Re: Alba Deodorant Sstick

An update - I noticed that after I sweat alot, my armpits get sticky. Also... wait till winter to try it.

Alba Unscented Deodorant Stick

So, while I've been MIA, I've taken some baby steps toward being an all-natural goddess. Hey, it's my blog, I gotta say that ;)

I ditched parabens and propylene gylcol altogether, and weaned myself off anti-antiperspirant. Let me explain...

A few months ago, I asked the wonderful staff at Rickys about all-natural deodorants. Apparently, no all-natural product can stop sweat. Aluminum-based products are what clings to your pores and stop most sweat before it starts.

"Wait till the winter to try it" the counter girl said.

Well, it's like 40 degrees so I decided to risk it.
I went to my absolutely fabulous 'hood market, Naural Fronteir Market, where I periodically harass the staff. He he. While this poor guy was trying to find me a headache remedy "That works!" I said, I got to browsing the personal care section. I picked up Avalon Organics' lavender moisturizer with SPF18, which might be a bit too moisturizing for now (more on that later) and a bunch of Nature's Gate bath products, which are super cheap, btw. More on that later. Fifty dollars or so later, I trotted to the register. Which is when I saw an extensive assortment of deodorants. Ooooo! ( I know you're thinking Ewwwww!).

I'm kinda skeptical about some of them. Like one that claims that you only have to use it once a week. Hmmm....
But, I've been using Alba forever, so I bought one of theirs.

Now, I insist on using unscented deodorant. I absolutely hate the smell of sweaty, stale deodorant, which always seems to get more potent as the day goes on. Now unscented, I can work with. I rub a little perfumed lotion on my pits then swipe on my stick. And I DO NOT stink like stale deodorant.

Anyway, I got the Aloe unscented stick, which looked like dried-up gelatin. It kinda felt like that, too. It feels a little different when you apply it. I had to touch my pits to make sure something was there. It's very light, and does not feel cakey or clammy at all. I like the feeling, actually. It does smell a little "herby", but it's very light, and only you can get get close enough to smell it (unless you've got a friend who likes to stick their nose in your armpit. Hopefully it's your dog.) I didn't see any residue on my top, but I was kinda twisted. Again, let me explain...

Being the adventurous sort of gal, I threw caution to the wind (literally) and wore it to a PARTY. Yes, a party. A party where I danced, ate too much baked ziti and pulled pork, drank a inordinate amount of vodka (ending my year-long sobriety) and made a run to the store in four-inch heels. Without a coat. I wanted to be cute.

Like I said to my friend - vodka is liquid heat and painkiller combined.

Anyway, I didn't stink (or at least no one inched away from me) - including my friend who had to get pretty close when I had a minor wardrobe malfunction.

I also didn't sweat like a pig. But, I don't sweat alot, anyway. If you're a sweater (not that kind) you might want to stick to your antiperspirant. And definitely wait till it's cold to try switching.

I'm giving this stick my stamp of approval. Especially since it does not fight with my perfume for olfactory dominance. And I really, REALLY hope that everyone deletes their pictures.

Please??

Progress note: Phytospecific Cap'Energy

I feel like calling this stuff Captain Energy.
It's not my imagination. I definitely have some serious baby hair popping up. My hair's going to be thicker, as well as longer.
It took two days of serious humidity to make it very clear to me and the good people of New York that I have thick fuzz around my hairline. I look like a muppet. Or some other fuzzy creature.
And, since I left hair gel in the mid 90's (where it belongs!) I just dabbed some wax and called it a bad hair week.

So, if you're thinking of trying Phytospecicifc Cap'Energy, be sure to invest in hairbands, fedoras and lots of water-based styling wax.

A Fair Trade

I mentioned that I bought Avalon Organics' Biotin B-Complex Thickening Conditioner a couple weeks ago. Well, I finally got to try it. I like it. Except for the smell....

