I wanted to find something for my hair and I should talk a little about my hair before we get into this, yes? I have a LOT of hair! it’s also naturally very curly, rebellious, thick and frizzy and with a lot of body. YUP. It’s quite a handful to work with.

I had my hair professionally straightened (worked for a few weeks), I’ve used at-home straighteners (did not work for me at all), the Brazilian blowout (it’s amazing but expensive – planning on getting it done again… eventually), and the good ol’ flat iron (which works, but is a hassle).

I decided to shorten my hair length and I’m finding it’s easier to manage and style. I think I will keep it shoulder-length until I get the Keratin treatment.  A lot of people tell me that they admire my curls, and some people with straight hair want a curly head of hair like my own. I’d like to trade with them. Ya always want what you don’t have. For me, my hair is just… I don’t know, we have what I would call a “love-hate relationship.”

Naturally, I wanted to try all the products that could keep my hair on check and give it plenty of moisture. So it begins (click on the product name for more info & ingredient list).

HAIR:

1. H’Suan Wen Hua (Treatment): Okay, I always give a fair shot to anything that might help my hair. I will put up with gross smells, sticky consistencies, odd textures, you name it! As long as I feel a difference I will use it. I thought this product was OK. The smell I just could not deal with, and yes my hair felt a little soft, but after trying some of the other Lush treatments listed below, I realize this product just wasn’t going to cut it. Will be passing this along to someone else to in hopes it will work for them. *SAMPLE SIZE TESTED*
2. Curly Wurly (Shampoo): You know you really have coconut in your shampoo when you find chunks of it washing out of your hair. It smelled like coconut and honey, and honestly I really like how smooth my hair felt after I washed it with this. However, I might use it as a once a week treatment instead of a daily shampoo, didn’t exactly leave my hair feeling clean. Will purchase. *SAMPLE SIZE TESTED*
3. Trichomania (Shampoo): Coconut, coconut, coconut. The scent reminded me of the coconut popsicles I used to eat whilst growing up. It’s a shampoo bar and like Curly Wurly it has chunks of coconut all over. I liked it a lot, but I found that it gave my hair a lot of volume, and that’s the last thing I need. I will keep using the sample but I will probably not purchase it. It’s a shame, because it smells really good. *SAMPLE SIZE TESTED*
4. Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Eaze (Treatment): I got a sample for this and I was so pleased that I went back to the store the same week to get a full size. It smells really good and it left my hair feeling silky soft. I will repurchase.
5. American Cream (Conditioner): I think this is my favorite Lush product so far. It’s a good ol’ regular conditioner, it leaves my hair soft but what makes it my favorite is the smell. It smells SO GOOD. I leave it on for a little while just so I can smell it longer and the smell does linger in my hair. I just love it. As soon as I’m done with this bottle I’m planning on getting a larger size.
6. R&B (Leave-in Moisturizer): The first time I went to Lush, this is the only full size product I left with. It smells good; a little bit goes a long way and best of all? It works for my hair. It controls my frizz and it doesn’t leave my hair feeling gross. This has definitely become a staple for me.
7. Cynthia Sylvia Stout (Shampoo): Even though it has a thin consistency, again, a little bit goes a long way. You really have to take your time with it though, massage your scalp, and lather well. It smells like beer with lemons, some people don’t like it, I do. I still don’t know if I will repurchase, the squeaky clean feeling in my hair is something I’m not used to. Most Lush shampoos have left my hair feeling like this. We’ll see.
* NOT PICTURED – Fair Trade Honey (Shampoo): This shampoo lives up to its name, it smells like honey, exaggerated amounts of honey. I liked it, but if I end up purchasing a full size its because I will just use it as a clarifying shampoo, once a week to get rid of product build up. Again, that squeaky clean feeling, hayayay. *SAMPLE*

BODY:

8. Twilight (Bath Bomb): It smells incredible, and I took my time with using this because it smells amazing. The scent is so strong that it lingered in my bathroom for a while. I love it! It leaves your skin feeling soft and overall I’m pleased with it. I will definitely repurchase more of these.
9. Charity Pot (Lotion): It’s a good, thick lotion. It smells nice and leaves your skin feeling taken care of. With every purchase of this product, Lush donates all the proceeds to help out a variety of charities. And come on what’s better than to help out a good cause? Get it.
10. Dream Cream (Lotion): Cruz got a sample of this because he had really bad, cracked, dry knuckles. His skin dramatically improved after incorporating this in his routine(his hands needed a lot of TLC, he also used other products that complemented this hand cream. He will go into more detail in a future post). I am unsure if we will get the full size since his skin is healed and we still have more on the little sample pot. *SAMPLE*
11. Buffy (Body scrub): I like a good body scrub, this one did not disappoint. This is the last product I use before leaving the shower and I really liked the fact that yes it’s a scrub, its abrasive but it leaves your skin super smooth. I don’t feel the need to put lotion after I come out of the shower.  I will repurchase this.

