Every time I see a selfie with some girl caring for her skin with a mask, I always think to myself, "I should mask more often." I want to be one of those people whose stay with flawless skin because of masking on the regular.
Sometimes my laziness kicks in and stops me from being great. The easier the process, the more likely I am to actually mask at random times like before heading out. Recently, I've been introduced to a few masks that have changed my entire routine and I couldn't be happier. The good folks at The Body Shop sent me a few of their masks to try. The first was their Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask. I absolutely loved it! It's so reminiscent of my favorite clearing mask of all time (GlamGlow). They did such an amazing job with the formula, packaging, and best of all, the price. You can check out my full review here.
I was elated when a few more of their masks came in the mail. With the change of season, I wanted something that could help keep my skin clear but with hydrating qualities. That's when their Japanese Matcha Tea and Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Night Mask came into my life. Both formulas work hard to keep the skin clear. But they aren't the traditional mud mask formula that you 're used to.
First, let's discuss the Pollution Clearing Japanese Matcha Mask. I like to classify it as a hydrating, clearing mask. Meaning it removes impurities without leaving the face dry and tight. Instead of clay, it's water-based and formulated nourishing ingredients like shea butter, olive oil, aloe vera, vitamin E, and various extracts. If that wasn't enough, they've also included tiny apricot seed granules for a little bit of exfoliation action as you rinse it away. It's a wonderful purifying mask for fall & winter.
I'm also digging their Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Night Mask. This one as an anti-acne powerhouse that promises to clear your skin while you sleep. It pairs two potent acne fighters - tea tree oil & salicylic acid- to help you wake up to clearer skin in the morning. The texture of the mask is light, gel-like and very soothing. Typically, my skin behaves when temperatures drop so I haven't gotten much use from this mask yet. But, come summertime, I will rely heavily on this cooling mask to keep pimples at bay.
If you love masks, you have to check out Body Shop's line. I think they did an excellent job. And, thanks to the Body Shop, I'm now happily masking several times a week.
If you have not learned the ‘truth’ about afro hair care, not the nonesense many ‘professional’ salons teach but the actual truth that moisture aka water is your friend and not your foe, you may have a hard time convincing other black women on hair care techniques. Not too long ago, a relative and I […]
When I first learned of the merits of cryotherapy, I really wanted to try it. I was in the midst of trying different methods of self-care so cryotherapy fell by the wayside. Eventually, I stumbled on a fantastic value on Groupon and finally booked a series of sessions.
Unclaimed, those sessions eventually expired. But, luckily, Groupon still allows some expired coupons to be redeemed so I eventually took the plunge. After contacting the local the cryotherapy center I was advised to schedule two sessions back to back.
In all honesty, I was apprehensive going into the experience. There was a reason why I allowed the Groupon to expire. The thought of leaving my comfy home to enter an ice chamber was unnerving. I hate cold weather. Even if the session lasted for a few minutes, I was extremely hesitant.
I mustered up enough courage was partially due to the additional information I learned about cryotherapy benefits. When I first heard of cold therapy, it was marketed as a pain management option. Athletes seemed like the primary target audience. But I've since learned the value of cryotherapy goes well beyond addressing pain. Before I delve into the list benefits, I'd love to share a recap of my first two experiences.
The session itself lasts only 3 minutes. The three minutes can feel like an eternity if you don't know what to expect. The first piece of advice I have for you is to avoid lotioning your skin prior to your appointment. Any moisture on the skin could actually freeze due to the extremely low temps.
It gets cold in the chamber. So cold that your skin actually starts to freeze up. To make time pass more quickly, I slowly spun around as the icy air hit my body. The closer we got to the 3-minute mark, the harder it became to keep turning. But, by the time you start to feel the struggle, the session is almost complete.
The moment you step out, your body immediately begins to warm up. Within minutes, you've already forgotten the discomfort felt only a short time ago. The very first benefit that I experienced that day was a burst of energy that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Besides the boost of energy, I also started experiencing deep, restful nights of sleep following the two sessions.