Let me explain. I am OBSESSED with lemons. Lemons are positively my favorite citrus. I ADORE lemon-flavored anything, lemon-scented everything, even lemon colored stuff. I use lemons in almost everything I cook. I even buy lemons with no particular purpose in mind. Like last week. I went to the supermarket and there were these absolutely gorgeous, big, juicy-looking lemons. Now if you shop organic, you know large fruit is kinda rare. And these lemons were pristine. No blemishes. I just walked over and bought a bag. I took them home. I put them on the counter. I am yet to use a lemon (I haven't cooked anything but oatmeal and eggs in months).

So, I was happy to see that this conditioner was lemon-colored and had a hint of lemon fragrance. It was delicious. Yummy like lemon cupcakes at Sugar Sweet Sunshine delicious. You know what I'm talking about.

Except it just didn't go with my tea tree shampoo. Just imagine the smell. Thank goodness my leave-in has a pretty strong fragrance.

But I like the conditioner. I'm keeping it.

If you buy it, get the matching shampoo or something that smells lemony. And enjoy the "organic" goodness.

So besides the fragrance, I like that this conditioner is seriously detangling. Anybody who has ever used tea tree shampoo ( or any kind of scalp treatment shampoo) knows that you need a serious conditioner.

So I put it in and about five minutes later, I ran my wide-toothed comb through it.... and .... amazing. This detangles like a dream.

Also, it moisturized my hair so that it felt soft, but it rinsed out pretty clean. Squeaky clean. So clean my hairdresser (who shampoos at least 4 times and leaves in conditioner no more than 1 minute) might actually like it.

I was really surprised. I'm used to conditioners that I can still feel in my hair after I wash it out. The ones that leave hair slippery, or oily - but do great things for frizz, so you compromise.

Well, this one is pretty good. But it does not fight frizz all that great, so I needed a finishing cream. But, I'll keep it.

It's kinda like that guy who snores like a jet plane but you keep him because he washes the dishes and puts the seat down. And washes his hands before AND after. (So rare) Besides, there's always earplugs ... or finishing cream ;)

p.s.
You know I had to link those cupcakes, right? Enjoy!

A Blistering Review

I am positively allergic to parabens.

If you're Trinidadian, you know what it means to be "harden". Well, I'm harden for sure. I knooooow that I am kinda allergic. But, I wanted to make sure. And, I had already spent $17 on four ounces of this "amazing shine conditioner" that hair guru suggested. Well, I've got a thing or two to tell him.

The thing has like FOUR parabens. But yup, harden me, I used it. And I went to bed. The next morning (well, afternoon, to be honest) when I woke up, I literally had BLISTERS. Youch!

So, If you think, you're even a mildly allergic, stay away from it. Don't even touch the stuff to read the label.

What was I thinking - using something that contains ingredients that, when used in higher concentrations, makes great floor polish?!
Hmmmm....

Hiar and nails growth update.

I'm one of those people with weak, brittle nails. So I'm really excited to report that they're growing pretty fast. I hope they're going to be stronger, but I have to wait for my old nails to grow out first to be sure.

I'm seeing alot of little fuzzies on my head, too. not just my hair growing out. I think (hopefully this isn't wishful thinking) that I have more fuzzies than before. This is my goal. My hair's thinner and finer in front than in the back, which is probably the reason I got that botched relaxer in the first place. So it looks like my hairline's moving forward - those little baby hairs are multiplying. Maybe instead of baby fuzz i'll have thicker hair. And I could go back to my cheap hair salon in Brooklyn without worrying about breakage so much. So it looks like the Cap'Energy and Biotin are working.

Not that I dodn't enjoy saying
"Oh, I do my hair myself!"
;)

p.s. I'm trying out one of those night time eyebrow growth treatments, too. I hope I don't turn into one of those TV commercial cavemen. Stay tuned.

I <3 Ojon

Update:

My hair is definitely better. It's shiny (I'm not even going to say shinier because, let's face it - it wasn't shiny to begin with) and stays soft straight down to the tips. And I'm not the only one who noticed - so I'm not fooling myself.

It can't be the vitamins, because that's for new hair growth. Vitamins won't help old hair, because hair is dead. I think it's the new products. And I really think the Ojon Restorative treatment plays the biggest part. I've been using it for two full months. I noticed a difference right away, but it took a while till I noticed people staring at my head. So instead of

"What are you using in your hair? Maybe try a different treatment. It's a bit dry."
and
"Wow, you hair looks dry."
and my favorite:
"Did you lighten your hair?"
- "No, it's just parched and crispy. And no, it didn't fry it with a flat iron," I thought.

