OOTD: Bold in Gold

I LOVE THIS SWEATER!

I bought this sweater during the summer from H&M because it was light enough for a cooler summer day or night but thick enough to be layered and help keep you warm during the fall. Plus it's an awesome color, gold. I kept the look simple and paired it with black and a couple touches of gold (watch and studs on shoes).

I wanted to play with mixing textures (as opposed to patterns or colors) so I layered the sweater over my velvet Peter Pan collared top. Both collars and velvet are in this season so definitely try and work them into your wardrobe.

SN: I finally put my twists back in, month 3 of this "Hide Your Hair Challenge" went by quickly.

 

 

live life BOLD

AF

OOTD: Marsha, Marcha, Marcia?

I think I look like a cute Kindergarten teacher today...or Marcia Brady, whichever. Loved layering this top and dress together and navy definitely brought out the blue in pattern of the top. And of course I wore my JC's seriously some of the most comfortable shoes I own/brought with me any opportunity to wear them.

Have a great weekend.

AF

OOTD: Can't Touch This

I've had these pants for 4 or 5 years now and only wore them once (which describes like half my wardrobe). Thought it was time to resurrect them considering the ridiculously nice weather we had today. These pants were so comfortable and roomy it's crazy. 

I kept wanting to break out in a dance or some choreographed moves...but the people weren't ready for it. They can't handle me, they "can't touch this" lol.

SN: first time using my tripod. Definitely glad I bought it, next item new camera.

Instagram Pictures: add me @f3mb0t

AF

Deep Conditioning

Save time on your weekends and late nights by cutting back on your deep conditioning time. Over night conditioning isn't necessary and or more effective than a quick 30 minute conditioning. The most important aspect is the conditioner that you use and it's ingredients.

My deep conditioning regimen: every Saturday or Sunday depending on my schedule. I section my hair in four or more and dampen with water then apply the conditioner mix on each section. I cover my hair with a shower cap, then my Turbie Twist and finally a (winter) hat.

Conditioner Mix Recipe- 
Treseme Nautrals (or any conditioner I have on hand- ex Giovanni's)
Aloe Vera Juice
Honey (or Glycerin or other humectant- absorb moisture) 
Coconut Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Optional:
Castor Oil
Almond Oil
Avocado (just the green part blended)

The oils are interchangeable, but EVOO and coconut oil are some of the best ones to use.
I don't use any particular measurements, just whatever looks right, but the majority of it is Conditioner.



Check out the whole post on Deep Conditioning here at BGLH

22 October 2012

Do Heat and Time Really Make Deep Conditioning More Effective?

From The Natural Haven Bloom‘s series on Deep Conditioning

For the past couple of weeks we have been talking deep conditioning. Today is the turn of two factors that are really key namely temperature (should you use heat when conditioning?)  and time (should you leave a conditioner on for hours?).

Now for the purpose of this post, I will again define a conditioner as a water based conditioner (deep, intensive, mask or rinse out). If you are using oil, this is completely different and its own rules apply.

So will heat and time affect conditioning? The quick answer
Increased time and temperature do increase the amount of conditioner adsorbed to the surface of hair. The maximum time is 20-30 minutes and the maximum temperature is around 35°C.

The long answer
I am being very general in this post because the fact is that every single ingredient that can adsorb and/or penetrate into hair (e.g surfactant or protein) actually has its own unique behaviour when added to a conditioner. This is also affected by other ingredients in the conditioner.  However there are common similarities in behaviour and these are the ones I wish to emphasise.

1.  Increasing the time you leave conditioner on hair allows more of it to adsorb with a maximum adsorption at 20- 30 minutes.
The key ingredients that can stick to hair (surfactants, hydrolysed protein, silicones, polyquats etc) will do so within seconds of applying the conditioner. If left on hair for longer, the amount will in general double within 10 minutes. If left on for another 10-20 minutes, the amount will increase by another 60-100% of the mark set at 10 minutes.
However after 30 minutes from initial application, there are no more increases in conditioner adsorbing to hair. The reason for this is that the hair conditioner simply has no more places on the hair where it can stick to…….all gaps which it can plug and all surfaces where it can attach are occupied.

2. Increasing the temperature of a conditioner to surface body temperature (around 35°C) increases adsorption of a conditioner 
Temperature increases the adsorption of conditioner such that slightly more can stick to the surface.  Generally tests are not performed much higher than 35-40°C in order to not burn the skin. 

