CVS DEALS FOR 7/10/16/ $10 Challenge, FREE Shaving Gel, Cheap Deodorant

.

Happy Couponing! Here is a general breakdown for a $10 challenge to get you started couponing at CVS. Make sure to pick those coupon packets in front of your house or a Sunday paper this Sunday,  to get these coupons and get these deals!

Transaction #1

Physician's Formula
Spend $10 get $7 in ECB

$10.00 OOP
(If you have a $3 or $4 peelie, use it)
$7 in ECB
FC: $3.00

Limit 1 per household.









Transaction #2

Pure Silk or Barbasol Shaving Cream

Sale Price $1.50
MQ: $0.50 off one (7/10 RP)
OOP: $1.00
ECB: $1.00
FC: FREE

Limit 1 per household

Lara Bars
Sale Price: 3 for $3.00
MQ: $0.50 off teo (7/10 SS)
OOP: 3 for $2.50
ECB: $1.00
FC: 3 FOR $1.50














Mitchium Deodorant (Solid)
Sale Price: $2.99
MQ: $2 off one (7/10 SS)
OOP & FC: $0.99

Colgate Manual Toothpaste
Sale Price: $3.49
MQ: $0.75 (IP, Colgate.com)
OOP:2.74
ECB: $2.00
FC:$0.74
Limit 4 per household











Transaction #3:
Persil Liquid Laundry Detergent

Sale Price: $4.88
App Only Q: $2.00
FC: $2.88

If you have the  MQ for $1 off use it.

OR

Kellogg's Cereal
Sale Price $1.99 (2) $3.98

If you have the MQ for $1 off two use it.

Hope this was helpful. Leave any questions comments and concerns below.

CVS DEALS FOR 6/26/16 Breakdown $10.00 Challenge, FREE Deodorant, Toothpaste & Hair Care

Next week I plan to do a $10 challenge.

I'll be starting off with $8.00 in ECB's and ending with $9.00 in ECB's.

This breakdown is for frequent CVS shoppers.



Quick Key

CRT: CVS Personalized Coupons
MC or MQ: Manufacturer's Coupon
OOP: Out of Pocket Expense
ECB: Extra Care Bucks
FC: Final Cost
Blinkie: Coupon Machine in the Store
MM: Money Maker

Colgate Max, Total, or 2in1 Toothpaste

On Sale for: $3.49
Buy Two for: $7.58
CRT: $2 off 2 toothpaste
MC: : (2) $1.00 Off one = $2.00 off Two (coupons.com)
OOP: $3.08
ECB: $2.00 times two equals $4.00
FC: -$1.08 MM










Colgate 360 Degree Manual Toothbrush

On Sale: $3.99
MC: $0.75 off one (colgate.com)
OOP: $3.24
ECB: $2.00
FC: $1.24

Coke and Dr.Pepper

On Sale For: $0.99
Instant Coupon: $0.24
OOP & FC: $0.75














Garnier Fructis Shampoo, Conditoner, Select Stylers

On Sale: $2.99
MC: $1.00 off one
OOP: $1.99
ECB: $2.00
FC: FREE + 0.01 MM












Sure Deodorant

On Sale: $1.75
MC: $0.75 off one
OOP: $1.00
ECB: $1.00
FC: FREE


All of the OOP are before tax.

I HATE COCONUT OIL!

Hello World & Naturalistas!

This post is about coconut oil and how it can contribute to your dry natural hair. Or to make it even more personal... how it contributed to MY natural hair. 

Seriously.. who doesn't like coconut?! It's great for so many things. All parts of the coconut can be used for something meaningful. In the natural hair community, a lot of naturalistas rave about how they love coconut oil. They claim that it's moisturizing, they consider it "staple product" worthy or even refer to it as their "holy grail". There's always a debate amongst the human race. but this debate is about whether or not coconut oil is one of the best things to use in our hair. My answer is yes and no. Here's why..

Many of you may know by now but just to reiterate, it is important to have a moisture/protein balance. All that means is you need an equal balance of both to avoid dry/brittle hair or mushy feeling hair.

