Woe is me.

I've been sidelined. For the past week, I've been running with some painful shin splints. I haven't had a good run since the Valentine's Virginia is for Lovers 14K. I started having pain when I ran 3 miles in my Under Armour cross trainers so I was thinking once I switched to my new running shoes I'd be fine. That day I ran 3 miles, I ran on a treadmill, with an incline, which I never do, and tried to up my speed. I think my body just wasn't ready for it and that's what's causing the pain in my legs, not running 3 miles in the cross trainers.

I was going to keep running through the pain because I didn't want to fall behind on my half marathon training. The half marathon in April will be here before I know it. After asking my wise, fellow running enthusiasts on the Purse Forum and Krystle, a Body Step instructor at Golds, what I should do, I have decided to take at least a 1 week break from running. I don't mind running through pain but, it seemed like running through shin splints without trying to recover, could lead to worse injuries, such as stress fractures.

Here is some of the great advice I've received thus far and am trying to follow:
(Thanks again Krystle and Purse Forum running thread friends, especially Ali, Frankie, Cristina and WestEndGirl.)

1. Verify you are wearing the correct type of shoes. I never used to think buying the right shoes made a difference but, now that I'm trying to run 15-20 miles a week, I can definitely feel the benefits of having the correct shoe. I'm no expert when it comes to running shoes but, there are various types of running shoes for overpronation, underpronation and neutral pronation. The first time I was fitted for shoes I was told I overpronate slightly and was recommended stability running shoes. Two weeks ago when I was fitted for shoes, I was told that the stability running shoe was over-correcting and switched to a neutral shoe. I haven't been able to determine if the neutral shoe is better because the shin splint pain is all I can really focus on during my runs.

I've also read that running shoes should be replaced after approximately 500 miles. Old shoes with inadequate cushioning could also be a cause for shin splints.

2. Avoid high impact activities until your shin splints are gone. Some low impact activities you can try are biking, swimming, walking, hiking, elliptical machine and weight training. You can do step aerobics but, limit yourself to one or no risers and keep the intensity low. For the week that I won't be running, I will still try to cover the mileage in my half marathon training but, I'll be doing it through walking, hiking, and the elliptical machine. Yesterday I was scheduled to run 3 miles but, biked to the park instead and walked 3 miles.

2. Apply ice for at least 15 minutes to areas where you are in pain, preferably within 30 minutes of finishing up your run. I did this for the first time last night (while watching America's Best Dance Crew), even though I didn't run. I'll try to be more diligent about applying ice as I increase my running.

3. Increase your intake of Potassium and drinks with electrolytes. Some common foods that are high in Potassium are bananas, milk, cantaloupes, oranges, meat, poultry and fish. Those with diseases, such as diabetes, should not be increasing their Potassium intake drastically.

4. Apply Kinesio Tex tape. According to the Kinesio tape website, Kinesio tape "gives support and stability to your joints and muscles to prevent over-contraction without affecting circulation and range of motion." Basically, Kinesio tape will assist you as you try to go through your normal physical activities and prevent you from injuring yourself further as you try to recover. I've been told that it is extremely important to watch the videos on how to apply this tape. If applied incorrectly, the tape will be useless and a waste of money. I want to check out the running store before I try to order this online. You know I hate shipping costs.

Four great tips I hope to be following as I recover and try to stay injury free.

It's frustrating because I was starting to really enjoy running. I've always been into sports but, hated running by itself. I'm just grateful that physical activities aren't completely out of the picture.

Okay, end sob story.

Have a great weekend! I will hopefully be going to Joe's Crab Shack tonight and finally get to order the steam bucket. I don't want to get too excited because last time I did there was a last minute change of plans.

Happy Birthday, Babe!

This weekend we celebrated my boyfriend's, his brother's girlfriend's birthday and his nephew's birthday. Whew, that's a lot of birthdays. It's a long standing joke between our friend Chelle, Josh and his brother about all of them having big heads. Chelle and her daughter made this crown for Josh, haha - perfect fit.


We actually had to go to his cousin's birthday too before we went to his mom's house. This was us at China Buffet, ignoring our diet for the weekend. We sort of matched on purpose.


Yummy cake before and after



When my boyfriend and I went to dinner for Valentine's Day, I had a drink called Snickers Bar Martini. I decided to try my bar tending skills for his birthday and try to replicate the drink. I found a pretty good recipe here.

