Review: Chantelle Rive Gauche tshirt bra

Goodbye, boobs. You were always good to me. As I've continued to work on trimming my body fat and building lean muscle, as expected, I have continued to drop in cup size. I am now sitting at a 30DD, and had to break down and purchase a new bra. The silver lining in this is that you get a new review.

The bra that I ended up purchasing is one that I've tried on many, many times, but never liked enough to buy until now. What changed, you ask? Well, I did. The reason I had always passed on this bra before was because I felt like it wasn't capable of containing my knockers. It's really adorable for a basic tshirt bra, but when it came down to it, I just didn't feel like it could handle what I had. Fast forward and now I'm several cup sizes smaller, and this bra actually does really well for me.

Appearance (5/5)
I actually think this bra is adorable for a basic, nude tshirt bra. The lace detail is very feminine and it looks cute on. This is the main reason I tried this bra on so many times before; I just thought it was so cute. It also gives a really great silhouette; very uplifted look and is smooth under tight fitting tshirts.

Comfort (5/5)
Yep, it's really, really comfortable. It actually feels like I have nothing on at all. Nothing digs, pokes or chafes. It's really great.

Fit (4.7/5)
I docked .3 points because the band is a little loose for a 30 and because the straps are not fully adjustable. It'd be nice if the band was tighter and I could fully adjust the straps, but that's honestly all that I would change about this bra. That being said, as I alluded to earlier, this bra is probably not suitable for super busty ladies. The band only goes down to a 30, and the cup only up to an F, so there is some limitation in terms of size anyway, but even when I was just a couple of cup sizes larger, I always felt like I wasn't getting enough support from it. Now that I've actually gotten quite small on top, it's really ideal. I'd say this bra would be best for smaller busts.

Overall (4.9/5)
I really do love this bra. It's cute and it's practical, but do bear in mind that it will only work for a very small subset of people who wear a 30 band or above and who are relatively small in the cup.

I realize I disappeared for a while + Freya Frankie review

Over the last couple of months, I have been working on both school and taking better care of myself. My fast, as I intended it, was a springboard into improving my lifestyle. For the majority of my life, I have maintained a healthy diet and exercise regimen, but the past couple of years, I've been so busy with school that I began to neglect my health, and I was beginning to feel it.

So, since ending the fast in late August, I have completely overhauled my eating and exercise habits, restoring them to what they once were, before school took hold of my life. I have been eating predominantly whole foods and exercising five times per week, mixing cardio, strength and yoga. I am happy to say that as a result, I've lowered my body fat by several percentage points, and have had tremendous increases in a variety of fitness markers.

However, we all know that along with losses in body fat come losses in bra size. Prior to reinvigorating my health, I was generally wearing size 30FF, and just starting to make my way into 30G. After losing some fat, I am sitting comfortably in a 30E. I am probably not done losing body fat, as I would prefer to get back down to the "athletic" range where I used to be, so my purchasing and reviewing of bras will be somewhat limited until I reach my final goal.

I did have to break down and get a new bra though, because literally all of the beautiful bras I bought and reviewed earlier this year no longer fit. I opted for the Freya Frankie in the white colorway, because I thought it was fun and loved the mix of different colors.
Appearance (5/5)
I love the flirty and fun multicolor dots against the white fabric. It's pretty, youthful and gives an excellent silhouette, as Freyas often do.

Comfort (5/5)
I have absolutely no complaints about this one. It's very comfortable and feels almost like I'm wearing nothing at all. The fabric is not itchy, and nothing pokes.

Fit (4.5/5)
This bra fits like a dream, however I did dock a half point because the band feels a bit looser than a standard 30 band. I don't think it would be enough for me to size down though. It should be noted that, as is typical of Freyas, the underwires are narrow and will be best suited to women who usually wear narrow underwires. It may not fit correctly on women who usually need wider underwires.

Overall (4.9/5)
Maybe it's just the psychology associated with this bra currently being the only one that fits me, but it's my favorite for the time being. It's extremely comfortable for everyday wear, and it looks great under clothes.

Check that label!: Methylisothiazolinone

Found in many conditioners and shampoos, methylisothiazolinone (MIT) is commonly used as a preservative to inhibit microbial growth.

Published in the Journal of Neuroscience in September of 2002 was one of the first studies into the safety of MIT. Although it has been used in personal care products for many years, there was inadequate information regarding its safety, leading a group of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to conduct a study of it.