The catch is a lot of your favorite hair products have coconut oil which contains protein.  I used to use the Cocnut and Hibiscus Line from Shea Moisture a lot because at first my hair responded so well to it. But after a while it started to dry my hair out. I tried other products that claimed to be moisturizing and still no difference. So I started paying attention to the ingredients. The first three or four things on the ingredient list is what the product has the most of. Coconut oil was usually the second or third thing on the list in EVERY "moisturizing product" I was using. Especially in Shea Moisture! So basically my hair was getting "over proteined" instead of maximum hydration. and that's why these "moisturizing" hair products were not working for me. (I seemed to have found the culprit)

I say all of that to say...

1. If coconut oil is your "holy grail" and you suffer from dry hair, you might want to hold off on that oil for a little bit. Try Jojoba oil.
2. Make sure you create a protein/moisture balance... do some research and test out products that do not contain coconut oil to see which one works best for you.
3. If coconut oil works for you, keep using it. don't fix what's not already broken.
4. Water is your number one moisturizer .. Figure out what helps YOU seal it in.

Now because my hair felt so dry after taking down my crochet braids I decided to go BACK TO THE BASICS.

For my lastest natural style I did a perm Rod Set. I used Herbal Essences Shampoo and Codnitioner and Just For Me (yes the children's line) Hair Milk Leave-In conditioner. Products pictured below:

If you're interested in how I achieved the look below, Check out the video on my >>YOUTUBE<< channel.

Related Links

 Perm Rod Set on 18-19 Months Natural

Becoming a Vegetarian???

FAQ: What would I eat if I became a vegetarian? Refer to the picture above.

Mini Rant:
HELLO WORLD! Never in all my years did I think I would dwell on this thought long enough for it to become a consideration,let alone a blog post. But then again... if you've lived long enough, you know that TONS of things happen that you least expect & when you least expect it to. 

WHY DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A VEGETARIAN?.. you ask well..

Very recently I began cooking a lot more. Beef, chicken, pork, tilapia .. all kinds of meats and veggies too. And during the process of making these meats, the changes that I watched it go through and everything that I saw oozing out of it as I cooked, "kinda" started to gross me out. Also when I eat chicken wings... with skin, stringy veins, and sometimes even hair it "kinda" begins to become distasteful. I think I've become anti-meat .. "kinda." 

When I begin to embark on this journey the hardest meats to give up will be beef; like burgers, steak, chicken breast, turkey bacon, and shrimp. Until I look at this picture below or even watch THIS video.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT BEING A VEGETARIAN ACTUALLY MEANS?

Some believe that they just don't eat meat but it gets DEEPER than that. 

There are three different types of vegetarian diets.
 They're as follows:

1. Lacto-ovo (Lacto - Milk, Ovo-Eggs) Vegetarians - eat dairy products like milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, ice cream. etc. 

2. Lacto-Vegetarians - eat milk products but not eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, or fish.

3. Vegans - only eat plant based foods. (no eggs, no dairy, no honey)

In my opinion being vegan would be impossible for me to do. But as I do more research I've learned that there are plenty substitutes for these diary products. In terms of nutrition and taste.
Looking at my options I am most likely to become a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian.

I would probably eliminate beef first and probably eat fish and seafood until I ween myself from all meat. I am lactose intolerant so I do not consume milk, I don't like yogurt, and i don't eat ice cream often so those will be easy. Cheese would be the hardest for me. I can eat block cheese all by itself LOL.

I have come across plenty of great videos on youtube with vegetarian and vegan diets that look so GREAT, I can't even wait to start my journey.

Interested in seeing what I mean?

Click HERE 

or                                        THERE

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BECOMING A VEGETARIAN?

Weight Loss

Healthier Heart

Lower Cholesterol 

Lowers Risk of Cancer  

Longer Life Expectancy

Have you ever thought about becoming a vegetarian yourself? What are your thoughts on the matter?

Leave some comments below.

