Natural Hair: Update & Staples

Hey guys! Okay it's been a minute since I did a in hair update. So here it is. I'm nearly a year into the game and I'm starting to miss my twa. Knowing that she's growing out of her short state. I have enjoyed my short state and I'm really excited about this new length I'm getting. I mean look! A High puff! (Team high puff where you at?) 

Okay so let's get on.

What are your product staples?
Alright, as you can imagine with the new length comes nee products. Which is partly true. However I still use my SD products (see my review here), I also use Naturally Simple Haircare  these are my go to products with any style. I have also found love with Big Hair and their avocado butter brilliant for twistouts! My hair just laps it up.
And the basic gel, water, shampoos are still the same.

What are you doing different?
Alright so I have been trying to deep condition at least once a month and right now I'm using a coconut oil, organic honey and my normal conditioner. I apply this mix to damp hair, wrap in a cap and an old tshirt and use my hair dryer to apply heat - without this heat the hair strands will not soak in all the moisture that coconut oil gives you nor the shine that honey gives.

I also use Glycerin now, also an SD product, i have noticed a real difference in the softness of my hair, the curl def. I use this with water and a touch of rose water, its beautiful.

I still use my 'cheap' stuff, because my hair just loves it. And it works!

I also take Biotin now, to keep my hair strong, not so much to promote any length, as i want a healthy journey, rather than a rushed one.

I dust my hair once every 4 or so months, i have dusted my hair like twice since my BC! I was still able to keep my length (what little i have lol) the difference is really noticeable!

I am now able to do more fun things with my hair, i can experiment with some styles now and thats thrilling! Im working now too, so i can  create more professional looks for the office and more casual looks for after work drinks. It is really exciting.

So for my length. The back is near my collar bone, the sides past my jaw and the front past my brows. So well 'on track' in  terms of length.


Well thats my updates so far, i know its a short one. But im working on some recipes for you guys!
As always stay blessed xx

Learn To LOVE

Dear women of colour,

Why must we bring each other down?

Remind one another that we are poles apart from each other, but are we really different from each other?

Your kinks. Her curls, are the reason why we began to reunite with one another, rejoice with each other uplift one another.

But still you remind me that we can’t help one another? That we're different from each other?

Natural Hair: Are you obsessed with growth?

Why won't my hair grow? She cut her hair the same time as me and her hair is longer? What can i take to make my hair grow faster? What products make my hair grow faster? Sound familiar?

Pause. Hold it right there ladies. Lets get a few facts in to help bring you back down to earth.

Hair grows at an appx length of 4th of an inch per month! Which means on average (with the correct diet and care) your hair will grow between 5-6" a year! However your genetics will play a MASSIVE role on the rate that your hair grows although most naturals will tell you different this is something you cannot avoid. If your hair grows at a slower rate, it grows at a slower rate, and vise versa. Thats the reality, thats the truth lets  just digest that.

Natural Hair: Protective Style - Kinky Twists

Kinky Twists - Yay

There comes a point during your natural hair journey when you grow tired of the Wash 'n' Goes, Twist Outs, Braid Outs, Finger Coils! For me, this was around month 2 lol! Four months of growth i knew i was edging ever closer to getting my dream braids!
Before i got my twists done, i went to venture on Youtube to see how to maintain them, wear them at night, how i can keep my scalp healthy etc. Didn't find a lot if i am honest with you, so i am basically winging it lol. So far my routine is working!  So let me share my experiences and my routine with you, and hopefully this helps you if you have or are thinking about getting a protective style like this.

Beware The Campylobacter Scare..!

! Warning, post contains images of a sensitive nature !

If you aren't aware, the media in the UK are going crazy over informing people about the safety of not washing/cleaning their meat (Chicken, Fish, Beef & Lamb).
I recently had a blog reader ask me if i clean my meat before preparing any of the dishes i post on here. I do. I always have and always will.

I personally think this "crisis" is utterly ridiculous, and I'm shocked that people are jumping on the bandwagon and are cooking their meat WITHOUT cleaning it. The following blog post will give you the information the news does not, it will explain why i feel it is vital for you to clean your meat, and why i will continue to promote meat cleaning on this blog.

Recipe: Jerk Chicken Kittitian Classic (Summer Collection)

I'm stocking you guys up for summer! Remember the jerk sauce I posted not too long ago? No? Well have a refresher CLICK HERE all refreshed? Okay great! So here's a recipe, well not really a recipe, just something you can use the sauce with. The sauce itself (if left raw) can be used to season your meat, fish or veg (yes, jerk veg!) thus reducing your cooking time, increasing your summer time doubling your fun. Lol, okay so enough yapping lets get cooking!

