The Wash Day L.C.O. Method to super charge moisture.

Lately, I've been experimenting with washing more frequently.  Although I don't wash as frequently as I'd like, going through the wash day experience every 4-6 days has allowed me the opportunity to reflect on what needs to be improved.  After each wash I roller set.  Last wash day I used a spray bottle with water to refresh the sections prior to rolling.

The end result was less than ideal as my hair felt a little dryer than normal once I removed the rollers.  I quickly realized that using water only was a huge mistake. But, I was out of my moisturizing leave-ins and I was desperate.  After decided that I wasn't going to make the same mistake again, I quickly changed my strategy.

Normally, after removing the rollers, I immediately moisturize and sealed with Aveda Moisturizer and Gleau.  This time, I decided to try the L.C.O (liquid, cream, oil) method, but on a macro level.  You see, when I step out of the shower, my hair is already soaking wet.  Why not layer on moisturizer and oil right then?  That way the hair is protected from the manipulation taking place as I roller set.  That's exactly what I did.   While my hair was still wet from the rinse, I reached for Aveda Daily Moisturizer and began to apply liberally.  Then, I decided to revert back to an age old practice of applying moisturizing conditioner as a leave-in.  It had worked brilliantly for me in the past so I didn't hesitate.

After rubbing a little Kanechom Shea Butter into my strands, I reached for the Misto sprayer. The Misto is perfect because of it's ability to evenly distribute oil to the strands without making the hair greasy of weighed down.  I sprayed a little from both of my Mistos (one containing coconut oil, the other jojoba).  Once complete, I sat down to roller set.  The very first thing I noticed was how much slip my hair had.  I deep conditioned with Redken Extreme Mask which is great for having the sacred ingredient 18-MEA, but it offers little to no slip.

The wash day L.C.O gave me all the slip I needed to easily detangle.  It also helped me to retain moisture throughout the roller setting process which meant that I didn't need to re-mist.  My hope is that this also means that moisture will be easier to retain until next wash day.  This doesn't mean that I won't moisturize and seal during the week, but it does help better protect my hair while I'm sitting under the dryer on wash day.  The process left my hair soft and moisturized.  Since this is still part of my experiment, I'll play around with using different creamy moisturizers. Perhaps, I'll use a heat protection cream, like Ciment Thermique, to further protect my hair under the dryer.  Another option is to use a split end protection cream, like Nexxus Pro Mend Leave in to repair split ends and sealing it with oil.

There's lots of options but I like this idea of doing a mid-wash L.C.O to deeply seal in the moisture that already in the hair.  One thing I also noticed is that my hair has retained moisture very well, much more than normal.  Next wash, I'll clarify then do it all over again, this time focusing more on the ends.  I'm also excited about trying misting a little coconut oil prior to hoping under the steamer.  Perhaps the cuticle layer will open and better absorb the micro droplets of coconut oil.  Can't wait to try that.

Tea Time.

A few weeks back, I found my way to one of the last remaining book stores in my city.  With a stack of magazines in hand, I headed to small in house coffee shop and ordered the smallest size chai tea on the menu.  The cup of warm tea set me back several dollars but I was grateful for the experience.  There are few things I love more than a cup of chai tea.......well except for bamboo tea.

So I made a decision that will change the course of my life forever!  I headed over to Amazon to see if I could purchase my own set of plastic "coffee shop" cups.  My intention was to replicate the euphoric experience in the comfort of my home.

A few days later I received the stack of cups. Within minutes, I was brewing a large batch of chai-bamboo tea.  Just one or two bamboo tea bags was sufficient to produce a full half gallon of tea. The chai is a blend I purchased from Tevana. The Once done, I placed the half gallon glass mason jar in the fridge to chill while I conjured up the many ways I'd use this cute little cups.

It's been a few days since my discovery and I've consumed well over a gallon of tea. I keep a full cup in my office, next to my water bottle.  When I've got to hit the road for errands, my nifty cup of tea comes along with me.  With every sip, I relish in how much money I'm saving by brewing large batches while avoiding the coffee shops.  I'm also enjoying strong nails and thick new growth, thanks to the silica content of the bamboo tea.  Since the bamboo tea is so mild, I only really taste the spicy chai flavors,while reaping all of the beauty benefits.

But I'm not stopping with tea, these cups are perfect for making smoothies on the go.  In the past, I'd use small plastic mason jars for smoothies but when I'm out and about, the empty jar would sit in my car and get all yucky.  That's why I love the convenience of these disposable cups. I love them so much that I'm headed back to get the larger size.

Motivation Monday | Conducting personal experiments to achieve your goals.

