Change Eating Habits

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I really have to do better. With the kids starting school last week, the gym is non existent. I just wont have time to get to the gym and tend to mom duties also. Although I've been trying to do better with my eating, this has given me more motivation.

My plan is to limit junk. And I don't even buy that much junk food. But, somehow I just don't feel like I'm eating enough veggies and fruits. So, for my lunch I'm going to start packing healthier options. Cucumbers, carrots, plums, etc.

But, being healthy is so expensive, time consuming and some times....tasteless. But, I need to do it for longevity. Find ways to trim the fat and calories in my food. As well as in the food of my children.

Not to mention, the healthier options will also help with healthier hair. I'll let you know how it works out.

Summer Love

I never really looked at the difference your hair makes in your life before being natural. I mean, I knew that having relaxed hair meant that swimming was a no-no and exercising was going to be a pain for my roots.

But, now that I’m natural, I see how I limited myself by having relaxed hair. Being a FL girl, access to water is so easy. But, I would go summers without even setting foot in a pool because I didn’t want to mess up my hair. I’m not one of those girls who were in the hair salon every few weeks to get my hair done. But, I knew the damage the chlorine would take on my hair. I didn’t need anymore chemicals. So, summers come and go and I don’t go swimming. I missed that.

I know being natural doesn’t mean that the chlorine won’t harm my hair. But, not having the chemically processed hair makes gives my hair more of a fighting chance to enjoy the activities of summer.

This weekend, I plan on taking my kids to the pool or to the beach or somewhere so we can have our last bit of summer fun before school starts. I can’t wait!

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I’ve never been one to wear a lot of make up. But as I get older, I want to experiment more. I just don’t have the drive. I like the more natural look. Where it looks like your own glow. However, watching a few YouTube videos on it shows that you have to apply A LOT of make-up to achieve this look. Not for me.

The most make up I’ve ever worn on any given day is lip gloss. I did go thru a “I love Mary Kay Eyeshadow” phase, but I really only wore that when going out to night clubs. Even then, I think my application looked amateur. So, I refrain from wearing any make up. I like simple.

One thing I’ve always thought of women who wear TOO MUCH make up is that ‘Make up makes your face stop trying’. I’m sure that’s an original quote from me…so use my name when quoting. Lol.

I’ve seen women come to work who hadn’t ‘put their face on’ and all I can say is DAMN! Not a pretty sight. Can you imagine what your Mr. Man is saying when he wakes up to you every morning?

I think with make up, less is more. Use enough to highlight your face without masking your natural look. This way, your face never looks like you NEED make-up. IMO

Simplifying life…at least my hair

I realized that I’m becoming a PJ (product junkie). I enjoy buying new products to try on my hair. “I’m trying to find a combo that works” was always my excuse to myself. I had to put the breaks to that as I started to get duplicates of different products.

My current goal is to use up what I have before I buy something new. Currently have in my arsenal in order of use:

Organix Shea Butter, Vanilla, Coconut Conditioners. I don’t know why I have all 3. But, I’m in love with this conditioner and they smell great!

Design Essentials Therapeutic Leave-in conditioner – This is my favorite leave in. Although it has some ‘cones’ in it, I still love it. Great smell and leaves my hair feeling soft. I only use this after I co-wash my hair.

*Note- I don’t use all these oils in one day. I rotate*

Coconut Oil – I use it every day on my hair. LOVE IT! It really moisturizes my hair the way I need it to.

Carol’s Daughter Tui Oil – Although I like the smell, I’m glad I bought the smaller bottle. It doesn’t keep my hair moisturized all day like the Coconut oil does. Good thing I’m almost out.

Olive Oil – It was buy 1 get one free at the grocery store. So, I have one in the pantry and one in my bathroom..lol. I don’t use as often as the coconut oil. But it works also.

Vegetable Glycerin – I use this in a spray bottle with some EO to give my hair moisture when I do my re-wetting in the morning. Works great!!! But, don’t add too much to your bottle.

Essential Oils – let’s see

• Rosemary – because it’s supposed to stimulate blood and help hair growth. I usually put a few drops in my spray bottle when I make my concoction.


