Cloud Nine Hair Straightener

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This isn't a review as much as it is me just showing my appreciation for something I consider to be one of the Wonders of the World. In this very superficial world we live in, straight hair is considered the "best" hair, and if you don't have the proper tools you're kind of screwed.

I was first introduced to the world of hair straightening when my parents bought me a ghd hair straightener in high school. I was never hair conscious before this, and used to rock my curly hair with confidence, but after I tried it out, I just never really went back. Thing is, when you're using it for as many years as I have, your hair is bound to get dry and damaged because of the constant heat you're applying to it. A ghd has one heat setting at 180 degrees, and if you think about it, it's like you're putting your head in the oven everyday - that's quite a scary thought and it makes you realise how much damage you're doing to your hair.

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My boyfriend got me a Cloud Nine Iron a few days ago and I was over the moon. I've heard so many wonderful things about it and read some helpful reviews. It's designed to be flexible, in the sense that you can adjust the heat setting and style your hair at lower temperatures which means less damage to your hair! (Yaaaay for my hair!)

I have previously had my hair done with a Cloud Nine and I noticed that it didn't leave that distinctive 'burnt' smell on my hair that my ghd did, it also glided through my hair and gave my hair a glossy shine at only 150 degrees which is very impressive because I have really thick hair. I don't specifically like my hair dead straight, I like it to have some body whether it's at the root or tips, and the Cloud Nine gave me the freedom to do just that that.

Even though the Cloud Nine doesn't damage your hair as much, that doesn't mean you shouldn't protect your hair with a Heat Protection Spray, as it provides an invisible barrier against everyday heat damage. I use Pantene Normal-Thick Hair Solutions: Heat Protection & Shine Spray, which protects my hair against heat styling damage and also gives my hair softness and shine. Here's to many years of better hair days!

Give your furry feline a bath :)

Recently I tried giving my kitty a wash, an yeah, it was a rather traumatic experience for both my cat and I. It wasn't the first time I've attempted to do so, but the outcome is always the same. I always end up completely soaked, and my cat never ends up being washed well.

I realised that if I got my cat interacting with water from a young age, she’d less likely freak out when she gets the odd shower. So naturally, I went online and found a few things to do to set the mood and help me make the bathing experience more pleasant:

1. Make sure your cat is mellow and relaxed. A play session with her will do the trick.
2. Brush her to remove any loose hair. Also place some cotton in her ears to keep the water out.
3. Put a rubber bath mat in the sink where you’ll be bathing your cat so she doesn't slip. Fill with a little lukewarm water.
4. Use a hand- held spray, hose or pitcher to thoroughly get her wet. If you don’t have a spray hose, a plastic pitcher works great.
5. Make sure the hose is not powered too strong, and be careful not to spray directly in her ears, eyes and nose.

To wash: Gently massage with a solution of one part cat shampoo to five parts water, working from head to tail. Again, be weary of your cats eyes, nose and ears to prevent her from getting upset. Give her a gentle towel dry when you are done and guide her to a cosy spot in the sun.

With a happy ending like that, maybe the next bath won’t be so bad!

After the bath, be sure to praise your little beauty with lots of affection, and her favourite treat too ;)

Biting your tongue.

Sometimes the best thing to do in situations is to bite your tongue, take a step back and do nothing. This is a good way to heal or rescue a situation, but the trick is knowing when to do so. We all think that we are more likely to succeed if we involve ourselves, assert ourselves, and put up a good fight. But there are situations where biting your tongue and retreating is the smartest thing you could do. These are the situations in which you need to just say and do nothing:

1. When they are throwing a tantrum.
2. When there is nothing to gain from engaging with them.
3. When you get caught in between two people.
4. When he/she/it isn't that important to you.
5. When the issue is over.
6. When you've done your best.

We should all learn from this and take the above into consideration and apply it when in certain situations.

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Finding yourself.

It's important in life to find your purpose and what it is that you are meant to do. Whether it's to become a millionaire or a postman, when you find your passion and your purpose, you're will start taking form and become meaningful. We are on this earth for a short amount of time, it's important to make the most of it by doing what we love and spending time with the people that we love. At the end of the day, that is all life really amounts to and yet we make things so complicated. Yes, it is fair to say that life is hard, but sometimes we make it even harder by putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves. Sometimes we just need to take it easy and let life 'find' us, instead of trying to find ourselves. 

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Watch this space.

Someday I’ll be what I am meant to be, maybe not now but someday. Our 20s usually bring out our first serious, independent, adult decisions. As liberating as this may be, it can also be very scary. I haven’t found my niche yet, but the day I do is the day that I make a difference in this world. Someday I will do or be something special, something that’s worth remembering. They say that psychologically people tend to accommodate themselves with whatever they have, and by people's late 20s, they will have made peace with their dreams. Until that day comes, I will just hang in there and enjoy the ride called life. Watch this space.  

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Sailor-mouth syndrome.

Swearing is a filthy habit which most of us have grown accustomed to over the years. Wherever we go, there are always people swearing, and you'll find that television also play a big role in encouraging this foul talk. If you have sailor-mouth syndrome, it's time to clean up your act.

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What comes out of your mouth generally reflects the kind of person you are and sets the stage for how people respond to you. Using foul language gives others the message that you have a lack of restraint, professionalism and in a way projects that you have no respect for yourself or for others involved in a conversation. As with all bad habits, the first step to overcoming something is to recognise that you have a problem. Listen to your speech and ask people whether your language is out of hand and even record a conversation with someone and listen to it afterwards. Add it to your list of New Year's resolutions to break this habit completely. It's something you'll want to do. 

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Face your fears.

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There's nothing worse than being afraid of something or someone. Fear is an emotions that can stop you from living to your full potential, ad it can even cripple your if you let it. Facing one's fears can be really terrifying, but not facing it can be potentially worse. It's normal to avoid the things we find scary, but that does not mean that it's the best thing to do. When people avoid certain fears of theirs, they tend to just compound the problem and make it worse- sometimes to the extent that it ruins their lives.

There are two popular treatments for phobias, and they are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy. There isn't any good factual evidence that hypnotherapy will work, but CBT however is really good in treating both specific and social phobias. With this treatment, people are gradually exposed to their fears, beginning with their least feared situation. It can be used to correct dysfunctional thoughts about fear of failure, humiliation or embarrassment.