Processed to Curly: Part 2

Hi lovelies!

I know you all are SUPER concerned about my hair. It's a crucial topic for a lot of women, and I honestly have never had complaints or issues with my hair... Until now.  I very rarely have I had "bad hair days" or serious salon blunders, and I know I am very fortunate in that.  But now my hair has morphed into a semi-untamable beast.  (If you have curly locks like I do, you understand every day is a new day to "tame the beast.")

Week 1 is behind me, and I've got to say, it has been FRUSTRATING!  I spent all of 10 days washing my hair with a baking soda mixture and apple cider vinegar/water mixture before turning back to shampoo and conditioner.  In the past two days I have added argon oil & a mild frizz tamer.

Baking Soda & ACV Rinse:
I've got to say, for all those advocates out there, this did absolutely nothing for my hair.  Maybe I didn't keep with it long enough.  Maybe my hair is too damaged for this routine right now.  Who knows!?! (A hairdresser probably.)  It dried my already damaged and brittle locks WAY too much for my hair to anywhere close to manageable.  My hair just became very frizzy, kinda kinky, but mostly limp and straight.  Here are some pictures of my hair using this routine:

Top 

(how awful is that?! It looks, and feels, like straw!)

Middle 

(Not too bad, still pretty frizzy and limp)

Bottom

(Oh sweet shine and body!)

Shampoo & Conditioner:

After seeing my hair the day I took those pictures, I snapped, wholeheartedly snapped.  I just want what my hair used to be back.  Maybe this is repayment for a couple years of styling twice a week.  

So, the next day I ran errands and made sure one of my stops was a beauty salon to purchase S & C.  I am currently using Paul Mitchell(R) Awapuhi Shampoo & The Detangler. These are two products I grew up using, and in silly teenage angst or whatever, I abandoned them at the first chance I had to buy "my own products."  Silly, silly me.  Sometimes mother does know best.  But I have gone back to them, and so far my hair is more manageable.  It is still unruly, but I honestly think it needs a cut. 

I have only washed twice with the S & C, but I can tell a minor difference, that I think, in time will be far greater.

*Side note: I will be doing a blog about Paul Mitchell products, and in it I will describe the benefits of both products listed above.*

Finishing Products:

I have only been using any finishing products the last two days.  One day was a wash day, the other was just a normal shower.  (Wash days are days I S&C my hair.  Typically twice a week, on non-consecutive days.  "Normal" days are days I exclude S&C from my routine, or add a tiny bit of C to the ends.)  

The products I have been using are: A sample size of Redken(R) Argon-6 & Davines(R) MOMO / fluid Moisturizing Anti-Frizz Protective Fluid.  How I use these products: I place a quarter size dollop of MOMO in the palm of my hand and add 3-4 drops of the Argon-6.  My hair is noticeably softer, and mildly less frizzy.  The hairline around my face, and crown areas, are deeply damaged, so there is still quite a halo of frizz in these areas.  However, the rest of my hair is reacting quite nicely to these finishers.  However, I may not continue with them once they are gone.  I prefer Moroccan Oil(R), and I haven't found a Davines(R) retailer where I currently live.

Hopefully, I will have some progress to show and tell about in next week's, Part 3!!

xoxo,

-J-

happy thoughts

via.

happy thoughts for this week:

1. It is FINALLY getting warm here!  Now, the weather can be quite fickle in this part of the world, but it is mostly nice here constantly!

2.  "Remodeling" my room/nursery!  And by remodeling I mean striping a horrid wall of its color and texture and rearranging the furniture.  (Blog on this process to come!)

3. Buying two very flattering, very comfortable maternity maxi dresses. It's about gosh darn time!

4. BERRIES!!! Lots and lots of berries.  That are OH so yummy!

5. Missing my pre-pregnancy clothes.  How is this a happy thought you ask? Well, I am looking forward to wearing them again.  It means I have accepted my body and my pregnancy.  Also, that I appreciate the clothes I have curated over the last few years! And I really do.  So I am excited to wear them once again!

What are some happy thoughts from your week??

xoxo
-J-

Happy Birthday America!

I hope you all have a safe and fun Fourth of July!!! Hopefully the weather is good for everyone and you get to celebrate with friends and family!

I will be working tomorrow but will have the night off to spend with my dogs and my dad.  And hopefully catch a glimpse of a firework or two!!

xoxo
-J-

Makeover

Hi lovelies!!

I recently posted about my hair trials and tribulations, and the drive to "makeover" my hair.  Well,  as I am sure you have noticed there have been a few changes around here too!  This may be a minor, short-lived ongoing process as I settle into a new name (coming soon!) and a new topical theme.  Though AOA served me well for awhile, I felt it somewhat of an obligation to fulfill the theme I had set for it.  The theme, though a very large part of me (planning, organizing, and events) felt much to contrived to really connect with readers the way I wanted to.  So going forward, this blog will be full of things I find inspirational and that I hope you find inspirational too!!