There is increasing evidence supporting that environmental exposure to neurotoxic substances may lead to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

In the study, the researchers isolated rat cortical neurons and applied 100 micromolar MIT for only 10 minutes. Within 24 hours, the neurons underwent widespread cell death. They found that the reaction cascade caused by exposure to MIT resulted in the depletion of glutathione, a powerful endogenous antioxidant, and production of reactive oxygen species, which are free-radicals contributing to DNA damage.

Smaller doses of MIT administered over a long period of time also showed neurotoxic properties. While the smaller doses did not outright kill neurons, it did inhibit the growth of neurites, which are used to form connections between neurons, essential for different parts of your brain to be able to communicate with each other. This has some pretty obvious health implications for adults, but even more so for developing fetuses who may become exposed through the mother's toxicity.

While we're at it, I should probably mention parabens too, which are also preservatives, are known to be toxic and are probably more ubiquitous than MIT. Parabens have the ability to mimic estrogen and because they are easily absorbed into the skin and are lipophilic, they may accumulate in the body. Studies have shown them to be particularly concentrated in breast tissue, and have found them to induce the growth of cancerous breast tissue.

I ventured over to the local drugstore to pick up a few things and couldn't help peruse the hair and skincare aisles to do some label checking. Although I didn't track specific numbers, I estimate that well over 50% of the labels I checked contained MIT, and probably closer to 90-95% of things I looked at contained at least one paraben.

So what does all this mean for you? Although you should bear in mind that all of this data is not yet conclusive, an increasing amount of evidence does support that these compounds may very well not be safe for use. In the end, I think that knowledge is power; as long as consumers are well-informed about the potential safety concerns of the things they use in their everyday lives, then each individual person is free to decide whether they feel the risk is worth taking.

Sources:
In Vitro Neurotoxicity of Methylisothiazolinone, a Commonly Used Industrial and Household Biocide, Proceeds via a Zinc and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Dependent Pathway

Toxic Effects of the Easily Avoidable Phthalates and Parabens

A lesson in proper bra fitting

Maheda is well known in Poland as an expert bra fitter. She has a series of videos on Youtube, showing the difference that can be made by wearing the correct bra size, and this is an example of one of her fittings. In this video, the model is originally wearing a 34C (75C) and Maheda fits her into a 30FF (65FF). The difference the right size can make is huge.

This video has English captions if you do not speak Polish; if the captions do not automatically show up when you start playing the video, just push the [cc] button down at the bottom of the video and it should display the captions.

Homemade mascara

I love mascara. It is my favorite cosmetic ever, and I would forsake all other cosmetics for it. The only problem I really have with it is that often it is quite thoroughly loaded with all kinds of weird chemicals. If you want to get one that is not chemical-saturated, it's definitely going to cost you. Well, being a broke student entangled in a complex love affair with mascara, I decided I needed to find a solution that doesn't involve drugstore mascara.

I am attempting to make my own mascara with the following ingredients:
- purified water
- avocado oil
- activated charcoal or cosmetic grade black iron oxide
- candelilla or beeswax
- vitamin E oil

This ingredient list is a composite I've created from a number of different recipes; no one recipe looked good to me, so I picked bits and pieces from multiple different recipes and essentially created my own. I don't know what proportions I should mix these in, but I figured I'd wing it until I get what looks to be a good consistency. I'm not sure if this is going to work, but it seems like it would: the oil providing the slip, the wax providing a bit of thickness, and the vitamin E oil serving as a mild preservative. We'll see though.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional cosmetic manufacturer, and to be quite honest I don't know much about making cosmetics at all, so if you choose to try this recipe, I am in no way, shape or form responsible for anything that might happen to you. Proceed at your own risk.

*photo by AndreaNicole

There's an app for that: a review of the Bra-Fitter app for iPhone and iTouch

It was only $1.99, so I figured what the heck, and I bought the Bra-Fitter app for my iPod; and being endorsed by Stanikomania, I figured it was probably a pretty good calculator.

That being said, it is both good and bad at the same time. Naturally, I first tried it out by entering in my own measurements, and voila, it returned my correct bra size. However, I decided to test it with a variety of different measurements, to get a feel for its consistency. I entered in 25 inches for the rib measurement and 35 for the bust measurement, for which it returned the size 30E, which will be too large for a person with a 25 inch ribcage. I also tried it on the other end of the spectrum and the results were only marginally more acceptable. Here is what I think this thing is doing: for rib measurements under 28 inches, it is adding 4 to 5 inches to the underbust measurement, and for larger rib measurements, it is adding 2 to 3 inches. One quite silly contradiction that occurs with this is that a 27 inch ribcage is recommended a larger band than a 28 inch ribcage.

