Top Ten: My MUST Have Hair Products

Things I hear e v e r y time I am doing a head of hair:

"Oooo, what's that smell?"

"What was that, that you just used?"

"What do you suggest I get for {XYZ}?"

"Can I see that bottle?"

It's time we put those questions to rest with my Top Ten MUST Have Hair Products. You'll notice right off the bat that the list is heavy on Kenra products. I can assure you that I am not a Kenra Professional rep, even if my list screams otherwise. Over the years I have gone through my fair-share of hair product lines—using hairspray from this line, shine spray from this line, root lifter from this line, and on-and-on-and-on. I was a product line hussie! But the more I use Kenra products, the more loyal I've become. Long, short, stick straight, massively curly and beyond, Kenra has always come to the rescue. Their products are light-weight, yet hold like a champ, and most importantly - they smell like hair heaven.

Now that you've heard my borderline-embarrassing profession for Kenra products, you can only imagine the level of the other products that have graced this list. To be in the ranks with my beloved Kenra speaks very highly of the three non-Kenra products, so they are not to be overlooked!

Start your own love affair with the following ten products by following the links & instructions below! 

1.  Malibu Miracle Repair Wellness Reconstructor {$30, 12ct} - Malibu products are great for swimmer, well water-exposed, damaged, stripped & color-treated hair. This is my absolute favorite deep conditioning treatment that I do at least bi-weekly for 10+ minutes.

2. Kenra Professional Volume Mousse 12 {$16} - Daisy a dollop! All you need is a dollop the size of a ping pong ball {remember that mousse rises once it's sprayed into your hand, so start on the smaller side}, rub between your palms and distribute through your hair from roots to ends while hair is damp/towel-dried.

3. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin {$20} - My favorite spray-in/leave-in conditioner that smells super fresh and will help that Wetbrush glide through your hair with ultra-ease {yes, yes, a top ten must have hair tools list including the Wetbrush will be coming soon!}.

4. Kenra Professional Silkening Mist {$21} - The day I discovered the Silkening Mist was the day that oily hair across the world rejoiced. This "shine spray" is actually a mist {what gave it away?}, so it creates a silky shine layer without saturating your hair with too much oil.

5. Rusk Shining Sheen & Movement Myst {$14.50} - Now, for those times when you DO want a heavier sealing shine spray, like a finishing shine spray for a sleek look, this myst does the trick. Bonus: it smells like men's cologne in the most appealing and non-overwhelming way. This is my number one best smeller and provokes the most, "mmmhmm, what was THAT!?" questions.

6.) Kenra Professional Platinum Recovery Polish {$22} - My newest Kenra obsession, rightfully nicknamed: The Magic Elixir. Used as a finisher to any style—straight or curly—this drenches your strands with a light serum that magically erases frizz & any fried-esque looking flyaways.

7. Kenra Professional Volume Spray 25 {$17} - This is my most prized Kenra obsession. It has gotten me through countless weddings, tamed even the most unruly hair, and has likely been my most repeated hair product purchase to date.

8. My Amazing Repair & Shine Secret {$20 & up} - The secret is out! A teeny tiny M&M-sized dollop of this on damp/towel-dried hair will ensure a silky, shiny, free-flowing blowdried or air-dried style.

9.) Kenra Professional Root Lifting Spray 13 {$16} - Whether I'm going curly, straight or air-dried, I never ever skip the root lifter. Because no one wants to look like a dragged-down wet dog. Pump those puppies up! Your roots, that is.

10.) Kenra Professional Platinum Blow-Dry Spray {$22} - A spray that smells like fluffy clouds, protects your hair from heat, leaves you silky & shiny...and cuts your blowdry time in half?! I didn't believe it either—but now I won't do a blowdry without it! Which, by the way, takes nearly half the time #truestorybro.

XO,

Nikki

Deemed "The Best Chili on Earth"

Let me preface this post with a big fat two-part disclaimer:

1.) I am N O T a chef, cook or nutritionist. I credit my food-making abilities to Pinterest, my Kitchen Aid mixer, and creativity. Sometimes I get a resounding, "mmmmhmm-can't-speak-too-busy-making-mmmhmmm-sounds", and sometimes I get the infamous, "you know what would be great on this? Old Bay." {aka, I need to drown this "unique-flavor" with the almighty potent spice of the eastern shore} Ya win some, ya Old Bay some.

2.) I am N O T a photographer, of any shape, size or sector. This includes food. Especially food. So excuse my foodie snaps—I promise it's always more appetizing than it may look. 

Now that we've gotten the housekeeping items out of the way, let's get to cookin'! Or, crockin', in this case.

I found this recipe on Pinterest {shocker} and was instantly intrigued. "Best Chili on Earth"? That's a bold statement. Now, the hubs claims to l o v e my usual chili recipe, so I was reluctant to switch it up, but we were having company over and I didn't have much time to tend to the stove so I needed a full-proof crockpot chili. This was the most frequent and highly acclaimed crockpot chili on Pinterest—I just HAD to know if it was the "best on earth."