Now, I'm hearing
"Your hair looks really healthy!"
"What did you do?"

Yay!

Not that I don't wash my hair....

I have weird hair. Sometimes I think that it looks dry at the ends and in desperate need of sheen spray. The hair advice gurus say that if your hair is dry, you should wash little and rarely. (I even read on one famous curly hair stylist's website that curly dry hair shouldn't be washed at all, just the roots, but not often!)

But, my hair gets seriously oily at the roots in a couple of days, and my hair is actually fine (I just have alot of fine hairs). So hair moisturizer is my enemy. I use it only at the ends, and only when absolutely necessary. (This is why I'm taking those vitamins - I'm convinced that my diet makes my hair dull).

But, I do get dry right around my hairline. I dunno why, but I find myself smearing hair oil on my hairline and mopping it up everywhere else. Maybe it's my facewash.

Now scalp condition and hair type are two different things. You want a combination product that helps both. But products are made for either scalp or hair (they are soooo lying if they say it's for both). What really gets me is that the products that are good for my scalp are bad for my hair. And vice versa. Especially since I have "Combination Hair". lol.

People look at me in horror when I tell them how often I wash my hair (shampoo every other day in the summer, condition every day).

"Your hair is going to drop!"

"That will dry out your hair and make it brittle!"

"You're not supposed to do that!"

There must be some ancient law that relaxed hair can't be washed more than once a week. And that's what the hair gurus tell you. I even read in a magazine that you shouldn't wash your hair for 2 WEEKS before and 2 WEEKS after a relaxer!!!!! (So thaaaats why so many people smell funny!) I think that was a joke, not advice.

Like Friday. After doing my 30-second hair job (part, brush left, right, back - done) I looked in the mirror and saw that the crown of my head was a big oily mess plastered to my head. Sigh.

During the week I don't have the time or patience to wash, dry and flat-iron my hair. Especially since I prefer to air dry. I don't even own a blowdryer. I'm so bad at blowing out my own hair. My hands get tired. But, after a few days, my hair is Greasy at the roots. What's a girl to do?

Enter dry shampoo.

I've used earlier versions... like that white stuff in a can that was supposedly sea algae that I could never get off my hair. Brush all you want. Either go with white patches in your hair or wash it and call in late to work.

And the overpriced hair (baby)powder. It came in black, brown, white. It sopped up the oil, alright. And any residue was the same color as my hair. But it left my hair so dull I wanted to spray some of that nasty olive oil sheen on it.... which so defies the point of all that effort.

And these things had the nerve to be expensive!

But, like a true beauty addict, ever-optimistic that this product will work, even if the last ten didn't, I got the Oscar Blandi Pronto! dry shampoo spray. It sat on my dresser all summer long till I finally needed it.

And thank goodness it worked. Not only did it work - it worked just enough - leaving enough of my natural hair oils to keep it soft. Seriously. My hair wasn't gunky with product or sticky, and was NOT dry. But I brushed anyway to be sure. I worked in sections, lifting a piece and sprayin lightly at the roots. Then flipped my down and rustled my hair at the roots, finishing with a good brushing (upside down still).

And here's the best part ----- no odor. No powdery cover-up perfume that just makes you smell funky. I know they call it "fragrance" but I call it "odor" when it stinks. And I don't.

Or, someone really needs to tell me....

Is it working?

Hmmmm.... I dunno. Let me break it down.

The Biotin is making me wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 3:00 am, cooking up breakfast and lunch. I think I'd rather be asleep. Apparently, it "increases metabolism of carbs and sugars". I don't need a faster metabolism. The extra energy's cool, though.

I dunno if the Cap'Energy's working yet. Stay tuned.

The shampoo is doing something. My scalp's definitely different. It doesn't look dry (or at least it didn't until I messed with it). But I think it's making me shed (skin, that is). I'm alot less itchy and flaky (umm... not like it was a big issue. hehe) but get this - just rubbing my skin at the hairline makes me peel. A little, but it's noticeable. My trusty Carol's Daughter Khoret Amen hair oil took care of it, though.

