A Journey in Adulting & Self-Care

 Before my title causes you to get out the torches and pitchforks, allow me to explain. Olaplex changed my life. I was trying to figure out my hair texture and the weird curls and texture I would see in the shower led me to believe that I secretly had curly hair that was being mistreated and heated to a frizzy, sad mess. That is, until I started using Olaplex. Immediately, my hair was smooth, bouncy, shiny, soft...all those adjectives you read on the back of a shampoo bottle! I was hooked! Gimme no. 6, no. 4, no. 5! Oh wait, there a no. 8? Yes! I'll take a no. 7 and a no. 3! No, these aren't entrees from a Chinese takeout menu but products from their hair repair system and I tried (nearly) all of them! At my peak, I was regularly using at least 5 of the 7 products they had in the complete system. Which was all well and good, until it wasn't. I first noticed a problem when my hair just felt limp upon waking up instead of bouncy and voluminous. Ok, weird. Maybe I slept extra-

 Admittedly, I was a bit embarrassed typing out the title..."a guide to showering"? I mean, how complicated can it be?? Truthfully, it is not complicated but if you are like me, your showers are your escape for the day, that is until your kid is pounding on the door, insisting that she needs your help with a task that only you and no one else can accomplish. So sometimes, you are luxuriating in it and other times, you are trying to get in and out as quick as possible. Either way, you want your routine and products working just as hard as you do! 1. PRE-SHAMPOO Please take note of the all-caps I used for this sub-heading, yes, it is that important. Now, my natural and curly haired sisters may find they need a different routine but pretty much everyone from 1 - 2b...maybe even 2c, should be using a pre-shampoo. I go into more details with my hair routine here but do not get in the shower without either a pre-shampoo or a shower cap if it not a wash day. 2. Set the Mood Ok, thi

If you walk away from this blog only have read this post, then just know that your neighbors will thank you. Smelling good not only makes us feel good but can be pleasant or even down-right alluring to those around you. And before you think all it takes is a shower and deodorant, just know that we are about to level up your aromatic game. The Basics Because this is a blog about making self-care accessible, we will start at the beginning. Shower regularly. Even if you feel depressed, tired sick...a warm shower can work wonders. Even if it is the only thing you manage to do...pull yourself out of the bed long enough to get under that shower.  If this tweet is to be believed...the Vikings and all their showered glory were too sexy for European women so the power of a shower cannot be denied! Great! You are freshly showered! Now what? Use deodorant. If you are using anti-perspirant (the difference being that antiperspirant  actually block your ability to sweat), then use these at night sin

Sun's out, toes out! When the weather gets warmer, we get cuter options for footwear with sandals and flip-flops leading the way. But if your heels are callused and your toes have seen better days, you may find that you are less excited about the prospect of open-toed footwear. Never fear, your girl is here with a guide to keeping your toes as cute as possible at home! 1. Don't go barefoot First of all...if you wear shoes in your home...stop doing that, its just gross. But if you go barefoot at home, wear socks or slippers! Barefoot, even at home, can cause calluses and damage to your feet. 2. Exfoliate! Whaaa...even your feet?? Yes! I personally love the Babyfoot Peel for a bi-annual, at-home pedicure. This magical yet gross process starts with your pre-soaked feet in plastic booties and ends a few days later with sheets (that's right...I said sheets) of dead skin peeling off your feet. It gives you the same, enthralled feeling of disgust you get when you look at a pore st

 So, one of the perks of quarantine has been researching and just learning from others...usually through online forums. This has lead me down a rabbit hole of things that seem very obvious and commonplace to others but apparently no one knew or shared with me as I was growing up. Hence, the first in what I hope will be a series.."why didn't anyone tell me?" As a child of the 90s, Bath-and-Body Works and Herbal Essence were a staple of my shower routines but beyond that, everything else was learned through the pages of glossy teen publications and hearsay from friends. I remember being surprised that my friend brushed her hair in the shower and thinking..."wait, is this something everyone should be doing??" Now, I've come up with some things I found new and surprisingly but has made a big improvement in my shower routine. Pre-shampoo My curly girls sisters may already know about this but apparently your shower strips moisture and natural oils from your hair s