The Product Junkie is Back!

I am a recovering  hair product junkie and I must say I was doing pretty well for the past few weeks. I haven't bought any new hair products since my Jane Carter binge at the Chic and Kinky natural hair event.  I even attended the Respect The Kink Natural Hair Meet-Up and walked past every vendor with my debit card secured in my purse (although the sample I Love My Fro leave-in spray makes me wish I bought it when I had a chance). Sadly though I broke my streak by purchasing a bottle of Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil conditioner and suprisingly I have NO regrets.

Why haven't I tried this product line before, was one of the first questions I asked myself after rinsing the conditioner out. Then I remembered a Youtube video by natural hair vlogger Rustic Beauty where she announced that she would no longer be buying the Organix  product  line because its ingredients weren't all organic as suggested by the name. Once I heard that I vowed never to buy the product line either. However when I saw the bonus size bottle (50% more), the words Argan Oil (I've been curious about this oil for a while), and the (misplaced) sign that said it was on sale, I decided to go for it. At the time I wasn't expecting much I was just looking for a conditioner to co-wash with. and if I didnt see the Organix conditioner  I would have just as soon as bought a bottle of Suave in that moment.

I used this conditioner in my hair this past Sunday alone without any other products (I'm a mixtress at heart so this alone is incredible). The first thing I noticed was that I loved the smell followed by its amazing slip. My hair is prone to tangles and knots so I am always looking for products to help ease the process. After working the conditioner in each section of my hair (I parted it in about six sections) I sat under my Huetiful steamer for 30 minutes, detangled my hair afterwards , and then rinsed out the conditioner. My hair felt noticeably soft to the touch immediately and remained tangle free through the styling process. I followed up with the I Love My Fro leave-in, my Shea Moisture growth milk, and a few drops of Vatika oil. My hair felt amazing the next day without the excess grease and I was pleased that it was moisturized without being weighed down with oils ( I can say that I never actually thought this was a possible feat for my hair). This is definitely an item I plan on re purchasing once its finished for co-washing. As I was looking for a picture of the bottle online I found out that there is a  Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Treatment for 7.99. The product junkie in me wants to reach for my purse ;0). Give it a try and let me know what you thnk!

Summer Wedding

Summer Wedding by naturale featuring zara shoes

Due to the overwhelming amount of weddings I have been asked to attend this summer I am constantly looking for the perfect summer wedding dress. The requirements are bright or nuetral, short, flirty, and semi-formal.  Above were a few looks I liked and wish I could find at a store next door.  :0) Let me know if younsee any that you like.

Life Reset Day 8-Reflect, Comment, Connect

Today's challenge was to reflect on the previous challenges completed thus far and answer the following:

What was the most important thing you learned about yourself this week?

What has been your favorite exercise so far?

Which exercise did you struggle with the most and why?

Reflect:

I decided to embark on this challenge originally because I felt my life was stagnant and although I had accomplished a few things I was not sure what my next steps should be. The only thing I was sure of was that I was not satisfied with this (my current life) being the all I accomplish in life. With that being said I learned that I have a few paths that I can choose to go down that will possibly change my lifestyle. I also realized that there are a few stark differences between the life I want and the life I have that can be fixed with a little effort on my part. Lastly, I learned that I start a lot of projects but have a tendency to not follow though (ie. this challenge) and if I want to master anything I have to stick with it. My favorite exercises were creating my personal mission statement and conducting the life assessment. These two exercises forced me to dissect myself in a meaningful way and decide who I wanted to ultimately become. I struggled with yesterday’s assignment to create my ideal life narrative not because the task was difficult to complete but because I questioned how that would assist me in the present.

Comment/Connect:

I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks you to a person that I started this challenge with. In fact they are the reason I am trying this challenge a second time around again and the reason why although I am exhausted I am making it a priority to write this post. Thanks for pushing me, sending messages asking where my posts are, and flagging my spelling errors. More importantly thank you for diligently completing the challenge yourself and being the example. Keep plugging away at this challenge, continue to reflect on yourself and grow, and don’t be afraid to make some real changes in your life.

Summer Wedding

Summer Wedding by naturale featuring high heels

Day 7--Write Your Ideal Life Narrative

Where is Day 6 you ask? I skipped it! Day 6's challenge was to draw your life map using the seven sectors of your life (finance, relationship, lifestyle, etc) as your areas of focus. Although I watched Rosetta's video in which she went over the steps she took (and her mom as well) to create her own life map, it wasn't useful (in my opinion) in helping me create my own. The workbook that Rosetta created to help you through this process of creating a life map was removed from the site with promises of bringing a bigger and better version to the site in the near future. Until then I decided to move on to day 7.



Day 7's challenge asks you to simply transcribe what your ideal life would look like all while speaking in the present tense. This is an activity I have done with some kids that I have worked with in the past and it was interesting to be the one "creating " this ideal life. Although I understand the purpose of making a statement about what you want as a way of (or the first step to) making it your reality but while thinking about my "ideal" life I couldn't help but feel like it was slightly unrealistic. Without further delay, my narrative:



I live in Washington D.C, Miami, or in New York City in a residential community not far from the hustle and bustle of city living but with a community vibe. My home is large enough for me to entertain guests on a regular basis and also has a small rental property. It is ordinary for people to come over for backyard bbq's, game nights, movie nights, and simply dinner or a drink. I am a well-known lifestyle blogger that people look to for advice and ideas on all things natural hair as well as Carnival. My blog is doing so well that it generates its own income by way of advertising on the site. I am constantly invited to speak at Natural Hair events to share my experience, trials, and pitfalls with natural hair. I have successfully started a series of natural hair meet-ups for teens and tweens interested in embarking on or are currently on their natural hair journey. In addition to this I continue my work as a counselor counseling young women in a private practice focusing on self-esteem, positive self-image, and creating and achieving goals. In addition to this I have a girls mentoring program that I have launched in several public schools in the region that I live which extends the same services to inner city girls as I give in my private practice. In an effort to continue my education I take many classes in various topics from cooking classes, to belly dance, to sandal making classes. I work for myself mainly and I am financially stable. I spend my downtime enjoying vacations throughout the world and on a bi-yearly basis with close friends. I also regularly visit Trinidad and Barbados for their carnival seasons for my personal enjoyment. I have relationships that are close in nature with my family and friends which is illustrated by how often they visit my home. In addition to this I have an outgoing, ambitious, driven, humorous, supportive and loving partner who is always pushing me to keep on breaking barriers and becoming successful. We are planning to have a child (or have one) in the near future. I exercise regularly and maintain a well-balanced diet daily.



Sounds like a modern day fairy tale. Let's see what Day 8's challenge brings.

Paparazzi on my mind....

paparazzi by naturale featuring rubber jewelry