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Education, Establishments, events, Information, Music, theshineprjct, Toronto

The Future of Black Music in Canada

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I’ve been working with the Songwriter’s Association of Canada since last Fall. It’s a smaller but VERY influential NPO located in Toronto with connections to other Canadian music creator advocacy organizations. I was motivated to work with them once I found out about their nearly 40 year history and it’s founder Terry McManus. McManus, a longtime songwriter and educator founded the org to fight for the compensation of Canadian artists as songwriters.

Prior to the early 80s, Canadian songwriters didn’t receive royalties from their music. Terry McManus (one of the early influences for SOCAN among many other organizations founded in Canada,) along with other very influential people in Canada’s music industry, created an association that would move forward to develop and protect the creative, business and legal interests of Canadian music creators. ‘With over 1,000 current members, including 200+ professionals, S.A.C. offers a suite of invaluable digital services and provides education and community for songwriters, lyricists, beatmakers, sound designers, topliners, instrumentalists and song collaborators’.

Please read more benefits of S.A.C. as an organization and the value of obtaining a membership with them here. S.A.C. is undergoing a multitude of changes behind the scenes so stay connected to them across all socials. If you’ve followed any projects and work I’ve been doing over the last decade-I’m passionate about Canadian music and underground culture; especially musicians and artists that are often not seen or highlighted due to heavy competition and very limited chances for media exposure and discussion. I really enjoy this stuff and talking about the music!

For Black History Month this year, along with the Operations Coordinator (Natalie B) at S.A.C., we designed a four week panel where I dug through many of the artists I’ve loved and known for years! I’ve watched their careers grow and wanted to talk to them to find how they were ‘doing it’ in Canada. I also wanted to showcase what making Black Music and creative material was like pre-BLM 2020 while looking forward into the future. With another lockdown imposed after Christmas, it caused a blockage and dramatically changed the budget and programming style we were hoping for.

Even though it was harder to navigate the discussions, the transparency we had in these conversations were invaluable. I urge you- if you’ve got an hour at a time over the course of the next few weeks, listen in to what Black Music creators and writers have to say about the industry in Canada. The struggle isn’t over for any type of artist and creative globally, but what Black Music creators and writers had to say about jumping over hurdles to remain in the music, arts, culture sphere is admirable.

I had a great time putting this program together to showcase Black Canadian Creators and an even better time asking artists questions about topics rarely discussed on a public platform. Here’s the the link to the Songwriter’s Association of Canada (YouTube):

A little side note here: I’d like to thank all artists for joining me to discuss the industry in Canada. It’s through discussion, that greater insights are made and change is possible!

-shine

DJ Culture & Music, Establishments, events, Information, Music, promoters, Public Relations, theshineprjct, Toronto

The Mod Club’s Got A New Name & Look…Now Let’s Check Out The Vibe……..

theshineprjct
ALL AXIS FESTIVAL

After last year’s multiple closures in the hospitality and venue space industries things became a little quieter than usual around the 6ix. Usually, right after the holidays as is often what happens after Christmas and New Year’s. I know this as I’ve worked at many of those places over the years. As the sun set on many of the city’s favourite places-recent memories included: Raw Artists, his signature anonymous (House of Balloons) ‘Weekend’ presentations before he became the mega star he is today- Now that I think about it over the years, I’ve even been to a few NXNE festival presentations or showcases there too!

Just a few short days ago Work Late dropped the announcement that the former Mod Club is renamed Axis and also re-opening! It’s an exciting new chapter as this corridor of College St. has so many historic spots! This piece was supposed to go out a few days ago and as I was excited to see that an old venue is re-emerging anew- my hope for the future, as with many venues and venue owners in this city, is that they would take a more open-minded approach to hosting events and artists outside of the genre they were most comfortable with and used to.

What I intended to write in this piece is that I felt Hip Hop and Underground genres should be given more of a closer look- considering how many Canadian acts have gone out to do great things on global charts and streams (the lockdown shows this) We are all very aware at this point that Canadian artists and acts can and do pull a crowd at many venues around the world.

