VA Reviews: Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy - 7 Day Intesnive Treatment

I'll admit, I was a bit weary about trying an intense repair hair treatment for a couple of reasons. First, my hair is not color treated (and hasn't been since 2008). Second, my hair is not dry.  My hair is actually on the opposite end of the spectrum from "dry". My hair is OILY.

As a teenager, reading women's magazines, I was always so disappointed to find that my hair type was never included in articles. "Oily hair" is rarely talked about. There's no shampoo for oily haired ladies on the shelves at the stores, there's not talk about how to handle oily hair at salons, and there's certainly not products that openly advertise "removes shine!" in our magazines.  I'm one of those women who has to wash her hair once a day, no exceptions. No amount of dry shampoo or baby powder would ever mask the oil that would creep into my hair  10-12 hours after washing.  In fact, my mother used to wash my hair with a bit of dish soap if it got bad when I was a child.

So what would an intense 7 day treatment for damaged and color treated hair do for me? I decided to bite the bullet and find out. When the Clear Scalp Hair and Beauty Therapy package arrived*, I took some photos of my hair before starting the treatments.  The photo to the right is on a Sunday afternoon, after allowing my hair to air dry. (Notice the oil in the scalp area? This was after putting in some dry shampoo!)

Like I mentioned before, I was weary about trying this out for seven days because usually products that claim they "add shine" or "intense moisture" usually weigh down my hair to the point of it being completely unmanageable. What I found after the seven days of using this product completely shocked me.

To start, there are seven tubes of an intense conditioning formula in each package. In the shower, I would wash my hair with my regular shampoo** then apply the treatment in lieu of conditioner, making sure to get it all through my hair, rubbing it into my scalp and getting a generous amount of it onto the ends, then used a butterfly clip to get my hair out of the way while I finished the rest of my showering.  Right at the end, I would rinse out the treatment, paying close attention to getting it out of my scalp. (I was afraid that leaving too much in the scalp area would leave my hair greasy). Simple as that. Easy-peasy.

Seven days later... my hair is smoother and shinier than ever. The best part though - my hair was less greasy at the end of the day that it ever was before! I really think that the intense treatment actually altered the amount of oil my scalp was releasing throughout the day leaving my hair still looking good after working 9+ hours. Even after just the second day of the treatment, I had to mentally stop myself from touching my hair all day long. It was just SO SOFT!  I received compliments from people I didn't even know! And I haven't had a haircut in almost a year! (yeah, yeah, I know!)

 Check out the before and after:

This treatment left my hair with incredible softness. Styling my hair was a breeze, (no straightener used in the "after" photos) and I think it even cut down on the amount of time it took my hair to dry.  Does this treatment repair split-ends? No. Nothing actually "repairs" split-ends; since hair is dead, it can't grow back together. But, I did smooth down the hair more to make the split-ends less noticeable. (Note: the product says that it repairs visible signs of damage after 7 days, not actually putting back together ends that have split. I believe this to be absolutely true.)

I would definitely recommend this product for people with ANY hair type.  I'm sure color treated hair that has lost a bit of shine would benefit greatly from this product and if you have JUST had a haircut? Give yourself a jump on lasting shine and split-end control.  Best part though? Oily haired ladies finally have a product that gives the RIGHT kind of shine!

I actually have an extra set of the 7 Day Intensive Repair Treatment that I'll be giving away to one lucky reader tomorrow this week, so stay tuned!



Notes:
*I received this product free for my review from BzzAgent. If you are interested in joining BzzAgent and reviewing products, visit BzzAgent and sign up!
**I  use Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy's shampoo/conditioner for normal hair as my regular shampoo. I purchased this product before receiving the repair treatment for review (because it was on sale at Duane Reade). I have not purchased any other Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy products... yet.

I would frame this

I'm so tired.

Spring Things

 

There are a few things that are keeping me from purchasing these pants.

1.) They're $200.00
2.) They're dry clean only

I can't possibly commit to dry clean only denim; but in a perfect world, one where I make a lot more money and frequent the dry cleaner weekly, these would definitely in my possession.

