Christina's Choice 2018: The BEST Products for Natural Hair

2019 Intentions// Doing More of What You Love.

Since it's the last day of the year, you're probably doing some reflecting and focusing on the year ahead.  Typically, we tend to look back at everything that didn't go as planned and make promises to make different choices for the upcoming year.  This is a solid strategy that most of us are familiar with.  But since we're close to entering into a new decade (a new era in our lives), may I offer up another alternative?

Most of us are probably compiling a list of habits that we failed to maintain in the present year.  But, for every habit that still eludes us, there is resistance attached to it.  Every single one. Trying to overcome resistance is possible but it takes willpower, focus, and consistency.  The more you fail at establishing the new habit, the more you judge yourself as being incompetent.  This ultimately pushes you further away from achieving what you first set out to do.

I'd like to play around with the idea of making resolutions that focus on doing more of what you gives you life.  Filling your days and weeks with moments and experiences that bring you joy and align with the ideal version of your life.

The reason why we create resolutions in the first place is because we believe the new behaviors will create new outcomes in our lives.  These new outcomes will bring us closer to our ideal vision.  New Years Resolutions is all about doing more of what will bring about our ideal life.  The easiest way to get to that outcome is to sprinkle our lives with people. experiences, and rituals that we absolutely love.

Let's talk examples.

It's been years since I've maintained the habit of going to the gym on a regular basis.  Years ago, I was at the gym 4-6 days a week.  Now, it's sporadic at best.  I could make another resolution to try to go 3-5 times a week in the year to come.  Maybe I'll go, maybe I'll fail at reaching this goal.  But instead of making a bold declaration to raise my gym attendance, I'll focus on taking more of the long walks that I love so much.  Walks in nature inspire me.  And when I engage in them on a regular basis, they inspire me to increase my fitness levels through strength training.  Next thing you know, I'm back in the gym.

Doing more of the things you love ensures that you take control of your life experience.  Essentially, you are making a clear decision to actively live a life that you love.   If your current life looks completely different than the one you desire, then do more of the things that will lead you to the life you love. Or the things that mimic the life you dream of. 

Let's say you create a resolution to spend less money (save money).  Instead of completely restricting yourself financially, you might take some time to analyze how you spent money in 2018.  Chances are, you'll notice some spending habits that neither serve you or bring you joy.  From there, you could make the decision to invest your income into another area of your life.  We tend to spend money on the same types of expenses over and over again.  Doing so keeps our lives stuck in a holding pattern.  Each of us can spend our money differently in a way that brings us more joy.  Once you've identified areas where your money can better serve you, it'll be a little easier to stop spending money mindlessly. 

I used to be very infatuated with reaching clear, specific goals.  But in doing so, I lost the ability to enjoy the wonderful moments reached because of my desire to hit the next goal. Now, I'm all about crafting a life that I'm absolutely in love with (moment by moment).  Does that mean that everything has to be perfect? 

No. 

What I try to achieve is the ability to take deliberate steps that create the type of experience(s) I desire.  Even if a goal is unmet, we can still experience a joyful life.  A life we love.  By making this a deliberate practice, we evoke the law of attraction in an effortless way.  In doing so, we'll soon find our lives flooded with more of what we desire.

 I should make the disclaimer that sometimes we think we enjoy something simply because it's a habit that we've repeated multiple times.  One caveat that I'll include in the "do more of what you love" mantra is to make sure the activity, person, or experience is adding to your life (not taking away from it).  I love crispy fries, but eating fries all day, every day will bring about undesirable outcomes.  I like chillin' on the couch binge-watching my favorite shows. But too much of that means unwanted pounds and a diminished social life.  The things we enjoy that don't contribute to the ultimate ideal version of our lives must be minimized or eliminated. 

So, on this last day of the year,  I encourage you to fantasize about what your life would look like if it were perfect.  Then, start to identify the activities and experiences that will bring the vision into reality.  From there, sprinkle elements of your vision into your day, your week, your life.

 Make this your number one focus for the year ahead. 



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Is Natural Hair Helping Or Hurting Black Women Today?

Let’s face it, the idea or the perception in the world about black women is clear; we are strong, mouthy, angry, and loud. We are difficult to get along with which results in many Black men choosing to turn their backs on us as their choices for a girlfriend or wife. Do I agree with […]

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Low Criss Crossed Bun – Grown and Sexy Holiday Hair

The holidays are here!  We hear Christmas songs in department stores and pretty lights are already on some houses (I know some were from last year, they just didn’t remove them!) and lawns. We’ve made it past Thanksgiving, Black Friday and even past Cyber Monday. Holiday parties at work and with family and friends will […]

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5 Important Things I’ve Learned About Caring For Texlaxed Hair

I’m a sucker for a good challenge/project to throw myself into. Freshmen year I wanted to master healthy relaxed hair. Last year I became a health nut/fitness guru. More recently, I started my transition to texlaxed hair. There is an unexplainable joy in finding a new topic to engross yourself in and master. At the […]

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Tips For Beautiful Wearable Twists

Just call me ‘two left hands Shorty’ because back in the day, I couldn’t twist, braid, cornrow, or flat twist to save my life. I quickly learned that these skills do not come naturally for some people; some of us have to learn techniques and practice often just to be successful. With that said I accepted […]

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The Single Ingredient Green Juice that Everyone is Obsessed With!

