Makeover Wednesday!

I've decided to use Wednesdays to disperse my knowledge of everything girl-related. From hair coloring to lovely pedicures, from hats to high heels! I'll be giving some tips and hints as well as personal opinions and ideas on how to keep looking beautiful. Stay tuned on Wednesdays, girls!



Today's topic: Taming dry, frizzy hair.

Frizzy hair comes from environmental factors, as well as damage from heated styling tools or chemical treatments.

My own naturally wavy hair has been a giant nest thanks to a previous bleach-blonding experiment. I have also been the victim of extreme day-to-day heat styling. So, for several months I've been trying new tactics and experimenting with all sorts of products in order to achieve the soft locks that I once had.

So let's see how we can tame those tangles!



Step One: While in the shower, shampoo and condition with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Before using the conditioner, gently squeeze any excess water out of your hair. I highly recommend products that contain nourishing oils such as the products in the photos above (Dove Nourishing Oil Care, One N' Only Argan Oil Moisture Repair). Do not attack your hair with the towel. Gently squeeze excess water and pat out the moisture.



Step Two: If you can help it, allow your hair to air-dry. While you're waiting, apply a leave-in. Personally, I'm a big fan of One N' Only Argan Oil (photo above). The trick is not to use heat-styling tools very often, but if you are going to have to blow dry your hair, then apply a heat protector either over the leave-in or in place of it. I'm in love with TRESemme Heat Tamer (photo above). Otherwise, leave your hair to air-dry.



Step Three: If you have air or blow dried your hair, but still need to style your hair for an event, spritz your hair with a heat protector, or use a protecting cream. I've only just started using Ion Healing Jojoba Flat Iron Cream (photo above), but my hair felt nice and soft afterwards!



Step Four: Use protein treatments once to three times a week if you have dyed or bleached hair. I use One N' Only Brazilian Tech Keratin shampoo and conditioner (photo above). The reason keratin and protein treatments shouldn't be used excessively is because sometimes it can actually dry out the hair, but it's needed if your hair has been bleached because basically, when one bleaches their hair, they're taking out the protein from it.



Step Five: I have naturally dark chocoloate locks, but am always experimenting with hair color, especially bleach, which is a definite no-no if you want healthy hair. My whole head of hair was turned blonde in one of my hair-coloring experimentations, and I found out that I don't look very good with blonde hair. In order to get back to my natural color I used a box of hair color that you can buy from any drug store. That was a big mistake. Those kits actually lift color out of your hair in order to deposit the new color, even the ones that say semi-permanent. If your intent is to go darker, use a hair glaze. Hair glazes are deposit only and no lift. I just recently used Wella's Color Charm Demi Permanant No Lift (photo above) and after rinsing out the color and using a moisturizing conditioner, my hair looked and felt healthier. Also, if you are going darker, get a shade or two lighter than what you really have in mind.



Step Six: Get your hair trimmed regularly. It's been a few months since my hair was blonde and there's still quite a bit of damage left that I've been cutting off and every time I get a trim, my hair feels much better. Try not to have your hair stylist razor-cut your hair; sometimes razor cuts lead to pulling and tugging at your tresses, causing breakage. Some expert stylists are able to cut your hair to look like it has been razor-cut, but without using such a damaging technique. Get your hair trimmed every four to six weeks.

Now, let me wrap this up. All in all, be very gentle with your tresses. Dry, frizzy hair is more likely to break off when not handled correctly. Try not to use heat to style your hair either, if you can help it. I hope these tips help you out! Tune in next Makeover Wednesday, ladies!

PS. I will be visiting my brother for a week, so I'm sorry if I won't be able to update this blog until then.

Manly Monday!

I do believe that many men who are willing to read from this blog will truly benefit from it. All too often, women are the ones who are practically killing themselves in a relationship. It's only understandable that a man should pick up his fair share. Therefore, I'm introducing Manly Mondays. One day out of the week where I talk about how men can improve their present and future relationships. Sadly, today's Manly Monday! is going to be short, but beneficial nonetheless.



