Mobile Update: summer beauty shopping

Greetings from Boston, MA!

I'm finally on my official summer vacation and both my mind and hair are on a much needed break.

My hair is back in braids (shorter and lighter braids this time) so I really don't have much to say hair-wise. Instead, I'll share my recent beauty haul.


Who doesn't like sample-size products? I purchased a small, 2oz dropper bottle, a mini Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisture Conditioner, a mini Satin Care shaving cream and Purell hand sanitizer.

Next is this cute reusable bag I bought from Barnes and Noble. "This Side of Paradise" is one of my favourite books by F. Scott Fitzgerald and I already have "The Great Gatsby" tote. 

 Last are the Satsuma Body Polish and Beautifying Oil I purchased from The Body Shop. Satsuma is apparently a funky citrus fruit that has a bright, zesty scent. I'm loving it so far!

Not too exciting eh? I am trying to control myself from buying too many unnecessary hair products, especially as I can't even use them while my hair is in braids!

However, I must buy some Carol's Daughter hair products before I return home to Trinidad since it's waay cheaper to purchase in the US. Plus, I want to be prepared when I take my braids down again and  battle with my transitioning hair.  >.<

I'm now five months post relaxer and it's been smooth sailing since I don't really have to manipulate my hair. The only issue I've had is my dry, flaky scalp. I want to buy some tea tree oil and add it to my trusty jojoba oil, using my new dropper bottle to apply the mix easily to my scalp.

Have you done any summer beauty shopping?

Cheers,

~Hatter

Matta Season! Getting ready for exams

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Hello fellow beauties!

I have 2 weeks and 2 days until my final exams begin...as you can imagine, I'm nervous!
BUT I'm determined to devote all most of my remaining time for studying.

Oddly, this semester I'm actually a bit excited about exams (say what??!)

Maybe it's because I did well in my finals in last semester that my confidence has been given a boost.

However, in no way am I placing my confidence in my own abilities or intelligence. I know that everything I do is because of the gracious God that blesses me with the ability to do it!
I constantly see God's favour in my academic life, and I'll be darned if I don't acknowledge HIS favour in my studies.

So I'm praying constantly and having confidence in Him to help me do all that I can do, and allow him to do the rest for me.

*By the way, "Matta season" means study season here on Milner Hall. From next week the Hall will implement study zones, quiet time and even have "matta food" for sale for the residents. How awesome is that??


Are you preparing for exams? Good luck being a matta beast! =)


~Hatter

Multivitamins for healthy skin?

Over the past few weeks I've been experiencing acne breakouts on my skin- not just my face, but my chest and arms too!

I have had acne since I was a pre-teen, but these recent ocurrences were a bit unusual since my skin was relatively zit-free earlier this year.

When I thought about it, my acne came back a short while after I stopped taking my multivitamins. When I used to take them consistently, after about a month, my breakouts virtually vanished.


I know I can't say for sure that the vitamins stopped my breakouts because my clearer skin may have just coincided with my vitamin intake, or may have been affected by my change in diet.

However, when I stopped taking my vitamins, I did not change anything else in my diet or skin care regimen...and then my acne returned.

My One a Day Teen Advantagle vitamins does say that it "supports healthy skin" with vitamins A and C, copper and iron.

I've been back on my pills consistently for the past 4-5 days and honestly I've only had about one new pimple.

Coincidence?


What do you think? Have you ever taken multivitamins and seen a significant improvement in your skin?

~Hatter

Waiting...

Good night everyone!

This is my first hair post in weeks because I've been waiting...

....waiting to fall back in love with my hair!

After my last relaxer in which my new growth was severely underprocessed, I haven't been showing my locks a lot of love. Combined with the breakage that I'm still experiencing...I've been having a dull time.

The breakage may be due to some ends that need to go, my texlaxed roots or just dryness. (Admittedly, because I fear causing even more hair snapping off I haven't been moisturizing and sealing very thoroughly.)

Lawwd it's like I need to be a hair scientist just to figure out what my hair needs!

I'm really looking forward to my next relaxer so I can do an official length check and cut off any straggling ends.

Pray that I have patience and resolved my breakage!


