Favorite Things (on the sidebar there)

 I'm adding some things to the sidebar. I wanted to showcase photos of whatever current favorite things I/m enjoying. Sometimes, I start writing a review or post about a product and it sits in the Draft folder while I deal with life. It's easier to add these photos to keep up until I get around to doing the postings. Just like for today, I have several Draft posts that I just haven't had the energy to deal with.

My hands look my age but those nails
are fabulous!

That's my first set. The Diva Nails are my new obsession. The other things are just as wonderful in their own way. I will get around to finishing the posts about them. Someday. Until then, the pics will be hanging out there for your viewing pleasure...

Peace

--Free

**QUICKIE** Glycerin

Glycerin is fairly cheap. I get the 16oz bottles. This is how I use mine:

• Add some to bad or semi-decent hair moisturizing creams. I add and shake well or turn upside down for a few days. In most cases, adding the glycerin keeps me from tossing a product that didn't originally work well for me.
• Add some to lotions and body creams. Same as above. Glycerin boosts the moisturizing properties. However, I do not use glycerin on my face because it seems to clog my pores or just sit too heavy.
• Add to essential oils that I wear as personal fragrances. I basically use the glycerin as protection from the oil.
• As a hair and skin treatment. I mix the glycerin into some hair conditioner, apply to my hair and sit under a dryer or with a plastic cap for 10 or 15 minutes before rinsing, drying, and styling. For my feet, I apply the glycerin heavily, wrap my feet in extremely warm, wet towels and cover those with plastic shopping bags. To prolong the warmth, I will rest my feet on a heating pad. After 15-30 minutes, rinse and apply lotion.
• Glycerin is also good for removing stickers from glass and other non-porous items. To clean the glycerin residue, wipe with alcohol or vinegar. 

I was going to add how to make soap with glycerin (because I used to know this). I am too tired tonight to look up the recipe for you, but I did run across this page. It had some interesting tips. I did not know about making a cleaning paste with glycerin.

Peace

--Free

Not My Mama's Instant Coffee

I'm so glad that God made the coffee bean and that someone first figured out how to brew it up. Because mornings are just morning until...

 

What coffee do you drink, if any? Are you picky about your coffee? How picky are you? Would you, could you, give up your current brand or roast, or type of coffee. Or would you go to decaf or instant?

 

My mother drank Folger's coffee. And she drank a lot of coffee. She was so brand-loyal that she could not be fooled. My sister and I once filled her Folger's can with another brand. We had bet someone that she was just stubborn but wouldn't actually be able to tell the difference. We were wrong. We made a pot of coffee for her and with one sip, she knew.

I guess I take after my mother. I have cheaped out on a lot of grocery items but can be pretty brand loyal when it comes to my coffee. Once upon a time, I only drank Yuban or Gevalia (back when Gevalia had a subscription box and I could afford it). As I got older, I wasn't extremely picky about the brand as much as I was about the strength. I have never liked those weaker or less "bold" morning blends. I like my java full force.

For the past few years, I have loved the Dark Magic blend from Green Mountain Roasters. They make a decently-priced bag of ground and a higher-cost K-cup. I preferred the K-cup but often went cheaper by putting the ground coffee in a universal K-cup reusable filter. 

Here's the thing. Lately, I have been cutting way, way back on things. I am having to eat healthier - even more so than before and I have yet to find a Dollar Menu that my doctors will applaud. Basically, I have to cut back on the Wants and Wishes (certain coffees, specific hair products, etc.) and stay focused on the Needs and Musts.

I've done well in most areas by making my own hair care concoctions and just plain giving up some vanity-oriented things. However...

Coffee is my biggest indulgence. It's one of the few obsessions I have that has some health benefits. And it's something that I don't really over-indulge in. I just need my morning cup and maybe - just maybe - a second cup a little later in the day. After that, I am good until the evening when I have a nice cup of tea before bed. Yes, I am a woman of habits.

Knowing all this, a lot of my friends would be surprised to know that I have now switched to drinking mostly instant coffee. 

The idea of switching to instant didn't occur to me in the least until... 

