Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Long awaited Update

I know I haven't been around for a while, lets just say I lost my feel for blogging. But I am back! By the way, I've changed my URL from trulovegangsta to bubblibianca, so if your looking for me, thats my URL.

It's almost a month into my senior year in college, and no... unlike many of my fellow seniors, I do NOT have a case of senioritis. But what I can say is that I am very blessed to have everything that I need, such as a new laptop. =)

My hair was in box braids that I did myself (for the very first time!!) and they came out looking great! I kept them in for almost five weeks. Actually, tonight is wash night. I did see a lot of growth, but unfortunately much of the growth will be getting trimmed off. Remember, taking care of your ends early in the game is better than waiting. This can lead to the split traveling up your hair shaft, breakage, and tangles. Take care of it as often as it needs to be taken care of.

That is all so far, I will take a few pictures of my hair when I am washing it so I can share my progress!!

Toodles

Friday, May 11, 2012

Summer so far

So... The semester is over, and I'm getting ready to start summer classes. I decided to go to nursing school after my NICU shadowing experience. So now I have to take some prerequisites in order to apply. I'm back home, and I need a car and a job. So far I have been turned down by a few places. It's a little discouraging but something has to happen. In other news, my hair has been growing, and it seems like its getting thicker since I've started finger detangling. Im about to start protective styling again because it's too much to wear it out. So for now I want to see if I can experiment with some bunning styles with my twists and see how that goes. I am continuing with my co-washing once a week, with a weekly deep conditioning. I'm trying to finish up this Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonaisse before I buy a new deep conditioner that is all natural. The ingredients in the Hair Mayo sucks, it make me cringe every time I use it. I'm thinking about Shea Moisture's Deep Treatment Mask. I should be taking some pictures soon.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Finals Week

Ugggh... so it's finally here. The end of my junior year. The late night escapades with caffeine and five hour energy drinks... the pressure of finishing all of your assignments before the deadlines (all who take classes know how it is). But in the midst of all the drama associated with the last days of school,  I can't help but to stop and appreciate the fact that I have successfully reached this point. All my hard work has paid off. =)

And who do I owe it to? None else but my Lord and savior Jesus Christ... who has been there every step of the way. Every exam, every quiz, every time I felt unprepared, every time I felt like I couldn't do it, and even when I mismanaged my time.




And of course, all my family and friends who supported me along the way <3

So... to all those who are going through finals now or sometime in the near future, you aren't alone. Finish strong!!

Friday, March 30, 2012

Wash and Go

Hey guys, today I decided to give my wash and go a try. I couldn't wash my hair in the morning, so I washed it last night, and apllied some Kinky Curly Knot Today and Kinky Curly Curling Custard. I tried Naptural85's method of maintaining her wash and go.


Lets just say it certainly didn't come out like her's LOL. My shrinkage was crazy and my hair was still pretty damp. So I took my blowdrier and started stretching out my curls. This is the result.




Verdict: Hmmm I don't know yet... Perhaps I can find a way to avoid such shrinkage. Now I have to figure out how I'm going to maintain this bad boy until next Thursday!! 

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Springtime!!


I'm so happy that it's springtime now! =) It's my favorite season ( probably because I was born in the spring..but never mind that). What is there not to like about spring ( besides allergies)?
The warmer weather allows us to wear our hair in more out-styles, such as wash and goes, without having to worry about catching a head cold because you walked out the house with wet hair. Also, it's not as humid as the summer, so your hair is less likely to turn into a frizz ball.

I've been trying to tweak my regimen bit by bit so I can achieve the best results with my hair.
Here are some new things I'm trying this spring.
1. Finger detangling - Though every natural doesn't do this, I've heard a lot about the benefits of it, such as more defined curls, more length retention, increase in the thickness of hair...
2. Drying my hair with a T-shirt- I hear that t- shirts cause less frizz
3. Trimming my ends more frequently ( like every six weeks)- If my ends aren't too bad, then I'll just dust.

And I'm going out on a limb and trying to wear more wash and goes... ( Scared look). The reason I don't wear wash and goes like that is because I didn't know how to maintain them. Now that I have done some research, it doesn't hurt to try again. If another girl can do it, I can too!
Here are some pics of my natural texture with conditioner in it.

