22 January 2010

Posted on | January 22, 2010 | 24 Comments

20 January 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

Embellished tee – Made by E
Skirt – Boden, thrifted in San Fran
Mocca tights – drug store
Yellow pumps – Gianni Bini
Tiny bird earrings – Xmas gift from A

Endnotes:

This week I received a goodie package from the US. Besides containing a bunch of my favorite treats and my favorite coffee, it also held the most gorgeous selection of birthday and Christmas gifts from A. and E. I can’t even express how happy this little treasure chest from home made me, it was full of familiar goodies and little surprises and it made me realize how wonderful these two friends of mine are. Today I’m premiering two of the delightful items delivered in said package: these adorable bird earrings and this amazing hand-embellised tee from A. and E. respectively. I couldn’t love either item more since they show just how much thought they put into it and how well these two know my style.

I know I’ll be wearing both these items frequently, so be warned! This is just the first incarnation of it. Since both items have very much of an Anthropologie feel to them, I played that up by wearing my Boden skirt that reminds me of the Anthropologie aesthetic. A messy side braid and quirky yellow pumps finish the look.

Embellished Tee by E., originally uploaded by academichic.

Tiny bird earrings, originally uploaded by academichic.

I’ve also been meaning to do a hair update for a while now, so here it is as an addendum; A while back I posted about my experiment with going No Poo and also washing my hair less frequently, since I read that curly hair needs much less washing than straight hair. The No Poo worked great for a while and then went drastically down hill. My mistake was using a Silicone conditioner, which some of your comments definitely warned against. I couldn’t stop thinking that my hair smelled all the time and looked greasy much quicker, which alternately forced me to wash it more often, which was the opposite of what I wanted to do.

So I have switched to an organic sulfate-free shampoo which cuts out the pesky ingredient that the whole No Poo routine is based on. It’s a bit pricier of an option, but it’s worked wonders. (I also switched to a No Silicone conditioner, which was actually no pricer than my regular conditioner). My curls look their best thus far and I still only wash my hair about once every 5-6 days. It’s more manageable and frizz free than it’s ever been and I swear it never smells. It takes me so much less time to style it and I spend less time getting ready since I’m not washing my hair every other day. For those of you who expressed interest in the No Poo experiment, I felt like I owed you an honest update – it looks like an amended version of that works for me. But as with everything style-related, only experimenting and trying things out for yourself will tell what’s best for you individually. So good luck and happy experimenting! S.

21 January 2010, originally uploaded by academichic.

Category: Beltless, Office Hours, Reaching New Heights, Skirting the Issue, Teaching Outfits
Tags: curls > curly hair > No Poo > no poo movement > silicone conditioner > sulfate free shampoo

Comments

24 Responses to “22 January 2010”

jentine
January 22nd, 2010 @ 5:25 am

Bare arms? I thought maybe you were on vacation somewhere warm and I got all jealous.
That’s really sweet that you got a big care package, the shirt is very Anthro and the earrings are the tiniest bit of cuteness ever!
Sara
January 22nd, 2010 @ 5:40 am

I’ve been thinking of making a tee like that for a long while – since you all first uploaded the idea, I think! But seeing it again really makes me want to try it. It’s so sweet of them to have made it and sent it to you! And I love the bird earrings – so incredibly sweet.

Thank you for the hair update. It’s great to hear of another option. This one seems more approachable, too, for someone who’s never tried no poo but considered it.
Desiree
January 22nd, 2010 @ 6:38 am

I love those earrings! They are beautiful.
Sally
January 22nd, 2010 @ 6:58 am

What a gorgeous tee! Those ladies have the skillz.
Jane W.
January 22nd, 2010 @ 7:43 am

Wow! E. is indeed the queen of DIY. The outfit is wonderful–especially the yellow shoes.
Sharon
January 22nd, 2010 @ 8:44 am

That tee looks awesome on you.

And regarding no poo, I had your same problem when I avoided shampoo, as finding silicone free products here is quite hard. I switched to an organic handmade shampoo that’s slightly more expensive than regular shampoo and smells incredibly great and kept the Aple cider vinegar rinses. My hair is really dificult, but this lets me wash it less without it being oily and coarse.
Luinae
January 22nd, 2010 @ 9:00 am

Wowza, you look especially fantastic today, particurly your hair. I also love the yellow shoes.
Katie
January 22nd, 2010 @ 9:14 am

I had the same experience with my curly hair – No Poo wasn’t enough, but regular shampoo was too much. I think the No Poo recommendation works wonders for people with really tight curls, but if your curls are looser or wavier the system is a little too extreme. I’ve had great luck with DevaCurl’s Low Poo and a silicone free conditioner. My stylist also introduced me to Moroccan Oil Intense Curl Cream http://www.amazon.com/MOROCCAN-OIL-Intense-Curl-Cream/dp/B001AWP336 to put on my hair when it’s wet to style it (or dry to touch it up) and so far I really like it.
What Would a Nerd Wear
January 22nd, 2010 @ 9:24 am

your hair is gorgeous! i wish i had a thick mane of curls.
love the e-embellished tees. sounds like an awesome package to receive!
Chelsea
January 22nd, 2010 @ 9:31 am

