You Hearda Yerba?

I'm a coffee fanatic. Love my java. I probably drink too much, but I usually back off when I start feeling my blood flowing through my body.

A long while back, I noticed something new in the coffee/tea section of the local health food store. Of course, once you spot something new, you start seeing it everywhere. That's they way it was with this tea:

Yerba Mate tea

                                           
Tea is another favorite of mine - green tea, black tea, chamomile and honey, Chai and, sometimes, even lemon tea (so I can add a little whisky for, uh, medicinal purposes)... When I saw the Yerba Mate (especially this particular brand) at the local Carrs/Safeway store, I decided to check it out online first. I actually asked some friends about it, but no one I knew had tried it yet.

This is what I learned about Yerba Mate in general:

• It's a traditional South American beverage.
• It's a tea (I thought it was coffee at first)
• It comes from a plant in the Holly family (not Buddy, just a plant)
• It's supposed to have various health benefits, but...
• ... frequent and prolonged intake is associated with some cancers

On the one hand, I was thinking: Well, damnit! On the other hand, I guess it's like anything that tastes or feels good: it's all about control and moderation. From what I had read here about the taste, I didn't think I was going to be overdoing it.

Coffee is my main squeeze, so I decided to just flirt a little with Yerba Mate. I picked this one because of the labelling:

I went over to the Guayaki site to learn more, and there's quite a nice (and very idealist kind of) story behind the brand and its founders.

For me, the taste was going to be the main thing. At first. Then I realized that, just as I do with lots of other healthy stuff, I could probably just add the Yerba to my coffee. That's what I do with coconut oil, tumeric, nutmeg, and cinnamon. With the Yerba Mate, I steep a bag of the tea dang near overnight, then I just add a little to my coffee throughout the day. Coffee masks the taste of just about anything, so I couldn't tell what Yerba tasted like on its own until last night.

When I drink a hot cup of the Yerba, I mix in some of my Almond Joy creamer. The taste, in my opinion, is like a nutty-flavored coffee. Maybe I'm doing the brewing wrong, but it's actually weaker than a rich black tea. If the flavor of Yerba is icky, my creamer must mask that. I like it. I still prefer adding it to my coffee.

What I figured out from looking at the Guayaki site is that I can get the Yerba in different packaging: cans, bags, bottles, loose leaf, and even in energy shots. For now, I'm okay with the tea bags.

As far as how this tea makes me feel, I have to say that the energy I get is much the same as from coffee (maybe a blonde roast coffee), but there are laxative effects. It's decent stuff, and I'll probably be drinking it off an on (you know, to keep down any risks to health).

Last thing to mention is that I noticed lots of info about using Yerba Mate for weight loss. From what I have read so far, that is a minimal thing and, like most other plans, depends a lot on a person's overall diet and exercise regimen.

Raising my cup of Yerba (and coffee) to you.

Peace
--Free

UPDATE:

I've been drinking the tea (a bag in my coffee) a couple times a day for the past week. What I notice at this point is I do feel more focus, but my energy level is still about the same (kind of low). I also notice the mild laxative effect of the tea. The biggest effect that the tea is having is on my appetite. I'm not a big eater anyway (just lots of soups and maybe a flatbread/turkey sandwhich for lunch), but I now have to remind myself to eat. Since this is not a bad thing, in my opinion, I've just added more kale and other greens to my diet and cut back some on the soups. Another thing that I need to do is keep up my water intake. The Yerba seems to satisfy my cravings for anything I normally ingest. I will try to update again later on what weight loss benefits (if any) I experience.

**REVIEW** Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-in Conditioner (UPDATED)

I picked this up because it was on sale at Target. I got one bottle for $8.00 and (for some weird pricing reason), another bottle for around $4.60. They were both supposed to be $8.00, and the clerk didn't know why the same item on "Clearance" would ring up differently. I just considered it a good buy.

 I have seen the brand online, but could never afford to try the items I wanted. I always wish that brands would authorize stores to stock sample packs of products. I don't think that most people who can afford it would mind paying for quality hair or other beauty things. For people with a smaller budget, it would be really nice if they (we) could at least be sure we're getting something that will work for our needs.

Anyway, I'm really glad that I did grab this product. I went over to Amazon and read reviews of at least 10 of her products, and I am now an official fan of the Jane Carter Solution brand. From what I am reading, other customers are happy with how the products match the hype. Even if I never try another one of the products, I'm happy enough with this one to rave.

