Today was so cold, but the sun was just so bright that I could not resist enjoying it for a little bit.
Poncho: United Colors of Benington
Pants: Zara
Boots: H&M
-Ivie
Friday, December 30, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Who Wants African Beer???
Man it's hard not to dance to this song! We just had to get up and move! Special guest appearance to our buddy Simon Gachai (You're finally on here holmes!!)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
My Hair Care Technique (4C Hair)
Okay, so there actually is not much I do to take care of my hair. The main thing is consistency and also as little fiddling with it as possible. This approach has seemed to be working pretty well so far, so I am going to stick to it. Also, I really really really resent having to put so much money towards hair care so my approach is also very stingy when it comes to dishing out money.
I am going to begin by saying that my hair is under a wig or some kind of weave most of the time. I would say about 70 % of the time. I usually wear half wigs because they are soooo easy to handle. When it comes time to condition I just take them off. The only full wigs I like to wear are the ones made by my sister, who also does hair and has a great blog ( http://www.theabbysworld.com/ ).
-I also like to do braids, but I do them very rarely and when i do do them I make them a little rough ( they are not tight at all and also I do not try to forcibly include the hairs on my edges). I actually believe braids are one of the biggest causes of hair loss, especially when they are done tight because tightness is equated with neatness. And can you imagine, as the micro braid that is done tightly swings back and forth, it is bound to break off the hairs because there is not enough hair left out to support that movement. It's really just my opinion. But I like to follow my instinct. In the year and 7 months I've been natural, I've done braids twice.
I made a video of the 2nd time I did braids. They were actually twists.
-When that two week mark comes (sometimes one week), if I feel like shampooing before I do a deep conditioning treatment I either use regular (sulfate free if i have) shampoo or I do an ACV rinse. An ACV rince is done with regular apple cider vinegar.
I put a little in a water bottle and then I fill the bottle with water. I pour that in my hair and then rinse it out.The conditioner I use to do my deep conditioning treatment is the 1 dollar VO5 conditioner.
Sometimes I get a lil fancy and add 2 eggs to some of the conditioner and also extra virgin olive oil and saturate my hair in this. How long I keep it in depends on my mood. This could be from 2 hours to over night (with some kind of plastic on my head to sleep with). After the conditioner has been on my hair for an hour (I wait an hour so that the hair can really soften), I do my detangle. I use a wide toothed comb
(tried the denman brush, even one with many bristles missing, and it damn near ripped my skull off, so I don't use that) and work my hair section by section starting from my ends to my scalp. This is the only time I EVER comb my hair. After rinsing out the conditioner, I put leave in conditioner and some kind of oil (jojoba at the moment) and braid it up in preparation for a wig. When i leave it out I make sure to moisturize the same way (and also spray with water as frequently as possible). My hair eats it up.
-When my hair is in braids and I absolutely do not feel like taking it out to co-wash (washing with just conditioner) it, I slather the braids with conditioner/olive oil and rinse it out and then put leave in on my braids. Even with the braids in, I try to wet it every morning in the shower and put leave in/oil for that day (my hair would be very moisturized under the wig). I even at times wash it with the braids in.
-One thing to emphasize is that I put PLENTY of leave in in my hair when I am braiding it, to the point that you can see it after my hair is braided and I may dab some off after finishing that braid. Some people believe this to be too much but it is not when it comes to my hair. But because it can cause a lot of build up I rinse it every morning and do the acv rinces (helps get rid of build up). I really don't believe in the whole "too much moisturizer thing". I need it. The alternative is hair that feels like its about to crack in half.
-Another thing I don't believe in is a lot of trimming of the ends. I think i have trimmed my hair once. Really, I don't think I need to, so I don't. But I do get some knots at times that I can't unravel and so I cut them off.
-Now, this next thing seems sooo trivial but I found out that it is necessasary. I always make sure my nails are filed because I have had times that my jagged nail has snagged off my hair by accident (SOOOO ANNOYING). So I file it a lot lol.
-Another thing is to pat the hair dry after washing or conditioning or whatever, as opposed to scrubbing the hair dry because that is sure to break it.
-Also i started drinking a lot of water and taking biotin a few times a week.
So, thats pretty much it. MOISTURE MOISTURE MOISTURE! lol. If this even makes things clear for just one person, that's great.
-Ivie
I am going to begin by saying that my hair is under a wig or some kind of weave most of the time. I would say about 70 % of the time. I usually wear half wigs because they are soooo easy to handle. When it comes time to condition I just take them off. The only full wigs I like to wear are the ones made by my sister, who also does hair and has a great blog ( http://www.theabbysworld.com/ ).
-I also like to do braids, but I do them very rarely and when i do do them I make them a little rough ( they are not tight at all and also I do not try to forcibly include the hairs on my edges). I actually believe braids are one of the biggest causes of hair loss, especially when they are done tight because tightness is equated with neatness. And can you imagine, as the micro braid that is done tightly swings back and forth, it is bound to break off the hairs because there is not enough hair left out to support that movement. It's really just my opinion. But I like to follow my instinct. In the year and 7 months I've been natural, I've done braids twice.
