Product Review- ORS Edge Control

Product: ORS  Olive Oil Edge Control

Price: 5.49 at CVS

Promises: Perfect Control for your edges.  Olive Oil Edge Control slicks and holds down edges while adding shine and moisture to the hair.  This non-sticky, non-greasy formula provides excellent hold without hardening the hair.  Ideal for maintaining slick styles.  Contains no alcohol! Gives superior hold! No flaking!

Directions: Apply to desired area and smooth with fingertips for desired hold.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Cetereth-25, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Propylene Glycol, PEG-7 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, d-Limonene, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Lilial, Linalool, Methyl Ionone, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin.

My Review: I first started using this when I got my first weave last September.  I was new to the edge control craze.  My weave lady used edge control so I went and got some to maintain the look she gave me.  At first I thought it was a decent product BUT that was because I didn't know any better.  I slowly started noticing that it would flake and produce white buildup.  It wasn't until my second weave that my weave lady introduced me to a better edge control product.  This new product was superior and showed my edges control like no other.  Overall I don't like this product mainly because it doesn't live up to its' promises.  Additionally, for a little bit more money you can get a superior product. 


Staple?: Most DEFINITELY NOT!

What are your thoughts on this edge control? Comment Below!



 








Disclosure of Material Connection: Items in this post were purchased with my own funds. I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Meal Prep Part 3: Tips and Tricks

I have found a couple of tips and tricks that I think are helpful when doing meal prep.

1. 1 pot meals (crockpot/slow cooker)  help cut down on dishes when cleaning after meal prep
2. Chop/cut vegetables and fruits all at once and freeze extra portions
3. Find portion friendly containers such as these and these
   to help prevent over eating
4. For huge recipes, portion out your meals for the week and freeze the extra and label the container
5. Cooking from scratch saves money in the long run
6. Keep your pantry stocked with portion containers/bags (i.e sandwich bags, Tupperware, etc)

For healthy recipes I also frequent pinterest and allrecipes.com.  These two websites I find the most helpful because (1) the most popular recipes will be constantly re-pinned on pinterest and (2) allrecipes.com allows users to give feedback on how they adjusted particular recipes.

If you have some tips or tricks to share comment below.

Vegan for 21+ days?

I mentioned in the meal prep post that I would be going vegan for a period of time.  I was first inspired to go vegan by listening to an interview with John Sally.  He also inspired me to do it for 21 days because they say after you do something for 21 days you have made it a habit and you are more likely to stick with it. SN. (Beyonce and Jay Z did it for 21 days as well)

Now I will say that I don't plan to stay a vegan or live a full vegan lifestyle.  My goal is to mix a pescetarian (which I have done for 3+ months) and vegan lifestyle or what i call a "pescegan" lifestyle.  (For those that don't know a pescetarian diet includes only fish and seafood as the sole meat.)

In addition, my vegan diet will not be for 21 straight days because I know there will be 1 day during this period where I will be eating meat (a planned cookout).  However, that will be the one and only day that I will eat meat and it will be for ONE meal (dinner).  So I plan to do a vegan diet for at least 25 days to make up for the 1 day that I will get off track.

I will also periodically post pictures of the food and track how I'm doing on this vegan journey.  If anyone would like to join please contact me and we can start a support group.

Dual Product Review--Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Coconut Curling Cream & Define and Shine Custard

Product: Cantu Shea Butter For Natural Hair Coconut Curling Cream

Price: $6.99 for 12 oz

Product Description:
Cantu For Natural Hair Coconut Curling Cream will define, condition and add manageability to your curls, leaving them soft, shiny and deeply moisturized. Made with 100% pure shea butter and formulated without chemicals or harsh ingredients.

• For natural hair
• Helps heal dry, damaged hair
• Restores real, authentic beauty
• Embrace your curls, kinky, or wavy hair
• No mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, silicone, phthalates, gluten, paraffin, propylene glycol, PABA or DEA
• This finished product is not tested on animals

Directions: Smooth onto damp hair section by section from the root down the hair shaft. Do not rinse out. Can be used on dry hair to enhance curls.