Not long ago, I wrote about focusing on "healthy drinking" when our diet isn't up to par.  Literally days after publishing the post, I was introduced to my newest healthy beverage.

While casually scrolling through Instagram stories, I happen to land on an image that featured a glowing review for a single ingredient green beverage.

The woman boasted of indulging in freshly juiced celery on a daily basis.  A few years ago, I juiced fresh veggies each morning.  Celery was always included as an ingredient.  Mainly because it was inexpensive and produced a lot of liquid which helped increase the total volume of juice produced.  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever consider juicing celery stalks alone.

Little did I know that celery juice lovers are reaping the immense benefits of this super-juice.

After a little bit of research, I learned why everyone jumped on the celery juice bandwagon.  Apparently, it's one of the most detoxifying green juices we can drink.  I always assumed that celery juice was mostly water and therefore pretty void of nutrients.

Boy, was I wrong...

Celery juice is actually a decent source of vitamin A, C, K,  and folate.  But what makes it special are its cluster salts. These are a unique blend of minerals that have the ability to attack bacteria and microorganisms that can cause various infections.

Because of these healing salts, one of the most obvious benefits celery juicers enjoy is improved digestion.  It's also highly anti-inflammatory which is exactly what our bodies need to promote health and vitality.  Some are jumping on the celery juice bandwagon to help promote a leaner waist, less water retention, greater energy, boosted hydration, and clearer skin.  Some people also claim to experience a sense of calm and less anxiety when drinking celery juice.  The reason for this is because the mineral salts in the juice help to fuel the neurotransmitters in our brain, helping us to feel more balanced.

What  I love about this celery juice "trend" is how simple it is to jump on the bandwagon.  Organic celery is super affordable which makes it easier to stay consistent.  Celery has a pretty decent shelf life which means that I can stock up and not have to worry about the celery going bad in the fridge.  I love the fact that I don't have to buy a bunch of fruits and veggies to get started on this journey.

I hope you guys are as excited to try this as I am.





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Biotin And Skin Break Out Issues – Be Cautious

If by chance I was hired to be an ambassador for biotin or any other pills related to encouraging hair growth I would probably be fired very soon after. My personal opinion of vitamins geared towards hair growth is that they are not worth the trouble. I am more inclined to tell you to get […]

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Found! The Mystery Teal Mask that Everyone's Been Wearing.

In my opinion, very few experiences compare to the feeling of looking in the mirror immediately after masking.   Because masks have such a profound ability to impact the skin in such a short period of time, I've always had a love for them.

I've tried to stay abreast of the up and coming masks that appear on the scene.  'Cause you never know when you'll stumble upon something remarkable.  An interesting looking mask has been popping up on my Pinterest feed lately. What first stood out was its unique color.  Eventually, curiosity got the best of me and I just had to know more about this mysterious mask.

A couple of weeks past, and wouldn't you know it, someone shared an IG story showcasing their face covered in the elusive teal mask. 

Finally, the mystery has been revealed.

And, it just so happened that influencer was "masking while sweating."  Which is something that I've been a fan of since we saw Karrueche do it way back when.   In her caption, she called the mask and sauna combination "a match made in heaven."

As soon as the image appeared, I immediately took a screenshot and began the search for Ole Henriksen's Cold Plunge Pore Mask.  It's described as a minty mask that tingles as it dries.  The product description claims that the mask holds the power to reduce the look of pores, smooth skin texture while controlling oil (all day).  I appreciate the fact that this cold plunge mask contains two different types of acids to help exfoliate and control breakouts.  Acid-based clay masks are my new favorite thing.   They also included a bunch of green extracts into the mix like green tea, eucalyptus, iris moss, kelp, and peppermint oil. 

Those who love this product claim that it isn't a "just for fun mask" that you wear only to take an Instagram pic.  A lot of people are genuinely pleased that it actually does what it claims (shrinking pores).  Others said that they didn't notice the drastic change in their pores like they had hoped.  I think of the cold plunge mask as a modern version of the Queen Helen Mint Julep mask, but with elevated ingredients.   If you're a fan of cooling, minty clay masks, I think your skin will adore this.

If you loved Queen Helen back in the day and are looking for a great alternative, you might want to check this mask out. 

from BELLEMOCHA.com http://bit.ly/2Czc5ql

9 Overrated Natural Hair Practices

Simple Simon was that dude that tried to catch a whale with his mother’s pail and it didn’t work out because all he got was water, go figure. He did quite a few things in that famous nursery rhyme that did not quite work because of his inability to plan ahead and think things through. […]

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Natural Hair Nighttime Routine – No Pineappling Necessary

  It’s no secret that I CANNOT pineapple my hair at night to save my life. I endure tons of shrinkage and I am working with a much shorter version of my hair by the evening. The other issue is how awful my hair looks after it’s been put up in a pineapple all night […]

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Relaxed Hair Myths I Once Believed To Be True

I will always remember the day of my first relaxer. I was in the seventh grade and one of the last girls in my grade who was still natural. I had begged my mom to give me one for months and she wasn’t too thrilled about the idea. Each time I was turned down I […]

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Do Not Ignore These 9 Symptoms Of Distressed Hair

You have seen the error of your ways and you have made a resolution to approach your hair care differently. You have been pouring over countless hair blogs and you have learned so much that you are dubbed the hair care expert in your own circles. Since starting your healthy hair journey, you have diligently […]

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