Snickers Martini

4 Parts ABSOLUT Vodka
2 Parts Hazelnut Liqueur
2 Parts White Cacao Liqueur
1 Part Cream Liqueur

I even bought one of those cocktail mixers so that I'd feel like a professional. I lined the glass with Hershey's Syrup. Adding a lot of it made the drink taste not as strong.

It was a really fun weekend. Happy Birthday again my Juicy Doubles, Rosalee and Roshan!

Hair-wise, I used a mix of CG approved products and products with silicones in them. I cowashed with Suave Naturals and conditioned with GVP Bioloage conditioning balm. I used Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray, Ouidad Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel, Giovanni Frizz Be Gone, and a tiny bit of coconut oil. I let my hair partially air dry and then dried it with a blow dryer the rest of the way. I didn't worry about getting my hair straight because I knew I was going to be using my flat iron to make my hair wavy.

Silicones Ahead

The more I try to do the Curly Girl method, the more I'm convinced that silicones are not that evil but, harsh sulfates are. So, I've started experimenting with silicones again. Even though it makes sense that non-soluble silicones will build up in your hair, I haven't thoroughly experimented with silicones to see it for myself. I am still staying away from harsh sulfates and currently use Giovanni Invigorating Tea Tree Shampoo when I do shampoo my hair. I alternate between this and cowashing. I haven't been using silicones long enough this time to really report on buildup. I'm hoping that the Giovanni shampoo or cowash will be enough to remove buildup if I do experience it.

Tonight, I cowashed with Suave Naturals and conditioned with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose conditioner. I sprayed Sunsilk Waves of Envy Sea Mist then scrunched with Nexxus Gorgeous Curls Enhancing Foam Styler. Both of these products contain Cyclopentasiloxane. I let it air dry for about 5 minutes then scrunched a small amout of Kinky Curly Curling Custard. Finally, I scrunched with my microfiber towel to help with drying. My hair is still a bit wet in these pictures.













I'm really itching to do something drastic with my hair - either with the color or length. I just don't want to regret it which I probably will no matter what I do unless I get a trim. I'm always up for suggestions. Should I keep my hair dark or go light? Maybe even go darker. Cut it short or just an inch or two? Leave it alone and just get a trim again?

My daughter was having a pretty good hair day today. She just got finished getting her hurr did at Posh Pooch so she thinks she's all that now.

Edited Curly Girl Product list

I don't normally make a post when I edit the Curly Girl Product list on the left because I usually just edit it to add products. This time, however, I made a change to the actual format of the list. I broke down the styling product section down further into 8 categories: cream, gel, heat protectant, mousse, pomade, serum, shine enhancing/moisture products (non-spray) form, and styling/shine spray. Previously, I had just one general category for styling products then a separate category for heat protectants. Hope this makes it easier!

Pay attention to directions!

I finally got to try out my new Under Armour cross training shoes. According to my half marathon schedule, I was scheduled to run 3 miles this past Monday. Usually on the days, that I run 3 miles, I like to do one of my Gold's classes so that I can hurry up and fill out a card for the fitness challenge and hopefully win the raffle for the free massage. So, this past Monday I ran 2.25 miles on the treadmill. I figured I could finish up my 3 miles after my step class. My boyfriend already warned me that I shouldn't use my cross training shoes for running long distances. I said, "I'll be fine, 3 miles isn't long." My face even looked like this.
(Note: I just wanted to use this picture so I figured I'd try to incorporate it any way I could. This is actually me imitating what my dog looks like when she lifts her head up and her hair on her face is all messed up.)

Anyways, back to when I was running my 2.25 miles on the treadmill. Right when I was at 1.5 miles, I said to myself, I feel like I'm getting blisters on the arches of my foot. But like a solider, I trudged on and went to my step class. While I'm waiting, another girl who is doing the step class asks me how I like my new Under Armour shoes because she was looking at the same exact pair. Do I tell her other than the blisters that are forming, the shoes are fantastic? I told her I would let her know after step class to give more accurate feedback. I continue with step class and can honestly say that the shoes were really great at absorbing the shock of continually jumping up and down on the platform. My knees, ankles and lower back all felt great. I usually had issues with them after step. I meet up with the girl after class and I tell her that the shoes really did their job but, don't tie the shoelaces too tight, a reason I had been contemplating was the cause of the blisters. We'll see next week if she shows up with the same shoes.

I finish up my 3 miles, running the 0.75 miles that was left. (See, I'm not letting the Tech math classes go to waste.) But this time I try to run more on the outside of my foot as not to put more pressure on the blisters on my arches. I may have just invented a new running style.

I get home from the gym and tell my boyfriend he was right about not running in the Under Armours. Then he goes on, I believe to rub salt in the wounds, and says, "Remember the Dick's Sporting Goods manager said don't run more than a mile a day in those shoes because they aren't made for running." I don't know how I missed that but, I wish I would have listened. The manager must have said that while I was busy admiring the shoes in the mirror, picturing myself jumping more powerfully during step, kicking higher in kick boxing class, lifting weights twice as heavy as last week - all of this due to my new Women's Under Armour Proto Speed II trainer shoes.

The next day, I broke out my Band-Aid blister block. This has helped me on many new high-heeled occasions. It's like a small deodorant that makes a barrier against your skin and whatever is rubbing on it. I apply the blister block to the blister on my left arch. Then decide to read the directions.




Directions: Do not apply on already formed blisters or broken skin.

So, I wipe it off my left foot and never apply it to right foot.

Moral of my very long story: Pay attention to directions!

Note to self: Do not run longer than a mile in your Under Armour CROSS TRAINING shoes. Read directions before you try to medicate/fix yourself.

Images courtesy of:
http://images.eastbay.com/is/image/EB/00280161?wid=300&hei=300
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51sxuW4F8TL._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-4,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg

Weekend of Love

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Mine was pretty eventful.

It started with me waking up at 545AM for the Virginia is for Lover's 14K that I was running with my coworker. I think that might be the coldest weather I've ever run through - low 40s. Good thing I had my Under Armour cold gear on. There was a point, though, where I was like, I might just pass out because it's getting a little too hot. I tried to push my sleeves up but, like I said before that running stuff is tight so I felt like it was constricting the blood in my arms with the sleeves pushed up. Since it was a relay, the 14K was split. I ran 4.5 miles and my coworker ran 4.1 miles. When I get home, I ended up sleeping for a couple hours until it was time for dinner.

Me and the boyfriend had late dinner reservations at 9PM at Alexander by the Bay. We had been there once last year and loved it. This year the food didn't seem as good. Maybe we hyped it up too much. I had a Snickers Bar martini. It took its effect after two sips. Very strong but delicious. Then we met up with some friends and family at a club called Guadalajaras. One thing I really like about Guadalajaras is it's big and spacious so everyone isn't all up on each other. Plus it's a non-smoking club so I don't have to smell like smoke when I go home.

For Valentine's Day, I had made a picture book for my boyfriend. It had pictures from various stages of our relationship. In between pictures I wrote reasons why I love him. This picture was the front picture. He was watching TV in this weird position when this picture was taken.

Belated Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

What Would have been my MAC Hello Kitty and Creme Team haul

I've been avoiding the MAC counters on purpose. I know whenever I go to a MAC counter I usually end up getting at least one item. Sooo, I've just been appreciating the MAC Hello Kitty and Creme Team collections from afar, mostly through everyone else's blogs and hauls.

Another reason I haven't bought any MAC items is because I'm on this workout gear kick. Whenever I get into a new hobby, I tend to go all out, wanting to buy everything related to my new hobby. For example, when I started getting into MAC again, I would buy something from MAC almost everyday to build up my collection as fast as I could.

Without further ado..drum roll please..the following is why I cannot go to the MAC counter:
I ordered the Garmin Forerunner 50 bundle (pictured on the right) from Costco because it was being offered at a very good price. However, I was disappointed to find out that the calories you burn were calculated through your footpod, which attaches to your shoe, that measured your distance not by the heart rate monitor. Basically the heart rate monitor on the Garmin was useless to me. Yeah, great, I know my heart rate while I'm exercising but, I would have rather known what were my calories burned at different heart rates instead.

And that is why I also have the Polar F6 watch pictured on the left. That's actually a heart rate monitor that calculates your calories burned by weight, height, gender, and heart rate. Both the Garmin and Polar heart rate monitors use a strap that goes around your chest while you workout. Not too inconvenient but does take some getting used to. In the beginning, I kept on adjusting the tightness of the strap to a point where the strap isn't falling while I'm working out or leaving indentations on my body because it's so tight.

So, there was my dilemma. Which one do I keep? You want to guess which one I picked...BOTH! I'm so bad. I told myself I NEEEEDED both. I need the Garmin to measure my running distances outside and help me improve my running time, especially since I'm trying to run longer distances. I need the Polar for when I do the classes at Gold's. I'm so envious after class when everyone's doing a roll call of all their calories they just burnt during class. I tried to wear my Garmin to Turbo Kick class and was freaking out because the heart rate monitor wasn't working. Come to find out, it didn't matter if it was working or not because calories weren't being calculated by the heart rate monitor like I said above.

This also brings me to my next argument for my workout gear haul. I NEEEEED two different types of shoes - one for running and one for the classes at the gym, usually Step class, Body Attack, Turbo Kick, etc. Basically classes that cause a lot of impact and shock on your body that running shoes aren't really good for. So, my generous boyfriend, bought me Under Armour Proto Speed II Trainer shoes. Under Armour just recently released their line of running/training shoes this past January. In the picture, you'll also see my gloves and headband for running in the cold. I'm hoping to get new running shoes next weekend.


To complete by cold weather running gear ensemble, I bought the tightest outfit ever. And by tight I don't mean "cool", I mean actually physically tight. I've never tried on cold weather running gear before. My, is it snug. I ended up getting black Under Armour tights, long sleeved blue Under Armour shirt, and a lightweight grey Under Armour jacket. Under Armour is quickly becoming my favorite brand.
And that folks is why you aren't seeing my MAC haul and my reasons why I NEEEED all that workout stuff. I feel a little bit less guilty about buying workout gear. It's for my health right? Even if if I don't do well in my upcoming races, at least I'll be a well dressed runner with some high tech running gadgets crossing the finish line last.

P.S. Next on my wishlist are running shoes, insoles that the manager at Dick's Sporting Goods was showing me, and Oakley sunglasses.

Happy Monday!

I feel like this calorie counting and working out is turning into a part-time job that's taking away from my hair experiments. I didn't get a chance to take any new hair pictures but, I did use a new technique this weekend. I wish I had taken pictures because I know I enjoy posts that have pictures more than words.

My new technique included the use of this microfiber towel that I purchased last week from Ulta.
I've been using the Kinky Curly Knot Today (KCKT) leave-in and Kinky Curly Curling Custard (KCCC). I really like these two together because they give me good curl definition without the crunchiness but, if I don't put enough KCCC my curls go limp and if I put to much I get the crunch. There's definitely a learning curve as mentioned by some of the members of naturallycurly.com.

I now have 3 techniques for when I want to style my hair naturally wavy.

Technique 1. After washing my hair, wrap my hair in a towel until I'm done applying my body lotion, moisturizer, etc. Then apply KCKT and comb through then scrunch KCCC through hair. This I usually do when I'm stubborn and don't feel like changing my old ways because this was they way I used to style my hair.

Pro: Easiest of the techniques. Drying time is decreased. An old routine that I'm used to.
Con: Gives me the least curl definition. Sometimes it makes my hair look dry because products are applied to my hair after it's been drying a bit in the towel instead of products being applied on soaking wet hair like the other techniques below.

Technique 2. After washing my hair, I leave my hair dripping wet and kind of try to gently separate and lift my hair with my fingers so that my hair isn't completely flat on my head and apply KCKT while scrunching then apply KCCC while scrunching. I plop with a turban for 10-45 minutes depending on how much time I have while I get dressed and do my makeup. I discussed this technique here.

Pros: Hair is not on my back while I do my after shower routine. I can do other tasks while I plop. I get pretty good curl definition and hair looks shinier.

Cons: Increased drying time. I usually end up diffusing my hair when I do this technique. Sometimes the front and top of my hair end up squished.

Technique 3. After washing my hair, I leave my hair dripping wet and gently separate and lift my hair like I do in technique 2. I scrunch in KCKT then srunch in KCCC. After I have applied both products, I turn my head upside down and take the microfiber towel and scrunch all the water out. I would say after scrunching with a microfiber towel my hair is 75% dry. I don't usually diffuse after this technique. This is my favorite technique right now because I can kind of guide and shape my hair while I scrunch and I don't have to have wet hair for that long. When I went to Imago Salon, this was how they styled my hair after my haircut except they used an old t-shirt instead of a microfiber towel.

Pros: My roots aren't flat on top and I can easily style the front of my hair. My hair is mostly dry by the time I leave the house even when I don't diffuse. I get good curl defintion but, the shininess varies depending on whether or not I put the correct amount of product in my hair.

Cons: My slightly damp hair is on my back while I do my after shower routine. Not that big of a deal except my whole life I've just been used to having my hair wrapped in a towel while I did this part. Why is it so hard to change your habits?

When I get a chance, I'll add pictures or videos showing techniques 1 and 3 since technique 2 was already discussed in a previous post.

She's a Maniac

She's a maniac, maniac on the floor
And she's dancing like she never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac on the floor
And she's dancing like she never danced before
by Hall And Oates (I had to verify was who really sang it because I was corrected in one of my previous posts.)

Anywho, I've been feeling maniac-like lately with my workouts. Instead of dancing though, I've been exercising. I guess sometimes I am dancing during some of my classes like step. Currently, I have three things motivating me:

1. My Iphone "Lose It" app
2. Training for the half marathon in April
3. Fitness challenge at Gold's Gym.

I talked about this Iphone app called "Lose It" that I'm real hyped up about. I even talked about this app on my status message on Facebook. Being able to see how many calories you consume has really regulated my eating. Before there was no holding me back when I ate. Now it's like, dang how many calories are in that tiny sorry piece of cake. The true test, however, is the weekend. I messed up last weekend when I went to a baby shower, out to a club and then the next day was the Super Bowl. I finally stopped counting calories those days after I reached my allowable calorie intake but, I'm sure I went way over, like 1000 calories. Then this past Monday, I really started sticking to my recommended daily intake of 1512 calories. I've been doing pretty good with not going over my target.















As you can see I don't always eat the healthiest of food (note the ice cream cake, spinach dip, hawaiian bread, and fried chicken) so I usually end up hungry because what I eat isn't satisfying. Kind of like splurging on makeup when I should be paying the electric bill. On the left hand screen capture, where it says shells, those were actually these mini-shells that you put chicken salad in. I haven't gotten desperate enough to eat seashells if that's what you were thinking.

If it wasn't for my workouts after work, I would have been over on my calories everyday this week. With the half marathon training, I'm running on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. For this past week, I've been running 3 miles on those days so that's about 300 calories lost for each of those days. Plus I'm doing the Gold's Gym fitness challenge. It's basically a punch card and you get a punch for every class you attend. Once you get 10 punches on your card, your name goes into a drawing and you can win a variety of prizes including a heart rate monitor. During those classes I usually burn between 400-500 calories.

I'm actually glad I have the half marathon and fitness challenge to motivate me. All those calories give me flexibility during dinner. On Tuesday, I went to the gym to "earn" more calories so we could eat at Panchero's, this Mexican restaurant we wanted to try and Skinny Dip, a low-fat frozen yogurt place.

I'm hoping I can keep this up without getting burnt out or frustrated enough to quit. I haven't weighed myself because they took the scale out of the women's locker room at Gold's. I'm thinking about buying a scale tonight.

I also purchased the Garmin Forerunner 50 bundle so that I know exactly how far I've run. It comes with:

• USB ANT stick
• Heart rate monitor
• Foot pod
• Owner's Manual
  

I was excited about it because when I was researching it, I found the watch retailed for $99 by itself and the foot pod was about $119. I was able to find this bundle for $80 at Costco.

If you're interested in purchasing one, I got it here. I was hoping I'd get it by this Saturday when I plan on running outside. According to the tracking number, though, I won't be getting it until Monday.

I'll be running a relay called Virginia is for Lovers with my coworker on Valentine's Day Morning. It's a 14K so one of us will run 4.1 miles and the other person will run 4 miles.

Kinky Curly Knot Today

As much as I hate shipping charges, I love the feeling of coming home and finding a package. I finally got my Kinky Curly Knot Today leave-in. I can't wait to use it. I'll probably end up using it the next time I go out which will be Friday. At work I just throw my hair into a ponytail because of safety regulations. I don't really fix my hair unless I'm going somewhere.

Long time no see, Curling Iron

I decided to take a break from my natural wave. I blow dried my hair and used a 1.5 inch curling iron to curl my hair.The night before I had gone to a baby shower and then to a bar. My hair smelled terrible like smoke and fried food. I shampooed with Herbal Essences Shampoo for Color, Permed, Dry and Damaged Hair to really cleanse my hair. It contains Sodium Lareth Sulfate but, no silicones. I conditioned with Back to Basics Pomegranate Moisturizing Conditioner. Before I blow dried, I used Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray, Giovanni Frizz Be Gone, and coconut oil. The Tresemme Spray contains Amodimethicone (slightly soluble silicone). The Giovanni Frizz Be Gone contains Cylomethicone (slightly soluble silicone) and Dimethicone (non-soluble silicone). Even though it contained Dimethicone, I hoped it being an "organic" product, the build up wouldn't be so bad. I like the smoothness and shininess it gave me. I can't really report on the build up yet because I haven't had an opportunity to use it multiple times yet.

I believe cutting out the frequent use of harsh sulfate shampoos from my hair routine has helped with the health of my hair. I think it's been about a month, before today, since I used a shampoo that contained Sodium Lareth Sulfate. Before I used CG products and straightened or curled my hair, my hair always looked so dry. It definitely looks a lot shinier than before.

The Great Debate

If you do a search on whether or not silicones are bad or good for your hair, you'll come across some heated discussions believe it or not. The rest of this post will be purely my opinion from researching online, discussion on forums such as Naturallycurly.com, and my own personal experiences. I don't think silicones are that bad. It's the removal of silicones with harsh cleansers that seems to cause the most damage to hair which is why silicones that are not water soluble at all should be avoided.

Silicones fall into 3 categories: water soluble, slightly water soluble, and not water soluble. Just a few minutes ago I updated this list:

Silicones

Not water soluble (Will buildup in hair)
1. Cetearyl methicone
2. Cetyl dimethicone
3. Cyclopentasiloxane
4. Dimethicone
5. Dimethiconol
6. Stearyl dimethicone
7. Trimethylsilylamodimethicone

Slightly soluble (May cause buildup in hair but some have found will still wash out with cowash)
1. Amodimethicone
2. Cyclomethicone
3. Bis-Aminopropryl Dimethicone
4. Behenoxy dimethicone
5. Stearoxy dimethicone

“CG approved” Water Soluble (Will not buildup)
1. Dimethicone copolyol
2. Hydrolyzed wheat protein hydroxypropyl polysiloxane
3. Lauryl methicone copolyol
4. Silicones with PEG listed before it

I moved Cyclomethicone to the slightly soluble list for a couple reasons. First, some have found that Cyclomethicone can be removed with a mild cleanser or conditioner washing. The same goes for Amodimethicone, which is found in DevaCurl One Condition, a product developed by Lorraine Massey. Lorraine Massey is the author of Curly Girl - the handbook that started the whole curly girl method revolution. Kind of ironic that she has a silicone in her conditioner. Secondly, having three categories opens up various prodcut possibilites for you. When I first started using CG products, I felt so restricted. When I was able to see I had more options product-wise, shopping for CG products became fun again. I was actually finding products without non-soluble silicones and with only slightly soluble and water soluble silicones. Some Garnier Fructis products, for example, contain the sole silicone Amodimethicone. It was actually the leave-in I tried the first time I attempted the Curly Girl method and was the best Curly Girl hair day I've had since. At that time, all I knew was only water soluble silicones were good. I didn't know about the other secret hidden category of slightly soluble silicones. I stopped using the Garnier Fructis leave-in and tried other leave-ins with less success and strayed from CG products because I was getting frustrated.

Then I learned more about slightly soluble silicones and picked up products that had them. Now, I have fun experimenting with my hair and trying out products that were closed off to me before. Even on the days I want to use heat styling tools, I have options. For the days you want to use heat styling tools and want a heat protecant without the hard core (non-soluble) silicones, you can turn to Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray and Sunsilk Thermashine Detangling Shine Spray which both have Amodimethicone.

I hope this helps anyone reading this that has been trying to follow the Curly Girl method and is thiiis clooose to giving up - hanging on by a thread. For those using the product list on the left hand side of my blog, I indicate which products contain soluble and slightly soluble silicones, for those that do not want to dabble in the slightly soluble products.

For the Twilight fans: The whole time I was reading this I felt like I was talking about the Cullen family. There are other options to killing people even if you are a vampire. To all the people out there trying to do curly girl method but about to give up, there are other options besides the hard core (non soluble) silicones.