Natural hair at last

So I've finally come to the decision that I will be going no 'poo. Those that aren't familiar with the lingo it means no shampoo. There are a TON of chemicals that are linked to cancer found in most shampoos on the market. The first one I found out about was SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) which is what helps your shampoo lather.
Personally, I'd rather not expose myself to more chemicals than I should.

So my no 'poo journey begins with the most basic no 'poo of them all-
Baking soda. 1 tbsp baking soda combined with 1 cup warm soft (reverse osmosis, distilled, or boiled) water is combined and then used to wash hair.
*can add tea bags, honey, olive oil*

After that a vinegar rinse is recommended. I am using 2 tbsps raw apple cidar vingar with 2 cups soft water. I put it in right after the baking soda and it fizzes as a reaction. Then I just wash it out.

So far my hair is extremely curly and a little dry. I found an amazing recipe for a shampoo bar that I will be making soon and updating on my hair.

A side note-I have also been dying my hair since I was 11 years old. Yikes! But after dying it too many times to count, I've decided I want to let it grow out. Now I bleached my hair out last year and my last hair color is fading, and I seem to have a strange ombre affect going on with 4 different colors. And I want to grow my hair out to at least my waist, so that is why I'm so concerned with taking good care of it now.

Xoxo.

My hair over two years ago when I dyed it with henna.

My hair this morning right aftr my shower.

And the hair length I want.

DIY ideas

I love to shop! I also love to make things instead of buying them. I adore Kenza, Jenna Jameson, and Sabo Skirt! They have been my inspirations for my changing my waredrobe slowly and surely.
And looking at videos of diy ideas on youtube inspired me to be more crafty, since most shoe that I adore aren't vegan.
Here are what I want to make for myself this summer.
Xoxo.

The skirts and shorts by Sabo Skirt are great staples especially since I adore lace.

Some studded and rainbow shorts are fun for summer here in California!

Since I chose leggings over jeans I'm obsessed with recreating these for myself.

These are just about the hottest flats that I have found, and since I have to retire my heels I can't wait to make a vegan version of these loafters.

I'm dying to recreate the Jeffrey Campbell Lita and the Sam Edelman Lorissa heels even if I can't wear them.

For gift ideas (and pretty things to display) the glass and crystal heels are ones on top of my list to make.

Side effects of being vegan

As many of you know I live a vegan lifestyle. It's not only in my diet, but my clothing, and what products I use. I made this decision based on my absolute love for animals (as I see it ridiculously hypocritcal to say I love animals, yet will eat one/wear one that has been brutally tortured all it's life).
I'll go into it in another blog, but here are some side effects that I got with an animal byproduct free diet.


1. I have not had any cystic acne for over 2 years. During my early teenage years I struggled with acne, and no amount of anything put on my face changed that. I tried antibiotics that made me extremely ill. While I was living in Ukraine, my face would break out constantly-and though I was vegetarian I consumed a large quanity of dairy, as well as breakouts after drinking (I wasn't drinking illegally there*). My skin isn't perfect and never will be, but now I try to not use any makeup, unless there's somewhere special I'll be.


2. Weight loss! The heaviest I got was 145 lbs (65.7 kg) and I'm 5'7" (170 cm). In two months of stuffing my face constantly I was down to 135 lbs (61.2 kg), and since I have cut out fast food, and most processed foods I'm at a range between 125 lbs (56.6 kg) - 130 lbs (58.9). This is all without proper exercise since I am unable to do anything involving bending, twisting, or putting pressure on my lumbar spine and left scapula (shoulder). And I do have a hypoactive thyroid that makes it difficult for me to lose weight.


3. No more asthma attacks. I'd get them running the mile, or doing several minutes of cardio. Though I haven't ran since last March, I didn't have a single attack since I changed my diet.

4. I haven't been sick in over two years! Before it was really common for me to get sick about every 2 or 3 months. And when I'd get sick I knew it was coming, I'd have body aches, my throat would be raw, and my lymph nodes would double in size-and the next day it'd be worse, and would last at least a few weeks. The closest I've ever gotten to being sick has been one day of body aches and the next day I was perfectly fine.


Xoxo.