 I can't wait to cut that color off!!!




My braidout before and after 80 degree weather hits it. ( I'm not complaining)
What changes are you making this spring?



Tuesday, February 21, 2012

3 Tips for Being Successful in College

Being in college for three years has taught me a lot about being successful in school. I feel that sharing some of the things I learned would be helpful to someone who will be going to college in the future.

1. Take your butt to class!!

In college you are on your own and you are in charge of yourself. This means that mommy/daddy/auntie/grandmammie etc... will not be there to wake you up, drag you out of bed and make you go to class. If you decide to stay in bed because you socialized all night long and your tired, that is on you. Though being in class is only part of the equation, most of the time attendance is a part of your grade and you miss out on information that you will be lectured and quizzed on. Another thing is...if you are going to be in class, PAY ATTENTION. If you plan on sitting in the back to sleep or talk you might as well stayed home.

2. Do your homework/reading assignments

Keep in mind that on the first day of class the professor is going to give you a syllabus that includes everything that will happen during the course of the semester. Take a look at it so there won't be any surprises. A lot of the learning you do in college is self-instructed. This will include a lot of reading. Doing your homework/reading assignments aid in helping you remember the material. Also it helps to read BEFORE class so you will have an idea of what the professor is talking about and what sections you need to pay close attention to during the lecture. Afterwards, see your professor about things you didn't quite understand.

3. Plan out and divide your work load accordingly ( DON'T PROCRASTINATE and CRAM)

Example : If you have an exam in 2 weeks, plan to study a little everyday instead of doing an 'all nighter' the night before. Avoid 'all nighters' if possible. Sleep is crucial to your health. Procrastination will definitely cause you to suffer more than you actually need to.

Although I have TONS more advice on this subject, these are just a few tips that will help you be successful in school. My best advice is, learn how to do these things BEFORE you get to college so that you will have a head start in developing good habits.
 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Thought of the Day

How much time do you spend admiring someone else's hair? Do you constantly stalk their blogs/vlogs/tumblrs and photo albums to see what they are doing next with their hair? Do you find yourself wishing you had their hair texture, or their length?


After being natural for almost 4 years, I noticed a few things about myself and other women. We are ALWAYS wishing we had someone else's hair. It's always "I wish I had her texture" or " I wish my hair did that"

There isn't anything wrong with admiring someone else's hair, but sometimes we are so busy looking at other people's manes that we forget about whats growing out of our own head. Today I challenge you to take the time out to admire your own hair texture and your own length as much as you do others. After all, someone is out there admiring and wishing that they had your hair.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I'm Back


Hey guys! So I have returned from my brief hiatus and I can't wait to start sharing with you guys again. So, what has been going on while I was away? I twisted my hair into my beloved mini twists, which are holding up pretty well. These mini twists have been inspired by KinkyCurlyQueen of naturallyobsessed.net ( her twists are gorgeous!!). I usually follow the "tension method" of blow drying my hair, and then take my sweet old time and twist with olive oil and my Shea butter mix I purchased years ago at a flea market. If I have a whole day to myself, I can complete the style within one day, but it took me a while this time since I have been busy with school and what not. Nevertheless, it gives me 3-4 weeks of not having to worry about my hair. I honestly plan to wear these a lot, especially while I am in school and getting ready to start studying for the MCAT. I hope to retain maximum growth in this style since it isn't being manipulated everyday. I plan to get a trim this month of Febuary, probably after I do my length check. Be back soon.
- Toodles



Monday, January 9, 2012

Short Hiatus

Hey guys, I will be taking a break from the internet for my 21 day fast with my church. Don't worry yourselves though, I will be back with fresh new ideas and posts for you guys on Jan 30th. Toodles till then. * wink*

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Length Check

So... While I was riding back to school I decided to measure how long my hair was ( since there was a random tape measure laying in the car ). Here they are!!
Right Side - 8.5 inches
Left Side - 9 inches
Behind ears - 8.5 inches
Front- 9.5 inches
Top- 10 inches
Middle Back - 9.5 inches
Very Back- 6 inches
Average Length - approx. 9 inches

My hair is layered and in a " bobish" cut, thats why the very back is 6 in. Lets see how much growth I can retain in a month. This month I will focus on staying hydrated. I can't wait to see the results.