While in the chamber, I asked the woman at the center why someone who isn't looking for performance/pain management benefits would need to do cryo. Her response was perfect. She reminded me that everyone suffers from inflammation as a result natural daily activities. Inflammation is the foundation of chronic illness. Cold-stress therapy helps fight inflammation in a major way. When you experience swelling of a knee or ankle, what's the first thing you do? You ice it! You've already experienced how well ice can help address inflammation. Imagine using a similar technique to treat the inflammation you can't see.
The most powerful aspect of cryotherapy is how it places your body under a certain level of stress that triggers a response which is highly beneficial to the body. You see, when you are exposed to very cold temperatures, your body sees it as potentially life-threatening (you can die from hypothermia). In order to survive this type of stress, it undergoes a series of metabolic processes to ensure your survival in such harsh conditions. Your body increases the number of red & white blood cells to protect your immune system. It also releases various hormones that help optimize the function of your cells. Essentially, the body responds to the cold stress by strengthening itself to better deal with the stress in the future.
A similar type of process occurs with heat-induced stress (like from a sauna).
Another reason why I am choosing to continue with cryotherapy, even though I don't enjoy it that much, is because enduring freezing temps for a few minutes is an act of courage. Years ago, I took cold showers in the dead of winter. It was brutal. But I noticed that after taking cold showers, I experienced a heightened sense of productivity and fearlessness. I conquered an activity that required a ton of discipline and, afterward, I felt unstoppable.
Cryotherapy isn't the most relaxing or soothing self-care activity but it comes with real benefits and creates real change in your body at a cellular level. I recommend it for the healing potential. But, if you're not yet ready to try full body cryo, I suggest that you at least try giving cold showers a try. The entire shower doesn't have to be cold, just part of it.
Simplicity is key in retaining length Simplicity. There is something so obvious about this word yet so easy to miss. Simplicity in everything is the key to getting the results you desire. I was reminded of this while I was looking though a black woman’s online photo album (as many do when looking for inspiration). It […]
Many ladies think that they are protein sensitive. Are they denying their hair the necessary strength it needs to retain growth? Protein sensitivity is a sometimes controversial but always a hot topic in hair care. Simply put, protein sensitivity is when hair will overreact in the presence of protein making it dry and brittle and […]
Today, I'll give you a small piece of advice that will hopefully change the direction of your life. This morning I went on a morning walk. Typically on these walks, I'll open the voice app and record an update of various areas of my life.
This morning's update went very well. I noticed that I've made impressive progress in areas where I struggled for months. After a bit of reflection, I realized the reason for my wonderful progress came from applying one simple principle that changed everything. Currently, I'm executing a bunch of habits that I've struggled with in the past. How did I get here?
Simple.
Unknowingly, I followed the philosophy of taking the path of least resistance to enjoy the results I have today.
Months ago, I weighed more than I do now, had no morning routine, my productivity was minimal and I felt lost. Today, everything is different. Here's the journey that led me here.
Prior to this transformation, I struggled majorly. Something had to change. I wanted to be doing so much more but I just couldn't motivate myself into action. So instead of forcing myself to jump directly into rigorous routines, I took the lazy route and followed the path of least resistance.
Resistance keeps us stuck in one place. I needed to move forward. I knew that if I took that one, tiny step, it would be tremendous. This morning I watched a video featuring Tim Ferris, author of the Four Hour Work Week. Tim said that whenever he has a complex problem he asks himself "what's the easiest way to solve this?"
In the same way, whenever you struggle to move into action, ask yourself, "what's the easiest thing I can do right now." Although I didn't actually ask myself this question, my action reflected it. Let me give you a few examples.
I get more done when I work from a pre-written list of actions. When I'm super productive, I use planners, calendars, the works! On the opposite end of the spectrum is when I work "freestyle." Freestyling is a recipe for disaster because a lot falls through the cracks. I was freestyling for months even though I KNEW how important it was to write my daily list. I'm happy to say that I'm no longer working without structure thanks to the simple act of writing things down on Post-Its. That was my path of least resistance. It was quick and required no effort so I did it every day. Soon, I returned back to my fancy planners because that was the obvious next step. And my days have been going smoothly ever since.