If you are in the market for a statement jean this spring, these Koral Los Angeles jeans from Piperlime might be prefect for you.

I love you Kate Spade..

But this? This is a NO.

Go back and try again.

Stuff My Boyfriend Says

Him: "Have you ever heard of the movie 'This is Yo'?"

Me: "Um, I think that says 'This is 40'."

Him: "Oh. This is going on the blog, isn't it?"

Oh, Sandy Baby!

Since so many people last year found my blog by Googling "Flush a toilet in a hurricane" I thought I would do a reprise of last year's post before Hurricane Irene.  Originally posted 8/26/2011 -

_____________________________________________________________________

Unless you have been locked up in a dungeon somewhere being asked to “put the lotion on its skin”, you know that there is a major hurricane coming toward the northeastern part of the United States. 
I know that a lot of people are really freaking out about the impending storm, but there are far more people not paying attention to the warnings. So, from my knowledge of hurricanes (living in North Carolina), here is the advice I can give about preparing for a hurricane.


What can happen:

Rain: This storm will bring a considerable amount of rain. While rain falling from the sky in itself is not hazardous, the accumulation of rain over a small period of time can be very dangerous, leading to excessive runoff and flooding. When it comes to a place like New York City, underground tunnels have the capability of serious flooding, basically halting all traffic in and out of the nation’s largest city.

Wind: The wind will be excessive. Strong, over 100mph winds are nothing to joke over. Trees will topple over, crushing power lines and cars. Some houses may suffer from considerable damages due to falling trees and limbs. The wind will be so strong that cars will be pushed from one side of the street to the other. Rain will come in sideways, ocean and river waves will swell 3 or 4 times their usual height. Which brings me to:

Storm Surge: With New York’s five boroughs being surrounded mostly by water, this could very well be the most dangerous. When the bodies of water are disturbed by the hurricane, waves pick up and slam into the shore. That, combined with natural tides, a storm of this size could bring swells of water in the 20 feet range. This could be detrimental to low-lying places such as Downtown Manhattan, Coney Island, and the Far Rockaways in Queens. New York City has never (EVER) issued a mandatory evacuation for flood zone areas. Take heed and evacuate if you are told.

Power: Power outages across the five boroughs will cause a great inconvenience to most people. It may take a large amount of time to restore power to the masses if downed trees and flooded areas cause problems.

Water, Gas: I don’t foresee the water or gas lines to be messed with within the city, but if for any reason, New York City’s water becomes tainted by sewage, having bottled water on hand will be you only option. If the water does go out, you will not be able to flush your toilets. It may be a good idea to fill up your bathtub full of water so you can manually flush the toilet in the event of a water outage.

With power outages and extensive damage to the transit systems, you may have to stay where you are for several days. This means having non-perishable food items on hand to eat for a few days. Please remember that if you have an electric can opener, it will not work if the power goes out (That seems obvious, but you’d be surprised). Do not open your freezer for any reason. Once the power goes out, you need to keep that cold in there for as long as possible in hopes to save some things that may be in there.

Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t go swimming before a hurricane comes. And don’t rush out to clean things up until emergency personnel have at least taken a look. Don’t touch downed power lines and don’t stand underneath leaning trees. 

One thing to note: If the storm comes straight across Manhattan, it will stop for a period of time. This does not mean the storm is over! The eye of the hurricane is an eerie, slightly sunny, calm period where many people think the worst of the storm is over. STAY WHERE YOU ARE! The second half of the storm will be along shortly. Stay up to date about where the storm is and when it is expected to be over with a battery-operated radio.

It should also be noted that there is a chance that nothing happens at all. I’ve seen storms look like they’re going to barrel straight into North Carolina and disappear overnight as if they never existed. The storm could turn at any moment and go straight out to sea. But, you should always be prepared for the worst. Katrina was the worst hurricane we’ve had in a very, very long time and the catastrophe was heightened by the people’s refusal to listen. They thought the storm would turn, they thought it would die down, it would all be okay. And it wasn’t.