How is your hair journey going? I hope you're enjoying it more than I am.

The good old days!

Waiting to fall back in love with my hair...
~Hatter

Balancing Act

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Good Monday morning!

I admit that since university has been back in session I've been neglecting my blog!

Now I have to balance classes, study, exercise, hair care and blogging, and unfortunately, my blog has been suffering the effects.

This week will mark my 7th week post relaxer. Since my two strand twist style, I washed and conditioned my hair and let it air dry. My hair is a bit rough, and I'm still dealing with breakage that I first noticed about a month ago. Grrr

If that isn't irksome enough, my ends are looking ragged!! :'(  Right now I'm a bit annoyed with my hair and I'm trying to keep my styles as simple as possible to avoid having to manipulate my ends too much.

Curse thin ends!!


On a happier note, I've been going to the gym 2-3 times a week for the past 3 weeks! Yay!

Instead of doing heavy cardio, I'm weight training to build muscle and define my body overall (with my lower body in particular...if you know what I mean! ;)
Okay I'll just say it...I want a boooooty! LOL

I'm 5"3 and I currently weigh about 105 pounds...that's tiny in my eyes and I really do want to gain some weight. It'll be a slow, hard journey, but I'm determined to put in the work to shape the body I want.


My fitness inspiration for the day:

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I hope to have more posts up later this week, both fitness inspiration and hairspiration...especially hairspiration! I'm so bored with my hair right now.

What's the latest in your life? Have you also started a fitness journey?

Love,
~Hatter

Ramble ramble...

Its January!

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Besides planning my resolutions and helping my mom at work, I've been enjoying the last two weeks of vacation before university resumes. I've done some baking (yum!), reading, and even some sewing .

On hair-related news, on my last wash day I chose to air-dry my hair, but for some reason it came out a bit drier than usual. Ick! I plan to wash it again either today or tomorrow, give it a nice loong deep conditioning session and then a rollerset.

Honestly, for the past week I haven't been showing my hair as much attention as usual. Maybe its because it's been a bit dry and dull. All I've been doing is wearing braid-out ponytails. I really need to try some creative styles to break the monotony.


How have you enjoyed the Christmas break?

~Hatter

My kind of inspiration! ;)

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Go on, have one! You deserve it. =]

~Hatter

University Life...lawwd ah mussy!

Can you believe I'm already in week seven of university?? Time just seems to fly by as I get closer and closer to the end of semester.

Yesterday I had my psychology midterm. It was quite good for 60 multiple choice in 60 minutes (which is more challenging than it seems! lol) I only wish I had studied the topic of learning more thoroughly >.> operant and classical conditioning got me tied up!

Keeping up with the workload in uni is indeed hectic, people. 

I haven't been blogging as often either. I still take time to read my favourite blogs but between studying and the crappy internet on hall its a challenge to update regularly.

Hall life is so different from living with my parents but I'm loving it. Its like a cross among living in a hotel, apartment and summer camp. Being both adolescent and adult at the same time. The adult side comes out more than the other, but I definitely still feel like a teen =] Is this what they call the transitioning period?

I can hear a football match being played in the distance. I love observing how the guys and girls interact in uni. I have to keep my head on and focus on my work but it's harder than I thought it would be! Trini guys are the bombb! =P 

Did I mention I'm playing sports? Oh yes! This Hatter played tennis this morning! (weeeeeeee!) The only thing is that the sessions are intense. I can hardly walk the day after x.x lol. 

Hope you don't mind that bit of randomness =]

Now to my hair: lately it's been showing signs of less than average care- unfortunately one of the showers only runs cold water and I happened to chose that one to wash my hair >.< Now my hair feels sticky and coated with residue from pre-pooing with my ORS Vital Oils and washing with cold water. grrrr

My hair is also shedding more than usual! I realized that around this same time last year I also experienced increased shedding so I'm hoping that this is just seasonal shedding. I'm not going to worry about it.

I'm now seven weeks post relaxer and hoping to try out some tweaks to my regimen this weekend when I wash and condition. I hope to prevent the usual matts, tangles and knots I experience at eight weeks post and successfully stretch to nine weeks this time.

How's your week been? 

Life happens!

~Hatter