Hi everyone! Hope your week is going great!

If there was an award for procrastination, I'd most definitely bag it. I'm aware that a good number of you have been waiting on this post, please pardon me for not putting it up way sooner.

Let's get right into it, shall we?

So, I'll basically be sharing with you my wash-day routine for the past two months and products that I use on a regular basis to make my hair healthy and manageable. 

Below are all the products I use on my hair.

When it comes to washing my hair, like many naturals... Where you at naturalistas?! Where you at? By a show of hands? Haha!... I follow some basic steps. Personally, I have seven, which I consider very important, they are:-

 ~ Detangling
~ Pre-pooing
~ Cleansing
~ Nourishing
~ Drying
~ Moisturizing
~ Styling 

Detangling

Rosewater - Nakumatt Supermarket - Kshs. 65

Spritz Bottle - Bestly Cosmetics - Kshs. 170

I use my fingers, a wide-tooth comb and a mixture of rosewater and water in a spritz bottle to detangle my hair. By following this step I have noticed that the amount of hair I shed after washing my hair or simply combing my hair has significantly reduced.

In order to retain your hairs length, it's essential to get rid of those knots and tangles. I advice that, when detangling, start from the tips working your way down to the roots.

The reason I include rosewater in my spritz bottle, instead of using plain tap water is because it moisturizes my hair within a very short time, seconds actually, thereby making detangling so much easier and faster.

I use a mixture of coconut oil, olive oil and castor oil to pre-poo my hair.

Cleansing

Venus Anti-dandruff Shampoo - Tuskys - Kshs. 108

Organics Conditioner - Nakumatt - Kshs. 289

I used to use super cheap shampoos and conditioners, evidence here, for the lame reason that, "hey! I'm gonna wash it off anyway! So why spend a "fortune"?" What I didn't realize back then is that they were striping my hair of all its goodness while cleansing it.

The shampoo and conditioner I'm currently using are amazing!!! Until someone recommends other products, I'm sticking to them like glue.

Nourishing

If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen a picture I posted a few days back on my wash-day, of an egg and avocado.

I really like using homemade hair masks, they're fun to make, really awesome for hair and cost very little.

I'll create a separate post on how I make avocado hair mask.

I've used commercial hair masks before, but stopped because of the fact that they contain lots of minerals and chemicals that do good to hair for only a short time.

After cleansing my hair with shampoo, I apply a D.I.Y hair mask to my wet hair and cover it with a shower-cap for 30 minutes. When it's done working its magic, I wash it off then condition my hair as usual, before giving it a last rinse.

 Drying

I mostly air dry my hair after rinsing and wrapping it up with an old t-shirt to get rid of excess water, but sometimes, though I dislike it, I do visit salons to blow-dry my hair.

 Moisturizing

  
Parachute Coconut Oil - Yogi Enterprises (Eldoret) - Kshs. 350

Vatika Coconut Hair Oil - Naivas- Kshs. 240

I'm in love with the coco!... Coconut oil makes my hair so happy you guys!!! I'm currently using Parachute coconut oil, I got it recently due to all the hype it gets from the "natural hair community" and all I can say is that it totally lives up to its hype, for real, it's the bomb.com! I use it once a week.

I also use Vatika Coconut Hair Oil, this particular one I use daily on my hair, unlike other coconut products, I can stand its smell, it has a pretty nice scent which I like. It also contains herbs which make hair very healthy.

Dark & Lovely Olive Oil Moisturizer - Tuskys - Kshs. 80

Alison's Chic Curl Activating Gel - Nakumatt - Kshs. 70

Venus Soothing Scalp Hair Dress - Nakumatt - Kshs. 127

In case I go to the salon, I often hand my stylist Venus pomade to use on my hair, then, on the daily, I'll use Dark and Lovely Olive Oil Moisturizer to moisturize my straightened hair or Alison's Chic Curl Activating Gel when making bantu knots.

Styling

Regarding styling, I often do bantu knots, flat twist outs and braiding to protect and stretch out my hair. this step, just like the nourishing step, requires a separate post so I can expound on it and fast hand, show you my results.

The three pictures in this post show how my hair looks after an hour of washing, moisturizing and finger combing, basically what I would call "my wash & go."

I try my best to do a protective hair style at night on my hair, before I sleep, this makes my hair a lot more manageable in the morning and if I do say so myself... On fleek!... Sorry, I just had to.

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There you have it! I'll make it a point to share more often on my natural hair care.