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua) , Canola Oil , Glycerin , Ceteareth 20 , Fragrance , Cetearyl Alcohol , Ceteth-20 , Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (Shea) , Glycol Stearate , Petrolatum , Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba) , Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil , Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado) , Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond) , Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter , Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olive) , Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil (Macadamia) , Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil (Neem) , Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil (Carrot) , Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil (Argan) , Silk Amino Acids , Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract (Honeysuckle) , Laminara Cloustoni Extract (Sea Kelp) , Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract , Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract (Grape) , Urtica Dioica Extract (Nettle) , PEG 75 , Polyquaternium-10 , Phenoxyethanol , Ethylhexylglycerin

My Review: 

• Very creamy and pleasant coconut smell that kind of lingers for a day or so.
• I was out of my staple curl cream and decided to try this as suggestion of the Define and Shine Custard for added moisture. Can you say love love LOVE?!
• Instant Curl Poppage! I mean instant. The curls were like "Ma'am, you called?"
• Definitely left my hair feeling very softed and hydrated during application and after my hair completely dried.

I would definitely recommend this product to a friend and will continue to use it.









Product: Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Define & Shine Custard

Price: $6.99 for 12 fl oz

Product Description:

Ultra-moisturizing ingredients make the driest curls defined and healthy. This Define and Shine custard helps reduce hair bulk, elongates curls and provides enough hold for long-lasting styles that stay. Made with 100% Pure Shea Butter and formulated without chemicals or harsh ingredients, Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair restores your real, authentic beauty. Embrace your curly, kinky, or wavy hair with Cantu for Natural Hair.

Cantu for Natural Hair Shea Butter Curling Custard:

• Infuses curls with moisture for superb definition
• Delivers brilliant shine and perfect hold
• No mineral oil, sulfates or parabens

Directions: Apply to soaking wet hair in small sections. Smooth each section with fingers from root to tip. For best results let air dry (do not touch after style - will cause frizz). For additional moisture or curl definition, mix with Cantu Coconut Curling Cream, Creamy Hair Lotion or Curl Activator Cream

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Carboxymethylcellulose, Fragrance (Parfum), Pectin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinesis (jojoba) Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernal Oil, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot Seed) Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Vitis Vineifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Lonincera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Laminara Cloustoni (Sea Kelp) Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Silk Amino Acids, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Chamomilla Recuitita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Agave Rigida (Sisal) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

My Review:

• Has a really 'snotty' yet thick consistency. It is similar to other comparable products but thicker in my opinion.
• Pleasant coconut smell.
• I did notice some white residue the next day, but it was only in certain areas which leads me to believe I was heavy handed or did not properly distribute. It seems less is more with this product.
• I was shocked at how great the hold was and yet my hair was still soft. No crunch at all.
• Great definition--My curls were poppin'! 
• The only thing I didn't like was that my hair seemed to have shrunk much more than usual--so the elongation claim didn't pan out for me.

I think this product works well, but I probably need to try it again to figure out how to eliminate that bit of white residue. This residue issue is a pain point for me because, well who wants to walk around with flakage (yea, I made that up one time for the neologisms) in their hair? So for that reason I'd hesitate or recommend this product with caution.


Have you tried these products independently or together? Comment Below!


Disclosure of Material Connection: Items in this post were purchased with my own funds. I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

To yoga or not to yoga? It's not really a question

As I have journeyed on this weight loss adventure, I have come across many different methods that people use to lose weight.  The one shocker that I came across was YOGA.  I never thought about using yoga as a weight loss method.  When I came across these three yoga quote pics on pinterest these were definitely my thoughts on yoga.

 Now all I see is yogi's on instagram and all over the web.  I have definitely been inspired by a bunch of people that practice yoga.  I even started yoga and I try to do it at least twice a week.  Below is my first attempt at trying to do a head stand.

There are plenty of hidden benefits that I have found for yoga as well:

• increased flexibility
• better posture
• better breathing
• muscle strength and toning
• mental fitness

There's also a new hair growth method that uses inversions and oil which supposedly gives you an inch a growth in a week.  I'm still doing research on the technique, but since I'm doing yoga anyways might as well test it out.  I'll keep you guys updated.

My goal is to integrate yoga in to my life daily and to master my favorite poses.

