Weekend Photo

Have you ever had your brain "break?" Like you just could not comprehend what you were seeing/hearing/feeling/touching/smelling/tasting and everything was pure feeling. Feeling is the only word I can think of to describe this sensation. If there is a fancy term for it, please share in the comments!

That's what happens every time I see this picture of salt flat in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia.

Looks like the end of the world right? No beginning. No end. Just existance.

Have you ever felt something like what I'm trying to describe? What triggered it? Tell me in the comments!

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I Go Back To Black

Product Provided for Review

We only said good-bye with words/ I died a hundred times/ You go back to her/ And I go back to black ~Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse's Back to Black has nothing to do with this review of Shea Moisture's Nourishing Moisture Rich Hair Color System outside of the fact I'm literally going back to black in terms of hair color. But I love the song and the entire time I was dying my hair I was thinking about it and her, her music, the 27 club and life. But you're not interested in my mini extensional crisis found in a bottle of hair dye, you're interested in the dye and it's results! 

I usually get an ~itch~ to change my hair as soon as it gets warmer and the sun comes out. So winning this in one of Cynthia of Simply Cyn's contests was perfect timing. What makes it even better?  Shea Moisture's Nourishing Moisture Rich Hair Color System has been impossible to find in my area. It's only available in select Targets and not a single store near me was carrying it. Not one. Even the ones listed as a carrier were out. And by "out" I mean did not have a display up yet nor was it on the shelves. Hmmm....

Anyways, if you follow me on instagram you know I was SHOCKED at how pretty the packaging is. It's stunning. From the watercolor box to the way everything comes nicely wrapped inside it. In this you get The dye, developer, plastic gloves, a brush and samples of Shea Moisture's Reconstructive Shampoo, conditioner and Elixir. I was really happy the sample of the shampoo and conditioner were 2 ounces because if you have natural hair those little baggies that come with most hair dye is not enough to detangle a single section of your hair.

The directions that come with this are perfection. If you've never dyed your hair before, you'll have no problem with this at all. It takes you through the process step by step using the bottle method (great for newbies) and the brush method (great for seasoned veterans). I mixed and applied this using the bottle method, but toss the mini brush this comes with. I found the handle too short to hold comfortably. The dye itself smells amazing. It's weird to say hair dye smells good but this has a really earthy smell I associate with Shea Moisture's products that I really enjoy instead of a nasty chemical smell that comes with most dyes.

I use the entire box for my head. No left overs. I scraped the bowl completely clean. So if your hair is any longer than mine, you're going to need at least two boxes. After letting it sit, I headed to the shower and rinsed it out using the provided shampoo and conditioner. And I could not get it to rinse clean. Rinse. Detangle. Rinse. Detangle. The water kept coming dark purple (oh?)...grey...then purple again..grey...lighter grey and then I just gave up. I did not have the patience. I figured I could just use old pillow cases and towels for a few days to make sure nothing got ruined.

It took three washes before I started getting clear water. And three protein treatments to get my hair actually feeling like hair again. But other than the initial dryness, I noticed no curl loosening or any other signs of permanent damage associated with hair color.

Blah blah blah, less talking more pictures. Before and After Photo!

As you can see, my hair is a dark brown with a red tint from the henna treatments I did months ago and if you wanted to know what my hair looked like product free, the before photo is what you've been looking for. And in the after photo you can see pure jet black, which surprisingly isn't nearly as harsh as I thought it would be. In direct sunlight it reflects light so beautifully, I wish I had more photos. 

I'm definitely loving this color! I'll update you all in a few weeks with more information about the lasting power. But next time I get an itch I plan on going straight to these products, especially since they come in so many colors!

What do you think? Have I ~inspired~ you to dye your hair soon?

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Going Corporate

A dream come true for me and many natural hair-ed folks would be having our favorite products available on the ground. Ideally in every health food store, drugstore or even high end department store. But what price are you willing to pay for it?

I started thinking about this because I just discovered that Qhemet Biologics is available on the ground near me. Yes, I love the fact I no longer have to pay upwards of $10 for shipping and I can put an end to my almost compulsive desire to hoard jars of this stuff (I used to freeze multiple jars to keep them from going bad. Don't tell me I didn't have a problem). But what happens if they go the route of Carol's Daughter?

I mention Carol's Daughter specifically because they're one of the few natural hair brands that really "made it." They have celebrity endorsements. They're available in almost every major department store. They've successfully expanded their brand to include more than just hair care. But do you remember how they were back in the day? If I remember correctly, they were one of the first readily accessible natural hair brands that were all about yummy ingredients that were fabulous for your hair.

