Steam Sessions – Treat Your Hair!

The reason heat is used when deep conditioning is to open the cuticles of the hair to allow the product to penetrate deeper, nourishing your strands that much better. And water is the ultimate moisturizer. So when heat + water are combined you get steam, right! This is the basic reason why steamers are so […]

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Alter Your Thinking, Alter the Course of Your Life.

I've been on a journey for personal development for many years.  Over time, I've learned quite a bit about how to motivate myself, set goals, and attract what I want.  But there's still one area that I wish to develop even more.  

What I'm referring to is having the ability to alter my way of thinking in order to create new realities.  Let me explain further what I'm referring to....In the book, The Three Laws of Performance, the author explains that we are essentially creating a "default future" for ourselves.  Meaning, our future circumstances is being created based on our current thoughts/actions.  If nothing else changes, we can pretty much predict what our life will look like months or years from now.  

In order to alter the course of our future, we must take an active part in rewriting the direction of our lives.  So how do we do that? According to the First Law of Performance, our current actions are directly related to how we perceive a situation.  Our repeated actions and response to situations is the direct result of how we relate to the situations in our lives.  Humans are wired to make judgments on what they perceive.  Those comments, perceptions, and judgments have a direct and very real impact on our actions.

So, if we truly wanted to alter our behavior (and our future reality), we must first start with how we perceive the future reality we want to create.  

For example, let's say I wanted to get shed 10lbs to reach my goal weight.  The new weight represents a new reality. But, what if I felt restricted when I gave up my indulgences? Or what if I felt a huge sense of dreaded obligation every time I went to the gym?  Feelings of restriction and obligation are negatively rooted.  According to the first law of performance, my actions will be fuel by the feeling of obligation and restriction that are currently running in the background (my subconscious).  I may not realize it, but the way the situation occurs to me will be the determining factor in whether I succeed in my desire for a leaner body.  But, let's say that my eating habits and extra weight are making me tired and is impacting my health.  This may alter the way I view the situation.  Suddenly, eating healthy isn't an obligation, it becomes a means to feeling more energetic and alive.  If I view working out as a means of creating the fit version of myself, my performance (actions) will align with that view. 

My point is that we should always be aware of how we view a situation because our view is what determines and drives our actions.  Those areas in life where you seem to struggle endlessly, pay attention to your perceptions created around the situation.  I can see where this is true in my life.  I carry around limiting beliefs in every area where I keep producing the same undesirable results over and over again. 

The key to changing a situation is changing your repeated pattern of thought regarding that circumstance.  This takes a bit of focus and effort but it's completely possible.  One method that's worked well for me in the past is to find others who have a pattern of thinking that I wish to emulate.  The more I immerse myself in the new way of thinking, the more my own thought pattern starts to shift.  

A new month will soon be upon us.  Maybe now's a good time to create an intention to shift your perception around a specific area over the next 30 days.  This may be the jumpstart you need to alter the course & direction of your life. 

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3 Things Common To Most Long Haired Black Women – Relaxed & Natural

While individual paths to 'long hair nirvana' vary widely, there are certain things that are common to the women who have got there. In my research, here are the top 3 that I've found. You need a paid membership to read the rest of this article. You can either login in below or sign up […]

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Tips for a Faster Rollerset!

I am finishing up the last weeks of a six month rollersetting challenge I hosted through my personal blog, during which I’ve become somewhat of an unofficial expert!  We all understand the benefits of rollersetting as opposed to using direct heat to straighten and curl our hair but the amount of time it takes is […]

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Olaplex No. 3 vs. Ion Absolute Perfection - Which One ACTUALLY Works for Natural Hair?

It's the battle of the bond perfectors!

I must say - this has been my most expensive natural hair experiment to date. And it took me like a month and some change to fully flush out. One of ya'll better find this helpful! I'm kidding...kinda. 😂

I dropped about $75 on this experiment, for two reasons -

1. I needed an answer, and nobody on the internet seemed to have the definitive information I was looking for.
2. I figured if I was looking, other people would be looking too. And I'm always up for a good round of investigative bloggerism.

