Leobody has a blog!

Leobody: I have a blog... really?

I have been a fan of Leobody's (hair, style, fashion-sense) for a long time and now she has a blog! Whoo Hoo! She is a beautiful woman, seemingly inside and out. I say "seemingly" because of course I don't know her personally but she comes across as being a very confident, beautiful, strong woman. She knows what she wants out of life and is not afraid to take the world head on. I love your blog Leobody!

Box Tops for Education + Ebay + Similac baby formula = More and more savings!

For those that know me, I LOVE saving a buck.  It's almost like I get a natural high from it, lol.  If you are familiar with the Box Tops for Education program, this is the basis of it (from the website):

Box Tops for Education

"See the difference 1 can make

Together, clipping all those little Box Tops coupons, we’ve earned over $300 million for our kids’ schools. But now, we can do even more — and it’s easy. By joining Box Tops for Education, you can see your school’s earnings, receive member perks like bonus Box Tops and coupons, and be able to start earning cash for your school while you shop online."

Until now, I didn't have any children so these served me no purpose so I ignored them on my product labels.  Now that I have a child, and even though I have volunteered and many school events, I have to start thinking more about supporting schools, volunteering, etc.  These box tops are on Ziploc products, Pampers, Hamburger Helper, etc.  I started clipping them about a year ago just to save and give away, eventually. 

Well, as I was browsing through Ebay, I was amazed at how many folks SELL these and how much people buy them for.  So I thoughy, "Hmmm, I don't have a school-age child yet, these expire in 2011-2013 so someone can benefit right?"  The way I see it, it's a win-win situation!

I counted out my BTFEs and I had about 40 of them.  I posted them on ebay (for free with the promotion they have right now) for 7 days.  They ended up selling for $4.85!  I was excited because from what I see in the ebay history, 50 box tops or less usually sell for around 2-3 dollars.  I shipped them out to the seller after they paid me and the money went into my paypal account.

Well, for anyone who has babies, you already know...INFANT FORMULA IS EXPENSIVE!  I have been fortunate enough to get the $5 coupons from Similac in the mail and Similac formula is super cheap these days because of their recent recall:



Similac Recall Info

From my understanding, the prices of Similac will go back to normal after the new year, so we need to stock up right?  Well, back to good old Ebay!  I recently won (10) Similac, $5 off coupons on ebay and you guessed it...I used my paypal money to pay for them!  See?  Win-Win!!!

Of course, as my child gets older, I will save my BTFEs for her school, if the program is still going.  I just had to share this deal with you.  For those that love to save money and who are always looking for good deals, remember, you never know what will sell on Ebay until you look!  Peace!

A great deal on my favorite leave-in conditioner...Alba Botanica

Hi all!  I know it's been a minute but between giving birth and the holiday season, there is just NO TIME, lol!  You all know I love my Alba Botanica leave-in because the price is good and the ingredients are fantastic (majority natural).  As I was doing some online Christmas shopping, my Amazon cart had updated to let me know that the price of the 2 pack was on sale for $7.30!  Oh yeah, I pounced on that!  I recently bought a two pack from Amazon.com in October for around $17, which is the usual price that I pay.  I am midway through the first tube so ordering again this soon was perfect timing.

I use this leave-in for airdried styles mainly.  I seal it in with coconut oil.  I think it's a great leave-in for the price and quality.  The ingredients are as follows:

Ingredients: Purified Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Ceteareth-5, Extracts of Camellia Sinensis(green Tea), Moringa Pterygosperma Seed, Agave Americana and Trigonella Foenum Graecum(fenugreek) Seed, Certified Organic Extracts of Althea Offinalis(marshmallow) Leaf/Root, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Lavandula Angustifolia(lavender), Rosa Canina Fruit, Melissa Offinalis, Calendula Offinalis, Chamomilla Recutita(matricaria), Panthenol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol.

For those who use this conditioner, head on over to Amazon.com...this price is a steal!

http://www.amazon.com/Alba-Botanica-Leave-Conditioner-7-Ounce/dp/B001ET7BJ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1292079944&sr=8-1

Yes, I am closing my youtube account

I truly hate to do it, but honestly, I don't feel like my help is prompt enough nowadays.  The reason I say this is because there are sooo many people that are so helpful on youtube on a more regular basis, me posting once every blue moon wasn't productive enough.  Don't get me wrong, I know I have helped a lot of folks over the years (before Youtube even existed) with my fotki album, messageboard postings, etc.  Nevertheless, my busy lifestyle can't keep up with the everchanging technologies like Twitter, Facebook, Video Blogging, etc.  I was approaching 3000 subscribers as I made this decision.  I hope too many of you are not disappointed, but I feel this is the best decision rather than many of you sitting around waiting for me to post another video.