Months ago, I ate way too much sugar and suffered from low energy. I knew that I had to get more fruit/veggies into my diet. I had to find the path of least resistance. For me, this meant purchasing large containers green juice which I used to fill smaller single serving bottles. Now, all I have to do is walk a few steps to the fridge to enjoy a serving of veggies. The energy I get from them allows me to work efficiently all day and skip out on the sugar snacks. This weekend, I actually juiced fresh veggies for the first time in forever. How did I get here? I first took the easy route.
The same process applies to jump-starting my business or in any other area of my life. Sometimes when we want to alter our current outcomes we vow to make these major changes. Unfortunately, the greater that action you want to take, the greater level of (internal) resistance you will likely face.
Then what happens?
We stand still.
We can't afford to stand still. Not in this economy. We've got things to do and there's no time to allow resistance to slow us down. Remember that an object in motion will stay in motion so all we have to do is GET IN MOTION.
*Disclaimer* The Path of Least Resistance strategy should primarily be used to kickstart your action. From there, you should raise your level of action on a consistent basis in order to enjoy enhanced results.
Find out how to deal with damage to the hair to nurse it back to health Some would say that relaxed hair is damaged hair. This is not the case, relaxed hair has been chemically altered so cannot be treated the same way that natural hair is. It is easy to tell the difference between […]
This year, I've taken a lot of interest in learning about how our body works at a cellular level while discovering ways to increase mental focus and energy. As a solo entrepreneur, it's absolutely critical that I consistently operate at my best.
When I'm unmotivated, tired or sluggish, I can't produce my best work. It's imperative to have some tricks up my sleeve that supercharge my health and vitality. Every morning I run through a list of actions that I'd like to complete that day. What I'm realizing is that whether I'm productive has a lot to do with my habits leading up to that day. There are certain hacks I can implement that enhance my productivity. Today, I'll share with you my latest and most exciting discovery. The backstory of how I came across this gem is worth sharing. As you may know, I run a Beauty Based Nutriceutical brand focused on promoting healthy hair, skin, and nails. Last week, my manufacturer sent oven an incorrect shipment. By accident, they included a supplement bottle that belonged to another of their customers.
As a courtesy, they allowed me to keep the bottle as a gift. At first, I wasn't interested because I had never heard of this supplement before. Days later, I finally decided to do a simple Google search to decide if this was even worth keeping.
What I discovered both shocked and excited me. Not only was this herbal supplement beneficial, almost every reviewer expressed that, in their opinion, Rhodiola Rosea was a life changer. Basically, Rhodiola Rosea is a Siberian plant that grows in remote areas while enduring the harshest conditions. Centuries ago, Vikings consumed it for vitality and eliminating fatigue. It's categorized as an adaptogenic herb meaning they help your body adapt to (internal & external) stress.
But it does more than that. Rhodiola has a whole slew of potential benefits including:
1. Increased Energy
2. Improve Mood/Antidepressant properties.
3. Improving brain function/focus
4. Lowering cortisol
5. Burning belly fat (it stimulates a hormone that has the ability to breakdown stubborn belly fat)
6. Increases oxygen intake which enhances physical performance
I mean....can this list get any better?
I was a little nervous at first, but after watching countless positive reviews, I decided to take the plunge. So far, I've only consumed 1 capsule so my experience is very minimal. All I have to say is that I had one of the most productive days in a while thanks to that single capsule. One day prior to taking my first capsule, I created a list of items that I wanted done that day. Most of that list remained incomplete.
But the day I took the capsule, I had enough energy to breeze through my list with ease. I only hope these results are replicated each time I consume it. This product is considered a mild stimulant so anyone taking it would want to avoid pairing it with other stimulants such as coffee. As a matter of fact, Rhodiola has been suggested for use to help those who want to wean off caffeine or nicotine.
As with everything, don't take the advice of some random blogger on the internet, do your own research. Changes are that you'll run into the countless studies done on the wonder herb. My intention is to continue to implement the other strategies I've discovered for optimal mental performance like meditation, vitamin shots, healthy eating, etc. The plan is to pair it with these other activities to create laser-like focus.
