Hair....Vinegar and oil...My head is a salad!!!!

Hair update

Hey guys, just updating about my hair since last week I did a skin update.  So, I got on the Apple Cyder Vinegar bandwagon. 

Just  in case you haven't heard, vinegar is supposed to be great for balancing the pH of the scalp (thereby making the scalp more healthy) and smoothing the strands of the shaft of the hair.
 Since I gave up shampoo, I have been looking into other means of cleaning my hair and this seemed to be a good thing to try. Not really seen any wow results yet but as you know, I am a good proponent in the six week wait for anything skin related and I count my scalp as skin also.  So, by the end of the year I will see whether my scalp improves. 

Although the PR for this 'Bragg' brand has been OFF the roof, I checked out the 500ml bottle of the stuff which was priced at £10!!!!
Obviously I am not paying £10 for a vinegar unless it is Cherry Balsamic Vinegar handmade, personally for me by Virgin Monks in Modena. 

And since see no reason why this Bragg brand is any different from any other cider vinegar, I brought a bottle of  Aspall's Organic for £2.99.

Sorted!

My normal after washing (from here on in it will be after vinegar-ing) I use an Aussie deep conditioner for dry/damaged hair.

I have decided to buy grapeseed oil for my hair too, giving up all petroleum based products for my hair, I will stick to oiling my scape with natural oils and oils or Rosemary and Yarrow.

For daily care I use African Pride Shea Butter Miracle silky hair moisturiser.  It weighs my hair beautifully especially after a wash out and it is much more 'natural' than other similar products on the market. 

So, I will keep you updated on how it all goes.  Loving being proactive about my hair and skin.

Now for another acid peel on my skin....wish me luck!!!!






*Please note, I have not been paid for posting these links or talking about any product ever.  This is just my opinion only and what I honestly use day to day.

Working out again....plus skin at 24hrs post peel

Ok just finished my burlesque workout, I am starting with that as it is a touch easier than the bellydance fusion and I am more familiar with it. 
Firstly, I am surprised how much I could keep up with, besides the kicks which is always tough for me, I did everything from beginning to end despite a three year break.  I feel really warmed up and flexible now, my back feels great (had another hard night with the baby taking over the bed - result, terrible backache) and I had forgotten how great the endorphine rush from cardio feels.  I really enjoy it since I am not eating chocolate at the moment.

Skin update

My skin feels lovely and soft, not at all sore any more.  The feeling of soreness only lasted about ten minutes anyway.I don't want to count my chickens, but my face does seem a bit more even toned, but I will be able to make a much better comparison in six weeks.

First vegan week plus as of TODAY first peel

So week one of being a vegan AND soya free.  I was expecting to increase my starch and that was exactly what I did. But I am trying to increase my fruit and vegetables too and I have been increasing the supplements.

Haven't seen  a change in my nails yet but my hair feels fantastic!

 So I had my first peel today, I have been waiting since the spring to use it, first I was worried because of my continuous breastfeeding than I couldn't use it during the summer because of the sun so now...blissful autumn.

So , I did my test patch three weeks ago but only had a chance to do the face today, the baby was sleeping and I wasn't expecting an interruption.  I followed the instructions and ooh, my face tingled.  I am now sitting here with a think layer of emollient on my face.  I can't see or feel anything different right now, I don't want to fiddle with my face but we will see after six weeks whether the course worked.

Well that's done it!!

No turning back now...I just booked the Three Wishes Fairy Festival, so barring total disaster, we will be going!!!

Three Wishes 2016!!!!!!!!

Marginalisation, Racism and Exclusion - The politicisation of Beauty

Well that did not take long.  A mere few hours after I posted the link yesterday about this Tumblr with a nice diversity of women on it, this asshat from FB posted this reaction to the picture of this girl.

that chick not look like the woman or people of the Tolkien universe, because she is like black people, her nose and mouth and hair are of black people, this is not a matter of racism, maybe some people thing like this but is not, everyone that read any thing of tolkien universe will realise that is a white people saga, and that is the truth, in Japan there are samurai saga´s and are extraordinary, in China also like the tales of Monkey King and the ancient Emperors and many sagas that are extraordinary also, in Africa there are a lot of heroes and tales about black people like Shaka Zulu and other and are very good, so why white people not have their own extraordinary saga? this is not a matter of racism, I hope that understand the point

Yes dude I understand your point and yes your point IS a matter of racism.