It seemed pretty wonky to me to begin with and I wondered why it would be adding all kinds of inches? Then it occurred to me that I believe this app was developed by Polish bra fitters, and one of the most important things in Polish bra fitting is to have the firmest underbust measurement possible. The prevalent bra fitting advice in Poland is to exhale all the air from your lungs and take the absolute tightest underbust measurement possible. For me, this decreases my measurement by a whopping two inches, which may well make all the difference in the world when using this calculator. Out of curiosity, I then clicked the help button, which took me to a FAQ page. Here is an excerpt from the page:

"Most professional bra-fitters nowadays say that after getting the measures [sic] done it is usually wise to go down [in] the band size (and up a cup size), especially if you are larger-busted."

Although this measuring technique obviously must be considered in order to use this calculator, there are some other excellent stand-alone features. Probably one of the best features is a size troubleshooter, which can be particularly useful for sizing down one band, as quoted in the FAQ above. After the calculator generates a bra size based on your measurements, there is an additional screen that will help you troubleshoot problems with the recommended size. For example, if the band feels too big, or is riding up, it will suggest smaller band sizes, with the appropriate cup sizes for you to try. I think this alone is useful. Another useful feature is size conversion between all the major sizing systems: UK, US, Continental, French, Australian and Japanese, as well as sizing charts that are specific to individual brands. The sizing charts for individual brands could be wildly useful, just because there is so much variation in sizing systems between brands.

Altogether, it's your call whether you think this app could be useful for you and at only $1.99 USD, it's not expensive. I'd be interested in seeing if this works for people when they use the Polish method of taking the underbust measurement, although I do believe that this calculator will be too unreliable for those with sub-28 rib measurements, as well as those with ribcages above 32 inches. However, if you want to reliably find your bra size and don't need all the other bells and whistles of this app, THIS is the best calculator I've found so far.

*photos are from Stanikomania and the official bra-fitter website

Oils by skin type

I posted a while back on using oil to cleanse your face, also known as the oil cleansing method. The most important factor in using the oil cleansing method successfully is to figure out what oils to use. There are different oils that are appropriate for different types of skin and even the proportions in which you mix those oils can make a difference, although determining proportions is usually by trial and error.

Here is a brief list of oils by skin type:

Oily - jojoba, grape seed
Dry - olive, sweet almond
Normal - olive, sweet almond, avocado
Acne prone or sensitive - jojoba, grape seed, sweet almond

It should also be noted that castor oil, which is commonly used as a carrier oil, can be drying, so if you have dry skin, you may want to avoid castor, or at the very least, mix it in lower proportion to a heavier, more moisturizing oil.

Additionally, if you'd like to add essential oils to your oil mixture, tea tree tends to be good for oily, or acne-prone skin, while lavender does well with dry skin.

What's the deal with protein?

If you're thinking about switching to a CO-wash regimen, or are currently CO-washing and trying to find the best conditioner for your hair, you'll want to figure out if your hair likes or dislikes protein. Some conditioners contain proteins, sometimes under names like biotin, or other times under more direct names like soy protein. Some conditioners don't contain proteins at all. Figuring this out is necessary for you to get the most benefits from CO-washing.

There are a couple of things you can look for as symptoms of protein-sensitive hair. If, when using a conditioner that contains protein, your hair becomes drier, tangles easier, becomes more straw or hay-like, these are the first signs that your hair dislikes protein. These are not typically resolved by adding more moisturizing products to your hair. Increasing the frequency of conditioning with the protein conditioner, or continuing it over a long period of time will increase these negative effects on the hair. These effects can only be combated by ceasing to use the protein conditioner altogether and switching to a non-protein conditioner.

On the other hand, some hair absolutely loves protein, and a protein containing conditioner will leave the hair silky smooth and beautiful. The only way to figure out what your hair likes is to experiment with different conditioners. In my personal experience, my hair is not a fan of protein, and I experience drier hair and a gross buildup-y type of feeling. I don't experience any of these problems with non-protein conditioners.

Review: Tresemme Naturals conditioner

Tresemme keeps coming out with new variations of their Naturals line of silicone-free conditioners, so every time I see a new one, I have to try it. The newest one I found is called 'Vibrantly Smooth' and contains coconut and jojoba oils. The two previous variations I've tried, sweet orange and avocado/aloe, have worked equally well for CO-washing, and I can't speak more highly of them. All of the conditioners have very similar smells, and it's difficult to tell them apart, unless you sniff them one right after the other.