We're wrapping up the first three months of the year.  As we head into the second quarter, I'd like to try something a little different.  I heard a goal achieving technique mentioned by a couple of different people so I figured I should give it a shot.  It's this idea of planning out your goals and actions in two week increments.  Basically you create a goal for the month, then write down what specific actions you'll do for the next to weeks that will bring you towards your goal.  At the end of the two weeks, you analyze and create another two week plan that'll bring you the most results.

The second individual who brought up this idea called it "two week experiments."  I fell in love with the idea of two week experiments for a few reasons.  First.  The word experiment takes away some of the stress and pressure of having to achieve a certain outcome.  With goals, you have to achieve it, otherwise you've failed.

Experiments, on the other hand, are somewhat fun in nature.  It's reminiscent of middle school science class.  An experiment brings out the curious nature in us.  We want to take the steps to see what the outcome will be.  The outcomes isn't necessarily judged as good or bad.  They're just results.  And if we want to achieve a different result, we conduct a different set of actions.

Sometimes, with a goal, we lose steam halfway through, and give up. Experiments keep us interested.  We're tracking and measuring along the way.  We take the feedback given and make the decision to run a new experiment or accept the results.  With a personal experiment, we also track and record our actions and outcomes which can come in handy in the future if you want to recreate the same results.
The most valuable aspect of the experiment, in my opinion, is that you can use it as a way to get over your fears.  Dedicate two weeks towards taking actions that you've been avoiding.  Stay consistent and if you see no measurable outcome, you can conduct the experiment again (changing some of the variables) or you can stop.
 
People are always saying that you will get great results if you step outside your comfort zone.  Why not test that presumption using a few personal experiments.  I'm really excited about doing comfort zone experiments.   With every experiment, there's a hypothesis.  In the case of the personal experiment, the hypothesis is the outcome I would like to create.  I'll theorize which actions are likely to cause/create those items and get to work.  Once the experiment is over, I'll measure my result.  If the results are ideal, I can replicate the experiment or start a new one.  If the results are not as expected, I can theorize why and adjust the experiment accordingly.  There's no failure. Just results.

Since it's Monday, I'm setting up my first two week experiment. I'm so excited to try this.  My mind is bubbling over with experimentation ideas.  I'll start with one at a time and once I get the hang of it, I'll layer on several experiments in a two week period.  Just to make sure I follow through, I'll make sure to reward myself at the end of the experiment to help it develop into a habit.

Style Inspo | Spring Outerwear

I don't know about you but it's pretty warm in my neck of the woods.  Feels like we went from winter to summer in the blink of an eye.  I'm quite sad because this winter, I had the most fun in adding a few really cute jackets to my collection.  The right outwear is pretty much the easiest way to transform an simple tee and jeans into a stylish and complete outfit.

Typically, warmer weather means no to outerwear, but I refuse to give into that notion and I'm determined to find pieces appropriate for warmer weather.  Here's what I'm inspired by.

One thing I'd like to do differently this spring/summer is to experiment with vests.  This leather vest is pretty flawless and takes her jeans and tee to the next level.  Last year, I wore my demin vest pretty much daily.  This summer, I'm adding a few additional vest to create more variety.

I'm also inspired by the idea of rocking your winter jackets around the waist as an accessory to your spring look. 

Will be on the lookout of lighter versions of my favorite winter coats.  The more lightweight the better.

I love the idea of wearing long sleeve shirts as outerwear. Demin shirts are the most obvious choice but we can also get creative with printed/patterned shirts layered casually over solid, basic tops.

Fearless Friday | Journey to Financial Freedom

Today we're bringing back the topic of financial growth.  As I mentioned in my 2015 intentions post, this is the Year of Abundance!  Lately, in my conversations with others, most share how they are unhappy at their current job. Almost all of them dream of doing something on their own and becoming financially independent. Yet most of them haven't taken any action to achieve that goal.

Back when was in my early twenties, I still worked at my dad's business.  It was a little shop where he sold merchandise and trinkets to tourists.  The work wasn't at all glamorous and I dreamed of the day when I could finally get an office job in corporate America.  At the age of 26, I finally got a "real job." A very entry level position in my field earning less than $10.00.  But I was elated.  Finally, my path to financial future was set.

Once at my new company, I set my sets on learning as much as possible so I can prepare myself for greater responsibilities.  My dad taught me the value of working hard and I was ready to show the decision makers how hard I was willing to work.  Then one day, I read this article which changed everything.  He talked about passive income and making money 24/7 instead of during a few working hours.  He called us morons for thinking that a job equals security.  I worked in the HR Field so I know first hand that job security is all smoke and mirrors.  Once I was awakened to the path called financial freedom, I was hungry to learn more.  Books such as the 4 Hour Work Week inspired me to create a muse that could generate income and free me from the trappings of corporate life.

