Peekaboo: Hair Done Since Fallout!

Last week, I got my hair done! For many women, getting hair done can either be routine or a fabulous treat. For me, getting my hair done is both those reasons, but above all, it means that I am healthy and my hair is healthy.

For new readers, I have an autoimmune disease called Lupus. When my Lupus is super active, my hair can fall out.. Last August/September 2014, my hair started to fall out in clumps again. This is the second time since my diagnosis in July 2010. This massive hair fallout prompted to me chop my hair off. You can see my hair chop journey in my before and after post. In my opinion and experience, as well as online research, thinning hair looks less noticeable on short hair. 

I started taking Biosil (see picture below) as it helped my hair regrowth significantly the first time my hair fell out. Sadly, and for some reason, it wasn't helping me this time around.  

BioSil Advanced Collagen Generator

I was frantic and started searching for other options. In January 2015, I came across Carli Bybel's blog post on hair tips. She mentioned a biotin supplement (see picture below) that has really done wonders for me this time. My hair has grown faster. Not all of my hair is growing back (not all my hair grew back the first time, but majority did), but I am seeing little hairs pop out at my hairline. I am very pleased with the results. 

Natrol Biotin Maximum Strength

This April, I felt ready to dye my hair again. In my Peekaboo Retouch post, I write about how and why I only do my hair twice a year. My peekaboo colored hair allows me to do that. It saves me money and does less damage. 

Per usual, I got the peekaboo color hair style. I'm not sure if there is a formal definition of peekaboo colored hair. I understand it to be a contrasting hair color underneath the top layers of your hair that peeks through.

I got my hair done:

Left: You can see my brown bangs peek through underneath

Middle: My brown hair underneath

Right: When I lift my hair, you see the brown

Left: When my hair is down, you see my natural black hair on top with my longest brown layers peeking through in the bottom

Middle: I lift pieces of my bangs and boom! Brown!

Right: I lift more pieces of my bangs and there is more brown underneath

Top left: Hair black with a brown peeking through

Top right and bottom left: My brown hair underneath

Bottom right: If I lift more of my hair up, viola!

Bright lighting and natural lighting

You may not understand how much it means to me to have dyed my hair again. I've been doing this look since April 2009 and stopped for a little bit when I got sick in July 2010 and had to wait 2 years before my hair got healthy and strong again. 

My hair this ways makes me feel healthy, confident, and allows me to live out my inner edge. I don't think I could ever do one colored hair...at least, not for a while.

I thought I would end this post with the hairdo that started my peekaboo addiction and also other styles I am in love with.

April 2009: When my hair addiction first started

LOVE!! Maybe one day :)

saaammage on Instagram and Youtube

Taken from Pinterest

Taken from Pinterest

<3<3<3

My Edgy Alter Ego

{WARNING: RANDOM BABBLE..this may or may not make sense}

My parents are shy and so thus I spent most of my life being shy. It was not until around the end of graduate school (2012) that I started to really be more confident in my own skin in all respects: fashion, beauty, speaking up for myself, etc. Perhaps, a big part of being confident was getting older. At 28, I feel more and more comfortable in my skin each day.

There is just one aspect of myself that I have kept under the radar: my internal edgy alter ego.

As funky as this sounds, I'm an internally edgy person trapped in a mainstream goody two shoe body.

My parents were never ones to support taking risks in being bold and being different. The mainstream was the only stream.They were also quite conservative so it was probably a mix of both. 

I've always wanted to unleash the edgier me. It's slowly happening, but at the same time, I feel like I'm getting too "old" for the edgy look. And in my line of work, it will not fly. 

See below for pictures that I feel are the me I would've loved to express a few years ago (and I'm not gonna lie, I wish I could still pull these looks off today).

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the photos below unless specified. Photos grabbed from Instagram.

This is so gorgeous. I love it!!

This would have been fun too

I contemplated this color at one point

One of my favorites! I've been loving the pin-up look lately. I love her makeup too!

 This is YouTube's saaammage. I took this off her Instagram.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE her hair (this is an old picture by the way). 

This is the most doable hairdo I can pull off at work...I think.

I wanted to cut my hair this way when I cut it recently but my bangs were too short. Maybe one day...

All photos below are mine: 

Me in 2009. Okay, okay so I did pull an edgy 'do. Color is called Vampire Red. This was definitely the first step! 

Ever since then, my hair has [mostly] never been one color.

I express myself with my hair because somehow it is easier for me to do that than clothes.

How I would describe my attempted style: boho, feminine dark/grunge, very black-white-red. 

My recent attempts of unleashing the edgy girl inside me:

Awkward photo of me. LOL

I sneaked into my brother's room to take this. Excuse the stars to cover his mess. x_X

 Another awkward photo of me. -_-

My college roommate and sorority sister said I was the queen of not matching. 