Specifically these two:


I plan to use this free yoga site to help me with my plan.  Feel free to check it out.
www.doyogawithme.com


Do you do yoga?  What poses and positions are you trying to
master?

Meal Prep Part 2: Grocery Shopping

Meal Prep Part 2: Grocery Lists and Shopping

As mentioned in part 1, an important step in successful meal prep is making a grocery list and then grocery shopping.  Below I will give an example of how I do my grocery lists and what I bought in my last grocery shopping adventure.

When I make my grocery lists I first decide the following: 2 breakfast and lunch meals, 3 dinner meals, and 3 snack options.  After I decide on what I’m going to eat, I then write down all the ingredients I need that are missing from my pantry.

For example, this is my meal plan for this week.

Breakfast

Oatmeal or Chia Squeeze

Lunch

Tunafish

Marinated salmon w/ quinoa

Dinner

Jerk Chicken w/ Black Rice and Peas, plantains and sautéed kale

Turkey Meatloaf w/ quinoa and broccoli  

Singapore noodles w/ chicken and shrimp

snacks

Fresh fruit

Dried cranberries and nut mix

Chia Squeeze

I have some of these items already so I didn’t need to buy the staples just some add ons.

Also, I plan to try vegan for 21 days (starting May 1) so I tried to focus on picking up new vegan friendly products to add to my meals.

How do you guys do your grocery shopping for meal prep?

p.s. I will also do a grocery shopping post for my 21 days of vegan.

Graze Box Review

How the Graze box is packaged

So last week I got a text from friend (Hey Mo!) about these healthy snack boxes that you can get sent to you every week at work or home (so really, no excuses) to 'graze' on (haha, get it?).

My Trial Box

Trial Box Contents:

Honeycomb Crunch-- (almonds, dark chocolate, raisins)--SO Yummy!
Chili & Lime Pistachios--Pretty darn good as well.
Brooklyn Bites--(poppy seed pretzels, cheese cashews, and roasted pumpkin seeds)--Trying today, sounds good though.
Healthy Popping Corn-- Haven't tried yet--but excited

First Box

How it works: 

• Choose the snacks you want: "nut and seed mixes, juicy dried fruits, tasty crackers, dips and dippers, and natural treats."
• Choose where you want your box delivered (work or home)
• They deliver your box-- $6 per box, including shipping, what a steal!
• You snack guilt-free
• Then you review the items you had. 'like,' 'love,' 'trash,' or 'try' and your future boxes will be built around your preferences.
• You can specify dietary reuirements: gluten free, non vegan, and dairy

Review:

• My "free" box took like two weeks to arrive. In fact it arrived the same time as my first official box which was more than a tad frustrating.
• The box is actually much smaller than it appears on the pictures on their site. The snack sizes are appropriate/fair, its just one of those things where you're expecting something else. I didn't measure but if I had to guess I'd say the box is a bit smaller than a piece of printer paper.
• Each snack comes in a convenient little tray that is very handy to take around. Only slight draw back is that they aren't resealable.

One Individual Snack Container

• They provide a card in each box with the nutrition facts of that box's contents. Very handy for those of us watching intake (caloric, sodium, sugar, protein, etc)

Nutrition Facts

• So low maintenance. No visits to the store--Shipped right to your house or job. No buying a whole package of something to try only to be wasted if you don't like it. No prepping. No portioning. NO EXCUSES.

All in all I definitely think graze box is a great option for guilt free and low maintenance snacking. Aside from the prolonged shipping (for my trial box) and lack of resealability, I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

In fact, for anyone interested in giving grazebox a try, enter the exclusive invite code: JUSTIA4JB or JUSTIA4JP to get your FIRST and FIFTH box FREE. Thats right. FREE. As in no money needed. Not even for shipping.

Have you tried Graze box?? What did you think? If not, would you try it? Comment below and tag us on twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!

#WaistedWednesdayFFF-The Perfect Waist

As I told you guys earlier this month, I am back on my fitness journey.  One of my goals is to have an amazing waistline.