Chivalry is pretty much dangling by a fine thread, practically clinging to life support! But, my fine fellows, it isn't dead yet. Sadly, chivalry is beginning to come to a close. Well, as women, we simply can't let that happen. For what attracts a woman to a man is his ability to be a gentleman at all times. No woman wants to be around a neanderthal who yells and spits and, for some reason, can't seem to find the toilet when they pee.



Today is going to be a simple gentlemanly tip, and one I'm sure that every man knows (but sadly doesn't act on in most cases): Opening the door for others.

Now, let's be honest. I know how to open a door. I'm sure every woman knows how. But to tell you the truth, it's a very nice and considerate gesture when a man does it. All too often during a date or even out with a good guy friend of mine, I am stuck being the door person because the boy suddenly lost the ability to reach out for a door handle.

Opening a door is so very simple, so why should it matter? I'll tell you why it matters, bucko! For a guesture that is so small and simple, it actually says a lot about a man. It shows you are confident and respectful, which are two aspects of a man that a woman finds enduring. The more you respect a woman, the more respect you'll gain in return.

And this doesn't mean you should just open the door for women. It's nice to know that you'll open a door for your date, but what about your elderly? Or a stranger holding a large parcel who is trying to open the door to their complex? Opening doors for others should be second nature. Showing kindness and respect for others will benefit you considerably.



With this knowledge you don't have to wear a ton of chain mail or own a steed to be a woman's knight in shinging armor. Tune in on Mondays, men.

Storybook Sunday!

It's a glorious Sunday afternoon! Before I moved, Sundays were usually my only days off and I actually kept myself busy all day with stuff I didn't get to do throughout the rest of the week while I was working. But today I finally have time to laze about, which is exactly how things should go on a Sunday.

Whenever I have free time I usually get on my computer or cellphone and go to FanFiction.net for some juicy Hey Arnold! fanfiction. Not all works in the Hey Arnold! community are fiction. In fact, one of my favorite authors is one that I enjoy specifically for her essays on the Hey Arnold! show. There is one particular essay of hers that I would like to suggest to all who are just now entering into the Hey Arnold! obsession.

Today's reading is: An Ultimate Hey Arnold! Essay, written by HAFanForever

This essay gives a brief introduction to the show, such as who the creator is and how long it aired, as well as future ideas that were never put to work. It also goes on to describe in detail two of the main and, in the Hey Arnold! community, most well liked characters. I do believe that this is one of the best essays that describe the Arnold and Helga relationship perfectly.

Do not be hesitant to read this because you are already familiar with Hey Arnold! This essay is also a very good read for those who are quite familiar with the show, but would like a new perspective of things. I have been quite familiar with the show for some time, but this essay actually helped me learn a few more tid-bits that I had not thought of before, or had not put much thought into in the beginning. It has been a nice refresher for me.

Do take the time to give this essay a read. I promise you will not be disappointed.

For more of HAFanForever's works, take a look at her FanFiction profile HERE.

Friday Night Movie!

I've decided to have a more scheduled blog starting today. I've been wanting to do this for a while, but haven't had much time. I'm not going to make any promises right now because I am still becoming adjusted to my own schedule, so just bare with me for the time being.

Today is Friday, the beginning of the weekend, the beginning of freedom and sanity (or insanity if you so please)! And what better way to start the weekend with your girl friends or even a pint of your favorite ice cream flavor for a night of awesome flicks?

I know it's extremely cliche, but I really dig chick flicks. A lot of them are really cheesy and lame, but I think it's embedded into all girls' subconscious to love them anyway.

Tonight's pick is Win a Date with Tad Hamilton.



Why did I pick this one? Because I just watched it last night... Haha! But it made me realise, between the cheesy lines and lame acting, that the movie was in some way similar to Arnold and Helga's relationship.

Rosie really likes Tad Hamilton, but Pete really loves Rosie. Kind of like how Arnold really likes Lila Sawyer (or liked, according to Timberly Loves Arnold, when Arnold said he was done with pursuing Lila), but Helga really loves Arnold.