I figured it's probably about time to write a formal review on these conditioners, now that I've been using them for months. I think I grabbed my first bottle of Tresemme Naturals in about February. I was combing through the local drugstore for a different conditioner that was perhaps cheaper than what I was using at the time (Desert Essence Organics). I didn't want to use Suave, despite being a very popular conditioner for CO-washing, because it contains methylisothiazolinone.

Starting with the ingredient list, it is not perfectly clean, but it is much less offensive than the majority of other conditioners I've seen. The conditioners, as they advertise, are free of silicones, which is excellent for those on a no poo regimen. Instead of the silicones, they contain stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, which is a lipid-based emulsifier, and also a cationic surfactant. It serves as a conditioning agent, but it is obviously more lightweight than silicones, which prevents buildup that can sabotage your no poo hair. There is some alcohol, although I have not found the alcohol to be at all drying. It also contains lauroyl lysine, which is an amino acid, the building blocks of protein. Although you might suspect this would be bad news for hair that tends to hate protein, I have protein-hating hair and have had no problems with this conditioner. None of these ingredients have any known toxicity or danger of bioaccumulation (unlike methylisothiazolinone).

Using the conditioners, they all seem very similar, with the more moisturizing versions (aloe/avocado and coconut/jojoba) being only slightly heavier than the volumizing sweet orange version. You might want to consider this if you have issues with your hair being weighed down, but if that's not a problem for you, then there is very little difference between the three versions I've tried. These conditioners have good slip and coat the hair very well. They also rinse out quite easily compared to other conditioners I've tried. The fragrance is strong, but not overly sweet. I personally think these conditioners smell amazing, although if you are sensitive to strong smells, I think you'll want to give it a sniff before picking it up.

These conditioners do a bang up job of detangling my hair, and leave it soft and smooth with minimal flyaways. In short, these are the best conditioners I've used for CO-washing and I have no intention of switching any time soon.

*photos are promo pictures from the Tresemme website

Review: Freya Arabella and Monet, plus the Nordstrom Rack is amazing

I am convinced that the Nordstrom Rack is actually located in an alternate universe where awesome undies are hella cheap. Within the last few days I have scored two Freya sets for around about $25 USD (£15) each. The Rack has a full range of sizes, but when you get into larger cup sizes, the selection is a little hit-or-miss. But I got lucky; when I saw the $20 price tag on the Arabella, I swooped it away to the dressing room, where I was thrilled to find it fit perfectly. I also found the Freya Monet for another $20. The matching panties for both of these were around $5 each. That is quite a bit cheaper than anything I've seen on British eBay. From now on, I think the Rack will for sure be my first stop when buying bras and underwear.

Now I've never met a Freya bra I didn't like, and these two are no exception. The Arabella gives a beautiful round silhouette, while the Monet is perkier and slightly pointier, but still very nice. Both are comfortable, but the Arabella has a slightly stretchier band than the Monet. They are made of high quality materials that do not itch or chafe.

In terms of aesthetics, these bras are so beautiful. The bold color of the Arabella is sure to make a statement, while I love the soft watercolor print on the Monet, with it's pink ruffles at the bottom. Both are great for everyday wear and at $25 for the set, you can hardly go wrong.

Review: Curvy Kate Thrill Me Bra

I just received my Curvy Kate Thrill Me in the mail, so time to review it. Based on my limited experience with the brand, it seems that sizing runs fairly consistent through the CK line, although there are some very minor differences in the fit between the Thrill Me and the Tease Me.

Appearance (5/5)
The color on this bra is a vibrant blue, with dramatic pink detail. The two colors really go very well together. The cups are made of a smooth, shiny satiny material on the outside and a comfy tee-like material on the inside. The overall appearance of the set is beautiful. This was definitely made to be seen. The bold color does make it visible under lighter colored tees, and the ruffles are definitely visible under thin shirts, but even just a medium weight tee hides this.

Comfort (5/5)
Surprisingly very comfortable. The material is soft, not itchy and there is no poking or jabbing anywhere. The straps are not too wide set, making them comfortable and avoiding them digging in when reaching forward.

Fit (4.5/5)
The band is noticeably stretchier than the Tease Me, however, I hope this won't be a problem. It also seems that the cups may be just ever so slightly smaller than the Tease Me. I (surprisingly) may have been able to get away with a G cup, as it is a bit tight on my larger breast, but I think the ruffles do a good job of masking any effects from that, so I will stick with the FF. It fits my smaller breast perfectly.

Overall (4.8/5)
Probably my favorite Curvy Kate bra so far. It is lovely, the colors are great and the comfort is amazing. It's a bra that looks suitable for special occasions, but is comfortable enough for everyday wear - which is precisely what I'm looking for.