I had some instant coffee around that I used only to make the delicious Dalgona coffee.

Other than that, I never touched my jar of instant. Until one day when my Amazon subscription was late. Actually, I had shared my coffee with a neighbor so I ran out a few days earlier than usual. Anyway, I wasn't up to walking to the store or making a larger enough order for delivery. I decided to have a Dalgona but then didn't want to deal with the hassle. So I just made a plain instant coffee. I had the Beaumont Instant from Aldi's so...

Wow. This stuff is good. It's got a deep, rich, kind of chocolate undertone to it. I had not enjoyed a cup of coffee so much in a long time. I made a second cup. Usually, I have a 12-ounce "mug" (that I often never even finish) but I was making 8-ounce cups of the instant.

Listen. I went online that very day and canceled my Subscribe and Save order for coffee. When the last box arrived a few days later, I didn't even open it. I didn't miss Dark Magic. And I wasn't wasting any of the instant that way I did the Dark Magic. 

I'm saving money for sure. Here's a breakdown:

• Green Mountain K-cups $15.80 (32 pods) = about $0.50 per pod
• Green Mountain ground  $10.49 (18-oz bag) = $0.58 per ounce
• Aldi's Beaumont instant  $3.09 (8-oz) = $0.38 per ounce
• Nescafe instant $5.45 (7-oz) = $0.78 per ounce

Yeah. I'm now a Beaumont gal. (By the way, I did try Nescafe and it's not much better than Beaumont, in my opinion.)

As tight as I keep my budget, I didn't truly fathom how much I was spending on coffee. And, as I said, I was sometimes just plain wasting coffee. The smallest amount my machine makes is about 12 ounces per pod. If I try making less than that with the universal filter, the taste is off - too strong or too weak. And I don't always finish 12 ounces before it starts to cool - even with my thermal mug. With instant coffee, I can get a good cup with just over a half-tablespoon of powder. And I can get 5 jars of Beaumont with what I was paying for 1 box of Green Mountain pods. 

As for my beloved Keurig, I plan to keep using it for making my green teas and hot chocolates - of which I have found store brands that are both cheap and tasty.  Also, whenever I'm going to go out for a bit, I will make a 12-ounce mug of Beaumont. 

Oh! And I almost forgot to mention THE most important part of this: I can actually drink this coffee black. It's not as good as 1) Luzinanne Dark Roast or 2) either French Market or the delicious Cafe Du Monde chicory coffees straight black, but... It's too hard to find those brands or find them at a decent price.

Now, I don't drink Beaumont Instant black as often as I did the others, but I have been trying to balance it out during the day. If I drink a cup with creamer/sweetener, I drink the next cup without. I discovered that black coffee works much better as an appetite suppressant than does coffee with cream and/or sugar.

Anyway. 

So, yeah. If you had asked me 6 months ago whether or not I would switch to instant, I would have noped hard. Now, I am happy with instant coffee. With the money I have been saving, I might get a chance to try some other brands of instants. Who knows?

I have read some things comparing instant to ground coffee. Apparently, in most opinions, ground tastes better and seems to have more health benefits. I think taste depends on the brand and personal preferences. As far as the health benefits, I'll have to look more into that. I am still not sure about ground coffee having more caffeine. Again, I think it depends on the brand.  I haven't noticed a difference yet.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I started writing this post about 2 weeks ago and forgot to publish it! I would like to make an update to note that I am still drinking only instant coffee. I am saving the last of the Green Mountain for company or when I am waiting to order more of the instant. I have grown to like the Nescafe enough that I want to try a couple other brands just to see what's out there. I also got to try Community Instant Coffee and Chicory and... yuck! That was the weakest, blandest coffee ever. It was like drinking from sawdust shavings! But, yeah, I am not likely to go back to ground coffees unless I find something as cheap and tasty as the instant I have.

Amazon's Shabby Monitoring of Sellers

 Amazon will sometimes reject my product reviews. It doesn't happen often but it happens. Most recently it happened when I noted that a product had different ingredients listed on the product page than what was on the label of the product I received. I wish they were as diligent about checking the product page information as they are about gatekeeping on customer reviews.