More on Deep Conditioning
Curly Nikki- 6 Tips for Deep Conditioning Natural Hair
BGLH- 3 Easy-To-Make Homemade Deep Conditioners for Natural Hair

Whats your regimen like?

AF

FOTD: Arabian Nights

I was bored and it's been a while since I've worn (a full face of) makeup. I decided to try a more "elaborate" look. I wanted to use glitter but since the ones I ordered haven't arrived yet I used what I had and this is what I came up with. Hope you like it.

Mostly drugstore makeup and LASHES! I'm getting so much better at application :)

Darker Lips (with gold center)

Thanks for stopping by. Subscribe, Comment and Share.

~AF

I just cant....

-____-

I have no words for this. I don't even know why I'm sharing this. But if you ignore the blog itself and read the comments section you will see little rays of light and hope. That despite what she is doing (with or with out a real purpose) there are those that understand the greater ramifications of it (black, white, blue, green etc). And there are some great conversations and sharing of knowledge.

Anyway here is the link to the orginal post and a link to the blog (Before and Afro: which would be an AWESOME natural hair blog site name)

Beauty,Diversity,Fashion,Hair Oct, 18 2012 8:59 am

White Woman Rocks an Afro in Attempts to ‘Find Herself’…Harmless Fun or Offensive?

by Jihan

Michelle Lapidos (@michellejoni) is a white, blonde woman on an Eat, Pray, Love-type journey of self-discovery. And thanks to her Afro wig, she’s learning a lot about self-liberation, but sadly, little about self-awareness.

 Lapidos started a blog, Before and Afro, chronicling her exploits roaming around New York City in a cartoonish afro wig she bought to wear at a ’70′s-themed office party. She says, “The afro changed my perspective; it made me think, walk, see and experience life differently. I wear it often. It’s not about feeling black… what I actually feel like is ME, understood more clearly. It’s not an alter ego. It’s an amplified ego.”

Lapidos only wears her ‘fro to events where there are sure to be a high concentration of black people, so she might take photos with said black folks. She even wore her wig to a Fried Chicken Extravaganza (what the…?), which she claims “was obviously an occasion to wear the fro.” (duh! because black people like fried chicken, amiright?)

 

Several people, including some of Lapidos’s phantom ‘black friends‘ have told her that donning the ‘fro as a white woman might be a little problematic or even hurtful to some people of color. Even though this issue has been brought to her attention, she still insists that the people of color (and white folks) advising her to cease and desist just don’t understand her innocent little experiment.

Yet in each of her posts, Lapidos fails to explain how her “perspective” (her word) has changed, what about her life is different, or how she better understands herself. Her body language, however, says it all. In her first photoshoot with the ‘fro, she poses in a “gangsta” stance. In another photo, she is growling.

Ugh. Curly Nikki perfectly sums up why Lapidos’s actions are troublesome:

Why is her behavior offensive? Because it ignores why natural hair is such a big deal in the Black community. Her behavior has no regard for the cultural traditions of caring for Black hair. It is akin to wearing Blackface and then exercising the luxury of removing it at will. Yes, a white woman by virtue of white privilege can walk around with an afro and think it’s cute to experiment. Meanwhile, Black women around the world, are forced to consider straightening our hair for job interviews because we know how negatively our hair can be viewed. We know what it’s like to hear people remark on how ‘professional’ we look only when we are not wearing our hair out in its natural state. @michellejoni just doesn’t get it, nor does it appear she has any intention of sincerely attempting to understand.

Personally, I find Lapidos’s clueless act more irritating than I do offensive. We get it. Black hair is *mysterious* and *fascinating* to some. But it’s not the minstrelsy of it that particularly bothers me–it’s her sanctimonious inability to see it as exactly that after several people have brought it to her attention.

What do you think? Is Michelle’s “Before and Afro” blog offensive, or just harmless fun?

Yeah...that's all.
Fembot

OOTW: Sweater Season

I wore a lot of sweaters this week despite it being "warmer" especially on Wednesday.
Fall will soon be in full force, how exciting, I know I can't wait. I love layering outfits and sweaters really come in handy especially when its not quite cold enough to break out a jacket or anorak.

Monday: Jungle Fever

Wednesday: Shades of Gray

Friday: Sneakers and Sweaters

Until next time

~AF