Please keep yourselves (and your pets) safe and be sure to check on your neighbors, friends, and relatives. By law, all pets are allowed to accompany you into emergency shelters. Don’t let people tell you otherwise. Make a plan now so that if the time comes to evacuate, you already know what to do. Phone lines will be flooded with people asking questions. Save yourself the trouble and figure out where to go now. Also, did you know that failure to comply with a mandatory evacuation is a misdemeanor? It is actually punishable with jail time up to 90 days!

Be careful, be safe. Keep your pets and loved ones near you. And remember to stay inside and stay calm. We’ll all be alright.

See you on the other side!

-VA 

_____________________________________________________________________

Also - this is all I can think about when people talk about Hurricane Sandy:

Pinterest Pins That DO NOT Work!

Cleaning your makeup brushes:

The Pin says: You will surprised to see all the makeup that is left in the water. How to properly clean your makeup brushes. (a tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup of hot water, and a 20 minute soak, followed by a hot, then cold rinse and pat dry will do it. Disinfects, dissolves grease/makeup, leaves no film, and inexpensive.)

Let's start with a story: I'm in Germany and I've been conned into purchasing a specialty soap for cleaning makeup brushes thinking that nearly $40 is a great deal.  I keep that block of soap for years, still trying to cling to every bit of soap even when the tin has completely rusted...  Since then, I'll admit, I don't clean my makeup brushes as often as I should.  

Anyway, most of the time I can't be bothered to clean my brushes because of how long it takes them to dry. But, when I saw this pin today, I thought, "why not? let them soak for 20 minutes and rinse? Sounds easy enough."

I doubled the "recipe" so that I could fit all of my brushes in it. I watched an episode of brand new fall TV (yay!) and went to rinse the brushes out.  Yes, there was some makeup in the bowl, but when I went to dry them, there was still a TON of makeup in the brush.

So, this idea simply did not work.  If you want to get your old makeup out of your brushes, I would suggest you use the old stand-by of using a little bit of dish soap and some water, whip those brushes around in the solution like you're whisking up some eggs, then, rinse with warm water and blot dry.  Give them a swirl after they're halfway dry on a towel to keep their shape. Then they'll be clean, soft, and ready to use once they're fully dry.

Pinterest Grade: 1

Stuff My Boyfriend Says...

"Whoa, this peanut butter is like, whipped! That's why choosy moms choose Jif!"

How to Make a Life

First:

Take everything you’ve ever learned and everything
You’ve yet to discover and place it in a box labeled Thank You.

Second:

Take a picture of your face and remember
That in many years time you will be amazed at how gorgeous you were.
Be amazed now.

Third:

Find someplace to live.
Make sure it has the ability to let light fall
Across the room in such a way that every so often,
You’ll stop and mouth the words “Ah, sunlight.”
Before you finish dusting the books.
Don’t let the books get dusty.
Open them and reread your favorite sentences
Or give the books away.

Fourth:

Fall in love.
Touch. More than you think.
Have a child if you want one.
If you don’t, don’t.
Let your child out into the world
Discovering for themselves just how magical
It is. Or it isn’t.
It’s theirs to decide.
Give your child a lot of books.

Fifth:

Get a job.
Remember this job is not who you are.
You get to open the silk door of You,
And decide, over and over, as many times as your socks,
Just who you are.
You get to say your own I am.

Sixth:

Do yoga.
Let your body discover what it’s like to move
without your brain holding it’s hand.
Tell your brain to take a hike.
Let your body believe fully in it’s own powers.
Let every person you’ve stored inside your muscles out every so often,
to breathe.

Lastly:

Do things that make you feel good.
Let your joy be contagious and spread through
Your home, your job, your children.
Let it spread through the world
Like a virus so that when you forget it,
Every so often, you’ll catch it from someone else.

- Jen Pastiloff

Fashion Week Favorites

 

Photo from Zimbio

First favorite from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring 2013 collections - this darling Kate Spade bow dress.  When bubble hems first came on the scene, I HATED them. I remember telling a friend that a bubble hem dress just looked like a longer dress that accidentally got caught up in your underwear. And, sometimes, I still think they kind of do.

