NOTD: Pink Lemonade

What do you think?

💋 Jessy

Shake It!

Untitled #11 by blueprintluxe on polyvore.com

I made a pretty tasty shake that is easy enough for a novice shaker like myself to toss together with just a few minutes to spend.

Recipe

(1) ripe mango

(1) ripe banana

(2) ripe kiwi fruits

(2.5) cups of washed baby spinach, tightly packed

(6) large strawberries (frozen or fresh)

(1) granny smith apple

(.5) cups of milk (I used 2%, but any percentage is okay)

Drop all your ingredients into your blender in no particular order and blend on high to liquefy for 10 minutes, or until it reaches the desired consistency.

Remove the blender cup from the base and shake it (while holding the cap on tight) to give the ingredients a good mix and to ensure even blending.

Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Xoxo,

Jessy

Target Mini Mini Mini Haul

Target Mini Mini Mini Haul by blueprintluxe featuring beauty products

Bonjour Mon Amis! Happy Sunday! Last week I made a very small, truly not large enough to warrant this title, nonetheless still titled, Target mini-haul. For me it is the smallest of haul's because I am pretty much a one off beauty shopper. I truly only get 10-20 products at one time maybe once or twice annually. I digress.

I tried out the Indian Hemp & Tamanu Grow and Strengthen Treatment Masque from Nubian Heritage and to get straight to the point I was disappointed. Firstly, I avoided this line like the plague for months for a reason that I am sure someone will want to slap me for. When I see the name Nubian Heritage, it reminds me of the petroleum laden gunk like the African Pride grease and other similar hair greases I used to use back in the day. You curlies know what I am talking about, that Vaseline with twigs and specks of herbs suspended in it! Now that I am becoming a little more educated about what makes my natural hair happy, I am subconsciously terrified by the things that I've come to see were stifling my hair for years, like petroleum, mineral oi land silicones. So, I was hesitant to give this line a fair chance, for an admittedly silly reason. However, once I did try it, I was let down. The ingredients on product look safe, but they were guilty by association for conjuring greasy twig hair goo memories...


The ingredients are topped with shea butter, hemp seed oil, tamanu oil and aloe extract. As a "strengthener", I expected to see some protein up tops, but keratin was down near the bottom.

**Disclaimer** I did not use this product according to the main directions, and opted to use it as a pre-poo deep conditioner, one of the suggested alternatives uses. I slept with it on overnight and in the morning, my hair honestly felt like straw. I rinsed it out before co-washing, and I was hoping to have my hair feel soft after rinsing this deep conditioner. It didn't. If it weren't for my co-wash, I'd still have brillo head. I  didn't notice any really amazing strengthening but I will give it another go for the sake of trying it again.

The skincare products that I got from the Yes To...  line were pretty awesome. The Yes to Cucumbers Calming Night Cream left my skin feeling soft and supple in the morning and  I found the ingredients as un-alarming as they can get. The Yes to Tomatoes Skin Clearing Facial Mask didn't wow me for the $14 price tag. It was way to similar to the same Queen Helene Mint Julep clay masque that I've been using since middle school. The queen Helene runs about $5 for  a 12 ounce tube, versus $14 for 1.7 ounces of the Yes to masque. I don't think I'll be repurchasing just for that fact. Otherwise, it was just.... Okay.

I am willing to try more Yes To line items just because the Yes to Cucumber conditioner left my hair so amazing. I will just be careful about buying products for which there is proven much cheaper alternative!

hugs and kisses lovebunnies!

Jessy

Check Out My New Bike!

I am officially a bike owner! My Plano Dutch Bike arrived from Republic Bike today. After a minor setback, when the assembly manual nefariously decided to hide in the bottom of the box, leaving me to assemble it in sheer confusion, everything worked out. 

The bike arrived 80% assembled and two hours later it was fully assembled and ready to roll. I am sure I would have had it assembled in an hour or less, if I realized their was a manual. Anyhow, I LOVE IT! This bike is awesome. Its a comfortable ride on an even surface or downhill. It's not meant to go uphill, and being a fixed speed bike, its pretty evident once you attempt that little maneuver. I'm looking forward to riding to work!

♥Jessy