Mangs and Musings

It’s funny how each year around the holidays we all tend to reflect on the past year and how much has changed since the last time the holidays hit. Maybe it’s because they serve as the grand finale of another year or perhaps it’s due to the close proximity of family and friends and home. Either way, we all do it, even if only unintentionally. For me, upon first subconscious thought, I felt as though not much had changed since the last year. Still living in Italy, still finding my own way, still coming home every few months, still surrounded by the best people no matter the continent. Of course a ton has changed, but they aren't huge visible differences, which is cool too.

But what I find the most interesting, is how as the years go by, the way we view who we are, where we are, what we’re doing and the timeline of how we’ve gotten here or how far we have to go, adapts as something in and of itself. Now that we’re a couple years out of college, which seems like yesterday and forever ago at the same time, real life decisions are being made, paths are being chosen and we’re becoming legitimate adults, while simultaneously feeling like we’re nowhere near ready to embrace adulthood. And though this gradually happens throughout a year, it feels more noticeable when we all gather back at home for the holidays.

While moving forward is exciting and looking back incites nostalgia, it’s nice to take a moment here and there to just be where we are right now. On Friday, we’ll be back with our gaggle of mangs, our fabulous, hilarious mangs, past, present and future, some of whom I haven’t seen in this past year of big or little changes, and in those million moments between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, I am going to be in it. As one mang said, “This is going to get rowdy and I like it.”

Does being home ever effect your perspective on things? 

Argan Oil

If you've been reading the blog for a couple months, you know that I love my haircare products. And the fact that when I find something that works, I stick with it. A while ago I posted about Moroccanoil. I raved about how the more I used it, the better my hair looked and felt - truly a miracle product!! 

Unfortunatly, last week, I sadly used the last few drops of that liquid gold. Isn't it such a sad  moment when you use the last bits of your favorite product? The days ahead seem so unsure. Dramatic? Not at all. So after the burial service I held for that tiny bottle, I decided that even though I loved Moroccanoil enough to marry it, that maybe there was something even better out there. 

I did my research like a good shopper should, and found that although Moroccanoil calls itself an oil, looks like an oil, and feels like an oil - that it is not 100% a true oil. They also throw some proteins into their concoction. Which obviously is fine and probably a huge reason as to why my hair felt so soft and luxurious after applying the oil. But, I decided in my head that I wanted to real thing: 100% argan oil. 

Back to the drawing books (Google) I went and ultimately I stumbled across the following...

Josie Maran's 100% argan oil. What I love about this oil (over Moroccanoil) is that it has more purpose than just a hair care product.

Have dry cuticles? Apply this oil. How about dry, acne prone skin on your face? Use this oil as a moisterizer. Split ends making you cry? Use this oil on the end of your hair right out of the shower. 

I booked it to my nearest Sephora, and purchased the bottle. I've been using the oil for a little over a week and I must say that I am extremely happy with the product. I see the same results on my hair as I did the Moroccanoil. The best part is this product is 100% real argan oil, no added proteins or other ingredients. 

It's my new miracle in a bottle!

Have you ever tried Argan oil? What are your favorite hair care products, especially for dry split ends?