goal. MY hair is more like this:

Hair We Grow

OMG! Mr. C makes me so gosh darn mad! I am trying to take out these daggone crochet braids and they are not as easy as you may think. I am getting pissed off! I am even more mad that he would not help me take out one braid! Ugh! He makes me sick! I am sweating trying to take these things out!

Anyway, I am trying to be positive! Today is takedown and wash day!!!!! YAAAAAAY! So so many of y'all have been asking about what I wash my hair with and my diet. Let me begin by saying I have yet to have a routine I am super comfortable with. As far as diet: I do not eat red meat. I have not since 1996. I do not eat pork either. I just eat good ol yard bird and fish. I eat veggies daily and I am trying to get back on my water kick. I used to drink a 1.5 liter plus more a day. DC water is so nasty so I bought the Brita pitcher.

I have my favorite, giant green cup I use daily.

 If I can just get back to drinking one full glass of that before bed and two in the morning, I will be in good position to build up to half my weight in oz. That is a TON of water! But y'all know how it is drinking a lot of water. I am no camel. I swear my bladder is the size of a pea! I know that once I begin drinking more water on a regular basis my body will get used to it. I also take powered fiber nightly. I use good ol Target brand or whatever is on sale. Mix with with some juice and you are good to go. Chug it baby!

 I think this helps flush the toxins. In any case, I like what it does and it is seemingly clearing my skin.

Okay, so we got water covered. I also take a prental vitiman daily ( I am supposed to do it daily but do not!). I HAVE noticed a growth spurt in my hair when once again I follow through and take something as scheduled- one a day. I sometimes take a Biotin pill too. I am not sure about the combination of the Pre natal and biotin. They are making my fingernails do something funny, so I may have to chill on the latter.

Cleansing: In 8 years of me being natural, I have yet to find a shampoo I LOVE. I have tried countless shampoos. I even washed my hair with dish detergent! I know, I know. All you new naturals are spoiled. There was no youtube or incredible internet access in 2003. Hell, I was living in NC in college and barely knew HOW to use a computer. Plus, like NO ONE was natural so I had to go this alone.

Shampoo I do like: Bed Head in the green bottle. I am usually against sulfates, but for some reason this shampoo left my hair feeling great! I need to try it again.
Conditioner: I tried Mixed Chicks before I put in these crochets (which by the way are already out. More on that later), no bueno. Suave humectant is okay. I find that my hair really like Oraganics Olive Oil stuff that comes in that small pack you can get at any hair store for like $1.99
                 HOMEMADE CONDITIONER: One egg yolk, olive oil, 1/2 an avacado, glop of REAL Mayonnaise. Mix well, apply, throw on a shower cap, let it sit for about an hour. It can smell terrible, but leaves my hair so soft. Rinse with COLD water to prevent cooking the eggs. I have done this the wrong way and had more scrambled eggs in my hair more times than I would like to admit.

Mositure: I use my own mix of Shea SewFly Whipped Body Balm for my hair. It is a mix of pure shea butter and oils. My hair LOVES it. I use that or Better Hair and Body. I have been using that for the last 6 years or so. I also use a hair oil at times. Once again all SewFly stuff.

Tools: WIDE TOOTH COMB! This is a must for anyone with kinky, coily, curly or in my case, nappy hair. This helps detangle with ease. How many combs have you broken using the wrong thing?! Shoot, I just broke my wedding veil comb fooling around with something rat tail sized!

            DENMAN BRUSH- I am not sure if this is the real deal holyfield, but I LOVE it. Perfect for detangling in the shower with conditioner in my hair. THIS IS A MUST!

            BOBBY PINS- for the rare chance I do an updo
            PLASTIC CLIPS/CLAW-thingies. Helps me section my hair when washing, styling, etc. Does not break hair like the metal ones

            SATIN BONNET- so dope, cheap, keeps in moisture, minimizes friction. Trick: use a child sized one to stay on better. My regular bonnet always seems to fall off or has slidden (no way is that a word, but you know) back to expose my edges. Always keep more than one. I keep one in my suitcase, bathroom and in PJ drawer.
            SATIN PILLOWCASE- as a backup for the bonnet. I am still out on that because my face is acne prone so I usually use a cotton case to soak up the oil.
            HAIR SHEARS- DO NOT use the same scissors as you use for cutting open mail, making arts and crafts projects, etc. I have an inexpensive pair ($5) of sharp hair shears I use for dusting or trimming my hair. I keep them in an extra sating bonnet I have lying around.
            PONYTAIL HOLDERS- the ones with the covered elastic. These will not pull your hair out.

