4 Things that will shock you about locs.

Hey guys, am pretty new to the locs life but I am already noticing some shocking things. Come to think of it, the more you are used to something, the less likely you might be at noticing some things because you have gotten used to it. I thought to write this post before I get accustomed to this newness.

4 things that will shock you about locs.

Let’s go…..

• 1- You will be shocked by the amount of people you will inspire with your locs. I know so many people who are considering the locs life but are scared, unsure, worried etc. Seeing you with your locs draws them one step closer to taking that plunge. I have 2 friends who have decided to get their hair loc’d since I loc’d my hair.

• 2-Have you heard the myth that black peoples hair do not grow. Well get ready to bust that myth with your locs.  Pictures are a great way to capture change. I am still shocked by how long my sisters hair is just 3.5 years into her locs journey.

• 3-Everyone’s loc journey is different and we get ‘loc’d for different reasons. I know many people have loc’d their hair because they want to reclaim their time. I have always loved spending time on my hair. I find it therapeutic and creative to do my own hair. I never thought that spending less time on my hair would be something I would enjoy . I am still shocked by how much I am enjoying not spending time on my hair. It has made the little time I do spend on my hair even more precious and special.

• 4-Finally, the biggest shock is how much less hair I lose when I wash my hair. While my hair was an afro I thought it was pretty healthy but could never understand why I would lose so much hair during each wash. Barely 7 months into my locs journey and I am losing less hair and loving it 🤗🤗.

This is literally all the hair that I lost with my last wash. 🤩

So these are the things that I have noticed and been shocked by so far.

Are you on the locs journey, do you agree? Anything you have been shocked by that should be added to my list.

Let’s say connected @ijaykheavens

Stay safe and see you on the next post

Blazer + Joggers = Ultimate Online meeting outfit.

For years we have been occupied with getting our work office outfits down to a fine art.

Who knew that platforms like Zoom and Teams would become the new office space. We certainly were not prepared for this massive shift nor were we informed of the correct online meeting etiquettes. To have camers on or to not. To get dressed up or to not (that’s has to be for a different post).

I have certainly been stung by being too casually dressed during meetings. So you can imagine my joy when I saw trends of how to get the best of both smart and casual wears.

• 

I have been living and breathing joggers for the last 5 months. They are super comfort, easy and double up as so many things. Lounge wear, sleepwear, heading down to the post office wear and now online meeting wear. Ha🤣. I paired mine with a checked boyfriend blazer for a smart casual look. As we usher in the autumn a high neck top seemed perfect for this look. A crop top would work perfectly too.

If like me you are having to occasionally visit the office then complete this look with a pair of shoes or sandals..

I actually wore this for my sisters birthday gathering. And the best part is that these are all items I already had in my wardrobe.

• 

Let me know your thoughts. Could this look work for you? What do you currently wear on your online video meetings. Leave your thoughts in the comment box below.

Dont forget to connect with me @ijaykheavens .

See you soon.

X

Blazer- New look , High neck top- New look, Joggers- Boohoo, Sandals-Marks and spencer.

Painting my Laminate flooring- V33 floor and stairs paint

 

With the world dealing with the recent pandemic.  The only way to keep my mental health in check is to get creative.  I  set myself tasks each week and I focused on these to block out the fears and worries of Covid 19.

For sometimes, I have been considering changing my flooring.  I considered tiles or a white wash laminate to brighten up the space.  The cost of this renovation was not something I was ready to make now.  Particularly, with the current financial state of the world.

In my search for a cheaper alternative, I came across a post by @my_mindful_home about painting laminate flooring.  This prompted and encouraged me to go ahead with this project.

I researched which floor paints to use….

I thought it was safest to go with a brand that was tried and tested.  Lucky for me, my local  home improvement store stocked the V33 renovation floor and stair paint. To further put my mind at ease, I consulted the paint expert at the home improvement store.  She too had heard great reviews about this protect.

V33 offer this paint in 4 shades. Don’t ask me why but I went for the Satin white.  I guess I was taking a big jump with this project so I thought I would go all the way.

