[Hairstyle] 7 Days 7 Ways | The #WashDayExperience

Have you ever gotten into a hair rut? Same style day in and day out? I realized that I was becoming obsessively addicted to my lazy low bun. So, I decided to challenge myself to a week of no repeats. Plus give you guys an inside look into what I do with my hair between wash days!

DAY 1: Deep Condition + Perm rods
Curly Upsweep

Starting with last week's #washdayexperience, here's my curly upsweep. I adored this look. It was so simple but still really classy. Truth be told--I didn't plan on getting this look, when I pulled down my perm rods, the curls were super defined and really tight. I didn't want to fluff them to death and possibly ruin a chance at a good next day style so I pulled them up into this do.

Then, I went beast mode in cardio kickboxing. Poor poor curls didn't stand a chance. I get asked a lot how long my perm rod curls last. Honestly, I really don't know. I workout 5-6 days a week and the purpose of a perm rod set to me is to stretch my hair and make styling easier in the days after. I'm so sorry guys!
 
That night, I took what reminded of my curls and flat twisted them in 6 sections. I secured the ends with white perm rods and went to bed. Surprisingly, it only took me 15 minutes to set my hair. #winning.

Read about the products and techniques that I used for this Curly Upsweep here.

DAY 2: Low Manipulation Style
Flat Twist Out and Curl

This was one of my favorite styles of the week! I wasn't really expecting much from my flat twist and curl. After suffering from years and years (I'm NOT exaggerating here y'all. My twist outs have served epic hair fail after epic hair fail) of really bad twist outs, I've learned to lower my expectations. So when this style actually looked presentable, I twirled y'all! That night, I bantu knotted my hair in 6 sections and went to bed.

Both of my successful twist outs have been done on stretched hair---I think that I might be ready for a more defined wet set! Fingers crossed that it doesn't look all jacked up!

How I turn busted twist outs into cute protective styles

DAY 3: Protective Style
Head Band Tuck x2

I must have bantu knotted my hair in the dark--with one hand tied behind my back---because my curls were really wonky.  Whenever I don't know what to do with my hair, my go to style is the Head band tuck.

After looking at the pictures, I really hated my first take. So I took it down, shook my head around to loosen up the curls more then tried again. For the second take, I skipped the jeweled headband, let a few curls frame my face and made the tuck tighter on the sides. Much much much better!

My Headband Tuck Tutorial 

DAY 4: Co-wash + Protective Style
Banana Clip French Tuck


I deep condition or co-wash my hair every 3-4 days. This isn't really new, but since my big chop it is definitely easier to commit to because my hair doesn't tangle in the wash! I applied Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Moisturizing hair smoothie to my dry tangle free hair, massaged a little extra virgin coconut oil on top, then covered with a plastic cap and let it sit for a while without heat. I used this conditioner last summer (You can check it out here) but it didn't wow me. This time, I was intrigued by how soft and fluffy my hair was when I rinsed it all out. In fact, my hair was so moisturized that I didn't use a leave in conditioner after wards! I just added a little more extra virgin coconut oil then pulled my hair into this french tuck using a banana clip and 3 large bobby pins.

I really struggle with styling my wet hair. Right now, I'm all about stretched hair so I don't usually allow my hair to dry without being stretched. Luckily, this style is a 1-2 combo. It stretched my roots and kept my ends moisturized. That night, I removed one side of the banana clip to loosen it up then covered with my scarf.

3 Ways I Use Banana Clips For Protective Styles

DAY 5: Protective Style
Top Knot

My roots were beautifully stretched from my previous style so it made it super easy to pull my hair up into this top knot. I just pull my hair into a high puff, twist it into 4-6 sections then wrap them around to form a bun. Okay...that explanation was terrible. I owe y'all a tutorial! 

That night, I covered with a scarf and went to bed.

DAY 6: Protective Style
Knotted Updo

I'm perfectly obsessed with knotted hair styles right now! I revisited my knotted updo from a few weeks ago. But I kinda forgot to take pictures---so y'all get stuck with the one from the tutorial.

I didn't need to band my hair this time---it was already stretched from the previous day's styles. before knotting, I moisturized with Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner---my favorite leave in of allll time---and sealed with a little hair butter. 

Love it? Recreate it with my super simple step by step tutorial here.

