Skin Care: Natural This, Natural That...

After countless discussions with friends, stressful pimple popping sessions and freaking out about this dark spot here and that dark spot there, I've come to realize that there isn't just ONE universal perfect skin care regimen and frankly, there never will be. You have to find what works and doesn't work for you. Will we ever come across that one set routine that will keep us pimple & blemish free forever? Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes products may work for a few months or years (sometimes days :[ ) and then you get a random break out & lose all faith whatsoever in the same products you originally thought were God given. Even I have reached a breaking point where I was OVER the whole skin care thing. However, I know that I can never give up on my skin. We only get one "skin" in this thing called life, so we must take care of it! & I'm not talking to those of you who can drink a gallon of sugar, roll your face in a bottle of grease, sprinkle dirt on top and still come out pimple free! I guess we can simply leave that explanation up to genetics and say that y'all are just darn lucky. But we secretly don't like you anyway & wish years and years of pimples on you. Lol. I'm just kidding... :-)

To those of us who don't have it quite so easy...We must Listen to our skin. Yes, seriously! Your skin will talk to you through every pimple & dry spot. Look for what your skin needs and when it needs it. What worked in the summer months may not work during the cold and dry winter months. I like to use the term "experiment". You have to see what works for you & sometimes it will be trial and error! Hey, it may even burn a hole in your pocket if you let it. I've been there done that. I too have ran to the drugstore every time I got whiff of a "new product" that gives "remarkable results". I am in no way shape or form a "skin expert", I am just speaking from my own personal experience and well...common sense!

Skin: "Jeslin, help me!" & "I hate benzoyl peroxide!" & "Maybe you should try something different Lady!".

Me: "Well Skin, I've decided to finally listen to you & try something different..."

Just as I decided 7 years ago to stop putting harsh chemicals in my hair, I've decided to stop putting even harsher chemicals on my face. Hence my "Natural This, Natural That...Benzoyl Who?" motto. I've also decided to take better care of myself from the inside out by adding a lot of natural foods/vitamins and essentials to my diet. Definitely expect an updated post from me on this topic. I've ordered a few new products & will also be hitting up the Farmer's Market with my Healthy-Side-Kick Soror Natalie this weekend! *Excited*

Things Your Skin (& Common Sense) Should Be Telling You!

1. Make Skin Care a Priority! You will thank me later.
2. Don't be Lazy & "Forget" to remove your make up, ew !
3. Change your pillow cases often!
4. Clean your make-up brushes!
5. Keep your hands off me during the day!
6. Moisturize !
7. Know what is in your products!
8. Don't give up!


I'm serious!...Don't give up on your skin! I know how stressful it can be trying to achieve healthy, breakout & blemish free skin! Giving up will only add to the stress.

Here's to beautiful skin!

Loc Journey: Frustration Kicks In...

All I want to do right now is SCREAM. I'm just so....I dunno! I have not been having a good anything day! And my crazy looking Locs (maybe I should stop calling them crazy) are not helping! Keri suggested that maybe my Locs are not looking good or behaving because I've been complaining about them. Hmm, maybe she's on to something? I definitely believe that perception is everything. Our attitudes certainly have an effect on our perceptions. What you think is how you feel? Am I sending negative energy to my Locs? I hope not. When I was on vacation in Miami, a Rasta man who was also trying to sell me CDs, told me I had the power on my head. How he even noticed that I was growing Locs surprised me. But boy did it brighten up my day. So who knows... maybe they feel what I feel. It's certainly something to think about. :)

Anywhos, I was reading in the world of blogger & I came across a Loc'd Lady who believed that her Locs actually held her emotions. This made my left eyebrow raise. I think I can dig it. The icing on the cake however, was when Mr. Bornu himself said that I was not in harmony with my Universe. Bleh. He's right. They are all right. So...I've decided to HUG my Locs. Love my Locs. Maybe even talk to my Locs. I'm going to get to REALLY know my Locs now. It's time I stop being afraid of the hair on my head and time I start owning it. Because it's mine! Yeah, I may sound crazy, but I can care less. I've been (on the low) caring too much about others' opinions of my Locs. A few days ago, I even daydreamed about getting in the shower, washing my hair (because I know my roots would unravel) & then taking a scissors to it and proceeding to do a BIG CHOP. AM I OUT OF MY EFF'ING MIND? Maybe.