But the super real reason I went down this rabbit hole of deep repair? There's a patch in the very front of my hair that's driving me CRAZY. 

As you guys know, I've been really serious about the health of my hair since late 2015, after going red had done a serious number on my curls. On account of tryna be cute, I found myself transitioning my natural hair a second time - from color damage.

I REALLY hope 2018 is the year my hair flourishes ignorantly.

I've stayed away from color, done a fairly good job at maintaining my moisture/protein balance, trimmed regularly, and even enlisted a few hair growth vitamins along the way.

Toward the end of 2017, my hair was looking and feeling closer to 2014 greatness than ever before. And I was ecstatic.

The Problem

Fast forward to April, and something has gone terribly awry. While the rest of my hair appeared to be flourishing (curls poppin', shrinkage epic), this one chunk in the front and slightly off center area of my hair has been refusing to cooperate.

It's the strangest thing - a row about 1.5 inches long is practically straight in the middle. The roots are fine. The ends are fine. But mid shaft is eerily straight. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why. I've stayed away from color. I haven't flat ironed my hair in about a year. I don't diffuse, and I don't band my hair nightly.

Look right above my nose...There's a mid-shaft area right under the top layer that's almost straight!

When I do wear buns, they're loose. 

Although I'm 100% clear that it's some kind of damage (otherwise my roots wouldn't be textured), I'm not sure how, where, or why it came about. But I did know one thing - it needed to be fixed ASAP.

No amount of deep conditioning, ApHogee-ing, or curl encouraging was fixing this fiasco at the front of my head - I had to call on the big boys.

Based on days of internet sleuthing, I unearthed two major findings:

1. Olaplex No. 3 is a slightly weaker version of No. 2 - (containing 12.5% versus 15% of the active ingredient Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate). Both are considered bond builder/perfectors.
2. Per Sally Beauty's website, when you mix their Absolute Perfection Booster and Color Sealer, it creates a bond perfector. 

With one at-home treatment coming in at $28 + tax for 3.3oz and the other as a duo kit for $12 with 2.03oz of Booster and 3.38oz of Color Sealer, is there really a comparison? What are the odds that Sally Beauty could save me some dough and a trip to Sephora?

(Because I only go to Sephora once per year, to buy my sister a gift card for her birthday 😂 - that store gives me anxiety and sensory overload.)

So I dropped the dough to find out - who could really fix my hair? Y'all know I had my fingers crossed and hoped to the high heavens that the Ion Absolute Perfection duo would work. 

But did my frugal prayers get answered? Let's dive into the finer details and find out.

First up - Olaplex No. 3!

Olaplex No. 3

Cost
$28 for 3.3oz

Where to Buy
I purchased mine from Sephora, to ensure I had authentic product. There's all these grey market warnings about purchasing from Amazon, but I'm not 100% sure they're true. At the same time, I'm not willing to risk my coins to find out, either.

What is It?
As mentioned previously, Olaplex No. 3 is the slightly weaker, take-home version of No. 2. It's supposed to be used as a weekly treatment to maintain an in-salon Olaplex treatment (No. 1 and 2), and up to 3x per week for damaged hair. I've also read that it can be left in the hair as you continue styling.

I don't know about your pockets, but mine can't afford to go through $60 worth of product in a week. I definitely did the leave-in situation, though. More on that later.

Key Ingredient
The key ingredient that makes everyone swoon over Olaplex in all its forms is Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate. Put your science cap on, because we're going to have a quick lesson - albeit grossly oversimplified.

The keratin in each strand of your hair is bound together by two sulfur atoms, commonly known as a a disulfide bond. These disulfide bonds are responsible for your hair's shape and strength. When your hair undergoes a non-permanent change (like a blowout or flat iron), the disulfide bonds are temporarily rearranged and can be restored as soon as you revert your hair (in our case, with water). But when you dive into chemical treatments (permanent color, relaxers), the disulfide bonds are permanently re-arranged. And with repeated use of heat, color, or relaxers without proper care, the bonds are broken and your hair ends up looking a hot, tattered mess.

