Happy Monday! Girl in the Mirror.

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I've been thinking a lot lately about self image and self esteem and how sometimes as women we can struggle with both. Magazines and television bombard us with images of how we should look, what we should wear, what kind of wedding we should have and it can be all to easy to start to draw comparisons and feel inferior. However when you think that 95% of the images are not even real, it does make you wonder, why do we waste our time feeling this way.

Verses like 1 Peter 3:3-4 are great, because they remind us of the kind of beauty we should be striving for and help put things into perspective.

'Don't depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.'

This is the kind of beauty I want to have.

I've started to collect verses from the Bible which provide encouragement for those times when I forgot.

Verses like:

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12:7

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

Is it wonderful to know we are held in such high regard!

Ladies, share your favourite verses and lets remind each other of who we are in Christ.

DIY Spa

{DVN spa by Dennis Wong}

So it's a new year and I'm trying to save money.

One of my cutbacks will be spa visits. I don't go all the time, maybe every other month or so, but I had to make a choice between going to the hairdresser or going to a salon. Hairdresser was the clear winner.

So now I'm trying to figure out what stuff I need to get to do my treatments at home e.g. manicure, pedicure etc.

Do you have any recommendations for products that you use that work well and any home diy tips to share?

p.s. Have been using the Bobbi Brown Face Oil for just under a month now. Totally love it and haven't broken out at all. My previously dry and patchy skin is responding well to it. For those of you worried about how it sits under foundation, it also works fine, you just need to let it settle into the skin first. 

Would you put oil on your face?

Ordinarily I would have said no, but then I heard about Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil.

I suffer from dry skin, which gets worse in the winter and was advised to try oil over normal lotion, as it is more moisturising for the skin. I was a little skeptical at first, as traditionally I try not to go for an oily look but I thought, what the hey, I'll give it a go. So as a pay day treat I purchased me some face oil. 

{From Bobbi Brown site} This emollient facial oil provides a concentrated boost of intensive moisture to comfort very dry skin. The lightweight formula absorbs easily, immediately moisturising, softening, and conditioning skin with an oil blend of Sesame, Sweet Almond, Olive and Jojoba. Vitamin E protects skin from environmental damage. With continued use, helps keep skin soft and supple. Scented with a soothing blend of natural essential oils, including Neroli, Patchouli, Lavender and Sandalwood. Dermatologist-tested.

I've only used it for two days and so far so good, definitely feeling less dryness on my skin. Will continue to use over the holidays and let you know how I get on.

It’s been a while…

Aloha readers, hope you’re well.

Just recovering from a bad bout of food poisoning which has had me bed bound for the past 24 hours. Feeling much better now, but it was not good!

So I went to check out the K by Beverley Knight range at Selfridges on Tuesday and to summarise I wasn’t really impressed. All the foundations are oil free, so what’s a girl to do if you have dry skin. Plus I thought, for what was available; eye shadows, blushers and lipsticks etc, you can get better products from other brands.

I don’t know about you but I’m not one to spend loads of money on the peripherals (eye shadow, lip gloss and blush) because a lot of cheaper brands do good quality versions {check out Sleek MakeUP for some fab blushers and eye shadow palettes, all less than £5}. don’t mind spending money on a good foundation because apart from Maybelline's Dream Satin, there isn’t a budget range on the market that I personally have found to be good.

Sleek Eyeshadow Palette ‘Original’ 

So back to ‘K’ – she did have a nice blusher I saw, ‘Flame’ which is very similar to M.A.C. ‘Ambering Rose’ and ‘Her Name is Rio’ from MYFACE Cosmetics, but more expensive at £14, in terms of what you get. Ladies feel free to check the range out and let me know your thoughts!

Started back on Weight Watchers and I’ve lost 4lbs in two weeks. May not sound like loads but I’m on track for reaching my year end of goal of losing 10% of my current weight. I’m writing down what I’m eating {most days}, having soups for lunch and I’m following through the routine in Buff Brides as well as fitting in a run at weekends. I’m looking forward to fitting back into my clothes as well as getting fitter.

Winter is definitely on it’s way, the weather has got so cold lately. Need to find where my winter clothes are, its time to start sporting the gloves, hat and scarf combo and bring out the knee boots – yay!

Finally did anyone watch X-factor on Saturday/Sunday? Thought Cheryl and Whitney were ace, although comparing Cheryl’s live voice to her radio voice is interesting! She is a good dancer though.

We’re going into week three - who’s your favourite to win?