And then they changed. They started popping up everywhere. The prices went up but the quality (ingredient wise) went down. Sure it was easily accessible and business was booming, but their products were no longer really "for" natural hair. Since their potential market got bigger, they started casting their net wider and needed to make modifications to catch and hold new fish aka new buyers like you and me. I can't fault them for that, they're a business. Their goal is to make money. And this is easiest way to do it.

My biggest fear is not being able to get Qhemet Biologics' leave in conditioner anymore. Or at least not being able to get it in a formula that works on my hair. I don't have the time, money or energy to start the search for Perfect Products all over again. And I'm really worried that maybe this sudden availability is the sign of a sea change. One that might not be in my favor. I know thinking like this is extremely selfish and maybe a little paranoid. I should be really happy that business is booming and they have the resources to be in brick and mortar stores, but.... What happens if they end up like Carol's Daughter? What am I supposed to do then?

Do you think there a balance that can be reached between catering to new not natural people and retaining old fans? Do you think any brand has successfully managed to do this? Am I the only one nutty enough to think like this? Tell me in the comments!

P.S. Lots of references to fish and oceans and water in this post. Lately I've have a strange desire to go to the ocean. And this is coming from someone who rarely goes to the beach. I can't really explain it. The water is calling me.

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Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer

Alright folks, reviews for the Too Faced Beauty Editor Darlings Kit are official complete! Yay it only took me what four months? Opps. Clearly I need to make an editorial calender of some kind so I can actually get these reviews to you all in a manner that, you know, makes sense.
 
Lip primers are like eye primers in the sense they're supposed to make your lip color stick around for longer, keep it from bleeding and intensify your lip color. I was expecting something like Chapstick when I saw the packaging so I was really surprised to find it was actually very similar to a lip gloss down to the doe foot applicator. Despite the fact it comes out super white, it goes on like a clear, buttery gloss. But not in a good way. It literally feels like butter on your lips. It dries down in a matter of seconds, but I hate that feeling so those few seconds are arduous.

I tried this with both a lip gloss and a lipstick and I was surprised to find out that I liked it more with lip gloss! I tested it out with a C.O Bigelow lip gloss which usually lasts an impressive 20 minutes on my lips because it tastes delicious but over this primer? Almost 2 hours!  Nice!

Lipsticks were a whole 'nother story. Sure, they lasted almost twice as long. But it matified lipsticks that weren't matte. Is this a bad thing? Not really, it's a just minor nuisance. Especially if you like the fact your lipstick isn't matte. But if you want to use this with matte lipstick you'll have to apply some sort of moisturizing lip balm first. Why? Because it will make your lips drier than the Serengeti in summertime leading to nasty crusties thus ruining the long-wear effect you were going for. Booooo!

Do you need this? Naw. Prior to getting this set, I've never used something like this. In fact, I didn't even know they existed. And for that reason alone I will not be calling this an essential for anyone. Even those of you who rock deep, dark lipsticks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Have you ever heard of lip primers? Ever used one? What did you think? Would you make something like this part of your daily routine? Tell me in the comments!

Advertised:Unique, creamy formulation was created for application all over lips to promote suppleness and lock in lip color so it will not feather, fade or transfer. Our paraben-free, Vitamin-E enriched formula pampers lips while powerful pigment binders protect colors in the most challenging lip conditions and from pout imperfections. Vegan Friendly. Paraben Free.

Price: $19 for 0.15oz

Ingredients: Isododecane, Silica, Talc, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Isobutyl Methacrylate/ Trifluoroethylmethacrylate/Bis-Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Acrylate Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Trihydroxystearin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Triethylhexanoin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tribehenin, Propylene Carbonate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Isostearate, o-Cymen-5-oL, Ceramide 2, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Sucrose Cocoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Mica.

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Hair Idol: Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong'o is a Kenyan actress/filmmaker born and raised in Mexico and educated in the US of A (She's a Yale Drama school graduate!). And she's got a knack or a strong desire to tell hard and often ignored stories in her work. For example, she traveled back to Kenya in 2008 to shoot, In My Genes, her first documentary looking at the experiences and the discrimination faced by eight people suffering from albinism in Kenya.

Her Big Acting debut deals with an more painful and emotionally exhausting topic, she's starring in Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave coming out this winter. A movie based on the 1853 autobiography of Solomon Northup, a free black man kidnapped in Washington D.C in 1841, sold into slavery and about his experiences working on plantations in Louisiana.