This is where Olaplex comes in - the active ingredient Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate forms bonds with the sulfur atoms, forming an artificial disulfide bridge, temporarily linking them back together.

Basically, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate is like the mamma that made you and your sister sit at the table mid-argument, forcing y'all to settle up and apologize. The truce, although effective in the immediate, is only temporary.

This is why Olaplex No. 3 exists - to keep the results of the initial No. 1 and 2 treatment going long after you've gone home.

Did it Work?
You ever want something to not work, just so you can go recoup that coin you dropped? That's exactly how I felt about Olaplex No. 3. I wanted it to show no visible difference, so I could dart into Sephora like hiiiiigimmemymoneyplease!

Olaplex No.3 put a lil' bend back into the straight section!

Unfortunately for my wallet, I found Olaplex No. 3 to be fairly effective in helping my mysteriously damaged curls bounce back. After my very first use, I saw a teeny change in my damaged curls, but not enough for me to run out and clear the shelf at Sephora. It put quite a bit of spring into my healthier curls, though.

It wasn't until my second rinse out + leave-in combo treatment that I really saw what No. 3 was workin' with. And I liked it. No, my curls don't look like they touched the hem of Jesus' garment - but they don't look like they've been cast into the fiery furnace, either.

Overall, I was pleased and pleasantly surprised that Olaplex No. 3 had a very positive impact on my curls.

But how did Olaplex No. 3 stack up against the Ion Absolute Perfection duo?

I'm glad you asked.

And now, Ion Absolute Perfection!

Ion Absolute Perfection
Cost
$12 for 2.03oz of Booster and 3.38oz of Color Sealer

Where to Buy
Ion Absolute Perfection is a packaged duo of the Absolute Perfection Booster and Color Sealer, and is sold individually and together exclusively at Sally's.

What is It?
As mentioned a bit earlier in this post, Absolute Perfection is a two-step process that is designed to repair and help generate new bonds, while preventing breakage and dryness. Like Olaplex, it was formulated to work in tandem with chemical color services, but can be used as a standalone treatment.

Key Ingredients
Ion Absolute Perfection does not contain Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate in either product; believe it or not, that ingredient has been patented by Olaplex. So what's in Ion Absolute Perfection Booster? Emulsifying and conditioning agents and proteins. Hydrolyzed Wheat and Pea Proteins, to be exact. I went down the ingredient list, and there's just lots of conditioning compounds, proteins, and a few botanical extracts. Within the Color Sealer itself, there's more conditioning agents and oils. Just because Ion Absolute Perfection didn't contain any fancy ingredients, I wasn't counting it out.

Did it Work?
Not going to mince words here - disappointment doesn't even begin to cover it. I wanted SO badly for the Ion Absolute Perfection to work - and maybe for coloring it does - but as a standalone repairing treatment? Not at all.

Ion, did you even try? 😂

To keep things consistent, I used the exact same wash and style products during the course of this experiment. No handing out freebies. Each product had to stand on their own two. So when I say what I'm about to say, just know that I'm ruling out all other possibilities.

First of all, it didn't work. My damaged curls showed NO visible signs of change. Not one bit. To be honest, I get better results with ApHogee 2 Minute Reconstructor. Secondly, it made my scalp freeeeeeeeak out. Like, made my scalp psoriasis flare up in a way that I haven't seen in a while. I'm taking...nevermind. Just know, it was BAD.

I refused to subject my scalp to that foolishness a second time, so I don't have a follow-up experience to report. Sometimes, a no just has to stay a no.

Disregard the shirt. Check out the post-olaplaex poppage!

Conclusion
So which one ACTUALLY works for natural hair? If I had to make a recommendation, it would be for Olaplex No. 3, which showed the most improvement on my hair. As much as I wanted it to work, Ion Absolute Perfection simply didn't perform.

If you're looking for information on Olaplex No. 1 and 2 in salon, read about my experience here.

If you're looking for a few more cost effective solutions to try out before diving into the expense of Olaplex No. 3, check out this list.