I got a fast refund for the product I just mentioned. Just yesterday I got another product that had different ingredients shown on the label than what the product page showed.

In this most recent instance, the difference was irritating but not harmful. 

I bought this balm because of the ingredients shown on Amazon. You know how I have gotten about checking the 1st 5 ingredients. Well, this was kind of bait and switch, don't you think?

what I ordered

what I got

Totally different arrangement of the ingredients, yes?

I was irritated but not too concerned.

However.

In the other instance... I refuse to use the product because one of the ingredients is a little sketchy.

what I ordered
(magnified for you)

what I got

What is that on the next to the last line on the ingredients? Urea? Urea is something I've had used during pedicures to remove dead skin. Just sloughed it right off after a few minutes of massage. I'm not sure it's something I want near my hair.

You all know that I rely heavily on Amazon - and Walmart, Target, and whoever else delivers - since I no longer drive. I don't think it's a pesky thing to ask that they try being more accurate.

Anyway, once again, I will be contacting Amazon and the seller to let them know about this. At least I usually hear back from Amazon or the sellers there. Walmart is still new to problem-solving. That's one of the reasons I have not switched from Prime to Walmart+. Same price but totally different services.

Jeff Bezos is no longer hungry so he no longer cares.

Peace

--Free

COVID, Science, Peace & Faith

I am having a night of insomnia. At least it's not wasted. While sitting up, I found something that I wanted to share from YouTube. 

This video is a reminder to me that 1) God is in charge, 2) Anything can create panic if we allow it, 3) COVID is not the only health issue to exist.

Like many Christians, I have struggled not to give in to fear and panic during this whole COVID situation. Because I have a fairly serious existing health condition, I sometimes let myself get caught up in the panic and madness that is 2020-2021. Listening to someone I respect as a fellow Christian speak on this subject has been helpful. And I am reminded that prayer is my best defense in anything.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1 KJV)

So, just to reiterate...

By the way, Dr. Lisle is featured in several YouTube videos discussing God and science. He and the late Chuck Missler are favorite speakers of mine and I am glad for the videos preserving their talks.

Peace

--Free

A Homemade Hydration Wash-and-Go Juice

 Winter has been rough on my hair. It's getting better as the weather warms up and the moisture is creeping in. However, I did come up with a simple blend of products for when

1. my curls are just naturally dry, or 
2. I use my favorite curling product (that leaves my hair crunchy), or
3. when I need to do a wash-and-go and the "go" part does not mean having to go fool with my hair before it's ready for the world.

So, here's the thing: I love Long Aid activator gel because it brings out all the pop-pop-pop in my curl pattern. I always get huge jars because they last forever, then put some in smaller jars. (I see that I bought my last big jar in 2019 because it doesn't take much to produce a curl pattern.)

However...

The gel leaves my hair with more crunch than fresh Fritos. So my "Homemade Hydration Juice" is my personal game-changer. (I'm working on the name!)

This is what my wash-and-go looks like when I've used the homemade juice I am going to tell you about. You know, because I am not stingy or begrudging like some folks...

And that is just slightly damp

Like I've said, my hair looks like that with just a little bit of Long Aid by itself but... it's crunchingly untouchable. What you can't tell from a photo is how SOFT and un-greasy my curls are with the "special sauce" I concocted. Also, I get more elongation that I normally do with freshly-washed hair.

Okay, I'm going to stop acting like those food sites that never get to the dang recipe so, without any further fooling around, here is what I blended up. (Disclaimer: you can do your own thing because I am not a professional):

• A bottle with a good spray nozzle. This is important. I got my glass ones here. (And, no I am not paid for the link!)
• Long Aid (or probably any other activator gel). (Not paid for this either.)
• Camille Rose Honey Hydrate  that you need to shop the best price for (And, no, still not getting paid.)
• ** Almond oil (but can use any good, thin, light-weight, and not-too-greasy oil.)
• Some good water. I use spring water because I think it's "softer" than purified.
• optional: I might start adding some Rosemary essence but I have not yet. 
• additional: I do add another water-like ingredient that doesn't affect this end result.

