the good, the bad, and the ugly

i tried everything in my attempt to give up deodorant (if you missed my journey go here, here, and here for more information).

so the saga continued  . . .

Then, one day I was lookin too fine and feelin so sexy UNTIL I raised my hands and nearly fell out from the stank that double smacked me in my face! 

Enough was enough. Ya'll can't say that I didn't try. 

I left work IMMEDIATELY and went to the nearest Walgreens to seek additional protection.

The problem with my homemade deodorant is that it wasn't strong enough to fight the sweat, which caused the hideous odor. 

HOWEVER I will be going back to the drawing board.  You never know I may create the next natural deodorant.

I did purchase some natural deodorant at Walgreens.  It's called Tom's of Maine Natural Care Deodorant Stick.  Tom's is Aluminum-free, it contains no artificial or animal ingredients, and it is effective, long lasting, and natural.  I purchased it on sale for about $4.  It is definitely worth it.

The moral of the story is to pick yourself up after being knocked down by your stanking self and try something stronger.  lol.

still chasing honey . . .

104 Things I Could Do With 104 Dollars

today, i went window shopping -- okay it was supposed to be window shopping but it turned into just plain oh shopping.  i drove to aventura to go to best buy ONLY to buy a new charger for my laptop (don't ask why just follow). so i get the guy to show me to the chargers and guess how much the charger was?  yea, i was thinking 30.00 no more than 50.00.  I guess this was a recession.  The damn charger was $104.99.  Yes $104.99! 

Ya'll know what i did.  TURNED AROUND and left the damn store.  Yo, I have 104 things I can do with $104 and buying a charger aint it. 

Update: Homemade Deodorant

uhm . . .


i smell so bad, i make Right Guard turn left, Speed Stick slow down, Secret obvious, and Sure confused.

my armpits smell so bad that the teacher gave me an A just for not raising my hand.

i smell so bad that if there were ass scented air freshiners my face would be on them


so ya'll know that i am currently at the drawing board.  stay tuned for the aluminum free adventures of me and my sweaty pits!

Aloe is Heaven Sent

I already told ya'll about aloe and it's amazing benefits.  But let me tell give you a personal testimony. 

I have atopic eczema.  People who suffer from this form of eczema usually have asthma.  I have itchy rashes on my inner and outer elbows, my neck, and behind my knees.  This is my second outbreak.  The first was when I was a junior in high school.  I itch like a manged dog.  I tell you the truth.  And the rashes are so embarassing.  I'm wearing damn turtle necks and it feels like summer.  I'm a mess.  Anywho, I've tried everything to get rid of it and it just seemed to get worst.  But thank God for my country ass Haitian parents.  They have been telling me for the longest that they have the answer, but me and my stubborn ass were so resistant.  Needless to say, my parents were right . . . AGAIN!  And what's so sad is the fact that I bragged about Aloe and its healing properties and didn't even consider using it until my mom forced it upon me. 

When enough, was enough I told my mom, "I'm ready!" She went to the back yard and got the aloe (I come from a line of farmers so we got everything in the backyard).  She blended that sucka baby up, put some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) in it and WHAM BAM THANKYA GOD for creating such goodness. 

For the past week I have been putting it on my rashes and when I tell you they have been clearing up -- they have been clearing up.  I need to do a PA about it!  You don't have to suffer anymore, and you don't have to spend your time and money at the doctor's office trying these ineffective meds.  Trust me when I tell you, grow some damn ALOE in your backyard. 

I am so serious when I tell you that ALOE is the TRUTH!  When my sisters and I were young my parents tried to make us eat it.  My dad eats it -- I ain't that gangsta yet but with these results I am deeply considering a weekly dosage. 

Final Words:  Thank God for Aloe!

~ I think I found my honey

I Have A Secret (Don't Judge Me)

Last week I used up my last bottle of deodorant.  What's the big deal you ask.  Well, I dont EVER plan on buying another one.  Yep! I'm giving up the Secret, Spirit, Dove, all of it.  Plain and simple no more deodorant.

the adventures of iamkamilah (dun-dun-dun-dun!)

Last night i was invited to a Carribbean Catwalk 2009. This fashion show featured Phelicia Dell's Ve've' line. Dell is a Haitian fashion designer. She is bursting on the scene with her cultural infused handbags. Check out her work here.


The show was at the Little Haiti Cultural Center. The runway was outside and the backdrop of Haitian paintings was gorg. 

Product Spotlight: ACV

OMG!  I'm in L♥VE!  I washed my hair today and then did an ACV (Apple Cider Vinger) Rinse and I smiled the entire time.  ACV is a great clarifier.  I have used other clarifiers before but NEVER EVER has my hair felt so good after.  I urge you to try this cheap clarifier because it worked for my hair. 


To my folk with locs, the ACV Rinse is a good way to help remove some build up in your hair.  My bathtub became slippery after rinsing out the ACV, because it stripped product from my hair. 


Here is some more information about ACV rinses:

Product Spotlight: Aloe Vera

When I was younger my parents would always try to make my sisters and I eat aloe vera.  We hated the bitterness of the plant and refused to do so.  The older I get the more I realize that all the yucky stuff my parents tried to get us to eat/drink are really beneficial to the body.


Aloe Vera is one of the oldest plants known to mankind.  The Bible (Psalms 45:8 and John 19:38-40) references this plant and its medicinal/healing properties.  Cleopatra is reputed to have bathed in it before charming Mark Anthony. The ancient Greeks used it to cure everything from baldness to insomnia and the Native Americans called aloe vera the “Wand of the Heaven.”




Aloe Vera can be taken internally or applied externally to the skin or hair. Aloe vera produces at least six natural antiseptics, which are able to kill mold, bacteria, funguses, and viruses. Aloe Vera can be used for a host of things like:
 

Product Spotlight: Cinnamon Tea

I had a delicious cup of cinnamon tea this morning. Anyone can make it from scratch and there are great benefits to drinking cinnamon tea.

 

"Girl, let me grease your scalp"

Every black girl raised by a black mom has heard these words before. In fact, even in we are old enough to do our own hair, we feel that our hair cannot thrive without the thickest pomade on the market. We part our hair and we slick that pomade on. We think that the grease/pomade hydrates our hair and allows it to grow. I am sorry to inform you that these products contain petroleum. I'm serious, look at the list ingredients on your bottle.

PA-Trol-E-Um

told ya so.....

Petroleum and Mineral Oil (usually found in baby oil) should be minimized or avoided. If you do use them I would say to not put it on the scalp because these substances tend to clog the pores which inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb moisture and nutrition. Also they are not easily absorbed into the hair and attract dust.

I would suggest that you use oils instead of pomades. If you use products with these oils, try to use the ones that have the least amount of petroleum or mineral oil. You can figure how much petroleum or mineral oil is in a product by where in the list the substance is located. The further down the substance is in the ingredient list, the less that amount of that substance is in that product. So, try to use products where petrolem and mineral oil are listed near the end.

Some natural oils to try are coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil. Oils are best applied to wet hair to help hold in the moisture already there. I suggest that you experiment to find the oil that works best for your hair type.

~still chasing honey

New Line of Black Barbies with Blacker Features

"Barbie is getting some new friends. Mattel announced Tuesday that it is launching a line of black dolls with more “authentic facial characteristics” than the company’s dolls have featured until now.

The dolls, which are part of the “So In Style” line have “fuller lips, a wider nose, more distinctive cheek bones and curlier hair,” according to the world’s biggest toymaker.