New Year, New Hair & Time For Success

An official Happy 2014 my loves!

I feel like this post should have gone up on the 1st of Jan but with new goals, getting back into the swing of things at work etc etc I figured I'd save it for a day when I could 100% chill out, zone in and talk to you!

My excitement for this year is beyond what words can describe, I've crowned it a year of self growth and challenging myself to make my aspirations come to life and that starts with right here on the blog. My posting days reduced by more than 50% when I stopped university and started the world of work. At first I was satisfied with the 'I've started a new job,  I have to focus on my career' excuse because well... it was valid!  HOWEVER it has now been well over a year and I no longer take that as an excuse, I've had more than enough time to get acquainted with my work-life balance so it's time to start acting like it! 

So this means many many more posts in 2014, hair care tips, tutorials, new series, hair styling, videos, lifestyle and food... the works!

It's easy to say it all so here is a more in depth list of what 2014 has to offer from LYT.

BLOG TOPICS/ CATEGORIES

DIY PROJECTS
PRODUCT REVIEWS
BEST OF THE BEST SERIES
5 ARTICLES SERIES
MAKING YOUR OWN SERIES
READER QUESTIONS
KITCHEN CHRONICLES
QUICK FIX


MY PERSONAL & HAIR JOURNEY

EXPERIMENTING WITH COLOUR
NO DIRECT HEAT
EXERCISE 
NUTRITION
HAIR CARE FOR KIDS ft Younger Sister

and much more!

If there is anything you'd like to see then let me know you're just a comment away!

Till then, have a blessed Sunday

Avec amour... 
Fiona Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

[Product Rave]: Aunt Jackie's Curl La La Defining Curl Custard

Product

Aunt Jackie's Curl La La Defining Curl Custard
Price 426g  @ £3.49
Product Claims Kiss frizzy, hard-to-tame hair good-bye.  The mega-moisture humectants in Curl La La give long-lasting bounce to curls, and shine and definition to spirals and coils.  Define your signature look by adding a little or a lot. Whatever your style, rest assure that it will be well-moisturized and soft to the touch, without caking or flaking.  Use it as often as needed on wet or dry hair.

Ingredients Aqua (Water), Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, PEG-150 Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glycerin, Parfum (Fragrance), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Lanolin Oil, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearalkonium Chloride, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, d-Limonene, Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde, Linalool, Amyl cinnamic aldehyde, Lilial,Benzyl alcohol, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Cinnamic alcohol, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 2-Methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, CI 17200 (Red 33), CI 19140 (Yellow 5)  

My Thoughts

I'll admit I heard about this from a friend a while back and avoided it like no mans business, I tend to raise the eyebrow at coloured products, or should I say products that don't come across as naturally coloured! Whilst killing time as usual in my local Afro Caribbean hair shop I saw the product sitting in the corner on the shelf, straight away the price tag gave me the 'even if it fails it was cheap' push!  You know the one that we all need every now and again in order to take the product to the counter and buy the darn thing, and boy am I glad I did! 

I put about 10 twists in my hair with the cream and it gave me a super soft twist out result with not a drop of flaking or any unpleasant curl cream residue. It smoothed on so nicely to my hair and the smell absolutely kills me every time, it smells so good!

I would recommend this for absolutely any hair type, it quenched my hair of its post wash and airdry thirst, and I was able to rock my hair for a good couple of days.

A definite new fave!!!

Softness: 10

Definition: 10

Shine: 8

Moisture: 8

Has anyone else tried other products from the range?
Avec amour...
Fi

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Making your Own : D.I.Y Winter Supple Lip Scrub

Over the last few months of 2013 I started to take grooming a lot more seriously, I'm a huge believer in getting into a habit of all things girly before living with someone else i.e the hubby,  so that it's not a huge lifestyle change when you do tie the knot and realise you can't always live in a headscarf or stretch your chipped nails for weeks on end! Basically my new motto is waxing, nails done, hair done, everything did! 
So I decided I'd start pampering and treating myself more often, i.e manis, pedis, waxes and of course a good massage just because. But some things you simply can't really pay for and kinda shouldn't have to because your kitchen cupboard can seriously hook you up!
Have I rambled there? I think so! Point is, in celebration of my all new groomed up lifestyle I've been paying a lot more attention to my physical self and the winter dry lips thing was killing my swag! I just had to get D.I.Y on myself and put together a super simple and my goodness delicious but shouldn't be eaten lip scrub. 
It has my lips super soft and supple [baby bum supple] and I'm totally in L-O-V-E!

HOW TO 

- Literally pour an equal amount of all of your main ingredients into a jar -

- Add any extras e.g. herbs at your desired quantity -

- Use a spoon to fold ingredients into one another -

- You can then use your fingers to gently rub the scrub all over your lips - 

- Finally use a warm damp cloth to remove and follow up with a thick lip balm -

INGREDIENT BENEFITS

Vitamin E Oil - softens, heals, prevents moisture loss, reduces scarring

Honey - softens, soothes dry and chapped skin

Brown Sugar - humectant, contains glycolic acid, natural exfoliator

Rosemary - soothes dry skin

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - strengthens underlying tissue and removes excessive dead skin cells, antibacterial, moisturising.

* If your Coconut oil is hard then you can lightly warm this by placing your required amount in a bowl in a warm water bath to slightly melt this. Be careful not to over warm as this will cause the sugar to melt.