I'm not nitpicky with the measurements but for about 10-12 ounces of water, I try to do about 3 to 5 tablespoons of the Long Aid (depends on how much curl definition I want) and not quite a half tablespoon of the Honey Hyrdate (HH is pricey but it does not take much).  By the way, I add only about half a teaspoon of my secret ingredient.

Give that a good shake every single time you use it.

I don't make a lot at one time because I don't know how well all the ingredients will "set" together for more than a couple of weeks.

I wish I had come up with the juice sooner. I was motivated by my recent resolution to cut way back on buying hair products. 

Right now, I have a shelf full that I plan to find innovative ways to tweak until I have used them up. I've been playing with different combos. For instance, if a product is too thick, I add something thin - water, oil, floral essence. Because I have dry hair, most products are not moisturizing enough. That's where either the Honey Hydrate (which, out of the bottle, is too moisturizing for any curl definition) or a light oil comes into the mix. 

I have one product that left my hair feeling a little "gluey" so I will start using it on my edges for when I pull my hair back.

You must know how desperate I am to 1) save money, and 2) use some of these products I've been hoarding. 

Since I don't plan on buying anything (except to replenish the Honey Hydrate and Long Aid), I am experimenting on myself. I have some ideas for using tea and coffee sprays. Also, I had a huge box of green tea that was off-brand and kind of week. I am using that to steep with some grapeseed and olive oil.

By the way, when I started this use-and-reduce thing with products, I ran across a new YouTube channel. It's called Curly Chemistry (but I keep wanting to call the very personable young lady the Curly Chemist!). I love her style of explaining things. Plus, I think it is high time to have someone with her knowledge talking about the subject of hair and products. 

In one video, the Curly Chemist (I'm going to keep calling her that) dropped some knowledge that I have been using since I heard it. I now always focus more on the first 5 ingredients of products for my hair (and skin). In addition, I went through my product junkie arsenal and checked the First Five of all the products that I love for some reason or the other. That was an interesting exercise, let me tell you.

In addition to the Honey Hydrate (and the Long Aid), one product I plan to occasionally replenish is Taliah Waajid's  Bamboo and Coconut Milk Leave-in Conditioner Intense Moisture. Like they HH, by itself, it's almost too moisture-intense (if I want lasting curl definition) but it's perfect for when I need an extra softness boost.

So there you have it. I'm not advising you to use this recipe, I'm just telling you about it. Just keep in mind that I'm no professional on anything-to-do-with-hair. Just know that. However, if I were going to market this, I'd call it Homegirl's Hydration Juice. ROFL.

Maybe soon, I will be able to let you know how the coffee and tea items worked out.

Peace

--Free

** The almond oil I use is the only one I really like. I have used others that are too greasy-feeling. Maybe it's the type but this is the one I get from Making Cosmetics (still not paid!)

 

I had to reset my password so I can't get into my account to link straight to it but you can find it from the info up there.

(UPDATE) The Vape Ban is About Power - Not Health

UPDATE - the mail ban has been postponed. I am hearing that it's on hold until September or October but... So far, 2 of my 3 favorite online shops have worked out alternate shipping arrangements. I'm pretty sure that many other shops will be able to come up with alternatives by the time the ban actually goes into effect.

 I won't rant for too long but...

This vape mail ban is ridiculous. Doctors will still be prescribing nicotine gum and patches because, well, money. People will still be able to buy alcohol because, well, money. No one is going to be banning or slowing up the sale of fast food burgers, tacos, or pizzas because, well, money. They are even making marijuana and heroin more accessible and acceptable. But for all the people who have and are using vaping to quit tobacco - well, too bad. 

Cannabis at Work: 

How Employers Are Reacting to the Legalization of Marijuana

If I ever questioned whether or not vaping was as bad as smoking tobacco, I feel I have gotten an answer. As many comedians like to point out, the money is not in the cure, it's in the disease. Tobacco smoking creates patients. Vaping creates freedom from tobacco.

