Never Half Hearted | Instagram Updates

Good Evening Belles,
just a quick post, I literally just finished a 10 minute tug-o-war with myself deciding on whether or not to post this because one, it's not a "post" post and two, it seems pretty darn lazy, but Alas my loves the past week has been super busy so instagram is just about the only cyber avenue I've had time to commit to, so shoot I may aswell keep you filled in on that right?!
Videos coming this weekend and some posts in the pipeline for next week!

Top Left to Right:
[1] So head wraps are defo my new thing! I think this calls for a scarf shopping trip/haul!!!

[2] Smoothie prep for the next 6 days!!! It's been a busy week but these are a must either way #smoothieADay2013

[3] Absolutely knackered after a long day serving at a Nigerian wedding and now I have to wash this head of afro wonderfulness! Either way its worth it knowing she loves her fro now, so off to cowashing we go!!! #naturalkids

Bottom Left to Right:
[4] Home ill and off work but managed to fix myself a quick snack. Forgot how much I love sautéed garlic butter mushrooms. So delish!!!

[5] Wedding Flow!!!

[6] Fell off the Smoothie bandwagon for 2 days but back on it now! I love the way apples overpower the taste of Spinach... Thank God!!! INGREDIENTS: 3 Apples, 1 Kiwi & 2 Handfuls of Spinach

P.s It's almost Friday... wohooooo!!! This song came to mind when I just wrote that! Who remembers this old school jam!!!

Have a blessed and truly fulfilling weekend! xxx
Avec amour... Fiona

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Today's Hair | Straight Hair the Curly Way + Design Essentials Review

Okay ladies so I decided to do the one thing you should never do the day before you go to an important event ... [1] try out a new product and [2] attempt a new hairstyle! I know Bantu Knot Outs are child's play but not when you don't plan on wearing them the usual way! Anyway you'll be glad to know that thanks to the products above and a slightly uncomfortable nights sleep [blame the bumps], I actually fell in love with the look I'm sporting below and have also added a new product to my Product Staples List!

Design Essentials Curl Enhancing Mousse

PRICE| $15.99 approx £11

INGREDIENTS | Water (Aqua), Polyquaternium 55, Cetyl Triethylmonium Olivate Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate, Decyl Glucoside, Cetrimonium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone (and) Caprylyl Glycol, PEG 75 Lanolin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Fragrance (Parfum), Dimethicone Coployol, Citric Acid, FD&C Blue No.1 (C.I.42090), FD&C Yellow No.5 (C.I. 19140)

PROS: Medium hold and easy to use

CONS: I was neither disappointed nor blown away by the product so no "con" per say

Design Essentials Natural Twist & Set Setting Lotion

PRICE| $13.99 approx £9

INGREDIENTS | Water (Aqua), Polyquaternium 11, Cetyl Triethylmonium Olivate Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone Copolyol, Methylisothiazolinone (and) Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Fragrance (Parfum), PEG 75 Lanolin, DMDM Hydantoin, Citric Acid, Silk Amino Acid, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Jojoba Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Collagen,  FD&C Blue No. 1 (C.I.42090), FD&C Red No. 33 (C.I. 17200)

PROS: The product has GREAT slip and a very silky smooth consistency, it glided on and moisturised which in turn allowed my hair to twist more easily.

CONS: The only con for me has to be the spritz cap. You'll see in the photo below one squirt literally focuses on a small area of hair. I think a cap with a mechanism similar to that of a mist cap would make this product perfect. 

Finally just before peeping the photos, I have to put it out there and say [despite the labelling]...  these products are NOT just for natural hair! I can see why they may be marketed in this way, but having tried this on straight [not yet fully natural] hair, I do solemnly swear they work a treat on straight hair too!!! I'll defo keep these in my stash to use on my hair in its non straightened state, but as for now that's my two pence! 

Top : Natural Twist & Set Setting Lotion / Bottom : Curl Enhancing Mousse

Pinned up and loving it!

Fluffing out the knots...