The Axis Club then goes on a few days later to release this line up for the All Axis Festival next month! A full 2 in 1.The two-day hybrid event will featuring both IRL performances as well as pre-recorded streams via Happin, a ticketing and live streaming platform with artists Savannah Ré, The Dirty Nil, DijahSB, Dylan Sinclair and more will perform at the newly renovated venue. And who is actually more?

On September 9th along with 2021 Juno winner Savannah Re there’s 3409,Dani Doucette,DJ Shub,Dylan Sinclair,No Tourists,TRP.P,Villabeatz. And the following night- GRAE,Korea Town Acid,Olivia Lunny,Orson Wilds,Peter Serrado*+more

Happin,a Toronto based tech and ticketing company is working in collaboration with Axis Club and the Unison Benevolent Fund (a music industry charity, providing emergency relief to the Canadian music community in times of hardship for about a decade now) to deliver an amazing streamed and IRL experience for this event. Things have changed and they are combining the two performance options together. I like this.

This is one of the great ways to restart this city’s nightlife in a completely new way! For more details contact (Stay Out Late) and check https://theaxisclub.com/ for details on their next club/concert nights. The future of nightlife in Toronto is looking up.
-theshineprjct

DJ Culture & Music, events, Music, promoters, theshineprjct, Toronto

LUXELIFE SOUND Touches Toronto

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A few minutes before I arrive at a Downtown Café last Fall, she sends a quick text identifying herself as the one with the big curly hair! Walked up to the glass doors and yes, she had the massive hair and the warmest bubbly smile. We just dived right in! Cleo Ellis, one half of LUXELIFE SOUND broke down for me how the business came about, and like most of the conversations I’ve had with shineprjct interviewees, it was soooo organic!!!!

With the strong ongoing 2018 theme of women-lifting-women up and the pride I can hear in her voice, this story  is definitely a huge accomplishment. She didn’t expect it to take the direction it did ‘it kinda just happened’ Ellis said.

Originally from Edmonton, she  moved to Toronto from Vancouver  in 2014  to pursue her Masters Degree in Professional Communication and almost immediately started a  volunteer position with Canadian PR Powerhouse Natasha Koifman of (NKPR) during their TIFF IT Lounge. That was also how she met her now business partner, DJ Lissa Monet — and unbeknownst to them both, that was the beginning of Toronto’s first all-female boutique DJ booking agency — LUXELIFE SOUND. JUST.LIKE.THAT.

Cleo Ellis – Partner
Photo: @djpplus

Anyone following Monet on Twitter will notice that she drops needles of wisdom navigating the industry as a tenured DJ and as a woman. She’s one of Toronto’s most well known DJs and has pioneered the way for a host of other DJs in the city, particularly female DJs.

DJ Lissa Monet – Partner

Even further ‘Our DJs are more than just a playlist. They actually have the skill needed to live-spin to the needs of the crowd’. LUXELIFE SOUND’s goal is to set a luxury standard of service for their clients, but also to ensure each and every DJ on their roster is paid their worth and treated fairly — the DJ industry, particularly in the club sector is notorious for these issues.  Cleo takes the time to educate each client on the expectations of hiring a DJ, while making the process seamless and simple on both ends. . One of the most engaging parts of our exchange was her communal ideology. ‘In our world, everyone gets a bag and everyone shines’ (Yeah, baby EVERYONE).

For years she was on the club circuit  and transitioned to corporate events , all while keeping a keen eye on other up and coming  lady DJs in the space. Many of whom  I’ve seen and heard at various events all over the city. The grouping of what is now LUXELIFE’S  roster includes a few definitive selectas from all over Canada. Cleo explains ‘we lucked out in that every DJ on the roster is so different; if the client requires a certain style, WE DELIVER and that is our strength’

Although business is flowing in from all over Canada they are not yet ready to expand nationwide but would like to continue reaching clients from coast-to-coast. “One day we hope to replicate this model on a larger scale in other cities, and maybe even expand to the US — but slow and steady wins the race. We want to be able to have the infrastructure to support a move like that”.