I hope that if you haven’t tried Lush products (they are all vegan and cruelty free!), you do. And if you have and would like to recommend anything, please let me know. Also, remember, what did not work for me might work for you!

Thanks for reading.

Leah.

Take care of your feet and your feet will take care of you.

I’ve mentioned it before that a good pair of shoes makes the difference in the day. I’ve been stomping around San Diego in a new assortment of footwear in attempts to to put a finger on what’s best for me. From the beautiful benchmade Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot to Minnesota’s iconic Red Wing Shoe’s Heritage models 9111 and the 3140 Chukka. All Made In USA and crafted with pride by their respective companies, all individually unique in style and function. Proud of each one.

I’m working on breaking them and sorting out what’s best for me. Expect to see more of them shortly.

-cruz

• Cujo appreciates polka dots
• Cruz and I went on a candle spree at Target earlier this week.
• Cleo being Cleo. I love her.
• In need of some serious makeup organizing. Living out of two bags isn’t practical, and I really should make things easier on myself but I am not a fan of the acrylic organizers, want something that won’t be an eye sore/bulky. Suggestions are welcomed (please!).
• Planning some sweet things with these Baggu Bags. Stay tuned! We’re pretty excited about it.

Sundays are the most laid back days for us. When we don’t go out for walks, or get an early brunch we just sit home and be a happy bunch (ha! see what I did there?). I hope you all had a very restful weekend.

Leah.

YES PRINT/ONE/TWO/THREE/FOUR/FIVE/SIX

Boots, handmade goods, skin care products, make up, a cat in a sweater and socks with Morrisey’s face? Yes. I recently cleaned my closet and got rid of a lot of stuff. I decided I would start making wiser decisions when it comes to buying clothes and shoes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a thrift store junkie and I hardly pass up a sale but damn, it piles up! I rediscovered some pieces, donated some more and in the end it honestly wasn’t about the amount of clothes I had, but the crappy quality that they were made of. The investment in some pieces is worth it, if you want quality products you pretty much pay for them. I don’t feel like I could justify paying 100 bucks for a single t-shirt, but there’s certain items like a coat, jeans, a bag or boots that if you pay a little extra, those pieces can last you for years. When you think of it like that, it’s worth it. Come on ladies, treat yo’ self.

What are some of the things YOU think are worthy of putting that extra buck in?

Leah

Yeast, starch, care, patience and hell of palate for flavor and taste can go a long way. All of those and more tend to be the basic building blocks for mouth salivating pizza and beautifully crafted beer. Blind Lady Ale House satisfies all of these and delivers it all in a “straight to the point” family friendly atmosphere yet still can cater to you and your friends looking for a late night meal at a local dive.

Let’s start with the basics.

The decor, the interior and the crowd are incredibly laid back and stuck in time as if ripped out from an episode of Cheers. After a few visits, you’re pretty sure everyone will know your name and your order! An open and laid back appeal that welcomes everyone to their wooden dining tables and benches (which one day we’ll own a set of our own), you walk up to counter, gaze over the large dusty chalk boards that hover above your head and give your order from their large rotating selection of hand made pizzas and craft beers. The prices are affordable and the beer selection incredible! Grab your well poured pints and find yourself an open table.

Our first visit to Blind Lady Ale House occurred when I had one of my best friend’s come to visit from Chicago. Chicagoans are extremely picky about their pizza!  We ordered the delicious Chorizo pizza and a few pints from local breweries and found ourselves there chatting late into the night. It’s one of those places that’s fantastic for lunch, second lunch, dinner and any time you’re craving good pizza and beer. It’s a San Diego hotspot that we’ll proud to call locally own and we try to patronize as often as we can by filling stomachs with the goods coming of their kitchen. We highly recommend it if you’re visiting sunny San Diego or a home bound local looking to expand your late night options.

Blind Lady Ale House

3416 Adams Ave  San Diego, CA 92116

Etsy as you know, is the perfect place to find handmade quality goods. I love to support small businesses so when taking my pajamas off is not an option and I still want to shop, Etsy is always my first stop. I came across a lot of talented people along with some vintage treasures and I just need to show you what I found.

ONE/TWO/THREE/FOUR/FIVE (my favorite)

Ceiling Lamps are not an option, bums me out. This is why:

Raymondbarberousse. I want all you got.

You should also check out the shops (linked above), they’ve got great stuff.

Do you know of any other shops or places I should check out? Let me know!

Support handmade/small shops!

Leah.

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ONE / TWO / THREE / FOUR / FIVE

Speaking of moving, I thought it would be fun to share a few pictures of interiors that I’ve been collecting (hoarding) throughout the years. Need to keep the inspiration flowing since we’re not even near at finishing our place. We’re working on it though, we are. I’m planning to post pictures of our home as we finish. Tomorrow will be a big day for this so I will have something ready by the end of the week for sure.

xx.

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