- Toodles




Food for the Soul


This video is lengthy but worth watching =)

Saturday, January 7, 2012

My Regimen

Someone asked me what my hair regimen was, so I decided to do a post on it.

My current regimen :

1. Shampoo scalp and hair with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Shampoo ( once a week)
2. Condition with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner
3. Detangle
4. Deep condition with Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonaisse ( Every other week)
5. Add olive oil to wet hair
6. Blow dry using the " Tension Method"
7. Twist

This is just what I have been doing for the past few months. In the past, I would air dry in medium or small size plaits and wear a braidout. When my hair was long enough, I would bun it often. I have also tried almond oil instead of olive oil, and that works great too.

Styles I have worn in the past:

Braid outs

Twistouts
2 Strand                                             3 Strand

                                      
Twists                                                  

 Buns

Over the course of 3 and a half years, I have tried a lot of styles, more than I can post here. For now, I just lean on the simplicity of twists and go about my business. If there are any questions please feel free to ask!!
- Toodles


Spring Semester 2012

Soooo... it's about that time again, the start of a new semester. This is my last weekend before school starts and before my life gets back in gear again. And honestly, I'm excited!!! I know I'm about to sound like the biggest nerd when I say this, but... I LOVE SCHOOL!! I LOVE LEARNING!! I know God has great things in store for me this semester. Another 4.0, a great MCAT score, volunteering and/or shadowing in the NICU, and the joy of sharing my experiences with you all. Hope you are ready for the ride =)

- Toodles

Friday, January 6, 2012

Thursday, January 5, 2012

My Hair Journey.... and other things

So, the other day when I was observing this beautiful sunset in route to ShopRite, I had an epiphany. I think I want to buy a really nice camera and get into photography!!!! I love to admire the beauty of nature and I want to capture it as it is so I can admire that moment FOREVER!!!


But back to what this post is REALLY about. First of all, I want to say that I am OBSESSED with natural hair. It all started in Nov 2007 when I decided to transition for the second time. By this time I had access to youtube videos and websites, such as nappturality.com, which helped me along with my transition and kept me inspired. Then I created a hair album on fotki.com, which enabled me to document my progress. Almost six months later I told my best friend to go ahead and big chop. 
As you can see by that big ol' smile, I was HAPPY!!!!! I couldn't wait to experiment and do twists and twistouts and wear puffs.
A year later my hair had really blossomed, and so had my styling skills. I really enjoyed this length and the health of my hair.
By year 2, my hair was really growing and getting long.

By January of year three, my hair was almost bra strap length.
Unfortunately, I cut my hair by the summer of year 3 because I acquired heat damage from pressing my hair that winter. I was sad that I had to lose all my progress, but I was happy that I got to start over again. All I want is healthy hair.
Now I am pleased to say that my hair is growing back and it is healthy. I use minimal heat because I want my hair to be as healthy as possible. My ultimate hair goal is to grow my hair to waist length. After that, I don't know what I'm going to do.

Thats my hair in a nutshell, but if you want to look at my journey more intensively, my link is fotki.com/allmine444, found under the links I like on the side.
- Toodles


Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year

Welcome to my life everyone. Let me introduce myself. I am Bianca. I am a Howard University student and I study biology. I've spent most of 2011 admiring and looking at other blogs, so I thought to myself, why not start my own? And I must admit, I do find it difficult because I don't even know what direction I'm going to take with this blog. I'll figure it out though. ( Oh, and the title of this blog is totally irrelevant lol)

So, it's that time of the year again. Time to renew and refresh and get rid of the old. I haven't really taken the time to reflect over last year and how I will do things differently this year, but I do have a ruff draft of the goals I have for this year. Here are some.

  1.  Score above 30 on the MCAT exam.
  2. Apply to medical school by the summer time ( I want to get it done early)
  3. If it isn't too late, I want to study abroad in Brazil this summer
  4. 4.0 Spring 2012 semester
  5. Grow my hair to at least bra strap length by December
  6. A clearer face
These are just some of the main goals I want to acheive this year. There isn't anything wrong with setting goals you know. Write them down and put them somewhere where you can go back and take a look every now and then to see where you are.

Toodles