Now, your turn, regardless of whether you are natural or not, what are your current hair care routines? I would really love to know, also which products do you consider the best? Do share! :-)

Xx

Feels great to be done with my internship! If you're done with yours as well, you must know the feeling. I'm really glad I got a chance to do it before completing my undergrad, it was all so eyeopening, I've learnt a ton of stuff, both basic and major that will impact my career positively in future. I totally appreciate and value my internship experience. 

I'm currently in my hometown, I'll be here for a couple of days before heading back to Nairobi. I honestly forgot about Eldoret's weather pattern, one minute it's warm and sunny, the next minute its raining or plain cloudy and freezing cold, anyway, I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

Did you guys know that wearing dirty converse shoes is a thing? People do it deliberately so they can appear cooler. Note that "people" here, has "me" included haha! 

Converse shoes are one of my absolute favorites! They are fashion forward, bold and so comfortable. Let me just put it out there, anytime stylish and comfortable are in the same sentence. I'm on board. Converse shoes are without a doubt a closet staple for me. They are simply awesome and can be worn anywhere and to anything.

By the way, I want to get your opinion, do you think/believe wearing dirty converse shoes adds an extra oomph to an outfit? Share your thoughts.

 

Plaid Shirt - Old |  Vest - Print Star |  Shorts - Thrifted at Ngara |  Shoes - Converse

I recently joined Snapchat and I swear, the excitement I have over it borders the one I had when I first downloaded Instagram, Candy Crash  and Temple Run to my phone, in that exact order.

I enjoy making Snapchat videos, it's fun, I hate my voice on tape though, It sounds weird to me, in a not-so-good way ha! Find me @juanamaua_snaps and add my account if you like, I'll add yours right back.

Before the end of the week I hope to share something on my natural hair care and put up a travel post. I bet I'll manage, considering I don't have a lot on my plate lately.

I wish you a lovely and productive week.

Xx

Far from my expectation, today shaped up to be a sunny and beautiful day, the perfect end to a productive weekend.


This is a quick post to share with you what I'm wearing and a few tips on wearing an all black outfit. If you follow me on Instagram you're aware that I'm loving black lately, I don't know, I just find the color so very appealing nowadays.

I felt wearing black, head to toe, would be a bit of an overkill, so I chose to wear my pink ankle strap heels instead.

My poor necklaces, bracelets and earrings are collecting dust in the closet haha! I'm still very much into minimal/zero accessorizing.

We all know black is an instant classic, flattering, really chic, I believe it's one of the "chicest" colors after white, black is extremely versatile, I mean, child! You can never go wrong with black. Here are a few tips for looking as fabulous as you should while rocking the dark hue:-









Vest - River Island |  Pants - Old |  Shoes - here

Shout out to my friend Rashid for helping take these lovely pictures. Thanks a lot buddy!

For me, one of the most fulfilling things about blogging is interacting with you, my dear readers. Thank you all so much for your feedback, I read all the comments you left on my second beauty post and loved the fact that some were very informative, for example, I didn't know that you could use olive oil and salt as a face scrub!!! There are beauty gems right  in our kitchens ladies! Thanks big time Wanjiru for that tip, now I know what I'll do in case my scrub ever runs out.

I  bought this dress when I went shopping way back in January, it's now among my many lucky thrift finds, can you believe that I parted with only 50 shillings to call it mine and add it to my closet? For my non-Kenyan readers this dress cost me less than 1 dollar.

Darn! I love thrifting and flea markets! They always carry the most unique quality items and sell them at unbelievably cheap prices.

I never wore the dress since I bought it, but when the sun came out yesterday, I decided to take full advantage of the warm weather and put it on. I kept the color pallet neutral with this beige number, loved the classic simplicity of it all before heading out to enjoy a beautiful day.

Dress: Thrifted at Toi Market |  Shoes - Paolo Corelli |  Rings - Local Store

Could we please take a second to appreciate the awesomeness of Java's lemonade?... By the way, If you're reading this and you happen to be responsible for fixing Java's iced lemonades, can we be friends? Best friends even? Like ASAP?!... Holla atcha girl!

Happy Friday! Check back soon for another outfit post!