Walking Away

Walking Away

It's always best not to compare the two to each other because then his additions get compromised by his shenanigans and maybe I start to feel you a little bit more
But comparison was the only way to wrap my mind around the thought of ever loving him the way I loved you
That's the problem though, he isn't you and quite frankly I'm not me, or who I once used to be back then when you and I made we
He wasn't anything I wanted until he was everything I needed
As independent as I am, as God-fearing as I am, I boldly say ...needed him
To show me everything I wanted until it was everything I hated
I figured the relationship was supposed to be effortless if love was involved
when really the love is supposed to be effortless when relations are involved
Love gives us an idiotic pass to do things mindlessly almost unconsciously that if subconscious we would snap the hell out of
Stupidity can make us delusional to the reality of any situation
A smile never guaranteed happiness, A laugh never guaranteed joy, A tear never guaranteed remorse
Doesn't he know that? Naive, I suppose
I was tired of silently coping by offering less words afraid that I'd run him away with my tongue
Those unspoken thoughts became unheard cries that turned into a heart of demise, a wall full of cries
Nothing about me is perfect, even though he would beg to differ but beg to agree which annoyed the hell out of me
I had my share of mistakes, even though he would beg to agree I would beg to concur, so he would just shut the hell up
For the better you would say, for the worse I felt so for the better I prayed
Taking a step away from hurt should be easy but it's the hardest thing I've done
I think about you more now than I did before, I cry less now than I did before
I smile less now then I did before, I pray more now than I did before
Every time you whisper those words ... I remember how cold it felt with him
Chills run along the curvature of my back and tears begin to form in my eyes
It's something fresh and renewing about a young love that won't ever die that drowns you deep in "it"
I started to suffocate with him, gasping for more .. I found "it" after walking away

Written By: DLSC 2015

Natural Hair Journey: My Big Chop #2 !

Hello World & Naturalistas.

This upcoming September would've marked my 2 year Natural Hair Anniversary. But this past week I did the unthinkable. Yep, that's right you guessed it! I did another big chop!

 

To think about the situation as a whole I laugh, because nearly two years ago I would obsess over my hair growth. I stalked other Naturalista's Natural Hair Journey videos and would always compare my growth to their's. I knew that the only way to get to where they were was to forget about the length and really focus on the health of my hair. In my  >>DRY TWISTOUT ON NATURAL HAIR<< post  I mentioned that I needed a trim because my heads were raggedy.

As time went on I noticed that middle/back of my hair was shorter than every other area, It was breaking off!  So instead of trimming I decided to cut all of my hair off.  How exicitng? I got rid of dead weight in my life and decided why not get rid of the dead weight on my head ! I also decided to create some sort of style instead of cutting it the way I did the first time I chopped. I finalized on a tapered cut. I've had the tapered cut multiple times but this time I was going to do it with natural hair. I watched a lot of videos that week and decided to cut my hair a few days later.

The morning after I woke up to a dishonorable sight and decided to go back to Youtube to get more cut and styling ideas. Because I had somewhere to go that afternoon I decided to do perm rods on the top, and lowering the sides and finger coilng the shorter parts. Although I cut too much hair off from one side I liked this cut so much better. 

I still need to go to the barber shop so that they can evenly.

The Process...

I sectioned my hair off into 6 Sections. I made 6 pony tails and cut off the hair in those sections.

 When I was done I did a Clay Rinse... if you have no idea what that is or are interested in seeing the results of that on my hair.. feel free to read my post about >>CLAY RINSING<<. This time I added Apple Cider Vinegar to the clay instead of water. I kept it in for a few minutes with a plastic shower cap over my head. Then I rinsed it out and applied Suave 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner to my hair to wash out all the clay. Then I followed up with Shea Mositure's Super Fruit Complex 10 in 1 Renewal System Hair Masque. There were nothing but good reviews about it on Youtube so I had to check it out. After keeping that in I rinsed it out and proceeded to styling.

Below you can see my finger coils. I created them by spraying my hair until it was soaking wet then grabbing lots of gel and taking one small section and wrapping it around my finger. In this picture they're dry.

 

For styling I used my >>NATURAL HAIR STAPLE PRODUCTS<< Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner and Olive Oil EcoStyler Gel. I used Gel to fingercoil and Cantu to style the top. Above I used perm rods to achieve a curly top.. check out my >>PERM ROD<< post to read about roding technique. 