Possible birthday idea

So my birthday is coming up in less than a month on July 8th. I had an amazing time at my lingerie birthday last year and was wondering what could possibly top that off. So I thought of my top 5 nights, and one of them definitely was July 3, 2010. I had a gorgeous man painting my face, my friends, and as always I ended up giving massages.

What could be better for a birthday than glow paint and UV lights?

Fashion changes

This blog is about my fashion style for mainly working nights in Los Angeles.

This is my amazing dress from Foreign Exchange, that works to flatter my figure at any hour with the detailed ruching. As well as a blazer from a vintage store.

Simple t-shirt dress from H&M as well as a blazer. Comfortable enough to run around in after going over 36 hours of not sleeping.

My lazy outfit for traveling. Steve Madden Wedges, vintage leggings, vintage poncho shirt, H&M locket necklace, and Calvin Klein handbag.

While working nights I try being comfortable as well, Delicious heels, unknown bandage skirt, and unknown flowy striped button up.

Dress up like an animal night at work! Delicious heels, Capezio tights, unknown underwear, Maidenform waist cincher, H&M bustier bra.

Photoshoot outfit. Steve Madden wedges, unknown leggings, vintage blazer, belt from Buffalo Exchange, H&M t-shirt.

Fairy night. H&M bustier bra, corset from Ebay, Forever 21 boyshorts, scarf from my friend's closet, and wings from vintage store.

New babies

For those of you who follow me on instagram, you'll know that I adopted two adorable bunnies. They're about eight weeks old (from all my bunny experience I can tell). The story of how I got them was my best friend Indigo met a girl at a dog park, whos sister had found a bunny in a parking garage. As the sister was from out of state, and the other girl had a dog, they wanted to put down the bunny. I automatically agreed to taking in the bunny. Before Indigo dropped the bunny off she called and told me there was a surprise, two bunnies! Even so, I became even more excited.

They are warming up to me, and have the most fascinating personalities. Vanilla-Nilla for short, is the protector, and is more comfortable with just being pet for hours, as well as not dashing off so fast. Coco is this oddball of fur, she is more adventurous, much hungrier taking food away if she wants to, more skiddish, but has to smell everything up and down.

I have introduced them to Pumpkin, but he scared the crap(literally) out of them as soon as he realized that they are live furry things. Boys will be boys and go for anything, even underaged.

I can't wait to see what Nilla and Coco will do next!

Xoxo,
Jenya

First love

It's always amazing to look back and think about how that first love made you feel. I've done that lately and just got off the phone with my ex boyfriend, who's heart I shattered. I was so nervous calling him, and when I finally got through he seemed genuinely happy to talk to me. We talked about school, work, family, etc...but the real reason it took me three years to call was because it's taken me that long to say "I'm sorry".

"I'm sorry" isn't just about our inevitable breakup with me coming back to the States from Ukraine, it was much deeper than that. It was about feeling guilty for putting him through so much pain when leaving. It was about me not answering his calls or messages, because I couldn't think of a proper way to communicate that I was in pain too. It was about him being in love with me, and me just loving him, and wishing I was in love. It was about what he kept bottled up inside of himself afterwards, the things that he had done, the way my name became taboo.

Our relationship wasn't perfect, but who's is. He was my best friend there, and the only person I could talk to without scrutiny. We would walk all over town every night, at the earliest getting home at 3AM. He let me bruise his hand when I had to have blood drawn, and was there for my first tattoo (1 hour 20 minutes). He put aloe vera on me when I got a first degree burn on my butt from tanning on the beach. He was the first person to get me to go skinny dipping in 30 degree F weather in the Black Sea. I was the one he'd shave for twice a day, just so that I wouldn't have stubble burn. His family welcomed me, and made me feel safe and loved. I showed them how to make cactus salsa (I did steal the cactus from a bitchy neighbor), pizza, and pancakes.

Even still it was like oil and water, I was living in a world different from my own that he didn't understand. I missed home-the racial diversity, English, my pets, my brother, my friends, the beach, everything that made California steal my heart.

Though we both have moved on, I finally understand what people say, when he said, "first love will never be forgotten". Those memories will be with us till the end, no matter where our life leads us.