I followed Pip & Ebby's chili to a T, except the following omissions:

• I only did one jalapeno pepper instead of two, since one of our "guests" was a wee lad and I didn't want to overwhelm them with spice.
• I used 2T parsley flakes instead of 1/4 cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley because, again, not a chef, and who the heck has fresh parsley on hand?
• I went the ground chicken route, mostly because we're just ground chicken type of people {we don't find ground turkey to hold flavor as well}.
• I left out the pinto beans because the hubs has just recently ventured into the world of beans and I didn't want to over-bean him.

The only addition I made was, in my opinion, a chili MUST: beer. It ain't chili unless it has that aromatic beer flavor. Lagers are my favorite, especially seasonal lagers because they come with a whole burst of added spices. I popped open a Leinenkugel Octoberfest and poured about 1/2 a cup in to the chili that was brewing in the crockpot. {If I have to tell you what to do with the rest of the beer, we need to have a little sit down chat.}

 

Otherwise, I followed Pip & Ebby's play-by-play, taking the crockpot route and simmering for 8 hours on low.

The verdict? Pretty dang good! Best on earth? For some, maybe. Did it absolutely blow my socks off? There was a strong wind, but I'm not sure they blew off. However, one of my guests did say, "this is REALLY good", not once, but twice. The first time I always accept as a courtesy, but if they're so inclined to say it again, then dang, it must be good! The hubs also approved, and the recipe has officially been added to my Tried & Tested arsenal on Pinterest. 

The Best Chili on Earth

Serves: 12

Total time: 8-9 hrs (slow cooker) or 2 1/2 hr (stovetop)

• 2 pounds ground beef, turkey or venison {I used 2 lbs. of ground chicken}
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow or white onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped {I used 2T of parsley flakes}
• 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (optional) {I only used 1 jalapeno to make it more kid-friendly}
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 46-oz. can tomato juice
• 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 16-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 16-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed {Omitted}
• {Added 1/2 cup of beer}
• Shredded cheese and sour cream, for topping

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, cook ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Drain excess grease from skillet, but do not clean.
2. Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, green pepper, garlic, parsley and jalapeño peppers (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined.
3. If cooking the chili stovetop, add the cooked meat back to the skillet. If you are using a slow cooker, add everything to the slow cooker. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and pinto beans. On stovetop, bring to a boil, dial back to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours. In slow cooker, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve warm with cheese and sour cream. {And biscuits/rolls - duh.}

Flippy Floppy Hat

Floppy hats—are they practical? Sure. They shield from the sun, they guard celebs from the paps, and they do a K I L L E R job of hiding roots. But do we really wear them for that reason? #letsbereal No. We wear them because they are flippy, floppy & fabulous. Because they take any outfit from, "cute", to "hello, lover" <3 Brown, black, beige—I own them all, I flop them all.

On another note—don't let your eyes deceive you - this incredible location is not an enchanting forest, although it does transform into one through the lens. Believe it or not, this is where I grew up. Not directly living except for a blip during my 20s, but I grew up going to every event, occasion & festivity under the sun at this land of enchantment. Though, then, it was just, "the farm." Nothing enchanting, magical or soul-wrenching about it. 

Then, a friendor {Misa*Me Photography} asked for location ideas—somewhere with open space, fields galore and glamorous outdoor charm {there is such a thing}, and I flippantly said, "well, my family has this land..." Being the fabulous photog she is, she saw something I never saw—the enchantment. So she gathered a team of the most beautiful, kind & glamorously enchanting people & props and turn "the farm" into "the enchanted forest." Now, it's the same ol' place...I just have a different perspective <3

  {P.S. Photo cred to my raggamuffin-of-a-sister—who knew she was a closet bloggographer?!}

 Coat: JollyChic {the w a r m e s t thing you ever did bundle in} // Cardigan: JollyChic {if you haven't already noticed, this site is a shopaholic's k r y p to n i t e!} Also love this geometric style & asymmetric neon style. See—addiction! // Pants: J.Crew Factory {oldies} Similar & similar with bonus leather striping // Hat: Forever21 {gifted}, Similar in brown & black // Shoes: Kiki La'Rue {a FAV & a must!} // Necklace: Nordstrom Rack {in-store sale, no longer available}, Similar & Hello baby blue L O V E R {Wishlist} // Rings: Tribal Stackables - Forever21 {oldies}, Similar & MAJ {Wishlist}; Grey Chalcedony ring - H&M {no longer available}, Similar & ROCKS my world {pun-intended} {Wishlist} // Bracelet: DC Eastern Market {gifted}, Similar & Chevron-twist! // Lip Cocktail: Kat Von D in Rosary {hard to track down! May be able to scour Amazon} topped with Covergirl Lipstick Embrace 335 {also found at Target}

XO,

Nikki