Daily, OOTD, paleo, Photos

OOTWW

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What a day to change around my winter tires. Here’s a little story for you all to enjoy…

My car had been sreaching/squealing 3x in the last two months, and of course I’m in the car alone when it happens so it’s hard explaining exactly where the noise is coming from.

Since it happened a few times recently, I decided to cart around my small digital camera to record a video of the noise when it happens next. I pulled out my camera to record it once, but I didn’t end up hitting record after all. I guess that’s what happens when you roll down your window, stick your camera out while driving to capture some noise. All the while people are covering their ears from the noise. Omg people, I know. Stress levels here. Can’t you see me turning red?

Anyway. I got the Boyf to bring my car into the mechanic this morning so my mechanic wouldn’t have to drive 15km back/forth to my work and waste my own gas/mileage. Instead, I took the bus into work – first bus stop which was close to my house and already I made the mistake of not wearing some sort of splash-pants. Do they still make those? I don’t care I’d totally wear them. I had a rain coat on but my pants and boots were soaked right through. Some man was also waiting for the bus and he shared his umbrella with me while we waited together. How nice was that?!

So I’m on day 6 of my paleo challenge. I plan to write up a full blog post of my week on Sunday. Stay tuned for that if you’re interested in seeing absolutely everything I ate this week. Every. Thing. Hey, I didn’t even cheat once – you proud or what? Go ahead, wave that candy in my face. I won’t eat it.

k. Onto the outfits of the work week. ootwwEnjoy your Friday evening! I’m off to make some salmon, asparagus and sweet potatoes.

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Hair, Photos, Reviews

My hair routine, with Kérastase Initialiste

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I’m very particular about my hair, and I have been taking great lengths (heh) to keep it healthy since January 2012. Right now I’m washing it 2-3 times per week. I end up washing my hair on Tuesdays, Thursdays and sometimes (most likely) Saturdays.

The night before I know I’m going to wash my hair, I coat the ends with Josie Maran argan oil then sleep with my hair in a high pony. I go through my regular hair washing routine which is grab any type of shampoo that I see in the shower and use it.

Upon stepping out, I wrap my hair up in a towel and let it set until it’s just about dry. From then I use a wooden wide tooth comb that I bought at The Body Shop more than a few years ago. Sometimes I take my time and I graze through my hair ever so gently with the comb. Others? I’m ravenous and in a hurry and just comb from top to bottom. Tsk tsk tsk, I know ladies. There’s always a concern with my delicate hair — it breaks sometimes since it’s so fine! I cringe, hunch, and make a sour face when I hear my hair get stuck in my wooden wide tooth comb and I hear this “SNAP”. Dangit! I tried so hard this wash. All I can do is clean off the comb and try to be more careful. Next time.

Then, my friends — we have the oompf–maker–extrordinare. Meet my hair’s new best friend: Kérastase Initialiste. Ain’t she pretty?Kerastase

I wasn’t expecting to open it and be greeted with an eye dropper tool like this. I should probably explain what it is, shouldn’t I? Kérastase Initialiste is a leave–in treatment that you put in your towel dried hair. It’s the first ever hair and scalp serum (by Kérastase) which helps make our hair thicker, look shinier and become more resistant to breakage.Kerastase2

The YouTube video explains on how to apply it with the eyedropper:

Usage: 2-3 pipettes for fine hair and 3-4 for thicker hair. Since your hair is delicate when it’s wet or damp, massage the serum lightly with your fingers, to evenly distribute over your entire scalp. Like all  Kérastase products, the Initialiste smells great — like the scent of a nice ripe big ol’ green apple, if I had to put my finger on it.Kerastase-Initaliste

 Kérastase uses stem-cell technology which comes from the skincare products, this serum is another new way to take care, and baby your hair all the while it improves the quality of it by starting from the scalp.

I received this product at the beginning of March, so I’ve had quite a few hair washes since then. The appearance of my hair feels thicker when I touch it at the root, and since I have fine limp hair, I don’t notice the  Kérastase weighing it down at all. The shine, and silkiness of my hair has nothing to do with this product at all, however. I have pretty silky hair naturally and I haven’t noticed a difference in shine. Maybe I should dye my hair more often, that usually does it!

I don’t like my reviews to be all positive, and saying everything I review is the bee all end all. I do have a con about the Initialiste, it’s expensive – you can’t doubt that. Would I buy it myself for that price?

The suggested retail price for Kérastase Initialiste is $55 for 60ml and will be available at salons in May 2013.

Find Kérastase on twitter, facebook and youtube.

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Beauty, Photos, Reviews

Nail biters unite!

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I remember in elementary school, I used to bite my nails so much that it must’ve annoyed my parents. Because soon after, I was sitting down on the kitchen table with my finger nails getting painted with some god awful clear polish that made people stop biting their nails. It worked.

It has this disgusting bitter taste to it that doesn’t even really go away when you brush your teeth.

How do I remember it so vividly? Mavala

I received Mavala Stop from Nail Polish Canada to review on my blog, and though I don’t bite my nails anymore, I do take the skin off, around it. Gross, I know.

I applied a thin even coat to a few nails, and let it dry for a minute and get this — I licked it off.Mavala-Stop

At first, I couldn’t taste it and I’m like, well this product is total junk. There’s no taste at all. How is this even working? Then literally, not more than 2 minutes later my mouth filled up with this taste that made me want to vomit. It was bitter, that’s all I can tell you. I had to brush my tongue TWICE with toothpaste to get it off entirely. Then, I removed the bitter polish from my nails, with nail polish remover.

The instructions were correct.Mavala-instructions

Are you a nail biter? I only do it when I’m thinking about something that’s either bothering me, or when I’m concentrating hard, or if I’m watching a  movie. Wow, sounds like I do it a lot, don’t I?

This product works. That’s all I’m going to say on that. It’s just SO disgusting I don’t know anyone who would be willing to put this on their fingers. Though, if biting your nails really ticks you off, then of course apply it.

Instructions for use:

  • Apply one coat of Mavala stop on the entire nail.
  • Wait 1 minute for it to dry (try not to lick it).
  • Repeat the application every 2 days until you have broken the habit of biting your nails.

Things to know:

  • You may remove the Mavala Stop with nail polish remover.
  • After 10 days your nails should have grown normally, but may require strengthening.
  • The efficacy of this product might be compromised on younger children, as their taste buds are not fully developed and they could like the bitterness of the product (!!!?).
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