Another reason I am closing it is because Youtube has truly been a pain in the you-know-what when it comes to blocking music, muting your words even if you just have the music playing in the background, etc.  I am not interested in any of that revenue sharing stuff, I am tired of people asking me why I don't show my face, etc.  My goal when I started my very first video on July 18, 2009, was to help those who were looking to learn about healthy haircare, whether relaxed or natural.  Youtube has become a great advertising and marketing machine out here on the net, and I ain't mad at it, but I feel there are plenty of videos out there just like mine that many can benefit from.

As I type this, my youtube account says that I have approximately 2,977 subscribers.  I would like to acknowledge every last one of you by saying, THANK YOU for your support, your prayers, your honesty and kind compliments on my videos.  You guys are truly awesome and I hope you continue your haircare journeys to further strive toward your goals.  There are some fantastic websites out here like K.I.S.S., Hairlista, Longhaircareforum and an abundance of others.  There is no question that hasn't been answered so take advantage of Google and your search function.

I plan to keep blogging on this site so feel free to drop by.  As I stated, it may not be as frequent as many would like, but it's just a way for me to continue my presence out here on the web.  Be blessed and happy hair growing! :) :)

Latest Big Lots finds! (I will do my best to add pics when I get a new battery for camera)

So for those of you who know me, I love Big Lots.  Yes, I go to Big Lots AT LEAST once a week.  I have 3-4 of them within 5-15 miles of my home and I hit up one on a weekly basis.  Recently, they held their frequent Buzz Club member 20% off sale where you get 20% off your ENTIRE purchase on certain days.  This includes everything from food to furniture.  Over the years, Big Lots prices have increased, but honestly, what stores haven't?  Nevertheless, there are still some great finds, especially on sale days.


As I was browsing the food aisles, I picked up my usual Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for the hair and cooking ;)).  I also found some great hair accessories (found some of those Goody Ouchless Updo Barrettes).

I ended up paying the following for a few items:
1) Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Regular price $5.00 (for 33 oz)...after 20% discount...$4.00.  Yes, real extra virgin olive oil where the ONLY ingredient on the label is "Extra Virgin Olive Oil".  I looked up the brand online and a bottle this size runs about $9.

Pic courtesy of Google images

2) Goody Ouchless Updo Barrettes (Large with 4 ouchless ponytail holders as bonus) - $1.50...after 20% discount ...$1.20.  These barrettes will run  you $3.99 each in Walgreens/CVS/RiteAid.  The pic below is of the small ones which my hair would laugh at unless I am using them on my ends only.  The ones I found at Big Lots are the large ones.

Picture courtesy of Google images

3) I found a wide assortment of Dum Dum lollipops and Now and laters for Halloween.  I also picked up some snacks like honey buns, honey roasted cashews and spices, all for an extra 20% off.


Hope you guys found some good deals!

Yet another disappointing ingredient list change...

Okay ladies,  I am a little late on this product and excuse me for my constant ranting, but this is getting REALLY irritating.  I guess I should have researched more before driving to the beauty supply.  The "ingredient list change product of the day without a hint of the change made evident on their website" is:

Taliah Waajid Protective mist bodifier

Now, I have been searching high and low for a new moisturizer with good ingredients.  After net searches, word of mouth, etc., I finally decided on this product.  I went into the local beauty supply some months ago and saw this product for around $6.99 with really great ingredients.  I didn't buy it because I wanted to do more research.  Needless to say, I walk in the same beauty supply today to see that the price is now $7.19 and the ingredients have changed.  I was like, "Wow" and placed it right back on the shelf and left.  I saw where an LHCF member already broke the news and posted the following:


The old ingredients are pure distilled water, wheat germ, indian hemp olive oil, balsam, aloe vera, bee pollen, silk protein, bay laurel, fruit bioflavonoids, ancient african herbal formula.

The new ingredients are: Water, propylene glycol, cetearth-20,cetrimonium bromide,wheat germ, indian hemp olive oil, balsam, aloe vera, bee pollen, silk amino acid, bay laurel, dmdm hydantion, fragrance

The new ingredient list is EXACTLY what I saw today.  Propylene Glycol?  R U serious?  I can go to a drugstore and get a $1 product with that as the 2nd ingredient, not to mention all that "other" stuff that's been added.  I guess the recession is hitting hard.

I guess I wouldn't be so perturbed if these companies would ANNOUNCE that they are now adding filler ingredients, removing good stuff, adding new stuff, etc, to their product line.  This would be so much better than allowing the consumer to purchase the product, thinking it is the same...just for them to pay the money for it...use it a few times...and realize it doesn't work anymore.  Then the consumer turns the bottle around and "EUREKA!!!" realize the ingredients have changed.  Consumer will now be ticked off and will not purchase your product again, so how exactly does that keep your business going?  Some speculate the stuff in bold in the ingredient list above has ALWAYS been in the product and that Ms. Waajid has to now disclose it because of her sales with CVS.  This could be possible but I won't be purchasing either way.