Day 2 & Back to Buns!!!

Have a fab Saturday!!!

Avec amour... Fiona

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Finding Your... Inner Turbanista

Forgive the late slap bang in the middle of the week and no hearing from me since last week post! I caught a bad cold which turned out to be a chest infection and just wanted to lay in bed and sleep the entire time! I find it quite ironic how I caught a cold when I fell off the wagon and missed by daily smoothie intake TWICE! Karma folks, karma!!!

Anyway back to this post and my new discovered love! You guys can definitely bear witness to the fact that I am one plain Jane when it comes to Hairstyles, in fact it takes a challenge like this one to get me creative, and once that's done I'm back to buns! You can imagine my excitement when I gave the turban look a try and actually loved it!

So for anyone having a serious not leaving the house kinda hair day, or for that extra protective touch, I would definitely recommend a trip to Portobello road for a yummy 5ft long silky soft scarf!

Anyone else feeling the Turban look right now? Or is it just me?!

Happy Hump Day Loves!  
Avec amour... Fiona     Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

2013 The Year of Ayurveda

I've long been impressed by the nourishing, strengthening and growth enhancing properties of Ayurvedic products in a Haircare Regime.  The long list of herbs and ingredients can been quite overwhelming and put you off immediately, but giving these products a try may just be your saving Grace!

I noticed the benefits of Ayurveda in my Hair Regime in Feb 2012 when I did my 7 Months Post Relaxer Length Check following my big relaxer cut in November. Okay the growth wasn't Rapunzel jaw dropping kinda long but considering my transitioning struggles, I knew my DIY Scalp Oil which is comprised of a good load of Ayurvedic ingredients, was definitely the reason I had a good amount of new growth and my hair was and still is super healthy. So if you like what you've heard so far and are thinking of adding some Ayurvedic spice to your life then here are some simple steps on how...

First things first what exactly is Ayurveda? Ayurvedic regimes incorporate the use of herbs and natural powders native to India which are used religiously and renown for the evident role they play in boosting long, thick and voluptuous hair. To top it off they are preservative/silicone/synthetic ingredient and sulphate free!  Toot that horn!!!
Ayurvedic Ingredients List I've decided against a long winded list but stuck to the products that are easily accessible and that focus on specific hair needs. Hey you may even have some of these in your spice cupboard already!!! I've also highlighted the ones I use...

Neem | Acts as an antibacterial powder which is widely used to cure or control dandruff, therefore promoting a healthy scalp.

Henna | Natural dye as well as hair strengthener and temporary shaft thickener which is also used to encourage smoother and shinier hair.

Brahmi | Antioxidant properties, known to reduce hair loss and promote growth and hair strengthening.

Amla | Great hair conditioning properties whilst also strengthening, nourishing and keeping grey hairs at bay

Bhringraj | Used as a natural conditioning agent as well as hair loss reducer. 

Shikakai | Used as a scalp cleansing agent

Hibiscus | Encourages healthy hair growth,  conditions hair, prevents hair loss and also known to thicken new growth.

  So how do you incorporate Ayurveda into your Regime the simple way? My rule of thumb with Ayurveda is a little goes a long way! A tsp or two in every step of your hair regime is all you need
Shampoo + 1/2 tsp Hibiscus + 1/2 tsp Neem
Conditioner [co-wash] +1/2 tsp Hibiscus + 1/2 tsp Neem + 1/2 tsp Brahmi

As for Deep conditioning and Pre-pooing here are some recipes I love love love...

Coconut Relaxer Pre-poo / Hot Oil Treatment [old post here]

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Coconut oil

1 tsp of Brahmi
Slightly warm the EVCO and then mix the Brahmi Powder into the oil. Then slowly drizzle unto your scalp and massage through your hair. Pre-poo overnight under a shower cap and wake up to butter soft hair in the morning!