I'm pissed. I quit a lifelong tobacco addiction via vaping. Even when I crave a cigarette now, I have - or had - the choice to just hit some nic-free vape and move on with life. I vow not to return to tobacco only because I want to defeat the purpose of the assault on vaping. If I go back to tobacco, They win.

(By the way, notice how differently vaping is treated in places with a less profitable system of healthcare.) But now that the WHO is getting involved, even those places are looking over their shoulders...

I just hope that the vape industry can get lobbyists and supporters as powerful as those of the tobacco industry. And vape enthusiasts are trying to fight back, trust me. (If you want to get involved, just check that link.)

For now, every vaping adult I know is stocking up big-time so that They can create their own juices. A lot of people are making sure to have the materials to build coils for a long time. And lots more people will never leave tobacco addiction as easily as vape enthusiasts were able to.

So this is not about the health of people. This is about power and money. The money really is in the disease and not the cure.

If vape enthusiasts were as dangerous to society as drug addicts, I bet They'd be more willing to make allowances.

Oregon 1st state to decriminalize possession of drugs

When I am watching people struggle with tobacco addiction, I'm going to hope They make it without resorting to marijuana or heroin - you know the more acceptable habits.

Apparently, some people do still recognize that there are many things to worry about other than vaping.

The New Street Drugs You Need to Know in 2021

And if you wonder who "They" are, just look at whoever profits most from the diseases caused by smoking and formerly illegal drug usage.

If you want to get a true gauge of how much safer/better vaping is than tobacco use, poll those who have both smoked and used vapes. Do they feel better or worse? Do they cough more or less? Do they breathe better or not? Oh, and did they quit and stay quit longer after using e-cigs than with the gum and patch?

While polling, ask some kids what they have a harder time getting hold of - cigarettes or vape? I bet most kids who smoke started from parental example. Unless their parents now vape, guess where the kid will still be able to get hold of smokes? 

I can just see the future of vaping. There will be people sneaking around dark alleys trying to score some bootlegged, unregulated e-juice and hot vape devices - so that they can quit cigarettes... It would be kind of funny if it wasn't so unfunny.

As the kids used to say, don't get it twisted. This is all about money and control, not improving anyone's health.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Suave Curl Defining Cream (with shea and coconut oil)

 Money talks and now that so many people are going natural and showing off the beauty of their curls - kinky curls, coily curls, tight curls, loose curls - brands are trying to get in the game.

A long while back, Pantene surprised me with how good their Gold Series products are. At least 2 of the 3 that I tried, I liked. I wasn't crazy about the Detangling Milk but I loved the Hydrating Butter Creme and the small sample of shampoo that I tried was nice. I would love to try the oil treatment but I need to use up products I already have...

Now here comes Suave making nice moves. 

I scored a dual sample of the Curl Defining Cream from the Suave line for "naturally curly and coil hair" in one of my beauty boxes from Target or Walmart. I've been getting quite a few products geared to natural hair in these boxes. Look, these folks know what's up. Natural hair chicks tend to be product junkies. We are always looking to find the best creams, butters, milks, gels, and oils to nurture our finicky tresses. 

When I first got the samples, I didn't even try them. I was so busy rotating the various hair products I already have. Plus, I was thinking, "It's Suave". That's judgemental I know but it's the first thing I thought. It's hard enough to find good products from lines that originally catered to textured hair types.

The other day, I was looking for something to use after taking down my African threading. My hair wasn't super-dry but it was late and I didn't want to use any of my "good" products until I had time to do a twist-up or something. The Suave packets were tucked in the middle of my full-sized items so I grabbed them.

1 sample fits my palm

I wasn't expecting much. As long as the cream wasn't stinky, sticky, or ended up crunchy, I was going to be fine.

Well.

I must go ahead and give Suave credit for coming up with a nice product.

The cream is the consistency of hair milk - definitely not thick enough to be a pudding and just barely dense enough to be called cream. 

What I liked most was the this gave my normally dull hair a bit of shine. Usually, the only way I get shine is by using oil, and that never lasts.

See the SHINE????

This cream has enough slip that I will be able to "rake" in some curls. It's not greasy but it's not crunchy, and it softened my hair.

