Curly Girl

So I’ve been rocking my natural curl since college.  Although I straighten my hair from time to time, I’ve been chemical free for about 13 years. As a result of my curl longevity I am often asked about what products I use. So I thought I’d do a post about curly hair products. And I am a true curly hair product junkie.

To start, it should be noted that not every product works the same for everyone. Curl experts explained that there are 3 main curl patterns (see http://www.naturallycurly.com/hair-types). Within those curl patterns are three subtypes. Check out the link above to find a curl similar to yours. Once you know your curl type it will be much easier to find the products right for you. In general if you have fine hair, the moisturizer should be lighter. If you have thick/kinky hair, you will need a heavier moisturizer and it might be beneficial to twist it at night to get a more defined curl. My curl is a 3c. After years of trying different products (and I’ll still try new things just for the heck of it), I have found what works for me. As it is now, I only wet/wash my hair twice a week and can hold a curl for about 4 days, which includes wearing it in a pony tail by the last day.

Here’s my routine:

·        Wash hair with a moisturizing/sulfate free shampoo once a week (the second time I just wet it and “wash” it with a conditioner)

·        Condition with a moisturizing conditioner. Preferably a leave in conditioner or just rinse out some of the conditioner but leave a little on. I use a shea butter leave in conditioner.

·        While wet I put a generous amount of Kinky Curly custard all over my hair (I also like Miss Jessies Curly Pudding). You can get this online but you’ll also find it in many beauty supply stores, Rite Aid, Targets, CVS, Whole Food, etc.

·        I’ll let it air dry for as long as possible and then will go over it with a blow dryer with a diffuser attachment, pulling at my curls as I dry for maximum length.

·        At night, I loosely pin my hair up to prevent breakage and keep curls stretched. Also, if you can, sleep on a silk or satin pillow to keep moisture and prevent breakage.

·        In the morning, I use any of the following to revitalize my curls, they all work well: Miss Jessies Curly Buttercreme (pricey but is the best to prevent shrinkage due to humidity), Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz or Taliah Waajid Curly Cream (the cheapest)

·        The third day I will add some natural coconut oil to the ends to again prevent breakage. This may seem like a lot of moisturizer/product but the enemy of curly hair is dryness. Just because you don’t use heat or chemicals doesn’t mean it won’t break off. In fact, if you can, try doing a hot oil treatment or deep conditioner with coconut oil once a week.

Here are few of my favorite sites regarding curls:

www.curlynikki.com – all around awesome blog on curly hair

www.missjessies.com- they have a new line out called pillow soft curls that I want to try. I want big soft curls!
www.kinky-curly.com – I'm big on their products

www.curlmart.com – great guidance on top products for curly hair

www.carolsdaughter.com – special shout out to her for making a line for people transitioning from relaxed to natural!

If you have products that work for you, please share!

Would you survive a horror movie?

That's the title of a new game show I saw on the Chiller network and it, along with me recently watching the remake of Dawn of the Dead (my favorite horror movie) got me thinking: could I survive a real horror situation? Sure I've taken the quizzes and found I could survive and my love of horror movies has made me more "street smart" than normal but that doesn't mean I would live through a real life zombie attack. Let's look at some situations, shall we?

