Hask, Shea Moisture, and Carol's Daughter Empties!

The feeling of satisfaction upon using the entirety of one's purchase and combing through those products to extract the best one is a process that I enjoy. The products that are on my list of combed and extracted for the month of October 2016 are:

• Hask Monoi Coconut Oil Nourishing Conditioner
• Shea Moisture Mongongo & Hemp Seed Oil High Porosity Moisture-Seal Finishing Elixir
• Carol's Daughter Almond Milk Leave-in Conditioner
• Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Grow Leave-in Conditioner
• Carol's Daughter Almond Milk Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask

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-CamzCaress

Yet, another Granola Breakfast!

So, after a brief hiatus, I recently revisited the one, the only....Granola with kefir and berries breakfast! Yes, it's a slight obsession, but it's the most refreshing for me in the mornings.  Here are my steps:

1. Pour Kefir into bowl. It can be any type of Kefir, but I personally like to use this brand of Kefir

2. Add bouncy, red raspberries-they contain antioxidants for healthy cellular reproduction

3. Add crunchy or chewy granola. It can also be any granola type, but I use  this gluten-free granola due to a gluten intolerance. The almond  and honey are warm flavors and pair well with the plain kefir and raspberries. 

3. Add chia seeds-bursting with protein, omega-3s, omega-6s, minerals, vitamins-the whole 9 yards! I use this brand .

4. Enjoy and eat with a big spoon! The granola will soak up the kefir, giving them a tangy crunch to enjoy; the  juicy raspberries are also tangy and sour, while the chia seeds-flavorless, humble, yet mighty-take care of the whole team with all of its amazing benefits. 

Divine! Enjoy!

-CamzCaress

On using Essential Oils

Essential Oils

In this post, I'll give a brief introduction to essential oils. I have been using essential oils for  a little over four years now and I have a s-t-e-a-d-y addiction to these oils. Not only do they serve purposes of :

• beautification of the hair, skin, and nails
•  multipurpose usage in healing the body during sickness, cleaning the home, office, car, etc.,
• natural perfumery 
• air diffusers, 
• mental clarity and alertness 

Gals, the list goes on! Being oils, they are quite minimalist in their character, as one single oil  can be used in so many different ways.

I am currently using the following essential oils for the following purposes:

• Rosemary & Peppermint essential oils- Stimulate blood flow to the hair follicles on the scalp for increased hair growth
• Lavender & Jasmine essential oils-Added to any diffusor (this one is also great!) to promote relaxation and tranquility in the air
• Tea tree & Eucalyptus oils-Anti-acne, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal oils that I use on my face/body and for cleaning the home, office, car, etc.

 Here are some essential oils that I use, and you can certainly try too. They are a minimalistic, smart way to beautify your living. 

-CamzCaress

Breakfast a la Granola!

Van's Cranberry Almond Granola

Lifeway Raspberry Kefir-pure, creamy luxury...honestly!

In the bowl

Up close action

Breakfast Yumz

So why make a post about Cranberry Almond Granola & Raspberry Kefir for breakfast? Well it's just so simple, refreshingly delicious, and healthy, that's why! This particular granola is very chewy, which makes it fun to eat anytime, not just for breakfast. The kefir is tart and has a creamy texture, which makes it create a satisfactory texture pairing with the granola. 

Carol's Daughter Almond Milk Ultra-Nourishing Hair Mask

Front-view of Carol's Daughter AMUN Hair Mask

I bought this from my local Target store

Back view of the ingredient list

Particular ingredients that I noticed were:

Sweet Almond Oil-High vitamin E content and fatty acids

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein-Strengthening protein that helps to optimize moisturization and elasticity in hair

Hydrolyzed Keratin Protein-Reconstructing protein that helps to restore the hair from damage

Sunflower Extract-Contains fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals

Rice Bran Extract-Rich extract of vitamin E, fatty acids, and antioxidants

Top view of the mask

The consistency is similar to Shea Moisture's JBCO Leave-In Conditioner, however, it is a bit thicker. The scent is a warm, sweet & nutty almond scent. Yum!

Let's see the review!

This hair mask is a part of the Almond Milk hair care range of products of the Carol's Daughter product line. It has a very distinct sweet almond scent and its texture is medium-thick. The product is easy to apply, as it has properties that help to detangle the hair.  I smoothed the nourishing hair mask in my hair after detangling it with the Hask Monoi Nourishing Hair Conditioner, and then applied a plastic hair cover and used a blow dryer to warm the mask in the hair.

Final Effect on Hair (F.E.H.) = My hair felt very smooth, and looked visibly moisturized. My hair was very detangled and soft. As I styled my hair, I had less shedding than I had in the past. I want to continue to use this hair mask, as I love the smell and the effect it has on my hair.