Henna Gloss Protein Deep Conditioner [old post here] 100g BAQ Henna powder

1 cup of Conditioner

1 cup Deep Conditioner

20g Neem powder

2 tbsps Shea butter

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Mix Henna and Neem Powder in a bowl then add 1 cup of  Deep Conditioner and 1 cup of regular Conditioner to the powder mix. Then add melted Shea butter and melted EVCO into the mix. Part hair into sections and apply Henna using gloves. Leave Henna gloss treatment for one hour or longer depending on the outcome you want (longer = deeper conditioning + more visible colour effects). Rinse Hair thoroughly and co-wash to finish off.

Coconut Cream Softening Deep Conditioner

1 Cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup of Coconut Cream 2 tbsp of Hibiscus Powder
Mix solidified EVCO with Coconut Cream and Hibiscus Powder. Apply all over hair and leave under shower cap for an hour. Then rinse and commence with quick co-wash to get rid of oil residue.

The softness I get when I pre-poo overnight in braids with the Coconut Relaxer Recipe

My Hair in its shiny and thick glory!

P.s I'll post a separate post on my growth oil I think it deserves a post all to itself!
Anyone else had great experiences with Ayurvedic Products? Added note: I buy my ingredients from local Asian or Afro Caribbean hair shops and also from SheaButterCottage
Avec amour... Fiona

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Top Knot Buns & Sequin Delights

I visited the Darren Scott Salon yet again last week and had my hair treated and straightened... Yes I know guilty pleasure! As you may have seen on my 2013 Goals Post I mentioned one of my goals would be to wear protective styles 80% of the time this year, so let's just say it's going to be a long time before my entire head of hair is straightened again in 2013! 
On that note I can't get over how healthy and thick my hair is in its 13+ months post relaxer straightened transitioning state, I can't peep split ends even with a magnifying glass [crack myself up!] and know this transition is thus far definitely working out for the best ^_^
Anyway enough of the rambling, I'm a sucker for a top knot bun and the colour black, the combination make me feel so chic! So here I am on my way out wearing my favourite hairstyle and favourite colour.
Hope you all had a productive and bright weekend!

  Avec amour... Fiona

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Hello 2013...

We're still one week in so I'll still go on and wish you all a very happy, prosperous, joy filled and bright 2013 ahead! As just about everyone on the blogosphere has already done, I too have created an extensive list of goals for the New Year. Not just hair related, oh no I'm talking Hair, Skin, Body, Career, Faith, Family, Relationship the whole lot!
I figured there's no better time than to implement one of my main goals now... to blog more frequently!!! So here goes my goal list and first post for the year! Cheers to that!!!

BODY/HEALTH
- Drink 1litre of water a day [previously went days without so this is MAJOR!] -
- A Fruit and/or Veg Smoothie a Day [peep the Instagram Pics I'm loving it so far] -

- Daily Nutritional Supplement intake [I throw these into my Smoothie] - - 1 session of Hot Bikram Yoga a week or a 30 min workout session twice a week -

SKINCARE

- Always finish face wash with cold H20 rinse -
- Apply Eye Cream and SPF daily [no excuses] - + Monday, Wednesday & Saturday - Special Skincare Regime involving Steaming, Exfoliation and a Face Mask - [So far loving my Homemade Turmeric, Green Tea and Honey Argan Face Mask]

just a few treats to make the healthy Skin journey easier!

HAIRCARE

- 80% Protective Styling [Two U-Part Wigs and a tutorial on the way] -
-Very little to no heat for the most part of the year - - Big Chop Nov 2013 - so many more but too many to write!

BLOGGING
- Post at the very least once a week - - Video/Youtube Post 1x every fortnight [really going to try on this one!]-

OTHER PERSONAL GOALS
- To grow closer to my God [started a 1 year Bible reading plan very excited!] - - To actually put on some weight already! [First weigh in done and tracking the progress!] - and of course some other goals that may have you snoring before I've finished mentioning them all! All in all I believe it will be a great year!!!
Have you written your goals? Any similar? Let a girl know!
Avec amour... Fiona Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest