LCSW Pampering + Fixing My Hair

Aloha everyone!

In my post last week, I mentioned that I passed my board exam to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Definitely an accomplishment in the world of social work.

And of course, I am the queen of celebrations and will celebrate anything big or small. Passing a crazy four hour exam definitely deserves some celebrations!

So what did I do right after my exam?

PERUVIAN FOOD
I had some Peruvian food with a former colleague. If you haven't had Peruvian food yet, ya'll must try!! Definitely delicious. I ordered aji de gallina for the first time and oh my oh my! It was really really good.

NAILS DONE
If you know me well, you know I am a nail person! I wish I can get my nails done all the time but it gets pricey yo. 
I treated myself to gel nails and finally found a baby pink that fits my skin tone. It's soooo beautiful! It's called "Rock N Rose" by DND. Love!! I can't stop staring :D

FIXED MY HAIR

As I had mentioned in my previous post, I had my hair done in July using balayage technique and I went lighter, much lighter than I have ever gone. The color was blonde-ish. After 3-4 weeks, the  color faded to a brassy and vibrant orange. Not the biz-naz! I went back to dark because that blonde-ish was definitely not the ish on me.

THE BRASSY ORANGE BEFORE:

THE BROWN AFTER:

I am very happy with the results! And I must say, it makes me look younger :D

The color is an ashy brown. My hairstylist asked if that would be okay and I said sure, I like ashy brown. She said this color will still fade, but it will not turn orange. PERFECTLY FINE WITH ME.

Darker is definitely more me, but I am happier that I gave the lighter color a try. Going bold like that is definitely out of my comfort zone and I'm totally glad I gave it a shot. 

Life is short. Just do it!

Xoxoxo

Throwback Thursday: Going Blonde-ish

Aloha everyone!

For my 30th birthday in May, I decided to try something different with my hair rather than my go to peekaboo color hairstyle. 

I did balayage! I know that does not sound adventurous to most people, but mind you, I have never dyed my top layer of hair (in fear of roots growing quickly), just the bottom layers for easy maintenance when roots grow out.

Balayage was step one towards going lighter. In one of my 30th Birthday Diaries series post, I shared pictures of the blonde I wanted to go, but was not brave enough to go that drastic.

Last July, I went back to my hairstylist and asked to retouch my balayage but go lighter and cut my really long hair :D

And here's what went down.

The pictures do not do the color any justice. These pictures show the hair color to be more brown than blonde.

Regardless, I loved it!!! But sadly, my hair just could not hold the color for too long. My hair quickly turned brassy and orange after 3-4 weeks. Not even purple shampoo could save the day.

This light hair balayage thing was not the ish for me. Way too much maintenance, damage and money spent for touch-ups!

It was fine while it lasted but I just could not keep up.

Last week, as part of my pampering celebration for passing my board exam, I got my hair done and my nails done which I will share next week. 

I hope the rest of the week is good to you and I wish you a beautiful weekend.

xoxoxo

Lupus Made My Hair Funky?

Hello everyone!!

I was inspired to do this blog post after looking in the mirror one morning. My alarm clock went off. I snoozed it ;) Eventually got out of bed to get ready for work. 

While brushing my teeth, I looked up to the mirror and saw my hair. Half of it was wavy and the other half was straight. My initial reaction was "what they heck?" and my second was to chuckle. 

For those of you who do not know, I was diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease, in July 2010. You can read more about my story here. 

One of the side effects of having Lupus is hair fall out. My hair fall out was pretty severe after my diagnosis. It was traumatic and difficult to deal with. You can read that story here. In Fall 2014, my hair started to fall out again. Not as much as it did initially in 2010, but enough to make me feel like this was happening all over again. It lasted for about 3 months and my hair grew back. Then in Fall 2015, it started again. This time less severe than my second experience. What is it about Fall and hair loss? I must admit, I fear the upcoming Fall season due to history repeating itself.

....back to the present, I looked up in the mirror today and saw my hair. Parts of my hair are wavy and other parts are straight.

(Excuse my poor lighting but I just had to take a picture. Impromptu style)

I've noticed this many times before since my hair started growing back. I've told my friends and family about it and we would laugh about it. 

When I looked in the mirror that morning I was reminded of how prominent the difference was. I was reminded of the trauma that I experienced but also the recovery and resurrection from it. And I suppose it adds humor to the seriousness of Lupus and the hair fall out trauma.

BUT DANG!! It totally looks like I half did my hair. LOL

As funky as my hair is after it grew back, I am so grateful and thankful that it did grew back. Hair is important to us females. I had a lot of it before. It was hard to see it fall in clumps.

I have most of my hair back now. It may be half straight and half wavy, but it's still my hair. And it's a reminder that I can still kick Lupus in the butt!

Xoxox

30th Birthday Diaries: My 30th Birthday!

So it happened, ladies (and gentleman)!

I made it to three decades!

I am now the big 3-0, the dirty 30, the thirsty 30, the flirty 30!

And how does it feel?

Not very different from 29....at least not yet :)

I had my birthday at a sushi spot in Santa Monica. My friend is a resident DJ there and was able to reserve us the VIP patio for my party.

It was a very chill, mellow party as my friends are more mellow than not. 

Here are some photos of me getting ready, me at my party, and a party favor I made for my guests. I also had games and prizes :)

Getting ready :)

Don't mind boyfriend's dirty mirror. It kind of gives a natural space galaxy filter, right?

Eyes done. I did a smoky eye

Make up done. Time to curl hair

I love this photo. The dirt on the mirror makes me look like I'm in some kind of constellation

Ta-da!

I know I'm not Kim K, but I really have been digging her style of longsleeve, long dresses. I wanted something sexy, but elegant and a little conservative. I wanted by thirty to be sophisticated, not like a 21 year old going to Vegas. I've done the short body con dresses in my younger years. I must admit, I wear them from time to time, but for the big 3-0, I wanted something a little more conservatively elegant.

I am ultimately happy with my outfit and look. Many asked me, "aren't you going to be hot?" I was worried at first, but knew that I would be okay. The VIP patio was outside and the venue was in Santa Monica which is near the beach. Beach cities are pretty cooler than inland cities because they are by the coast. And weirdly enough, Los Angeles has had some funky weird May weather - super chilly for May. Turned out, my party night was pretty chilly and we even asked for two heat lamps :)

Party favors - candy

"Roses are red

Violets are blue

I had a beary sweet time 

Celebrating with you

Xoxoxo"

Can you tell I really love bears?

I had a beautiful birthday spent with loved ones. It was a beautiful night with beautiful people. I am ever so grateful for each and every person who was able to come and for those who were unable to attend. 

The best thing about next day party/done up hair?

The curls! LOVE <3

So far, 30 has been great to me. I cannot wait for what the rest of the year has to offer me.

Xoxoxox

30th Birthday Diaries: Balayage Hair

Hi everyone!

I am writing this post on 5/22 but by the time this post gets published, it will be one day after my birthday. 

Two weeks before my birthday, I got my hair done. I did something that was, for me, out of my comfort zone, but for most people who dye their hair, a normal thing.

For those of you who know (or don't know), my typical hair color style is peekaboo in which only the bottom layers (or middle layers - whatever is not on top) is colored as in this post as well. I love this coloring technique because it is low maintenance. If my hair grows out and the roots show, you can't really tell because it's all underneath. This allowed me to do my hair 2x/year. Depending how you style your hair, the peekaboo colors come out and beautifully peeks through your hair.

I have never dyed the top layers of my hair due to fear of roots and maintaining it. Let's be real. That's expensive and on my social worker budget, maintenance is the least of my worries.

I initially wanted to go blonde but was not quite brave enough. My hair is jet black, as black as black can be. Going from black to blonde was too dramatic. I couldn't. I decided to do a balayage and gradually work my way to lightness that I am comfortable with. This experience was a little nerve-wrecking because I never dyed the top of my hair. If you don't like the bottom peekaboo layers, it's okay. You can't really see it unless you do your hair a certain way.

Now enough of the chit chat, let's get on to pictures:

BEFORE: PEEKABOO

AFTER: BALAYAGE

My hair has since lightened since then which the hairdresser did tell me about. 

My hair is so much lighter two weeks later 

I'm contemplating going lighter for my next appointment. We shall see :D

Here's to being 30 and to trying new things :)

Xoxoxox

30th Birthday Diaries: Feeling Older Shoe Haul

Hello there!

It is my birthday month and this month, I am turning the big dirty 30, flirty 30, thirsty 30 - whatever you would like to call it.

As it comes, I embrace it...but I think subconsciously I am freaking out.

1. Going [dirty] blonde
Why?? I think it is just a phase because this thought only came in early April and it's starting to exit my brain. A good friend of mine told me that when she turned 30 a few years ago, she dyed her red in a "30 life crisis" moment. I think I am starting to understand. Haha.

This is what I'm thinking:

But this is what I don't want - having half natural color and half salon color as it grows out. I am not high maintenance when it comes to my hair. I've only dyed the bottom layers of my hair so that when roots grow out, no one can see. I'm too lazy and can't afford constant touch ups and special maintaining shampoos. And then I wonder, do I have to lighten my eyebrows?! So much work. Decisions, decisions.

2. My first white hair
My friend pointed it out on 4/24/16. At that moment, it did not phase me. She told me I should cut it off because it's really noticeable as I have a white hair very distinguishable from my jet black hair. I was fine with it. Hours later at home, I freaked out and went to the bathroom and cut that sucker off. Dang. It's happening.

3. Old lady feet
When I was younger, my mom would tell me that as you get older, your feet do not like flat shoes anymore. Shoes have to be soft with a meaty sole for support. I thought she was just making silly talk, but dang! She was right. In the past year, my feet has not been liking those ballet flats. Oh no, oh no. Especially since I work in a hospital, I am on my feet for a long time, walking around or standing, sometimes 3 - 4 hours at a time. And oh my word, my feet hate me after all that. 
I decided to bite the bullet and go on a mini spree to buy shoes that would provide comfort. I call them, and please don't take offense, "old lady shoes." Shoes with a chunky sole. 
Here's what I purchase:

Modellista Miranda Ballet Flats

Andrew Geller Wilmot Wedge Pumps

a.n.a. Sicily Ballet Flats

I purchased them all from JC Penny and all were on sale. I've worn all three and the first two are so comfortable!! It's like walking on pillows!! Why did I wait so long to choose comfort instead of enduring pain?

The nude pair is comfortable at the heel. The picture does not capture the true cushion at the heel, but there is a nice little pillow. The toe area is a little more flat.

My purchases look boring as they are just simple black and nude, but honestly, black and nude go with everything.

My current flats are trendy, colorful with shimmery stones at the toes. They are cute, but not always practical and sometimes difficult to match.

Here's to being a grown up with foot pain, white hair, and to professionalism and no twinkle toes.

Cheers to my upcoming 30!

xoxoxox

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

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