To be perfectly honest, I don't think I'll be able to handle the movie, it sounds like it's going to either be (a) a really painful trip down Memory Lane or (b) another White Savoir slavery film (see Django Unchained) and I do not have the time, money or spoons for either. But for those of you who are interested, it's got a really strong, star studded cast with folks like Quvenzhané Wallis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ruth Negga, and Brad Pitt. 

Do you plan on seeing this? Have you read 12 Years a Slave? What did you think of it? Tell me in the comments!

P.S. If you see any spelling errors in any of my posts, please tell me. I was re-reading some of them and I seriously need an editor. Or need to make myself wait 24 hours before posting.

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Weekend Photo

I'm currently loving Adam Thompson's Heroic Words of Wisdom series. And that's coming from someone who is not just a superhero junkie. I really love strong graphic, minimalist art with lots of color. Probably because I'm so terrible at it!

As for my weekend, I've decided to paint my room as part a Grand Redecorating Scheme. So exciting! My room is currently a very pretty light yellow but it has some wallpaper that needs to come down ASAP because I've out grown it and it's starting to peel in some places and just ugh.  I'm thinking maybe a cream color? I have blue-grey carpet and a hand painted (by yours truly) dresser that I'm not getting rid of so whatever I decide to paint it, it needs to go with both of those.  I'm thinking clean and artsy for a ~theme~.

I've made a pintrest board where I'll be posting my inspiration and what not so go check that out. And leave a comment with some of your favorite boards, blogs, etc. I need all the inspiration I can get!

So, I'm off to go to pick up paint swatches, check out some pillows at Target, get some fake flowers (I save pretty bottles and put fake flowers in them because they just look so pretty) and get some real flowers for Mother's day. I haven't even gotten my Mum a gift yet. Opps. I hope you're not reading this Mummy!

What are you doing this weekend? Anything fun for Mothers day? I need some ideas quick lest my mom plan her entire mother's day celebration. Which she probably will do if she hasn't already.

But that's not bad because she gets exactly what she wants right? Right?

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Almost There!

Alright, maybe I'm not back to regular scheduled posting. I'm working on it. See, I'm getting better, you have a post almost five days a week. That's an improvement! And improvement is really all we can ask for this in world. Today better than yesterday. Tomorrow better than today until the end of time.

I've reached my half way mark on the 10 empties challenge. And let me tell you, it's way harder than I expected. WAY HARDER. Confession: I'm kind of a compulsive shopper. Especially when I'm sad. And saying "no" to a bargain on a Bad Day? Harder than you might imagine.  But I'm doing eet.

IC Fantasia Gel: I have been a proud member of the Church of IC Fantasia Gel since I first went natural. Never deviated. I've had a jar of this in my closet from Day 1. Which makes the next "announcement" a big deal: I didn't pick up another jar. I picked up a jar of the famous EcoStyler clear gel. Am I a convert? You'll have to wait for the review! (✿◠‿◠)

EOS Lip Balm in Lemon Drop: I lose lip balms like no bodies business. I can count the combined amount of lip gloss/balms I've finished in my lifetime on both hands. The only reason guy stuck around because losing a yellow egg in the depths of your black purse is embarrassing. But I really like this stuff! Super moisturizing, tastes yummy and it's so adorable! What more do you want in a lip product?

Pur Minerals Concealer in Deep: I'm glad I'm done with this concealer. I just got tired of it and the many, many issues I had with it. I'm still on the hunt for a good under eye concealer so if you have any favorites please share in the comments!

Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream: Love. This. Stuff. I'm not changing leave in conditioners unless something cheaper or more easily available comes around. Especially since Qhemet Biologics is finally selling on the ground outside of Atlanta! Hurrah! I don't have to pay stupidly expensive shipping anymore!

Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Wash: I completely stopped using this once I jumped on the black soap bandwagon. But since I paid good money for this, I refused to let this go to waste! I've been using it as brush cleaner and it's ah-mah-zing. Amazing! Doesn't ruin your brushes (I use cheap brushes-90% of them are from ELF so the fact they're still fine makes me so happy) and gets them looking brand new. I'm never buying brush cleaner again.

How's your challenge going? Are you half way like me? Still working hard? Tell me in the comments!

PS-What do you think of the new photos? I've been experimenting with different set ups (backgrounds, lighting, camera settings, all that fun stuff) and I'd love your feedback!

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