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EASTER WEEKEND!

Posted on April 7, 2015 5 Comments

Hello,

So as promised here’s a post on this long Easter weekend! It was quite an eventfuLL one. On Easter friday I was home all through, but then I received a delivery from Twelve 03 meals. A huge tray of small chops. The customer service was absolutely efficient. They called me every step of the way and delivered to my mum. It was so much I’m still eating it till today. Worth every Kobo.

Let me wet your appetites ^.^ sorry!

Fast forward to saturday, I had a wedding to attend and also my friend Obum’s birthday party. I attended the wedding with my family friend Esther, It was a very intimate yet fun wedding. I got teary eyed at the father-daughter dance :(…..

Remember the Yellow Daviva Ankara I bought a while ago? that’s what I sewed my dress with. I made a simple off shoulder dress with the fabric. From there I went to Lekki for Obum’s birthday. I had a quick outfit change then went to the venue. Her birthday was at Lamba’s seaside bar. It was a nice party with barbecue to munch and drinks to gulp. Obum’s party was fun and I got to meet new people!

On sunday I went to church, after which I wanted to go for SARO the musical, but something came up so I couldn’t attend. Instead I went for the Lagos grill and barbecue festival. I won a ticket from Chef fregz. It held at Muri Okunola park. Many people attended I saw a few known faces, such as Falz the badguy, BMpro, Toju Foyeh e.t.c. There were also lots of food vendors and I had some Mongolian rice and a smoothie. It got dark and started raining so I left around 6pm.

As I was leaving I saw the awesome SisiYemmie! it was so nice to see her, we would have to sit down properly to have lunch soon, we’d also remember to take pictures to prove or dispel our resemblance tales lol.

https://instagram.com/p/1GcU0_JhTg/?taken-by=lynnjaphet

Yesterday was Easter monday, and I planned to go for a Pedicure but I caught a flu, been sneezing and all since yesterday, But hopefully nothing to worry about.

That’s how I spent my weekend! I had fun, lots to eat and met lots of people…….hope yours was as eventful too.

It’s Tuesday and we are back to work. Do have a fantastic week ahead.

xoxo

Tosin

Got Questions, requests or suggestions? Kindly leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you…

Missed my last post? READ HERE

BACK TO BASICS

Posted on March 23, 2015 10 Comments

Hello,

Here’s an outfit post from today. I think I’m going to buy a small umbrella that I can put in my purse, the sun in Lagos is scorching, I’ve reduced my makeup drastically to avoid sweating, all I need now is a good sunscreen! please recommend a good one I can buy… thank you ^.^.

Also I’ve gone back to my bun. I would soon return to weave but I needed a breather……….Been a while I did a natural hair post/update, would do one soon..

This is one of my favorite dresses, I wear it every time there’s no time to scatter my closet for what to wear……

My weekend round-up is below the cut……

DRESS: RIVER ISLAND| BAG:ANNA SMITH | SHOES: BELLE WOMAN

How’s your day going? mine is a bit busy but good so far. Sorry I missed out on the weekend roundup, I had a chilled weekend. Church and mostly sleep……..Although I went to Yaba market with my friend and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. The rowdiness and the shop owners pulling us to check out their stalls was just not nice. Never again! lol

On sunday I went to church with Obum, had some froyo from sweet kiwi(It’s safe to say I’m a very loyal customer) then we went over to my friend Jennifer’s store. She’s a fashion designer, Obum and I wanted her to make some shift dresses for us. I would show you them when its made.

Those who follow me on Instagram may have seen my sunday posts, but here’s an update for those who don’t use Instagram…

https://instagram.com/p/0hyyf0Jhcx/?taken-by=lynnjaphet

https://instagram.com/p/0iAHI9phSr/?taken-by=lynnjaphet

And that’s all!

Have a great week ahead.

P.S. For those in Nigeria, If you have a voters card, please endeavour to cast your vote. Change starts with you….

xoxo

Tosin

Also don’t forget to Vote africanismcosmopolitan.com to win ‘the best personal/Lifestyle blog”! You can Vote HERE! Thank you!

YAAY ! NIGERIAN BLOG AWARDS FINAL NOMINEES OUT!

Posted on March 23, 2015 9 Comments

Hello!

I’m excited! can you tell? lol Thank you all for nominating me in the last few months! I was super pleased this morning when I got the mail saying I’ve been nominated for the best personal or lifestyle blog.

I’d be honoured if I won. So please do help me win by voting. The polls are open and ends in two weeks so I’d appreciate all campaigns, reposts and votes ^.^

Thank you so much for the support so far. I’m very grateful!

