Laundry XD

I had booked a laundry time for today only to find that we didn’t actually have a lot of laundry. So, hm? What’s a clever girl to do?         
                                

                       

I decided to do something I’ve never done before: I rounded up all my fabric hair stuff. Bandannas, headbands, scrunchies, scarves, everything.

I ran the more fragile stuff through the “hand wash” cycle and the rest through 40 degrees washes.

I have to admit I was worried how my new silky goodies would react but it seemed to be fine. Everything is drying now.

                    

                      

Got a little creative with the angle, hehe!

                         

The only thing that didn’t like the wash was a wide pre-tied headband from coveryourhair.com. Even though it looked exactly like so many other bandannas, the white print partially fell off. Booh!

Braid

Lately I’ve been feeling I’ve been stuck in a rut: Simple English braid to braided Nautilus bun when I need to get the mane out of the way.

Maybe it’s time to challenge myself to do more cool things with my hair?

                    

Seriously disappointed in Hairsense, part II

After not having emailed me a confirmation (And then hinted to that it was my own email that was at fault when pressed for information) and basically written lolcat to me (By the owner!) I thought I was done being disappointed in Hairsense.    
          

Well, I honestly wasn’t completely thrilled with the combs either. They have traces of teeth marks from sawing (?) between the teeth and they have obviously been sanded down, but only on the surface, not between the teeth.

But 15 minutes ago, after having put my freshly WO-washed hair up in a braid with some leave in-conditioner and using my dedicated “After detangling, use for distribution of leave in-conditioner and putting hair up”-comb, I tried to remove the few shed strands that are always caught in the comb.

Only to find that one little clump of hair was somehow stuck in the teeth.

I have owned this comb for a grand total of a week and used it five times in total.

I could not be more disappointed in Hairsense than I am right now.

Never, ever going to let them have any of my money again.

         

Who knows how much of my hair has been ripped to shreds by this nasty split??

                             

                                               

                                                          

Fish oil and vanity

I’m not really sure what to think of fish oil/omega 3 supplements. It has been on pretty much permanent trial with me ever since I first started taking supplements. It seems to be one of those “super foods” that always gets praised for being good for…Well, just about everything?

I’ve been taking it half for my hair “Because everyone else are doing it!” and half for my really crappy ankle that hurts in the winter cold (Multiple fractures that haven’t been set right because the arrogant and uninterested doctor in the ER decided it was “just a sprain” and I was just being a baby and wanted attention. No, I don’t like doctors, why do you ask?)

But in the time I’ve been taking fish oil I never really felt it actually made a difference at anything. I kept taking it on a “trial basis” for years though.

Gosh, that makes me sound dimwitted and sheep-like, doesn’t it?

But to defend myself, omega 3 supplements do seem to be good for a lot in the body. It seems to be one of those supplements you “should” take if you decide to take supplements.

I was supposed to bring a new bottle of fish oil home with me from Denmark, but it turned out to contain vitamin E so I didn’t want it.

I’ve been out of fish oil since then and haven’t gotten myself around to restock.

Can’t say I’ve noticed any difference though.

But yesterday I was reading a magazine at the gym (On the treadmill) and there was an article about fatty acid imbalance causing skin problems and omega 3 supplements relieving trouble skin. My skin has been acting up lately, but since its standard setting seems to be somewhere between “Troublesome” and “Total-bitch-freakout” it wasn’t something I was thinking about. Could it be because I haven’t taken my supplement for weeks?

Could I finally have found a real reason to take omega 3 supplement?

I’m going to place an order for some soon and we will see. Hmm…

Protein and vanity

I’ve been trying to get serious with the fitness for a while. I got an invitation to fitocracy from Gwen in the UTT fitocracry thread and it’s been seriously motivating to me. Funny how tools and toys like this always helps you stay focused. Like it isn’t good enough just to go because it makes you happy and healthy?

I’d like to get fitter and lose some fat. I’m really tired of being too big for my clothes and feeling out of shape.

Anyways. I was thinking about making a “set” diet to lose the fat, but I’m a little weird when it comes to that. I’ve tried the calorie counting thing and it Does. Not. Work. For. Me. It’s like a mental blockage or something. I just can’t do it.