Tonight...I'm going to do my OWN hair...*cries* I used to do my own hair ALL the time. Having been natural for 7 years, I could count the number of times that I went to the salon on ONE hand. I think that I've gotten my hair trimmed maybe...3 or 4 times in the last 7 years? So what happened to me? -shrugs- These bad boys on my head have scared the crap out of me that's what.  I wonder if anyone else out there has had this problem in the beginning stages?

"I'm afraid I'll mess them up..."
"What if they unravel...?"
"What if it doesn't come out right?"
"OMG what if I come out looking like a crazy lou?"

Well that can't be possible, because I already look like a crazy lou! Oh, I'm just kidding...kinda. ;-) So there you have it folks... I've decided to grow some balls! I plan to stop talking negatively about my Locs. This does not mean I won't share the GOOD & the BAD, it just means I'll stop saying how much I hate them (Lol) because I honestly do NOT hate them. At least I know that if I fail miserably, I can try try again or.... drive my crazy behind over to Bornu's Salon! Or have Keri talk me off the ledge...LOL

Humor always helps me get through days like this :-) Life is good. Toodles!

I don't know.

Sh*t Got Real...

The Story of He, She & Sh*t.

Out of the night & in His shining armor.
He was Everything She thought She wanted
Just in time. Easing the pain - caused by isolation
Just in time. Soothing the wounds - cut deep; in desolation

Shit.

All the things She never wanted.
Conceled by all the things He thought She wanted.
Sh*t is sudden, unexpected & cuts like a knife.
Sh*t makes you regress, recoup & reevaluate life.
Sh*t showed up, Shit got real...

& She got scared.

Scared She'd be stuck. Wavering within Forever… Unhappily happy.
In a Hopelessly, Unromantic place. Searching for love - a love misplaced.
Misplaced by all the factors of Sh*t, Time and Distance.
Its growth stunted by outright resistance...

Sh*t continued to get real. & They began to no longer feel
Feel the things they thought they felt - Coldness hitting like a hardened belt.
Emotions swelling up like a painful welt.
Contusions of confusion surrounding what was left...
For They were just feelings They thought They felt.

Shit.

Life gets real, When Sh*t happens. People begin to slowly disappear...
When Sh*t happens.
Friends who were friends because of friends no longer remained friends...
When Sh*t happens.
Sometimes things just come to an end...It depends.. When Sh*t happens...

Into the night with a defeated demeanor
He. Exposed - Everything she never Wanted.
She - An image of what He thought He Wanted.

Shit.

It Got Real...So Real.

Straight Ends...

What to do?! They are really driving me crazy. I can't seem to picture these straight ends actually "going up in" the loc. That doesn't even sound right! Lol. So, I'm trying really hard not to take a scissors to them. I did this about a month ago, I'm not sure if it has hurt my locs or not. Doesn't seem so. When I went back to Bornu though & mentioned cutting them (of course I didn't tell him that I actually did lol), he told me that it would make them unravel. :-\ Hmph. That hasn't happened... YET, so maybe I did a good job with the trimming Lol. I follow a young lady on YouTube - Jocelynsjourneys - who seems to have a similar hair texture to me. She posted a video about trimming the straight ends & I guess my impatient behind wanted to see for myself. But yeah, so far so good... I guess what all of you with mature locs are going to tell me is to just sit tight & have patience. Yeah Yeah Yeah, I'm trying folks!

No real update on my progress though... other than I'm progressing everyday. Fuzzy as ever :)

Peace & Love,

J.

Progress...

Week 6ish - The "Bun Thing" - I can no longer make this happen due to shrinkage!

I love it :-) Week 6 or 7ish

When parts start to disappear... April 6th

This is what my hair looks like after a wash & before Bornu does his magic. What the?!