Day 7: Protective Style
Goddess Braids

With my half-marathon training back into full swing, I dawned a set of Goddess Braids for my long training session. 7+ sweaty miles later, every single hair was still in place. Even though my hair still felt really moisturized, it's time to wash and start the process all over again!

My Top 5 Workout Hairstyles

So now you know my terrible dirty little secrets. I don't moisturize and seal daily. I wash my hair frequently. I live in protective styles. I hope you still like me! Ha-ha!

Would you take the 7 days 7 ways challenge?

How was your #washdayexperience?

Besitos!
KLP

An InLinkz Link-up

3 Tips for Exercising With Natural Hair | #FitnessFriday

I'm only a few weeks post big chop, but I'm totally not new to the struggle to keep your hair looking cute and going beast mode in the gym. Here's how I'm managing---so far.

Instead of shampooing---co-wash

If you workout more than 4 hours a week, you should probably be washing your hair twice a week. Shampoos tend to strip my hair so, I started co-washing a few summers ago while I was stretching my relaxers. Co-washing made my roots soft and fluffy. While it kept my scalp free of sweat, dirt, and grime. I was able to prevent my ends from knotting by detangling pre-wash and then washing in sections. Since my chop, I'm loving co-washing even more! My hair actually doesn't tangle anymore! #winning.

Protective Styles

I love me a good protective style! Top knots, low buns, halo braids,  french twists. You name it---I'm about it. If you're used to having your hair free, then it will take a lot of getting used to, but I promise that your hair will thank you. Plus in an updo--you won't have to fuss about with your hair!

No heat

If you love a wash-and-go---then you're good to go. But if you're like me and not about that life (yet) then you need to find a way to stretch your hair...without heat. Damage from using heat tools too frequently is real! Make air drying will be your friend. I've been using the banding technique for about a 1 1/2 year (even before I big chopped) to stretch my hair. You can find the dets here.

What are your tips for keeping your hair cute while you get your sweat on?

Besitos!
KLP

An InLinkz Link-up

[Hairstyle] Curly Upsweep (Perm Rods) | #WashDayExperience

My natural regimen and my stretching-turned-transitioning regimen hasn't been all that different. Plus so far all of my favorite products since work like a charm! Thank ya Jesus! Here's how my #washdayexperience went:

1. Extreme Deep Condition- As I detangled my hair in sections, I applied Jessicurl Deep Treatment from root to tip then massaged in a little extra virgin coconut oil to seal the conditioner in. I covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heat cap again for about an hour. 
2. Air dry- After rinsing the deep conditioner, I blotted my hair with a cotton t-shirt, applied a little extra virgin coconut oil in sections then wrapped it in the t-shirt to dry a bit more.  
3. Leave-ins- My hair was about 80% dry when I applied a mist of Nexxus Humctress Luxe Leave In, Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner and a dab of my hair butter then I set my hair on a mix of purple and white perm rods. I let them dry overnight. 

The Results:

My hair loves everything about Jessicurl Deep Treatment. It's crazy thick, dreamy creamy, and simply one of the most moisturizing deep conditioners that I've ever used. If they ever changed the formula, I'd cry. No seriously...I'd cry ugly Oprah crocodile tears. That's how much I love this stuff. 

I co-washed a few days before this #washdayexperience so I didn't shampoo. My scalp felt clean and my hair was actually well moisturized. I probably could have waited another day or two to wash but one thing that I've discovered since chopping is that my hair behaves a lot better when I wash every 3-4 days as opposed to washing once a week. I sorta knew this before I chopped but dealing with the tangling between all my textures just didn't make bi-weekly wash sessions it worth it. It seems to be a mortal sin to wash more than once a week around the healthy hair community but whatevs y'all. If it works---it works. If it doesn't---it doesn't. So far---it's working. 

I'm in love with the way that my curls turned out. The mix of purple and white rollers gave my curls dimension and a fullness that orange rods hadn't since I chopped. To style, I pulled all of the curls up and to right side then secured with a bunch of pins. Easy peasy!

How was your #washdayexperience?