But what does work for me it having a “set” premade diet I just need to follow: As in “Eat A and drink B for breakfast. Eat C and drink D for lunch.” Etc.

That kind of discipline works for me. No clue why I can’t just count “on the go”.

Maybe it’s a related blockage I have when it comes to the hair care schedule? I guess my mind just rebels at having to put so much effort into something that is supposed to come naturally and effortless?

Anyways. I do have a point with this, I swear.

So I was calculating on some “pre-set” diets and I keep getting a bit worried about my protein intake. Why is that? Because I’m shallow and worry about my hair, that’s why.

I have already experienced one very sneaky shed in my life and I’m not willing to sacrifice any hair for fat loss. I love my mane more than I hate my lovehandles. I still get my thumb thick regrowth poking out of my updos or braids from time to time and it makes me cringe.

From some research I think I should aim for 1,5 gram of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day if I want to work out and diet at the same time. Just to be safe.

I find it difficult to get there on food alone and still stay at a safe calorie deficiency. So naturally I started looking at protein drinks. Since I would like to get as much protein for as little calories as possible (Hey, I prefer eating my calories, not drinking them!) I divided the calorie content with the protein content for each drink.

The results were pretty surprising.

The lowest had just 3,9 calories per 1 gram of protein. That’s near the “raw” calorie content for 1 gram of protein, if I’m not mistaken? The highest had 8,1 calories per 1 gram of protein. That’s over twice as much!

A little math to compare the results and one protein drink per day of the calorie heavy one would “translate” into over 5 kg of pure fat more than the calorie low one in a year. Yikes.

I guess this is really how I ended up feeling fat: Those “few” extra, unnoticed calories per day. A piece of chocolate, a few chips, a second serving “just a tiny portion” even though I’m already full.

Still, I’m shocked at the difference between the protein drinks.

So, boring rant aside I’m just extending my discovery to those that may care: Run calories/protein through your calculator if you are looking to buy protein drinks.

New goodies!

                                                                       
Pretty Antoinette’s goodies!
Such pretty packaging and cute little notes with it
                                                           

                                                                            

Silky scarves

My webcam doesn’t so their vibrant colours justice
                                                             

                                   

                                                                                            
Bonnets
Both feel a bit too big for me. I’m really not sure if they can work even if I get a hole in the back for my braid. I think these will work better if you wear a bun for sleeping.
Maybe I would be getting some good use for them wearing them under a woolen hat and over a bun on cold days?
                                                                               

                                                                                       
Silky pillow cases
So pretty and glossy
                                                                                 

                                                                                     
And so soft!
                                                                                    

                                                       
Came with their own individual super cute drawstring cases
                                     

                                                
And little lavender packs to insert into the pillow. They smell divine and so calming
                                                            

                                                                                  

I got two beanies too but forgot to take a picture of the second one

They’re wonderfully snug and comfortable. I just need to get Chemist friend to make a hole in the back for my sleep braid and they will be perfect
                                               

                                                                                                                                   
Loc cover
I fell in love with this one right away. It’s so awesome and I can’t wait for more colour options to come up in the webshop. I must have more of these! I need to play with more styling options for this one…

I *could* have combs :)

My combs from Hairsense came! Hah, ironic when I just wrote about the other package being lost somewhere in USPS’s “care”, hmm?

                                    

Top left: “The Viking boat oar” as it’s named on UTT. I will use it for conditioner and treatment distributions in the shower and for rinsing.

Bottom left: I will use these two for smoothing hair when putting it up.
Brush in the middle for… Well, brushing.
Top right: I will use these for detangling. Might put the far right in my shoulder bag since it’s the smallest.
Bottom right is going to a friend.
                                                                               

                                           

Going to wash them and then put them to use, yay!

Little package lost

I’ve been tracking my Pretty AnntoiNet's package since it was shipped out. First in hopeful eagerness waiting for my silky goodies, then in baffled confusion.
            
Allow me to demonstrate why. Here is USPS’s tracking information.     
                                  

            

Recognize that the locations are repeated?

          
Let’s put that on a map…

         

                                                   
The package is accepted at a post office at A (Bloomfield), then to B (Kearny) and C (Jamaica). Then it gets shipped almost back to B (A different place in Kearny). Finally back to C again (Jamaica).
     