What a wonderful care package! The shirt is just lovely, and the earrings are so sweet! You look wonderful in this ensemble :)

Thanks for the hair update! I tried the conditioner only routine for a week, but I think my problem was using a silicone conditioner. Hello oily scalp! Since I normally have very little oil I was disturbed by this, but figured it was the silicone. Instead I use a sulfate-free shampoo from trader joes that I love (TJ brand “nourish spa”)… it’s only $2 or $3 and has a nice very light smell to it. I’m going to hit up the drugstore for a silicone free conditioner ASAP, since the corresponding conditioner doesn’t have enough scent to it, and I like my hair to smell pretty :)
Jennifer
January 22nd, 2010 @ 9:54 am

What brand of shampoo and conditioner did you use? I have been wanting to try a no-poo or low-poo for a while, but so far have only tried some non-silicone, natural products that just aren’t moisturizing enough. I know devachan has some good products, but they are so expensive! I’d love to know some good options to try!
Vanessa
January 22nd, 2010 @ 10:50 am

I love your hair like this!
healthy & homemade
January 22nd, 2010 @ 3:17 pm

Wow I’m loving this whole look! That tee is just too cool, and the earrings make me smile ^_^
admin
January 23rd, 2010 @ 1:19 am

Thanks foe your comments, everyone!

@Jennifer – I use an organic brand I got here in Germany but it’s pretty expensive. I like Chelsea’s recommendation of getting Trader Joe’s products because they’re usually pretty affordable and nice, so I think I will try those when I get to the US. Let me know if you try them and you like them too!

S
Amy
January 23rd, 2010 @ 7:38 am

I have curly hair similar to yours and have switched to all natural, SLS free, etc shampoo and conditioner. I still wash my hair everyday though b/c my hair gets frizzy/straightish from sleeping on it. If I can’t wash my hair in the morning, it HAS to go in a braid, ponytail, bun.

Do you have the same problem? If not, how do you get your curls to revive if not by taking a shower every day?
admin
January 23rd, 2010 @ 11:29 am

Amy, I know what you mean, my curls also look most curly after just being washed. But I find that if I wear a braid all of day 2, then by day 3, it’s got a nice post-braid soft curl in it all over again. So basically, each day looks a bit different and it’s never the same as day 1, but it’s not bad either. I also wear it up more on day 4 or 5, but it makes complicated updoes easier because the hair is less slippery and more likely to hold an updo well. I hope that answer makes sense – I basically just embrace how it looks different on each day. S.
Danielle
January 23rd, 2010 @ 1:32 pm

I must know where those earrings are from, they are so great!
Redcactusflower
January 23rd, 2010 @ 8:48 pm

Thanks for the Healthy Curls link – I’d been looking for a list of silicone free stuff for ages! Trader Joe’s hair products are great, as are the slightly pricier Giovanni Organics line. I recently got hooked on Whole Foods’ house brand conditioner as a “co-wash” and as a light leave-in so gel doesn’t dry out my hair. To revive my curls between washings, I spritz them with water in the morning and maybe add a little more gel.
ilana
January 24th, 2010 @ 2:50 pm

thanks for this great update on curly hair! It is so good to know of your findings because I, too, have a had a similar initial success and then a huge smell/dirty head for a while so this is a great help!
Alice
January 25th, 2010 @ 7:06 am

I’m on week four of no-poo. I’d been thinking about it for a while, then was inspired to finally try it by reading about your experiment. I’ve been doing the baking soda washes while using up my normal conditioner, and I think that’s been a mistake as it probably is not no-cone. My hair feels super healthy but slightly greasy, and the dandruff is just not clearing… :( Time to see what SLS-free shampoo I can find at Whole Foods. Thanks for chronicling that process!
Marie McGrath
January 25th, 2010 @ 9:08 am

I’ve always loved this skirt of yours! soooo pretty! I love how u paired it with the yellow flats, very cute!

http://www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com
Diana
January 26th, 2010 @ 1:25 pm

I love that embellished tee! It looks fantastic with that Boden skirt.
Anette
January 31st, 2010 @ 11:25 am

I love the skirt, it is so beautiful.
Amy
February 20th, 2010 @ 10:44 am

Boden skirt -

I absolutely adore this Boden skirt and have seen you pair it so well in many of your posts.

I am looking for this skirt and came across it in a size that is one off from the size I normally wear.

So, just wondering – does this Boden wrap skirt run large or small in your opinion? What size is yours for comparison? Could you size up or down in this skirt and still pull it off?

Thanks so much!