Besitos!
KLP

An InLinkz Link-up

[Tutorial] Easy Knotted Updo for Natural Hair

I know that this style looks quite complicated, but I promise you that it's not. PLUS it takes all of 5 minutes to do. If you struggle with braiding your own hair, are transitioning and want to hide your ends, or just looking for an easy protective style then this is the updo for you! It's literally a row of knots pinned into a bun. Here's how I do it:

1. Make a heavy side part then position your bangs behind your ear (if necessary).
2. Starting that your crown, grab two large sections of hair. 
3. Loop the section into a knot. (Like you would tie two pieces of string together) Place a bobby pin through the center of the knot to secure.
4. Hold on to your previous sections, plus gather a little more hair in each hand. Loop another knot. Secure with a bobby pin. 
5. Repeat step 4 again and again until you reach your nape. I did 4 knots. If your hair is longer or you use smaller sections, you may need to do more knots.
6. Tuck the reminding hair around your final knot and secure with a bobby pin on each side. 

Polish the look by smoothing your edges with little edge control. (My favorite is Chi Twisted Fabric) Then cover with a satin/silk scarf to tame flyaways.

Oh and of course this look is gorgeous on straighter hair too. Check out Keoshia's sleeker Knotted look:

So what do you think? Is this one worth a try?

Besitos!
KLP

My #FitnessFriday Lust List

Since confessing my half-marathon fails to you guys last week, I feel re-energized and focused. I was able to get a couple really good runs in before my part of the world got hit with a super cold arctic freeze that dumped 1/2 - 1" blanket of ice over everything. My times were fanastic and surprisingly my endurance was even better. It kinda made me wonder if my month break was exactly what my body needed. Anywhos, while I was out running in the I cannot believe that its this cold at the beach weather, I realized that I was going to need to add a few more items to my half-marathon running gear just in case it's this stupid cold next month. Here's what's on my #FitnessFriday Lust List today:

1// Nathan Trail Mix Hydration Belt ($45)
I've never been a fan of hydration belts. I was afraid that they would be bulky or bounce about while I ran. I'm incredibly clumsy just standing still, so attempting to run, pull a water bottle out, drink from it, and put it back is going to take some serious practice. #judgeme #imterrible But after my 20 mile run/walk a few weeks ago, I realized that there is no way that I can tackle long distances without water. Before my half-marathon, I'm definitely investing in a hydration belt so that I don't die. The added bonus: it's roomy enough to hold my keys, a couple of dollars, and my id. #winning Plus my running buddies from BGR say that this Nathan belt is amazing.

2// Under Amour Knit Gloves ($18)
I already have really warm moisture-wicking (texting) running gloves, but in this cold, they just aren't enough to keep my fingers warm! I'm hoping that another layer of cozy knit warmness will do the job.

 

3// Under Armour Knit Beanie ($18)
Monday, I ran in 20 degree temps. While my body was super warm and my ear-warmer headband kept my ears nice and toasty. But my head was COLD! This cute little Under Arnour Knit hat matches my running jacket, is sweat resistant and has coating that retains body heat! I can not believe that I'm this siced for a hat. #runninggirlproblems

4// Foam Rollers (price varies by size)
Another bit that I learned from my 20 miler. I hate foam rollers. But OMG that are a necessary evil. Especially if you---maybe want to walk the day after a ridiculously long run. Once I started running 10+ miles I noticed aches and pains in all kinds of muscles that I never knew that I had. Foam rollers are excellent at working out the kinks.

Cross your fingers that the hubster is reading!

What's on your #FitnessFriday lust list?

Besitos!
KLP

An InLinkz Link-up

[Review] DermOrganic Products {Keyda}

Hola Chicas!
Over a month ago, I stumbled across "DermOrganic" as I was shopping for my DC. After reading the ingredients, I was intrigued as I desperately need to keep the moisture and strength in my hair. So, I bought travel size bottles of their shampoo, conditioner and hair repair masque. I wanted to use it for a significant amount of time before reviewing. I must say this might be a new found treasure. :) 

DermOrganic Daily Conditioning Shampoo with Argan Oil 

Ingredients:Aqua/Eau/Water, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Methyl Gluceth-20, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Rice Amino Acids, PCA, Panthenol B5, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Glycereth-2 Cocoate/Benzoic Acid, Parfum/Fragrance
 

Directions:
Apply to wet hair, massage, and rinse. Follow with DermOrganic Masque and/or DermOrganic Daily Hydrating Conditioner.
 