Seriously, what the hell, USPS?
       

I can has combs?

Since placing an order at Hairsense on the 2nd I haven’t heard a word from them.

I heard from Pretty AnntoiNet'​s, several times actually: A confirmation on the order and Linda herself taking the time to ask me if I would like to upgrade to a shipping method with tracking number outside the US and with insurance. Isn’t it sweet she took the time to care? I had just picked the first best shipping option since I didn’t know what the difference was. Too bad I didn’t see her mail until after she had shipped it out (And emailed me the tracking number and shipping confirmation) That’s a caring and responsible business owner!

                   
Hairsense though, not a peep. I checked my spam folder several times too, nothing. They did happily take my money though. Hm.
                        

So this morning I emailed them.

            
This is one of those times where I simply need to screenshot the reply. Noone would believe me if I just copy pasted it:
(My gmail is set to Danish, so if you can’t understand something, just ignore it. It isn’t important)
                                                                            

      

            

Hmm, ow-kay… I’m about to reply when this pops into my inbox too:

                  

      
I reply, then get an answer:
               

Then I have that ½ second delay before my brain really registers what just happened and my reaction is approximately this: Wait, huh?!

                                     

This seriously raises a bunch of questions for me: How old is this woman?  Is this really how business representatives talk to their customers in 2012? Am I talking to this woman? How can she spell words like “international” and “receive” correctly and not “you” and “please”? Why the weird emphasis on the ipad? Is “the” and “a” out of fashion to type down these days?
     

But as someone mean *Cough*Kelly*Cough* pointed out on facebook what it really reminds you of is…

                                   

                              

Srsly.

Cassia and oil

I was going to do a cassia treatment tonight but my cassia pack wasn’t opened yet.  Meh. I always do a test on some shed hairs before doing a treatment. It might not be necessary before each treatment but at least the first time you take a pack in use. Since cassia is a natural product you don’t have the same guarantee of a uniform product as you do with a conditioner.
                                              

                                         

This is why you collect some shed strands from time!
                                   
Then I thought of doing an OCM. I do them from time to time but since OCM are good for mostly whiteheads and blackheads, it doesn’t do much for my skin issues. But they do feel nice. I thought maybe I could add a few drops of my new tea tree oil to the oil mix?
                                                      
Since I was thinking about oils I realized my trusty oil spray was being pretty icky. Containers for oil always have such a tendency to get greasy and disgusting!
                                                                   

                                               

So I emptied it and cleaned it out. All nice and clean, yay!
                                       

It’s a fairly expensive pump-action oil spray intended for cooking.

                                
Look how my collection of oils has grown too!
                                                         

                                                       

Argan: Strange smell but a fantastic ability to boost the copper tones I so love in my hair!
Coconut: A little more annoying to work with then the rest since it solidifies but it seems to have the biggest impact on my hair. My skin hates it and I break out if it touches it.
Hemp seed: Light and nice. Fantastic on the skin.
Macadamia nut: Penetrates nicely and is easy to clean off.
Olive: My least favourite oil. It’s icky and sticky and difficult to rinse clean. Doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on my hair.
Walnut: Light and nice.
                                        

Now the question is what I should fill into my nice and clean oil spray and what to use on my skin?
                                                           

                                           

I settled for a somewhat random mix of 4 parts argan oil, 4 parts macadamia oil, 2 parts hemp oil, 2 parts walnut oil and one part olive oil for the oil spray. Maybe I should get an essential oil with a nice scent for my oil spray? One that doesn’t mess with the hair but only adds scent (Although I wouldn’t totally hate it if it darkened my lighter ends just a tad. Even though I’m doing my best with covers and sunblock, ten years does take the colour out of hair…)

                                                             

For the OCM I went with 3 parts of hemp seed oil, 1 part olive oil, 1 part walnut oil, 1 part argan oil and a few drops of tee tree oil. I thought of trying the macadamia too but better try each of the new ones at the time. Who knows if I will tolerate them or not? My skin absolutely hates coconut oil and it makes me itch and break out. I know I tolerate hemp, olive and walnut oil.

                                                                
I like spreading the oil out with a brush and using an electric toothbrush to work it in. Just using your fingers doesn’t really work as well especially around “corners” like the nose.