The entire time I desired freedom, I also strived to increase my income.  In a few short years, I was able to grow my income substantially.  Here's a tip, if you want to earn a high salary, you've got to be willing to move around.  Meaning, if you stay in the same position for years, you are robbing yourself of potential income.  By the time I left my first company, four years after being hired making $9.75 an hour, I received several promotions and was earning just over $50k a year.  Not bad.  But not enough.  So I keep my eyes/ears open for other opportunities.  Soon I was with another organization which provided even more financial opportunities.  Everything seemed to be going great!  Except for the fact that I consistently heard that small voice urging me to create other income streams.

I realized that I didn't have the skill set to magically create a viable outside income stream so I started at the bottom.  At the time, online banks were offering great interest rates on savings accounts so I began saving as much as I could.  I'd read the bank statements and see that I was making money every month just by having money in the bank.  Finally, I was making money while I slept.   The realization that my money was able to generate more money was key.  But I wanted more.

So finally, I decided to set some savings aside and invest it.  Not like mutual funds, I had my 401(k) for that.  No, I needed to invest it into an asset that would generate income for years to come.  I was completely sold on the idea of having financial freedom (and time freedom) in the present, not when I retired.   I didn't know anyone in real life who was on a journey to financial independence so I learned from individuals online.  I flooded my mind with stories of people who left their jobs and found success as a way of building up my belief.  I stopped looking at my paycheck as solely an income source and started to see it as funding for investments.  I saved, but I also invested in my business.  I did this for years.  Some years, I lost money.  Most years, the "business" behaved more like a hobby.  But I stayed consisted no matter what.  Finally, I was able to achieve the dream of freeing up my time to focus on building assets that will generate financial freedom.

If you're one of those people who aren't happy with your current financial situation, or your current job, you have an asset, a tool, that can help you change the situation.  Stop thinking of your paycheck as just a way to pay bills.  Sure, you've gotta pay the bills, but you should also be paying yourself.  Save until you have a comfortable cushion, then utilize a portion towards acquiring or building assets.  An honorable goal would be to earn your first $1.00 from a means different from your employer.  A dollar may not seem like much, but it represents the potential you have to earn outside of your employer.

I know some really smart people who are miserable at their jobs, yet they do nothing to alter the situation.  I worked 50-70 hour weeks and still believed in my dream enough to wake up early and give up my weekends so I can finally live the life that I wanted.  Looking back, I'm glad I never gave up when all the hours put in produced little results.  I'm glad I didn't get discouraged when I was only earning a few dollars a month from those hours of effort.  I'm glad I didn't stop when someone asked how much I was earning on my side projects and responded "oh" (disappointedly) at my response.

If you are reading this post, and you desire a life different from the one you currently have, fight for it.  And when the results are small, get excited!  To me, the tiny result was a seed. If someone gives me apple seeds, am I frustrated because I didn't get an apple? No! I get excited because the seeds will give me an abundance of apples for years to come.  Your paycheck is like a bag of apples.  It's finite.
The other income streams you create have the infinite nature contained in one tiny seed.

It does you no good to feel trapped in your job and do nothing about it.  I was watching a movie on Netflix about these people who travel through parallel universes.  When you believe there's another version of you....of your life, it allows you to break free of the mentality of working for a check.  I believed in the version of my life where I wake up and have complete freedom to create the day so I did what was necessary to make that reality.

If you need some inspiration to begin your journey to freedom I'll recommend some books that helped me along the way.

+ David Bach ~ The Automatic Millionaire :  This book convinced me to make saving money an automatic ritual.  It allowed me to see my savings account grow which helped my mind get comfortable with seeing thousands in an account and not just hundreds.

+ Tim Ferris ~ The Four Hour Work Week:  After reading The 4HWW, I released the theory of saving until retirement, then enjoying my life.  I then moved towards creating a muse that would bring time freedom now.

+ Grant Cardone ~ The 10X Rule: Building a business requires hard work and greater level of results.  Grant does an amazing job of helping us elevate our efforts to 10X levels!

+ The Secret Full Movie ~ I watched this video a bijillion times.  One phrase that I always repeat silently to myself is "checks in the mail!" I've been doing it for years and I actually still receive checks in the mail.  ;)

+ MJ Demarco ~ The Millionaire Fastlane ~ This is a mindset book that helps us break free of "slow lane thinking."  One of the best books on financial freedom on the market.