Initially I had bought one 2 litre of paint but given that I had to give my floor three coats of paint to get my desired finished, I had to purchase an additional 0.75l to finish the job. BTW  my living room is not that big either.

To complete this project I used

-Elbow grease degreaser.

-Sanding paper and a sanding block

-Paint brush

-Paint roller

-Hoover

-Cleaning clothes

To begin with, I mentally sectioned off the work.  Given that I don’t have much space,  I had to work in sections.  This meant moving all the furniture to one side / corner of room at any one time.

I  hoovered my floor well to get rid of any dust and dirt.  I than cleaned the floor with the degreaser to get rid of any oil or residue.

Although the V33 instructions does not mention sanding the area, I took this additional step to ensure that the paint has a good surface to bond to.  You may decide to skip this step if you wish.

I hoovered and cleaned the floor for the second time to get rid of dust from the sanding. In hindsight, I probably could have done the sanding first to avoid needing to hoover and clean twice.

With all prep done, I was ready to mix the paint and make a start.  I simply followed the instructions that came with the paint; which was to pour in the 10ml Additif that comes the paint and stir well for a few minutes. Once you add the Additif, the paint has to be used  within 10 days.

The paint point comes with two lids. One of which can be used as a paint tray.  I personally did not need to use this.

I started by painting the edges of the room using my paint brush.  I then worked my way around the room using the paint foam roller.  I repeated this step for each section until all 3 coats of paint where applied.

Throughout the process I wore socks to avoid getting oil or moisture from my feet onto the cleaned floor.

Although this paint dries pretty quickly after application, you have to leave the paint to dry for 3 hours after each coat.  Be sure to keep the paint pot properly covered while waiting for each coat to dry.

So you are probably wondering, just how long did this project take to complete.  Well… my living room was painted in 4 sections. This was purely due to lack of space.  Having my sofa, and cabinets in the lounge while doing this work, made it just a bit more difficult.   Each section required 3 coats and each coat needs 3 hours drying time.

Yep!

This project took wayyy to long.

But ….

It was totally worth it.  I love the end result. It turned it even better than I had imagined.  I still find myself walking past my living room and smiling. That feeling when your hard work pays off is truly priceless.

I wanted to wait before sharing this because I had read on the V33 website that it can take up to 20 days for the paint to fully dry.

……….

….

2 months later, I think the paint has fully dried and there are Still no regrets.

I am definitely more mindful about getting stains or scratches on the floor. By default I am also cleaning the living room more often because every crumb and dust is so much more visible on white flooring.  I have also noticed that certain types of footwear leave prints on the floor so  we generally do not wear shoes in the house anymore.

So my final words

This has been a great way to revamp the living room flooring and it cost less than £150.  I think I have stopped the time on the re-flooring project by about 2-3 year.

I know that as times goes by, the once perfectly white floor will begin to show signs of being trampled on day in day out.  I have braced myself to embrace that beauty too.

The floor has become significantly more slippery.  This might be because the paint has a satin finish. To help with this we have bought rugs to reduce slip and also add warmth to the lounge. Absolutely no clinical feel or look over here.

I hope this post answers any questions you might have regarding this project.  If I have missed any details please feel free to ask in the comments box below.
I have also posted a YouTube video that you might find to have more visual details here.

Watch this space, I may well do an updated review after 6-12months.

See you soon, in the meantime stay in touch by connecting with me @ijaykheavens.

x

BENTONITE clay mask .. with ACV

Hey beauties,

Happy new year and thanks for stopping by. Am kick starting the year by paying more attention to my skin. It’s the largest organ of the body and it high time I gave it some TLC.

BENTONITE clay was on of the buzz words for 2019 so I thought I would check it out for myself. I chose this mask because I want to stick to natural beauty products were possible. Also I have heard wonderful things about the purifying and cleansing properties of Bentonite clay

The video has all you need to know about putting the product together.

Here are 6 points to consider.