                     SILK SCARVES- I get mine from the vintage store and I hang them on a tie holder. I have tons of these. I go through a cycle when I wear them all the time and then one where I don't touch them for a year. Not only do these dress up hair, but can add flair to an outfit. I sometimes wear one in place of a belt around a blazer.

MISC. ITEMS: Blow dryer, sit under dryer I rarely put heat on my hair. Even in the winter I just walk around the house with my jheri curl rollers in until my hair dries or I sleep in them. We women possess a talent unlike any other. Those rollers HURT!

I refuse to have Straight Hair

I refuse to have straight hair for my wedding. What is wrong with having healthy, thick, nappy hair? I have been looking at different blogs to get ideas because all the balck hair magazines do not believe in natural hair. It makes me sick that I have to turn to the internet to get ideas about how to wear my hair. I am sorry, no I am not, but braids and weaves are not natural hair and so many times we see that in the "natural" section of these magazines like Hype Hair and the like.

How my finace suggests I wear my hair. While I LOVE this, my hair is not this long or thick. Plus, for some reason my hair LOVES to shrink. While I am exicted I am getting married, I know my hair will go crazy! It shrinks any time water gets near it or I sweat. My wedding is in September and usually it is still hot in DC.

I was thinking something more along the lines of this. Isn't this cute?!

Our honeymoon is in New Orleans so I need something that will last through the heat and the lovemaking! Ow! I know my mother will have a TMI note by this comment right here, but so what.

This is my favorite hair do so far. To me, it is regal and strong. The downside? My hairdresser does not add hair and my cousins do not know how to do no knot braids. I was going to wear a veil and making it was going to be the challenge for me that I thought I was going to enjoy. Not so much. The first veil attempt was a definite fail. I wanted a birdcage veil, but this damn hair! UGH! The veil was kinda cute but my hair was not right. It is hard to imagine how to do something when the hair isn't right! So I think I am going to go with something simple since my dress is really ornate, 3D and fierce! I would put up a photo, but you ladies will just have to wait.

This would be so pretty with just something like a nice fresh flower.

I wish my hair were this long for the twists. Casual, but cute.

Wedding Shoeicide!

I always begin writing once I have gotten into the right music groove. Today's feature artist is Minnie Riperton! I love her!

Okay, so unless you have been living under a rock since November, I am getting married and I am so excited about my dress! All I can say is that it is not white!

Shoes and my hair are the hardest fashion decisions for this wedding! I am 5'4" and Mr. C is 5'10." He does not really care about being shorter than me on most days but I do notice that he stands a bit straighter when I wear heels. The male ego I tell ya.

So these were the shoes I was thinking:

Aren't these BAD? OMG! I am in love with them. Even with my crackhead, narrow heels I love the fact that they have an ankle strap! As for the price. Whomp! Whomp! WHOOOOOOMP! $1,820! That is more than my dress or venue. I am totally trying to find something similar in style and DIY the crystals my (own)self!

Or these:

These are so fun and funky. Maybe too funky for a wedding.

Ladies, let me know if you know of any place, site, side of the road place I can cop some fierce funky fabulous shoes for under $100. I have no problem adding my own embellishments if need be. I am really lookin for a sandal with a chunky heel, open toe and if possible wooden base/heel. Real wood please! Not that stuff that looks like it would be in the kitchen cabinets via 1972!

I am not my Hair!

I love natural hair. I have been natural about 8 years this go round. While I am not an expert at natural hair, I love my hair most days. In fact SewFly by CarolRenee and this blog came about because of the many questions women (and some men) have asked me about natural hair, foods and exercise. Hold on, I need my glasses. I can't see a thing! Okay. I am back. Like I was saying: natural hair is the bomb!

Do not get me messed up, I am not one of these anti perm, crap talking women who think that women who chemically straighten their hair are traitors. Do you! Cause Umma do me? Did I really just quote a song my 14 year old loves?! OMG! Don't get it twisted unless it is two strand or kinky twists! I love music! Anyway, if a woman or Al Sharpton wants to perm their hair, so what? I am so sick of those in the natural world dissing perms. If they want to subject themselves to the creamy crack, let them. Now is a perm for me? Nope. I can't imagine myself with straight hair. I love how my hair is strong and curly and soft (most days).

I love that my hair has the ability to be straight on Tuesday and fro'ed up on Wednesday. I am writing this as I listen to the wig and weave queen herself- The Boss! I love Diana Ross! Let me talk about the history of MY hair. My hair was born the same time as me- 1981 (yeah, I am about to be 30 and I STILL look good!). I got my first perm in the third grade. I am not sure if I wanted one, but having a perm was like a right of passage into semi adult hood. It was along the same lines as a training bra and getting a period (if I only knew). Perhaps I wanted a perm because I wanted my hair to be like the white girls in my MA elementary school- long, scraight, blowing in the wind.

