The "trouble" with henna and "It"

The "trouble" with henna isn't really a bad thing- my trouble with henna is that my hair is so much healthier and the results are so much nicer than traditional hair dye that I henna way more often than I used to do dye. I swear the henna is making my hair grow faster since I notice a good 1/4 inch of gray roots after 3 weeks when it would be around 4 weeks to get this kind of growth. So after only 3 weeks since my last henna application I did it again. What I love about henna is that the results is what I always wanted from hair dyes that would say "gives natural tone & highlights." This application I grabbed the frozen henna paste & thawed it out.  Then applied to the roots only after freshly washing my hair- the only time I wash my hair with shampoo is right before hennaing- otherwise I do cleansing conditioner. Wrapped my head in plastic wrap and then a cheap plastic shower cap. Topped with a copper fabric scarf and waited for 2 hours while doing normal housework. Unfortunately the painter that gets me a lot of home decoration sewing jobs stopped by while I was sporting this lovely look. LOL 


After 2 hours, I rinsed thoroughly using cheap Suave coconut conditioner to help get the henna paste out. I really like the coconut one because it seems thicker than some of the other scents which is very nice for this use. One of the things I LOVE about hennaed hair v. hair dye is that it really does give tonal coverage- just henna makes my "virgin" hair (the growth since I stopped doing hair dye) have a lovely red glow and makes the gray a lovely copper. Now that I have my previously dyed hair to a decent match to my virgin roots, I can see just doing henna and turning my grays into copper highlights rather than having to deal with monotone hair until the dye starts fading or following up with highlighting like I did with regular dyes. As soon as the paste is washed out my hair is the perfect color. Another plus to henna is that it's much more cost effective than commercial dyes. This is at least application #3 out of this 100g of henna- at $7 per $100 g and mixing with ACV it's inexpensive and best of all GOOD for my hair. 

Freshly hennaed hair in full sun. Redder in sunlight.

Redder tones in sunlight. 

Still outside but in shade. Still reddish.

In shade outside- notice tonal difference in grays/previously highlighted hair being red with darker brown hair. 

Inside near window. Chocolate brown. Notice the lovely elastic mark from the shower cap? Note to self do not just slap shower cap on- adjust elastic so it's not leaving indentation in forehead. DUH!

Inside- love that there's so much depth to my hair color & the shine. 

Inside- another look. 

Notice the coppery strands- this is the color my grays/formerly highlighted hair turns whereas the virgin hair stays deep brown. So looking forward to my hair growing out so that the color will be the dark brown/copper grays combination rather than the more red lighter hair of that already dyed with commercial dyes- which the lightening makes that hair take henna differently than my natural hair. 

It Cosmetics Hello Lashes

 Here's some mascara photos of IT cosmetics Hello Lashes. I mentioned it in my previous post about being a new one I've tried. It's a lovely lengthening mascara and I have been using it as my base mascara and then topping with Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Flared waterproof mascara. In the photo I am only wearing IT mascara because I wanted to show how it gives you lots of long lashes. The tube has an interesting aspect that the wand is wrapped with foamy material so you have a good grip while applying. The wand is rather long but very flexible. The plastic spines are not too long so you can really get next to the base of lashes and coat each one individually. On the end is the orb of coverage. This gives you the ability to do detail work with this mascara. even the very end is tipped with tiny spines. I use the orb to do the small lashes on inner corner and especially like to use it to really flare the outer corner lashes. It's like adding false lashes to your outer corner with this nifty little wand. I ordered a two pack of this mascara from QVC and it's a bit pricy but worthy. My daughter is in love with this mascara too so I will be getting more.

Wand for Hello Lashes

Close up of orb on end that gives great detail work ability.

Missing VOX still musings.