1. -Ensure you buy authentic Bentonite clay for a reputable retailer. I order straight from the company to avoid issues with counterfeit products.https://www.aztechealingclay.co.uk/shop
2. Do a skin test to ensure your skin an tolerate this movement.
3. Do not use metals with this product.
4. Cracking and skin tightening sensation is normal while product dries.
5. Bentonite clay masks can cause skin to feel dry. Make sure you use a quality moisturiser after use.
6. I suggest leaving this product for as long as you can tolerate but no more than 30 minutes. This is usually enough time for the clay to extract toxins from your skin.

I would recommend using this product twice a week.

Enjoy the video and dont forget to leave your comments, suggestions or questions below.

😚😚

Ultimate non smudge liquid eyeliner

For as long as I can remember I have battled with my eyeliner Never staying put and the dreaded ‘panda eye’.

I remember a friend advising meto invest more money in buying better quality eyeliners. Some said to use primers. However, with all that I would still end up with eyeliner or mascara flakes on my cheekbones by the end of the day. The frustration of having to always wipe below my eye was getting to me.

Alot of brands claim to be non smudge etc but we all know that some brands are not always honest. Coupled with the fact that each persons body chemistry will react differently to different products.

I stumbled on this Kiko Milano Waterflower magic eyeliner by accident and boy am I glad I did.

This eyeliner drys within minutes of applying it. Best of all it STAYS PUT WITHOUT SMUDGING.

The straw that broke the camel’s back has got to be the fact that it is currently under £4. This is 4 times less than what I was paying for my old eyeliner which did not give me the results I wanted.

I am still trying to get to grips with the angled brush but so far, it’s worked wonders in helping me line the inner corners of my eyes.

The picture below is 10 minutes after application.

6 hrs after application

I literally can’t believe that I have an eyeliner which works for me and is crazy cheap.

If you are passing by a Kiko store be sure to grab yours and let me know what you make of it.

Maybe you already know of this product, how do you find it.

Feel free to recommend any other brilliant non smudge liquid eyeliner below.

Xo

3 ways to style a neon shirt -tall girls edition

What a way to tell the world that am back to sharing styles, looks and trends on this platform, than with a post on styling neons.

If you have not seen this eighties trend about, then maybe you have not been looking. I really doubt it will survive beyond Spring/summer 19 so I wouldn’t buy a whole wardrobe full of neons. A few neon essentials are enough to keep you on trend all season long.

Here’s how I styled mine 3 ways.

Do you have any favourite?

Follow me on Instagram at @Ijaykheavens full outfit details.

See you soo .

✌🏽

Girl power – Power suit.

Girl power is taking over and we are doing it looking fierce and fabulous in all shades of power suits.

Take your average work suit and sprinkle a little rainbow dust on it for the ultimate power suit. This trend is all about varied fits and vibrant coloured suits.

There is literally a suit to suit everybody, even if it means pairing items from different shops.

I loved the colour of these cropped trouser so much that I hunted them down from Dorothy Perkins. I then paired it with a jacket from Zara for my personal take on power suits. This pairing cost me less than £80 and saved me approximately £40. The colours are not perfectly matching but it looks intentional and helps to break up the look.

What are your thoughts on this look. Personally I think its a double win. Even when you are not having such a great day, a power suit will have you winning.🤗

Just in case you need more inspiration. Check out this power suit from the Asos tall range

Image from Asos

See you soon.

✌🏽❤

5 things you must know if travelling to Lagos for the first time.

Going to any part of Nigeria can be bitter sweet. Although I was born in Nigeria, my family and I left for the UK when I was about 5 years old. So when I returned after approximately 15 years, I was crazy nervous, worried, excited, happy… all kinds of emotions.

I decided to put this blog together because of the young lady I met on my flight. She reminded me of me 10 years back. She was returning to Nigeria from the states because she just felt she needed to be home. This would be her first time ever traveling to Nigeria.

I really admired her courage and based on the conversations we had, I thought others would find this useful too.

Here are my 5 things you need to know of when travelling to lagos for the first time.

