My new hair routein

I have rededicated my hair routine to Ouidad. I took a break from using those products for a long time and now I've altered my styling techniques and I LOVE Ouidad once again. I just started using the Moisture Lock leave-in conditioner and I absolutely love that. I could see myself using only that on days when I don't feel like doing my whole hair routine. Plus you can put it in in the shower if you want and just don't rinse. I just plop that on my head like I'm putting my hair in a pony tail and then put the curl quencher in in sections. I use the duckbill clips to raise my hair off my scalp (it doesn't dry so flat) and then I blow dry with a diffuser until it's almost completely dry after letting it air dry for at least 10-15 minutes. Before I leave the house I do a quick spritz of the Styling Mist and I'm set.

I want to buy the Botanical Boost for second-day hair but I feel like I should finish up all my other brand products before I start buying more. Thoughts? Anyone a huge fan of the Botanical Boost?

Weekend Of Shopping

I did a lot of shopping this past weekend and I think I got some great stuff. American Eagle had some particularly great stuff. I love their jeans because they come in long and yet they are still narrow enough to actually fit a size 4. Victoria's Secret still has the best jean selection only b/c you can select your inseam, but the look and fit of AE jeans the first time you put them on is perfect. You can't beat it. VS jeans are always too long and too big the first time I put on in my size and length of choice. But after I wash them they fit to a T and are the perfect length.

Anyway, I got a pair of jeans, two cute tops (I sacrificed this white on white button down casual shirt with sleeves rolled up and buttoned like an old-school gas station uniform - I'm regretting that and thinking about buying it now), a GREAT strapless dress and...drum roll...their summer satchel for $10!! On the website they are marked down to $14.99 but in store they were ten bucks. I'm very excited about my purchases.

Now, I've gone a little dress crazy and I think I have FINALLY quenched my craving. Besides the one I bought at AE I also bought the two from Bluefly that I was eyeing (the pink, dip dye halter and the strapless one from Free People) and I bought another brown, tiered maxi at Macy's on Sunday. I think it is a Sunny Leigh. I wore that black one from Target I had previously mentioned to my niece's bday party on Saturday and I can't say enough about maxi's. They are comfortable, SOOOOO chic I felt like a movie star, and keep you cool yet warm when the wind blows. They're a fashion mystery to me because they work in so many ways.

Lesson Learned

So I'm at work and I decide I need a little break. I go online and start shopping. I go to my usual haunts first, one of which is Victoria's Secret. Now, bear in mind, typically I'm purchasing clothing from this website NOT underwear, bras, lingerie, or anything of the like. I tend to buy underwear and bras at target and I only order lingerie before an occasion (like Valentine's Day or a weekend trip).

Back to my story...so I'm on the website and I decide I need a new bra. The one bra I do own from VS is a wireless, push-up and I love it. It's the most comfortable bra I own and it really does what it is advertized. Long story short, my boss walks in and says, "are you doing your calls or shopping for lingerie?"

Most embarassing moment ever - I turned bright red and I'm pretty sure I haven't de-blushed just yet.

Update!

I bought the Free People dress from Bluefly and also bought a pink ombre halter dress. I feel my craving has been quenched!

I'm in the mood for dresses!

Okay, I'm really on the hunt for summer dresses. I have 3 maxis, one is a pale blue t-shirt style, one is a teal blue casual, beach style, and the other is black with color blocks at the bottom. It was a steal at Target! The color block one is my favorite. I want some sort of ombre print maxi. There's a pink one I like at Bloomingdale's a LOT and there's a brown halter version at Victoria's Secret. They're both around a hundred bucks.

There's also a really cool dress by Free People I saw at bluefly.com. The top half is black and the bottom half is a bohemian print. It's not a full length maxi. It's pretty reasonable - under two hundred dollars.

I also want a non-maxi, relaxed dress that I could wear when it gets warmer to my super casual office. I feel like a maxi would make me look too dressed up for this jeans and t-shirt kind of work environment. I'm having a hard time finding one that doesn't look like it's meant to be worn to the beach over a bikini. Any suggestions?

Why is everyone down on curly hair?

Let me start out by saying that I started this blog to discuss some of my favorite things. I'm especially interested in my hair. I have very tight, fine curly hair (according to Naturally Curly's website I am a 3B) and I am an avid visitor to www.naturallycurly.com and www.ouidad.com. I try and use all of the best products for curly hair that are out there. My faves are Ouidad, Alagio, and Jessicurl. I of course have days when my hair drives me crazy but I'm all about embracing my natural physical attributes and making the most of them.

The other reason I started this blog was to have some conversation about my other favorite thing (next to educating myself on curly hair care)...shopping!

Anyway, I've gotten off track from my topic. I'm annoyed at some comments I've gotten about my hair lately. Sunday I was at a bbq with my boyfriend and I was talking to his friend's girlfriend about highlighting our hair for the summer and she said, "you don't want straight hair?" Just totally randomly. Her boyfriend chimed in, "your hair looks good straight" (he saw it straight once when I had it blown out after a haircut). Why would I? I don't have straight hair. And what is wrong with curly hair? It's different, it's bouncy and I take really good care of it to make sure it looks good. Why would a conversation about highlights become a conversation about me chemically altering my hair? So annoying. Just because most people have straight hair I should too? Why? It's hard not to let comments like this make me feel bad about myself, especially because I'm already almost 5'9 and barely weigh in at 120 so standing out and feeling self-conscious has become part of my daily life.

Then today, a co-worker says to me, "what happened to your hair?" I'm thinking I'm having a great hair day and I say, "what do you mean?" He replies, "what did you get caught in the rain? It looks like you have a lot of product in." A) What is it any of his business what amount of product I have in or how my hair looks at all? B) I used the same amount I use every day, some days it comes out crunchier than others even though I strive for soft, touchable curls.

Do any of you curly girls out there find people offering unwelcome comments on your hair like it's a matter up for public estimation? Let me know!