Recipe: Kittitian Jerk Sauce (Summer Collection)

Summer, a word England doesn't really know. Lol. It was here for a few days. And the way things go, once the sun is here you make use of it! So it got me thinking, why don't i do a summer collection of main dishes, sides & sauces that will be perfect for BBQ season but just as wonderful on any other day of the year? I mean, why waste your good money on store bought sauces when you can make real quality sauces? So grab your cooking tools, we are about to make another Kittitian classic, and the once sauce everyone wants to master. Jerk Sauce, Every island has their own way of making it, and here is the Kittitian way. This sauce is what i would call 'Mild' to medium heat, so it's almost perfect for children as well as grown-ups!

Prep: 10 mins | Cooking: 15mins

Natural Hair: DIY Leave In

Hey guys! I wanted to show you guys how easy it was to make your own Leave-In! So rather than type about it, i recored it! (A reader said they would like more hands on, video stuff so i hope this is okay!)

Enjoy and i'll see you on the next one!

Recipe: Veggie Curry (requested)

I'm going to skip the small talk and get right into the recipe. I feel like i haven't given you guys something to cook in ages! So here is my creamy, thick, filling no meat required curry! All the flavour and none of the guilt - i can't believe there wasn't meat in here! So let's get right into it!

Prep Time: 10mins | Cooking time: 30-45min

Serves: 4-6

Vagina Care: Bleach My Period

When my period hits i reach for the cheapest and most convenient products for my needs, and have done for years. These are normally Tampax Tampons. Not only are these clogging up the landfills, they also contain materials that can be harmful to the body and cause all different types of medical problems and skin conditions!

I have always used Tampax, my mother uses it and I'm pretty sure the majority of females in my family use them too along with friends. After i posted a little rant on instagram i was informed that it is more than one company that use harsh materials in their 'natural' products. So i done some digging on Tampax, to find they use bleach in their raw materials. This information was only available online, it is not on their packaging nor their information leaflets at all. This made me think about all the up roar there is about tampons and Toxic Shock Syndrome, as there is more than enough information on the Tampax leaflets about it.

Review: Your Silhouette UK

Hey readers! I know it's been a few weeks since i last posted something, sorry about that but my dissertation draft has been handed in so I'm taking this chance to update you on a new trend that is slowly taking the UK by storm!
WAIST CINCHERS / WAIST TRAINING!! 

I know that we over here in the UK are a bit cautious about this new trend, so I'm going to give you the benefits of using this tool as an in aid in your weight loss journey and some information on the company i used to get mine!

Firstly, i would like to say that waist training and waist cinching are two very different things although the connection has been made the same, the two are very different. Waist training is normally with a bone corset and you string it up at the back rather than a cincher which uses latex, compression and two or three rows of hooks to slowly inch you down. Corsets are linked with the negative outcomes, such as a shift in organs and really tiny 10 inch waists. Whereas cinchers are a natural way to reduce the inches in your waist and smooth your torso.

Natural Hair: Hair Care On A Budget

Hey ladies, i'm back. this is just a quick post on how i maintain my hair care on a tight budget. Because lets face it, as nice as some of these luxury products are, they pinch the pocket! So like many, i have my everyday products as well as my treat myself products that i use once or even twice a

month! Remember these products work well for me along with these methods but they may not give you the same results. Don't be disheartened though, there is a product for you! And it shall be found! I hope this post is informative and helps you when there are months when you need to tighten your belt!

Recipe: Super Breakfast Bars

This recipe was inspired by one of my instagram followers '@Calllherrissa' who is one of my vegan followers who makes so much great looking stuff i had to try my hand at making these breakfast bars! She did use a lot more stuff than i did but i used the gist of what was used. Below this recipe are different alterations you can make, check out the changes for kids!

Prep Time: 5mins | Cooking Time: 30-45mins
Makes 24 bars

Find The Lupita Nyong'o in You

Lupita Amondi Nyong'o, the beautiful Kenyan award winning actress who won The Oscars 2014 best supporting actress for 12 Years A Slave. She has recently been noticed and mentioned as a positive role model for women and little girls everywhere.

I wanted to really open up about myself, and the way Lupita has made me feel about myself, my skin tone, my hair and other little things and how I feel we should unite and feed the younger females in our generation to come.