Review: Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless

After the better part of a month (!) my Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless finally arrived in the mail. I ordered it in two sizes from Figleaves - 32E and 32F - because I'd read from other reviews that the cup size might come up a little on the small side. Let me tell you, this bra is nothing short of a feat of engineering. There are no underwires, but rather a piece of plastic that provides the support. The band is quite tight, so I'm glad I opted for the 32, as the 30 would have been much too tight.

Appearance (5/5)
This bra is beautiful. The lace overlay is very feminine and the overall look and construction of the bra is very aesthetically pleasing. This bra definitely wins on looks. I contemplated buying the plain nude color instead, but in the end, this one was just too pretty - I had to get it, despite the fact that I can't wear it under lighter tops.

Comfort (3/5)
While this is far from the most comfortable bra I've ever had, I've come to expect this from a strapless. The primary issue with comfort is that this bra is a piece of armor. Trust me, you'll never forget that you have it on. It feels like a breast plate. Definitely not soft and pliable, but again, this is what I expected.

Fit (4/5)
My only real complaint about the fit of this bra is that the cups come up pretty high on the sides on me. The problem with this is that I have some minor armpit rolls that I'm dealing with, and when I first put the bra on, the rolls are in the cups and not creating anything unsightly. However, as soon as I lift my arms, they pop out, and unless I manually place them back in the cups, they just flop over the edge, essentially accentuating them. Not good. The only solution I could see for this is a lower cut cup on the sides - low enough that the rolls and the cup never meet, so the rolls can't fold over the cup. Anyway, I know this is bad for tissue migration, but since this will only be an occasional bra, I will let it slide. It passed the 'jump test' which is more than I can say for any other strapless I've ever tried. I jumped up and down for about a minute and this thing didn't budge. The cups did seem to come up quite small - I was busting out of the 32E and can just barely get everything in the 32F. I might have even done better in a 32FF, but sadly Wonderbra does not make this bra past an F cup.

Overall (3.7/5)
In general, this is a pretty good strapless. It gives a decent shape under clothes and it certainly does what a strapless bra should - it doesn't move. I'll keep it because it's the best thing I've found to date, and my only real complaint with it is the accentuation of the armpit rolls.

Do you have a strapless you absolutely love? If so, let me know so I can give it a try!

Updated Review: Curvy Kate Tease Me Bra

I am really happy to write this update. I washed the bra and wore it for two days, and I am thrilled to report that the strange boxy shape on the right breast has become beautifully rounded, just like the left breast. The wash seems to have softened the cups up a bit, making them more pliable, so that they hug my shape better. So, here is my updated review:

Appearance (4.9/5)
This is exactly the same as before.

Comfort (4/5)
Again, still the same as before, although, I feel I should qualify why I docked one point off - the shoulder straps are very wide. They dig in slightly when I reach for something, but it's not a huge deal and certainly won't stop me from wearing this beautiful bra. But it is something to think about if you are really bothered by wide straps.

Fit (4.5/5)
Fits very well, give a lovely, rounded silhouette. I'm really, really glad the squarish shape is gone from the right breast, because I think this bra is so pretty and I wanted it to work out for me so badly. Fortunately, it did!

Overall (4.3/5)
In general, this is a wonderful bra, and I will absolutely be buying more from Curvy Kate. The beauty, style and comfort cannot be beat at this price. I only hope they break into the US market sooner than later; we really need beautiful bras that cater to larger cups and smaller backs here.

I also wish I could find the ivory/coral Ella bra in a 30FF, now that I know my CK size, but I think it might be too late, as it seems to be sold out pretty much everywhere.

*Note: My methodology for coming up with the 'overall' rating was by taking the weighted average of the three previous categories in order of their importance to me, with comfort being the highest priority, fit coming second and appearance coming third.

Review: Curvy Kate Tease Me Bra

After many months of eying it, I finally broke down and ordered the Tease Me bra from Curvy Kate. It is one of their most popular bras, and I ordered it in a beautiful green color, which was on sale for about £19 ($37 after shipping) at lovebras. At first I was a little hesitant about what size to order - I mean, I know lovebras does returns, but seriously, why would I want to blow money on return shipping? I bought another Curvy Kate bra about a month ago on eBay; it was the Ella bra, and I ordered it in a 32E, because I'd heard that CK runs a little small in the band. Definitely not true for the Ella; the band is super stretchy. I also found the cup fit to be too small. Given this, I decided to order the Tease Me in a 30FF.