You can vote HERE. Scroll down to number 18 and choose the first option: Africanism cosmopolitan.

If I win we’d all share the reward ^.^

Xoxo

Tosin!

FEATURED: ROYAL ROOTS TV + EXTRA!

Posted on March 18, 2015 9 Comments

Hello! So I got invited to a Nigerian TV station, Royal Roots TV to discuss natural hair and blogging in general. I was very honored when I got the invitation, This is my second TV feature but my first live show. I was on the set with two lovely hosts, Derin and Fome. During the […]

5 NATURAL HAIR MYTHS DEBUNKED!

Posted on February 26, 2015 5 Comments

1. CERTAIN HAIRSTYLES GROW HAIR:

Growing up I was told that hairstyles like african threading or Didi(inverted conrows) grows hair or makes your hair fuller. This is a flat-out lie. Whilst these hairstyles may ‘stretch your hair’ like a blow dryer will, It doesn’t ‘grow’ your hair. Hair growth is as a result of blood flow to the scalp. So anything that stimulates the flow of blood certainly aids growth. e.g exercise, massages and hot oil treatments….

2. NATURAL HAIR GROWS SLOWLY

My hair was longest when I was in elementary school, I had almost mid back length hair, then I cut my hair. Since then my hair never grew past nape length whilst relaxed. I cut my hair again 2 years ago and what took 17 years to reach armpit length has been achieved in two years so you judge. The average rate of hair growth per year is six inches, and this applies to ALL races. If you have a white/Asian friend whose hair grows faster than this, it’s not because of their race but their diet, genes, environment, etc. African hair grows at the same rate but the tight curl pattern makes it less obvious.Also we Africans generally have bad hair habits with our obsession with weaves, relaxers and once a month washing habit.

3. NATURAL/AFRO TEXTURED HAIR IS THE STRONGEST
This is a very common myth, but I’ve met many naturalistas with weak and brittle hair. Due to the nature of our hair texture we ought to take extra care while combing. No matter how thick your hair is, you should be gentle with it. Too much manipulation and excessive combing may break the hair off. The way our curl pattern is set up, there are more opportunities for it to break than in sleek straight hair.

4.TRIMMING MAKES HAIR GROW

The only job of trimming is to cut off split ends. (split ends are damaged ends, if you retain them they’d keep splitting upwards the hair shaft, and would eventually break off. then you can’t retain length). Although trimming is a healthy hair habit, it has nothing to do with the hair that grows out of your scalp. Split ends are not compulsory, you can have healthy hair from root to tip so you don’t need to trim off your healthy hair all in the name of preventing split ends.

5. WATER WILL DRY OUT NATURAL HAIR

Water is the best moisturizer for natural hair. The key to maintaining a moisture balance is retaining the water that you do apply to your hair via sealing(L.O.C methods). So your hair shouldn’t always be dried out, dry hair promotes breakage and brittle hair strands. Hair needs moisture for effective conditioning. You should buy products that are water based also.. (the first ingredient is usually water/h20)

And that’s all!

Got Questions, requests or suggestions? Kindly leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you…

All the best in your hair journey.

xoxo

Tosin

3. KNOW THYSELF

Posted on December 19, 2014 5 Comments

Hello there!

It’s been a while on ’20 Lessons of my 20’s ( A segment that discusses various things I’ve learnt and I’m still learning as a young woman). Thank you for the comments, shares and screenshots from the last topic! I’m truly grateful it resonates with you. But incase you missed it, Read HERE. Today’s topic is one that is almost the bedrock of anyone on a self-development journey.

“Know thyself” connotes; Being in tune with you, self acceptance, personal discovery and understanding how you function”.

As usual, All ‘lessons’ are solely a result of my personal experiences, but I do hope they are valuable and worth sharing to someone else. Do have an open mind whilst reading….

***************************************************************************

Growing up I had the ‘I too know” Syndrome, which is one that I assumed I knew everything about myself or situations, I felt I was self-sufficient even though I was probably the least self-aware person at that time. I remember the first time I heard the quote “Know thyself”, which was originally coined by Plato & Socrates… The quote made sense to me, but I had no in-depth understanding.

I just assumed “Duhh! If I don’t know myself who will“.

Now in retrospect, think about it…….If you don’t know yourself, who will understand you? who will be able to cater to your true emotional needs, how will you identify the people who improve you, if you don’t even know what your entity needs.

I often say there’s no specific period for self-development, everyday of your life should have that goal…“Today, I want to do and be better’. The human body and mind has been designed to be every changing. In biology, the moment something stops changing/growing its considered dead. I feel this the same with humans, we cannot afford to ‘Hibernate’ while alive.