Xx

I bought this dress when I went shopping way back in January and finally the weather is warm enough to wear it.  I'm always excited when I see dresses with sleeves as it usually means it's a more work-appropriate option for me.  I kept the color palette neutral and love the outfit for its classic simplicity. - See more at: http://www.cuteandlittle.com/2014/03/neutral-simplicity.html#sthash.6VYYNPFn.dpuf

I bought this dress when I went shopping way back in January and finally the weather is warm enough to wear it.  I'm always excited when I see dresses with sleeves as it usually means it's a more work-appropriate option for me.  I kept the color palette neutral and love the outfit for its classic simplicity. - See more at: http://www.cuteandlittle.com/2014/03/neutral-simplicity.html#sthash.6VYYNPFn.dpuf

I bought this dress when I went shopping way back in January and finally the weather is warm enough to wear it.  I'm always excited when I see dresses with sleeves as it usually means it's a more work-appropriate option for me.  I kept the color palette neutral and love the outfit for its classic simplicity. - See more at: http://www.cuteandlittle.com/2014/03/neutral-simplicity.html#sthash.6VYYNPFn.dpuf

Because you know I'm all about that face
'Bout that face, no treble ♫♩

I'm all about that face
'Bout that face, no treble ♬
I'm all about that face

♪ 'Bout that face... Face... Face...Face

♫   ♪

Ha! Sing along people!

I honestly didn't give a crap about my skin until less than a year ago. Fortunately for me I have combination skin, so I have never really battled with acne, serious dryness or oiliness.

Being a little older and a little wiser now (it took me a while), I have come to value and embrace my skin, so much so, I always want it to look and feel its best. I've managed to establish a basic skincare routine that suits my skin type, it consists of four steps for daily use, that is:-

 If you follow me on Instagram you most probably caught a glimpse of my facial skincare products two weeks back. Today I am going to talk about each one of them in detail, but before I start, I want to emphasize on the fact that everyone's skin is different, so what works perfectly for me may not be so good for you/someone else.

Pure Deep Cleansing Face Wipes

Price: Kshs. 125

Bought at : Nakumatt Supermarket

One struggle I'm having with my routine is make up removal and cleansing at the end of the day. Pure Deep Cleansing Wipes have been super convenient for me. They come in handy when I'm too lazy to go through the full process of cleansing my face.

The coolest thing about these wipes is that they're so cheap, but do an excellent job at removing make-up, definitely the best wipes I've used so far.

 Price: Kshs. 60

Bought at: Nakumatt

I initially loved this soap only because of its smell, it's got this sweet delicate smell which I'm obsessed with, but after using it for a couple of days I noticed that it had made some great impact on my skin, my skin felt clean and super moisturized. It's so good for my face, I always have an extra pack.

I mostly use this soap in the morning to clean my face before exfoliating, toning and applying moisturizer.

Price: Kshs. 305

Bought at: Nakumatt

I've been using this for ages! I bought this jar months ago, but it's yet to run out. It's a mild facial and body scrub, it gets rid of any roughness and makes my face super smooth and soft. What I like about this product is that it's mild enough for me to use daily.

I mostly use it in the morning and evening by simply moisturizing my face with warm water then applying a small amount of it on my face using my fingers, avoiding eyes and sensitive areas, I massage it all over. Once I'm done scrubbing I rinse my face using warm water and pat it dry with a towel.

Price: Kshs. 250

Bought at: Bestly Cosmetics

I have been using this facial cleanser for quite some time now, mostly at night before I go to bed, I simply apply a small amount of it using a cotton ball on my face and neck until thoroughly clean.

I like its smell, it's got this refreshing, mild lemon scent. 

I must say that it's an excellent cleanser, once I use it I don't necessarily have to wash my face with water.

Alison's Rosewater - Kshs. 65 - Uchumi Supermarket

Kapa Pure Glycerine - Kshs. 50 - Tuskys

I use rosewater and glycerine combined as a toner, right after cleansing my face. Both these products are dirty cheap, but work so well for me, I don't see the need of buying an expensive toner.

I apply the mixture similar to how I apply my cleanser.

Sometimes I mix them up, sometimes I don't, but overall they're both very good for my skin.

Maws Lanolin Cream - Kshs. 80 - Uchumi

Maisha Bora Aloe Herbal Cream - Kshs. 100 - Nakumatt

These two are my go-to creams for my night skincare routine. I mostly use the lanolin cream every other day and the aloe cream in case I wore make up.

 Nivea Soft Moisturizing Cream

  Price: Kshs. 230

Bought at : Nakumatt

All I can say is that this is the best moisturizer I've ever used on my face. It's perfect, just perfect.

I use it only at daytime after cleansing, exfoliating and toning my face.

