My Apologies for Live Streaming…

Please accept my sincere apology for the live streaming which didn't work. Even though the location was equipped with the internet, unfortunately the test for the internet speed was only done on the afternoon of the wedding and the signal strength was strong enough.  This was outside my control and I hope you guys forgive us for those who tried to tune in. I will share some aspects of the wedding so you can see the proceedings.

Here is a sneak peek of us on our wedding day which isn't from our professional photographer and an aerial view shot.

Aerial view shot taken by Cielo Productions

Non- Professional Pics

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. God has being amazing to us for 2014 and I wish all the blessings in the world for you guys for 2015 and beyond.

How was your Christmas?

Be inspired…

Merry Christmas Everyone...

Merry Christmas Everyone! Have a safe and blessed holiday...with all the festivities, please remember the reason for the season, God Bless!!!

Finally Our Engagement Photo’s…

I got engaged on June 1, 2013. I can still remember it, like if it was yesterday. The level of planning and thoughtfulness that went into the proposal was truly amazing. I thought I was organized but Kevin takes it to another level, a level I’m now striving to reach. He’s a perfectionist giving the nature of his career which is an architect.  I was totally surprised as seen in many photo’s shown here. Kevin blew my mind then and is still blowing my mind everyday.  I can’t wait to say “ I Do” to the man of my dreams and start building our empire together.

Our engagement photos took place at the same venue of the proposal, which was Limegrove & Port St Charles.  Who says engagement photos needs to be cliché. Special thanks goes out to my amazing photographer Himal Reece and his assistant Allan Harvey for making our photoshoot very memorable. These guys are very flexible and easy to work with.  I’m confident that my wedding pictures will be above my expectation.  Take a look at some of our favorites.

Photography: Himal Reece. Location Port St Charles

Wash Day: Relaxer Preparations...

My typical relaxer day prep looks like the picture below.  According to my calendar I was due for a  relaxer on December 6, 2014 but that didn't happen.  Usually after my wash day, I apply Jamaican Black Castor Oil on my scalp and follow up with Vaseline 3 days after my wash day. This time around I skipped applying JBCO on my scalp and used Extra Virgin Coconut oil. Two days later my scalp started itching like crazy and I added more EVCO to soothe my scalp since it was now sore.  Can you believe I actually started scratching my scalp like crazy. This was a no no pre- hair journey, so I should have known better than to do this post hair journey.  I applied Vaseline on my scalp on the 4^th day after my wash day and my scalp felt much better.  By day 5, the itching started again and I started banging my head to ease the itching. It took me back to the days I used to rock weaves and had no access to my scalp so I would bang my head till I felt relief. Pretty sad but i still see people do this.

How I prep my hair for relaxer day

Come & Meet Our Bridal Party…

I can’t say enough how happy Kevin & I are with the choices of our bridal party.  I’ll say take your time and choose your bridal party wisely and not because the person is family or a casual friend. Being in a bridal party needs dedication, support and just being there for the bride and groom. I’m not saying to comprise your standards but support is one of the biggest things you can offer in a bridal party.  Of course voice your opinions but your role isn't to take over the concept the bride and groom has.  We are pleased to say our bridal party was drama free, stress free, full support at all times. We are not saying everything has been perfect but the hiccups were so far and in-between its almost like they never existed.  Our first meeting was held in January 2014 and we were alil nervous how everyone would gel and get along. The meeting ended and we just sat and talked for hours like we were all bestie’s who hadn't seen each other in a while and was catching up. The vibe was great and everyone messaged us saying they had a great time and the vibe was nice.  You don’t know how great Kevin and I felt because our chosen friends are now our chosen family. We love these guys dearly.

You guys know I love photos, so a photo shoot for my bridal party was a given. In addition, it could act as a practice session as well as memories to last a lifetime. These pictures typically tell you how our vibe usually is. We are always joking around, laughing and just having plain old fun. These photos were taken by Himal Reece who is one of the best photographers in Barbados.

Our Bridal Party

Guest Post | Pre-Martial Counselling Homework (Love Letter in 25yrs)...