First off, what I expected was that this would just be a good leave-in detangler. It is, but it does so much more.

I tested this on my dry hair just to see if it was sticky or one of those products that would make my hair feel hard or crunchy. I sprayed it on a patch of hair in front and massaged it in with my fingertips, then I went about my business for around 10 minutes because I got distracted. When I checked that part of my hair I was so amazed. (By the way, there is very little smell to the product. What's there is a pleasant and clean scent.)

On my dry hair, this worked to add instant moisture - without being greasy or sticky, It didn't harden like some products. My hair felt really soft without being damp. I didn't feel any oiliness. That was just so cool. I checked out the listed ingredients:

• Water (Aqua), Polyquarternum 7, Aloe Baradensis (Aloe Vera) Gel, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Extract, Sodium Cocoyl, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, (Caprylic Glycerides), Soyamid DEA, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol.

Later, I will look up each of those to see what's up. In the meantime, I just wanted to see what this leave-in would be like once I washed and towel-dried my hair. Normally, I get good results if I use my J.R. Liggett moisturizing shampoo bar and some Aussie Moist conditioner. I have problems with dryness when I do just a rinse-out (to get rid of product buildup without actually shampooing).

When I put this on my blotted hair, the detangling was wonderful. My still-damp hair looks and feels very nice. There is a sheen to it and the softness is just unreal. I am really loving this product.

There are two things that I have to mention because they might have impacted my results:

1. I still have this TMS in my hair. It's taking forever to wear it out. (I'm thinking I'm going to use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of it, as per the directions. I prefer my natural curls...) With my hair straightened like this, I expect that it's going to be softer. However, there is a lot of additional softness with the Jane Carter.
2. This is Day 7 of using the Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin and Nails supplements. I had been seeing a difference in my skin by Day 3, and by Day 5, I wasn't brushing or combing out as much hair as usual. 

This is a great product. I can't wait to see how it does on my hair once I'm back to my curls. This might be my go-to brand from now on... 

Vegans can look for the V on assorted J.C.S. products

                     

The price of Jane Carter products is another Plus. Even non-sale items are affordable, especially when compared to brands like Miss Jessie, Aunt Jackie, and SheaMoisture. Those are just ridiculous. I recently tried a SheaMoisture product that I am very unhappy with. It was over-priced and over-hyped. I rarely return things, but I am sendin this back so that I can try more of the Jane Carter brand instead- which is more affordable anyway. Whatever I do, I'm done with SheaMoisture after this.

I'd be glad to hear from anyone who has used Jane Carter products. I understand that the line is great for all kinds of hair types and textures. 

Peace

--Free

UPDATE: I did a wash using a clarifying shampoo made with the castile soap I have (recipe here). My curls are still in limbo - sort of stringy-straight in sections, but the "natural" is slowly returning. I tested the J.C.S. leave-in on my hair after the wash. It's still good, but not as "smoothing" as it was on my hair when straighter. It was still very moisturizing but not as much as it felt like with straightened hair. I still love the product LOTS, and recommend it for hair that needs a little babying. I think that anyone who wears straight style or uses flat-irons or other heated hair appliances will love this. If you wear styles that require slicking your hair back or smoothing down the edges, it will also be great. For my curly style, I am using it close to the scalp to nourish the roots. Next up, I am reviewing a hair milk by KeraCare (a brand with other products that I love!).

**REVIEW** (Update. Sort of) Travalo Refillable Perfume Atomizer

I haven't been posting as much because I've been trying to work on the story collection.That little project is in the editing stage (or what I like to call Writer's Hell)...

A lot of times when I review a product, I don't always follow up with an update. Even if I love an item. Usually, I forget. Until I am, for some reason, reminded. I was reminded to update my review of this item because I had a chance to refill it at the store for the first time in a long time.

                                                 



That is my Travalo Refillable Perfume Atomizer from the local Perfumania.

Reasons that this makes a good buy:

1. It's affordable (and cute)
2. It's makes buying perfume affordable
3. It's affordable (and portable)

I got one a couple years ago for my sister as a Mother's Day gift and, because I liked it so much, I got one for myself. I think I paid just about $10 for it. (I see now that there are fancier ones. I'm going to have to check those out myself!)

Mostly, I've just been filling it with perfumes that I already have around the house. The other day, I was thinking about how much I love Fahrenheit by Dior (which, yes, is for men, but I don't care). As much as I love the fragrance, I only ever buy it (and rarely) to give to my brothers for gifts. The only way I've ever been able to keep some for myself is to snag a handful of samples from nice clerks... So, I wanted some Fahrenheit, but couldn't even think about getting a bottle. Then I remembered my Travalo, which happened to be empty.