Price: Kshs. 50

Bought at : Local Pharmacy 

I use this once in a while, only when I want to get rid of pimples overnight. So after cleansing my face I simply apply it using a cotton ball on the problematic areas

It's also great for eliminating sunburns, it's one product that keeps preventing me from buying sunscreen lotions.

 Vaseline & Maybelline Baby Lips Lip-balm

 Vaseline - Kshs. 109 - Uchumi

Maybelline Baby Lips Lipbalm - Kshs. 290 - Nakuru Cosmetics Center 

You've got to love Vaseline! Sometimes when I'm really lazy I simply cleanse my face and straight away apply Vaseline on my face and lips.

I mostly use Vaseline at night before I go to bed to keep my lips moisturized. At daytime I only use Baby Lips Lip-balm, you must know how crazy I am about this lip-balm, If you don't, check out this post.

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So now you guys know what I use on my face and how I use it. I would really love to hear about the skincare products that work for you and your current skincare routines.

Happy Tuesday!

Xx 

 

If the only prayer in your life is "thank you" that would suffice.

For a while now, I've been bookmarking inspirational/motivational blogs I come across online, because I enjoy reading them, especially in the early morning, right after I wake up. Recently I learnt a very important lesson about gratitude from an article in one of the sites I've bookmarked.

The article brought me to the realization of how being thankful, counting your blessings, noticing simple pleasures and acknowledging everything that you have and receive shifts your focus from what  your life lacks to the abundance that is already present.

Personally, and I'm pretty certain you can relate, whenever I give thanks, to my friends, to my loved ones, to someone I've just met or simply through prayer I feel so much happier, more resilient and even better, stress free!!! The important lesson I learnt about gratitude, and I hope it sticks with me for a long time is, gratitude should not just be a reaction to getting what you want, but an all time gratitude, the kind where you notice the little things and where you constantly look for the good even in unpleasant situations. 

When wearing dresses and skirts gets boring, I decide to wear something slightly manly. I wore this yesterday to run a few errands in town and do a little shopping. 

I've mentioned before of my love for men's clothes and how I'm a total sucker for androgynous looks. This time round I didn't go all out as I did in this post, I opted instead for an ensemble that would make me appear like a womanly man... Or should I say a manly woman? Haha!

What I love about this outfit is it's simplicity and the fact that it literally took zero effort to create, I mean, hallo! We're working with basics here, closet staples baby!

I chose to wear a belt as my only accessory, I don't know, there's something cool about minimal accessorizing as well as not wearing any accessories. 

Shirt- My sisters (perks of being the last born) |  Pants - Thrifted at Gikomba Market |  Sandals - Steve Madden |  Belt - Old |  Clutch Bag - Paulo Bucci

I want to thank you all so much for your support this far, the fact that you read and follow my blog brings me joy, I feel ecstatic really.

Have a great weekend! Let's all keep in mind that someone somewhere is happy with less than what we've got and of course, let's constantly practice the art of gratitude.

Love & Light

Xx

Egerton loved music, so he would invite orchestras and seasoned musicians from far and wide who would entertain him with symphonies.




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Stairway leading to the living room, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms.




 
The living room.

For those looking to build their own houses, you can drive down here and borrow some ideas. The interior architecture of the castle is simply impeccable! I really loved the lighting from it's large windows and found it hard to believe that it's almost a century old, yet it looks good as new.





I was standing in one of the bedrooms in the castle which has been turned into a gallery of sorts, showcasing photographs of different people from various communities in Kenya.


 Below is what would have been Lady Victoria's bathroom
 



Below is Lord Egerton's bathroom



What I got from my tour guide is that the bathrooms were made of zinc tiles, they also had defunct electrical machines that would be used to warm towels and dry hair.

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Below is Lord Egerton's bedroom.

If he still hates women, even in the afterlife, then I bet he was least amused when I stepped into his bedroom and had lots of fun taking one-too-many mirror selfies haha!






Thanks to Egerton's absence, I can take a mirror selfie... Using his mirror... Standing in his bedroom... Ha!

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Below is the kitchen area.


 There’s a large safe and two food stores behind what you see, one was for imported foods and the other for local products. The kitchen had a mini slaughter-house. The chef would have to shower and perfume himself before cooking Lord Egerton a meal. A doctor would drive from Nakuru twice a day to come inspect his food.




 

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 Stairway leading to the watchtower!!!


 

 
Did you have dreams of being a princess or visiting castles when you were younger?