What do Lila and Tad have in common? To everyone else, they are two perfect beings. Lila is beautiful, Tad is handsome. They both have a sort of act going on. Lila has the nice-girl act down, which attracts Arnold, while Tad acts chivalrous in order to keep Rosie attached.





What do Helga and Pete have in common? They are both head over heels for Arnold and Rosie, yet they dare not say anything to anyone. Although, I do think that Helga would go to more extremes to see that Arnold is in good hands, while throughout the movie I was a bit disappointed in Pete's willingness to do the same. He actually acted kind of like a jerk a few times, but then, Helga is kind of a bully to Arnold.





What do Arnold and Rosie have in common? I think the fact that they are both dense as rocks is a huge deal. They don't realise that Helga or Pete love them so much. They are also blinded by infatuation. Lila seems perfect to Arnold, and Tad seems perfect to Rosie, but the fact is, their personalities do not match as couples at all. Lila is too simple for Arnold, and Tad is too complicated for Rosie (because Rosie is more of a small town girl and Tad is a famous, busy actor).





I feel like this is just an essay comparing the movie to my obsession with Hey Arnold!, so I'll just close by saying that I recommend you watch this movie. And for men who aren't chick-flick-shy, I also recommend you watch this movie because Pete says something to Tad about Rosie that seriously made me gush and would probably make any other girl gush if it was said about them and of course was not made up.

Now, I know that Helga Pataki is likely not one of those girls who will spring for a chick flick, so on the next Friday Night Movie I promise I'll pick a different genre. =]

What If?

I'm sure many of you have wondered, boys and girls, what would have happened if you would have done one little thing different. What if you had taken the red pill instead of the blue pill*? What if you had ordered the soup with your meal instead of the salad**? These are actually quite little things that probably wouldn't even matter. You can always order a soup the next time you go to that restaurant. I'm talking about something of bigger importance. Something you probably can't change once it has been done. I am talking about interacting with someone you may particularly like.

When I was still in high school, there was this boy that I had a big crush on. One day, after school was out, I was talking to him in the parking lot by his truck. We had talked until just about everyone else had left. That's when I got the guts to finally tell him how I felt. I told him that I liked him, and his reaction was better than I expected, because he told me he felt the same way. I was so excited that I wanted to kiss him. And why not? We both just confessed to liking each other, no harm in sharing a kiss, right? But for some reason I thought kissing him would be too much, so I kept my lips to myself and thought, maybe tomorrow.

When tomorrow showed up, my heart felt as though it had gotten thrown down a flight of stairs. The boy I had just confessed my feelings for was acting quite intimate with a girl I had never seen before, but word had gotten out fast that she was now DATING this boy. The SAME boy who had just one day ago confessed to me that he liked me! And that was when I saw the two steal a kiss in the hallway.

It has been years since this has happened, and I am over the kid, but ever since then I have always wondered to myself, what if I would have kissed him after our confessions? That thought used to torture me all those years ago, but now I just think it's silly because I can tell you what would have happened.

This kid I had once liked was probably one of the worst choice in boys, and not because he broke my heart, but because he was one of those bad-boy types who did illegal drugs and had sex with girls he had just met. I did not know this until later, but it gives me chills to think what would have happened. I would most likely be a single mother, living in a trailer home and suffering from drug withdrawals because I couldn't afford both diapers and cocaine. I would barely even have a life if I would have kissed this kid in high school.

That seems a bit far-fetched, but I truly think the smallest decisions can change our lives for better or worse. And maybe my imaginary present wouldn't have happened if I would have kissed the kid, but all I know is that when you think you've made a wrong decision, don't get hung up on it, especially if it involves a guy or a girl. If things don't happen between the two of you, maybe that's how it was meant to be. Looking back at all of the boys that I had once liked or dated, a lot of them weren't the ones for me at all and I'm glad nothing more came out of those crushes and relationships.

Bottom line, don't get hung up on the what ifs when it comes to guys and girls. There is still a Mr./Ms. Right out there for everyone.

I've been meaning to mention this earlier, if you feel you have made a decision that lead to an abusive relationship, you still have a choice of getting out of that relationship. Not all decisions are final.

*reference to the movie The Matrix
**reference to the television show Family Guy