I am going to try my hardest to not make this a mommy blog, no offense to mommy blogs, I just think there are plenty of spectacular mommy blogs out there that are far better than one I could do!  However, there will be some baby/child related things, I plan on publishing helpful and inspiring tips/tricks and ramblings!

If there is a topic you would like to see me cover, please feel free to post in the comments section of any past or current posts, or e-mail me at jrude88{@}gmail{.}com with the title Blog Topic Idea.

I hope you will enjoy me on this exciting ride!

xoxo

-J-

Processed to Curly

Hi lovelies!!

I hope all is well for you all!

For my first post back I will be starting a mini-series that is to last about 6 weeks (hopefully).  Many of you may not know this, but I actually have VERY curly hair, or I used to until I started straightening it and iron curling it twice a week.

I don't know if it is because I haven't had a cute in ages, well months, or the fact that I style it so frequently, or being pregnant, or ALL of the above, but my hair is awful now!  It is so fine and damaged around my face and the top of my head but underneath is so luxurious and thick.  I swear I have at least 3-4 different kinds of hair on my head, which is entirely possible!  I know I have at least 3 types of curls on my head!  The front and top are kinky/frizzy, the middle is wavy, and the underneath is on the curlier side of wavy.

So in order to correct or help mend the damage I am putting my heat styling aids aside for 6 weeks.  One reason is what I am assuming is horrible damage.  The other is out of sheer vanity.  I have found that unless my hair is done and styled I do not feel as though I look attractive.  Ummm, yuck! I have curly hair, if I take care of it, it should be beautiful!

Also, I am trying to break the styling habit, because I certainly will not have 30-45 minutes every 3-4 days to style it with a newborn! I'll be luck to shower every 3-4 days!!

So lovelies, today I am starting a 6 week journey to healthy, natural hair.  I will update you once a week for the next six weeks on the progress of my hair!

I have stopped using conventional shampoos and conditioners for washing, at least for the next couple of weeks to rebalance my hair.  In turn, I am using a baking soda mixture and an apple cider vinegar diluted rinse.  I have used this method twice and so far my hair is softer, but much, much frizzier!  But I chalk it up to hair detox! Hahaha.  I am considering adding a Nioxin(R) product into the mix called Diamax(R).  Now I do not necessarily have thinning hair, I don't believe, but this product is said to increase the shaft size of your hair, making it more voluminous.  And since one of my main issues is the thinness around my face and crown, it may be worth a try.  I have also noticed a general "thinning" or loss of body in my hair.  This is most likely due to any chemical treatments and heat styling over the years.  So, I thought I would take a step in slowing the process.  Hey, its worth a try, right?!?  If I do begin to use this product, I will let you know when I start, and how it is progressing.  I will also let you know if I add a curly friendly shampoo & conditioner back into my routine.  It will most likely be Paul Mitchell(R), a brand I grew up using, or rather my mother used on my hair and I never stopped until those awful rebel teen years.  I could write an entire post on Paul Mitchell(R), and I may when I do re-incorporate their products back into my routine.

That is all for now loves.  I hope you have had an incredible weekend and have a safe, FUN Fourth of July!!!

xoxo,

-J-

Update & Return soon!

Hi there lovelies!

Boy oh boy have I certainly missed blogging! The past few months have been absolutely insane!  I graduated in December.  While I was wrapping up school, I was working a full-time AND a part-time job and trying to keep AOA above water!  Sadly, AOA got the short end of the stick in the job graduation hoopla. :(  Also, in December, I had the amazing opportunity to be part of a newer bar in Downtown Indy and work there during Super Bowl! Let me just tell you how incredible that was! And time consuming!  Shortly after Super Bowl, I left that job.  Chaos! Let me tell you!  And then again shortly after leaving that job, I found out I am pregnant! Woohoo. All at once so many life changes.  And just a month ago, I moved, with my family to Central Oregon.  So far, 2012 is proving to be a rollercoaster!  But such is life, right?!

So with all of that being said, I am trying to find away to focus (and balance) my business, business plan, and new life!  So please bear with me during these exciting, exciting changes!

Xoxo,

Jess

Finger Printed.

Idea 1:

 

Idea 2:



Idea 3: (My FAVORITE!)


I simply love the combination of BOTH fingerprints.  Either having his on her wedding band (& vice versa) or merging them to create a heart!  Spectacular idea!  I think this would be perfect on wedding invitations!!

Ok,Ok... This may not be a cute way to photograph your wedding bands, but seriously, AWESOME!  This would make a GREAT 1-year anniversary present! *hint, hint*