I made a video of the 2nd time I did braids. They were actually twists.
-When that two week mark comes (sometimes one week), if I feel like shampooing before I do a deep conditioning treatment I either use regular (sulfate free if i have) shampoo or I do an ACV rinse. An ACV rince is done with regular apple cider vinegar.
I put a little in a water bottle and then I fill the bottle with water. I pour that in my hair and then rinse it out.The conditioner I use to do my deep conditioning treatment is the 1 dollar VO5 conditioner.
Sometimes I get a lil fancy and add 2 eggs to some of the conditioner and also extra virgin olive oil and saturate my hair in this. How long I keep it in depends on my mood. This could be from 2 hours to over night (with some kind of plastic on my head to sleep with). After the conditioner has been on my hair for an hour (I wait an hour so that the hair can really soften), I do my detangle. I use a wide toothed comb
(tried the denman brush, even one with many bristles missing, and it damn near ripped my skull off, so I don't use that) and work my hair section by section starting from my ends to my scalp. This is the only time I EVER comb my hair. After rinsing out the conditioner, I put leave in conditioner and some kind of oil (jojoba at the moment) and braid it up in preparation for a wig. When i leave it out I make sure to moisturize the same way (and also spray with water as frequently as possible). My hair eats it up.
-When my hair is in braids and I absolutely do not feel like taking it out to co-wash (washing with just conditioner) it, I slather the braids with conditioner/olive oil and rinse it out and then put leave in on my braids. Even with the braids in, I try to wet it every morning in the shower and put leave in/oil for that day (my hair would be very moisturized under the wig). I even at times wash it with the braids in.
-One thing to emphasize is that I put PLENTY of leave in in my hair when I am braiding it, to the point that you can see it after my hair is braided and I may dab some off after finishing that braid. Some people believe this to be too much but it is not when it comes to my hair. But because it can cause a lot of build up I rinse it every morning and do the acv rinces (helps get rid of build up). I really don't believe in the whole "too much moisturizer thing". I need it. The alternative is hair that feels like its about to crack in half.
-Another thing I don't believe in is a lot of trimming of the ends. I think i have trimmed my hair once. Really, I don't think I need to, so I don't. But I do get some knots at times that I can't unravel and so I cut them off.
-Now, this next thing seems sooo trivial but I found out that it is necessasary. I always make sure my nails are filed because I have had times that my jagged nail has snagged off my hair by accident (SOOOO ANNOYING). So I file it a lot lol.
-Another thing is to pat the hair dry after washing or conditioning or whatever, as opposed to scrubbing the hair dry because that is sure to break it.
-Also i started drinking a lot of water and taking biotin a few times a week.
So, thats pretty much it. MOISTURE MOISTURE MOISTURE! lol. If this even makes things clear for just one person, that's great.
-Ivie
Monday, November 21, 2011
Reconciliation
rec·on·cil·i·a·tion
noun /ˌrekənˌsilēˈāSHən/
It’s really hard “un-liking” someone or getting to a place where you don’t think about that person on a daily basis. “De-crushing” is different for everyone, but the general process usually entails:
1. deleting all of their contact info. and severing all means of communication (Phone, texts, unfriending on FB)
2. avoiding said person and things that remind you exclusively of them (songs, movies, places, etc.)
3. Cease talking about him/her to your friends.
4. Allowing yourself to stop thinking about them and analyzing the moment you met and every moment shared after.
Things that are pretty hard to do in a college setting, where everyone is like fish in a sardine can. You can complete all of these steps but merely seeing this person can dissolve the armor of false courage and independence you've built. A fragile cover built of thin glass. Neither word nor sound from him is necessary to puncture this barrier. Merely a smile can be your undoing. By his presence alone the calm begins to unravel. The flimsy veil of composure, no longer conceals the emotions you try to hide and you're vulnerable. Naked. You reveal your true self, the person he first met. The one uncolored by painful memory. The vulnerable girl that trustingly opened her arms to everyone and never skimped on giving people the benefit of the doubt.
You're now that passive aggressive girl. The one that tattoos a smile on your face to distract from the unrest you feel inside. Post-break up or more accurately post moving apart, you're reminded solely of the smoothness of his skin, the wonder in his eyes, his infectious humor among other magnetic qualities that first drew you in. Meanwhile, shoving the unease and misunderstandings that punctuated your time together into the dark recesses of your mind. Consequently, hindsight has rose colored lenses and often one pretends the past was a fairytale. This is why Its hard to get over a guy but it's essential to realize that exercising selective memory will blindly lead you to the same shallow hole. You'll fall for the wrong one, and it’ll hurt. Again.
In order to reconcile this past, it’s imperative that you break the spell this person has on you. De-crushing or dwelling on why it didn't work out....doesn't always work! The only way to move on is to find someone more compatible with you. That is the only way you don’t replay the same confusion with him or with any future potential love interest.
noun /ˌrekənˌsilēˈāSHən/
The restoration of friendly relations
It’s really hard “un-liking” someone or getting to a place where you don’t think about that person on a daily basis. “De-crushing” is different for everyone, but the general process usually entails:
2. avoiding said person and things that remind you exclusively of them (songs, movies, places, etc.)