Looking forward to stumbling on other little-known secrets that have an amazing effect on my physical and mental performance.
The holiday season is here. Besides the shopping rush, there's something else we have to worry about. It's a stressful time of year because of all the events and get-togethers that'll fill our schedule. We're indulging in sweets which means that we're slowly putting on the pounds. Throughout all of this, we tend to forget about our skin.
Our skin is important now even more than ever because we'll be socializing more than normal. Before attending your holiday gatherings, I encourage you to try a super easy beauty tip practiced by countless celebrities. The very first time I did this was just before an informal high-school reunion. My intention was to look young, fresh, and well-rested. I was able to accomplish this in just one step.
The same principle applies to our holiday gatherings. Whether it's an office party or Thanksgiving dinner, people will be paying more attention to how you look (especially if they haven't seen you in a while). Why not present the best version of yourself?
The tip that I'm about to share with you will give your skin that extra wow factor that doesn't just happen randomly. It's especially important this time of year when the air is brisk and dry. I'll share a quick story. I was online and stumbled on a picture of internet sensation India Love having lunch with Karrueche Tran. At 21 years of age, India is nearly a decade younger than Karrueche yet most people in the comments pointed out that it appeared to be reversed.
My conclusion for why Karrueche looked younger than her gal pal was due to the difference in the appearance of their skin. Both had clear, healthy looking skin, but Karrueche's seemed to have a natural glow that reflected light. They both just finished a workout session so I'm sure that helped. But I'm also aware that Karrueche is diligent about making sure to go the extra mile for her skin via sauna sessions, masking frequently, and indulging in health tonics.
I'm sure her consistent habits worked together to promote her all over glow. But what if you've been neglecting yourself lately but you want to quickly create the look of well-cared for skin?
Just do what celebrity makeup artists do......
Treat the skin to a nourishing sheet mask prior to makeup application. Celebrity makeup artist, Maro Dedivanovic regularly snaps pics of sheet masks that he's included in his pro kit. Not long ago, Katy Perry participated in an experiment where her life was streamed on live stream 24 hours a day. When her makeup artist prepped her for a tv appearance, the process always included a sheet mask.
Take a look at the feed and stories of celebrities & pseudo-celebrities prior to award shows, etc. Chances are that you'll come across several candid sheet masks pics. If you've ever treated yourself to a sheet mask before, you know that it has the power to instantly hydrate. Not only does it deeply infuse moisture into parched skin, masks also leave your skin glowing. If you exfoliate it beforehand, you'll only enhance the results.
So before heading to any event this holiday season, be sure to treat yourself to a relaxing sheet mask session (prior to makeup) and glow like you've never glowed before.
Keep your micro braids squeaky clean while avoid the slippage Micro braids or ‘micros’ are one of the most gorgeous of braids. Resembling free flowing hair they can be worn in a variety of styles from curly, wet and wavy or dead straight. Human hair braids can be curled and straightened with ease and synthetic […]
The Long & Luxe Collection from As I Am was designed to aid in growth and length retention.
Y'all already know I'm on a length retention mission. Now that my hair is restored to health (Hallelujah!), I'm focusing all my energy on maximizing growth and retaining every inch that I can.
That's why I was so eager to get my hands on the Long and Luxe collection, the newest set of products from As I Am. This collection, made specifically for type 3 and 4 hair, is all about helping naturals retain length by strengthening and lubricating the hair to prevent knots, tangles, snags, and breakage.
Right. Up. My. Alley.
Over the next two posts, I'm going to deep dive and break down each product, and share how I used Long and Luxe to create two easy, cold weather friendly natural hair styles perfect for the holidays. I'll also be sharing which products are absolute must-haves for my stash!
Let's dive in!
The first style up is a super easy, super cute braid & curl. This style is perfect for naturals with multiple textures of hair, including transitioning hair! It's super easy to install, and the perfect alternative to a wash & go! Check out the video for style details!
Long and Luxe Strengthening Shampoo (Hydrating Hair Wash) Cost
$10.99 for 12oz
Where to Buy As I Am website and Sally Beauty (heads up - the Long and Luxe Line is BOGO 50% off at Sally's right now!)