My current style of the moment (in congruence with Fall trends): Funky leggings, booties, and a long shirt to cover my bum and then makeup wise - a dark lip

As you can see, I do love my funky leggings!! :D

If you made it this far, props to you for reading another installment of my random babble. 

<3<3<3

Hair Chop!

Before

So it finally happened! 

GOT MY HAIR CHOPPED, YA'LLS!!

Drum roll please......


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Oh the anticipation!

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After

Cut: Right below the shoulder with layers. 

Sunlight is my filter

This lupus hair fall out wasn't playing! 

I heard that hair short was best for thinning hair. Short hair worked for me four years ago when I was first diagnosed and when my hair fall out was a bajillion times more traumatic.

My experience this time around isn't AS bad but still rough because as I said in my post about my hair falling out again, hair for us females means something to us. It's traumatic to see it fall in abnormal amounts. 

My current hair fall out opens up a whole can of warms. It brings me back to the pain I felt four years ago. It makes me worried about my health (hair fallout tells me my lupus is very much active). So many thoughts, so many emotions, so many worries.

Part of me was really sad to cut my hair. Growing out my hair and keeping it long was my "F*@k you" to lupus. I went from AT LEAST 75% of my hair falling out to about 85% regrowth. Yeah, yeah. Who knows what the actual percentage was... Point is I lost A LOT A LOT of hair BUT I also grew most of it back. Since my hair is naturally a big poof ball, I was able to create illusion of my once redonkulously full hair. 

HAIR EVOLUTION
Once my hair stopped falling out in 2010, I did use BioSil which is a hair, skin and nails regrowth and strengthening supplement. I honestly felt like it worked back then. As for right now? Since my hair is still falling out, I think it is just slowing down the process for now.

The evolution of my hair since it fell out in 2010 (I don't have many pictures from 2010- 2012 when my hair was at it's thinnest. I hated taking pictures!). 

Summer 2013

My hair was stronger and I was finally able to let it grow out without constantly cutting it

May 2014

Poor quality picture, but I wanted to show you how long my hair was

June 2014

My hair was loooooong

July 2014

Hair cut to right below my chest

September 2014

I cut my hair as it was starting to fall out in late August. One day I woke up with hair all over my pillow and I thought Enough! I cut it right above my chest. It continued to fall out more and more and so I chopped it off!

October 2014

Pictures the day I cut my hair

I was really digging the peekaboo brown underneath. Chopping off my hair means chopping off most of my peekaboo. You can still see the peekaboo brown but it's not as in yo face as it would be with my hair long. With sunlight (as in my after picture above), the contrast is more apparent.

No strong sunlight

SHORT HAIR PERKS

- I am using less hair products which makes them last forever! And it saves me money!

- My hair dries so much faster!

- I have less knots (my hair was crazy knotted underneath ALL the time. Rats nest!)

- Style time is cut down by more than 50%

- My hair does not get caught underneath my arm pits or even my car door...WIN

I haven't had my hair this short by choice since 2007 but I suppose change is nice :-) still re-learning how to style it but it's all coming back to me now. And it is quite fun to play around with. 

Just because I cut my hair short, my struggle does not end: Insecurities about hair continued and future fallout, concerns with my health, and feeling like I have "lost" (I know, silly talk!) a mini battle. Despite my crazy talk, I will continue to fight fight fight!

I am a lupus warrior! I am not giving up. 

<3<3<3

Nails of the Week: Purple and Silver

These are the nails I rocked last week. It's a little sloppy (my silver lines are not straight), but they are well-intentioned!

I Google searched purple nails and found my inspiration from there. 

I used Sally Hansen Miracle Gel nail polish and the accompanying Miracle Gel top coat.

You must MUST use the Miracle Gel top coat with this Miracle Gel polish for best results. Granted, I haven't tried other drugstore gel-esque nail polish, I do vouch for this Sally Hansen pair. The top coat adds a long lasting gel shine that lasts as long as you have it on.

I initially used the purple polish with a regular Sally Hansen top coat, but it was nothing special. The shine disappeared after a day and the purple did not last as long.

When I used the gel polish and the gel top coat together, my nails and their shine lasted so much longer than with the non-gel top coat.

I definitely love this new line from Sally Hansen. If only the polishes were a bit cheaper.

<3<3<3

Product Empties #2

This is another installment of my Product Empties (read my first one here!) I probably won't be doing Product Empties posts too often as I tend to not venture out too much when it comes to products. 

I'm one of those people who stick to what works. I'll try new things here and there if I am not 100% satisfied or if I'm feeling adventurous. This post will include a blend of mostly staples and new tries. 

H A I R :

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Plus Keratin (sample) 
<3 I received this 4 fl oz sample during one of the big Ulta sales in April.
<3 The verdict? I LOVE it. Like LOOOOOOOOVE. I have repurchased my second bottle. My hair is very dry and unmanageable when it dries. My hair is pretty lioness in its natural state. This product has made my hair manageable. I never knew that was possible to achieve outside of a salon.