Hi Readers, its Kevin again, yes i'm back for another guest post. Since this month is our wedding month, it's only fitting to start of this month with a wedding post. This post is just a little homework we had from pre-martial counselling actually, where we both had to write a love letter to each other as if it was our 25th Year Anniversary of marriage...Tomi is really great with words, after all she runs a blog, and she has written me many love letters over the years, her letter was very touching, insightful, boy do I have alot to live up to and much to work on, based on her expectations post 25 years, lol...she knows how to pull at my heartstrings for sure...she asked if I would not mind sharing mine so here goes... 

::25th Anniversary, Happily Married...

“I stayed up all night, so I could get this thing right, and I don't think there's anything missing, cause a person like you, made it easy to do...your love completes my existence” – Amel Larrieux...On reflecting and reminiscing on the time we have been together and as I prepare this letter with a music mix of our initial 6 songs from our courtship days playing in the background, there is still a freshness and a smile that peaks out like the sunrise of a new day, as I get flashbacks, of a life well spent with you. It's almost as if I was born just to love you, no doubt about it, today we celebrate our Silver Jubilee, 25 years of being happily married, with God’s infinite blessings – what an amazing journey it has been so far. Tomes you are indeed a wonderful gift from God not just to me but to our children. We have had some enthralling experiences, great memories and moments, but let's also be honest some setbacks, but all of them have provided a balance that has kept us sane, humble, and also looking forward to the next challenge – those marriage vows have really become reality, they are truly timeless...

Engagement Photoshoot: Please click to enlarge...

Same Ole Wash Day…

I haven’t posted about my hair in a while because I haven’t been doing anything special to my hair for the last couple of weeks.  My weekly regimen has remained the same but styling has been as simple as possible. Take a look at how my hair has been lately.

My hair styles for the last couple of weeks

Wedding: Pre-Marital Counselling Homework (Love Letter in 25yrs)…

Our pre-marital counselling sessions are over and we are happy to report that our priest has confidence in our relationship.  We were asked to write a love letter to each other 25 years from now and read it to each other at one of our sessions.  Neither of us had an idea what we wrote to each other, until it was read out.  Kevin and I are very competitive, so to jazz up my letter I added 25 hearts going around it. This letter is exactly what I read infront of the priest to Kevin.  Do enjoy!

My Dearest Husband Kevin,

Time is flying and waiting on no one and I’m so happy that our paths crossed so unconventional and now we are building the life we always wanted.  I truly believe God made you for me. There is no one else that I have ever met that understands me like you do. God has been good to us.  The kids are all grown and looking to start their own lives, which gives us an opportunity to explore each other without the distractions of family or the outside world. Our first trip together to Las Vegas in 2010

Wedding: Our Cake Tasting Experience…

To be honest we knew who we wanted to bake our wedding cake from last year and kind of slacked on looking at other options.  Always have a plan B trust me . When we finally chose a design for our cake, the quote given to us was way above our budget. Its at that point we decided to start looking at some other options to see if we were getting a deal or not.  We had 3 quotes for the below cakes without the topper and one with the topper.  We asked for a 3 tier Chocolate Cake with Vanilla filling. Aren't they gorgeous.

Source from Pinterest. Our first design Cakes

Product Review: L’Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm…

L'Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm

::Price:: 8.5oz – $14.19BDS (Purchased at Mall Mart)

             8.5oz -  $5.97US   (Also available on Amazon)
  

My Apologies & Life Update…

Let me first apologize to you guys for my lack of postings recently.  So much has been going on which has pushed me to take a mini break from blogging. I absolutely love blogging but there are things right now that I need to put all of my energy into. I do hope I can still make an appearance atleast weekly till the end of the year.

What have I been up too you may ask? Well trying to tie loose ends for the wedding as well as sending out invitations, meet with service providers to make sure everything is covered. Kevin was the brain child behind our invitations and he actually printed them too.

Our Wedding Invitations in the process and finished

Right now, I’ll say everything is on schedule for the wedding. I’m overwhelmed as I can’t believe 2014 is almost over and I’m going to be a Mrs. It was just the other day Kevin & I were discussing our guest list and now our wedding day is almost less than 30 days to go.  I do have some wedding posts, hair posts scheduled soon, so stay tuned and stay blessed.

What have I missed, share with us below?

Be inspired...

