Week 4 day 1

Last night was my written test on sculpture (96%), and our practical on the classic bob and the proper blow-dry technique (100%). I was really proud of my practical. I was very accurate and the blow-dry was nice and smooth.

I am super excited to start on the graduated bob (aka g-bob) tonight! It's supposed to be one of the hardest cuts, but it's so cute! I'm seriously considering getting my hair cut in that style as well. And I'm even more excited to start color in 2 weeks!!!

I did decently in my food yesterday, though having pizza for breakfast was mostly because my youngest woke up at 4:30 and I was somehow hungry.

Saturday Sadness

So, food-wise, today was horrible. I ate comfort food. I dropped my phone in the toilet this morning which threw off my whole day with sadness and emotional eating. And then my new-to-me couch wouldn't fit through the hallway into my living room. But even in spite of that I came out slightly ahead on calories and only vaguely behind on the nutrients.

I don't have anything else fantastically interesting to post about today, so I think I'll just leave it at that.

Repêchage T-Zone Line

About a week ago, I purchased the Repêchage T-Zone Line of face care products. Specifically, I bought the cleansing complex, toning complex and moisturizer. This line is designed especially for combination skin (oily in the forehead, nose and chin, dry everywhere else). When I started using this product line, I had horrible dry skin (flaking and itchy) just below my eyebrows, and every time I washed my face, with Philosophy products, my cheeks would feel like they had been stretched to maximum. This is one of the signs of combination skin, along with the oily t-zone.

When we worked on facials a few weeks ago, I learned about these products and had them used when I was a model for the facial. I noticed that I wasn't feeling the tightness that I was used to. Knowing that I was nearly out of my Philosophy products, I purchased the line for myself. Within a few days, the dryness under my brows was gone and my cheeks are never tight when I get done washing my face!

Another awesome thing that I accidentally discovered last night: if you get it in your eye, it doesn't hurt or burn. It will put a film over your eye, but simple saline eye drops will help to clear it out. (Whoops!)

The biggest difference in these products from others is that they have no alcohol and are formulated to balance out the "problems" in your skin.

The t-zone line features St. John's Wart which is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, soothing and balancing. It also contains glycerine which binds water to the skin, helping it to retain moisture. Over time, the t-zone line will help the oil glands to regulate and balance to reduce the oily t-zone and moisturize the dryer areas. There is a honey and almond scrub for any skin type that can be used once a week to soften and renew skin. Finally, in this line there is a balancing, hydrating mask for weekly use. It absorbs excess oil, draws impurities out, and stimulates new tissue growth.

There are also products for oily (Hydra Refine), and dry/sensitive (Hydra 4) skin types, which I can only assume work just as well. A word of caution about all Repêchage products other than the t-zone line, they have seaweed in them. From experience, if you are allergic to shellfish, use the t-zone line!

If you are interested in purchasing any of these products, or anything else that we sell at Tricoci (Redken, Pureology, Avlon or OPI) please stop in and let the receptionist know that I recommended it! This will help me with my retail experience (mark offs). I appreciate it!

Week 3 day 5

Last night we cut a classic bob again and learned how to properly blow dry it. It made me wish that my hair would do a good job staying that way every day, it is so cute! I can't wait to try it on a real person! We will cut at least one more time on Monday for our practical. Next week is the graduated bob.

Yesterday did not go as planned for eating. I started out doing fairly well, but then I went to Panera for lunch. I tried to pick out something healthy, but when I put in what I ate, it ended up ridiculously high in calories. After lunch, I only had 300 alotted calories. I tried to just deal with it, but then there was free pizza at school, so I figured it was a good cheat day.

Yoga!!!

Along with my working on eating better, I am going to strive for a healthier lifestyle in general. I woke up this morning with a horrid headache. One of those where all you want to do is curl back up under the covers and sleep for about 6 more hours. Instead, I unrolled my dusty yoga mat and planned on doing a few back-stretching poses. Once I got through those, I realized that it was only starting to help and I was also feeling much more awake and relaxed. So I continued for another 20 minutes. Guess what? No more headache!!

Here's what I did:
1. Cat/cow pose - hold each part for several breaths and repeat as many times as you like
2. I'm not sure what the next one is called, but you stay on hands and knees and extend one leg backwards with toes pointing down and extend the opposite arm forward and hold for several breaths.
3. Twist stretch from sitting on knees - reach left arm behind your left side while resting right hand on left leg, switch, and then both arms directly behind.
4. Downward dog - hold for several breaths
5. Plank pose - I did it as long as i could before my very out of shape arms gave out, but if you're not out of shape, a few breaths
6. Upward dog - again, hold for a few breaths
7. Plank transfer to downward dog
8. Warrior I -> warrior II -> triangle -> warrior II - hold for several breaths each
9. Downward dog
10. Repeat 8 on the other side
11. Forward bend
12. Run to go get the crying baby ;)

If I hadn't had to go do #12, I would've finished with, I believe it's called, mountain pose.

Week 3 day 4

Tonight was week 3 day 4 at Tricoci for me. We finished our first attempt at the classic bob haircut. I did well and was definitely proud of myself.

On to more telling things! Last night after coming home, I singlehandedly, in less than 15 min, devoured 3 beefy 5 layer burritos from Taco Bell. This was my low point, my moment of realization. I am studying to help people take care of their hair, nails and skin. It's possible to still make those things look healthy despite a person's poor nutrition and diet, but it would be much better for the person to help themselves as well. But who am I to comment on someone's eating habits when mine are so completely awful. As a cosmetologist, it is part of my job and responsibility to model to my clients the way things could be. If I walked into an appointment with a drip of nacho cheese still hanging off the corner of my mouth, I most definitely would not be modeling good eating habits to my clients, just as much as if I came in with horrible hair or clown makeup. That would speak volumes to them, and not the good kinds.

So, that being said, I have started this blog, not to only be a food log, or a place to just rattle off what I ate for the day, but also as a suggestion for recipes and to share what I am doing in class in more detail. I will probably include a snapshot of what I've eaten, but I will also talk about what I'm learning.