But but but but..... I came around to the bubble hem and actually have a few dresses that I LOVE with a bubble hem.  In this case, the hem, coupled with the adorable bow print and the awesome bow clutch just looks oh so right! (Disclaimer: I will never, ever, support wearing socks with heels.... only tiny girls with ruffle socks and patent leather shoes can pull this look off.)

So, hats off to you, Kate Spade!  More Fashion Week favorites coming up!

My Imaginary Closet

My Imaginary Closet by naneenya featuring antique jewelry


Let's play in my imaginary closest.

Fashion's Night Out - It's basically trick or treating for adults. Where the normals go door to door store to store, sip champagne alongside of celebrity, new fashions are displayed, stores are opened, parties thrown, and fun had by all.  When the economy was tanking, Fashion's Night Out was created in order to help boost the economy and to hopefully help the luxury retail market survive. Since then, this annual event kicks off New York's fashion week and even those of us who do not get swanky invitations in the mail for seats along the runway get to play.

So, if my closet was vast and limitless, this is the type of thing I'd love to wear. First, FLATS!

Fashion's Night Out requires quite a lot of walking. Unless you're taking cabs everywhere (not recommended, traffic is horrible!), you'll need some decent walking shoes.  These Miu Miu flats would be comfortable while still being fashionable. Blisters and Band-Aids are the antagonist of fabulousity.

A bag big enough to carry all of your swag - and a watch to make sure you get to the next place before it all shuts down!

I love this structured top by Vivienne Westwood and the coral cropped slacks add a pop of color perfect for the summer-to-fall transition.

Are you going to Fashion's Night Out? What are your evening plans??

Shoe Lust

Simone Rocha Brogues

I can't even tell you how much I adore these Simone Rocha wedges. The lucite heel! The illusion! They are truly works of art! (Yes, I am aware that these were shown at last year's fashion week, but if I had unlimited funds and were going to fashion week (or hell, even just going to the grocery store!) these babies would be on my feet!)  The hardest part would be to choose which style is best!

 Image from Personal Uniform

I think a pony hair shoe is absolute perfection. This may just be at the top of the list. But in black or ivory?

Oh, the CHOICES!

 The cross-stitch details on this pair are extraordinary. 

I can't decide if the solid heel or the lucite heel is better... 

 If you're in love with these shoes as much as I am but your wallet would weep for days months at the expense (we're talking over 1000 smacks, here guys) then Jeffrey Campbell has done a decent-ish knockoff. Hey, you get what you pay for, right? Still.. these lucite heels are a thing of beauty.

The Missing Piece

“Are you anybody else’s missing piece?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Well, maybe you want to be your own piece?”
“I can be someone’s and still my own.”

— Shel Silverstein, The Missing Piece

Stuff my boyfriend says

Me: "I can't believe the driver took us to the International terminal. They never do that.."

Craig: "It's because you're wearing a onesie."

Fangirl

I grew up in the time of N*Sync, Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears fan mania - and while the rest of my friends would swoon over the possibility of acquiring tickets to see Justin, JC, Lance, Joey, and that other one in person, I never had the desire to actually see any of them in concert. Sure, I love music, all kinds of music, and I've been to several concerts - but I have never actually paid for a single ticket. I was always invited to come along, take the ticket after someone dropped out of the group, or just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I've never felt the desire to use my money to go hear music that I could listen to on my iPod. Until now.

I have completely morphed into a terribly obnoxious fangirl.

My boss asked me back in February if I'd go with her to the Kaiser Chiefs concert that week and I reluctantly agreed. "Would you like to go to a non-scary concert with me?" she asked. (She had to specify because she goes to some wacky concerts- I had to know I wouldn't leave missing a kneecap or something).  The concert was at Terminal 5 in the city (I'll admit, I really thought this venue was at JFK airport for a long, long time.) and they were actually very good!

Opening for the Kaiser Chiefs was a band called Walk the Moon.  I have been hopelessly obsessed since then. They've only had an EP available since February and I have listened to those three songs over and over and over again. I have scoured the internet looking for concerts that I could easily get to (let's just say I was narrowing it down to the east coast), following them on twitter and keeping up with their website to determine when they'd be around. Their Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel performance stayed in my DVR for weeks (until I moved, really).