Finally, I'm getting to the best part about buying a Travalo: You pay about 10 bucks (for the "classic" one like I have), then you can refill it it at Perfumania for $10. With ANY fragrance in their store.

That might not sound like a big deal but a 1.7oz bottle of Fahrenheit costs around $55-$75.

And, no, that's not actually very expensive for a lovely scent. It's just too much for my current budget.

So, yeah. I bounced my happy behind right over to Perfumania and got my $10 refill. This will give me about 65 sprays - which is more than enough. Also, for an extra 2 bucks, the store will mix up matching scented lotion.

I can't even rant and rave enough about how great a buy this is. For one thing, you get a much better value than with those miniature fragrances (which are from $7, $10 or even $15, depending on the scent), and the Travalo sprayer is evenly measured. You get a good spray without dripping, leaking, or uneven coverage.

Anyway, I needed a little pick me up after a very depressing couple of weeks. This did the trick and didn't damage my budget. There's nothing like looking nice and smelling good to lift your spirits a bit.

By the way, I know that I'm not the only woman that wears Fahrenheit. I did a search for "compatible" or similar fragrances for women and found out that some ladies just use the original. It's not a "manly" smell. I think it has a very unisex appeal.When I wear it, I get compliments about how subtle and illusive it is. When I smell it on a man, I just think, "Wow!"

One last thing about the Travalo. I think that men need to look into getting a Travalo. The container I have might look too femme for most, but go check out those other ones that are on the Perfumania site. (Make sure to ask if your local store honors the refill policy!)

Peace
--Free

**Pre-REVIEW** Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails (UPDATED)

**UPDATE FEB 14**
I will take some photos when I twist my hair and take the polish off my nails. For now, after just about a month use of the supplements, I can report some things: 1) My nails are much stronger than they were when I started. The length is about the same because I keep them filed, but the strength is amazing. 2) My hair did SO well for the first couple of weeks. I didn't pay much attention after that, but I noticed about 3 days ago that I was washing out a lot of what looks like broken pieces of my hair. Kind of alarming, right? The thing is, I have dyed my hair so that could be the cause. Yesterday, I decided to stop the supplements and get back to my regular vitamins (minus the biotin). I want to see if I'm still getting hair breakage after a few days. 3) Last of all, I noticed that, while my skin is much softer to the touch, I also notice that I have some tiny bumps on my face - almost like a breakout or reaction to a lotion. Since I haven't changed anything in my face care regimen, I'm watching to see if laying off the Hair, Skin & Nails will make a difference. 

I will try to follow up soon and let you know.


Skin, Hair, Nails vitamins and supplements have been popular the past year. I never tried any because I 1) hate taking pills, and 2) take enough pills already. I recently changed my mind and decided to try the supplements. Because my budget (if that's what it can be called) is so tight, I had to look for a brand I trust at a reasonable price. Thank goodness for Walmart.

I chose Nature's Bounty Extra Strength Hair, Skin & Nails.

About $10 at Walmart ***

Although I paid just over $9 in-store, Walmart's online price is higher by a few dollars. This is a 1-month+ supply and just about what I pay for any other vitamins, so...

This is what I'm reading about this particular brand:

I'm not sure how well this "multivitamin supplement" is going to work for my hair, skin or nails, but since I have to take a daily vitamin, it's no big deal.

Today is Day 3 of taking the supplement. This is what my hair looked like this last night after I washed and twist/coiled it to dry:

Notice that this is the
"Extra Strength" formula

They look like pearls!

You can see the breakage

It didn't use to be this thin
in between the twists

My nails have always
been strange

(below is an updated photo taken 2/24/16)

I chopped all my hair off to start over

& will blog on that separately!

These, of course, are recent photos (from November/ December 2015) of my hair in various states and styles:

Nov (moisturized)
I like this the best, BTW

Nov (dry)

Dec (flat ironed)

I really do hope that these vitamins work because I feel better when I look better. My hair isn't awful (and not nearly as damaged as it was a year ago), but I would like it to be a little less dry and fragile. Hopefully (please, God, hear my prayer), I will be going back to work this year so some extra energy would be nice also.

When I told my niece that I was starting these supplements, she mentioned that a co-worker also tried a similar product and that her results were visible within the first week. Wow. Of course, I think the co-worker is younger (around 30), so that might be a factor. I'm not looking for miracles, but...