I did a post in the past on the importance of self-reflection (Read HERE) and I stated out the benefits, so I would not bore you with a repeat. Self reflection is simply looking inward. Constantly doing a self assessment/checkup. It may sound obvious, but you’d realise that many do not really ‘self-reflect’.

The first Key to knowing yourself is to observe. To observe means to “Notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant“———-Keyword ‘significant‘.

Now ask yourself, those things, feelings or actions you notice about yourself (if you do ‘notice’), How important do you acknowledge it? Many of us have a clear idea of our personas, but we do so little about it. Forgetting that who we are and what we do controls what we get.

Let me put it this way——Imagine you knew your strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, emotion sensory triggers and thresholds, wouldn’t it be easier to excel, set boundaries, succeed at careers, remain joyful, have great friends and even get upset a little less.

People often say you have no control over how people choose to see you, listen or respond to you….. To an extent that’s true, but I feel you have control over your life, how you feel, perceptions and relationships with those who matter to you.

Now you may say ‘Tosin, I know myself’……..here’s what I say, I don’t want you to ‘just’ know yourself, I want you to know, understand, accept, develop and apply ‘your-self truth’ to your life……

Your life is your solitude(alone-ness), your Job, your family, your relationships, your faith, your environment and every situation you find/place yourself in.

KNOWING YOURSELF IS A LIFE JOURNEY because feelings, wants, needs, and opinions change. But amidst all, you should always think. Bishop Oyedepo says a “thinking man is a ruler, he rules his world. A non-thinking man is a slave to his world”.

I agree. Thinking is a required mental activity in knowing yourself. it aids acknowledgement of growth areas, reflections, idea generation and future projections.

Personally, I feel at this stage in my life, I have a better idea of who I am, I know what I like, I also know how I function.

I can pick friends who I genuinely enjoy and appreciate, I can say No to what makes me sad, I can make decisions without being sentimental, I am more objective in my reasoning, I can ignore things that may trigger a negative emotion, I can use words that perfectly express how I truly feel. I no longer invest on temporary joys that leave me bitter after. I know what I want from life and I can work around my personality and strengths to achieve it. I also acknowledge that whatever I think I can do right now, there’s always a better/innovative way to it, because there’s always room for growth/improvement.

All the above is/was only possible through observing my behavioral patterns, emotions, actions-outcomes and perceptions of me from the outside world. My keys to a better understanding of ‘self’ is straightforward: REFLECT, OBSERVE & ASSESS, LET IT SINK, DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT.

” 2 Corinthians 13:5 Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.”

Doing this, you’d be able to overcome many fears, stay on your lane, make better decisions, avoid negativity and over all live a happier life.

With all that’s been said…I want you to know I’m saying all these from a standpoint of humility, I do not want to come off as self-absorbed, Rather I want you to see this from the perspective of someone who once struggled but didn’t need to….if only she knew herself better.

furthermore, There is no such thing as perfection, What seems like perfection is only people who maximize their strengths and suppress their weaknesses”—one of my favourite quotes.

In conclusion, Man is purely a work of the maker, and who can know the clay better than the potter…..no one. A relationship with God brings everything to light, God delights in the one that seek and please him, he’s even more that ready to aid the self discovery process. See what King David said in psalms 139:23

“Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life”

David was a great man, a man after God’s heart.

I pray that God reveals himself to us all, be our present help in our time of need and we all become a living manifestation of our God ordained purpose on earth.

Have a lovely weekend ahead!

17 Lessons to go. I hope to one day publish these writings into a book/compilation, but until then it’s all for you my blog readers!

All the best.

Got Questions, requests or suggestions? Kindly leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you

xoxo

Tosin

NEW IN|SKIN CARE: CHAMPNEYS FACIAL CLEANSING SYSTEM

Posted on November 18, 2014 6 Comments

Hello,

I’m usually lazy when it comes to actual skin care, but lately I find myself making an effort. I now use masks often, facial oils and is quite conscious of what I use on my skin. I recently got an email from a lovely blog reader Tolu, who requested for a full/updated skin care routine. I am not a skin/health expert so I was quite flattered by the mail. However, I have shared my personal regimen in the past (This Video).... Although my routine has changed from that now, I am due to share an updated version on the blog(I will in a few weeks)………

Today’s post is about this facial system I received as a gift from my cousin Lanre…… When she gave it to me I was quite ecstatic because I’ve wanted a battery operated exfoliator for a while and the Clarisonic just seemed quite expensive (£155) so I didn’t indulge. I’ve used this facial system twice now and here’s my initial review.

PACKAGE: It comes in a basic cardboard box containing the facial cleansing system, an instruction manual and two batteries.