It finally came in the mail today. As an aside, the ordering process through lovebras was very easy (this was my first purchase from them), but if you live in the US, be forewarned that shipping is relatively slow. It took close to two weeks for the bra to arrive, although I'm not sure how much of that time was spent in customs.

So, I'm going to go about this review somewhat systematically:

Appearance (4.9/5)
My first impression upon pulling the bra out of its packaging was that it's actually more beautiful than I had expected. The green is very vibrant and is set off nicely by the black mesh. Very stylish, and great attention to detail. I docked off 0.1 points because I think it would be more elegant if the bows were a bit thinner/smaller. That's a minor nitpicky thing though. On the whole, it's probably the most beautiful bra I own.

Comfort (4/5)
The bra generally feels quite comfortable, and is comparable to any of my Freya bras in terms of comfort. There may be some very slight itchiness in the cups, but I find this with most bras, and it generally becomes less of an issue after one or two washes. The band is relatively stretchy, but in general, I feel that the 30 band was a good choice for me.

Fit (???/5)
So here is where I'm still the foggiest. Ordering one size up in the cup was definitely an excellent choice. If I had ordered my regular 30F size, I'd be busting out of these cups, just like I do in the Ella. I like the way it fits my smaller breast, but there are some fit issues on my larger breast. The top edges of the cups are somewhat rigid, and stand out against the larger one, while the smaller one is just small enough that it lies at the correct angle and doesn't stick out. I read on Balkonetka that there are some girls who've had similar fit problems with the Tease Me, where the rigid cup edge stands out against them, creating sort of a boxy profile, but they seem to say that after some wash and wear that the edge begins to lay flat and it's not so much a problem anymore. So, I'm going to give it a chance, wear it a bit (boxy larger breast be darned), and see if it changes at all. The silhouette created on my smaller breast is very rounded and essentially perfect.

Updates will definitely follow! If this bra ends up working out well, I've next got my eye on the Thrill Me, possibly in cobalt/fuchsia - what a beautiful color combo!

Cowl Time!

Madelinetosh Honey Cowl

If there's one thing I love, it's making things. The most recent project I've started is a cowl that I'm knitting, based on the Madelinetosh Honey Cowl pattern that's available for free on the Madelinetosh website.

I'm knitting it up in a similar green color with Cascade 220 superwash. It's going a little slow, just because I haven't had as much time as I would like to work on it, but I'm probably 1/5 of the way done. So far, it's turning out really nice; I can't wait until it's finished.

No Poo and Styling

A lot of people wonder when they first decide to go no poo how they will need to change their styling habits. I know I did. Heat styling and the use of styling products are usually the two biggest questions.

In terms of styling with product, it's not necessary to stop using styling product - I would just say don't use anything you can't get out with whatever alternate method you're using to wash your hair. Baking soda can most certainly get out just about anything, but based on my own personal experience, using baking soda daily is probably just as bad as shampooing daily; at the very least, it's every bit as drying. If you're doing WO washes exclusively, it's probably best to steer clear of product altogether, because getting product out with just water is going to be difficult to borderline impossible, depending on what you're using; you're certainly going to have an issue with buildup. One of the great things I've found with CO is that you can get most things out with it. I still CO on a daily basis, and my hair is loving it. So, after I wash my hair, I use a little spritz of a detangler called Repair Me by Lamas, and I also usually dab a bit of coconut oil on my ends. Both of these come out fine with my daily CO. Most things, including hairspray and mousse I've found come out quite easily with CO; my only recommendation would be try to avoid things with silicone, as these can be more stubborn to get out and can build up over time, making your hair look limp and oily.

Now for heat styling. This is really just a matter of personal choice. I decided to go no poo because my hair was trashed from shampooing and heat styling. After going for over a year without shampooing, I've found that my hair is healthy enough that I no longer need to do much heat styling to make it look good. But in reality, if you just don't think you can give up heat styling, don't let that deter you from going no poo. Think about it: both heat styling and shampoo are damaging to your hair, so if you choose to cut out shampooing but continue heat styling, you're still reducing the amount of damage you're doing to your hair by quite a bit. In any case, regardless of your styling choices, your hair will probably ultimately thank you for skipping on the harsh detergents.

OCM: Oil Cleansing Method

So, I will be the first to admit that I thought this sounded completely crazy when I first heard about it. I have got some pretty wacky skin that is somehow oily and dry all at the same time (?). I thought it sounded absurd to wash my face with oil, but the only thing that's really absurd about it is that more people aren't doing it.

I first tried the oil cleansing method back in January of this year. I figured since I don't use shampoo on my hair, what's stopping me from ditching soap on my face? So the deal is, you mix some oils together, usually castor oil and some other kind of oil like jojoba or olive, depending on your skin. I personally used olive. I mixed it about 70/30 olive/castor. You then take the oil mixture and massage an ample amount into your skin; you want to spend about 3-5 minutes massaging your face with the oil. While you're massaging, you want to have a towel soaking in hot water. Once you're done with the massaging, wring out the towel and drape it over your face and let it sit until the towel essentially cools to near room temperature (only takes a couple minutes). Then use the towel to gently wipe the excess oil from your skin. I swear your skin will feel amazing. I don't do it every day, only because sometimes I'm so tired by the time I get to bed, I just don't have it in me to spend 10 minutes on my face.

It's also a great way to remove makeup - since most makeup is oil-based, oil is the most effective method for removing it. This method also avoids the harsh drying effect of many detergent based facial cleansers, and is about as squeaky clean as you can get, in terms of ingredient lists. It does a very good job at cleansing, and I've had absolutely no problems with breakouts using this method.

While I'm at it, I may as well do another little no poo update. I'm on month 15, I think, of no poo and I've pretty much got things down to a science. I'm still CO-washing daily, and my hair is loving it! I finally went and got a haircut about a month and a half ago. I just CO-washed my hair before going, and it was still wet when I got to my hairdresser, so she said it wasn't necessary to wash it again... whew, dodged a poo! I can't believe the condition it's in; it's so healthy. She cut off probably close to 6-8 inches, so what's left is in great shape. I'm still using the Tresemme Naturals no silicone conditioner for CO-wash, although I'm currently using it in the Radiant Orange scent. Apparently, this one is volumizing the and Avocado and Aloe one is moisturizing, but to be honest, I really can't tell much of a difference between the two. They both smell good and work equally well as CO-washes. I takes me about 5-6 weeks to get all the way through a bottle.

Does your bra fit?

Does your bra poke you, cause back, neck or shoulder pain, or do you look like you're sagging even with your bra on? Do you have rolls of fat in your armpits? If so, you are likely wearing the wrong bra size.

This is a very common problem among women and can be a huge source of discomfort. The most common mistake is wearing a back band that is too large and compensating with cups that are too small. The problem originates in using archaic measuring methods on bras constructed of modern materials. When the bra was first introduced, it was made of linen, which doesn't stretch. The patterns that bras were cut from required that the wearer add 4 to 5 inches to their underbust measurement in order to get a good fit. Nowadays, bras are constructed of highly elasticated materials cut from the same old patterns; however, many people are still also using the old fitting method. Because newer bras can stretch several inches, this now results in band that is much too large. The majority of the support should be coming from the back band, so if you have a band that is too loose, the weight of your bust is inappropriately distributed to shoulders, and the underwires will dig in and rub, causing tremendous discomfort.

Here are some examples of a poor fit:

1) This red line marks where the actual breast tissue is. As you can see from this, the cups are very clearly too small and sitting on top of the breast tissue.
2) The center gore of the bra is not laying flat on the sternum; rather it is pushed out away from the sternum, another indication that the cups are too small.
3) The back band is hitching a ride north.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself that may indicate you are wearing the wrong size:

1) does your back band ride up your back (i.e. it doesn't sit horizontally, parallel to the floor, but rather angles upward?)
2) can you pull your back band out more than 2 inches from your back?
3) do your shoulder straps take most of the weight of your bust and leave grooves in your shoulders?
4) do your breasts appear to sag, even when you have a bra on?
5) do you suffer from back or neck pain?
6) when you lift your arms, does your band pull away from your ribcage?

All of these are signs that your back band is too big. A band that is too big will make your breasts look saggy (when the back goes up, the front goes down).

Moving onto the cups, underwire should not ever be uncomfortable. If it sits properly, encasing the breast tissue completely, it will provide support for the breasts, rather than causing pain. If your cups are too small, then you can't fit your entire breast in the cup, resulting in some of the breast tissue being alienated from the cup. Over time, this tissue finds a new permanent home and often ends up in some place you don't want it, like your armpits. Fat rolls in your armpits are oftentimes migrated breast tissue, that has gone in search of other places to live, because there's no room for it in too-small cups. This can be remedied only by wearing the correct bra size and inviting all that tissue back into the cups.

Although I am an advocate of not using a measuring tape to find your bra size, I acknowledge that this is the only way really possible when giving instructions over the internet. So grab your tape measure. You'll want to put on your best fitting bra in order to take these measurements.