Active Ingredients
Water
Aloe Vera Juice: Acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair's sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness.
Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate: Cleansing and wetting agent derived from coconut oil fatty acids. Used to help water mix with dirt and oils to be rinsed away. As a wetting agent, helps product spread across surfaces for more efficient cleaning.
Trideceth-7 Carboxylic Acid: Mild anionic surfactant (cleanser) with good tolerance in hard water (I personally thank you).
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate: Gentle surfactant and cleansing agent that is not a sulfate. It aids in foaming, degreasing, and emulsifying while being extremely gentle on the skin and hair.
Cocamide MIPA: Surfactant, emulsifier, and foaming agent derived from coconut acid.
Protein Free?
No. Contains Hydrolyzed Keratin
Curly Girl Friendly?
As far as I can see yes - the shampoo is sulfate and silicone free.
Long and Luxe Strengthening Shampoo
The Good
First things first - I honestly love the fragrance of the line. While it is stronger in some products (like the conditioner and co-wash), it is less hefty in others. In the Strengthening Shampoo, the tropical pomegranate fragrance notes are lighter, and I'm totally here for it. As a shampoo, I enjoyed it in the way that you'd enjoy a traditional shampoo. It smelled great, foamed well, left my hair and scalp clean, and didn't turn my curls into a hot, tangled mess.
I can definitely say that after each shampoo use, my hair felt stronger - even before applying the conditioner. And I noticed that when following up the Strengthening Shampoo with the conditioner, I didn't see as much shedding as I detangled.
The Bad
Although I enjoyed the strengthening properties of the shampoo, I do wish it had some slip. It didn't tangle my hair all up, but I definitely wasn't able to run my fingers through the suds like I can with some of my favorites.
The Bottom Line
The Long and Luxe Strengthening Shampoo made my hair feel clean and strong - there's no doubt about that. I wouldn't consider it a moisturizing shampoo, just something that gets the hair clean while strengthening and reducing shedding. If your hair is weak, overprocessed, or you suffer from excessive shedding and breakage, the Long and Luxe Strengthening Shampoo could do your strands some justice!
Long and Luxe Conditioner (Strengthening and Hydrating Treatment)
Pomegranate Fruit Juice: Widely known as an anti-aging, antioxidant powerhouse, pomegranate juice protects the outer layer of the skin (scalp), facilitating cell regeneration and tissue repair. Pomegranate juice is also able to penetrate and treat dry skin, soothing and repairing dry, cracked, and irritated skin. It also strengthens the hair follicles and improves circulation at the scalp to encourage hair growth.
Glycerin: Vegetable-based humectant that draws in moisture to the hair.
Cetearyl and Cetyl Alcohol: Considered "fatty alcohol" -- NOT to be confused with drying alcohols such as ethyl. Acts as a lubricant, thickener, and emollient. Also gives conditioner its velvety feel without making hair greasy. Is additionally used to keep product ingredients from separating.
Behentrimonium Chloride: Quaternary ammonium compound and close cousin of cetrimonium chloride. Also penetrates the hair, conditions, and acts as an anti-static and anti-microbial agent.
Passion Fruit Juice: Rich in Vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, and proteins. This nitrient-packed juice works as an anti-inflammatory - rejuvenating the follicles to help combat hair loss.
Protein Free?
No. Contains Hydrolyzed Lupine (plant-based) Protein and Hydrolyzed Keratin.
Curly Girl Friendly?
As far as I can see yes - the conditioner is silicone free.
The Good
First of all, let me say this - the slip in this conditioner is OFF THE CHAIN! It's literally the perfect companion to the Strengthening Shampoo. The consistency feels less like a super creamy conditioner, and has more of that ooey-gooey slippy feeling. As I Am definitely called in a favor from the slip gawds on this one.
I've found that I get the most bang for my buck when combining the conditioner with the shampoo on wash day. I'm a little disappointed, but not surprised because conditioners always work better when paired with shampoos over co-washes.
