Marching On (March And February Favorites)

Hello girls,
I planned on writing this post today, but it seems like that decision was made so long ago... I had a great day. We had a long rehearsal for the musical I talked about in the post When In Rome that I wrote about a week ago. We started doing the dance number where we dance in couples, and one of my most lovely beloved guy friends and I are dancing that number together, which I couldn't be any more happy about.
The problem is... I got some news today, that kind of make it hard to remember all that. I... got the news that a good friend of mine, with whom I got quite close this year, might have gotten cancer. And now... "it sure makes everything else seem so small".
I'm so scared, God, I'm frightened out of my mind. The thing that scares me the most, to be honest, is not the fact that she might be sick, or the fact that I might lose her, God forbid, that scares me a crapload as well, but the thing that frightens me the most is, actually, the fact that I have no idea how to help her. I want to say the words that would heal it all, and would cure her of anything bad. I want to be there for her and hold her hand through anything she might have to face. I just don't know what to say. I just don't know what to do. I just get sick to my stomach just thinking that I might have to find the words.
How can you march on from something like this? How do you get up, and walk on forward, being strong, because you have to be that way for someone else? Moving forward seems like the hardest task in the world right now.
"For all of the times we've stopped, for all of the things I'm not, we put one foot in front of the other, we move like we ain't got no other. We'll go where we'll go- we are marching on".
As long as this is not a sure thing yet, which I hope it will never become a sure thing so bad, I shall now put my thoughts and prayers aside for a second, and go back to something shallow, something that freaks me out a little less, something that will help me forget for a second, and maybe that break will help me find the words, because, otherwise, I really don't have any idea in mind as of what I should do.
March has been, the most fantastic, most amazing, most crazy most hectic, most full of friends and laughter and joy I've had in a long time. I could live this month over and over and over again, and never get bored, because it was full with everything I could ever ask for.
I kind of summed up all that happened in the last post that I linked somewhere up there right above those few lines of simple and honest melt down. There was Rome, and there was quality time with my sister, there were amazing sleepovers, crazy parties, amazing times with friends, boys, rehearsals, dancing, singing, acting, sleeping (barely), there was waking up early for a quick chem class after a crazy night out, there were pubs and bars, there were trip with old friends, and there were trips with new friends, there were family dinners, there was past, and there was future, but, mainly, there was present. I lived in the moment almost every moment of this month, and nothing makes me more grateful to God, (I've been sounding religious in this post, so I'm sorry if that offends you in anyway or angers you, but I do have my beliefs) to my family, to my friends, and anyone who's made this month possible, than the times I've had. This is everything I could ask for.. I just wish it could last forever...
So I'll tell you about a few things that made the past two months (yes February you were pretty darn great yourself, and I was too busy to talk about you, and I'm sorry) into what they were.

#Favorite hair products:

1) Hair mask- Elvive Damage Care hair mask. I have never really had to use a hair mask before, because I have naturally healthy hair, but, when I dyed the ends of it blonde for the Ombre, it drained the life out of my hair. I bought this mask, because I used another conditioner from that company previously, and I loved it, but there wasn't the matching mask to that conditioner, so I took this one. It's helped my ends feel softer, and not so brittle. There are still split ends, because it's not a magical worker, but it helped tremendously. I use it once a week ever since February, and, since you don't need much (about ping pong ball amount-randomest description ever), it still isn't even close to running out, which is great, because you get value for the price you pay, which isn't even that much. I don't remember exactly how much it cost, but it wasn't bad at all.


2) Conditioner- Elvive Damage Care conditioner. From the same range as the hair mask, as you can see. When I saw how great the mask was, I picked up a matching conditioner to try it out, and it is amazing. Not only does it leave your hair really soft, and really easy to detangle, it also has the best scent ever. I am not kidding you about the amount of people who smelled my hair these past two months, and complimented me about how amazing it smells. I also got great compliments on the shine that I have to my hair, which is thanks to both products listed above.

#Makeup Products:

1) Eyeshadow- Charcoal Brown by MAC. I will be honest now, the most I did with this eyeshadow was really not eye related. I contoured with it. I know it sounds freaky since it's really pigmented, and dark, but what I did was place it in a thin line with my finger right below the jaw bone, and then blended it in really well with a blush brush. I also have a really high brow so I blend this in right at the bottom of
the brow bone, and a little into the crease if I want to look more put together. I love this shadow to pieces

2) Blush- Fleur Power by MAC. I was really into cheeks this month, which is quite an odd thing to say, but for the first time, if I hadn't done my cheeks I wouldn't have felt complete. This blush is absolutely gorgeous. It is really pigmented, especially if I use my Ecotools blush brush, for some reason, so you need to use it with a really light hand. I apply it a little off of my apples and more on the outer part of my cheek bones, and blend it onto my temples, because it makes you look younger than when applying to the apples themselves. I love this blush. It is a peachy, rosey, pink matte blush, which I love, because it looks natural, and I hate high shimmer on my cheeks.