Here are some of the things that I do so far to achieve this waist line:

• I drink green tea everyday
• Do workouts that target my shoulders and abs
• Eat a healthy "waist friendly" diet
• Avoid extra salt

I am on the road to "snatchedom" and I wont be stopped until I reach it.  Hopefully in my next fitness update I will have a waist like the women above.  What do you guys do to achieve a small waist? Comment below or tag us in your instagram/twitter posts using #waistedwednesdayFFF

Meal Prep Part 1: Plan of Attack

This is part 1 of a multi-part series that will cover the ins and outs of meal prep.  The first step to successful meal prep is planning.  There are multiple ways to meal prep; however, you need to choose what will best suit you.  I will mention three common methods.  You can feel free to alter, combine and adjust the methods as you see fit.

The first thing you should do regardless of which method you do is to plan out what you are going to eat.  Take time to sit down and think of what you will eat for the week.  Establish a grocery list and whether you are planning for the week, two weeks, a month or etc.  After making a grocery list, you can then choose your methods.

 

Method 1: Cook for the week on one day

The most common meal prep is cooking all of your meals for one week (or duration of your choosing).  This is probably the most disciplined way to meal prep because everything is prepared for the week and you have less risk of finding an excuse not to follow your meal plan.

Method 2: Cook for the week on multiple days

If you are like me, then you may not like reheating food.  So I have two days a week where I cook food that I wouldn’t mind reheating later in the week.  For example, my two cooking days are usually Sundays and Wednesdays/Thursdays.

Method 3: Cook everyday

Again, I don’t like reheating foods so this is also a common method for me.  Depending on the type of food and the way it is prepared, you may want to cook the food everyday.  For instance, if I buy pre-marinated frozen meats I tend to cook those foods the day of, so that it is cooked fresh.

Next week I’ll give you insight into what my grocery list looks like and how I do an example meal prep week.

Don't let this be you

Benefits of ACV

I'm pretty sure my seasonal allergies were passed down from my mummy--albeit I have a much milder version. My level of sufferation, as I like to call it, truly varies from year to year, (and season to season) is for the most part confined to spring and the early parts of summer, and triggered by the usual suspects-- grass, pollen, dust.

This year, well before Spring 2014 officially sprung, my allergies started to gear up for a level of sufferation I haven't experience in years! I'm talking itchy throat and eyes, round the clock sinus draining, and eczema flare ups--at the same damn time. Zyrtec usually offers me great relief but it's never been something that I've taken daily (nor do I have any desire to). ***I try to avoid taking medication unless its absolutely necessary.

With that said, I began to search for some natural remedies and came across apple cider vinegar or ACV as it is affectionately known. I started by adding 2 teaspoons to 32oz of water (which was WAY too much for me, ACV is strong and doesn't taste or smell good at all the greatest). Okay, honestly it definitely doesn't taste good but it works well. It would probably be too good to be true if it had all these great benefits AND tasted great. But all in all, avoiding medication everyday is more than worth it to me.

I know many naturalistas are familiar with apple cider vinegar for clarifying the scalp, adding shine, and detangling, but there are so many other great uses and benefits so I thought I'd share a few!

1. Regulates the pH of your skin: Dilute ACV with two parts water and apply to face with a cotton ball to replace current toner. Can be left overnight to fade acne scars.
2.  Sunburn Remedy: Add a cup to bath water and soak for 10 minutes.
3.  Aid in weight loss: Speeds up metabolism and curves appetite. Add to water and drink throughout the day. The acetic acid supports weight loss and helps break down fat.
4. Allergy Relief (Aids Lymphatic System): Helps break up/reduce mucous and sinus congestion and cleanse the lymph nodes.
5. Rid the system of yeast (candida): Candida is known to cause fatigue, poor memory, sugar cravings, and yeast infections.
6. Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
7. Reduces Inflammation
8. Soothes Bug Bites: A dab applied to the skin with a cotton ball
9. Stops hiccups:  One teaspoon---straight up! (You may actually want a chaser lol)
10. Painful Menstrual Cramps: Its potassium and calcium can reduce cramping by easing the muscles in the uterus. Add a teaspoon of raw unfiltered ACV to a cup of warm water 3x daily.

And just because I (and so many others) find both the smell and taste of ACV so unpleasant, I found this neat little guide for how to get it down a little easier from here:

How do you use Apple Cider Vinegar as a part of your health and beauty regimen? How has it worked for you?