The Real: I absolutely love how clean it makes my scalp/hair feel. It also lathers up really well and there is still a lot in my "travel" size container. You only need a small amount to fully clean your hair. With my increase in tangles, it helped tremendously to detangle my hair and make it more manageable. I have actually found pre-detangling now less of a headache (still a small one lol) and more manageable as I have used DermOrganic consistently. My scalp has also been less irritated as well. During the winter and stressful times, my eczema gets pretty bad and effects my scalp as well. And it is winter...and I am planning a wedding... lol 


DermOrganic Daily Conditioner


Ingredients:Aqua/Eau/Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol B5, Rice Amino Acids, Methyl Gluceth-20, Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Organic Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, PCA, Glycereth-2 Cocoate & Benzoic Acid, Parfum/Fragrance.

Directions: 
Apply and distribute throughout clean hair, then rinse. Follow with DermOrganic Leave-In Treatment or DermOrganic Shine Therapy.
 

The Real:  
My hair is in a very weird phase to me haha! I have not had a touch-up since July and I am ensuring there is minimal damage to my hair while it still grows. This conditioner is AWESOME! It has helped detangled my hair and has really been beneficial to both my natural/texlaxed strands. It adds a nice shine as well but it mainly helps keep my strands not as frizzy. 


DermOrganic Intensive Hair Repair Masque 

Ingredients:Aqua/Eau/Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Organic Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Methyl Gluceth-20, Rice Amino Acids, Panthenol B5, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Glycereth-2 Cocoate/Benzoic Acid, Parfum/Fragrance.

The Real: Again, another hit for DermOrganic! I am not a huge fan of the smell but it works. It also does not have much slip but you can work it through your hair. It made my hair feel soft right away and I noticed stronger hair after the second use. 


Overall, I definitely want bigger sizes of the products and to rotate this product in my regimen. Especially, since I am not sure when/if I will be getting another touch-up. I will be seeing what other products DermOrganic has and may give them a try. With natural ingredients and a great feeling in my hair...I might have a winner! We shall see... 


Have you tried this before!? 


xoxo
Keyda 

[Hairstyle] Knotted Updo for Natural Hair | The #WashDayExperience

After reading about all of the lust worthy protective styles that you guys were sporting last week---I kinda felt left out! So this week, I skipped the bantu knots, perm rods, and twist outs for something simpler. Here's how my #washdayexperience went:

1. Pre-Shampoo- To start, I gently detangled and applied Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle from root to tip. I massaged in a little extra virgin coconut oil to seal in the conditioner, covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heat cap again for about an hour. 
2. Shampoo- I rinsed the pre-shampoo treatment then shampooed my hair with Matrix Biolage Hydratherapie Shampoo once.
3. Protein Treatment- After using a cotton t-shirt to absorb most of the water, I applied Joico K-Pak Revitalisant (the cheaper thinner cousin of K-Pak Revitaluxe). I left it on for about 20 minutes before...
4. Extreme Deep Condition- rinsing and applying Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm + a little coconut oil. I covered my hair with a plastic cap, sat under my heat cap for an hour, then left it in over night.
5. Air dry- After rinsing the deep conditioner, I blotted my hair with a cotton t-shirt, applied a little extra virgin coconut oil in sections then wrapped it in the t-shirt to dry a bit more.  
6. Leave-ins- My hair was about 80% dry when I applied a mist of Nexxus Humctress Luxe Leave In, Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner and a dab of my hair butter then I faux banded my hair in 4 sections to stretch it.

The Results
I dusted my ends again. I know I know. I'm borderline obsessed with trimming right now. But I've come to terms with a few things in the last couple of weeks:

1. I love love love this long bob cut. It's not too short and it's not too long. I can still get my hair into a high bun and a cute little low bun. I love it so much that the thought of growing it out makes me really sad. 
2. I'm probably going to end up at the same length at the end of 2015 that I was at the end of 2014. Because...
3. I'm going to keep dusting and made do a mini chop or two until I'm certain that all of the texlaxed bits are gone. 
4. I have no idea how long that's gonna take. LOL

I caught a lot of flack when I professed overnight deep conditioning last year. So here's the thing: do what works best for your hair, your lifestyle, and your goals. If that doesn't include overnight deep conditioning---you're a lucky chica! And if it does---woot woot for you! There are no right and wrong answers. Just do you!

Why I Deep Condition Overnight

To stretch my hair, I faux banded it in 4 sections. I've been faux banding my hair for almost a year now and it's my favorite way to elongate my hair without heat. The process is incredibly simple. I just detangle in sections, apply product then stretch the hair and hold it with a hair clip. Uber simple!