Anyway, I wanted to post the "Before" photo so that I can do a visual update down the road.

One last thing to mention: I have already noticed that my face and lips are much softer/less dry.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Making Cosmetics

Because I prefer keeping my beauty products as natural as possible, I like scouring the Internet for affordable places to shop. I use lots of oils and butters for my skin and hair, and I like to find ingredients that give me options with my makeup.

Amazon is great for finding things that aren't available locally. I was looking for an alternative to brand name - and brand priced - "blurring" and smoothing products  (think Garnier's 5 Sec Blur and Maybelline's Pore Eraser). What I found was a cheaper and more effective product:

Price = around 6 bucks + s/h for 1.0oz
Price for 5 Sec Blur = around 17 dollars for 1.0oz (here in Alaska, but I've heard it's about $15 in Lower 48)

I mentioned Wrinkle Blur in a post from last summer. When I fell in love with that product, I was curous about where it originated. I'm glad I stumbled upon the site because I am a regular customer now.

I'll just go ahead and make a list of all the things I like about Making Cosmetics:

• M.C. lists detailed information about every one of their products, including Description; CAS #; INCI Name; Properties (of the product); Use (ex: iin DIY formulas); Applications; Documents (recipes, Cert. of Analysis, and even more detailed info, such as Safety Data ); and then they list some commercial items that the item resembles or shares usage with.
• Aside from all that information, they even provide the Harmonized Tariff Code for the item (in case of shipping). Anyone working in freight or supply chain logisitics will appreciate the heck out of that.
• The site has a lot of resources for DIY cosmetic kitchenistas. You can find answers to common questions about making your own cosmetics, troubleshoot formulating issues. There is a Video Library and a formulating service, in case you are skittish or just want to have someone else do the mixing.
• For those of you who really want to put together your own products, you can find the recipes for shampoos and conditioners, face powders, shower gels, lotions, balms, creams for different skin types, and men products.  I could swear that, at one time, there was a section for products aimed at the "ethnic" skin and hair care market. 
• If you aren't in full DIY mode, but still want some control over your beauty products, M.C. has complete kits (for lipsticks, eyeshadows, hair masks, etc.) If you are seriously DIY, there's everything from beakers to microbial test kits.  For someone just approaching the idea of DIY beauty and skin care, there are books on basics and advanced topics.
• Prices are outstanding. I've ordered oils and powders and I've always been able to choose a size to fit my meager budget. 
• The customer service is top notch. I have never had a problem with anything, but I did screw up one of my orders. I contacted M.C. and they fixed my mistake pronto.
• If you create an account, you earn points redeemable for gift certificates that can be used to purchase M.C. products on site
• You have alternatives to just paying for expensive, OTC products that skimpy on the main ingredient and often have a ton of additives. Also, they sell quite a few things in bulk sizes. For example, I got the the M.C."Blur" from Amazon in April of last year. After using some at least twice a week (sometimes every day even, I still have 2/3 left. The store brand item goes much faster. At just about 3 times the price...
•  My shipments have always come very quickly and protected very well. A HUGE plus for me is that M.C. doesn't try to gouge Alaska customers with crazy S&H charges. Matter of fact, they don't even charge for "handling" on domestic orders.

In my opinion, I think that more people ought to be flocking to sites like Making Cosmetics. I hear so many people of different groups who aren't always satisfied with brand products. Think I'm lying? How many times have you heard someone saying something about products like...

• "I can never find a (foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, blush, etc.) that (I like, is in my shade, lasts long enough, doesn't break me out, etc.)"
• "My hair is too (thin, thick, nappy, curly, straight, dry, oily, etc) for most shampoos and/or conditioners."
• "This is my favorite (lipstick, mascara, etc.) but it's just too expensive and doesn't last long enough."
• "I'd like something without any/less (fragrance, chemicals,etc.)"

Then there are just those people who have researched products and know what works on their hair or skin, but stuggle to find OTC products with those things included. I experience this a lot when it comes to my natural hair. I hear all about certain ingredients that are good for my 4b/4c dry and breakage-prone hair. The problem is finding products that contain the things I need without the bad stuff - and for an affordable price.

So there are a lot of reasons that more of us should be taking control of which ingredients we use in our beauty routine.  