Good luck - dealing with damage is absolutely no fun. 🤦🏽‍♀️

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[Try This] Make Your Own Shimmering Body Oil for Summer.

When Rihanna posted a series of a few short videos on her Instagram promoting the launch of Fenty's Body Lava, everyone was filled with excitement and anticipation of what was to come.  Fenty made a strong entrance into the beauty space with its extensive range of foundations.  No one was ready for the yellowy-shimmery goodness of Fenty's Trophy Wife highlighter.

As Rihanna demonstrated the ease at which she illuminated her skin with the gold liquid, and we were all mesmerized.   Everyone couldn't wait for the launch.  One person, in particular, was so excited to create summer glowy skin that she developed a really cost effective and easy to dupe.
Take a look at how quickly @leaahluv was able to create her own version of liquid body shimmer.

All she needed was a small bottle of mineral oil and a little powdered highlighter.  Once the two ingredients were blended together, she had access to glowing, sun-kissed skin at all times.

Seems easy enough.

The only concern that might arise is if you plan on applying this glow enhancing oil prior to enjoying a full day out in the sun.  You might look amazing, but you're missing the necessary sun protection.  When I saw this video, I immediately wanted to recreate my own version.  But the first thought that came to mind was how to /keep harmful UV rays at bay.  A few minutes a day of natural sunshine is good for us but basking in the sun for too long is a recipe for premature aging.

For this reason alone, I decided that the only suitable option was to pair my finely milled highlighter powder with an SPF enriched oil.   Instinctively, I reached for Palmer's Cocoa Butter Gel oil which is enriched with SPF 15.   It's a bit of a thicker formula but it leaves a nice shine on the skin.  The shimmery powder only enhances the glow.  If you're interested in something with a little less viscosity, take a look at these carriers oils that naturally contain SPF.

Avocado Oil: SPF 4-10
Shea Butter: SPF 3-6
Almond Oil: SPF 5
Coconut Oil: SPF 2-8

There are also a few sunscreen oils on the market that naturally contain a higher level of SPF.  Either way, I just want you to know that you have options.  If you'd like to try Body Lava, check out  Sephora.com.  But, if you want to play around with making your DIY version, be smart and protect the skin at all times.

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Longing 4 Length Healthy Hair Handbook Now Available

I’m natural myself but I do follow quite a few relaxed hair bloggers. It proves to me that black hair is so diverse and beautiful and that with a great regimen, all textures can grow to lengths previously thought impossible. One of my fave relaxed hair bloggers is Ebony C Princess aka ECP. She writes […]

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5 Hair Upgrades That Are Worth the Money!

At the start of my hair journey I already had quite an arsenal of hair tools and products.  A tabletop hooded dryer, FHI platform flat iron, and an electric heating cap just to name a few. Over the past few years as my hair has grown so has my hair hobby and knowledge. I would […]

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Another Reason To Hold Off Trimming: Lead Hair Theory

I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of regular trims or the idea of trimming for accelerated growth. Certainly it seems to work for some people in the sense that they get plenty of growth anyway so that whatever they cut off is much less than what they grow. More power you if […]

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The Facial You Need, Even If You Have Flawless Skin

I've enjoyed various types of facials over the years.  Some were heavily focused on treating and eliminating my acne.  Others were meant to even out skin tone.  I've also experienced anti-aging facials meant to promote & stimulate collagen.

Having problematic skin means always looking for the next best thing.  Well, I'm here to tell you that even though I've tried a bunch of treatments, one stands out as superior.  What I love most about this facial is that it gives amazing results even if your skin is already flawless.
A friend of mine has the kind of skin that we all dream of.  She doesn't need any foundation but always looks as if she's wearing a high-end formula.  All she has to do is a little brow grooming, wear her signature cat eye and she looks completely pulled together.

I, on the other hand, was constantly talking about trying out the newest, skin correcting facial on the market.  One day curiosity got the best of her.  She asked me what facial I'd recommend for her skin.  It didn't take long to come up with a response.  Immediately I suggested she try the hydrafacial.