First, measure under your bust, making sure the measuring tape is parallel to the floor. This measurement needs to be quite tight, and you should exhale the air from your lungs before taking this measurement to get the smallest measurement possible. Don't worry about how tight the tape feels; your bra won't be this tight, because it's elastic and stretches, while the tape measure doesn't. Write this number down.

Next, you're going to take your bust measurement. You'll want to measure loosely over the largest part of your bust, again keeping the tape parallel to the floor. If your breasts sag, you might want to lean forward slightly to take this measurement, in order to be more accurate. Write this number down as well.

Now, take those two measurements and enter them into this calculator.

The size the calculator returns might look completely absurd to you, but that's only because places like Victoria's Secret has done such a great job of making women believe that the only sizes that exist are 32-38 A-D.

Keep in mind that the bra size given by calculator is only a ballpark estimate, and you must try bras on to make sure that they fit. You'll want to go someplace that has a wide selection of sizes - in the US, I recommend Nordstrom - and grab the size the calculator recommended for you, as well as several sizes around that size. For example, if the calculator recommended you try a 30F, you'll want to grab the following sizes to try: 30F, 30FF, 30E, 32DD, 32E, and 32F.

When you are trying on your bras, it is critical that you put them on correctly. Many women just toss their bras on, but there's actually a right way and a wrong way to put them on. To correctly put on your bra, you'll want to fasten the band, and place your breasts in the cup, slipping the straps over your shoulders. Then you'll want to take your hands and scoop the tissue under your armpits into the cups. Then give yourself a jiggle to settle into the cups and make sure the straps are correctly adjusted to a 2-finger tension.

Now you'll want to assess whether the bra you're wearing fits. Here are the things you should look for:

1) The back band should be very firm on the loosest hook, and you should not be able to pull it more than an inch or two from your back. Any farther than this, and the band is too big. However, if you cannot comfortably slide two fingers under your bra band, it is too tight.

2) The back band should be sitting horizontally all the way around your body, and should not be riding up toward the back. If the band is angled up toward the back, it is too big.

3) When you raise your arms, the bra should remain rooted firmly against your ribcage. If it pulls away, the band is too big.

4) The center gore of the bra should sit flat against your sternum. If it sticks out, your cups are too small.

5) The tops of the cups should make a smooth line with the tops of your breasts. If the materials digs into the tops of your breasts, the cups are too small. If there is excess material and bagging at the top of the cups, the cups are too big. However, if you have the material cutting in at the top of your breasts, but you have wrinkling and bagging at the nipple or bottom of the cup, it actually means the cup is too small.

6) The underwire should sit behind the breast tissue, completely encasing it. It should not sit on top of it; if it is, the cup is too small.

If you need to change band sizes, it is important to note that cup sizes are relative to band sizes, i.e. the cup on a 34B is NOT the same as the cup on a 32B. The 34B cup is one cup size larger than the 32B. A 32C has a cup volume equivalent to the cup volume of the 34B. So if you go down a band size, you need to go up one cup size, and if you go up one band size, you need to go down one cup size.

It may also be important to note that if, when trying your new bra size, you feel that the band size is too small, it may actually be that the cups are too small, pulling the band taught and making it feel tighter than it actually is. Always try going up a cup. The correct cup size should be the largest cup size you can fill out completely.

One other important note is that you should try on different styles of bras, because the wrong bra style in the right size will still cause fitting problems. Particularly, you'll want to see if you need wide or narrow underwires. For narrow underwires, try Freya, and for wide underwires, try Panache.

Also note that lingerie advertisements largely cannot be trusted. Most often, models are placed in atrociously fitting bras and the most obvious problems are simply photoshopped away. It's important to find bra retailers that offer a wide range of sizes; trust me, sizes like 30F, or even 28J exist! Going shopping at a store that offers an abysmal range of sizes almost guarantees you'll be put into the wrong size.

Month 13

Time again for another update. I am still going with CO-washing, although I have changed up my routine quite a bit. A little over a month ago, I noticed that the local drugstore had a new conditioner by Tresemme Naturals that had no silicone. I checked out the ingredient list, and while it's not quite as good as Desert Essence Organics or Aubrey Organics, I decided to give it a try. The results have been amazing. I got it in the Avocado and Aloe scent and it smells so good. I have also bumped up my CO-washing routine to daily. I wasn't sure if my hair would get too dried out from washing it daily, but it hasn't. It's very soft and moisturized, and it looks thick and healthy. So, for now anyway, I am sold on CO-washing daily with Tresemme Avocado and Aloe conditioner. It's about $6 a bottle, and I've been on the same bottle for over a month now; it seems to take less product to get my hair clean than other brands.