Shed Pounds, Not Your Savings

So a big concern of most people when they decide to switch to a healthy lifestyle is the cost.  There is a common misconception that if you live a healthy lifestyle that it will break the bank.  While a healthy lifestyle is definitely more costly, it does not have to break your bank.  Below I will give a couple of tips of how to maintain a healthy menu while still saving money.

1. Buy in bulk when necessary

So this is my number one way that I save money.  I shop at Costco or other bulk warehouse stores to buy food that won’t spoil very easily or have long expiration date such as (brown/black rice, quinoa, frozen veggies, natural sweeteners, and etc.)  The cost of the product may seem costly up front; however, it is cheaper per serving than buying it at a regular grocery store.  Additionally, most of these items come in resealable bags.

2. Stock pile

Items that I cannot get a good deal on at bulk stores I stockpile on at grocery stores.  For instance, when all-natural chicken breast goes on sale at my local grocery store (which for me is anything less than $1.99/lb) I buy at least 5lbs.  When I get this meat (depending on the grocer) I try to get it prepackaged into 1lb increments so that I don’t have to repackage the meat once opened.  I usually stock pile meats and seafood when they go on sale since the prices can be unpredictable.

3. Find a healthy eating buddy

An important factor in helping this process is having a healthy eating buddy.  This helps in two ways (1) motivation and support and (2) splitting the cost.  If you have a healthy eating buddy, you guys can schedule grocery shopping trips to help keep each other accountable and also split items that may be costly.  You could use tips 1 and 2 and split the cost of the food with a buddy in case you are limited on space or if you fear wasting food.

4. Make a plan and stick with it

Now the most important thing is to make a plan and to stick with it.  I make a grocery list every week and I only buy enough fresh groceries that will last for the week.  In order to avoid food spoilage I decide what fresh foods I will eat and for which meals.  After sitting down and making a plan, you have to stick with it.  Don’t buy groceries then eat out all week.  That’s how you throw away money.  Stay focused and you will save money and get the health benefits.

#TransformationTuesday -- Tee's Hair Journey

After two major cuts (the first to shoulder length, the second a short cut w/shaved back) in the summer of 2011, I decided I missed my hair and wanted to not only grow it back, but grow it out as long as possible. My hair grows quickest when I just leave it alone--which I typically achieve with braids aka 'protective styling.' I should also add that at this time I had a relaxer (last one was Sept 2011 I believe). Now I will say that I didn't really decide to go natural or anything--I just know my hair--I had a length goal, my hair grows fastest when I leave it alone, and leaving it alone meant I didn't need to spend money on a relaxer. *** I personally have nothing against creamy crack, my hair was healthy with it, and once I reach my length goal I might just decide to go back. **Kanye shrug

June 2011

July 2011

I started with a sew in September 2011, which was achievable despite my brush cut in the nape area.

By the time this style was ready to be taken down, my nape area was long enough to 'catch' for braids and for roughly the next two years I went through a rotation of micro braids, senagalese twists, and sew ins.

                                                      

These styles served several purposes:

1. Again, my hair grows best and quickest when left alone and in protective styles
2. During this time I was in a job at a corporate headquarters with a office politics  'dressy'/no jeans or casual wear type setting
3. Grow out past that awkward length that isn't exactly long or short
4. Gym/workout friendly

By March 2013 I was out of this position and was really free to do anything I wanted with my hair so I experimented with Marley Twists, tried box braids (by myself), and other styles with no hair added.

Marley Twists -- May 2013

Twist out - April 2013

By August 2013 my 'curly' length was around my ears. 

This is the in between length I dislike

Then I decided to get color for my birthday, along with a much needed trim, and discovered that my straight length was to my shoulders (*praise dance*) which was longer than my hair was before my first cut in summer 2011. Yay for progress! 

September 2013--Color, Trim, Blow Dry, and Flat Iron

By December 2013 my curly length was good bit longer than August 

Wash N' Go

End of January 2014

And fast forward to early March 2014

Wash/Blow Dry/Flat Iron

and my straight length is even longer!

It's hard to believe it has been two years since I decided to grow my hair out but it has grown so much in that time frame. I am most excited for my 'curly' length to reach shoulder length next!



What are your hair goals and how are you working to achieve them? Comment below and tag us in your journey pics!