What Happened To My Hair Lately…

I haven’t been doing anything special with my hair for the last couple of weeks but I have been keeping up with my weekly wash-days and treatments.  Due to time constraints, I haven’t been able to wear my hair out which may be beneficial to me in the long run right now.

I love buns

HOTD: My Favorite New Hairstyle…

After experiencing my twist-out flop hairstyle, I needed something to save my hair. While playing in my hair I started to twist and roll and realized this could be a possible hairstyle to save the day.  From an old twist out, I just did a twist on both sides of my hair very loosely and tucked my ends on the inside. To secure the roll better, I used 3 bobbi pins.

Old Flat Twist Out, tuck and roll

HOTD: Flat Twist Out Fail…

I have been admiring some gorgeous twist-out on Instagram lately and decided to give it a try.  I carried out my usual wash day but used Fruit of Earth Aloe Vera Gel to help define my twist-out. I started on the right hand side of my head and realized the twist were extremely loose and didn't know how to tighten it. I figured it will turn out as a loose wave and I was fine with that.  Can you believe when I got to the last two twists I figured out how to flat twist tighter.  Since I used gel and my hair was starting to get hard, I didn't bother to re-do all the twist.

Flat Twist Out on Relaxed Hair

NEW VIDEO: How I Self Relax My Hair ….

I took the opportunity to record how I self relax my hair, to give you guys a visual of my Relaxer day process is like. Take a look below:

I hope you enjoyed the video.

Be Inspired…

 

My Bridal Make-Up Consultation Recap…

I had a bridal consultation with Renee Ifill from Next 2 Natural in Barbados.  I think consultations are important especially for brides, so you can see potentially see how you would look on your big day. It also helps to tweak any changes that you may notice after the consultation. For example, how long did the makeup last, how fast your face gets oily? All of these can be addressed so you look your absolute best on your wedding day.

I arrived at her studio which was very cozy. Outside was so hot that day that I welcomed the air conditioning in her studio to keep me cool and calm.  I explained to her the things I didn't like and let her work her magic.  I don’t like harsh contour lines on the nose at all. 

Ignore this lip color as I’m definitely not wearing this on our day.  She used this lip color because that day was also our engagement photo shoot so she matched my lippie to my shirt. Isn't it pretty?

Bridal Make-up by Next to Natural

My Make-up Looks Recently…

I’ll confess that I only wear full makeup when I’m going out out (if that makes sense).  If I’m going to a casual gathering I may just use my Mac Studio Fix powder, fill in my brows and add a colored lip or nude lip.  Now when I’m getting all dressed up my makeup is on another level. Here’s what my makeup comprises of for a full beat face.

My Makeup Products

Co-Wash Day: Flexi- Rods @ 4 Weeks Post

The initial plan was a full wash day which was to comprise of prepooing (pre-shampoo treatment) with a protein conditioner and deep conditioning with a moisturizing conditioner but that didn't happen and opted to co wash instead.

Flexi-rods @ 4weeks post

NEW VIDEO: Relaxer Results from September 2014…

I can finally show you guys the results of my relaxer done as a DIY girl @ 16weeks post relaxer. I also dyed my hair Truly Red from Kiss Express Color.

Hope you enjoyed the video.

Be Inspired…

Wash Day Post Relaxer…

I haven’t washed my hair in two weeks and my scalp was really feeling disgusted last week since its used to weekly washes.  I’ll admit I did miss washing my hair but time was against me last weekend.

My Washday Products

[1]   Prepooed with Coconut Oil on my scalp and on the length of my hair for 20mins with heat

[2]   Shampooed with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo twice to make sure my scalp was thoroughly

       cleaned after applying product to my hair for 2 weeks. Followed up with CON Moisture &

       Shine Shampoo to add back some moisture to my hair.

[3]   Applied Aphogee 2 mins reconstructor to my ends for 2mins and rinsed.

[4]   Deep Conditioned with my Queen Helene Cholesterol mixture for 30mins and rinsed

[5]   Wrapped my hair in a t-shirt for 1hour to absorb the excess water.

[6]   Applied my leave-in conditioners of Silk Elements Color Care, my moisturizing cocktail

       and sealed with coconut oil.

I really wanted to try styling my hair different this week but laziness got the better half of me and I ended up air drying my hair.

 [7]   The following day I applied Jamaican Black Castor Oil on my scalp, moisturized with 

         Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter and sealed with coconut oil.