My reasoning behind this recommendation is simple.  The hydrafacial produces results that can make great skin look even better.  In my opinion, the only thing better than good skin is ultra-hydrated skin. That's exactly what the hydrafacial delivers.  Your moisturizer lays on top of dead skin cells, hoping to penetrate.  The hydrafacial first exfoliates (like a light peel) before infusing your skin with an intense serum cocktail.

A short while later, my friend took me up on my suggestion. Already knowing the answer, I asked for her honest opinion on how she felt about the results. She loved it!

Of course she did.

That's because this facial is designed to give glowing skin.  Best of all, your skin continues to improve over time.  I treated myself to a hydrafacial recently. The beauty school I sometimes visit began offering the service and I jumped at the chance to experience it at a much lower cost. Unfortunately, the student who worked on my skin was very inexperienced.  The instructor advised me that it was her first day working on clients and I definitely could tell the difference. Although she didn't do that great of a job, I still enjoyed phenomenal results.   Days after the hydrafacial, my skin practically glowed.  That's what I love most about the treatment, you can look forward to bright, glowing skin and your products working better than before.

If you've been slacking on your skin and you want something to kickstart the transformation process before summer, the hydrafacial is for you. If your skin is already good, I suggest that you take the opportunity to go from good to great by treating yourself to the facial that celebrities flock to before hitting the red carpet.

To save a little money on the hydrafacial, check out Groupon to see if any spas are offering specials in your area. Then you can look into scheduling a session at an esthetician school like I did.  But if you have to pay full price, it's definitely worth the investment.



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This is the Tea you should be Drinking for the Greatest Anti-Aging Skin Benefits!

One of my intentions for the year was to become a daily tea drinker.  I want to be one of those people who enjoy several cups of tea each day.  Having discovered the numerous benefits of drinking green tea, I decided that becoming an avid tea drinker would benefit me long term.

So far, I'm enjoying my new habit. I have to admit that I skip a few days here and there.  But, I'm ready to take my tea drinking routine way more seriously now that I learned of one type of tea that can help us stay young forever.
Well, maybe not forever. But it has been shown in studies to help prevent collagen breakdown in the body.

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited to learn this.

As you all know, I'm an avid fan of collagen supplementation.  If you're over the age of 20, you might want to listen up.  Collagen, the stuff that keeps our skin firm, plump, and smooth, starts to quickly deplete the older we become.  The goods news is that we can do something about it.

The first plan of action is to supplement with collagen ASAP.  Back in the day, the consensus was that taking collagen supplements was futile but new information supports the idea that collagen taken orally is actually absorbed and utilized by the body.  Don't take my word for it, there are hundreds of people online who've shared their positive experiences after incorporating collagen into their routine.

Supplementation helps to build some of the lost collagen but I've just discovered a tea that can help to slow down the breaking down of collagen in our body.  Yes! By drinking a cup of tea a day, we can actually help to halt the aging of our skin.

The magical tea I'm speaking of is white tea.  Yes, by enjoying a cup or two of white tea daily, you're helping to maintain youthful skin.  According to this study, white tea outperformed over 20 other plant extracts in slowing down the deterioration of skin.  Basically, white tea was shown as a superior fighter in the war against elastase (the enzyme that breaks down the elastin in our skin).

That's all I needed to hear. Now my collection of teas will consist mainly of bamboo, green and white tea.  Bamboo tea will support my hair & nails, white tea will keep my skin firm and the green tea will help promote a healthy weight.  Seems like I got all of my bases covered.

White tea has some other benefits beyond collagen protection.  In studies, white tea has been shown to prevent the formation of fat cells while boosting metabolism.  Some have even said that white tea provides cognitive benefits as well.  I've never been more excited to incorporate something into my regimen as I am now with white tea!

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Growing Long Hair and Getting Healthy: 60 Days Later with Camille Rose Naturals Super Foods Vitamins

This month is all about putting' in WERK!

 First things first - this post is a few weeks late y'all. Some of you guys have been wondering about my growth progress with the Camille Rose Naturals SuperFoods Vitamin - and I'm here to spill all the tea 2 months in!