3) Lipsticks:

*Media by MAC. It is a dark vempy color. It suits my olive skin tone so well, and makes my teeth look whiter. I love it, even though, when going into spring I was supposed to ditch the dark lip colors. I don't care. I sometimes play it down in the day time by putting Vaseline on first, and then it looks light and glossier. It's a satin finish, by the way.

*Racy by MAC. Unfortunately it is a limited collection lipstick. WHYYYY?!! It is from a collection that came out in 2008 I think, I found it in my sister's stuff, unopened, untouched, fabulous and ready for me to steal it from her, which I obviously did. Beautiful deep red color with golden shimmer running through it. Of course I can't find it now, and I can't find what finish it is online, but I think it might be frost. Doesn't matter, because you can't buy it anymore... *ANGRY*

*On Hold, also by MAC. Lovely lovely cranberry pink shade. Looks like the color of my lips but a few shades deeper. I love it for everyday, because it looks quite springy, but still a bit dark, because light lipsticks look pasty on me. It looks far too dark in the picture, but, oh well. It's a cremesheen finish. It's freaking lovely and comfortable to wear.

#Beauty:

 1) Perfume- Tresor Midnight Rose by Lancome. It smells freaking delicious, and I've been complimented on the smell of it, as well as the smell of my hair because of the conditioner, so many times it's gotten ridiculous. It smells like roses obviously, but not an overwhelming scent of roses, because I, myself don't like rosey scents all that much. I like deeper sweeter scents in general, so if you don't like a sweet scent, this could be quite sickening to you. It also smells like raspberries, and a little bit like vanilla and woody scents. I have not worn ANY other perfume since I got it last month, and I am one to choose perfume by mood, so I basically usually change it daily.

 #Entertainment:

1) Musician- Ed Sheeran. He is.... He is just... Unbelievable, and unbelievably talented. Not only does he sing like an angel, his lyrics are phenomenal, and his compositions are heartbreaking, he can cover any song like nothing in the world. I just... adore him. I've been listening to Miss You, Kiss Me, Small Bump, Give Me Love, Cold Coffee, Little Bird, his cover to Thrift Shop with another great artist, Passanger, that was in January's favorites, and to his cover of Don't Think Twice It's alright. He's one beautiful ginger man

2) Song-  Surprisingly, not by Ed, is the beautiful A Thing For Me by Metronomy, but not the original one, although I love it, as well. I am talking about the remix. It's the best thing, most catchy thing this world invented. It's my cookie to crumble if you know what I mean.

3) Movie- 21 Jump Street. I watched it for the first time about two weeks ago, and I laughed my eyes out. I just loved it.

4)T.V. Shows-

*Smallville. Started watching it again. Best show ever.

*Everwood. Had a fun time going back in time watching that show. Quite a crappy teen show but I liked it.

*New Girl. The new episodes just crack me up like nothing else.

4) Books-

*Divergent and Insurgent. Once I finally had time I read through them as fast as lightening. Love them both for their distopian creativity, and the amount of detail put into the book in order to create that world.

*Uglies. Another distopian series. I've just started Uglies, and I freaking love the book so much. I hope to read through them fast, but I barely got time. Again, so much detail put into the description of the place, but not in a boring dragging it too long kind of way. Love it.

*Kindle. Took it to Rome with me and read every night until I fell asleep holding it. I love that little thing. It holds up greatness. 


Hope with all of my heart that you have a great weekend, and that you are safe, and healthy, and surrounded by people you love. If there's ever a time of need go to the Contact Me page. I'm here!
XOXO Roni J.

New Hair's Resolutions

Hello hello their my dear readers!

Are we well today? I sure hope we are! My birthday is nearly here, which means we're nearing the end of this stupid birthday month that's bringing us down. I decided that I will enjoy this birthday no matter how much I hate getting older, and how much I love my Peter Pan-like life. Yes, I do wish I could stay young forever, but I also do think it's a choice you make within yourself. You can act all grumpy and old like you're nearing the end of your life- kinda like I have been acting recently, but you can also choose to laugh and have a sense of humor about it, and be young and youthful. Worries are for the old. If you want to be young forever you mustn't worry, because that would be defeating the purpose. So let's not defeat the purpose, and let's live like we're dying while we're young. That could be a really fun mash up. Think about it. Or maybe it's just me.