Avec amour... Fiona ❥ Facebook ❥ Youtube ❥ Twitter ❥ Tumblr ❥ Pinterest

A New Beginning : 2014 Goals Are Here!

I'm sitting here on my bed in awe of how quickly the year has passed by and evaluating it's successes and many taught lessons. 2013 definitely was a great year for me, and of course one of the main highlights of it which you were able to share with me was my transitioner chop
As always a new year is always a new opportunity to set new goals, and challenge yourself to an even greater year than the one before, so I thought I'd share some of my 2014 aspirations with you and hope you can give me a kick up the… if I seem to be wandering off track! I have a LOT I want to achieve in 2014 so my list of "goals" is quite specific and rigid, but I work best that way so fingers crossed it'll be fun achieving them

- GreenHouseEffect once a week - - Smoothie/Juice A Day Challenge- [successfully did this about 98% of the time n 2013] - 2l of water a day - [downloaded the waterlogged app to help me track this] - Experiment with colour - - Complete a rejection challenge [more info to come] - - Do missionary work - - Race For Life -
there are a few more "goals"on my list such as financial and career goals but I won't start writing a book here so we'll start with these!
Any special goals you have set for 2014 that you have never set before?
P.s I'll be back to blogging week beginning 12th Jan. I have some things to sort out before I get back to weekly posts and don't want to start and then stop mid way!

Till then xxx

Avec amour…  Fiona

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Christmas Curly Fro & Family Highlights

Happy Boxing day my loves! 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas! Isn't it amazing how much love, laughter and happiness is poured out on that special day of the year! I ate till I felt sick, literally, but it was worth it and I wouldn't have had it any other way!
I wore a perm rod twist out, which turned out to be a lot more defined than my previous one, the curly fro is definitely one of my faves! 
I thought I'd share a few snaps of Christmas day in the O residence as well as a quick vid featuring my hair do and some holiday highlights with the family!
Now unto the next best thing… New Years! Let the Countdown begin!!!

Avec amour…   Fiona
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Newly Natural | A Mini Product Haul

Happy Monday Belles!
I think it's fair to say I'm finally fully acquainted with my hair in its natural state, it took me a tad bit longer than I would have liked to hit the streets with my fro but now I'm rocking it like I've owned it for years and there really is no stopping me now!
 I finally get some time off for the festive period in the next couple of days so will definitely have many more hair pics and updates this week and in the weeks to come. In the meantime I thought I'd do a mini follow up on some of the products from my Out With The Old, In With The New Post. So here it goes, my thoughts on some of the products from my newly natural product haul!


Stay blessed xxx
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Product Review : Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme

I wish I could for the life of me remember my first PK encounter but I can't, all I know is that it has been a serious love story since then and this has to be one of my longest running staples! I couldn't believe I had yet to officially review this here on the blog, so let's just say this is exactly that - an official review! 
Product Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme
Price 150ml £27.50
Product Claims  Elasticizer Extreme is targeted at a very specific hair type: extremely dry, porous and very thirsty! Specifically formulated for African-Caribbean or Caucasian hair that is exceptionally processed and damaged, this product provides instant replenishment, hydration and nourishment.

Elasticizer Extreme has all the moisturizing ingredients of Elasticizer, with higher active doses of the components that can really make a difference to very dry, porous and thirsty hair.

Ingredients Ingredients: Aqua, Ricinus Communis (Castor oil) , Glycerine, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethyl Hexyl Dimethyl PABA, Olea Europea (Olive Oil), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetylpryidinium Chloride, Hydrolysed Elastin, Amodiethicone, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben.

My Thoughts Could it be any more obvious, I absolutely adore this product solely based on the effects it has on my hair as the price tag most certainly isn't appealing! This product does four main things for my hair, well at least from what I notice, it softens, detangles, protects and increases elasticity. I use this product at least twice a month and upon application it instantly smooths out my hair and any tangles or knots that linger on from a long worn twist out. It literally emulates clay and conforms your hair to any shape you mold it. I've become so used to using this product that I find no shampoo I use after it has managed to dry out my hair to the point of worry and all in all, well, it's a pretty great product!
[Transitioners this was one of my absolutely must haves during my transition FYI!]
For those wondering how far the £27.50 goes well I've thus far used my 150ml on 4 wash days and there is still half of the tub left, mind you I use this fortnightly as opposed to weekly as advised on the PK website!

Avec amour...
Fi x

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A Grateful Winters Walk

I'm not one to go for walks, I'm only moved to when there's a beach nearby, a blazing smile from the sun and palm trees swinging somewhere nearby which in lovely London happens... never! But there was something so fresh about the air today I just couldnt help it, so I took a mini walk [just up the road] and reflected on how grateful I am to have made it to the month of December.
I woke up to instagram posts on the passing of Paul Walker and I was reminded again of just how precious each and every second, minute, hour, day and more so month are. It truly is a blessing to be here and I'm so excited for what this festive month will bring.
Happy December 1st everyone! Tis the season to be merry and most importantly tis the season to spread love!!!
[P.s. I was deep conditioning so threw on my turban for church! The joys of a scarf ey!]
xxx
Yours… Fi

Scarf - H&M Drape Knitwear - Zara Bag - Zara Boots - Forever 21
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