This next part is a straight-up screen freeze from the Walmart site where the price runs (at this time) $4.98 for a 12-ounce bottle.

Click to enlarge or use
CTRL-+

So, yeah. I'm not mad. Keep in mind that I am not one of those folks who gets too deep into reading the labels for my hair products. I don't want anything obviously damaging but I don't dissect the ingredients. 

The price is what gets me the most. I have spent double the amount on creams that didn't do half what this one does. If the full-sized product turns out to be as good as the sample, I'm going to be really happy.

If you go looking for this, make sure to look for it as shown in the bottle in the photo. If you search their  "curl defining cream", I don't know what you turn up.

Peace

--Free

Where Did All the G+ People Go?

 This is a callout to all the wonderful people who used to populate the Google Plus world.

I was looking for some of the blogs and people I use to follow on an almost daily basis and, sadly, many are lost. At least, I cannot find some of them.

Where are you?

If you were on Google Plus and have any skills, can you please, please, please, set up something similar? I am sure I am not the only person who misses that huge circle of people and interests. 

Custom Tinted Face Primer?

 I was being frugal again and came up with something that I wanted to share. I am very likely not the first chick to come up with this since a lot of us like blending and mixing our cosmetics. 

What I wanted was a tinted matte face primer but I had preferences:

1. Can't make me look ashy or chalky
2. Can't dry out my skin
3. Can't make my skin greasy or unpleasant to the touch
4. Can't be more than $10
5. Can't be messy to work with

Yeah. So. Getting 4 out of 5 wouldn't be difficult but the price was going to be a problem. Instead of trying to find something to buy, I decided to see what I already had to work with. 

Found this:

I reviewed this last year

I love everything about it except that, when worn alone, it makes me look chalky.

Also had this:

Also reviewed Juvia last year
Have never been back to the site &
will never go back

one of many shades
that didn't work

There was a whole saga of me trying to find the right Juvia foundation shade. This is one that was much too dark. By itself. Mixed with the Hard Candy though...

souffle-to-powder texture

The result was a sort of souffle-to-matte texture. Interesting and light.

You can see how subtle the effects are - just a touch of a powdery blurring with very little of the foundation color showing. Basically, this did not make my black skin look ashy.

I can experiment later with different shades

I love that I can experiment and make up a whole palette of shades for my eyes, cheeks, etc. For my overall look though, that right there is a perfect shade of a blur for my skin. PERFECT.

Since the pandemic, I haven't been wearing much in the way of foundation. For one thing, it's too messy for masks and, also, why? Not much showing off anything but these bright and shiny eyes! With this homemade blurring product, I can mattify my face and not worry about getting my masks all gross with foundation transfer.

The best thing about this is that I was able to use some foundation that would otherwise go to waste. The Hard Candy Balm is running right about $7 to $9, depending on the retailer. I could not find it on Amazon but Walmart is stocked up - and it might be the only place outside of the Hard Candy site.

Some people have compared this to the e.l.f. primer products but I happened to already have the Hard Candy sitting around. So, without having to buy anything, I came up with a really useful product.

Peace

--Free

I Tried African Threading on My Natural Hair (Part 2)

 Okay. folks. I lasted four and a half days. I took the threading out today because I had so much shea butter in that my head was just slick! LOL

So, I am going to do a wash and re-thread my hair tonight or tomorrow. This time, I am making a few changes:

• I will NOT use nearly as much shea butter. I could barely pull my hair apart for all the shea.
• I will steam my hair when I apply my leave-in moisturizers (prior to threading).
• I am going to use 3 pieces of yarn for each threading. I learned this from a video. I can then thread all the way down the length of my hair and braid the ends of yarn. Last time I had exposed ends.
• I am going to spray the yarn with moisturizer before or after threading. (When I did the takedown this time, I noticed that the shea had kept the yarn from drying out my hair. A LOT of shea was left in that yarn...)
• I am going to attempt to be more uniform in the size of the threaded sections. Last time, I had some very large and very small sections. This made it a pain to scarf-wrap my hair every day. 
• I'm also going to measure and pre-cut my yarn this time. Last time, I liked pulling strands from the ball and cutting but I had some uneven yarn pieces. I would rather have more yarn than having to tie on additional pieces when I run short.