3. Cease talking about him/her to your friends.
4. Allowing yourself to stop thinking about them and analyzing the moment you met and every moment shared after.
Things that are pretty hard to do in a college setting, where everyone is like fish in a sardine can. You can complete all of these steps but merely seeing this person can dissolve the armor of false courage and independence you've built. A fragile cover built of thin glass. Neither word nor sound from him is necessary to puncture this barrier. Merely a smile can be your undoing. By his presence alone the calm begins to unravel. The flimsy veil of composure, no longer conceals the emotions you try to hide and you're vulnerable. Naked. You reveal your true self, the person he first met. The one uncolored by painful memory. The vulnerable girl that trustingly opened her arms to everyone and never skimped on giving people the benefit of the doubt.
You're now that passive aggressive girl. The one that tattoos a smile on your face to distract from the unrest you feel inside. Post-break up or more accurately post moving apart, you're reminded solely of the smoothness of his skin, the wonder in his eyes, his infectious humor among other magnetic qualities that first drew you in. Meanwhile, shoving the unease and misunderstandings that punctuated your time together into the dark recesses of your mind. Consequently, hindsight has rose colored lenses and often one pretends the past was a fairytale. This is why Its hard to get over a guy but it's essential to realize that exercising selective memory will blindly lead you to the same shallow hole. You'll fall for the wrong one, and it’ll hurt. Again.
In order to reconcile this past, it’s imperative that you break the spell this person has on you. De-crushing or dwelling on why it didn't work out....doesn't always work! The only way to move on is to find someone more compatible with you. That is the only way you don’t replay the same confusion with him or with any future potential love interest.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Shopping Jackpot
I recently went shopping at a vintage store on South Street called "Philly Aid Thrift and i literally bought this dress for 4 dollars, i only had to take it in a notch which i did with basic needle and thread nothing too complicated.
The store is awesome because you find the most random crap in there and they sell interesting stuff and then distribute the proceeds to local organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Pics were taken by my Big Headed sister Abby from 4aces and Abby's world.
duces
Ivie
Friday, November 4, 2011
Fighting the 4C Battle
Well, when I became natural about a year and 7 months ago and did my big chop, I began to become very doubtful that my hair would grow. But I didn't call it quits and give into my temptation to perm. I stuck to my natural hair regime and somehow, it seems that my hair, being extremely course and all, has actually grown! The trick is to treat it like it's a special project. So this is to all the 4c's out there who are feeling down about whether their hair can pass the teeny weeny afro stage and continue to retain length. It can!! Don't give up. These are some pics I took after lightly blowing it out for the first time myself. In a few months it will be 2 years since I did my big chop. Wow. Where did all that time go.
-Ivie
Friday, October 21, 2011
Grow Long and Prosper: The Hair Edition
soooo cheap.
I henna when I feel my hair is just BLaghhh. When I shed long strands and my hair gets noticeably thinner. I make the henna mix (brahmi powder + jamila henna + cooled tea + coconut oil) in a bowl over a newspaper, apply it through my hair in 4 sections and leave it on overnight tight in plastic bags to prevent stains on my bed. (I also get a large plastic bag to cut open and tape on my pillow to make sure ther are no leaks) I wash the mix out the next morning under high pressure warm water, co-wash with an entire bottle of 99 cent conditioner (v05-strawberries and cream) and comb through. After drying, my hair looks and smells awesome. Rejuvenation complete...Aaaah!
Here's some pictures detailing the process.
 |
| Henna + Brahmi powders emptied into a mixing bowl |
 |
| Cooled mint tea + |
Note: I wore gloves to apply the goop (hehe) to my hair. the stuff can get messy if it's too watery.
I'll post the results tomorrow after I wash it out. I hope you guys are interested enough to try. I know alot about it, so leave any questions you have! I'll leave you with a song that I really dig. It's quite fitting.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Iphone photo shoots
I'm always so amazed at what my Iphone can do. I love "shopping" at the app store, and by shopping I mean getting all the free top downloaded Apps. The keyword here is free, folks. I'm not paying a penny more than what's on the monthly bill, which alone would suggest that I probably already pay for all the extras. Anyhoo, I gave the camera a spin and played dress up. It was ridiculously fun to do, yet a little hard because I had to hold the phone. Until I can recruit a photographer, my right hand will have to do the job and all the pictures will be from the waist up. :) -Azza
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
New Style: Big Twists!!
So I wanted to try something different and being natural now leaves me trying to discover new hairstyles that look good on natural hair. Also, I have 4c hair so it is even more difficult for me to achieve certain looks, especially since it has grown a bit, without pieces of my own hair looking too out of place. This is a tutorial on how i did my twists, which I love.
-Ivie
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Abby's Birthday Party!!!!
So my sister had a birthday party this weekend and it was so much fun. From morning to night we had a blast.
Take a look at all the pictures at Abby's World.
Also check out their the 4aces site.
Take a look at all the pictures at Abby's World.
Also check out their the 4aces site.
-Ivie
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