Online care label

Wearing my favourite Sissy Boy (Ramone) "marble wash" jeans

 

We all have that one pair of denims that we love and have had for years even though it is not as tight or as dark as it was the first year we had it.

You've had those jeans for a year or two, but like most of us, have not paid much attention to that little white tag on the inside of your clothes with that iron, triangle, circle thingy and microscopic font. Care labels tell us all the right things, but we just don't read them.

Well I'm here to tell you that your dark (or black) denims can remain darker for longer and tight even after wearing them three times before a wash by adding my own tip to those care labels.

Forget all those washing powder commercials, I'm all about natural home remedies (as you might have picked up by now). Certain soaps discolour dark colours and gradually wash out the dye. No, I'm not saying don't use soap, I'm just advising that you soak your jeans in salt water (2 tablespoons salt) for about an hour before throwing them in the washing machine. When you wash your dark jeans in the washing machine, turn them inside-out so as to not directly expose them to the detergent you are using and use a gentle cycle.

Don't forget to use cold water, dry inside-out (away from direct sunlight) and always add fabric softener.

Hope this was handy:)
love from an online care label by A-cups

A vintage storyboard: by me

I come from a family of sentimental hoarders, so it should come as no surprise that a few of my favourite things are some of the oldest things we've kept. Upon this realisation, I decided to create this vintage storyboard which pretty much sums me up:

 1. The little white dresses and white cape are what I got christened in.
 These have never left my mom's cupboard and serve as testament to the fact that perhaps style chose me. Even at this age my white dresses are my most treasured clothing items. I just need one more white dress or should I say gown? *winks*

 2. The antique phone: yes, it works! This phone reminds me of how intrigued I used to be by phones as a little one and how imperative it was that our landline worked so that I could receive daily calls from my parents, who lived in another town at the time.

3. Small black&white 3-channel TV with white noise showing on the screen: Well that's been around for 20-something odd years now (obviously not much use now). Why it's featured in this storyboard? One answer. Media and entertainment - all things media, I'm in. The journo in me never sleeps, but if it so happens that the journo sleeps, the white noise wakes me up, I search for the best programme and I watch it and direct it in HD.

4. Gold 21st key: Golden key society...Ha!just kidding, this is a mere reminder that I am not getting any younger, so I should always strive to live my best life. Also, I like things simple and precious.

5. Piano: "Music keeps me here, by far, the main thing." -Dash Snow-

(mainly in our house as an aesthetic feature, but I swear I'll find the time to learn how to play eventually)

love: A-cups author, Afika Lulo :)

Keeping it natural and straight

So I posted a picture of my newly relaxed hair on Instagram a day or two ago and a mate of mine asked me how I did it? "Did what," you may ask. Well, how did my hair get so long since my lunch-box days?

I often have braids or a weave in, but I never forget to take care of my real hair beneath the Indian/Brazilian/Malaysian (take your pick) lady's locks.

What I do is, I base my scalp with plain castor oil (or you an mix it with coconut oil if you wish) in between the tracks or rows of braids at least once a week. My problem areas are my temples, so I apply it more regularly there and that's worked out pretty well for me thus far.

I don't use any of the other 'hair foods' or oil moisturisers even at the hairdresser - when I go get my hair relaxed, I take my castor oil and Betadine medicated dandruff shampoo with me and my hairdresser knows exactly what to do with these.(Tip: having a sound relationship with your hairdresser helps too, as some may be offended and think you're trying to get them to charge you less.)

Also, using Mizani as my product of choice has had its perks too.

My hair is on "extension" leave now for the next 2 weeks just to relieve it from the symptoms of traction alopecia that are induced by constantly having our hair in up-do's, braids and weaves.

Hope this was handy :)