Back in January, I embarked on a 90 Day #BestSelf Challenge in collaboration with Camille Rose Naturals. Here's a refresher on what I'm setting out to do:

The 90 Day Super Foods #BestSelf Challenge
Starting on, January 15th, 2018 I committed to taking the Camille Rose Naturals #BestSelf Challenge with the new Super Foods vitamin.

For 3 months (90 days), I committed to being my #BestSelf by:

• Taking the Camille Rose Naturals Super Food vitamin daily 
• Eating healthier (chilling on the carbs, eating more green veggies) 
• Drinking more water 
• Working out (and trying new things) 
• Taking the BEST care of my hair from roots to ends 

So let's check in!

Daily Vitamin Intake
You guys already know how days 1-30 went - and if you missed it, click here to catch up.

Now that I know the dosage is TWO vitamins per day, I had no problem staying on track during month 2. Some people make a big deal about taking vitamins, I don't fully get the hype. Drink some water, knock 'em back, and get on with your day lol.

Because I've experienced the full dosage for a month, I can 100% for sure say I've seen a boost in hair and nail growth. My hair is looking healthier, feeling fuller, and flourishing all around.

More on that later.

Truly making SuperFoods a part of my healthy lifestyle overhaul.

Eating Healthier, Drinking Water + Working Out

Somewhere between February and March, something clicked. I started REALLY focusing on my workout program. Being more intentional about tracking my macros. Drinking water. Moisturizing my situation.

Craziest of all? I'VE GOTTEN USED TO WAKING UP AND HITTING THE GYM AT 4AM. I repeat, Tuesday thru Friday, I'm at the gym BEFORE 4:30AM. It takes commitment. Dedication. Sacrifice. Getting my butt in bed by or before 9pm on the regular. I'm consistently proving to myself that all you need is time and motivation to turn the impossible into a habit.

We already know that exercise complements hair vitamins in terms of growth, but you know what? This is the first time in a looooooong time that I'm really feeling like I'm living a healthy lifestyle. Not just occasionally posting that I go to the gym, or cooking a healthy meal. But literally making this my LIFESTYLE. Meal prepping every Monday (and sometimes Sunday). Adhering to my #ShortcuttoShred plan.

That's not to say I don't enjoy the occasional order of samurai and chipotle honey wings from Hooters with a side of fried pickles. But it's not an every weekend overindulgence situation. I'm working hard at this 80/20 nutrition thing, and I'm finally getting a handle on it. And for the first time in a while, I feel like I'm not caught in the cycle of using exercise to "offset" or account for me eating terribly (which by the way, does not work at all).

It's much too soon for me to share extra dramatic results, but I will say this - I do believe the SuperFoods Vitamin has inspired me to get my ish in gear.

Here's a little sneaky peaky from January to March. Like I said, nothing dramatic. But lifestyle changes are about being in it for the long haul. Long-term consistency beats short-term intensity.

No crazy diets. No gimmicks. Just better understanding macros, working hard, and trying to maintain a caloric deficit.

If you want to keep up with the day-to-day of my fitness and healthy living journey, follow @30daysofdope on Instagram.

Now let's get into more 411 about these vitamins!

FLOURISHING. Do you hear me? FLOURISHING.

Pros of Camille Rose Naturals Super Foods Vitamin

• They WORK! Check out the first vs third picture! #growth
• AMAZING ingredients. Click here for my breakdown on that.
• Easy to take. They're not super huge, more like standard vitamin size.
• They don't keep me up at night, if I happen to take them before bed (which is pretty often).
• Reasonable dosage (2 vitamins) daily.
• No weird aftertaste or vitamin burps
• Doesn't cause upset stomach or nausea
• No skin breakouts or reactions
• Nail growth (I just keep cutting mine because long nails get in the way when lifting weights)

Cons of Camille Rose Naturals Super Foods Vitamins

• It looks, smells, and tastes like a vitamin. This one isn't a con for me, because I'm basically a vitamin junkie and I've smelled and tasted much, much, much worse. But if you're one of those people who has to pinch their nose, or never learned how to swallow a pill, then you might want to skip out on this one. But if you're serious about getting good stuff inside of your body, then Super Foods is for you, for sure. 