All in all, though, I am pretty thrilled with the anti-shrinkage. I haven't seen my hair at this length since the last time I straightened with an electric appliance. And I didn't do any damage. Love that!

By the way, I found an old facial steamer I had gotten to review a few years ago. The nozzle sprays wide enough that I can get a wide reach. I had no idea how to use it for my hair until the past several weeks of reading up on using steam for hair care. I actually even have my AfroSheen Steam mask to use. We'll see how that goes. 

Here is a contrast of what my hair looked like before and after the 1st attempt (using a single wrap). Keep in mind that I have not washed out the clump of dried shea butter in the After photos...

This is what the nape/backside looked like.

That was a tricky mirror shot

Now that I am finishing this post the day after I started all the above...

I did not end up moisturizing my yarn. I forgot. I did use 3 strands this time and that did make the ends easier to work with. I did go much lighter on shea. I used shea to seal my hair after washing but stuck to some lighter leave-in products for threading and am moisturizing my scalp daily with JBCO.

Even with this being my 2nd time, I still had problems starting at the root (without getting it too tight or too loose), and I can never judge the best measure of the yarn. I guess I will get better the more I thread.

For now, I am really pleased with this threading and I feel comfortable enough leaving it in for a week.  When I do the next takedown, I will just update this post with any news and photos.

Peace

--Free

I Tried African Threading on My Natural Hair (Part 1)

 African threading is probably the most ingenious hair care technique known. And I am mad that I hadn't heard about it before a couple of weeks ago. I don't usually shout about it but some cultures just never get the credit they deserve.

Why is this not a bigger deal? I don't know. But let's talk about the genius of hair threading. First, some background. I tried to find some older resources but apparently, the threading trend wasn't hot online before 2010 (if my search results can be trusted).

This is what I did find and like, so I am sharing:

• African Hair Threading History and Tutorial
• "What Is African Threading?

This video tutorial is the best one I have seen for learning how to do threading. (And, for some reason, I now think I might have seen this at some point in the past.)

Currently, there are a lot of videos and articles about threading - some that have been out long enough that I should have noticed before now. I have learned a lot about how to do it but the information sometimes conflicts on what threading material to use (yarn, rubberized thread, metal thread, etc.) or techniques for the ends (tuck and wrap or leave loose, etc.).  I like the idea of tucking the ends and was wrapping but it was tricky for me to do with yarn. I could do it with the rubber thread but... well, more on that in a moment.

I used that video tutorial (above) and some of the one in that linked history & tutorial  for general guides. However, I did end up trying different threading materials. The first was rubberized thread and did not work well with my very shea-moisturized hair! Here is my process for the 1st and 2nd attempts.

The Supplies I Used

Trying this for the first time & 
got it cheaper at Sally's

Okay Smooth All Natural,100% Pure
Unrefined Daily Skin Moisturizer

And for my scalp, my favorite JBCO
 (until I find something better-priced!)

"Bead String Rubber
Stretchy String Elastic String"

This is what my hair looked like (unstretched) before I did my first (successful) yarn-threading. It has been washed, deep-conditioned, sealed and moisturized.

This is what my first (and failed) attempt with the rubberized thread looked like:

No Bueno! Unh uh!
(but the ends are tucked)

I could not get my threading started closer to the root. Again, I think it's because my fingers were too slick with shea.

 

I removed the rubber thread the very next day, re-washed and conditioned my hair, and started over. This time I went with acrylic yarn. This is cheaper and much MUCH easier for me to use as an inexperienced threader.

This also took less time because I wasn't struggling (unsuccessfully) to keep the threading near the root.  

I did trim the yarn afterward

"Kizzy! Kizzy!!"

I think I did an okay job, I will need to learn to keep the gaps smaller and to get closer to the ends of the hair. The toughest thing will be learning to end up with something stylish enough to wear uncovered. In the meantime, I am wearing scarves. I usually wear these neck-gaiter-type scarves just because they are  a cute (and lazy) way to keep my head warm in the winter.