Organix Hydrating Macademia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask
</3 I bought this product after seeing it in YouTube's ThatsHeart favorites a while ago. It worked for her, but definitely did not work for me. 
</3 It did not add any moisture to my hair. It actually made my hair feel drier after using it. And to top it off, it had a funky smell. Double whammy. 

F A C E :

Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
<3 I have been using this for 3 - 4 years. I love it, but I am itching to try something new. Any recommendations? I would like to stick to a tinted moisturizer for every day use. I'm not looking for heavy coverage, just sun protection and an even tone. I've heard Neutrogena and Sonia Kashuk are good options. I'm even considering a BB cream. HELP?

Rimmel Stay Matter Powder
?? I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. Women rave about it on YouTube. I have another one that I'm finishing off since I did buy it BOGO 50% at Ulta..
?? Maybe it is just summer and I tend to get oilier, but this did not make my face "Stay Matte." 

L'Oreal Revitalift Moisturizer
<3 I love this moisturizer. It's a bit greasy, but it does make my skin feel soft. With added anti-aging elements, it's a plus! 

E Y E S :

Maybelline Falsies Volume Mascara
<3 This is my staple and I love it. I will most definitely continue to repurchase.

Maybelline Line Stilleto
<3 I first tried this liner a few years ago and I didn't like it. I assume I got a bad batch because it dried up really fast. 
<3 I rediscovered this product on New Year's Eve 2013 when I forgot my liner at home. I was going to a friend's home to get ready. I stopped by a CVS. This liner was on sale and I thought, WHY NOT?
<3 It was amazing!! New found love for this product. I am on my third one since New Year's Eve!

NYC Eye Pencil
<3 I used to buy these so often for my brows. I haven't really been using pencil lately. I bought a new one after I finished this one, but haven't used it since. There's nothing wrong with it. I just found a new routine (e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit)

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser, Brightener
</3 Oh this is awful. It had a pink undertone which does not work well with me at all. This product did nothing for me. I love the neutralizer from this line and will stick to that. 

And that's a wrap! I know my pictures aren't the greatest. I'm trying to figure out what camera will work best. I shall see :)

L I P S :

Maybelline Baby Lips
</3 This didn't leave a long lasting moisturizing feel. It always felt like I had product on my lips even after one swipe across my lips. I would apply before I went to bed and still feel it in the morning. It was just sitting on my lips. Gross!
</3 I bought this at Ulta BOGO 50% off so I have another one I am looking forward to using up so I can return to my holy grail of chapsticks: Soft Lips. Oh Soft Lips, I'm sorry I left you a minute or two. My bad, my bad.
</3 The only things I do like about this balm are the scent and light tint it adds to your lips


<3<3<3

Product Empties #1

Aloha!

This is my first Beauty Product Empties post. I probably shouldn't even be writing this post right now as I need to finish packing my luggage. I'm going to the Philippines in two days! My mom started packing things she wanted me to bring over to the Philippines. She took up one full large luggage and half of one smaller luggage. I feel so unmotivated to maneuver my stuff in. 

Procrastination is the name of the game so here I am!

I've been meaning to do this post for ages and I guess this is the "right" time to do it, in the midst of packing for a two week vacation... -__-

Here's my compilation of productions!

FACE: 

L'OREAL Revitalift Moisturizer (Repurchase? This is like my 5th tub!)

Revlon Color Stay Power in Light Medium (Repurchase? Probably...not?)

Milani Powder Blush in 06A Pink Craze (Repurchase? No)

EYES:

e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit in Medium (Repurchase? This is my 1st compact and I stocked up on 2 more!)

Sephora Liquid Liner in Black (Repurchase? If I was at Sephora and it was more convenient to buy liquid liner then and there)

Superlash by Apple (Repurchase? The results were great, but the brush was difficult to master)

Pink & Green by Apple (Repurchase? The results were great, but again, the brush was difficult to master)

EYES (in detail)

My sister gave me these mascaras that she found at the dollar store. They are made in Mexico. The smell was awful. One was an awful almond and 
the other was just awful! Either 1) I got used to the smell or 2) it faded in time.

Maybe I'm not great at putting on mascara, but these brushes where difficult to maneuver!  95% of the time, I got mascara all over my lids and lower lash line. It was a hassle to touch up eyeshadow if I wore any.
I must admit, the results were pretty great. Family, friends, and coworkers did comment on how curled, voluminous and long my lashes looked.

To me, it's just not worth the mess.

LIPS:

L'OREAL Infallible Lipstick in 512 Intensely Mauve (Repurchase? Undecided, but maybe?)

L'OREAL Infallible Lipstick in 227 Eternal Rose (Repurchase? Again, undecided)

I love the Infallible line by L'OREAL. The only hesitation for me to repurchase these colors is that I want to try other colors :D

I hope you enjoyed my spontaneous/procrastination post.

What are on your beauty empties list? 

<3<3<3