• Spearmint – Who doesn’t want to smell like gum???


• Lemon – This is a wonderful scent. It wakes me up


• Tea Tree Oil – Antiseptic, Antifungal & Antibacterial. I add this to my spray bottle to keep the mold out.


• Butter Pecan Scented Oil – not quite an essential oil. But, I use it in my Shea Butter mixes I make for my hair and my son’s skin.

Shea Butter – Every natural girls required product. It has so many uses that I use it for everything. The same container I use on my hair, I use on my son’s skin. He has severely dry skin and nothing else has worked (and I’ve tried everything!!). But Shea butter is the one thing that actually keeps his skin unashyfied all day.

Soft & Beautiful Botanicals Styling Gel – eh…I only have this because my mom gave it to me. But, I’ve only used it a few times. Let’s just say, I don’t like it too much. I think I’ll be giving it back.

IC Fantasia – my curly crack. Defines my curls the way I want them too. And if I do this after I wash my hair, leave-in condition and coconut oil, my hair doesn’t get as hard as normal. It also doesn’t leave ANY flakes, residue, etc. When you put it in, it foams up a little, but once it dries all that goes away.

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Naturally Stolen

I've said before that one of my main reasons for going natural is my daughter. Her natural hair was stolen from her to early.

It was a year ago when I picked her up from her other grandmothers house to find my daughters hair was straight. I asked what had happened. The grandmother told me that she got a perm but "it was a kid perm, doesn't she look pretty". I told her grandmother that "Wasn't anything wrong with her before and she was BEAUTIFUL then!"

I was pissed to say the least. There isn't a word for the level of anger I had that day. Not only did her father relax her hair without my permission, consent or knowledge, he didn't even bother to tell me about it before I picked up my daughter. He wouldn't even answer my phone call that day. He knew what was up.

Back story - He knew that I did not want her hair relaxed. I have told him that she has the rest of her life to ruin her hair. No need to do ruin it earlier than 16. He and I aren't together and he is remarried. I am not a mother that constantly calls, texts, etc. I don't ask you for any money. You're not on child support. and I may see you only once every few months because we do most of our exchanges at school or whatever. Rarely face to face. No particular reason, just how it's been. But, we've talked about this issue regarding her hair.

Well, this particular day when she went to her dad's house, she had her hair in a afro puff. We went swimming earlier and hadn't had a chance to do her hair. He called later that day and wanted to get her the next day. Cool. This was a Friday. Apparently by that Saturday, she had a perm. His wife bished to him and he caved. I didn't pick her up til that following Friday. No one bothered to say anything.

I've always told my daughter that her hair is beautiful. That there was nothing wrong with her hair. But, she saw others (including me) around her with straight hair and she wanted the same. She was happy at first. Her hair was long like she wanted it. But, seeing her hair permed made me realize how FINE her hair really was.

Within a few months. her hair was just enough to put in a ponytail. It was breaking off bad. My best efforts in teaching a 10 year old child on taking care of their hair wasn't working. Taking her to the hair dresser to make sure a professional did her hair didn't help. I haven't used a box perm on her because I don't want to do that. Now her hair is severely damaged.

So, this year, a month before school let out, I put braids in her hair. She was going to be spending the summer in the pool and there was no need for her to have a fresh relaxer and chlorine combo going on. She took the braids out last week (they had been redone since school. don't worry) and I washed and conditioned her hair. But, it doesn't look good. Her natural hair has grown quite a bit but her relaxed hair looks dead and damaged.

I hope that me going natural will show her that she doesn't need a perm in her hair. Hopefully, she'll see that she doesn't have to have straight hair. Hopefully, she'll go back to her natural hair until she's at an age where she can care for her own hair properly.

Conditioner Help Please

Ok. Maybe it's just me but my hair never feels really conditioned. I know I'm comparing it to my relaxed hair and that soft feeling, but my hair now doesn't feel that way. Like I said...maybe it's just me.

But, I'm curious what do other natural ladies do to condition their hair? Something that lasts all day. I want that soft feeling but something that will condition my hair also.

What do you use?