I've learned a few things ever since I started going more "natural" and DIY with my skin and hair care. One thing is that consumers can save a lot of money by finding other resources. When I buy something like, for example, a "blurring" product at the store, I'm mostly paying more for marketing than I am for ingredients and formulation.  Another thing is that, I love having control over what I'm using on my hair and skin. There are so many times I've bought brand products - mainly for my hair - without understanding all the ingredients. It's nice that I have some choices with what I use. I can either keep fully natural (or, at least, non-toxic) or I can control the ingredients list.

Since I've been using basic products or just mixing up my own instead of giving my money to brand name companies, my life is the reverse of this:

Now, I'm not the most talented at DIY projects (my niece, +Gabrielle B owns that honor), but I can figure out how to take care of my skin, hair and beauty needs without major mishaps. Making Cosmetics is a huge benefit to people like me.  Go check them out.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: Nope, this is NOT a sponsored post. I received nothing from Amazon or Making Cosmetics for sharing my opinion. This was just one of those times when I had to share a good thing with the rest of you.

**REVIEW** Organic Jojoba Oil

Sometime in the next day or so, I'm going to be doing a post just on Making Cosmetics. For now, I wanted to share my newest oil from them:

That is organic Jojoba Oil (which is really a liquid wax). For the 4.2oz bottle, the price is $10.90 (+ s&h) if you order it from Making Cosmetics, or $12.00 (+ s&h) from Amazon (even Prime).

From Making Cosmetics product information page:

Description: Organic pure liquid wax (not an oil as such) derived from the seeds of a plant (simmondsia chinensis) growing in the Sonora desert in the USA, composed of different liquid wax esters similar to human sebaceous, based on fatty acids & fatty alcohols (no triglycerides), cold-pressed, insoluble in water. Clear oily tan liquid, no or faint odor. 

INCI Name: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil 

Properties: Precious moisturizer and emollient. Prevents transdermal water loss and retains moisture. Good lubricant without leaving a greasy film on the skin as it penetrates into the skin. Regular application can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

I've heard lots about Jojoba Oil being the closest to human sebum, but I know that some people dispute that. All I really care about is whether or not the oil will be something safe for my skin and hair. My skin already love is and I wish I could afford gallons of the stuff.

As soon as I put the oil on my hands (to test it), I noticed how soft and supple they felt. Immediately. I headed over to Google some information and the first benefit of Jojoba that I saw was for softening the skin. Nice. I'm very picky about what I use on my skin and I love anything that moisturizes and softens.

There are lots of  tips and some great info here for using Jojoba Oil.

Another plus to using Jojoba is that, while it is a moisturizing conditioning agent, it's supposed to also be great for acne and oily skin.

As for use on the scalp and hair, Jojoba Oil is supposed to be very nourishing without creating a lot of buildup. I refer to a couple of wonderful sites for information about natural hair - Naturally Curly and Curly Nikki - they both share some info about using jojoba (and other oils) for the care and feeding of natural curls. Check the sites often for good stuff all the time.

Right now, I am flat-ironing my hair. I need something to moisturize my scalp and shine my hair. The Jojoba Oil sure seems to be working. When I wear my hair straightened, the one thing that concerns me is not drying it out and not having a greasy feel. So far, so good.

There's no way to show you how my skin feels because of the oil, but I wanted to show how non-greasy it is once applied and rubbed in.

I hope that the photos show how absorbed the oil is. You almost can't tell, even in person, that there is oil on (rubbed in) my wrist. You can feel the difference though.

Oil on wrist
Clear and very thin texture

Oil rubbed in

No oil on this wrist

Did you notice how "runny" the oil is? It has a very. very thin texture. That's nice for getting a lot of use out of a small amount, but be careul with applying so you don't have a spill!

As far as I can tell, there is no noticeable smell to the oil. I have a cold, but I can still smell the neem oil I use! The label indicates that there is "no or faint odor".

Some other ways to use Jojoba Oil:

• To moisturize and treat dry feet (This is my first night using it for this, but my feet - which are not as bad as usual, thanks to a pedicure a month ago - soaked this oil right up. The difference in the Jojoba and other oils I've used on my feet is that this didn't take a lot and it soaked into even the driest parts.)
• As a lip balm (On one of the links I provided above, there's a recipe for a beeswax/jojoba balm. I just put the oil directly on my lips. Feels good, but I should do a lip scrub and try again.)
• For the ends of the hair (I applied some to the very tips of my hair and will keep doing that every night to see if it helps keep my ends from splitting so much.)
• As a makeup remover (I'm not trying to waste my precious jojoba to use for this. I plan to continue using my other oils for this and then moisturize with the jojoba.)