Here are some pictures of the result.

 

22 Months Post BC: How I Retain Moisture in My Natural Hair

Hello World and Naturalistas !

Today I'm going to be discussing a few ways I retain moisture in my natural hair.

 It's not about products, as much as it is about technique. If you're having problems keeping your hair moisturized and are interested in new tips then keep on reading.

1. I do not wash my hair often

At the beginning of my journey I used to wash my hair every single week, even every couple days. It wasn't necessarily because my hair was dirty but because my scalp was itchy. I would wash with shampoos because that was the only way to stop the itching. This caused my hair to dry out badly. Once I found out how to combat my itchy scalp I washed my hair when it needed to be washed. In the mean time I add a whole bunch of water, products, and oil to my hair, when necessary or when styling that helps it stay moisturized.

2. Protective Styling

In the winter the cold air can dry out your hair, So it is often recommended that you do protective styling which is anything from an updo to some braids...anything that will keep in moisture. It is not only important apply moisture when styling but to add continuously to make sure it remains moisturized for that time frame.

3. Wearing a scarf or bonnet

I don't know about you but cotton sucks all of the juices out of my hair. Last month when I had crochet braids in I neglected using a scarf for the 3 weeks I had the style in. I tried to compensate for it by moisturizing every couple days. But my hair was no match for that cotton pillow case. When I took down the style my hair was SO dry. Moral of the story: Tie down your hair at night! It's okay if you happen to be lazy or forget a couple nights but be as consistent as possible for maximum hydration. OR if you don't want to have to tie down your hair every night invest in a silk or satin pillowcase. Katt Williams uses one! lol

I may have spoken on things you already know about but you may not be putting this simple actions into practice. If this applies to  you then it's time to get back to the basics! Happy, Healthy Hair is what's important. 

If you're interested in the products I use to moisturize my hair.. check out this post

>>My Updated Natural Hair Regimen<<

I hope you find this helpful :)

"6 Things That College Taught Me, Aside from Academics"

Everyone knows that the number one reason to attend college is to get an education, but you learn so much more about life and who are as a person when you're there. And that's what I'll be talking about today. Here are the "6 Things That College Taught Me, Aside from Academics"

How to Manage My Money

"The broke college student" is a common stigma amongst college students, who work part time and go to school full time, but it doesn't have to be. Everyone's situation while in college is different but I will focus on mine. Firstly, I lived on campus and it was mandatory for me to purchase a meal plan. Both my Freshman and Sophomore year in college I ate there but then after a while I resorted to cooking in the dorm kitchen and ordering out. How is this conducive to managing your money? Well food was one of my biggest expenses. I felt like the last thing I could do was starve myself, so I didn't. I also wanted to go out and have a good time once in a while and of course I had bills that needed to be paid. At times I would find myself in a rut because money was tight. In order to combat this I would suggest creating a budget. My mother taught me how to do so when I got my first real job. Once I got my check I would calculate how much I had for the necessities, leisure, and saving. That way I was able to keep track of how much money I was able to spend so that I couldn't go broke and all of the necessities were taken care of. In college I had to do this quiet a few times because I didn't always have as much as I needed so I improvised.

Life is What You Make It

Not everyone is privileged to attend college. But once you're there, it's up to you to make the best of the experience. I know I started off not knowing anything. Most of us communicated with everyone and tried make new friends, attend all events, and get involved. It's safe to say that after my first year in college half of the incoming class was gone. Whether they transferred or dropped out is their story to tell. But I do have one story I can tell that isn't my own. One night I was over my bestfriend's dorm and we saw cop cars pulled up along side of the building. Of course we wanted to know what was going on, as did everyone else. We go down the elevator and we hear people say that someone got arrested for marijuana possession. Just that quick his "get outta the hood" scheme was over. He never came back and he never continued his education. It's unfortunate that he wasn't motivated enough to go back to school. And to this I say, know what you want and work HARD to make it happen. Sometimes thing happen that deter your plan but if you work for it your destiny will be fulfilled before you leave.