If you’re looking for more LUXELIFE SOUND has a dope SoundCloud channel  right now. Keep your ears open for the ladies at the next private party, it might be yours! Wishing LUXELIFE SOUND amazing success in 2019!

Follow ‘em IG: @luxelifesound

Follow ‘em on Facebook: @Luxelifesound

DJ Culture & Music, Establishments, events, Music, promoters, Public Relations, Reflections, Toronto

Canadian Music Week – CMW 2018 – The Information Age

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A full week of non-stop music, panel discussions and mentorship all here in the T-Dot! This has to be one of the largest Music Week’s held in Canada this year! The official program guide was jam-packed with dozens of events hourly (Held at Toronto’s Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel and all over the city.)

Jointly presented by San Rafael and Amsterdam Brewery-I don’t even know WHERE to begin-this Canadian Music Week was PACKED with current information; From the Mentors’ Cafe to the panels, to industry organization exhibitors (SOCAN, MROC,FACTOR)

It was refreshing to see all the various organizations that work behind the scenes to assist artists in bringing forth new-ish ways of tackling the good ole industry…..

Their app was quite good! I loved the high touch accessibility of the app and it was much easier to navigate than look through the program and section it off with post-its like I did in the past…..or maybe I like apps. My favourite was the scheduling tool! You know where to be and at what time……

Blockchain

With the app I found Blockchain Music:Set It and Forget It,You’re Getting Paid it’s been a hot topic for a minute and this was a conversation circulation at ADE2017! Panelists (Dino Celotti,Jason Robert,Jesse Grushack,Ritesh Patel and Steven Masur) all part of the Music Production and Indie Label industries,collectively explained Blockchain and how it benefits the artists and the cascading industry as a whole. It’s great to see that many panels across the board had a heavy focus on the future of the industry with all the new talent and new technology. It’s interesting to see how they’ll connect and grow to make things a little more efficient (especially for the artist.)

My takeaway from this presentation: Blockchain could work if implemented correctly by making sure who gets paid at what point in the process of the file sharing process-and that this is a huge task and a bit of a lengthy process.

Lemme re-iterate here: The idea of being able to move assets between artists or from business to business in a seamless process, can make distribution simpler. With Blockchain promotion is still primary and editing and recordings can’t be remixed or altered. Blockchain is great for tracking transactions and artists still maintains rights to their music.

I ventured over to the SOCAN,!eDDS and travel booths-What’s travel got to do with it? Hundreds of people came through all week (May 7-13, 2018) especially very specific cities all over the U.S. and Canada. What makes this so important is that the cities closest to us all play a role in boosting the travel,tourism and music industries!

Part of the infrastructure built around the music industry depends not only on the talent, businesses and establishments but it may partially coincide on the neighbouring cities closest to us.

Discover America located in Mississauga,Ontario in conjunction with city states nearby- ‘promotes U.S. Travel and Tourism to Canadians in Canada. They offer ‘a variety of initiatives that connect travel and tourism stakeholders on both sides of the border’
Hotels, travel agents and Motor Coach Airlines are members of this organization.

I spoke to Dream America Canadian representative and Montreal native Pedro Barbosa who delved a little more into the topic of music festival tourism and the mandate in place for the cities involved in boosting their travel and tourism initiatives for any of the music festival seasons. Barbosa mentioned that ‘most of these places present today have routes covered by Air Canada or Porter Airlines-so there’s the routes that bring Canadians and Americans from all over the country, it gets the word out across the country and it’s kind of like a trade and exchange…..some of the places exhibiting here at #CMW2018 are even closer to Montreal than Toronto is’.

We talked about the benefits of visiting cities that have broad musical varieties. He’s big into Jazz and Metal but some city scenes he feels ‘are much smaller and there appears to be less of a fan base even when the scene is popular in that city.’