I miss VOX. Since VOX shut down there has been no good replacement for our little online community of beauty fans. I liked how much we could control who was seeing the content on the blogs because I felt like it enabled us to blog like we were sharing with friends rather than worrying about all the weirdos who may be reading this. I still keep up with most on Facebook but it's not the same because VOX was my little beauty world- whereas Facebook is all encompassing- HS, college, current acquaintances, family- it's too much. I liked my little beauty room where posting a bazillion photos of myself didn't mean the interpretation of  narcissistic Dayna but "hey, she's trying to capture the MMU on camera- not an easy task." LOL I liked being able to read beauty recs from our more private VOXERS like our one-eyed (but great lips) LT. I admit that I barely bother with beauty blogs since our little community disbanded. That makes me sad because I do often think "Ohh, this is good- I should share it with my MMU buddies." but without VOX that sharing doesn't have the same impact.

So for those of you that want a little content to this post- Hoozey beauty likes

*Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream- I still love me some emu oil but I like to top emu with this gel moisturizer. It's very light feeling and seems to give additional moisture to my skin all day. I like to apply my MMU right after because it makes it set up great- like real skin.

*IT Cosmetics "Hello Lashes"- bought this off QVC in a two pack. It has an interesting wand that is the plastic spiky (although closer together than most) tipped with the "orb of coverage" for detail work. The formula is very much lengthening so it's not a LOVE- but great base mascara for me. It's not WP so awesome to top with a waterproof mascara- been liking Maybeline's "The Falsies Volume Express Flared" WP mascara. My DD LOVES the It mascara so this is a good Xmas gift idea.

*Laura Geller THE REAL DEAL CONCEALER- our mall recently got an ULTA and DD was saying how her roommate had a good concealer (high end a la not beauty store but cosmetic counters like at Dilliards) but DD couldn't see paying that price. Saw Laura Geller on QVC demonstrating The Real Deal and so that as impressive coverage but didn't feel like paying shipping & possibly sending it back so checked it out at ULTA. The tube is 0.70 oz for $20 but seriously you use the tiniest amount to cover everything. I had purchased the medium only to find that surprisingly DD needed the lightest shade (since she's decided that she feels more like herself as a redhead, she's avoided the sun so her skin is super pale.) I kept the medium for myself and rely on it to cover all kinds of stuff before my foundation.

*I am addicted to henna/indigo as my hair color option. I updated my hair again- remember how I said that the roots (virgin- never been chemically colored) weren't the same color as the length due to chemical process lightening then adding color (thus the fading results.) So yesterday I did 1/2 henna 1/2 indigo for about 1 hour and no more roots. The color is pretty dark (hubby says last night "Your hair is really dark, I thought you were only doing 'henna' now?") but it matches my roots so it's the right color. I am happy with it because from here on out- no more experiments to get things to match up. =) I'll post photos. I love how my hair feels with henna/indigo and it's exciting to be able to use something like this to get rid of my grays- I'm too vain to not do that- and actually benefit my hair rather than make it weaker.

So that's about it as far as beauty picks in the time since VOX disappeared... I told you how uninspired I am as far as things beauty when I can't share with my VOX groupies. =( Or you may interpret this as, "this is all Hoozey can remember since the last time she blogged about beauty stuff.