When i was growing up in the 90's/00's, if I'm honest with you, i was never really happy about my skin tone, having a very fair skinned mother being dark seemed like a curse, darker than the 'popular' girls in school i felt like an automatic victim, my physical appearance not being pretty enough, not having the perfect smile, not having the perfect skin, not having perfect eyesight and having to wear glasses, my hair being so bushy and thick not having a nice hair texture etc (hence relaxing it around college), basically anything i could moan about, i did.

BGWT: Snatch It Back + Weight Update

Sorry this is coming to you guys late, its almost the end of uni and the pressure is reaching a mad height right now lol, blogging is stress relief for me! 

As you know I have been on a weight loss journey since the start of 2014, and my last update had images of my progress and I stated I wasn't happy about the results - more so because of myself, not because the programme wasn't affective. 

So I went out of my way to buy the second chapter to the BGWT, and chose to snatch it back one more time with Ellen & Lana.

Recipe: Hot Pepper Sauce The Kittitian Way! (Summer Collection)

In my family we are rather secretive with our meals and we hardly share how we prepare meals with each other let alone publish them in a blog, but this is something I have to share with all my spice lovers! This is a MUST HAVE for BBQ season, and you have plenty of time to perfect this before hand! So grab a bottle of water and get ready to make hot pepper sauce the Kittitian way!

Prep: 10mins | Cooking 1-2hrs

Review: Shea Decadence

The long awaited review is here, I was going to type my opinions, but somethings are better heard not read lol!
Sorry again, about the poor quality I'm not really a Vlogger you see so my iPad was the best I could do lol!
I hope you enjoy the review all the details of the products reviewed will be at the bottom along with the hair show mentioned! Enjoy!

Review: ACV Rinse (Shea Decadence Kinks)

Shea Decadence has quickly become my favourite UK seller of natural hair care & skin care products, I have a post going into detail about the products I have already click here.

But right now I want to do a full product review of my first Apple Cider Vinegar rinse. I use a far amount of Eco Styler in my hair, along with my other products it can create a lot of build up in ones hair, however shampoos as great as they are can be damaging to our hair therefore I wanted to try a more healthy alternative for cleansing my hair, hence why we are here lol.

You vs The Taboo

The more I talk or read about this subject, the more I am coming to realise that there is a tremendous amount of taboo around the subject of the female sexuality, whether it be for the desire or for the simple exploration of one’s self.  It amazes me and somewhat stuns me when I come across women who lock away their sexual beast at the ‘off’ chance they may be considered as sluty, whoreish or lacking in self-respect. In the way the media have portrayed recent acts by singers such as Rhianna or Miley. Forgetting that there is a difference between whoring yourself and learning to admire your body and becoming one with your inner self. - A very big difference ladies, let us not get confused with this!

Natural Hair: Month Post BC

It's been just over a month since I shifted the relaxer, and made the choice the grow my hair natural (read the BC post here) and I have fallen in love with my hair, I am really enjoying my natural hair journey. I'm just going to take the time to give you a quick update on how I'm coping and the products I am currently using to maintain my curls & healthy hair.

Let's talk water!

Water, water oh how many of us have a love hate relationship with water! - personally I love the stuff, but many of us hate how water has 'no taste', some don't seem to think water has any importance to our diet and instead drown their bodies in the flavoured alternatives such as Volvic Flavoured Water. So i'm going to give you some of the benefits of water and the best way to get all your vitamins and fall in love with water! 

NB: these recipes are safe for children too so get your kids off the fizzy and on to the best drink of life!

BGWT: A Month On

IT'S BEEN A MONTH! Guys, it's been a whole month since I started BGWT. And how am I feeling? GREAT! Honestly, I really do feel great. I feel better about about my food - in the respect that me and food have a better relationship a better understanding about food, oils and healthy fats.

Quit lying, how did you really do?

Okay, let me stop the BS. It has been a tough month. Within my first week i went out for a friends birthday, drank, ate Chinese and felt like crap. - did a detox after that for two days, felt better. I have done well minus the obvious. Minus struggling with digestion I've done okay food wise.

Review: Yoni Power + Comp {Closed 26.2.14}

As a woman, yoni care should never be in the back of our minds. We should always be thinking about the best way to take care of our inner queendom, our lotus flower.

If you know anything about me, you know I am a massive follower of Nerissa Irving, after reading one of her blogs on the 'love egg' (Click Here to view the post) I just had to find a UK supplier! As shipping to the UK from the USA can total up to an expensive splurge (£80 in fact!).