Bunning as my protective style

I’ll be bunning all week long and I just realized how much texture was left at the top of my hair. Its abit too much but I’ll rally on till my next relaxer day and fix it then, instead of doing a corrective relaxer. This wash day was easy breezy and i'm loving bunning without filler.

Do you have a wash day experience to share with us, head over to Saving Our Strands & Justgrowalready to join the link up. See you there!

How was your last wash day & How are you wearing your hair this week?

Be inspired…

I Changed My Hair Color To Truly Red…

If you haven’t seen my relaxer update, go ahead and check it out here. I've reached a new milestone in my life and decided to switch things up abit with my hair. Additionally I was tired of the brown shades of my hair. I thought about red and copper sunset hair colors but ended up choosing red. Also I thought about how wearing different clothing colors with colored hair would look like and figured red would most likely go with most colors. I didn't expect it to be super bright since I had no intentions of bleaching my hair.  I actually don’t like maroon color on me either but it seems to look that way sometimes.

Kiss Express Hair Color in Truly Red

My Birthday Celebrations…

I have entered into a new decade of my life and I’m entirely grateful to God for allowing me to reach this milestone and be able to celebrate it with good health, awesome family, wonderful friends and my Fiancé. Last year Kevin left Barbados to study for a year in England and I told him not to do anything since he was travelling the following day. I’m not an overly fussy person but I do appreciate the little things in life. So for the BIG 30, I also told Kevin not to overdo as our wedding is around the corner and we should be focused on that.  If there is one thing I can say about Kevin, is that he listens and very carefully too. This is a quality that I truly admire from him.  All I asked for was a cake, I really did need anything else but a cake.

30's Birthday Celebrations

Relaxer Day Results…

I relaxed my hair myself at 16 weeks post relaxer with ORS Creme Relaxer in Normal Strength and I’m getting better at it everytime I do it. My routine hasn't changed from the last time I relaxed my hair in May 2014 here.

Flat Iron Results after stretching my relaxer for 16weeks

September: It’s My Birthday…

Can I be bias and say September is the best month of the year? Seriously guys this is the best month lol. All of my September people stand up and represent.

New Decade, New Rules!

I want to wish all of my September borns a happy and blessed birthday. May your day and month be filled with laugher, happiness, and great health. Stay blessed!

When is your birthday?

Be inspired...

      

How I've Been Wearing My Hair Lately…

During the last couple of weeks, towards ending my relaxer stretch, I tend to wear hair styles that require minimum manipulation and my ends protected.  I avoid using a comb during the week but moisturizing and sealing my entire head twice a week. Don’t panic, I usually moisturize and seal the outskirt of my hair daily. Three days later my hair on the  inside is still moisturized but I still moisturize all of my strands to ensure it doesn't dry out and become brittle.  There is no need to moisturize and seal entire my hair daily.  My deep conditioner usually does a great job with it's moisturizing properties.

It shouldn't come to no surprise that buns are on my list. I usually use a scrunchie around my hair twice before bunning. Once I’m finished I don’t even feel the scrunchie and my hair is still secured. I secure my buns with bobbi pins.

Buns Buns and more Buns

Wash Day: Relaxer Preparations…

This is typically what my relaxer prep day looks like, however I’ll list the products used below. Single strand knots have been trying to take over my life for the last 3weeks and I’m so over this stretch. I’m ready to straighten my curls.

How I Prep My Hair For Relaxer Day

[1]   Detangled with my Mane n Tail detangler and a wide width comb.

[2]   Prepooed with Aussie Moist Conditioner on the length of my hair for 30mins and sat under

       my heat cap.

[3]   Shampooed with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo (remove build up)

[4]   Applied my all-time favorite Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment and sat under my hooded

       dryer for 15mins until my hair was rock solid.  I can’t say this enough and I’ll continue to

       say it, this treatment is no joke, please don’t touch your hair or attempt to comb or brush 

       your hair until the treatment has been washed out. My hair felt sooo much stronger after 

       rinsing out the product.

Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment

[5]   Applied Aphogee Balancing Moisturizer for 2 mins and rinsed

[6]   Deep Conditioned with my Queen Helene mixture for 45mins and sat under my heat cap. 