I'm wondering if I'm peeling because I used this paraben-laden conditioner (shhhh) and not because the shampoo's working.

Damn.

Look, I never said this was a scientific process, ok? LOL
I can't help but try everything at once!

MMMMMakeup

So I went to Nars at Lord and Taylor to try out the new fall colors. I got the closest color match ever for foundation - Jamaica. Meh loves it! I tried this brightening moisturizer, which is pearly (crushed pearls) and has a pinkish tint... I think this is it. This is when I wondered why on earth I didn't stock up on crushed pearl creams in China. I saw everyone else buying it, but I was mesmerized by the jewelry. Ahhhh - this must be why there was a crowd at the cosmetics counter.

I also got a blush - Sin (don't like the name) and a RED lipstick. Yup. RED. And I like the way it looks. I haven't worn red lipstick since I was six playing with mommy's 80's makeup. I almost never like the way it looks on me. As a matter of fact, I'm not really that into lipstick; I'm more of a gloss gal. But, in the interest of looking older than 13, I gotta drop this gloss habit. And, my hair won't stick to my lips. Fall in NYC means gusty winds so that at virtually every street corner I have to wick hair away from my sticky lips and by the time I get where I'm going my hair is a greasy, stringy mess.

So this new lipstick, Viridiana brings my collection to a grand total of 2. I've bought more than 2, but I usually throw them away, barely used, cuz they smell stinky. And that's another thing - I love Nars, but all their lip products smell wierd after a few months. Which for me would be only the second time I used it. I've used Gypsy (love it) and Flair (dunno why I even bought that).


So here's the thing - after I bought these 4 products, the lady who did my makeup gave me a FULL SIZE multiple in Palm Beach and a travel-size Body Glow. WHOO HOO! I feel like going back just to see if I get more.

The Multiple is awesome. I use --- to highlight in the summer and as blush in the winter. You can use it anywhere on your face, shoulders, etc.

Or, if you're 8, you can smear it all over your face :D

Remember "the itchy and scratchy show"?

The cartoon Bart Simpson watches. I loved that cartoon.
So I tried the Jason Scalp Normalizing Tea Tree Shampoo (to replace my non-natural Head and Shoulders). Tea tree oil isn't for everyone. It has an um, interesting fragrance. I didn't like it when I was shampooing, but I concentrated on the wonderful things it was supposed to do for my scalp. Afterwards, I used this "natural" but so not natural conditioner by Abba. I liked the way they worked together. The Abba conditioner was supposed to give me outrageous shine (still waiting) and the tea tree oil was supposed to stop itching and flaking - not that I have that problem ;)
I think there should be a penalty for naming your product "pure shine" when it really doesn't help shine at all (not for me, anyway). Some kinda beauty product police, like the fashion police. Anyway, I'm not supposed to use the Abba conditioner anyway. It has at least 3 parabens. I can console myself with that thought. Hmph!

Anyway, two days later, I had to go for the hair oil because my hairline looks dry and flaky (shhhh), but my hair still feels and looks soft and smooth. Maybe the shampoo needs more time, but skip the conditioner - I already got a replacement that's truly "natural", Avalon Organics' Thickening Biotin B-complex Conditioner. This combined with my daily 5000mg Biotin capsules and the Biotin in my hair vitamins.... Oh boy (warning - Biotin overload!)

What? It makes your hair grow? Really?

Check out the drugstore.com sale. It's serious. Really.
So went there to stock up on sale items (haha). It takes me FOREVER to decide what to buy. I literally looked and looked for 3 days. Yup. I closed my laptop, and luckily, everything was still in my shopping cart the next day. It didn't even log me out.

It takes me that long because I HAVE to read all the reviews. I don't just want a tea-tree oil shampoo. I want the one that WORKS, and produces a small miracle. Naturally, This took days, especially since I only shop the natural section. I found it, and I'll write about it when I actually use it.