One thing I will suggest is that you get a dropper applicator to use when applying the oil to your scalp. That makes it easier to direct the oil where you want it. Try separating your hair into 4 sections, then putting a couple or three drops onto the scalp in each section. You can massage with your fingertips to spread the oil around without wasting any. This is going to be a nightly thing for me - especially when I am using the flatiron.

There are tons of places where you can get Jojoba Oil (I'm capping it because it's the subject of this post!) but, when it comes to oils and DIY beauty staples, I prefer getting mine from Making Cosmetics - who also have a presence on Amazon with some of their products. Like I said, I will talk more about that company in an upcoming post.


















Stay tuned for updates as I find more ways to use this...

Peace
--Free

**How-To** Amazon Prime Sharing

Ever since I have been doing product reviews, I've used Amazon Prime. That's because most of the products I review are paid for with codes (provided by a product/brand rep) and my shipping is free.

Of course, I also use my Prime membership for other things, especially for gifts for holidays and birthdays. Living in Alaska, I love that I get to shop online for affordable items without worrying about ridiculous shipping and handling fees.

Free shipping would be enough of an incentive to have a Prime membership. The other huge benefit to having Prime is that I can share my account with my household. That's 3 adults and 1 kid. We can get educational games and toys for the child without being limited to the local stores (and local prices), the adults can order clothes, cosmetics, household items and appliances, and some food items. 

Having the luxury of variety, pricing, fast (and free) shipping makes a Prime membership almost a necessity. Split among 3 adults, the membership is affordable and very, very much worth every penny.

The one problem I had with sharing my Prime membership was, well, sharing. This was a big problem during this past Christmas shopping period.

I always knew that I was allowed to share my Prime. What I didn't know is that there is a specific way to share it. What I had been doing was just giving my sign-in information to the other adults in the house. That worked great until we were all trying to surprise each other with Christmas gifts.

After searching the FAQs and forums, I still had no idea of an easier way to share my Prime membership. Apparently, this is a problem a lot of other people were having. I saw other users in the forums wondering at a solution.

This morning, I contacted the Amazon Help center and had a nice chat with a rep named Ben. He directed me to a page that I swear I have never seen before this day! LOL

Here are the directions to setting up a household so that you can properly share your Prime membership (see screenshots below):

1. Go here to access instructions for setting up Amazon Household.
2. You can add a Child or Adult. For Adults, you will need the person with you - or have their information to set up an email, password and billing information.
3. Once you have another Adult account set up, you and the other person should be able to sign in and access your separate information (as far as orders and history, etc.)

It was pretty easy to set up the other adult in our household, but I will have to wait and see how it actually works out. One thing that I noticed is that you have to be willing to "share" some of the billing information in order to share services. This was no problem for me because in our household trust one another. 

I'm curious as to why this information was so hard to find. I know that lots of other users have run into the same problem with finding out how to properly use a shared Prime account. Probably, I wasn't paying attention but, at any rate, things are fixed now.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Beautiful Textures (Texture Manageability System) ***UPDATED***

****UPDATED****

I had to come back and let you guys know that I am so unhappy with this hair treatment. It's been over 5 months since I did this. In that time, I've had to trim my hair over and over just to get rid of the scraggly-straight end pieces left behind from this treatment. Finally, a while ago, I just did another big chop. My hair was okay, and I mean just okay - as long as I didn't moisturize it much. Anytime that I heavily hydrated my hair, I'd end up with some scraggly pieces at the ends. So the chop off. Even now, I've had to snip loose ends because they would hang at the ends of my natural curl pattern. 

No matter what this kit claims, the system is way more permanent that I like. I love my natural hair and hate having to work this hard to get back to that state. 

So, just a warning from someone who wanted a "temporary" straightening: this might have results that last way longer than you like. Once I get my curls back, I will just stick to flat-ironing for results that I KNOW will be temporary.

                               ******************************************

I love wearing my hair "natural", but there are times when I want a different look. 

When I was in Texas, my niece braided my hair with extensions. That was a nice no-care 'do for a couple of weeks, but because I wanted the 'no care' part, a couple weeks is all my hair could take. Coming back to Alaska, my hair was drying out and starting to get some damage. The braids came out and I was back to my natural 'do.

Since my hair did dry out, I was only wearing high-moisture "maintenance" styles for several days. Bor-ing!