Barbosa did mention though that ‘when it comes to niche [music] markets, it’s the markets themselves that don’t always reach tourist outlets. Tourism boards tend to focus on specific genres and in order for Tourism Boards to present music venues,events and seasonal programs in their plans and more liaisons can be formed in the future to promote all music across the board.

All representatives for each city/state were highly informative and provided tons of info on the vibrant nightlife for each of these cities. Surprisingly,Portland has a very vibrant Underground House scene and Choose Chicago (sister city to Toronto,) representative spoke in detail about Chicago’s House and Underground scenes…..it’s looks like a coincidence that just a few days ago it was announced that there would be a lunch hour dance party at Daley Plaza! (Yaassss Chicago!)

Portland – The cities represented at this year’s CMW all had one thing in common: thousands of Canadians commute from all over Canada to all these places-each booth was set to highlight their musical influences,entertainment and nightlife. I spoke to Director of Content Strategy Karen Martwick about Portland’s offerings and was presented with information about Craft Beer, Independent Design both Interior and Graphic by Independent Artists. The other booths held tons of information for Canadians on: Myrtle Beach, NC (undergoing major reconstruction), Georgia (Explore Georgia-Macon/Decatur and other historic sites.) And finally Austin,Texas. I look forward to delving into their Underground scenes in the future!

!Earshot for Indie Artists !Earshot Digital Distribution (!eDDS) really stood out among all the booths because of its slant on music distribution.Partially funded by the NCRA (National Campus & Community Radio Association)  It’s an online platform that is designed to get music from the Canadian music industry to the Canadian College campus and community radio sector.) With so many platforms internationally available in 2018 it’s easy to overlook a distribution system like this. Canadian College and University radio is still a powerful method to chart Canadian music and with Canadian Pride at it’s all time high over the last few years, I think this is an essential resource alongside all other local and global platforms. Over 90 stations are on this roster in May 2018.

!Earshot
NCRA – Ottawa

Independent artists will be able to fully access this database this September. The cost is $7 per song and $50 per album! College Campus radio is still one of the most powerful outlets for pushing new and local music.  The list will grow by September especially after Canadian Music Week-check out the details here: I highly recommend any new or existing artists getting their feet wet and/or would like to do a little more national radio promo…..Tap into this resource as a starter or accompanying promotional tool.This is exciting!

Late Night Delights

What I missed: the Drake Underground with Amber Mark (her vocals possess Rihanna’s abruptness and Sade’s familiar sounding velvety Contralto. Live Nation artist tickets were sold out right away-no luck in May, I’m sure she’ll be visiting Toronto again!

What was recommended: Taiwan Beats (ABAO) Aljenljeng, JADE EYES and Dizparity

What I enjoyed: Ottawa MC @draemusic. He closed out for two of T.O.s hottest crooners: Tika and Sophia Danai! That night was electrifying (TIKA, HMLT,Sophia Danai and BAYLA.)  Drae laid some strong lyrics with a very. live. band. I’m lovin’ the live band and MC sound all over again!

Can’t wait to hear what next year’ll bring!

DJ Culture & Music, Establishments, events, House Music, promoters, Reflections, theshineprjct, Toronto, Travel

In the Land of Windmills and Dance Music: 11 Things a House Head Should do at #ADE2017

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25 years in the making and it shows! I was looking at where to visit and I chose the Netherlands (Amsterdam Dance Event) mostly because of their emphasis on technology. Amsterdam has been known to be forward thinking and many steps ahead in the way they run their society among other things…….Amsterdam Dance Event describes itself as ‘the leading electronic music platform and the biggest club festival in the world for the whole spectrum of electronic sub-genres’.

I absolutely admired ADE’s strong support for all genres. They welcome all sorts of DJ culture-regardless of colour, gender and preference.What I loved the most is the way the city embraced  & all the artists,press,delegates that were participating! There were posters,stickers and promo EVERYWHERE!