So after racking up savings, I looked for stuff that was NOT on sale (just a peek). A peek turned into an extra day of shopping. I looked up Phyto (love love love Phyto) to read the reviews, since hair guru raves about the brand. He's not the only one. (I got the Phytospecific Cap' Energy vitamins from Ricky's, and I'm hoping for a miracle). After a bad relaxer and too many blowouts, my hair is seriously chopped up. I want it to grow out FAST. Check out the reviews for Phytospecific on beauty.com (same thing as drugstore.com). To get the vitamins, though, you can go to Ricky's or here.

But see, I'm the kind of girl that always has a plan B. So since I was kinda already at drugstore.com, and since the reviews were kinds good.... I got a 5000mg Biotin supplement, too. And yup, I'm gonna take them BOTH. I might turn into Wolfgirl, but that's what Gigi wax is for ;)

Supernatural efforts to get (truly) natural products

So there's buzz about this-paraben and benzo-that being scary bad for you. The parabens, for one, are bad. Whether or not they are carcinogenic isn't yet scientifically proven, but one thing's for sure... LOTS of people are allergic to parabens. That lotion that gives you a rash or that deodorant or face cream that makes you break out? Might be the parabens. I, for one, am allergic to something in lotions. I'm not sure it's parabens, but almost everything makes me itch, burn, turn red, or all of the above. (If your skin is flaky and irritated... but you don't have horribly dry skin, it might be contact dermatitis - and parabens are definitely proven to cause this reaction).

So, I decided that I'm going to go all-natural by 2009! Except for relaxer. What can I say? I've been bitten by the all-natural tree-hugger bug. I'm a total sucker for organic products.

To get started, I said adios to many of my favorite products, and had a great excuse to go shopping. Alot. (yay!) One of my favorite stops is Ricky's in Kips Bay or thereabouts where I endlessly torture the manager (who I secretly call my hair guru) with my endless circuitous questions about his stock. I'm a sucker for whatever he recommends, too. But he's been dead-on so far.

Let me tell ya... some of these "natural" and "100% vegan" brands are pretty sneaky. Unless it has this logo on the package


... it's not all organic. It's legal to put "natural ingredients" and still add funky chemicals. They didn't say ALL natural, now did they? I researched on drugstore.com for hours, went to Ricky's to stare at labels, went to Flatbush Food Co-op to stare at more labels.... you can see that this went on for weeks till I was completely out of shampoo, conditioner and facewash. I don't just want organic, I want organic and miracle-producing! Ha! If you find it, let me know.

So I gave up looking for certified organic products and just read the labels to make sure it didn't contain anything I didn't like, then sniffed it to make sure it wasn't too stinky, and looked like it might be miracle-producing. Ha! I gave up. I did, however, get to prove that chemistry class IS useful in everyday life. Necessary, even.

So the first thing I tried was a facewash - Avalon Organics' Lavender Facial Cleansing Gel.

There must be a whole lot of women out there who looooove the scent of lavender, evidenced by the abundance of lavender everything on the shelves, but..

I. Hate. Lavender.

No other scent annoys me more than lavender. I think it stinks. There's nothing soothing about it to me. It's plain annoying.

Anywho, I totally bought the facewash because it was the only one I could find that didn't have parabens and didn't look like it was made in someone's garage.

And I love it!!! Except for the stinky lavender.

I really notice a difference. I can wash my face and NOT have a big red flare-up on my neck. Whoo-hoo! And, it also has ingredients like licorice root (calms irritation, evens tone) and flax oil (Omega-3 fatty acids). I notice my skin looks better. Maybe it's because I'm not torturing it every day.

I'm so not switching - this is going to be a new addiction. But I'm getting the moisturizing formula (the Cleansing Milk) next. Summer's over. Time to load on the moisture.

If only it didn't stink....

Gigi Microwaveable Brazilian Bikini Hard Wax

Suffice it to say that I am painfully aware of the horrors of at-home waxing.

I've been at this for a few years. I've had $70 professional waxes at the spa, $35 waxes at the nail / wax / massage salon, and yes, d.i.y.

I can tell ya, shell out the $70 and save yourself the trauma.

But if you wanna go the cheap route, or if you're too modest to put your knees to your chest and have some woman you just met wax your bum (while thinking... "she has a really shitty job"... ha ha) then, my friend, go for the GiGi hard wax.

