Hair Fanatic: Caruso Molecular Steam rollers...

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a hair fanatic.  I am all about trying new styles and styling techniques.  I'm into hair products as well, and I may review and/or post about a few, but I'm not a bonafide PJ (product junkie) so don't expect to see every "hot new" product to make it to my blog.  I've got better things to spend my money on. *haha*  Plus, I've got my staple products and such established, and haven't really had to deviate from them.  I will post more detail about those staples in later hair posts.


 

Back to the topic at hand, I have natural (i.e. non-chemically relaxed) hair.  In it's natural state, my hair is very thick and full of kinks and curls.  At times, I flat iron my hair to change things up a bit.  Anyone who has any experience with natural flat ironed hair will tell you that once the flat ironing has been done, the hair is pretty resistant to being curled for style.  Curling irons, rarely work for me and if I do get a nice curl from them--said curls fall within a really short amount of time which is not worth the effort or the damage that another heat appliance can cause.  Rollers are better way of getting flat ironed hair to hold a curl, but if regular rollers are used, you pretty much have to sleep on those bad boys to get a curl that will last once the rollers are removed.  That's not so bad, but sleeping in some types of rollers are no fun at all.Enter the Caruso Molecular Steam Rollers.  I remember years back these being all of the rage.  I'd even bought them back then.  I'd never really gave them a real try and they ended up in the trash.  Years later, as in "now", I've come across great reviews of them on hair message boards and websites.  So today is the day that I gave them a try.  My purpose in buying the Caruso system, is I'm looking for something to give my flat ironed hair a "boost".  I like my hair straight, but I prefer it not to be "bone straight" as I feel I look best with big hair that is full of volume.  Plus, I'm hoping the rollers will allow me to stretch my flat iron job another week or so when it starts to get old.


The picture to the left is exactly what I used.  It comes with 30 rollers, 5 different sizes and 6 rollers each of those sizes.

To make a long story short, I sectioned my (previously flat ironed) hair and rolled my hair on the large and medium size rollers after letting them steam for about 5 seconds. Be careful not to over steam the roller, because it may put too much moisture on the hair, leaving you with a frizzy mess.

Once all the rollers were in, I let my hair sit in the rollers for about 15-20 minutes.

After removing them, this is what I ended up with.  Not bad for about 20 minutes of styling.  I plan to play around with these rollers more in the future.  Perhaps, I will try rolling them in smaller sections or giving the smaller rollers a try to see what kind of different looks I can get with them.

I definitely give the Caruso system a thumbs up.  I have never been able to get my hair to hold a curl like this after flat ironing.

(click thumbnails to see full size pics)

Now Reading: The Alchemist

I know I'm late on discovering this book.  I'm really enjoying it thus far.  I'm only half way through, and I already feel like I've gotten so many little tidbits of wisdom to apply to my life.  This seems to be a really good book for anyone who may be at a crossroads in life and trying to figure out what is their true calling or purpose here on this Earth.  Trust me, I'm at that crossroad.  Will let you guys know at a later date what I think of this book after I've finished it.

This inspirational fable by Brazilian author and translator Coelho has been a runaway bestseller throughout Latin America and seems poised to achieve the same prominence here.


The charming tale of Santiago, a shepherd boy, who dreams of seeing the world, is compelling in its own right, but gains resonance through the many lessons Santiago learns during his adventures. He journeys from Spain to Morocco in search of worldly success, and eventually to Egypt, where a fateful encounter with an alchemist brings him at last to self-understanding and spiritual enlightenment. The story has the comic charm, dramatic tension and psychological intensity of a fairy tale, but it's full of specific wisdom as well, about becoming self-empowered, overcoming depression, and believing in dreams. The cumulative effect is like hearing a wonderful bedtime story from an inspirational psychiatrist. Comparisons to The Little Prince are appropriate; this is a sweetly exotic tale for young and old alike.

Ponder this...

~Enriqueta Longauex-Vasquez

Nail File: Leaf Me Alone

"Leaf Me Alone" by Pro.

I happened to be in Sally's Beauty Supply and ran across this color/brand.  Thought I'd give it a try.  Plus, it was the perfect shade for my trip to Seattle.  Washington is the "Evergreen State", after all.

Operation: Keep It Tight

"Operation:  Keep it Tight" is a cute lil' moniker I've given to my workout regimen.  I'm very much into "keeping it tight".  It's great for health and just makes me feel good, not to mention what it does for my appearance. *smile* For those who'd like to know, I workout about 3-4 times a week.  Nothing special, nothing spectacular--just a good clean workout for about 30-45 minutes.  I tend to jump on the treadmill at the YMCA or go run outside for about 25-30 minutes.  I don't always run that full amount, I sometimes powerwalk some of that.  I do try to make sure at least 15 minutes of that time was actual jogging.  Next, if I'm at the Y, I do a little weight training......



I tend to focus more on my arms (biceps, triceps), shoulders, back, and abs.  I don't do much weight training on my legs because I feel like they get a good enough workout from running/walking, and also from the fact that I usually end my workout with 7-10 minutes on the StairMaster machine.



That contraption above is KILLER!  It's great for the legs and also works those gluteous maximus muscles, i.e. whips that butt into shape.  Like I'd mentioned earlier, I only use it for 7-10 minutes at a pretty brisk speed.

Also, for the moms out there who might be reading this, a lot of the time when I'm running/outside my little one is with me in his jog stroller.  Now, I know the "Cadillac" of jog strollers is the B.O.B. brand, but if you want a really nice affordable brand of jog stroller--I personally own a Schwinn (they also make the InStep brand).  The one pictured below is exactly like my Schwinn (except mine is blue).  This particular model they only make under the InStep brand as of now.



So there you have it.  My very simple workout regimen.  I'm on a mission to stay in shape.  Operation: Keep it Tight is in full effect.  Ten-four, over and out.  :)

Luv Her Look: Gywneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow  attends an evening of shopping to benefit Baby Buggy at the Balenciaga boutique on Wednesday (July 28th) in East Hampton, NY.  Also in attendance were Jerry & Jessica Seinfeld (pictured).


I absolutely love Gwyn's style.  She's a perfect example of showing how a woman who is 30+, a wife AND mother can still dress young and fresh.  I guess I'll go workout now...

(pic courtesy of justjared.com)

Intro...

So, I'm finally starting a blog.

Back during the height of the Myspace popularity, I was a fairly avid blogger, but a lot has happened since then. (That's an understatement).  I use to blog about the happenings of my life--dating stories, life in Miami, life of a party girl, etc.  Well since then, I've gotten married, become a mom (a stay at home one at that), and moved to Atlanta, GA.  In the words of a reggae song "hot gyal become housewife".






During this time, I've come to learn that transitioning to that "next phase" in life isn't so automatic.  It has taken me some time to find and figure out what things will now bring joy, fun, and satisfaction to my life--dancing on tables in nightclubs won't cut it anymore. haha  Of course, home life, i.e. husband and kids, should be the main sources of joy and entertainment, but I think it's still very important for a person entering the "next phase" to keep some connection to the true essence of who they are.  And I'm still figuring it all out.
So this is the place where I'll share my thoughts and things (music, products, social stuff, fashion, etc) that make me happy, maybe put you all on to some new things.  Basically, this is just all about me.  Hope you enjoy!