April 8th - Happy Easter! Freshly done...

What do you think? Are they starting to look like Locs or what?

:-)

Slacking...

I have been treating my blog so bad lately! I plan to do better, I must! I'm actually doing this quick update from my phone right now. Today actually marks the 2nd month of my Loc Journey! Wow! I want to say time flies (because it does) but the funny thing is, it actually feels like its been longer for me! Maybe because I'm super impatient & wish that really was the case. Lol! But yeah, it's been 8 weeks of fuzzy wuzzies, itchy scalp & tea tree oil. I am definitely loving every moment of it. I can count my VERY bad hair days on one hand so I think that's a good thing! By very bad I mean that I was struggling in the mirror to look presentable. Honestly, as time goes on I care less and less about how it looks. I'm just letting it do it's thing! I actually prefer the messy "I look like I need a re-twist look". :-)

... I just remembered I'm typing this from my phone so let me get to the point.. Progress! My hair is really doing its thing! I have experienced a lot of shrinkage, especially after my second wash & palm roll. Last month I did the high bun thing... This month... I can barely get it into a pony tail. Bitter sweet. :-) I can go on & on, but that's it for now... I will definitely post some pictures after this! I guess before I go I can say... Happy 2 Months to Me :-)

Peace & Love!

Week 5: Update!

I have every intention of this being a super duper short post.... I actually started to write a nice, long, heartfelt one & deleted it halfway through. I wasn't really feeling it. I wanted to talk about how I'm learning to love my locs & blah blah blah....Which has some truth to it Lol. But I really just wanted to update you all on todays happenings! :-)

Today was a GOOD day in the world of hair for me. I discovered what seems to resemble my very first Loc! While having a long overdue Skype date with a good friend of mine, I started to play in my hair. (Something I do NOT do all the time) Lol. So I took them down to showcase the fuzzies & lo and behold....

I was so excited I think I actually screamed. This one little guy gave me hope. I'm sure there may be a few others on their way to looking like him in there, I just haven't taken the time to feel through them all as yet to find out. I really do try to stay out of my hair & let it do it's thing. I just couldn't help myself after this discovery though. I'm still thinking of a name for him..... (I don't think Hairy will do..lol)

I know that some of you are probably like, whats so special about him? Well, if you look closely you can see that it started to shrink up & compact at the end so that it almost looks rounded. It's not scraggly or straight like some of the others. For example... below are two pictures of the "locked" loc & some of his uncooperative friends.

From left to right we have: Scraggly, Curl, Swirl & mr. Loc. Clearly, I have a lot going on in one head. The best thing is that I feel as if I am making progress... & I can actually SEE some of it :) I am definitely going to bed feeling encouraged tonight.

Awesome!

Surviving Week 1: The Fuzzy Uglies...

I survived week one. It was an extremely long one at that. It honestly feels like I've had these bad boys for longer than a week. I've learned so far that you definitely have to find your "new pretty". Having such "pretty" hair (according to the masses) before and then transitioning to something that isn't necessarily considered "pretty" to most of society is a very tough thing to do. (Especially when you have to go to work everyday Lol!) It takes strength and patience... A lot of it. I've learned this much in only a week however I am sure that I have MUCH MUCH more to learn.

On to the Locs.

How I'm feeling & How I'm looking? I think the best word to sum it up is CRAZY. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating. I am still very confident in my decision although there were a few days that I didn't feel so "pretty". I am a walking fuzz ball. Literally. "It's all a part of the process". I'm sure those of you with mature locs are laughing at me :-\. But I'll get there because I am determined to. Overall, I feel good. I have become best friends with mascara and beanies :-) I've decided to not leave the house without a beanie or a cute little net on my head... & the mascara? Well I guess it just brightens up my eyes & adds to that "pretty feeling". :) So yeah. Week one was cool. I'm more than ready to go back to my Loctician. However...

I have 3 more weeks of loving my Fuzzy Uglies...

Locs & Locs of Rambling...