CONTENT: The facial cleansing system contains 4 brushes, Two for facial exfoliation and two normal facial/body brushes. Accompanied with a stand and the battery operated vibrator in which the brush is attached to.

BRUSHES: The brushes are quite soft, and gentle on the skin. I initially had concerns about that, as I didn’t want anything too abrasive or harsh for my face. But they are plush and durable.

VIBRATOR: The hand-held device itself is quite sturdy, not complicated just easy to use. It has a switch and a head base where you attach the brush. The batteries that came with it worked, so I didn’t have to purchase new ones. USAGE: The instruction advises to remove all eye makeup before use as it wasn’t intended for that purpose. Just skin. Then you wet your skin with warm water and apply a cleansing soap/milk( I used my Garnier face wash). You then move the device in circular motions, about 10seconds per cheek and 20seconds on forehead, chin and nose area. Rinse with warm water and pat dry with a towel.

MY OVERALL REVIEW: The set is a nice product, but I had a tiny disappointment. The brush head itself does Not spin. it just vibrates. However, moving the device in a handheld circular motion actually does the Job. It removes makeup quite well. although I washed my makeup off first with soap before using the brush.

AFTERMATH: My face actually felt softer and cleaner. I also think my facial oil absorbed better afterwards ( or maybe its just post-usage psychology). The essence of the product is just to clean your skin better and remove deep-seated impurities. I don’t think it’s magically supposed to get rid of your skin problems, so with that I consider it a good product. I rate it 7.5/10

PRICE: It was initially sold for about £49.99 but now it ranges between £15-£20.

I would definitely continue to use it at least 2ce a week depending on when I wear makeup. I currently use an Apricot scrub everyday which I think is sufficient. Excessively exfoliating may hurt my skin, so I would go easy on the cleansing system.

Let me know what you think and what other exfoliating or cleansing methods you use.

xoxo

Tosin

P.s Thank you for all the congratulatory messages, comments and emails on my last post. I’m grateful. Greater for you.

Got Questions, requests or suggestions? Kindly leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you…

All personal images/Pictorials and videos are owned by Africanismcosmopolitan.com (Water marked/not……Except otherwise stated) and they may NOT be used in any way without prior consent of the author, Legal actions would be taken.

NATURAL HAIR UPDATE: 2YEARS 1MONTH!

Posted on November 13, 2014 18 Comments

Hello people,

Hope you’re doing great, I just realised that I’m 2 years, a month and a week natural today, and an update is only right. I get a lot of questions about my hair, its care and my regimen. In the past, I have tried to make videos, write posts and answer questions via my social media accounts, But I guess when it comes to hair, we enthusiasts always want to know more. Hence this post.

MY NATURAL HAIR TIME LINE (2months post Big chop till date-2years Natural)

I would try to divide this post into sections and answer all questions I have gotten over time. All points/answers are solely what has worked for me, I am not an expert, take all with discretion.

1. WHY NATURAL?: I have cut my hair thrice before this, just for style purposes i.e the ‘Anita baker’ kind of hair cut, but it never lasts. The back grew back and I to re-trim it almost every 2-3 months. On the last occasion, I just decided to take it all off. My friend Biola was actually the one who ‘enticed’ me with the natural hair movement. I first wanted to keep it short, i.e like month 2 as seen above, but when it started growing out, I quite

O.O.T.D : SUNNY NOVEMBER

Posted on November 7, 2014 6 Comments

Hello!

It’s friday! I love the way this year is running fast, I’m anticipating 2015 already, are you?…….Today’s weather was amazing, The sun came out to play and I followed suit. The look I have on is a casual Friday look.

If you follow my blog, you’d know I’m not a fan of jeans, but today I have no reservations towards them. I got this pair from a boutique in Nigeria and they still fit perfectly! With all the junk I eat I wonder why I’m not yet Obese.…I styled My hair in top bun and wore minimal jewelery.

Bag: JustFAB Buy Here | Mules: Buy Here| Accessories, Jean & Jumper: Easily substituted.

Have an awesome weekend, Stay happy!

xoxo

Tosin

Got Questions, requests or suggestions? Kindly leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you…

FEATURED! SHEISOUTOFCONTROL.COM

Posted on November 4, 2014 1 Comment

Hello!

It’s just Tuesday but this week has been good. Page views have been increasing and better response from readers via shares, tweets, emails and comments. I was featured yesterday on sheisoutofcontrol.com , a life style blog. The editor Ibukun Akinnawo, shared a post on her 6 favorite Nigerian blogs and I was listed. It felt good as I saw it shortly after waking up. It kickstarted my day. Here’s what she had to say.