      I love how my hair feels after using this mixture because its so moisturizing.

[7]   Rinse and wrapped my hair in a t-shirt for 1 hour.

[8]   With my hair in 4 sections applied Herbal Essence Split Ended Protector (my ends) and 

       Aussie Moist Conditioner and detangled very carefully.

[9]   Air-dry and appllied JBCO on my scalp and moisturize with Elasta QP Olive oil & Mango 

       Butter and seal with Coconut Oil.

[10] My hair style of choice is a simple braid inside of a banana clip and avoid putting my 

       hands or tools in my hair till relaxer day.  I'm currently 15weeks post relaxer.

New Growth @ 15weeks Post Relaxer

Do you have a wash day experience to share with us, head over to Saving Our Strands & Just Grow Already to join the link up. See you there!

How do you prep your hair for relaxer day?

Be inspired...

Hair Regimen Building: Importance of Deep Conditioner’s - Moisturizing…

What are Deep Conditioner’s?

Deep Conditioner’s are a must have product in any girl’s arsenal.  These are products that add moisture back into your hair to make it more manageable and soft.  Deep conditioner’s help penetrate our strands to encourage elasticity and strength.

  

What are the benefits of using a Deep Conditioner’s?

Deep Conditioning will improve the overall health of your hair hands down.  It helps to infuse nutrients into our strands to keep it healthy and strong. Even though our hair is made up of proteins we still need proteins to replenish our strands from the everyday wear and tear from combing and brushing. Regular deep conditioning keeps our hair soft, smooth and it also adds shine.  Everyone’s hair needs deep conditioning and for us relaxed girls who use heat styling tools or using hair dyes. By deep conditioning, our hair will be hydrated, soft and replenish the moisture lost.  Deep conditioning helps improves our hair elasticity. It also helps with retaining moisture in our hair and reduces breakage.

How to use Deep Conditioner’s?

You can deep condition on dry hair or after shampooing.  For best results,  add heat to the deep conditioner before placing it on your hair for further penetration. For example, placing the product container in a bowl of warm water to heat it up or in the microwave for 30seconds.  Also cover your hair with a plastic cap to keep the heat locked in. Sit under a heat cap or dryer to maintain the heat level applied to your hair. Rinse with cool water to close the hair cuticles which would help to seal in the moisture from the deep conditioning treatment.  You can boost your Deep Conditioner's effectiveness by adding natural oils or honey to the product before placing it on your hair. Mix the combination thoroughly. Apply the Deep Conditioner from root to the tip, making sure the product is on every strand of hair as pictured.

Using my heat cap or hooded dryer for deep conditioning

OOTD: Lady in Green…

I’m sharing with you my outfit of the day from church from last Sunday. Choosing an outfit for church isn't planned at all, actually once I’m showered then I decide what to wear. 

Lady in Green

Finally A Full Wash Day…

I have been mainly co-washing for the last couple of months but doing a full wash days on protein wash days.  This wash day, I had time on my hands and decided to undertake a normal full wash day.

New Growth @ 12 Weeks Post Relaxer

Wash Day: Another Flexi- Rod Set…

I had a photo shoot this weekend and wondered how to style my hair. I wanted to flat iron my hair but with time restraint and since I have never flat iron my hair before I didn't want to rush anything and end up with regrets. What else can blend my new growth and still look cute, say it with me Flexi-Rods lol.

Flexi-Rods

Black Hair Myths…

I have lurked around shoulder length all my adult life and just settled for it because black women with hair pass shoulder length, are regarded as being mixed therefore being able to gain longer lengths.  With knowledge from google, vloggers and bloggers there is no need to think that black hair growth is stunt at shoulder.  Here are some of the reasons people think black hair can’t grow long.

Black Hair CAN'T Grow Long

In all honesty I partially believed this because I knew a young lady whose hair was referred to as “pickey” (very short) and remained that length for years. With knowledge I have acquired while being on my healthy hair journey, I now know that anything is possible with a good hair regimen - your hair can grow as long as you desire.  Our hair can grow but we need to protect and take care of our ends, which are the oldest part of our hair which can be prone to breakage if not given the proper care. If our ends are breaking off at the same rate as our hair is growing out of our scalp, our hair will appear like its not growing.