Miscellaneous Actions that kept me motivated:

+ Keeping a spread sheet of my assets and debt. Updating it monthly and establishing goals to grow my net worth.

+ Constantly listening to stories of people who created their ideal life.

+ Keeping a record of every dollar earned outside of my employment.  And being grateful for all it (even the losses).

+ Working with a Life Coaches who helped me expand my level of thinking (and my actions).

+ Enjoying small glimpses of the life I wanted to live.  For example, instead of eating lunch in the drab break room with no windows, I'd drive a couple miles to wealthy neighborhood, sit at their cafes and eves drop on their conversations about their businesses.

+ Creative visualization exercises to increase belief and clearly define goals.

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If you'd like to work with me 1on1 to help you reach your lifestyle goals.  Feel free to send me an email and we can connect.

First Impressions | Cure Aqua Gel Exfoliator

Immediately after publishing the latest Instagram Beauty Secrets compilation, I  headed over to Amazon and proceeded to place an order for Cure Aqua Gel and an extra hard Salux cloth.  Within days, the product arrived and minutes later, I tried it for the first time.

Let's talk about my first couple experiences with Cure.  I grabbed the bottle and turned it around for instructions.  Unfortunately, all the text is in Japanese so I had no idea how to use.  "No worries, I thought,  I've seen 1-2 Youtube videos, let's just give it a try."  I pumped a small amount into my hands and rubbed it on "dirty skin."  By dirty skin, I mean that it was early evening and I hadn't cleansed since the A.M.  I reflected back to the Youtube tutorial where the girl rubbed her skin shortly after application. She mentioned that the "little white balls" that form as she massaged the product represented the dead skin cells being lifted on the face.

Suuure....I thought.  That seemed like a marketing ploy.  Kinda like how toothpaste manufactures added a minty flavor to make us think our teeth were cleaner after washing.  It seemed very unlikely, to me, that the skin cells would lift so quickly without hardly any effort.  Especially a product that his comprised of mostly water.  This is the reason why I used it on dirty skin.  If there was actually lifting of surface level skin, dirt, etc. I would be better able to assess based on the appearance of those little white balls.

The gel looks like your typical cream cleanser.  It kinda reminded of Fresh Soy Cleanser. Once I pumped it, I immediately realized that the consistency is not creamy at all, it's pretty watery.  Be careful not to pump too much or you might create waste.  I rubbed the watery gel on my face and had no idea what do to next. "Do I let it sit or do I rub it off right now?"  Moments later, I started rubbing.  The little balls began to form.  Instead of white little balls, mine were the color on the BB Creme that I applied hours before.

Instantly, I raised my level of belief in this product.  Without hardly any effort, dirt, oil (and skin?) was being lifted off my face. It was wonderful.  Later on that day, I noticed an increase in oil production in my cheek area.  This typically happens to me after a deep exfoliation.  All the dead skin that was blocking the oil from reaching the skin surface was no longer there.

The next day I used it again.  As part of my experiment, I avoided using the Clarisonic because I wanted to make sure the results were pure.  Once again, I my balls were cloudy and dark in color. It turns out that I wasn't following instructions which state that we should cleanse prior to use.  I litterally didn't use any cleanser between uses.  I really wanted to see what this product could do on it's own.  And yes, even though I did no "real" exfolilating with the Clarisonic, I still experienced soft, smooth skin.

When I finally read the instructions, I decided to cleanse using my Clarisonic and use Cure afterwards.  By the time I rinsed, I could instantly tell that I wouldn't need another session with Cure. The first two experiences, combined with the high powered action of the Clarisonic, made my skin baby soft and ultra smooth.  I'm really happy with the results.  The only thing I noted which could be a negative is that my skin felt a little dry after the Clarisonic.  I wonder if my skin got used to the gentle exfoliation and was caught off guard by intensity of the scrubbing brush.

Either way, I'm giving my stamp of approval on Cure Aqual Gel.  This product is perfect for those of you who read all my posts on exfoliation and think, "but Nadege, my skin is sensitive to all that scrubbing....I can't hang"  Cure does all the work for you and leaves your skin in tact.  Plus, you get a pretty decent size product.  When means,  there's enough product to u on my neck and shoulders prior to jumping in the shower.   Everyone should try this product because it's so different than anything else you currently have.  Your current exfoliators are either abrasive or they burn your skin. This one does none of that and it's still very effective.

Review | The Olaplex Hair Strengthening System.

