CURSE YOU, MARIO KART.

I think it's safe to say that I am addicted to Mario Kart. I used to play it when I was younger at my friend's house on his N64, but there was about a nine or so year period when I didn't play it at all. A couple months ago my boyfriend mentioned that he wanted to play the game so I ordered it online for my Wii. It came in the mail, I played it once, annnnnd... I can't stop. Well I can, but you know what I mean. It's honestly ridiculous. Mario Kart is the simplest game ever but it toys with my emotions like nothing else (except my ex). Here are my typical reactions to different cc's:

50cc: "LOLLLLLLLLL y'all can kiss my speedy ASS."
100cc: "Dude. What's your problem? Seriously."
150cc: "For f*ck sakes. BACK THE F*CK OFF."
Mirror: "PEACH, YOU (*#@. I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU AND YOUR FAMILY."

Usually by then I throw the Wiimote and storm off somewhere. And then come back and play again. It's probably really amusing for anyone watching...not so amusing for me unless I'm winning.

Play at your own risk.

All the best,

Average Allie

Get rid of those split ends

Your hair isn't all the same length, so if you're trying to grow it out just trimming it every two or so months might not cut it (tee hee hee, pun). You may have dry or split ends throughout your hair that won't be removed from a simple trim and that means they can continue to dry and split further up the shaft, leaving your hair dull, brittle, and tangly.
Every two weeks or so in my spare time I'll have a sit down to watch a movie and I'll look for damaged ends to cut off. It's not difficult at all and your hair will thank you for it.
Start from the top of your head. Take a small chunk of hair and gently comb it out so it lays flat. Then weave the strand between two of your fingers so that when you run your hand from the base of the hair to the end, you can see the different lengths sticking up. Trim off any broken, brittle, or split ends. I like to do this about four times on each strand of hair, flipping it over to the other side as well. When you're done with the strand, just clip it up!

I've only been doing this for about a month or so, but I've noticed that my hair is a lot less tangly and feels much smoother. And I sort of find this relaxing, almost like taking a bath :P

All the best,
Average Allie

My favourite salad

I love being healthy, and being healthy starts with your diet. People usually giggle at or look past the "you are what you eat" cliché, but it is so true. At the beginning of the summer I wanted to start getting more fruits and vegetables into my diet since they are the most important food group for us, so I made it a habit to buy salad mix each time I go to the grocery store. Let's be honest, nobody has enough willpower to cut up a head of lettuce when they've got the munchies.
For the last three weeks or so, I've been eating a TON of greek salad and I'm not even close to getting sick of it. It tastes amazing and is extremely good for you. Here's what I throw in it:

-2 handfuls of mixed salad greens (spinach, romaine, etc.)
-1/3 of a red onion
-1/4 can of black olives
-1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
-1/2 a tomato
-1/3 of a cucumber

And although these aren't traditional ingredients in greek salad, I put about 1/2 of a bell pepper in it and sometimes a couple of mushrooms. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and omgittastessogood. And NO, I don't eat it all at once (although I'd really like to...). It lasts me two to three days until I have to make it again.

This salad is very low in calories but fills me up pretty well. It's also a source of vitamins A, B, and C, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, fibre, unsaturated fat, and antioxidants. So EAT IT.

All the best,
Average Allie

Sally Ann Jeans

Todayyyyyy....I went to the Salvation Army again. Bad me. BAD ALLIE. But not really. I save a lot of money shopping there. Anywhoser, they had some pretty nice jeans in (Diesel, Levi's, etc.) and I bought two pairs and they only cost me $12 :)

Hokay, so the pair on the left are Armor Jeans and I honestly have no idea what they originally retail for. I have never seen them in any stores I have shopped at and I even tried googling them but the only site that was actually linked to these jeans was in Turkish... They seem to be a pretty good quality jean though and they make my butt look awwwwesommmme. 