And every single time someone says 'this is not YOUR story, your Elves, YOUR Princesses'...you are marginalising people and that is racist.

Here is a Fairytale for you.

Once upon a time, there was a young black girl living with relatives in a quiet little suburb where nothing much happened.  But once in a while, a marching band came by, the band was very colourful, with their silver Uniforms and their big tasselled hats, but what stood out to the girl was the amazing Majorette who led the band and her awe inspiring twirls of the baton.  "Auntie, Auntie, can 'I be a Majorette?  Please?????"   She asked her Aunt, with all the hope of youth and innocence about what it actually entailed.
"No, they don't let black people do that"  Said her Aunt, with all the authority one would expect from an adult who grew up in a different time.

Was this the American South under Jim Crow?  No, it was London in the 80's and I have no doubt  there was no colour bar with the marching band, it was just black people simply did not do it, not that they were not ALLOWED to but of course, I believed her.

Sadly my aunt who said that has passed away and with her passing goes any opportunity to discuss that issue with her and the effect it might have had on my confidence to feel that I could do anything I wanted to do.  But that is just what the expectations were for them, you just couldn't do everything you wanted to because "they" would not "let" you in. It killed that dream.  How many other girls have dreams crushed like that?  How many well meaning adults are still crushing dreams?

Exclusion, it is a subtle form of racism but so insidious, how many little girls thought they couldn't be Princesses because of it?  How many didn't look like Cinderella or Rapunzel so thought they looked stupid in the dress because they had the wrong skin colour?  Of course we now have Tiana, Tiana is ours.  So WHY would we EVER want to dress like Cinderella EVER!!!!  Don't you know we were kind enough to make Tiana for you???

So here I am Elficising myself (Yes I just made it up) and of course overjoyed for anything that I can be inspired by, that page was heavensent and then someone had to go and diss it, because they woman was not white.  Also devaluing her by not even referring to her as a girl or a woman but a 'chick' and pointing out her black features to other her even more.

I am just so grossed out by people sometimes.

But maybe there is hope for the future?

Updates: Ethnic Elves and dietary changes

So, someone posted this tumblr page on the Elves FB group.  What I like about it is that it is very diverse,

which is SO rare in pictures of Tolkien inspired Elves.  I mean, I understand, I am not unreasonable.  He wrote those books at a different time and Middle Earth as a Europe Expy.  (Am I not merciful?)  So, you know, I don't bust a blood vessel every time someone does fan art of cosplay of a grey elf with white blonde hair (any more than I would moan about (yet another) hot pale vampire with long jet black hair (Oh noes, there is a really sexually attractive vampire..gosh darn it!).  Galadriel (as played by Cate Blanchett is pretty, I get that, Lee Pace's Thranduil is attractive)  the blonde Elves look good, but that doesn't mean that we can't look beautiful, otherwordly and mystical also.

So, my daughter is on a vegan and soya free diet all of November and because I have not managed to wean her entirely (I know, I know, I am a total hypocrite 2.5 years IS waaaaay too long) I have to be vegan and soya free also.  Though I don't believe she has a true allergy to either of these things I think it best to do it and take it seriously, I don't want to be using steroid creams on her for years, it will seriously damage her skin, so it is best to check and see if a difference.  So this will be a good time to kick start my diet, seeing as I am going to be Vegan anyway.  Though to be fair a lot of my snack foods ARE vegan (lots of vegan biscuits out there and I love pretzels, popcorn etc).  I think as long as I increase the vegetable matter and decrease the bread, it will do me a lot of good.  In general my skin is pretty good and my hair looks lovely, it is soft and the braid outs are looking very pretty now that my hair  has grown a bit.  I don't think it will be long enough by June to wear it as is, but I am happy to say the determination to keep my hair natural and NOT heat treat it is paying off in spades!

Arrgh..... Stalling!!!!!

So, my mother visited, I got ill and then my sister went into the hospital all within quick succession (my sister is fine, it was just routine) and I fell off my path. So hard to gain some control when everything is just a bit crazy at the moment. 