I can't wait to get through the next several days (5 or 7 is what I am shooting for) so that I can re-thread and see if I do a better job. I am pleased though. The one thing I worry about is that I used too much shea butter. It was literally oozing from between the threads when I finished wrapping my hair. I think it will dry down some though from being threaded and being tucked into a scarf. Plus, it is super arid here in the winter so...

By the way, the threading is not uncomfortable to sleep on. I sleep with the scarf on so that I can secure the threading in a suitable arrangement for laying on. 

I will do a Part 2 when I take down and re-thread my hair in - well, however many days I can last!

Peace

--Free

FYI: I linked to the gaiter scarves I use just because I love them so much. I don't get any compensation or affiliate credit. I bought them last year when they were about 10 bucks and, after many washing and almost daily wear, they are like new. I want to get more but I see the price has gone up. The price depends on the color/pattern you choose; I got the Dark Grey set of 6.

**RECIPES** Drinking Chia Seeds (without gagging)

**UPDATE**

I have CKD stage 3b and have learned that I have to watch my intake of chia seeds. 

Before you ever try something new in your diet, make sure to talk to your medical care team.

 Chia seeds are a great source of fiber, highly nutritious, high in antioxidants, a good source of protein, and omega 3. 

You can get a nice fix of seeds by mixing them into food, cereals, and baked goods.

Or - and this is the quickest way to ingest them - you can drink them. People make chia water or add chia to their juices. 

Personally, I have a slight aversion to the texture of soaked chia seeds. I can deal better with them in a juice because it reminds me of drinking aloe juice with the pulp. Otherwise, I just feel like I'm drinking globulets of something. Ick.

So here is what I came up with and want to share with anyone interested. I dump the chia (about 2 tablespoons twice a day) into about 8 ounces of water and drink it down before the seeds plump. 

Of course, I do have to swish some follow-up water to rinse away any residual seeds from my mouth and teeth but I don't mind. 

Because I'm not crazy about wet seeds, I bake them into this cookie recipe. (My alterations below the recipe.)

Apologies to Allrecipes but showing an image was easier than typing out the recipe because my brain is on off-mode today.

Source Link 
Allrecipes.com

My alterations & notes:

• I omit the raisins so my cookies are flatter. Adding an extra tablespoon or so bulks them up or you can add more oats.
• I omit the coconut flakes and double up on the seeds. I go overboard with chia, flax and sunflower. I also add about 2 tablespoons of ground flax.
• I once cut back slightly on the dry sugars. Instead of 1 cup each, I did about 3/4 cup each. And...
• I once substituted half the brown sugar with a golden monk fruit sweetener. This is the one time that I couldn't tell a huge difference in substituted sweetener.
• I once used 1 2/4 cup brown sugar (half light/half dark) and 2/4 cup white sugar for a total of 2 cups of sugar in the recipe. This was good but I really had to watch the bake time!
• As with any recipe, don't let the butter get too soft for creaming. I did this once and my cookies literally melted and stuck to the parchment. I couldn't even scrape them off and ended up wasting all those precious ingredients...
• I tried adding a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses once and this gave the cookies a darker bake and a slightly sweeter texture. Watch your bake though, the extra sweetness can shorten the time in the oven.
• This recipe can take a LOT of chia seeds. They are small enough that they don't over-bulk the dough.

This recipe is pretty forgiving and I've found you can play with a lot of the ingredients as long as your basic dry ingredients remain about the same.

The chia seeds kind of pop when you bite them

That's just one way to get a lot of chia seeds (and make your sweet tooth happy) but if you want to keep it healthier, stick to the waters. 

I do my first hit of chia water in the morning before I eat or drink anything else. I take another hit at night before bed (or earlier if I want to curb snack cravings). 

Knocking back the seeds this way is so much easier for me than dealing with wet clumps of them.

NOTE: I didn't find this out until I was prepping for this post. Apparently, if you have renal issues... 

oh, me, me!

:-(

...you should read up about ingesting lots of chia. Sucks for me. I will be checking with my docs since I am just borderline because of the sarcoidosis...

Peace

--Free