YB Kinky/Curly Girl Hair Regime (simplified)

1.During my morning shower, I start my routine off by cleansing my hair and scalp with __________ shampoo.

• I shampoo like one every two weeks or so, or whenever I feel my hair has been drowned in too much product. Shampooing too much can dry out your hair and damage it’s overall health.
• I like use about a quarter size amount, maybe more, and massage it into my scalp for a minute or two. This helps cleanse my head of nasty build up and allows for more blood circulation, which in turn promotes hair growth.
• I don’t leave the shampoo in for too long maybe 2-3 minutes maximum, including application and massaging time.
• Look for shampoos that are sulfate free.

2. I then condition with ________ conditioner.

• Unless I’m shampooing, I generally start with my conditioner. I like to condition my hair almost every day; six to seven days a week.
• I start with a quarter size amount and apply it at my ends. I then take a wide tooth comb and detangle my hair starting at the ends, starting at the bottom, going up. This helps prevent breakage and helps conserve conditioner! I judge how much more conditioner I need to cover my entire head and add a quarter size or more to my roots. I finish off with detangling.
• Right around my crown, I have really scabby hair. I’m not certain why it’s like that or how long it’s been that way. Lately, I’ve been concentrating more product there to help bring it back to life, but it’s a slow process.
• I like to leave the product in for about 4 minutes after applying and detangling before rinsing it out. It’s up to you, but I tend to leave a tiny bit of product in after rinsing.
• Sometimes, if I’m running low on leave-in conditioner, I’ll just substitute it with regular conditioner by not washing any of the product out. Still looks great!

3. After my shower, I ring out as much excess water as I can, then blot dry with an old shirt.

• I try to stay clear from towels. They can rough up your hair and cause breakage.
• I blot until my hair’s about 20%-30% dry

4. After drying, I apply ________ leave in conditioner.

• Leave-in conditioners help keep your hair hydrated. Think of it as food for your hair. Without moisture, your hair would be dry and dull.
• They also help out with frizz and split ends and with continued use they can also help out the overall health of your hair.
• When applying, I measure out 2 inch (in thickness) rows and apply product by sections. I comb the product through and this helps make sure I get it nice and evenly distributed.

5. After the leave in, I apply my styling product, _______________.

• If I’m going curly it’s a curl enhancer, if I’m going straight it’s a heat protector.
• Most of the time, you don’t want to overdo it. Too much product can really back fire on you especially when it comes to heating products.
• If I’m going for a curly look and don’t have time to air dry, I scrunch and blow dry with a diffuser. Scrunching really helps enhance the shape of your curl so don’t write it off and using a diffuser is a must for curly hair!

6. DONE!!!

Undertones

Not only is knowing your skin tone important for choosing your hair color, it’s also helpful for choosing colors and shades when picking out make-up and clothing.

The most simple and easy way to figure out your undertone is by checking out the veins in your wrists.

If they are blueish, you have a cool undertone like these lovely ladies.

If they are greenish you have a warm undertone.

If it falls somewhere in between, you might have a neutral undertone.

Warm undertones look better in ivory, while cool undertones appear better in pure white. Neutral gets the best of both worlds!

If you’re a foundation user and every shade you choose is too pink or too yellow, start looking for nuetral shades.

Still having trouble figuring out your skin tone? Put the orange and mauve slides in your hand or by your face and choose the one that better enhances your radiance and healthy glow.

COOL UNDERTONES	WARM UNDERTONES
Pink based foundation	Yellow based foundation
Brown or bronze with a tan	Golden brown with a tan
Pale with pink undertones	Pale with peach ow3r gold undertones
Pale with no color in cheeks	Medium with golden undertones
Medium with faint pink cheeks	Brown with golden undertones
Medium with no color in cheeks	Very dark brown with golden undertones
True olive
Brown with pink undertone
Very dark brown with reddish or blue undertones

                     

I, myself, have a neutral undertone, so luckily I have very few limitations to my personal color spectrum. A lot of multi-ethnic and biracial individuals share this undertone.

Skin tones and undertones are different. Skin tones change and can be influenced your environment. Things like UV rays, geographical location, illnesses, etc. Undertones are set and can never change.

Hair tips according to your undertone:

COOL UNDERTONES	WARM UNDERTONES
Raven Black	Light honey blonde
Coffee and Mid Level Blonde	Strawberry blonde
Auborgine, Mahogany, and Burgundy Reds	Golden Mid Level blonde
Blue/green dark brown or black	Warm Chocolate browns
Blue Black	Dark Brown with a hint of rust
Deep Coffee Brown	Golden Brown
Cool Ash Browns	Auburn
Fire Engine Red for a dramatic look	Red and colors with orange highlights
AVOID:	AVOID:
Gold, Bronze, or warm reds; Also yellow based colors	Violet, blue and white colors; too much ash in your hair can make you look older and pale

Tips for neutral colors:

• Choose colors that enhance your eye tone
• Enhance dark eyes with exotic colors like dark wine
• Try colors like sandy blonde, beige blonde, chocolate brown and mahogany
• Any shade of red will work with you!

Body Types

BODY TYPES

When it comes to toning your body and getting fit, it’s important to educate yourself about your body type. Each type gains and loses weight different, and it’s all based on how your metabolism and hormones react with each other.  Knowing your body type will not only allow you to lose weight more efficiently, it will also help you shape out the perfect work out routine accustomed to your needs.