The pair on the right are just Bluenotes jeggings which sell for about $30+. These are my first pair of jeggings and I didn't even know in the store that that is what they were. At first I was actually kind of confused because I went to zip them up after doing the button and there was no zipper to be found... I was like WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?!?! But I quickly got over it. They felt like angels on my legs and ass and I wanted them badly.

Both pairs literally look brand new and there are no stains or rips or snags anywhere on them. So again, check out your nearest Sally Ann. You never know if there are jeans there just waitin' to juicify your tushy.

All the best, 

Average Allie

Why you may be tired

Being tired sucks, especially when taking a nap or going to bed isn't an option. If you aren't living an overly active lifestyle and are unsure of why you are so sleepy, here are some things to consider:

1) You clearly aren't getting enough sleep. Adults need at least 7 hours every night in order to stay healthy and well-rested. A prolonged lack of sleep can contribute to a weakened immune system, psychological problems, weight gain, diabetes, and heart problems. Plus nobody likes being around a tired ol' grump.

2) You are mildly dehydrated. Even though you aren't even thirsty yet, your body is aching for water (you are up to 70% H2O!) so it is important that you stay hydrated throughout the day. Water is the Holy Grail of all beverages and will do your body and your brain so much good if you drink at least three tall glasses every day.

3) The weather is playing tricks with you. It's likely that you may be getting too much sun or too little sun. If the weather is grey and miserable, try taking vitamin D supplements. It's more of a hormone than a vitamin, but it has some serious benefits for your bones, teeth, immune system, and overall mood. If it IS sunny where you are but you just have it out for the sun, try to go outside just for five minutes. That way you won't have to take any vitamin D and your body will also kick into the vitamin K production (good for the bones, heart, and mind). You may also be getting too much sun. The light could be tiring out your eyes and the heat may be causing your body to want a siesta. Think about it.

4) You are slightly deficient in vitamin b12 and should consider supplements. This micronutrient helps metabolize other substances within the body and a deficiency really affects the mind. It can cause neurological symptoms such as drowsiness, irritability, trouble with memory, and slow reaction times.

5) You don't have enough iron in the blood. I can't stress enough about how important iron is when it comes to fatigue. We need oxygen in order to live and function, but in order for the oxygen to be carried around in the blood it needs iron. If you don't have enough iron, you'll feel slow, weak, and drowsy overall. Don't believe me? Google "anemia"!

Try making a slight change in your diet or lifestyle. It could make all the difference for you :)

All the best,
Average Allie

Olive oil your hair!

Looking for a hair treatment that is convenient and affordable? I was a couple months ago since I'm a broke student and one day I thought to myself, "Why can't I just use olive oil?" Basically everyone has it in their house and it's a natural and inexpensive way of treating your hair!

I'll admit, the first little while I was using olive oil I didn't really see a big difference because my hair was just so dried out and damaged that there was no way it was going to magically restore itself overnight. Now that my hair is MUCH better I can most definitely see its effects. I only use it once a week and not much is needed.

How I oil my hair:

1. Make sure hair is dry and brushed out.
2. Section off hair around the head for a more thorough application.
3. Take some olive oil in your hand and finger comb it through the section of hair.
4. Take a comb or brush (preferably an older one) and gently work the olive oil through so all the hairs are covered.
5. Once all sections of hair are oiled, you can either wrap it up in a towel or sleep on it (depending on when you shower, etc.). If I do this during the day I heat the towel up in the drier so that my hair takes in the oil better. Leave it in your hair as long as you desire, but the longer the better!

Doing this will gradually restore the natural oil to your hair that leaves it stronger, smoother, and shinier! :)

All the best,
Average Allie

Freeman Facial Enzyme Mask

For some reason whenever I try to moisturize any dry areas on my face (usually just my cheeks), my skin decides to declare war and my entire face turns into a battlefield. I've tried tons of different lotions and moisturizers, even those specifically for the face, but all of them break me out. Right now I know of only one moisturizing product that doesn't set off land mines on my skin:

It's the Freeman Facial Enzyme Mask that "gently exfoliates while lightly moisturizing". I only use this product every other day since I don't actually struggle with having dry skin, but it works wonderfully for me. Immediately after I use it my skin feels hydrated and glowy without having that oily sheen left over (this has to be rinsed off). I've been using this one bottle for over two months now and it was pretty inexpensive when I bought it. So far this is the best moisturizing product I have ever used on my face, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has sensitive, acne-prone skin!