Long and Luxe Conditioner
While detangling with the Long and Luxe Conditioner, I found that my breakage was significantly reduced, and I had a lot less shedding. With the immense slippage, I was able to detangle my whole head in record time. Mind you - this is after I shampooed the crazy way (aka "girl you trippin'" style) - not splitting my hair into sections!
The Bad
I do feel like the Long & Luxe Collection over all is missing a true deep conditioner. You know, that thick, rich, creamy stuff that just lavishes your strands in immaculate splendor? Yeah, that. The Long & Luxe Conditioner is great for strengthening, slip, and some moisture, but it's not super moisturizing. It doesn't give me that baby smoove buttery realness that my curls crave. It's not bad - it's just not the best.
The Bottom Line
To be honest, the conditioner isn't an essential part of the collection for me. It's cool, but not amazing - ya know? If you're suffering from weak, brittle hair, the conditioner would make an excellent detangler to help minimize hair fall and breakage. But for me and my tresses, it's not a must-have.
I found these dope rose gold hair jewels at my local BSS.
Long and Luxe GroWash (Cleansing Creme Conditioner)
Aloe Vera Juice: Acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair's sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness.
Pomegranate Fruit Juice: Widely known as an anti-aging, antioxidant powerhouse, pomegranate juice protects the outer layer of the skin (scalp), facilitating cell regeneration and tissue repair. Pomegranate juice is also able to penetrate and treat dry skin, soothing and repairing dry, cracked, and irritated skin. It also strengthens the hair follicles and improves circulation at the scalp to encourage hair growth.
Glycerin: Vegetable-based humectant that draws in moisture to the hair.
Cetearyl Alcohol: Considered "fatty alcohol" -- NOT to be confused with drying alcohols such as ethyl. Acts as a lubricant, thickener, and emollient. Also gives conditioner its velvety feel without making hair greasy. Is additionally used to keep product ingredients from separating.
Coconut Oil: Oil high in saturated fats (which is why when cold, it is solid). One of the few known oils to penetrate the hair shaft and truly moisturize hair. Coconut oil helps to moisturize, seal, and prevent breakage.
Passion Fruit Juice: Rich in Vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, and proteins. This nitrient-packed juice works as an anti-inflammatory - rejuvenating the follicles to help combat hair loss.
Protein Free?
No. Contains Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein and Hydrolyzed Keratin.
Curly Girl Friendly?
No. Contains propoxy tetramethyl piperidinyl dimethicone (albeit at the bottom of the list).
The Good
Can I be real with y'all? I've secretly been in love with the GroWash Cleansing Creme Conditioner since this summer. I first peeped the new Long & Luxe line at BeautyCon LA, and got my grubby lil' hands on a jar. I was immediately enamored with the slip. Like, the slip levels in GroWash are light years above and beyond anything that the revered As I Am Coconut Co-Wash could ever achieve.
You can have the most tangled, trifilin' hair and GroWash will know those knots out in record time. As with the Strengthening Shampoo, I noticed reduce shedding and virtually no breakage while working the product through my hair. Upon rinsing, my hair felt soft, strong, and very well cleansed. I've noticed that As I Am does this thing with their co-washes that gives them more cleansing ability than conditioner, but less than shampoo. I kinda like it. But that slip?! Unparallelled.
The Bad
The fragrance on the GroWash is a wee bit strong for my taste, but that's it.
The Bottom Line
If you thought the Coconut Co-Wash was that jam, you definitely need to give GroWash a try.
Don't forget to watch the video demo for style deets!
Questions from the 'Gram
I dropped a post on Instagram asking what questions you guys had about the line. See my answers below!
Q: What are the must-haves/favorites from this line, if not all? A: For me, the must-haves are the GroWash Cleansing Conditioner and the GroYogurt Leave-In. The Curl Enhancing Smoothie is a close third. I like it a whooooooole lot more than Shea Moisture's.
Q: Did you find these at Sally Beauty? A: Sure did! And they're BOGO 50% off this month!