The odd thing about my weight loss- my head still hasn't caught up with my body. I still think of myself as the 30 pounds heavier Dayna most times. I know when I go into stores I am a size 4 jeans at least in waist size (still have to try on to see if the rear & thighs make it in) but I don't think of myself as small- yet DD I see as small & I'm only one size bigger than her. I actually have to check tags of jeans if we both have the same kind because I can't tell otherwise if they are mine or hers. It still doesn't sink in how dramatic my change has been. The other day I was helping a friend move window treatments into her new house and she was saying something to her girls about probably not recognizing me because I've become so small. Then the next day the neighbor commented on my weight loss and said "I thought you were your daughter."  I still don't think of myself as skinny because I have way too many curves to be that word. I am definitely an hourglass figure- Hoozey has boobs and "back." I'm glad about the boobs because I also have huge ribs (got from my dad) - if I were smaller in that department I may look like I have a double set. LOL So even though my being large on top tends to make me look heavier than peers that have less, I'll take it over looking like having 2 sets. I also like having a rear end- mostly because it works with my big thighs & legs. I've come to appreciate my curves- it's the body I have to work with. I still get irked when I see some big gutted, but pencil-legged woman because I know that clothing manufacturers are fitting things to HER body instead of mine. Even my size 4's are a little big in the waist and I'd prefer a little more "relaxed" fit in the thighs & rear. So clothing just isn't made for that much curve going on. I find that most of my pants end up riding lower on my hips rather than at where the waist is supposed to be due to my small waist but big rear & thighs. I've accepted this as my fit issue. I'm also very picky about my tops- like T-shirts can't be boxy- if they don't have any waist to it, I won't wear it unless it's for working out in or a T-shirt supporting the track team. If the shirt is a button down, I find I have to tailor it quite a bit. I usually a wear a large for my shoulders/boobs and even with darts the waist is so baggy. I take a good 6 inches in at the waist to get a decent silhouette where the waist doesn't bulge out because there's just too much excess there. On some of my favorite old shorts, I've taken them in this dramatically also- but only bothered with ones like these cargo ones that I just can't find a decent fitting replacement in my current size. I went through my closet this spring and really got brutal with giving up the way too big stuff. I only kept some work clothes in "too big" items and really culled my closet to clothing that fits and makes me feel good. I even ordered a few more bikinis before our beach trip because a lot of my old ones are too saggy/baggy. I felt at ease in them - I don't have a perfect body but it's not too bad for 44 and definitely nothing to be ashamed of by hiding in a 1 piece when those tend to not fit well with my dimensions- plus I find that they are never as supportive for the girls as the bikini tops I go for- VS ones that are more bra like- liking the retro ones they've got going on because they tend to have more support and wide straps. Hubby approved of my purchases. ; ) I also treated myself to some decent fitting jean shorts- Levi's 515's- got in pale wash, dark wash and (GASP) white- they are actually quite becoming because these shorts seem to nip in at the waist and highlight that aspect. Wish they had made them in a few more cute colors like turquoise, yellow, green- because I can see these being a staple in my summer wardrobe for a while. Also found a pair of plaid shorts- don't like them as much as the Levi's because the inseam is shorter (like a little thigh coverage)  and the waist is a little bigger- but they are a nice change from same old boring summer shorts.
My DD has similar fit issues- although she doesn't have the top heavy issue. She recently got a waitressing job at Steak N Shake and bought black pants for her uniform. She must have tried on a dozen different brands of black pants at Kohl's- her favorite ones were size 2 petites but they only had one pair- she eventually tried on girls size 16 pants which fit everywhere but the waist. So nice me, I took in a good 2 inches on those waistbands so she didn't have the gunnysack look under her belt. I also chopped the sleeves off of the white button downs (boys dept.) because they were getting so grungy and I couldn't seem to find any short sleeved ones in her size. I have to admit that this job kind of cracks me up on many levels. First- it's Steak N Shake- but her uniform requires IRONING. Hubby's job is high level & well paying- most days his uniform is plain colored t-shirt (Mossimo brand from Target) and blue jeans.

Daughter's Hennaed Hair

For those who have been waiting on photos of DD's hennaed hair. This was taken in the sunlight (obviously it's from the beach) and is after 2 henna applications. Inside her hair looks dark auburn rather than this red. She prefers herself as a redhead and thus spent our week at the beach in multiple applications of 50 SPF and hiding under an umbrella to maintain light skin to pull off the redhead look. She was mocked all week by both of her brothers- especially the older one who has for the first time in many years achieved a decent tan before heading to the beach from pole vaulting in the back yard without his shirt on- he has more of my skin tone whereas the youngest is blond and tans well for a blond but not as dark as brunette brother.