A little while back, I talked about the new, amazing product by the  name of Olaplex.  This product line is basically changing the game when it comes to protecting hair from the dangers chemical processing.  Just to recap, the Olaplex system claims to have the ability to rebuild disulfide bonds in the hair.  Disulfide bonds give our hair its elasticity and strength. The Olaplex technology vows  to permanently rebuild these broken bonds.  The innovation that create Olaplex is so unique that they've secured 8 patents.  When hair product holds multiple patents, that let's me know that other formulations  on the market aren't able to compare.

The Complete System has three individual products. Actually, #1 & #2 are fundamental steps.  The third (#3) is an optional product that can be used at home to maintain great results.

For the sake of this review, I will share my experience using the system as a stand alone. Meaning, not in combination with a chemical process like bleaching or relaxing.

#1 [the BOND MULTIPLIER]
This is golden liquid that is applied to unconditioned hair.  Technically, you can apply to unwashed hair but if you think you've got some buildup, it's best to wash first, towel dry then apply.  The instructions ask you to dilute in a few ounces of water.  If the hair is extremely damaged, you can apply without diluting.  My experience is that mixing it with 3 ounces of water was a bit excessive. I had at least an ounce left over and I didn't know if I could use the remainder during the next wash so I threw it away.

The second time, I used much less water and found that I was able to fully saturate without creating much waste.  Oh, I should mention that I applied using one of my super duper misters. Which made it so much easier to apply.  It made the process highly efficient.  Using an applicator like this one created way too much run off and dripping.

#2 [the BOND PERFECTOR]
Once the hair is fully saturated, I applied the Bond Perfector directly over the Bond Multiplier without washing.  The Bond Perfector is cream with a similar consistency to a conditioner.  Olaplex makes it clear that #2 is NOT a conditioner.  It's used to "link the remaining dilsulfied bonds before and after service, restoring strength, structure and integrity to the hair."

 The directions say to leave in for at least 10 minutes, but I attended a conference call yesterday with representatives from Olaplex who advised that the longer it's left in, the better.

#3 [the HAIR PERFECTOR]
The optional take home treatment also has the look and feel of a conditioner.  Olaplex states that #3 contains the same ingredients as #1 & #2.  So just using #3 is highly beneficial to the hair.  Again, this is not a conditioning treatment even though it looks and feels like it.  I've been using #3 as a Pre-pre-poo.  Meaning, I apply to dry hair, then layer conditioner over it.  On one occasion, I was feeling especially lazy after application and feel asleep with the #3 and conditioner in my hair (under a plastic cap).  Thank God there were no horrible consequences and my hair felt great.  The folks on the call said that if you're lounging around the house, it's ok to leave it in for extended periods.  One of the stylists on the call emphasized how important it is that the product is combed thoroughly combed through the hair so it doesn't sit on top of the hair.

They made it clear that OLAPLEX IS NOT A CONDITIONER. It works on the internal structure of the hair, while most conditioners work to repair the external hair shaft.  Because of this, it's important to put in as much effort as your normally would with your deep conditioning step.  The first couple of times I used it, I didn't focus on deep conditioning so I could see how it works on it's own.

Because Olaplex is not a protein, I didn't experience heavy stiffness or any issues even through I used the product back to back for several weeks.  Olaplex works really well when paired with a hydrating conditioner.  I even mixed Pure Protein in my deep conditioner, after applying  Olaplex with absolutely no problem.  The effectiveness of the treatment is correlated to the level of damage in the hair. So, if the hair is relatively healthy, you may no see a drastic transformation.

Regarding using Olaxplex with a chemical service.  I read online that a good practice would be to do an Olaplex treatment prior to a relaxer (maybe a few days before) to build the bonds.  This will ensure there's strength in the hair to endure the treatment.  Then, once the relaxer is rinsed out, you can use #1 & #2 to build back some of the broken bonds.  The result is stronger, more resilient hair.  I was tagged by an instabuddy who shared how happy she was with her Olaplex treatment post relaxer.

My experience was somewhat mixed.  Part of it was my fault. I tried (and failed) again to air dry so I couldn't tell if my hair felt healthier.  But what I did notice was that it much stronger.  My hair was much better equipped to handle manipulation without excessive breakage.  Once I went back to roller setting, I noticed the difference.  My hair just looked and felt healthier.  I anticipated a cumulative effect as I used the product week after week and I got it.  I barely lost any hair last wash.  One thing I haven't done yet was to apply #1 &#2, then sit under steamer for a deeper effect. Though I plan to try it within the next day or two.  I suspect this will create even more elasticity in the long run.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the brand and it's results.  If you have severely damaged hair, this product was practically made for you.  If you're hair is healthy and strong, this is a "nice to have."  If you're curious about the process, you can pick up #3 and try it at home.  If you go to a stylist for touch ups, please school him/her on Olaplex so they have it available for your at your next touch up.