Benefits I've Experienced So Far

• Hair growth
• Improved skin (bye,  psoriasis!)
• Increased hair fullness
• Nail growth and strengthening 
• Fuller eyebrows (I've been able to grow out and change my eyebrows shape EVERY month while taking these vitamins. Like, crazy!)

If you're not already, make sure to follow me on Instagram @maneobjective and @30daysofdope! I'll be sharing my #BestSelf updates and Super Foods progress on both accounts!

Y'all ready to get growing and get glowing? I know I am!

This post is sponsored by Camille Rose Naturals.

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Hey! What's New?

One of my other side gigs is coaching others who want to positively impact their lives.  An exercise I like to do is a roleplay where we pretend that I am a close friend who they haven't heard from in a while.

Upon running into each other unexpectedly, I excitedly ask the person to tell me all about what's happened in their lives since we last spoke.  The purpose of this activity is to invite my clients to describe in detail, all of their intended manifestations.  The inspiration for this idea came from my own life experience. After meeting someone I haven't seen in a while, and being asked what' new, I really couldn't come up with any exciting to share.

That's when I came to the realization that I didn't have anything new to talk about because I wasn't up to anything. I was just allowing life to happen.
As we grow up, there are distinct occurrences that happen in our life to signify the mark of a new era. Every 4-5 years, something new is happening in our lives. We're growing, changing and constantly moving out of our comfort zones.  By the time we reach our late 20's, things start to stabilize and not much new happens.  Aside from marriage, having kids, and earning promotions, nothing new tends to happen.

I realized that at a certain point, we have to cause new experiences and milestones for our lives, otherwise things will stay exactly the same.

If someone were to ask you today "what are you up to?" Would you have a hard time responding? I don't mean the "what are you up to"like when someone asks you what you're doing this weekend.  That's an easy question to answer.  But what do you say when the person inquires about the exciting things that are happening in your life?

Instead of being caught off guard, I like to proactively ask myself this question from time to time.  This helps me put into perspective the realities of how I've been allocating my time. The real question is.....what have I been creating in my life?

If I don't have the answer, then it becomes my responsibility to craft it.  It doesn't have to be this grandiose plan. Just something that gives me a little dose of excitement when I think about it.  If I were to run into an old friend 6-9 months from now, what exciting piece of news would I want to share?  If you can't think that far ahead, try shortening the timeline to 30 days.  By this time next month, what would you love to have accomplished?

Once you have an idea of what you want to create in the near future, it's time to put your plans into effect now.  Sometimes I like to condense the process by asking myself to describe an ideal week then working backward to create it.  On Sunday, when I think about the plan for the week, I start by asking myself, "what would make this week awesome?" It doesn't have to be much, just something I would be proud to boast about like saying I'm working out 4 days a week or I launched a new marketing strategy for my business, or I got to spend some quality time with loved ones. 

If I really want to get fancy, I incorporate a creative element to my planning.  By that I mean, I reflect on goals I want to achieve and work on them.  For instance, I found my next travel destination.  One creative action I could take is to find an Airbnb or hotel.  Then maybe I set up an automatic draft to passively set money aside for the adventure.   If someone were to ask me how my week went, I could excitedly tell them that I've started preparing for my next vacation.

The whole point is that if we just wake up and follow the path of the week, chances are that we aren't creating anything, we're just participating.  Participation is ok for a while but if we stay in that mode for too long, our lives become mundane.  From grade school to landing our first job out of college, new milestones happen in our lives every 4-5 years.  From that point on, we become responsible for creating our own story. One we'd be excited to tell over and over again. 

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What Features Should Your Flat Iron Have?

Flat irons are becoming more sophisticated, with higher quality materials and more options than ever.  With all of the different brands and buzz words used to describe them, it is hard to determine which features are important to have in a flat iron. To understand the types of flat irons, please see Understanding Flat Irons. […]

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