Anyways I really thought I should focus on other things other than guys in the meantime, so I'm going to focus on my hair. Yes, on my hair.

I am in love with ombre, and it adds so much character to my hair, but it also burnt the ends, and made my hair less soft, and way more dry, which bothers me so much. I hate split ends. Hate them.

So I decided to gain a new routine for myself. I have never really had a hair routine. I just brushed my hair with a brush. I had shampoo and conditioner, but never really cared too much about the kind of hair they were targeted at, and never had any other products I used before or after.

To be honest I never really use heat on my hair and therefore my hair is fairly healthy to begin with.

Here are my steps and tips for healthy hair starting January 2013:

1) Use no heat. Yes, it's a step I already follow but for all of you out there. Heat's gonna burn your hair and make it split and frizz. Don't we all want it to be healthy and shiny though? We do. Take it away from your routine as much as possible. Air and towel dry your hair, curl it in braids, and so on.

If you still decide to use heat:

*Use a diffuser on the blow dryer. It will distribute the heat evenly through your hair rather than put a lot of heat on some parts of your hair.

*Lower the heat setting. You don't need 500 degrees in order to straighten your hair.

*Use heat protectant on your hair. My favorite, which I have recently run out of after a long time's service is TRESemmé's Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray (that's a mouthful.. Good thing I'm writing it).  Apply it to your hair before you style it with heat. I personally rarely use it, but I like it a lot. 

2) Use less products on your hair. Not only do they make your scalp unhealthy by either drying it up, oiling it up, or both, and whatever affects your scalp will affect your hair, as well,  but it can also weigh down your hair and make it look really flat. Use the minimum amount of products, and check to see if you really need another balm, hair spray, or mousse.

3) Check to see if the products you are using are suited to your hair type. For example, if mine is dry, damaged, and colored, I will use products targeted at that. My shampoo and conditioner combo are the  Dry Scalp Care by Head & Shoulders, and recently changed conditioner is Full Restore conditioner by Elvive. They both help with the dry situation on my hair and scalp especially in the winter months that are always far more dry for my skin as a whole, and for my hair. 

4) Use a deep conditioning treatment once a week or once every two weeks depending on how thirsty your hair is. I personally use Elvive's matching Full Restore mask once a week instead of a regular conditioner and it makes an incredible change in how soft my hair is. It doesn't make my hair oily at all which is a great plus, and it is fairly affordable.  

5) Don't wash your hair all the time. This is a huge mistake a lot of my friends made. Give your hair and scalp a break in between washes of at least a day, because washing it strips it of its moisture, and makes your scalp produce more and more oil. Start breaking your washes slowly and you will notice your hair doesn't get as oily as fast. 

6) Comb through it with care. Don't, if possible, use brushes on it, and definitely not when it wet and more fragile. Use a wide toothed comb after the shower to take the knots out of it. I use a wooden one I got at the Body Shop. It doesn't break your hair as easily as a brush. And don't finger comb through your hair because you will be ripping and breaking your hairs trying to take down the knots. When your hair is dry and knotty use a Tangle Teezer. These make my life a blast. It is so gentle, and easy to work with. It doesn't pull your hair out, which is something I despise about brushes. Finally, start brushing at the bottom of your hair and slowly move up. Don't start at the top because it will bunch all of the knots together at the bottom and it will make it dreadful to brush through, and break your hair like nothing else.

7) Change you parting every once in a while. It will stimulate the roots a little, and help your hair grow.

8) Last but not least try not to put too much pressure on it. Ponytails are comfortable, I know, but they break your hair and make it frizz at the top if the height of the ponytail isn't varied often. Try to use bobby pins that don't pull your hair for every updo, but if you're like me and you like simplicity, or are sporty, only use elasttics that are NOT made made of plain rubber, use ones with the fabric-y finish, and don't use ones that have metal part, because they both tear easily, and break and pull your hair. They sell quite good ones at H&M, and at every drugstore. Compare prices and see which one's better.

Hope this was helpful! I also hope you devote yourself for good causes rather than stick to drama. I love you, and as Ellen says "be kind to one another"! Tomorrow is the big 18 :) <3 XOXO Roni J.