Have you tried this hair mask?  Do you love the sweet almond scent? Let me know in the comment section.

~CamzCaress

Shea Moisture Curling Gel Soufflé Product Review

This product was bought from my local Target store

This pic shows a list of ingredients, of which I would like to highlight:

Agave Teqilana Leaf Extract & Sugar Cane Extract- Extract of the plant used to make tequila, known for its ability to attract moisture to hair

Baobab Extract-packed with fatty acids and vitamins

Panthenol (Vitamin B-5)-humectant that helps to retain moisture in the hair

Linseed/Flax Extract-contains fatty acids and vitamins for the hair

Jello-like texture

This pic shows my fingerprints in the gel

Looking down into the gel

So, let's make a review of this product!

This gel comes in a wide container and has an intense synthetic sweet smell. If you don't like strong scents, this product is not for you. It of course has a slippery, bouncey  feel in the hands, but it also feels oily and very sticky. I used it as a wash-and-go styler on top of the JBCO  Leave-in Conditioner. 

Final Effect in Hair (F.E.H.): I have to say that it does provide definition and shine to the hair, however, it doesn't last long as a styler for wash-and-gos. It feels very oily and sticky in the hair-basically there are way too many oils in this product and the sugar makes it incredibly sticky. I would reserve it for doing a braied style when you want a little extra hold.

~CamzCaress

Product Review: Monoi Coconut Oil Nourishing Conditioner

This Monoi Coconut Oil was bought from my local Target Store

This is the consistency of the product. It looks thick, but in the hair, it feels quite light.

Here is the beloved ingredient list. For me, it;s all about the ingredient list! What are the first and last ingredients? Ingredients I liked were:

• Monoi Flower extract-Of the Gardenia flowers, sweet and heavily perfumed scent
• Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil (Argan Oil)-High fatty acid and vitamin E content
• Linseed Oil-High fatty acid content
• Panthenol-Increases water content of hair
• Shea Butter-Vitamin-packed fat for hair
• Hydrolyzed soy protein-Vegetable protein from the soy plant

On to the review!

The Hask Monoi Coconut Oil Nourising Conditioner is a creamy and  light conditioner that has several fatty acid containing oils high on the list, therefore it is not heavy on the hair. After cleansing my hair with a co-wash, I apply the Hask conditioner on my hair in sections, working it through with my fingers, then with a wide-tooth comb. It: 

• detangles well
• absorbs into hair fast
• leaves a flowery, perfumed scent in hair

I left it in my hair for 20 minutes without heat, just letting it air dry into my hair. My hair quickly absorbed the ingredients! I then rinsed it out with cool water and proceeded to style the hair.

Final  Effect on Hair (F.E.H): The conditioner left my hair soft and detangled. It  felt light on my hair and it did not tame the volume of my hair. It may suit someone who has less volume in the hair and wants a light and creamy conditioner that is perfumed of the monoi flower. 

~CamzCaress

Product Reviews : SheaMoisture JBCO Leave-In Conditioner and Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Gel Soufflé

I picked this leave-in conditioner up from my local Target store!

Here is a list of ingredients. Outstanding ingredients are :

Shea Butter-moisturizing and conditioning
Coconut Oil-locks in moisture
Hydroxyethylcellulose-Hydrating, water-based ingredient that thickens the product
Jojoba Seed Oil-contains lots of Vitamin E and is similar to human sebum
Castor Oil-thick oil with healing properties
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein- protein that gives hair volume
Hydrolyzed Keratin Protein-protein that constructs our hair strands 

This is the creamy, milky texture of the product. 

The scent is honestly that of playdough, but more sweet and candy-like :)

It is very creamy and is medium-thick. This is how it looks when you tilt the container forward slightly.

So now for the review!

This is just one of the many hair masks that Shea Moisture has in their hair care line of products. They also have skin care products and makeup products, which I hope to try soon:) 

After cleansing and deep conditioning my hair (with a plastic steam cap), I sectioned my hair into four parts and began applying the leave-in conditioner.

It detangled the hair and left a sweet smell in the hair. The hair feels soft, moisturized, and there is little to no frizz left. It definitely does what it says it does. When it dries, the hair feels soft. Its has all the good stuff-oils, butters, proteins,  hydrating properties (hydroxyethylcellulose, pathenol), a sweet smell and it definitely detangles and softens the hair. 

Final Effect on Hair (F.E.H): Hair feels soft, moisturized, and primed well for layering other styling  products on top of this one.

It's definitely a favorite for now :)

~CamzCaress

Hair Product Review...Coming Soon!

Hair product review on the way of these products! Which ones will become favs? Which ones will fail?