All the best,

Average Allie

Getting more water into your diet

I make it a habit to drink about 4 tall glasses of water a day to filter out my body because:

a) It makes me feel more energized and healthy
b) It helps clear my skin
c) It boosts my metabolism

I think water is pretty dang awesome. However, I sometimes find the last glass or two a little boring to drink and almost dread it, so I bought these Nestea flavour packets to mix in with it. I try not to consume regular sugar because it really does a number on my skin and, let's face it, it's not too good for the body in the first place. But these are sweetened with Splenda so they don't break me out and I don't feel gross after consuming them! Even though one box only contains six packets, I can get twelve uses out of them because I find just half a pack is enough for a big glass of water. Drinking water can be fun! It'll make you look and feel so much better by cleansing you from the inside out.

All the best,
Average Allie

Simple, Everyday Hair Routine

As you probably already know, I am trying to bring my hair back to its best health by practicing several different things. So far my products and routines have helped tremendously over the last few months and will only continue to restore my poor abused hair. Aside from using my natural shampoos/conditioners and banning away all heat, the way I brush and treat my wet hair has a large impact on its overall state. Here's my wet hair routine:

1. When conditioning in the shower, finger comb out any tangles present.
2. Soak up excess water with a towel until hair is damp. Spray in some detangler and then gently brush through the hair with a wide-tooth comb, starting near the bottom.
3. Once hair is tangle-free, apply a few pumps of the orgnx Moringa Oil Complex throughout the hair. This is a styling cream, but I use it because it contains natural oils to moisturize and it helps smooth down my fly-aways.

After that I usually pull my hair to the side in a loose braid to air dry a little bit. Each of these bottles last me a month to a month and a half and are pretty inexpensive. The styling creme smells amazing too! :)

All the best,
Average Allie

Books I Love

Five years ago I bought the first novel in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy and stayed up all night reading it with a flashlight. It's not easy for me to be so quickly drawn into a book (I've always been more of a movie person) but this series had me by page 5. I'll admit they seemed a little silly at first since they're about magic realms, but the author totally made it work. Set at a finishing school in Victorian England, all three of these books are dark, magical, mysterious, and packed with the cultural pressures young girls faced at that time. I don't know how many times I've read the trilogy over the last few years, but it never gets old. Definitely a good read if you're into these types of stories.

All the best,
Average Allie

More Salvation Army Buys

A couple days ago I got back from my vacation and wanted to see if anything awesome came in at the Salvation Army while I was gone. Within a period of about seven minutes I found two sun dresses and two shirts all in perfect condition and I only spent $12!!! Thank you to all those women who spend their money on nice clothes, wear them once, and decide they don't like them after all... :)

Check out your local Sally Ann! You never know what you'll find there. 

All the best, 

Average Allie

Zinc for Acne Treatment

For the past 4 or so months I have been taking zinc supplements in order to help me with my breakouts and I must say it has been working well alongside my regular routine. Zinc is a mineral that your body needs in order to maintain protein synthesis, a healthy immune system, and collagen formation. To me, however, zinc's most appealing role is that of healing wounds. Ever since I started taking it I've noticed that there is less acne scarring on my chin and the acne I do get heals much faster than it used to. ZINC IS AWESOME!!! Although, I've read that it's not recommended to take more than 50mg of zinc a day because it affects the absorption of copper in the body which can lead to a deficiency. So, I've been taking a 50mg tablet once every two days to diminish this risk--so far so good!


All the best,
Average Allie