Picture source {beautifulwithbrains}

K by Beverley Knight

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Beverley Knight, British soul singer, has launched a new cosmetics line, specifically tailored for black skin, called 'K by Beverley Knight'. 

Haven't seen anything in the flesh yet, but pictures on the website look nice (as they always do!). The line features 15 products in a 78 shades, including oil-free foundations, powders, mascara, eye shadows, liners, lip-gloss and prices start from £10 {they’re around the M.A.C. level}. It’s currently sold at Selfridges and online.

I do need some new foundation, so will be checking the range out on pay day and will report back!

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The 'Mane' attraction

So I've been thinking about wedding hair, well actually hair in general and what to do with mine. My hair is relaxed at the moment and has been for the past two years.

Prior to that, it was natural, after I underwent the 'big chop' at University. For those of you who don't know, the 'big chop' is when you decide to go natural after having relaxed or permed hair and rather than transitioning (which takes ages), you chop off all the relaxed bits and let your natural hair grow out.

I honestly couldn't remember what my natural hair looked like and it was so ravaged by relaxing and poor maintenance, I literally went back to my roots, with no regrets about how I would look. You see that's the great thing about University, people just accept you for who you are!

I kept my hair natural for three years, wearing weaves and braids to keep it manageable, often confusing people at work with the variety of styles!

Over the years I have learnt a lot about hair care, particularly around the right products to use and how to take care of my hair properly, whether it is natural, relaxed, braided or weaved. Whilst it hasn't always been easy, patience is key and I am pleased to see improvements in my hair all the time.

Some of the things I have personally learnt:
- you can wash you hair more than once a week
- ingredients such as petroleum or mineral oil, do nothing for your hair except coat it with product (Lusters Pink Cream - you know who you are!)
- products work differently on different people
- too tight braids are bad
- bonding glue is bad
- natural oils are good
- regular trims are good
- co-washing is good
- hair does not need to be 'retouched' exactly on week 6 (I have gone up to 12 weeks)
- you should always wrap your hair at night (can't promise I do this religiously)
- sometimes it's good to air dry (but not when you're going to work the same day!)
- a good hairdresser is hard to find, but once you do find them, they will be your friend for life

I thought for good measure (and for laughs) a trip down memory lane was in order. Check out some of my hairstyles from days gone by.

Simple is best

First visit to the Big Smoke

Not really hair, but a cute pic!

Rockin the braids - Aged 7 with sis

I think I had braids here and then cut them

Braids again

My first 'bob'

The day I met 'Yaki'

Hair extensions ('extensions' being the operative word!)

The Big Chop!

My Afro!

Graduation canerows!

2007...

Holiday braids which I rocked a lot post holiday

My friend

My first and last encounter with bangs

The 'poof' and back to the 'creamy crack '

2008...

Super sleek extensions 

My Rhianna inspired look

2009...

25th Birthday

Operation Esther is (re)launched!

So in the Bible it tells us that Esther spent a year preparing herself before she went before the King , 'six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics' Esther 2:12.

My wedding is in September, which leaves me precisely 203 days or 6 months to whip myself into shape. My Chief Bridesmaid of Honour (as she likes to be known) has come up with a plan. Well actually she came up with it around Christmas time, but we've both been a bit lazy with the application of it.

Presenting 'OPERATION ESTHER' where I will be spending the next few months looking after my 'temple' in preparation for the wedding and beyond. This regime purely focuses on the physical and considers, but is not limited to the following areas:

Food and what we eat (F)

• Five pieces of fruit and veg a day
  
• 8 glasses of water a day
  
• Cut down on my chocolate intake (those who know me, know that Mr. Chocolate and I are very close, but with Lent coming up, who knows, I might have to dump him)
• More balanced diet and watch portion sizes - cue Weightwatchers

Exercise (E)

• Increasing my heart rate regularly
  
• Walking more - taking the stairs instead of lifts
  
• Exercising more (need to do this without joining a gym  - have done this too many times and found it to be a waste of money, as I never go)
  
• Start running
  

Health inside and out (H)

• Check cholestrol, blood pressure etc
• Taking my multivitamins, particularly iron as I have low iron levels
• Regularly seeing my dentist and optician (which I do anyway)
  
• Getting enough hours sleep each night
  

Hair and Beauty (HB)

• Looking after my hair, wrapping it at night, conditioning treatments
  
• Looking after my skin, cleaning make up off at night (very poor at this one), using SPF (yes black people still need to use SPF)
  
• Treating myself to the odd facial, massage, manicure and pedicure
  

Anything that I try that I think is worth reviewing I will post on here as well.

You guys think of anymore things to add?