So when I saw that they would be at a small venue in downtown New York in June, I set my calendar for the ticket sale. I was ready to drop my hard earned money on concert tickets, something I had never done before. I'd get those tickets, take Craig to see them, and I wouldn't be annoying him about it anymore because I knew he would love them just as much as I do... and then they sold out. They sold out in 10 minutes!

I was heartbroken. I'd been following this small band for weeks, annoying everyone around me with the same songs played over and over again, thinking that everyone else out there just didn't know who they were (yet.) and then I find out that they're a sell-out-in-10-minutes type of band! It just wasn't fair.

This band has captivated me. They have taken everything I thought I knew about going to concerts and have turned it upside down, giving me that deep down craving to see them in person again.

So when Craig surprised me with two tickets to the sold out show, I couldn't believe it!

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was download their brand new album (released today), set the iPod to repeat, and put the tickets in my bag because I'm going to see WALK THE MOON tonight!!!


If you want some new music, check out Walk the Moon's new album. You won't be disappointed, I promise :)

War of the Worlds

Penny is getting to know the new neighbors -

When my broker tells me we didn't get the apartment

Livin' in Sin

Sometime this month, Craig and I are moving in to a new apartment.. yes, together. (with P.Nelly of course) Right at this very moment, we are waiting to hear about an apartment we have put an application in for, with nervous anticipation.

But, it is also very exciting - here, let me show you:

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WHEN MY

RENT CHECK CLEARS MY BANK ACCOUNT

KNOWING MY RENT NEXT MONTH

WILL BE HALF OF WHAT IT WAS

LAST 4 DIGIT RENT CHECK GOIN' OUT TODAY, Y'ALL!

LET'S DANCE!

Colon Cancer Challenge 15K

Two days before the Colon Cancer Challenge was to take place, I found myself wishing I had selected the 4-mile option instead of the hefty 15K (9.6 miles). Yes, I had run 9 miles two weeks earlier, but I just didn’t feel really ready to tackle the 15K in a race setting. Still, I suited up that Sunday morning and headed out to Central Park.

The option to move to the 4 mile race was still there, and, as I saw, many people had taken that option. I was one of 6 people in my corral! That was scary, to say the least, but it was nice to get closer to the starting line by moving up a few corrals.

The race consisted of nearly two laps around the lower part of the park. Heading up the east side, instead of continuing up into Harlem territory (where the infamous, torturous “Harlem Hill” looms) we cut across the 102^nd street transverse, down the west side, back around the bottom, repeated the top, before shooting in the 72^nd street transverse to the finish.

I won’t lie, this race was extremely hard for me. Central Park is extremely hilly and even though I have done all of my training there, those hill still get me. 

I didn't have a good start. Could have been nerves, or the fact that the race began at 10:30am (instead of the usual 7:00-8:00 start times) giving me ample time to eat a decent breakfast. I don't run well when there is food in my stomach. This one was not planned well. 

Being in the back, I didn't really have to worry about maneuvering around people, and I didn't have to worry about people needing to go around me, so I was able to focus on keeping my posture upright and breathing deeply through the stomach cramps. The cramping seems to come about when I stop paying attention to what I'm doing (trying the "just run!" philosophy) and I stop breathing correctly. In fact, I actually hold my breath while exercising if I'm not paying attention!  Who does that? Really! Well, apparently, I do that. So I consciously breathe in, breathe out... breathe in, breathe out... repeat. 

It's a strange thing; when you actually have to think about breathing, since it is something that is supposed to come naturally, but I'm getting used to it. Hopefully once it becomes second nature, I can actually "just run" like everyone tells me to.

I had a lot of cramping in the beginning. I think I walked the most during those first three miles! I was getting really discouraged about how poorly I had started, so I took some water, stepped off the road, stretched out my legs a bit and recomposed.