-Forget what you heard. LAGOS can be very enjoyable. Be sure to take advantage of the fresh local foods and ready made Nigeria fashion pieces . The nightlife in Lagos is just as good as anywhere else, from local joints to lounges, rooftop bars and clubs. There is truely something for everyone. You can actually decide that you never want to cook again and you will be just fine.

– Nigerians are know of over packing and carrying too much luggage. The airlines are aware of this and they can be super strict with luggage allowance; especially during peak periods. Make sure you weigh your luggage at home before getting to the airport. There is nothing worse than having to start re-packing at the airport.

– The truth is that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poor at here. As things are with the current govement people are Struggling. People really do appreciate anything you can get them from wherever you are coming from. However, in some cases giving people the cash can go an even longer way. Plus it reduces the chances that you will carry excess luggage.

– When you get to any airport in Nigeria you will see lots of workers wanting to help you out. This is great if you have the money to pay them. Nothing is Free in Nigeria. You even have to pay for the trolley which you use at the airport ( the worse part is that you dont get your money back once you return the trolley 211😮🤨😐😑😏. Be sure to travel with a little cash which you can change at the airport. I always forget to do this and it can be a little stressful trying to manage my luggages without a trolley. I was so thrilled when I got of the Virgin Atlantic flight and they gave me a trolley voucher for free. Such life savers.

– Finally, nothing is what it seems in Nigeria. Get ready to haggle and put your hustlers hat on, in order not to be ripped off. The locals here will definately try to treat you like a ‘Johnny just come’. Be safe and Have fun.

This list could go on. But will end this post here. Feel free to add your views or any nuggets you have for other travels below.

Thanks for stopping by.

See you soon.

Travel Diaries- Travelling on a budget? Do you compromise on flight or hotel?

Hi there,

Yes its me, its been a little while since I put my finger tips to a keypad.

There is really no reason other than I have been trying to figure things out in the real world. Plus an element of are my write ups actually benefiting anyone. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. If one person reads and benefits from my post… then my work here is done.

We are back on the road to seeing the world and doing it on a budget. I often get asked how I can afford to take so much time off work to travel (I will leave this for another day) and manage the costs associated with travelling.

I often debate with people on whether its best to compromise on the flight or maybe the hotel to make the cost of travel cheapers.

I live in the UK and cheap no frill flights such as as Rynair, Easyjet and the likes of it will probably only get you as far as Europe. These are often a great way of starting you travelling. However, I find that that the cheap flight sold by these airlines can suddenly become expense when you add baggage cost and in-flight food costs.😬.

I prefer to use the British Airways holiday finder to find cheap flight deals. There is always a bargain to be had during off peak seasons. I also find that bigger airlines are more lenient on baggage allowance. Being a British Airways club member, I collect Avios points and can use these to get further discounts on flight. Believe you me .. this is the easiest way of getting discounts and flight upgrades.

Booking Cheap hotels has never been easier thanks to hotel price comparison sites.

With features such as free cancellation, I am able to back a hotel then price watch for better deals. This allows me to lock in any deals that I see. But it gives me the flexibility of cancel if the price drops.

So what am I saying.. you actually dont need to compromise on your flight or your hotel. There is always a deal to be had.

I would like to know your views on whether you compromise on flights or hotels when it comes to saving costs.

Feel free to put your comments and questions in the box below.

Till next time

X😘

How to keep your thigh high boots thigh high.

Hey guys..do you suffer from skinny calf syndrome like myself? 

Do you find that your thigh high boots keep falling down??

My problem is that I have to buy a UK size 8 or 9 shoe to fit my big feet but then the calf doesnt fit well.😌.

So there is my little hack of getting them boots to stay up where they need to be.

All you need to do is tie a scarf around the fullest part of your calf. This will create some resistance if the boots want to slide down. Hence preventing your thigh high boots from falling. 
This can also be done with a small hand towel. The best part is that it can also keep you warm.

💃💃💃💃Winning! 

Voilà !

Thigh high boots that actually stay thigh high. 
Do let me know if the above works for your. Or if you have alternative tip’s please share. 
See you soon. 

X😘