Last week when I was Christmas shopping, I saw this interesting product:

This is called a "Texture Manageablitlity System" (or just TMS). Here is some detailed information about the product but, basically, what it does is allow a user to easily swap between a curly or natural look and a straightened look. In theory.

I really liked the idea because, of course, I don't want to use a chemical relaxer on my hair. Another benefit was the price. I picked mine up at Walmart (of all places to discover something new) and paid just under 8 bucks.

One thing to mention right off the bat is that I thought the product was made by the same company that produces a popluar line of hair care items. The box looks very much like this company (which I won't name). From what I can tell though, from checking the box and product site, this isn't by any company I've ever heard of. Not sure what that will mean to other users, but I just wanted to mention it.

Let's look at what comes in the kit, then I will go over what I thought of as the Pros and Cons during my first use.

The only parts of the kit I had to use right away was the special shampoo and conditioner (labeled 1 and 2 in the photo). The packets labeled A and B are the anti-reversionshampoo and conditioner to be used for maintenance.

Okay, let's do the rundown:

PROS and CONS:

• It's fairly easy to use this. With relaxers, users have to worry quite a bit about timing the process (for safety) and protecting the scalp and skin (for safety). With the TMS, I did have some sensitiity to the processing conditioner. There are warnings that this might happen, which is why gloves are provided. This was my first sign that, while this might be less harsh than a common relaxer, there was still some "processing" going on. (Check the FAQs and you'll see why.)
• The conditioner is obviously the main component of the product. But, first, I had to use the special shampoo. I didn't like how it made my hair feel, After the first wash (you're to wash 3 times to start the TMS), my hair felt like soft steel wool. I'm not tryining to be funny. The purpose of the shampoo is to "clean" the hair of any product buildup, but my hair felt as if it had been stripped to the point of damage.
• After applying the conditioner, my hair seemed to revive a little bit, but it was still not feeling great. I was beginning to wish I had done a strand test of the entire process. Since I didn't do that, I will suggest it to future first-time users. Just to see what you think before going whole hog.
• My main concern (after I had used the product) was whether or not I could use any of my regular shampoos without interfering with the results of the TMS. I ask this (despite the fact that the kit includes anti-reversion shampoo and conditioner) because I normally use a gentle and extra-moisturizing shampoo bar. Good news: there are a lot of questions addressed in the FAQs. Bad news: there are a lot of questions addressed in the FAQs. I felt like I was having to hunt down basic information...
• When you spot this in the store, the main attraction of the product is that you will be able to go from not straight to straight. That's the basic appeal, right? So, I was concerned when I saw other reviews that mentioned some problems with that. This issue is even addressed in the FAQs and users are advised, in this case, to wash vigorously and do a 30-minute deep conditioning. That doesn't sound too bad, but I haven't tried reverting back yet so I don't know.

NOTE: I started this post right after using the TMS process, then I got really sick with a nasty virus that's still kicking my butt... Ugh.

Anyway, It's been a couple of weeks, but I'm back to finish off this review. Maybe being productive will help me feel better.

I have wetted my hair 3 times since using the TMS because I have done some deep conditioning. My hair has reverted back to pre-treatment texture when wet. I can use the flat-iron to get a smoothed style. I still think that I would have been able to do this without the TMS, but some other users might need the help the system provides in straightening.

My hair does better with a flat-iron straightening than with any relaxers or other "systems". Since I have rarely used a flat-iron before now (and never a decent one like the one I have), I won't know if the TMS affected the results. I will come back and do another update several weeks down the line if that is the case.

One thing I want to say for those who, like me, prefer not to use straightening relaxers (of the traditional kind), is to try just using a good heat protecting product and a flat-iron. That way, with zero treatment chemicals, you might be able to switch between kinky-curly and straight. 

When I was using relaxers on my hair, I had quite a bit of breakage during combing/brushing. With the flat-iron, I get very little breakage. My hair seems to be doing very well so far. Of course, I use moderate heat and always use a protectant (I like Aussie's Hair Insurance). I also make sure to use a good oil on my scalp. 

This is what my braids looked like:

Loved them, but my hair wasn't getting enough moisture :-(

My natural look is my favorite

But it's nice to switch things up a bit. To paraphrase a Pin I recently saw: When you feel like crap, slap on some lipstick and... well, something. Can't remember what.

Yeah, I know. I look about as good as this virus feels. Still, you get the idea. I can actually go from natural (kinky/curly) to a straighter, smoother look.