Well I am happy to report I have found a UK supplier YoniHealer  and at a reasonable price too! *YAY* So let me tell you a bit about what a yoni egg is, it's benefits and my experience with my own egg. 

Recipe: Turkey Burger w/ Fries

Who said healthy food needs to be boring and bland? Heres a great recipe for a little treat spicy turkey burgers, great on naked whole wheat buns! So cheers to healthy food and cheers to a taste bud party!

Prep: 20mins | Cooking Time 1hr
Serves 4

Lazy 24/7

I just wanted to share my thoughts on something. You may not share the same opinion as me but hey!

Why do we as women make up excuses to workout? I mean, if I look at myself I kept putting it off until I was sick of making excuses and having a iffy sometimeish diet which I am now doing something about and feel amazing!

However, i've seen so many females larger than myself proclaim a certain lifestyle when really they are sitting around baking cakes and eating cheese, then moan about their weight Why? Excuses for not going gym, not eating right. Why?
Get up and do something about it?!

Recipe: Oriental Tiger Prawns

Plated Up!

Stage two of BGWT allows you to have more flexibility, so i've created a recipe which is both filling and extremely quick to make, with flavour and it will give you a different mindset to healthy food being 'boring, and bland'.

  Prep Time: 10mins | Cooking Time: 10mins

Serves 2

Recipe: Kale Crisps

As many of you may know i'm on the road to a healthier lifestyle. And i've been scared to buy the "low fat" crisps, so I optd to make my own! Using a recipe I saw on the Official Nerissa Irving website | NerissaIrving.com I made this myself today and the results have made me craven for more! I promise you, you won't want to buy any of that horrible stuff from the supermarket ever again!!

Prep: 5mins | Cooking 15mins

BGWT: Week One Review.

Week One

The first stage is finally over. I feel great however I have hit a few complications. 

This stage is the detox stage, the cabbage soup being the main source of that, maybe it's just me but I don't feel like it cleaned out my system as I had assumed it was so I found other ways to help it along like Fybogel the high fibre orange flavour drink, green teas morning and night as well as a digest and detox teas by twinings which seems to be helping.

After a week of doing the DVD, I feel fitter, healthier, and my body hurts a pain i am slowly getting used too. I follow the workout 5/7 days and even on my days off i'm either doing the ab workouts or squatting while I clean. I also use a belly burner which helps the body/belly sweat a lot faster and my dingo does it!

Natural Hair: The Big Chop.

The 'Big Chop'

Since 2012 i've been contemplating going all 'au naturale'. Having not seen my natural hair since the age of 15, I have no clue what my hair needs. The white creamy crack in theory was meant to make my life easier, because I didn't enjoy being the black girl with thick uncontrollable hair, being charged more at the hairdressers because my hair was so thick with 60% shrinkage relaxer was the 'answer' - how wrong I was. My hair broke so many times so I optd for short hair, and for the past two years i've had short hair - so the big chop isn't really big but yeah...Since late October I haven't touched a relaxer i've got a little fro or a TWA growing through and I think it's time I cut off the man made hair, and gave my mane some loving as for the past 8 years I've become tired, my hair is tired we are both just so tired of chemicals and the damage and just want TLC!

BGWT: Day One

BGWT DVD

So, as some of you may know I've started a new healthy eating regime courtesy of Black Girls Workout Too. (BGWT-Prep click here)
Today, was my first full day of the entire thing, the meal plan week one, stage one & the workout DVD. i'm just going to give an overview of what i'm feeling so far and how hard it has been, for me.

The DVD.
As they say "No pain, No gain" and my goodness do you feel the pain in this workout! The DVD is in sections first you have your upper body workout with Ellen. I was bussing a sweat from the offset. She makes you work HARD, it's all Go, Go, GO! That jiggle is the best! Even with Lana, it is all go, those sumo squats tho, you really feel it in your inner thighs and your butt will hurt for days.
Due to a physical illness I haven't been able to do all the exercises however the ones I can do, I am still feeling the burn! - Doesn't mean you should slack off tho'!
Overall, I am enjoying the DVD it is hard work, but it is great fun!!

BGWT: The Prep

BGWT - DVD Cover.

As of 06/01/2014 I made steps to start a better healthier life. A friend of mine showed me her friends results from using BGWT DVD & eating plan. BGWT is a mother daughter duo Ellen Ector (how amazing does she look for 60!) who works on upper body & Lana Ector who works on lower body and core.

So i said to myself, when i'm serious i'm going to jump on that bandwagon, and drop some pounds!