My first at-home kit was the famous poetic waxing kit. It was so freaking annoying, because you can't microwave it. It comes in a metal jar, and you have to do a double-boiler thing like you're making freaking sabillon. The oil and cleanser it comes with is cool, though.

The cold formulas and cream formulas (hot or cold) are the worst. Seriously. I still have a glob of pink hot cream wax (from GiGi) on my blue sink from months ago, and several washings later, my bath mats are still sticky.

I also used a microwavable stripless hard wax kit from Nad's (the Naughty Nad's product). What a nightmare. That stuff sticks to your skin... but not your hair. And if you've ever used a wax that didn't grip your hair properly... you know I wanted to kill somebody. It yanks your hair.... but doesn't pull it out. And since it sticks to your skin... ouch!
I dunno what the neighbors were thinking after that.

The Gigi hard wax, though, was a dream to work with. It sets fast, grips the hair really, really well, and DOES NOT STICK TO SKIN!!!!

Well, In case you decide to try it, here are some tips:

• Go with a strip-free formula. These have just worked better for me.
• Start applying the wax on a section of hairless skin, and apply inward towards hairy skin. Haha. This makes it easier to grab the wax when you're going to peel it off.
• Work from the outer hairline in (duh).
  
• Remove hair in small, long strips where hair is thickest (if you catch my drift).
• I know it says pull in opposite direction to hair growth, but you'll find that even the pros pull the wax downward if you're removing "everything". How should I say this.... for the regular bikini line, go opposite to hair growth. To go full-on brazillian, start from the top and pull downwards, removing hair in long, thin strips. If you pull in the opposite direction to hair growth here, you will end up in the ER. Trust me.
• Firmly hold skin still while removing wax. Flexibily and dexterity would help here.
  
• Spring for the after-wax lotion or oil from the same brand. You'll need it. Apply liberally.
  
• As I'm sure it says on the label, wait 2 hours before showering. (This is when that after-wax lotion or oil comes in handy).
  
• If you forgot it, use a body oil. (I like Carol's daughter Rose and Jojoba body rub).
• Go to a pro first and just observe their methods before trying it at home.
  

Whether you choose to go pro or solo, get your softest, best-fitting seamless boyshorts out. You'll see.

Ojon Restorative Hair treatment

When this product came out, I have to admit, I thought... Hmmmm... does palm oil really have to be this expensive? Plus, I didn't see any people with my kinda hair endorsing it, so I left it on the shelf.

That's until my "hair guru" at Ricky's told me he swore by it. And that he's dead sure it will do wonders for my kinda hair. The story of me finding my now trusted hair guru is hilarious, so i'll tell it later.

So I shelled out for the smaller size (which I just noticed is more expensive at Ricky's) and took it home. After using it for several weeks, I can safely say that it's the shit.
Really.

Here's how it works for me:

The longer I leave it in, the better. Usually I put it in on friday night and wash my hair saturday afternoon. I noticed that when my hair's straight, I use less. Alot less. My pouf just drinks that stuff up and the next day it's not oily anymore. I can go out with it in my hair (just whip it back) - and it makes my hair look outrageously healthy. If only I could let it down without lookin like I didn't bathe in 3 weeks.

Anyway, then I wash it with my usual 2-in-1 and hit it with some Humectress for 5. I comb it out, blot dry, put in a quarter-size glop of Phytodefrissant serum, and put it up in a towel for a few minutes. Then I let it air dry (Yuuuuuuup. No blow). Later, I run my flat iron thru it, and Hell-ooooo sleek.

I love, love, love this routine because
1) I don't have to wait in a line of fussy bitches with pmdd at the salon
2) I use better shampoo, conditioner and leave in than those cheap chicas
3) I DO NOT have some one bustin up my hair or burning me with hot air

So Ojon is my new best friend. I love the way it smells, and my hair still smells good after I shampoo it. I also use a little bit around my hairline and in my part. It's safe to put a tiny bit in your hair if it gets a little dry at the ends during the week.

And bonus - people are asking me - what did you do to your hair.
And it makes me feel soooooo good to say "Started just doin' it myself"
;)