How To Stretch Your Hair Without Heat- Banding

To style, I opted for a 5 minute knotted updo. If you struggle with braids, are transitioning and want to hide your ends, or just looking for an easy protective style then this is the updo for you! Here's how I did it:

1. Make a heavy side part then position your bangs behind your ear (if necessary).
2. Starting that your crown, grab two large sections of hair. 
3. Loop the section into a knot. (Like you would tie two pieces of string together) Place a bobby pin through the center of the knot to secure.
4. Hold on to your previous sections, plus gather a little more hair in each hand. Loop another knot. Secure with a bobby pin. 
5. Repeat step 4 again and again until you reach your nape. I did 4 knots. If your hair is longer or you use smaller sections, you may need to do more knots.
6. Tuck the reminding hair around your final knot and secure with a bobby pin on each side. 
   

How was your #washdayexperience? 

Besitos!
KLP

An InLinkz Link-up

My Half-Marathon Training Fails | #FitnessFriday

I was a beast out the gate. My first month of half-marathon training was amazing. I was getting stronger. My endurance increased. I broke every single personal record that I had ever made.

Then....well...life happened.

And I didn't run for a month...

I feel like such a failure.

I feel like I have some xplaining to do. I swear that I have legit excuses reasons...

Military Life:
My superhero hubby went off to save the world away from home for a few weeks. While I'm uber proud of his hunky heroism, I won't lie, the separation stinks. Especially with two young children. Especially with a crazy demanding schedule. Especially in a new town. And especially without a solid support network. Finding time to take a shower was hard enough. Running didn't even make it on the to-do list.

Winter stinks:
I've run in temps as low as 20 and loved every minute of it. However, without the hubby to lean on, the minions would have to ride along in our double jogger. And while, I've come to enjoy running in the cold---I just won't take them out in anything below 40. How many above 40 days have we seen lately? Smh...not that many.

No gym:
Finding a gym has been on my to do list for months. MONTHS y'all. I'm picky and I'm ballin on a budget. My ideal gym has to be within 5 miles of my house, have a great childcare center, and offer group classes when I can actually attend them. Who knew that it would be this hard or this time consuming to find something that works?!? 

But this update isn't alll bad. I have accomplished a few crazy awesome things in the meantime.

20 miler
I ran 10 miles and then walked back 10 more miles. Crazy right?!? Yeah, didn't think that through. While I was running, I took note that I needed to invest in a water carrying system that's actually easy and functional to use. I also realized that running/walking that distance on an empty stomach is dumb dumb dumb. But that running/walking that distance with a low cell battery was even dumber! Nonetheless, I'm just proud that I made it back!

Better Eating Habits
Because I wasn't working out as much, I wanted to do my best to get things right in the kitchen. I focused on getting more fruits and veggies in my diet thanks to my obsession love affair with my NutriBullet. I even started logging my food in my FitBit and I increased my water intake.

Now that the hubster is back, I'm a little pverwhelmed by the amount of catching up that I have to do. My half-marathon is 5 weeks away! I don't want to stress about it but I also don't want to disappoint myself. *Le sigh* Wish me luck! I'm gonna need it!

Besitos!
KLP

An InLinkz Link-up

[Hairstyle] Wash Day | My First Flat Twist and Curl

I've had a luxuriously TERRIBLE track record with braid and twist outs on my texlaxed hair. I love them. They HATE me. I kept trying, changing my technique, adjusting my product. And they still hated me.

How to: Twist Out French Tuck (circa 2014)

The ONLY good thing about a busted braid or twist out is that they give updos fabulous texture. Like this uber cute french tuck that I did last year:\

How to: Twist out with Satin Rollers (circa 2014)

I've only had one twist out that looked decent enough to walk out of the house when my hair was fully texlaxed. Ugh...but it didn't last because I forgot to use a holding product. 
 
But, I'm a glutton for punishment, so I decided to give the twist out another try. I figured that now that maybe since I chopped, things would be better. Here's how my #washdayexperience went:

1. Extreme Deep Condition- To start, I gently detangled and applied a mix of OGX Repairing Awapuhi Ginger Instant Recovery Mask, Herbal Essences Honey I'm Strong, and Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil ConditionerTreatment from root to tip. I massaged in a little extra virgin coconut oil to seal in the conditioners, covered with a plastic cap and got comfortable under my heat cap again for about an hour.
2. Air dry- After rinsing the deep conditioner, I blotted my hair with a cotton t-shirt, applied a little extra virgin coconut oil in sections then wrapped it in the t-shirt to dry a bit more.  
3. Leave-ins- My hair was about 80% dry when I applied a little Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner and a dab of my hair butter then I flat twisted in 7 sections (3 in the front and 4 in the back) and set the ends on white perm rods. 