How to Empathize 

"Be nice to everyone, You never know what battle their struggling with behind closed doors." Being in college I truly believe this. I have dormed with so many different people of different race and background and culture.And no matter what kind of persona they put on, I heard a piece of each and every one of their realities. One girl had a celebrity father who sent checks but spent no quality time with her, One girl was addicted to drugs, One girl was adopted and raised by parents who took her in, and others had real life problems. I had issues of my own but I'm thankful I still had people around that loved and cared about me so I try to be that person as well, even to those I don't know. So what if they have an attitude or don't smile at me... when I smile or give them an encouraging word, it could brighten their day.

Temporary situations, Temporary Life

In the blink of an eye times 1000 someone who was once your confidant can become a stranger. Especially in college you may be close to them for two years and then drift when you start involving yourself in things that interest you, You can become busy, and just fall apart. It's life. I won't say don't get attached. But take a lot of pictures and create a lot memories so that you can never forget the good times. They always say that college years are the best years of your life. But hey maybe they won't be... maybe the next five years after that will be. It's up to you.

No Entitlement 

In high school it may have been easier to skip classes and still get decent grades. Or expect to be given something because you've done well. But the truth of the matter is you aren't owed anything for being a living, breathing human being. Everything you will ever have, you must work hard for. No matter what scale. If you slack in your academics you will fail... College taught me that I have to work for everything that I want, everything that I need. I can't expect anything from anyone. I must research, I must ask, I must do my part. 

Making Wise Decisions

For the first 18 years some 17  of our lives our parents made all of our decisions. Of course during teen years we made decisions of our own which most can say were not the best. But after college you're forced to do it on your own. Should I go to this party tonight or work on this paper? Should I go to the doctor? Nah I'm good. Should I stay out until 3 when I know I have class at 8? When you're parents aren't breathing down your neck constantly or over your shoulder yelling at you ... you become the solo author of your life. You're guaranteed to make mistakes .. please learn from them.

Like this post? Then check out my other posts about College

5 Things I Regret NOT Doing In College

College: 15 Things You Should Know 

Feel free to subscribe, share, and comment.

21 Months Post BC: Mini Twists on Thin Natural Hair

Hello World and Naturalistas !

Today I'm going to talk about how to achieve cute Mini Twists on Thin/Fine Natural Hair.

I'm not sure how many people have fine/thin natural hair and whether it's genetic, due to age or disease but I know that when I see other people with such thick luscious hair I wish it were me. If you are that person, I hope this post can inspire you to accept and love your hair for what it is, no matter how it is.

I tried this style previously back in February and this is how it looked. 

As you can see the parts were very spaced out. At the time, a coworker of mine with natural hair had done the twists on herself. It was full and they were juicy/chunky/luscious. When I did mine I wanted my actual twists to look just as hers did. At the time what I failed to realize was that we had different types of her and what worked for her in doing mini twists would not work for me.

I kept that style just how it's styled in the photo for one week. To be honest I was self-conscious about how I looked in it.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS:

Any who I took to YouTube for new hairstyles, Hairstyles that would keep me out of my hair for long periods of time. I also wanted to step away from hairstyles that would damaging to my hair, ends, or edges. I came across mini twists, again! This time I refined the YouTube search to Fine/Thin hair. I watched a couple of videos and decided to try them again.

THROW BACK:

When I did them in February I used freshly blow dried hair and Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing smoothie. This time I did it on 3 day old blow dried twist out hair. So my hair already had product

sitting in it and was stretched from two days of previous styling. 

STYLING:

I separated my hair in three sections. one ponytail on the left and two on the right. I started in the right back bottom section first. I find it easier this way because then I always see what I'm doing. If I start at the top of the section the hair tends to fall and get in the way. 

The difference between this time and last time: I did not use a comb to part. Because I have fine/thin using a comb to part creates deep parts that give me obvious spacing between my twists, which I don't need so I used my fingers to part instead. I judged the amount of hair I was using to make sure that I wasn't using too much or too little. In February, I used too much hair. I moisturized each section with Cantu Shea Butter Argan Leave-In (that's it) because that's all I brought with me on vacation. It took me 2 hours to complete, an hour on each side.

FINAL PRODUCT:

Here's some photos