Black Rice & Avocado

I'm trying to move toward being a vegan raw foodist. Ideally, I'd like to be 80% vegan raw by Thanksgiving. We'll see how that goes. I wanted to share a lunch I had which was so filling and amazing. Have you had black rice before? It's the best rice I've ever had. It has an amazing amount of fiber and antioxidants.  I read that black rice is jam-packed full of nutrients that it may be the next super food!!! To add a little tang to the avocado, I squired fresh lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Mmmm! This is a GREAT lunch and I had this exact lunch about three days in a row! .-_-

Out & Curly: New Hair Regimen

Side note: I'm wearing one of my favorite BB creams. A review coming soon! .-_-

I've been wearing my hair out and curly more often the past few months and I love it. Before, I would twist my hair or where my hair in updos. However, I didn't want to hide my hair anymore and I wanted something more easy and breezy. I currently implement a modified curly girl method which was first developed by Lorraine Massey.

I wash my hair with a gentle shampoo and conditioner. (Jasons Biotin Shampoo and the Jason Biotin Conditioner or Soo-Ae Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner).

I then apply the Giovanni Leave-In Conditioner to my hair in about four to six sections and then apply the Eco Styler Krystal Styling Gel by smoothing it into my hair without too much scrunching.

Once it dries, I use a little of the Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Anti-Frizz Serum to fluff and soften my hair. I flip my head and this is when I scrunch and this gets my curls extra bouncy!

To maintain my curls throughout the week, I wear a high odango type bun to bed. In the morning I apply a quarter size amount of the Rusk Brilliance Grapefruit & Honey Leave-In Cream Conditioner to my hair especially the ends, fluff a little, and go. I'm all about low manipulation but keeping my hair moisturized.

That's it! It's so simple. I never thought styling my hair could be so easy! .-_-

Another side note: the BB cream I'm wearing has an spf of 75. Woohoo! .-_-

French Alternative Braid

Watching cerinebabbyish's hair tutorials on youtube is such inspiration for growing out my hair. I want to have long curly hair and not long straight hair so I have awhile until my curly hair is at the length I desire. This youtuber has invented the alternative braid which I'm LOVING. In the tutorial below she demonstrates how to do a french alternative braid. This style is based on a hairstyle in a k-drama called Love Rain. I think she did a very fine job. Enjoy! .-_-

Obsession with K-dramas and K-films

Taking a gander at some of the films I've reviewed, I'm sure it's clear that I do love Korean films. However, I LOVE Korean dramas as well and I've even reviewed one K-drama so far, Flames of Desire. I'm on my eighth K-drama and I'm NOT getting bored. They get better and better. After my exposure to K-dramas, I have a hard time appreciating American shows. Yes, there are a few American shows that are gems and can't wait for them to return this fall. However, I think a lot of American television shows over sexualize everything and I find the humor to veer towards crass rather than classy. K-dramas are quite the opposite. There is passion and there is romance but there is hardly any kissing and there is almost no sex and little (if any) violence. Because of this absence, the writing and plot are clever and there is a healthy focus on the interpersonal relationships between the characters. In addition, the "bad" people don't get away with their behavior which feels oh so good! Even my traditional mother loves K-dramas now!! I've decided to begin reviewing K-dramas so be on the look out! (The pictures are a hint as to which k-drama I'm currently watching. Can you guess?)

Seashell Bun

As I've mentioned previously, cerinebabbyish is one of my favorite hairstyling youtube gurus. She is amazing. This is one of my favorites from her channel so I had to share it. I can't wait for my hair to be long enough to try it. I could do this hair if I blowdried it straight but I think I'll wait until my hair is curly AND long. Enjoy! .-_-

Acne Contributors

It's been about a year and my skin has dramatically changed thanks to Naruko and other Asian products. (I plan to do an update on the products I've been using recently) My acne is down by 90%!!!! Check out my previous post concerning how I've reduced my acne. I never thought this would happen. Over the year, I have discovered a few acne contributors which might help others on their quest to be acne free!

What Contributes to Acne?

1. Dehydration. If your body waste is not being eliminated well it will go through your pores and cause acne. Water helps to flush your body of toxins. *To help it even more drink Ballerina Tea or any other tea or supplement that helps with eliminating toxins from your body.


2. Sugar. Sugar (processed) really is the enemy. It attacks collagen and could contribute to producing more oil. Reduce your sugar intake as much as possible. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to avoid sugar when living in the USA. They put high fructose corn syrup in BREAD!! But before you buy, look at the ingredients and sugar content. Your body will thank you for staying away from sugar.


3. Uncleanliness. Not just your face but your hands, cell phone, pillow case, hair, etc; pretty much anything that will touch your face. Carry purel in your purse for your hands. Wipe rubbing alcohol on your cell phone every day. If you wear glasses like I do, clean them often and wipe the rims with alcohol. Do not use too much oil in your hair and have it rest on your face. You can pull your hair back away from your face or cut back on oily hair products. Yes, this is excessive but you could possibly be preventing acne from forming and saving your skin two weeks from now.


4. Stress. Sometimes where you carry tension is also where acne will emerge. I carry a lot of tension in my cheeks and jaw. Lo and behold: I tend to have acne there. Relax your face, breathe more, and be conscious of any facial tension. Do what you can to reduce the stress in your life. Read my book review on The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life. These simple steps will help to alleviate some of the stress.


5. Aggressive handling. Your skin is already sensitive and on the verge of breaking out so why would you tug, rub, and pull on it? When it comes to applying makeup, washing your face, and wiping off makeup, be as gentle as possible.


6. Scratching. This is so true!!! If you have an itch on your face do not go to town and scratch your face. Grab a clean tissue with NO LOTION and gently pat or rub the itch away. If you don't have access to tissue use the back of your hand to gently rub the itch in circular motions.


7. Over drying. Using products that are gentle yet overwhelmingly dry can aggravate acne. If your skin is too dry, your pores will produce more oil to balance out the dryness which will then motivate you to dry it out even more. It's a vicious cycle. Instead, adequately moisturize your face with products that are NOT oil based. Your skin should feel supple and calm. If you smile or frown and your skin feels tight, it's too dry. Moisture moisture moisture is the key to becoming and remaining acne free!!! .-_-