I had to do some deep thinking about it this afternoon and then I realised that I was being too hard on myself, I have been so busy trying to be a good daughter, sister, mother, aunt, friend and try and take a wee bit of time for myself in amongst all this (and when I mean wee, let's just say that my 'me' time was three to six am this morning....)

It is only 20 minutes to seven right now and I am wilting, I feel ready for bed but have dishes and a children's bath time to do,  no, I won't get to bed for nearly two hours and I will probably fall asleep again early, when am I do start my face treatments, do my hair or exercise if I don't get to stop all blinkin day?

Arrrgh...perhaps it is not the best idea to write all of this when I am so tired, maybe I should write this in the day when I have more energy, just now I am DEFINITELY suffering from 'doingtoomuchitis'.

Day 5 - Vegan and skin work transition week

Previous weight *30.0
Current weight *29.2
Loss 14 oz

As I promised I started the actual diet part of the transition as soon as school term started.  My niece is in school and my daughter is starting nursery for two days a week.  I have more time for myself.

Almost straight away (24hrs) I noticed a significant increase in energy, I was feeling at the end of my rope with regards to my body last week, glad to feel normal this week.
Went Vegan, lowering sugar (no point in entirely getting rid of sugar until after the holidays)

Other diet changes

Added iron to supplements
Kelp
Flaxseed oil
Multi
Biotin
Glucosamine (Vegetarian)
Garlic

Started re-drinking the green tea.

Skin care

Brought a scrub and a hemp pad to exfolliate face.
Scrubbing feet on regular basis to keep them soft
Filed off bad nail
Moisturising hands on a regular basis
Hydration spray

Hair

Hair was cut to even out
Kept natural to promote healthy growth

New name, new purpose!

OK, I am going to do something I have not done before.  I am going to set myself a public target and I am BRICKING it!!!  a bit anxious.

I am afraid of failure, I am afraid that I will be public
ly humiliated by all of the 2 people that read this blog a year!  But I want this SO much, that I am willing to put myself out there for it.

So, as I have finally come through the fog of babyhood and my toddler is soon to go to nursery part time, I feel I need to take a good harsh look at my body start working on it.  I can't keep using post partum as an excuse two years on (yes I know I have written this before, but now I have a target) My target happens to be an event I have mentioned before, the Three Wishes Fairy Fest  

It is in mid June next year.

My aim is to be THE most awesomest of Elven Mothers there and anyone who has seen me dressed up the the Beer tent or at a Georgian ball KNOWS I can make this work.  I have eleven months and I am going to work my butt off.

Here is a black Elf as inspiration...she is so beautiful......so, it is countdown. I will be chronically my processes including dietary changes, hair, clothing and make up inspirations.  I will take pictures and I will post a comparison photo at the end.  If I fail, than I fail but I won't because I am a stubborn cow to be sure!

Healthy Minds or ignorance is bliss

I had a thought after reading this status update from my 1930s/40s friend

The only thing that will make you feel truly better about the world, people in general and the future is the one thing you can't do.
Avoid the news.

  

I remember when I watched 'Time Warp wives' one of the women in it was SO oblivious to  current affairs that she had no idea that Tony Blair was no longer the Prime Minister (this was screened after Gordon Brown became PM).  I was both admiring and repulsed.  How could anyone allow themselves to be so ignorant of current affairs?  Women died and were tortured by force feeding just so we had the right to vote.

Clearly some people can avoid the news, but should we?  How much better is it to immerse yourself in the past if you don't have to be reminded of the vile modern society we live in?

I wish I had the will power to immerse myself to that degree, mind you I have gone straight from having the TV on News24 to having it on childrens TV 24/7 I am definitely not as well informed as I used to be, but still that is only the same as the average Briton I suppose.

And I still have to remember that my Wartime friend, who coined the term Neo-Traditionalist, is still one of my better informed friends of current events.

I have the strongest desire to get unplugged and read all the books on my reading list. Cook historical recipes and spend much more time out of doors, then the lure of the interweb pulls me back, the ease of ready made veggie burgers and frozen veg.  *sigh* Must...try...harder!

Make up and beauty

Just posted this on my FB and wanted to put it in here too.  I am particularly interested in the eyebrow style.

I am currently growing my (albeit fairly threadbare) brows out, my friend is going to shape them and I want her to find a more 50's shape than the modern shaping one tends to get with the threading.