The Results:

I'm actually still in shock that my hair actually looks...dare I say it...DECENT! Texture galore. Curls galore. Effortless movement galore. I twirled y'all. Allll day. I twirled! The shape of my hair looks amazing. I attribute that to my lob (long bob) cut. I adored the way that my hair looked on the left side. The curls were perfect. The right side---meh...not so much. I forgot to take a picture of my flat twists but I did one on the left side and two on the right side. Next time, I'll only do one on the right side and secure the perm rod a little tighter to get a curl instead of a wave.

I bet that you noticed that I haven't used my BELOVED Matrix Detangling Solution or tea rinsed in a while. Well, my hair doesn't tangle in the shower anymore! I haven't had ONE tangle since I chopped. Plus, the amount of hair that I lose each wash day has decreased dramatically. I pinch myself every wash day. I swear it's like a dream come true!

As I sectioned my hair to flat twist it, I grabbed my scissors and dusted my ends. I don't have a timeline of when (or if) I'll chop the 2-3 inches of wavy, curly texlaxed bits on the ends of my bangs yet. But I noticed some straighter pieces while my hair was wet and they had to go! I'm definitely not afraid of my scissors anymore!

Oh and you're probably wondering why do I have so many conditioners? Well, what had happened was---my product stash is OVERFLOWING. It's very very very pitiful. I feel like a hoarder. I grabbed a couple of my half-empty conditioners, mixed them all together and slapped it into my hair. I was pleasantly surprised at how soft and fluffy my hair felt after I rinsed the conditioner.

These curls are fabulous but y'all know that I love a good updo! The next day, I whipped my hair into a fat halo braid. I did a tutorial on it a million moons ago. You can check it out here.

How was your #washdayexperience this week?

An InLinkz Link-up

15 Ways to Make Green Smoothies Taste Better | #FitnessFriday

Green smoothies may look like freshly mowed grass clippings but I promise you that it doesn't have to taste like it! Here are 15 of my favorite ways to make my green smoothies taste better.

1. Make it 60/40- Use 60% veggies and 40% fruit. You don't have to use a ton of fruits to get the right sweetness. 1/2 an apples, 3 or 4 strawberries, or a handful of grapes is enough.
2. Ripe is best- The concentrated flavor of a ripe fruit makes any smoothie taste better.
3. Keep it thick- If you like your smoothie thin, add just a little more water. But if you like it thicker (say if you wanted to eat it with a spoon) add a tablespoon of water at a time just to get your blades moving and freeze your fruits before you blend so that you can skip the ice.
4. Drink em cold- I prefer my smoothies cold. I think that it tastes better and is smoother. You can freeze of the smoothie ingredients in the blender cup for a few hours before blitzing to get a cool temperature once blitzed.
5. Fresh is best- Fresh produce is KEY for a great tasting smoothie. Plan to use your fruits within 3-4 days of purchase and your veggies within 4-5 days. When in doubt, throw it in the freezer so that it doesn't get too sad looking.
6. Use a Smoothie Straw- If the consistency of your smoothie grosses you out then grab a smoothie straw! You'll finish it faster because the straw is bigger too!
7. Add citrus- Perk up the acidity of your smoothie with a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange juice.
8. Nut Butters- Adding a teaspoon of your favorite nut butter (think almond, peanut, or cashew) to create a creamy texture and give your smoothie a boost of protein to keep you fuller longer.
9. Freeze em- Wanna have a smoothie for work but can't take your blender with you? Freeze it, then let it thaw from morning until lunch time!
10. Shake it up- If you let your smoothie sit, chances are that it will separate, but don't let that scare you. Just shake it up and you're back in business!
11. Color- Be careful when adding red or purple fruits to your smoothie. It will change the color from a bright green to a muddy brown. The good news is that it tastes fantastic---if you can get past the color. If you can't stick to reds and purples for one smoothie and greens for the others. 
12. Order of operations- In my Nutribullet, I've noticed that the order in which I stack the blending cup matters. First I add fruits, then veggies, the your other stuff (butters, etc) and topping it off with ice (or you can freeze the fruits) and a little water.
13. Grab Baby greens- So---you hated the kale in your smoothie---and the spinach wasn't much better. But don't give up! Try baby greens instead. The raw flavor is softer and the greens are more tender.
14. Blend well- If you're getting chunks of smoothie in your cup then...you need to blitz it into oblivion! Just note that the heat from your machine will warm your smoothie so you might want to add a bit more ice.
15. Yogurt- When all else fails, add a few spoon fulls of your favorite fruit yogurt to mask the flavor, close your nose and just drink it! It's good for you!