Review of these products (from Left to Right):

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave-In Conditioner

Shea Moisture Curling Gel Souffle

Carol's Daughter Almond Milk Leave-In Conditioning Spray

Hask Nourishing Conditioner

Carol's Daughter Almond Milk Ultra Nourishing Hair Mask

Beverage Yumz :) contd.

This is another drink that I drank later in the day. I had tasted it before and always wanted to try it again. 

I'm not a fan of cherry flavors, I guess due to cough syrups and what not having synthetic cherry flavors (yuck!). I therefore associate cherry with medicine, which I associate with being sick. HOWEVER, the cherry flavor in this gal is so delicate and smooth that I will give cherry flavors another chance. 

The chia seeds, are seemless and you hardly notice them at all since they are fineeeelly grounded and blended within the drink. The lime flavor is light and complimentary to the overall taste of the drink.

It contains iron and calcium, not a much as the plant-based milk, but still does provides what it can. I also picked this up from Target, but here's the site with more info: 

http://www.nakedjuice.com/our-products/juice/chia-cherry-lime

~CamzCaress

Beverage Yumz :)

So, to go with the yummy sandwich, I also tried a new yummy drink-plant-based milk in a chocolate flavor. The brand is called "ripple" and it is made from a base of pea protein. 

The taste is light, with a creamy cocoa texture and no aftertaste

Its lactose-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan. I want to try the other flavors (Vanilla & Original) and also try it with things like granola, cereal, and baked goods!

It was a really nice alternative to soy or almond milk and I love the smooth texture that it has. Plus it has high percentages of goodies like Vitamin A, Calcium, and Iron so its well worth the purchase. I picked it up from Target, but here is the main site: 

http://ripplefoods.com/plant-milk/

Lunch Time Yumz :)

I would like to feature some yummies that I have prepared throughout the day as an aspect of my blog-meals that I create from my own creativity or from other people's meal recipes. I hope you enjoy seeing the photos and reading how and what I prepare as much as I'll enjoy eating them! 

This yummy lunch meal really packs a punch. It's made with:

Two slices of toasted bread (gluten-free)

Jalapeño hummus

Roasted red bell peppers

Roasted tomatoes

Sprinkle of chia seeds

Sprinkle of hemp seeds

The chia seeds are these:

http://www.shopmammachia.com/collections/chia-seeds/products/chia-seeds-organic-black 

The hemp seeds are these:

http://navitasnaturals.com/product/454/Hemp-Seeds.html

The hummus is the Sabra Jalapeño Hummus, which is here:

http://www.sabra.com/hummus.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=sabra+jalapeno+hummus&utm_campaign=q2-sabrageneral-brand_flavors_brand&utm_content=q2-sabrageneral-brand&gclid=Cj0KEQjw_9-9BRCqpZeZhLeOg68BEiQAOviWAhw13GnDYi8bS8aXe42D5JAAxmtvLMboPPNEehn2YlcaAq5V8P8HAQ&dclid=CJSQ5aHL0c4CFdEMNwodMx0PZA 

Steps on how I prepared it:

Step 1-Toast two slices of any gluten-free bread

Step 2- Spread a thick layer of any hummus that you like

Step 3- Slice half of an organic red bell pepper and half of an organic tomato and put them on a tray and put them into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.

Step 4- Once the bell peppers and tomatoes are finished baking, pop them out and layer them on top of the hummus

Step 5- Sprinkle black chia seeds and hemp seeds on top of the red bell peppers and tomatoes

Step 6- Enjoy and eat!

~Camz Caress

Review of Silicon Mix Proteina de Perla hair treatment

Silicon Mix Proteina de Perla hair treatment

This hair treatment is a product made in the Dominican Republic (sun, sand, and luxurious hair anyone?) and it is a protein treatment. The proteins used in the hair treatment are:

1. Keratin

2.Hydrolyzed Conchiclin Protein (some type of pearl)

3. Silk protein

So,  as it is loaded with proteins, it really will aide in restructuring and strengthening the hair. My experience:

I detangles my hair with a slippery conditioner and then rinsed that out. Afterwards I applied the Silicon Mix Proteina de Perla hair treatment in sections using the "prayer" hands. I left it in my hair for 10 minutes, and then used a plastic cap with heat (trusty blowdryer) and then rinsed it out of my hair with cool water. 

Final Effect on Hair (F.A.H)- I have to say that my hair felt  soft, yet not totally moisturized. As it is a protein treatment, it should make the hair break less. The immediate feeling won't be felt, however, the result should show in how strong and resilient the hair becomes. So with protein treatments, I guess the best it can leave the hair is not too brittle, yet not too soft either, something in the middle.

Tell me if you've used this treatment and how your hair felt afterwards (if different or similar)

-CamzCaress

xoxo