1. Zombie attack- I live in the city. Soo I'm already doomed based on the sheer large people population. Usually folks fair better in the countryside or out in the middle of west nowhere. Assuming I could get out of my apartment and into my car alive, I'd drive to the least populated part of anywhere I could. I'd call fam and friends to tell them to do the same. The key is to keep it moving. Getting trapped in a mall is not cool. Staying in a barn house in the country typically gives you a fairer shot. Don't get sentimental. If mom turns into a zombie, she isn't getting a fairwell hug from me. Sorry playa! One thing I do need to learn is how to shoot or at least hold a machete. Running real fast will only help me out for so long...
2. Alien attack- I think I'm a gonner here. Alien attacks typically happen (in the movies) in the most populated cities in the world. I live in the DC area. Even if I survived the Independence Day like bombing of the capital, getting out in the traffic that would occur as a result of alien ships hoovering over us would be insane. I'd have to go on foot. Assuming I could hide from the aliens while getting away, I might have a chance. But I'm no Sigorney Weaver. If I see a scary alien, I would run for my life. If a little girl gets grabbed by one of them, I would not go back to get her. Maybe if she was family, maybe...mostly probably not though.
3. Outbreak or Pod people invasion- Like the above but I'd have the least chance of survival. Too many darn people around and I ride the metro which is prime past-your-germs-around arena. I try not to touch anything but it can be hard. Yeah, unless I have a strong immune system I don't think I would make it. Since I'm always around folk I could see becoming a victim of body snatching as well. Darn!
4. Haunted House- I think I'd live here. I don't like to investigate things so if something strange happens I'm out.  In high school I remember being out with friends and two of them started running past us. I took off running with them. I had no idea why we were running but when we got to "safety" then I asked. Turned out to be a loose dog. I never looked behind me. I just know they were scared and therefore so was I. I don't play around. And if I find chairs stacked up on my table like Poltergeist, I'm moving. I don't care how it happened. It will remain a mystery of life for me to think about in my new home. If my husband didn't want to leave, he can stay...alone. If you've seen any horror movie, 9 times out of 10, the spirits don't start causing foolishness until the dad is away. Dads are always the last to know and when they do, it's when all hell has broken loose. I'm not waiting for that. Holla!
5. Monster/Oversized or Rabid animal- I'm not sure here. I'm a runner not a fighter. I'd fight if pushed but I'm not going to be the one to come up with the plan to capture it. I break out in a sweat just killing a bug forget fighting off Cujo. My plan will likely be to get out. If I can't get out, then lets set up some defenses and hide.
6. Crazy killer- I'd like to think I'd live here too. Here's what I know not to do: if you hear a noise or enter a dark house/room- don't say "hello". Don't say anything. Why do you have to announce your presence to the killer? In fact, just don't go in, it's dark in there. Keep it moving. Also, if he's chasing you, don't run up the stairs, might as well just walk for all that. If you hear a noise- don't ignore it. I live alone, if I hear noises and it isn't my cat or a neighbor and nothing I know about, I won't shrug and keep going. If the source of the noise is unknown, I'd grab a weapon and either hide or get out. Finally- don't split -the -heck- up. If you aren't pressed for time just stay together and search the grounds. Sure it'll take longer but typically more people will have a better shot at surviving. Jason typically killed people one at a time not in a group...
7. Ghost- It's a toss up here. If its like the kind in the Haunted House, I could make it but if its like the child from The Ring, eh. I mean, I'd pass on the tape to another but then again, I wouldn't watch random crap either. If she was haunting my child, I might research how to get rid of her. Call up an exorcist and Zelda from Poltergeist.
8. Random- Things I don't do in general that would probably keep me alive:
1. play out in the deep end of natural waters (Jaws),
2. go out in or explore uncharted or less populated woods/caves/planets/basements (too many movie examples here),
3. run off with strangers in foreign countries (Hostel),
4. call up spirits (Candyman),
5. ignore the words of people I know, including children (how many movies did a person die after a kid or friend warn them not to do something? Mimic, Final Destination. No need to be gullilble but at least be cautious),
6. investigate (that's what the cops and soldiers are for),
7. go up to or stick around weird looking people (if someone looks off (bloody mouth, odd stance or composition, glazed eyes) I don't want to ask them if they are okay, I can check that out and call 911 from a safe distance)

Good luck out there and stay away from Bath Salts!

This is Why I'm Hot: Things I think about when I'm hot

105 degrees in this neck of the woods folks and I am not fairing well. In fact it has inspired a lot of internal diaglouge that I felt should be shared with others to prevent myself from going crazy. Here are my top five things I have now learned about the heat:

1. The Heat can kill you- So I'm in my 5th week of the couch to 5k program. Today was the 20 minute run day and I started it off all wrong by waiting until 845 am to go running. It's already tough enough because there are no paths that are completely without inclines for 3 miles. As soon as I started I knew it was a mistake. Halfway through I was fighting for my life and had to stop the run or else embarass myself by passing out. When I got home I was soaking wet. I mean it looked like I just got out of the shower.
2. The Heat makes struggle- So after I took an hour and a half nap to regain my energy from the jog, I decide to go to the grocery store. While walking to the car I literally thought this: why is it so hot, I can't breathe, I'm going to pass out and burn on the hot asphalt, will anyone see me and call the police. This was all in the span of me walking from the apartment to the car. Once getting to the store, I see that it is completely packed. One would think that the heat would cause people to stay inside. Well not in my town. So the lines were crazy long. I almost read an entire magazine while waiting in line.
3. The Heat makes you want to diet- At the store, I only bought healthy foods because I have decided to detox from fast food, alchol and high fat foods. While purchasing these items I felt lighter. Like I had already dropped a few pounds. I'm sure the scale will bring me back to reality but do you ever get that feeling that just the mind set of preparing for a diet makes you thinner already? Or am I the only crazy one?
4. The Heat makes you sleepy- I already had a nap and now want another one. I mean there isn't enough oxygen in the air outside to do anything else. I don't even want to walk back to my car to drive anywhere. Just sleep and dream of 50 degree weather. Why did I hate the cold again?
5. The Heat makes you angry- On my struggle to return home from jogging and the grocery store I kept thinking- No body better talk to me, It's too hot for all that. Yes, it is literally too hot to be cordial. I don't need you talking to me out in this heat, there is enough hot air out here already. Nod your head and keep it going. Being neighborly can suck it right now.

That is all for now, off to my nap and will hopefully dream of Frosty the Snowman.