Should you Avoid Silicone in Hair Products?

So its been over a year since I last posted on my blog. So long that the format has changed and I didn’t even realise. So long that my life has changed drastically.

My blog really doesn’t get enough love from me. I love writing so it makes no sense at why I don’t blog enough.

I’m experimenting with a silicone-free-hair-product-regiment-thing-a-majig. After going through bleaching (to ombré) my hair it wasn't feeling its best at all.  So I went and cut a little off, but still it was damaged and dry and just not happy. I kept using products such as Dove Intensive Repair which in the past I LOVED but I honestly believe it was making my hair dryer and dryer.

After every wash my hair would seem soft and moisturized but as soon as it was dry it was back to brittle and frizzy. I started wondering ‘What is going on?’. No hair masks, treatments, oils ect would do the trick. I was getting extremely frustrated with my frizz, dryness and my hair just not looking like its normal self.

Then I thought SILICONE.  Many ‘natural’ hair women of the African decent (meaning a kinkier afro type hair) avoid silicone in their hair care due to the fact that it can actually dry their curls out. Now we get into the geeky stuff. The different types of silicones'. I’m going to make it simple an ‘OK’ list and a ‘BAD’ list.

BAD: What makes a bad silicone? Well a bad silicone is one that is not water soluble. Which means washing your hair without sulfates will not remove the silicone.  It will build up on your hair and since silicone does not add moisture it will essentially prevent from moisture getting in = bad. 

Now if you use shampoos with sulfates then that’s not so much a problem but I do advise against sulfates on dry hair since they strip the hair way too harshly and make it dryer in the first place.

Amodimethicone, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Cetyl Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Behenoxy Dimethicone, Cetearyl Methicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Stearoxy Dimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Trimethylsilylamodimetheicone.

Yes I know it’s a long list but the top 5 I find are the most common. Easiest way to find out if your conditioner has these it just to look online prior to purchase at the ingredient list.

OK: Silicones' that are water soluble or evaporate as the hair dries and don’t cause build up. These guys are OK in moderation and won't cause havoc on your mane.

Any Silicone with PEG as a prefix, Dimethicone Copolyol, Hydrolyzed wheat protein (Hydroxypropyl Polysiloxane), Lauryl Methicone Copolyol

Now if you’re like me and completely paranoid about hair damage or just a little overwhelmed by the list above, I suggest sticking to brands that are free of these products.  My personal favourite is ‘Naked’ Body care.  All of their shampoos and conditioners are silicone, sulphate and paraben free. Amazing right? Not only that their products actually work. My current loves are ‘Naked Rescue: Intensive Care Conditioner’, ‘Naked Brunette: Radiance Shampoo’ and ‘Naked Style: little miracle’.

They make my hair soft and supple and it does not get dehydrated between washes. This isn’t a post to get you guys to purchase Naked (I am not affiliated) in any way but honestly their products are awesome and as a student they are not too pricey at £4 a bottle, although Boots often has a 3 for 2 on so score!

If you want more information I suggest this blog post which helped me out a lot: http://www.pinksith.com/2013/05/silicones-in-hair-care-what-you-need-to.html

Hello turned into a motivational talk...

Hello Hello!

I wish I had something interesting to say but I really don’t.  You’re probably thinking ‘Why am I reading this?’.  Side-note just realised I can touch type *high five*. Oh gosh this really isn't going anywhere is it?

I have recently made a few resolutions in my life:

1. Not to let myself get down if I have a bad day – What I mean by that is if I have a bad day where things are not going right i.e. I'm eating like an unhealthy pig, it does not mean that I have to continue doing that tomorrow.

2. Do something productive daily – This is a big one for me since I am a major lazy ass.  I hate going through the motions of the day and then realising in the evening I have done s**t all that day.  Not only is life short but it also makes you get into the habit of postponing things which is not great when you have coursework deadlines coming up.

3. Do things that make me happy – ONLY YOU CAN MAKE YOU HAPPY. If you cant be alone and enjoy your own company how will you live with yourself? Don’t waste time with people that don’t make you happy.  You have to consciously choose to be happy and make it happen. Happiness is definitely a choice.

I think everyone needs to take time out of their lives just for a little bit, every so often and re-evaluate themselves.  Be honest and maybe even a little harsh. What’s the point lying to yourself its not like it brings you any benefit?

Having some sort of routine or schedule is also great.  Don’t wake up at 2pm and then attempt to be productive because in all honesty you have slept through most productive hours in the day.  That is of course if your not a major insomniac/night owl.

Early bird does get the worm after all…

It's been too long...

Hey guys so it's been like forever and a year since I have posted anything on my blog :(

Currently I'm on a major YouTube block/break which ever way you would like to put it. My two year anniversary is coming up so I will definitely be uploading. The last couple of months have been amazing my subscribers have been growing like never before. Thankyou so much.

In other news I have finally started running. About time since summer is coming up and I live in short shorts. Can't be having my legs looking nothing less then great. I actually love the burn of exercise so I'm very happy.

I have been working quite a lot lately when it comes to shoots ect which exhausts me more then running a marathon.

If your from the UK and are currently in college you will be aware that it's dooms day tomorrow. A level exam results are coming out. Not looking forward to it, I have told my friends to be on suicide watch.

Mums going away end of this week so I'll get to relax atleast.

How's your week been?

Memories that haunt you...

A few of days ago my friend added a couple of pictures that we took on the last day of college.  That day was the beginning of a weekend I still remember.  Looking back at those photos I look genuinely happy, which does not happen often in photos.  Thinking about it now the only other photo where I look really happy is one taken with my best friend but the reasons behind my happiness still circulate around the same reason. I cant exactly remember how I felt it seems like a blur to me.