GYNAEOID BODY (SPOON/PEARS) –

Females with pear shaped bodies generally gain weight only below the waist. They have small to medium shoulders, small waist and breasts vary in size. Studies show that women with this body type tend to have more of the hormone oestrogen which targets the uterine regions, hips, thighs and breasts. Excessive amounts of this hormone promote fat deposition around the lower body and as well as cellulite. Diets will help with weight loss the upper body but not so much the lower parts. Your best bet is too exercise and weight train especially focusing on your booty and legs and embrace the fact that god blessed you with a donk!

ANDROID (TRIANGLES)-

Ladies with this body type have wide, broad shoulders, a larger rib cage and narrow hips and pelvis. Android women have an anabolic metabolism which leads to body building tendencies and strength both mentally and physically. When androids gain weight, it tends to all go to the tummy and upper body area which leads to a kind of apple effect. These girls are amazing athletes and make amazing swimmers and body builders.

THYROID (BANANAS) –

Women of this body type are characterized by long limbs with fine, narrow bones. They are equipped with a high metabolism which allows them to eat in excess with little to no weight gain. Fat, for this group of girls, gathers in the lower abdomen, butt and thigh area. Of all body types, thyroids are less likely to obtain cellulite, but if it does occur it will most likely be in the back of the thighs and butt area. These ladies make fine models and dancers.

LYMPHATIC BODY(

Weight gain in this body type doesn’t occur in any specific area. It is very easy for girls of this body shape to gain weight because of their low metabolism accompanied by a dysfunctional lymphatic system. Cellulite is common for this group. Visiting a nutritionist is a good option to help with the process weight loss.

HOURGLASS –

These girls have evenly proportioned hips and bust with a waist that measures 10+ inches less. Many bikini ads feature models with this body type. Fat is distributed evenly through the upper and lower body but scarcely at the waist leaving these girls with a nice figure at any weight.

H FRAMES –

This body type has very little to no difference between the bust, waist and hips measurements. They possess a kind of squared off, blocky shape. They’re athletically built and lack symmetry. To even out proportions, its recommended that those with H frames should work on trimming the upper body and adding muscle to the lower body.

A study of shapes of over 6,000 women conducted by researchers at NCU circa 2004 found that 46% percent of the pool were banana shaped, just above 20% were pears, roughly 14% were apples, and last but not least 8% were hourglasses.

Rocasuba Rapid Eyelash Renewal Serum

I came across this eyelash enhancing serum on a quick online trip to Ulta. The supposed “miracle worker” boasted dozens of 4-5 star reviews and many promises of results. All that taken into account, and the fact that it was on sale for $35.99 you better believe I bought it.

I have long, stick straight lashes. From the side they look quite lengthy but if you were to look at me straight in the eyes, its almost as if i had no eye lashes at all. I would be totally lost without my eye lash curler… My hopes for this product is that it does something to make my lashes, and overall my eyes pop out more.

After the first few days of application, I began to notice puffiness around my eyes. I didn’t think too much of it and continued applying.

About one week into it, I noticed how soft my lashes were. Though I didn’t see much change in appearance yet, I still continued daily application.

After 2 weeks, I noticed a slight increase in length. I only noticed it after applying mascara, but I could tell the product was finally starting to kick in.

4 weeks into treatment, I want to say my lashes have grown at least 1-1.5 mm in length. I cant say much about thickness or growth of new lashes but I’m very pleased with results I’ve gotten thus far. Also around this time i began to notice crust around my eyes in the morning. I don’t know if this is just excess product or possibly a side effect but I’m not too alarmed by it.

So I’ve been using the product for about 6 weeks now and I have to say that I’m pretty impressed. I did my whole make up routine this morning, and didn’t notice until about 2 hours later that I forgot to apply eyeliner!! And my eyes still looked defined!!! That’s a huge WHOAA for me, considering prior to today, I’d die without my eyeliner! It looks like my lashes have grown at least 2 mm in length and is QUITE noticeable. I even see a very slight change in definition. I can’t say much as far a new growth yet but I’m still VERY happy with the results so far. Can’t wait until week 8!

With the results I’ve seen so far, I’m going to have to give this product a 4 out of 5 stars.

It’s been about 12 weeks and my lashes appear fuller and thicker.  As far as overall growth, I’d have to say my lashes have grown at least 1 mm in length since I first began application, which is amazing eyelash-wise. I haven’t seen anymore growth as far as length goes so I’m a little disappointed about that. Then again I’ve been slacking off and i keep forgetting to apply it almost 3 days out of the week.

Overall, I think I’m going to stick with my rating of 4 out of 5 stars and would definitely recommend this to a friend!

UPDATE: 1/14/12

Okay so its been like 4.5 months since I started using the product and I stopped about a month or so ago. At this point, I think I’m going to continue my search for other eyelash enhancers. I’ve asked my mother and a few close friends and if they’ve noticed any difference in my lashes and it was a unanimous no… you can say that was disappointing. I personally thought there was quite a bit of a difference but I guess a millimeter just doesn’t cut it.

I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to change my rating to a 3.5 out of 5 😦

Anyway, here are a few after pictures.