Q: I want to know what you think of the smell?...I'm afraid it's gonna linger in my hair. A: I know you mentioned pine vibes - I don't catch that at all, lol! I'm definitely getting passionfruit and tropical vibes. A little perfumey, and I smell it more in the conditioner and co-wash than the other products. It does linger. I don't notice it hours later, but in the first hour or so after using the products, I still smell them. But I rather like the smell.
Leave your unanswered questions about the line in the comments below!
Q: I'd love to hear your comparison between this and their original line. A: I haven't tried the entire original (brown label) line, but there are some definite differences. GroWash blows the As I Am Coconut Co-Wash out of the water. I love the GroYogurt Leave-In and original As I Am Leave-In about the same, with a slight edge to GroYogurt because it's creamier and has a wee bit more slip. I love the original As I Am Smoothing Gel, but the Long and Luxe Collection doesn't have a gel, and it's not fair of me to compare it to the smoothie - because gel will always win.
The Long & Luxe Shampoo beats out their Curl Clarity Shampoo in my opinion, and literally everything outperforms that Detangling Conditioner and Leave-In Tangle Releaser (do they still even sell it?) that I tried years ago. But the superstars are definitely GroYogurt and the GroWash! Q:Does the scalp serum actually moisturize the scalp and help with dryness? A: Without giving too much away for part 2 where I'll discuss the Scalp Serum in depth, I'll say this - it's not a serum in the way you might think. Rather than look like an oil, it looks like a runny ointment - think milk of magnesia. While it does contain some moisturizers (glycerin, aloe), the primary purpose of the Scalp Serum is to strengthen the hair, nourish the follicles, and stimulate growth. I would personally have the Scalp Serum and another scalp moisturizer in my regimen to balance things out.
Stay tuned for part 2! I'll be deep-diving into the GroYogurt Leave-In, Curl Enhancing Smoothie, and Scalp Serum!
According to the Strengthfinder, one of my strengths is having a future-based mindset. I'm forever imagining and fantasizing different versions of my future. This is a cool skillset to have. But it does have its drawbacks. Sometimes, looking too far ahead could hamper the actual creation process. The future seems so far away and we convince ourselves that we have ample time to create it, so we become lax in our level of activity.
Another strength of mine is coaching others. This is because I believe in asking powerful questions. These types of questions cause a shift in our current pattern of thinking. And, in doing so, they have the ability to create powerful outcomes.
Starting today, I'm going to start asking myself a truly powerful question that will impact my future starting now. When we think about our future, we tend to look ahead 3-6 months or even 1-5 years down the line. But how many of us are looking in the very near future. I'm talking about 24 hours from now.
Yes. Where do you see yourself 24 hours from now?
Typically, the first reaction to this question is to dismiss it. That's because, for most of us, the next 24 hours will probably look exactly like the last 24.
This is the reason why our lives don't change. We keep reliving the same day over and over again.
But, if we were to take some time and fully answer this question (on a daily basis), you could truly alter the direction of your life. I love that the question invites us to visualize our day 24 hours from now. It's giving us the freedom to daydream a little bit about what we can possibly create in a short period of time. This question takes us a little outside of our comfort zone and I love it!
I was once introduced to the idea of our "default future." It's basically the future we create based on our past and current actions. Since our actions tend to repeat on a daily basis (habits), our future will pretty much look like our current reality. I was on a website that looks at current social media stats and predicts future results based on past growth. Let me tell you...looking at the future prediction is a sobering process. Seeing how long it will take to get to my goal based on what I'm doing now is a real eye-opener. My default future isn't pretty. Chances are, the path of most of my goals look very similar. They too will be delayed unless I do something to alter the course of the future.
The direction of our lives is created 24 hours at a time (it's actually created hour by hour, but we'll discuss in a future article). If we take this question about the next 24 hours seriously, we won't squander the precious hours of today.
Best of all, we'll be rewarded with the fruit of our labor in a very short period of time.
I leave you with this video as a bit of motivation of what you can accomplish with the valuable 24 hours that you are given. Pay close attention to what he says at the end of the video about being able to tell you where your life will be, years from now, based on what you do with your 24 hours.
This is a perfect reference to the idea of the "the default the future" that is currently in place.
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