One last thing about switching up styles: going natural is the easiest. I can just twist/coil my hair for a few hours (or overnight), untwist and go. Plus, a lot of moisture is built into the style. Even though I can moisturize my scalp with the "straight" look, I can't do as much for my hair. So... I will probably only go straight for a couple weeks, then do my natural thing for a couple of months. Summer will be okay for doing the straight look longer, but winter time is too dry for my hair and skin.

I guess I would say that the TMS is a good system, depending on your hair type and needs. Also, just know what you're getting into first. Check the product's site and the FAQs before purchasing.

Peace

--Free

**RECIPE** Juice & Smoothie Blends

Since I have been faithful about going to the gym, I'm losing pounds and inches faster than I expected. I think part of the weight loss is due to the better eating habits I'm practicing.

Juicing (or "smuicing" for those who also enjoy smoothies) is a great way to balance out my nutrition while trying to lose or maintain weight. The hardest  part of it all is just like with any kind of diet (or lifestyle  change), and that is variety.

I have no problem eating right for months and months. I do tend to get bored with my healthy choices of nutrition. So... I try not to get bored.

With the new - and very affordable - juicer I've had for a couple of weeks, I can change up from smoothies to juices just by rotating two appliances.

        

Juices are easier for me than smoothies. Here are my latest recipes:

Tropical Blend

Pineapple
Mandarin Oranges
(Can add a little bit of lemon if you want)

Blood Pressure Blend

Beets
Carrots
Apple (for more sweetening)

Workout Refresher Blends (for after the gym)

Celery + Ginger + Cucumber + Oranges

Beets + Apples

Cucumber + Oranges

Blend for Snacktime

Ginger
Cucumber
Apple

Someone mentioned to me that adding a little bit of cayenne to my juices could help rev the metabolism. I want to try it, but I have no tolerance for even mild heat. I might try adding cinnamon to a blend, but I haven't yet.

Another thing about juices vs smoothies: to help replenish the fiber lost from juicing, I like to add back in to the juice some of the pulp that the juicer discards. This means having to shake the pulp around in the juice so that it doesn't all sink, but it's worth it and doesn't really bother me as far as taste.

If anyone has any suggestions for juices or smoothies, feel free to email me.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Extra Large Natural Cotton Laundry Bag from Ohuhu

Since this review is for an item with a specific and basic use, I will keep the post brief and simple.

The product is the Ohuhu® Natural Cotton Laundry Bag (extra large size).

photo from Amazon product page

photo from Amazon product page

That's pretty specific and basic, right? However, I have a feeling that some people will find other uses for this natural cotton laundry bag:

Because the bag is so big (and it's much bigger than it looks when you first see it in the wrapping), it's great for use in a dorm room. On the other hand, if it's filled up, it could be kind of heavy. For laundry use, I think it would be better for storing dirty laundry neatly in a wash area.

Like I said, it's a simple product, made for storing and carrying  (or temporarily hiding) dirty clothes. The standout features:

• Holds a LOT of clothing (4 to 5 loads)
• Is machine washable and won't shrink
• The 100% "natural colored cotton" material is breatheable to prevent mildew
• Can also be used as a hamper liner
• Is quite large - 36 inches high & 28 inches wide 

(By the way, I'm not sure if we all consider a load of laundry by the same measures!)

When I was younger, I remember my mother talking about having learned from her mother to multi-purpose everything she bought. If she bought Crisco for cooking, she also used some as a skin moisturizer. I also remember her talking about having used flour sacks to make clothing and curtains.

The material of this laundry bag is so sturdy that I immediately thought, "My mom would probably multi-purpose the heck out of this!" And, of course, I started thinking of other ways the bag could be used for "modern" household use:

• As a toy sack (for a kid's playroom)
• To carry around anything that's bulky or in pieces, and...
• ...My favorite idea - to hide Christmas gifts in.
• Lining the hamper used for diapers or smelly exercise clothing is a great idea

photo from Amazon product page

Actually, if this were dyed or decorated, it would make a super-cute "Santa" bag. Maybe because it's close to that time of year, that's one of the first things that popped into my head. Since 2 of my nieces are both pregnant, the idea of using this to line a hamper in the baby rooms is nice. I don't know if my girls plan to use cloth diapers or not  (NOT!!!), but infant clothes can have their own special funk once they get stained with formula or poop... I'm just saying.

One last thing I want to mention is that the material of the bag is a bit on the rough-feeling side when you recieve it. I'm hoping that it will soften up some after a run through the machine with some fabric softener.

The price is great for a bag of such a large size, especially the Prime price.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.