Everyone around me had a perm or god forbid a jheri curl. I will now admit I wanted one! yes, even in the early 1990s when I should have been shot for wanting such an awful thing. I thought jheri curls were cute because it was shiny. OMG! I am cracking up over here. Was I that ignorant?! I will let my Soul Glo another way!

So anyway, I did these crochet braids for the first time yesterday. Took me forever. As you know stay home moms do not have as much time as people may think. Between menu planning, being taxi, working out, shopping and cooking and beginning this blog and all the daily living, I finally got them in. And guess what, y'all? I love them! I am thinking about doing youtube videos with reviews, recipes and all that jazz. Until then, this is what I did.

I used three packs of Freetress Water Wave synthetic hair in 1B and in 1B/33 mix. Note: No one seemed to mention to me that there is little to no 33 in the mixed hair. It is better to just buy the 33 all by its lonesome. They were super easy to do and the way I braided my own hair underneath makes them flexible to wear in different styles unlike with a sew in weave! YES!

I braided 12 straightbacks to about the top of my ear and then braided them all together to become one giant, continous snake braid. I then pinned the tail. I took one piece of water wave hair and split it. I then stuck the crochet needle thingie through the braid. I began in the back at the nape of my naps! LOL So I stuck the needle through, hooked the hair on, pulled the whole thing through and tied it in two knots. This hair gets big quickly! So there is no need to do the braids close together unless you want Chaka Khan big hair.

Hopefully, I can upload some photos of the process sooon. I can't find my stupid USB cord. I am so bad with technology!

Stayed tuned. Stay fierce.fabulous.funky!

Follow Me, Follow Me, Follow Me!

So I am new at this bloggin thing. I am sitting here in my boxers, tank and wool socks wondering how this whole thing even works. Conya Doss on the computer and for once, quiet house. If I drank, I feel like the only thing missing would be a glass of wine. This blog began because so many of my friends and family members asked me about natural hair care, health, recipes and living. I am not a guru or some raw veggie eating, toga wearing, yoga practicing woman.

I think of myself to be rather regular. I love God, love my family and my soon to be new family (though many times we bump heads on so, so many issues.) I stay at home while my fiance works. He brings home the turkey bacon, I cook it, tell him how much more we need and clean up afterwards. I began a business selling all natural beauty items out of neccessity for self worth and sanity! It is hard staying home depending on my fiance.

People can say what they want, but being a housewife is not all people think it is. I work harder than I did when I was teaching, or working at a botique. Mental stimulation is madatory in the SAHM world. Yes, budgets, schedules, logistics and all that are inmportant, but so is LEARNING something different on a regular basis.

Follow me in my world. Sit back. All stories are true, I promise. Some of this stuff cannot be scripted!

Walk This Way

Hey y'all! So it is ridiculously, deliciously warm outside today. It is almost 5, well it is after 5 pm now and I am not even supposed to be working today. Any way, I have to enjoy the unseasonly warm weather today. I decided that I am going to begin walking today. I wish I had an ipod with some old school, cover my ear, headphones. My hears are so small that I am unable to use those ear bud thingies. WTH? I want to listen to music while I walk. I am woman, I can multi task.

I am getting in better shape for my wedding to the love of my life, Mr. C in September. I will take my measuerments tonight to see if they are still the same as when I first tried on my wedding dress. I am so sick of these places saying that one should order things so far in advance. I LOVE my dress, but my mind changes and it has the right to, so I am hoping that when I go to try it on in June that it will: be the dress I fell in love with and Fit the way I want it to.

I am so super exicted that Buffy the Body has a workout series on youtube and her site is www.bootynomics.com. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few years or do not listen to hip hop, she is/was the "It" girl in many videos. Her body is ridiculous. She said her hips are 45" and her waist is 31." Mine, not so much. In fact, all this exercising has been making me LOSE the booty. Whomp! No longer am I "there's too much booty in the pants."

My goal is to lift this booty cause right now it looks "tired." A student said that to me once and it pissed me off but motivated me to hit the gym or the trails so I am going for a one mile walk. I am going to see how long it takes me to do said milage. I usually do about two miles in 20 minutes while on the eliptical machine.But I do not think that thing is realistic. So I will hit you all back when I complete my walk- music free :0(

So I went for this over one mile walk, ending up at the local community center and then worked out there. I must have really been feeling it! I then walked home amist a few, "Can I walk with yous?" Today was a good day. Maybe tonight I will indulge in some yoga if my right hamstring allows it.

Measurements: 34D- 26-37. What the hell is going on?! When I got meaured in January I was 34D-25-40. What is up with my waist line growing and my booty SHRINKING?! I am pissed now.