It’s a shame that those happy moments only last for such a short period of time, but the sadness that comes after can feel like it engulfs your existence.  Those happy memories can haunt you and remind you that you will never have that moment again with that person or in that situation.  Easiest thing to do is to push those thoughts away and keep yourself busy with other things right?  Well, yes it is but the thing is that when you loose someone everything seems to remind you of them.  The stupidest, smallest insignificant things can completely send you over the edge.

I don’t know where I’m going with this, clearly.  Actually what I want to get across is that sometimes its better to cling to the good things and see them as positives and try to remember how happy you were and seek for that same feeling in some other form.  You will never erase your memories but they will slowly fade and be less vivid in your mind.  You will loose lots of those little details that cause a sting every time you think about it.  You will replace those with other memories that are longer lasting because they are more mature and mean much more to you.

Something that could of seemed extremely significant two, four, six months ago or even a year ago will appear irrelevant and minuscule.  You will fall in love with new things, music, people.  You will meet amazing individuals that will surpass any ‘benchmark’ that may have been set by the ones in the past.  Life is way too short to let yourself waste time being upset and not embracing the fact that you are fortunate enough to be still alive. 

Time fades everything...

It's been too long my amazing bloggies (yes we're making that a word).
I'm very sorry I haven't updated in a while but it's just been the usual Christmas craziness. You know that feeling.
I hope everyone had great holidays :)
All the best for the new year and I hope your sticking I your resolutions!

I haven't been very inspired to write lately but I feel like I have something I need to get off my chest. I'm writing this at 22:41 hoping I will be able to rest after I'm done.

If you read my blog you know I get a little deep/emotional from time to time. Well get prepared there's more coming your way.

Its amazing how caught up in the moment you can get. Whether its how you feel or what you think it's all too easy to escalate that in your own mind way too far. You my think you feel something very strong when really its just that moment in time. It eventually dies down to nothing. Well not nothing but close enough. I am one to try to suppress my feelings and avoid bothering people about it just because I don't want to seem like an annoying moany girl!

But sometimes it's good to have a rant. Why I blog about my feelings too actually. So the point of this blog is to get across that it gets better. Why I've been saying from the beginning about true friends sticking around and not being able to inflict pain upon you is still true. There are so many 'negligible' people that will be in your life and at that moment in time their significance will seem much more important to you. Don't worry about them. If someone hurt you and is not caring enough to apologise then why bother. It's jut not worth it.

Saying that always give people a second chance in your life. Even if you have had the worst fight imaginable things won't seem so bad in a month, a year or ten. Don't give up on people that have not given up on wanting to mend things with you. Life isn't perfect. You will have fights with your best friends and think you will never make it up but somehow for some reason you always do. It gets better trust me...

Glitter, British Music Scene and other things this week

So this week has definitely been a slow one.  Nothing too exiting happening.  Just trying to finish up college and start the holidays.

Onto things that I’ve been loving this week:

I'm actually having to think quite hard about this…

Got one!

My fur coat - Fake fur that is.  I don’t believe in real fur but that’s a whole other post.  Me and my friends have collectively come up with the name Phantom for it.  It keeps my very warm I can literally wear a T-shirt and shorts under it and I will be fine.

Glitter - I'm certainly feeling festive so anything glitter is just orgasm worthy for me at the moment.  Shoes, bags, nails are just a few examples.  I have been sporting bedazzled nails for the last two weeks.

My shorter hair – I have but off about 8 inches of my hair in the last few months and I do miss the long hair but I feel like the shorter hair looks a bit more grown up and just less typical really. 

Dark lips – I have been obsessed with the Rimmel Lipstick in the ‘Kate Collection’ that is a dark purple.  I havent purchased it but I have found a lip liner that’s similar just a little more on the red side.  Its from L.A. colours and its super creamy so I can wear it as a lipstick.  I am wearing it it in the video.

Favorite song – Professor Green ‘Into the Ground’.  Not everyones cup if tea but I just find this song funny and it can really lift my mood.  If you havent realised yet I am obsessed with Professor Green.  UK artists have been doing amaizing in the last few years. One more song I need to mention is Example ‘Microphone’.  Love it!

Stuff that irritated me this week:

The fact that I am broke as hell until next Thursday!

People that make me feel so uncomfortable I could be physically sick around them…

That’s about it.  So not so bad this week ehh? HAHAHA

Follow me on Twitter @ruta_yt

Have you put up your Christmas lights yet? Because I haven't.



Tips on Getting Over Break-ups

So when ou break up usually seems like the worst thing in the world. You don't want to wake up in the morning and just wish you could stop existing, so you don't have to think about what you may have lost. Every time you see that person you get a sting and wish you could go up to them and have them kiss and hold you. You don't think this feeling will ever go away because every time you speak to them all those wishes come back to you. Well surprise surprise I promise that it all gets better.

Those feelings eventually go away. The time it takes for them depends on how you are wish the person after the break up. The best tip is to try and cut contact with them. I realise that's very hard and not possible in every situation I.e. school but it's the best way. The less you see of them or speak to them the less you are reminded of why you liked them in the first place.

If you cannot do that then I suggest being very 'cool' in a sense that you just keep your relationship to a basic friendship. You say hi and bye and have conversation when you are at a table together but avoid texting them or flirting in any way possible.

The issue of wanting them back is hard to tackle. If you broke up with them because of your wants then you have to remind yourself of why it happened. If they broke up with you because they 'didint feel the same' or if you broke up with them because you knew this then just remember that they are not worth your company. You are not their convenience that they can request to use whenever it suits them.

Remember loving your own company is probably the best thing you can do for yourself in life. You are the I ly person that you will have by your side every second of everyday of the duration of your life. There is no running away from you. So if you are happy with your own company then you don't have to feel inclined to have another person to make you happy.