Getting back on the road 10-15 seconds later, I felt better. I decided that no matter the outcome, I was going to finish this race. Sometimes, I wonder why I'm doing this. When it's cold outside, when the wind is blowing, when it's 7:00 in the morning, when everything in my body is telling me it's not worth it.. I wonder. And honestly, I couldn't answer that question during that race. So I 'gave up'. I don't mean that I quit the race, I don't think I would allow myself to do that, but I gave up on trying to do anything than run. I gave up on complaining about how slow I was going, I gave up beating myself up for how many people passed me. I gave up on caring about anything other than keeping my feet moving and air moving through my lungs.

So I started looking around me. I watched dogs play in the park, said hello to a man pushing a jogging stroller, took note of how the cherry blossoms were blooming, and I just kept running.

Around mile 3, I heard a commotion behind me: "Lead runner, coming through! Move aside! Lead runner coming through!" The leader had reached mile 8 in just over 40 minutes. I was on mile 3. Unbelievable.

When I started getting tired, I had to push myself mentally. I took water at every station, making sure I at least stayed hydrated throughout the race. My paced breathing turned into deep breaths in and chanting "don't stop. don't stop. don't stop." while breathing out. I kept moving. 

After the fatigue set in, I took a Gu, busted through "the wall", and kept moving. But, shortly after, comes the pain. Every nerve in my body came alive and I started to feel those individual pains. The bottoms of my feet are suddenly on fire with every step. That sock is rubbing a bit on the left side... and I'm pretty sure there is a rock in my shoe...

After the first loop around the park, I tried to really kick it in to gear. I found a girl that had basically kept my pace and I stuck with her. She'd run ahead, walk a bit, I'd run up, pass her, then I'd stop and walk a bit, then she'd run past me again. 

By mile 7 or 8, I was pretty much done with running altogether and just wanted to quit. My body hurt, bad. I was tired. My stomach was cramping almost continuously and the only thing that kept me moving was the realization that the faster I move, the faster I can stop running. 

The photo to the left was actually taken just before turning onto the transverse just after mile 9. I can't believe I actually mustered a smile at that point! I was still racing "the girl" (photo below) and I think I had run past her and set a pretty wide gap between us.

It wasn't until I had the finish line in sight that she roared past me, sprinting toward the finish. So, I picked it up, I ran as hard as I could, as fast as I could across that line. After I realized that the girl was going to "beat me" I also realized that the finish line was just ahead and I just focused on getting across it.

Craig was on the other side, cheering me on (he had finished well ahead of me) and I was just happy to see that I had achieved my original goal: Finish in under 2 hours.

I came across the finish line at 1:52:43, which gave me a 12:08 pace. Sure, my ultimate goal has always been to get under that 12 minute mile pace, but since I'm still heavily reliant on taking walking breaks due to the cramping, I'm happy that I seemed to walk less than usual during that race.

Crossing the finish line, Craig ran up to me and said "oh God, are you okay??" Apparently, my face was yellow. Like jaundice yellow instead of flushed red like it should be. I mentioned that I was tired, and in some pain, but otherwise okay and hoped it would go down shortly.

I took the Gatorade and bagel and walked for a bit with Craig. It actually took a few hours and a shower to get the yellow color out of my face.  Any one have any ideas what could have caused the yellowing of my face? I don't think it was a "not in sunlight" thing because Craig noticed it immediately and several volunteers at the finish line stopped me to ask if I was okay. I checked it out in a mirror on the way home and it was definitely yellow. So weird.

Edited to add: There WAS a rock in my shoe the whole time and it settled right underneath my big toe on my left foot. I really thought there was going to be a giant, bloody hole in my foot when I took my sock off. But, no, no injury, just a bit of pain!

Anyway, some of you may remember that I dedicated this run to my Grandmother, a colon cancer survivor, and that still holds true.

This race was hard. Really hard. But I think going through Chemotherapy is probably a lot harder than running 9.3 miles - so I am happy to do that in honor of her struggle.

After rolling out with the foam roller (I'll post about that later), icing my knees, and a long, hot shower (where I spent most of it laying in the tub), we ordered some enchiladas and rested for the remainder of the day.

I counted the 15K as one of my long training runs in preparation for the half marathon. 9.3 miles on the books. 2 weeks later, I would run 13.1