In a perfect world, we would get a heads up, I guess.  In the meantime, please be an EDUCATED CONSUMER, in everything from store purchases to hospital visits.  End of rant.

The three "Ps" of haircare

This Post was inspired by a lady (TheTruthIsHair, check her out!) on youtube who (to me) is just as Passionate about healthy hair care Practices as I am.  I am also Paying homage to an old hair board member (circa 2000-2001) who has since disappeared from the online hair care world.  If you are out there somewhere, DJ, holla!  Every since I started taking good care of my hair years ago, I have noticed that more and more women are starting to do the same.  That is fantastic to me, however, there are many women who are being led down some dangerous, expensive, and Potentially disappointing roads.

Yeah, for the most Part, we are grown women and we have our own minds to make our own decisions.  Nevertheless, there are young girls that don't have the resources, money, etc to go out and buy the latest and the greatest.  They want their hair to look nice, too, right?  Nobody is telling us to buy Product after Product.  Nobody is forcing us to buy the latest and greatest $300 hooded hair dryer or steam hair machine.  Nobody is holding a gun to our heads and making us spend hard earned money on weekly salon visits.  It seems like every time I turn on the television, there is a new Product that is being advertised to "Promote hair growth, stop hair breakage, grow hair longer and faster", etc, etc, etc.  Yes, I have tried my share of Products and techniques, but I found that there is nothing like the 3 Ps of hair care that will give you desired results.  This Product Pushing is just really getting old.

With all the above being said, I have learned throughout the years that there are 3 things that will get your hair looking and feeling like you want it to.  These 3 things have nothing to do with a Particular Product.  They also don't cost you a thing (Yes, there are certain Products I buy and use, but have been using Pretty much those same things for years unless they have been discontinued).  In my experience, the 3 Ps of good haircare are:

PRESERVATION
PROTECTION
PATIENCE

What?  That's all?  Yes, that's all.  Preservation is maintaining the hair that is already on your head.  Your hair will never lengthen (I stress "lengthen" because there are too many out there that are stressing "growth".  Hair is always growing, unless you have some sort of health condition.)  When we are raking through our hair with small tooth combs, using chemicals every other week and not moisturizing the hair we have, expect for it to end up on the floor or in your sink.  The ends, which make up our length, will continue to snap and break if they are constantly dry.  My hair is now hip length (and I can't honestly believe it) and my ends are approximately 4 years old.  Yes, they are drier and more brittle than the new growth, but guess what, I still have them.

Protection is guarding the hair we have.  In the winter, we run out of the house with no hat on (how many of our Moms told us to Put a hat on to cover our ears?  If not, we would end up with a cold, the flu or worse.)  Nowadays, are we too cute for the hat?  Are we scared that the hat will dry our hair out? (No, because most of the time, we know nothing about dryness and the damage it can cause.  If we are knowledgeable of what the hat can do to damage hair, can we say, go buy some silk or satin material to line those suckers with?)  In the summer, we go out into the chlorine filled Pool and don't put any kind of oil or conditioner on hair to block the chemical.  We don't wear swim caps and we don't wash the chlorine out as soon as we get home.  The list goes on and on.  And we wonder why our hair is constantly dry and breaking.

Patience is just that, Patience.  Staying calm and enduring in working toward the goal.  Hair grows, on average, a half of an inch Per month, NOT overnight.  If there were a Product or technique out there that worked to grow hair down the back overnight, the maker of that Product would be the #1 richest person IN THE WORLD.  No, not every one wants long hair, but the market is HUGE in regard to it.  Look at weaves, extensions, growth Promising hair Products, etc. and how big that industry is.  There are women out there who will spend their last dime if it meant growing their hair longer and faster.  Why the urgency?  Aren't things worth having worth waiting for?  Nah, not in this world.  We want right here, right now.  That's why gastric bypass surgery, the lap-band and weight loss Pills are all the rave (Disclaimer: not in every case, because some are medically necessary).  But don't get me started.

I hope this Post sheds some light.  Products are not the answer.  They help, but only topically.  There is no need to buy a $50, 4 oz jar of deep conditioner when extra virgin olive oil, honey, coconut oil and other things in your Pantry can do a good, if not better job as commercial Products.  AND they have multiple uses.  I cook with evoo and coconut oil and they are healthier alternatives than canola and vegetable oil.  I eat avocados because of the great health they can bring AND they give a great conditioning treatment to my hair.

*****I Posted all the words that started with "P" in capital letters as a sort of subliminal message.  When you think about the health of your hair and taking care of it, don't think Product all of the time, but rather the three Ps.  Bye for now!****