So you tried all of these tips and nothing worked? Keep trying! Remember adding more raw fruits and veggies to your day is a lifestyle— not a diet.

What are your tips for better tasting green smoothies?

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Wash Day | Perm Rods on Natural Hair

When I purged my product stash a few weeks ago, I realized that I if I buy another conditioner without using up something first, I deserve to be drop kicked in the teeth. I like my teeth. I don't like being drop kicked and I really like my teeth so I grabbed some of the (sorta) newbies for this week's #washdayexperience

1. Pre-Shampoo- To start, I gently detangled and applied OGX Argan Oil of Morocco to my hair. I let it sit covered in a plastic cap and scarf for an hour or so.
2. Shampoo- Next, I hopped into the shower for 5 minutes to rinse the conditioner completely. Then shampooed with Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention shampoo twice.
3. Extreme Deep Condition- I applied Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque from root to tip to my damp hair, massaged a little extra virgin coconut oil in, covered with a plastic cap and got comfortable under my heat cap again for about an hour.
4. Air dry- After rinsing the deep conditioner, I blotted my hair with a cotton t-shirt, applied a little extra virgin coconut oil in sections then wrapped it in the t-shirt to dry a bit more.  
5. Leave-ins- I applied a little Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Extra-Moisture Transitioning Milk and a dab of my hair butter then set my hair on about 30 purple and white perm rods using end papers overnight. 

The Results: 
OGX Argan Oil of Morocco isn't actually a newbie. I've used it for years. I especially love it as a co-wash and now I know that it's perfect as a pre-shampoo too. My hair instantly felt moisturized and of course it also instantly reverted (after been stretched all week). The back half of my hair is completely natural and I'm really digging the curl pattern while its wet, but my bangs have 2-3 inches of wavy, curly texlaxed bits on the ends. I'm reminded every time that I pre-shampoo that I really need to figure out what to do about it. My last relaxer (July 2013) was ridiculously under-processed to the point that it is hard to tell where the texlaxed curls/waves meet my natural curl. I'm hoping that with time (a bit of protein and a bit of moisture) my curl pattern (or lack there of one) reveals itself. But I have no stinkin idea how long that takes!


My hair has a LOOOVVVEEEE/HHHAAAATTTEEE relationship with Shea Moisture products. My love for Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie runs 5 years deep. It's the perfect holding product for my bantu knots. But everything else that I've tried from the Shea Moisture line---meh...not so much. Remember this #washdayexperience catastrophe with the rest of the Coconut & Hibiscus products? Yeah...

Of the three Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter products that I used today, one was "if I don't have anything nice to say then I won't say anything at all," another was "I'm gonna finish it but I won't enjoy it," and the other was "OMG OMG OMG OMG Can I buy this by the gallon?" I usually don't do reviews on products until I finish the bottle but if you need a good moisturizing leave in, RUN---do not walk---and get yourself several bottles of the Extra-Moisture Transitioning Milk. IT. IS. AMAZING!

I like to install my perm rods on damp---not wet hair. (I cringe at the thought of manipulating my soaking wet hair) So, I dry my hair for a while wrapped in a cotton t-shirt then start the perm rod installation process. It takes me over 90 minutes to get it done, especially with these smaller rods. If the section is too dry, I like to mist it with a little Nexxus Humctress Luxe Leave In. I didn't like this product at all as a leave in on my texlaxed hair, but I LOVE it for my natural hair! (You could probably use a little mist of water and get the same effect though...)

I loved everything about this set of perm rods. How silky smooth my hair was. The shape of my curls. The shine. Ugh. When I walked around my house, I may or may not have twirled with each turn. 

It was definitely a good #washdayexperience! How was yours?

Besitos!
KLP

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