I personally loved this scene so much and in several days I took in some DNB, Classic,Deep, Tech and Afro House-it was all-inclusive. It was crazy fun! I met all kinds of people-all music enthusiasts from all over the world in town for ONE thing: music! I met some of the same people at many events. Some enthusiasts from Belgium asked me where I was headed because they were so used to checking out the same artists everywhere.

Before and After a Music FestivalI truly wished I had gone a few years prior. I can’t wait until they expand even more. Jokes aside with memes depicting festival burnout, after the 6 hour flight from Toronto to Schipol Airport it was not tiring at first…… but after 48 hours………with all the excitement and party line-up-I crashed!

 

The one thing that really caught my attention was the Health and Wellness program dedicated to festival burnout and Dance Music/Club Culture. With all the networking events,panel discussions and parties-there were daily yoga and meditation sessions available for whoever needed it. Panel discussions like  [Protecting Mental & Physical Health for Fans & Professionals], and “Who is Responsible for the Mental Health of an Artist?” are very important discussions to be had in any industry.

I was floored by the holistic/health and wellness shops on every corner-shops all over the city carrying products I still have to order online lol! From sprinkles on buttered toast and fresh fruit and smoothies on Albert Cuyp Straat……the contrast was so refreshing. Everything was within walking distance-once you get the subway/streetcar line down pat-you can get anywhere within minutes. A sleek UBER from Schipol Airport takes you to the main city in a 15 min car ride!

The drivers, airport staff and city all expectedly ask you if you’re there for ADE and they have tons of information at their fingertips to help you navigate the city! (LOVE IT!) October is a bit chilly so bundle up with layers and your favourite walking shoes!

DRUGS and ADE! Everyone is aware ADE exists here and speak highly of the event. All drugs are tested before they are brought into venues to avoid injury and/or death! I highly respect this approach because Dance is often intertwined with hard drugs and this is a primary method to eradicate the misconception behind it.Total props!!!!!

Testlocaties-ADE-2017They push for body positive health awareness. I praise their drug education and push for ‘healthier’ usage instead of the ‘war on drugs’.

As drugs are often synonymous with club culture they do encourage safe usage and responsibility for fellow party-goers. It’s impressive.

All aspects of the scene are considered, and openly discussed. Room is made available to talk about the future of the industry. Panel discussions covering technology from equipment- to vinyl’s revival all had a space to showcase,teach and exchange ideas. ADE University teamed up with labels to discuss how they can improve websites, apps and ticket sales to boost revenue and allocate funds in an organized fashion.

I’m not sure if it’s organization is a Dutch thing or that it’s 25 years in the making, but whatever they are doing is beyond music for music’s sake.

I did find their app a little complicated to maneuver and also found it hard to navigate some of the workshops and networking locations around the city. However, all the flags and physical landmarks labelled everywhere made up for the app. I really wanted to attend more events but there are so many programs happening at the same time and back to back that by week’s end-I knew I’d be coming back! All these years I’d only stopped over at Schipol Airport and was finally able to visit and was  so grateful for!

The highlights of the week were the Detroit Love Party (Mirko Loko,Waajeed,Carl Craig,Kenny Larkin,Stacey Pullen,Kevin Saunderson and Moodyman) EPIC partay.

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Detroit Love 2

One of the final night parties at Paradiso (Louie Vega, Joey Negro, Francois K,Space Dimension Controller,Prins Thomas,Amine K,Beesmunt Soundsystem,Jan van Kampen) was memorable!

PARADISO

Honourable mentions go to the guys over at Cuisine 020 (Bar Karakter)-DJ Migosy (Offering Recordings), DJ Andrew Foley (Deep Rooted Soul), and AMW Gill Charleston-it was a tight-knit LIVE joint! Had a great time! I’m sure by October this year………

11 things to do in Amsterdam (during ADE ) if you’re a House Head or purveyor of Dance Music

  • Go to the Amsterdam Dance Event, check out as many genres as you can……
  • Take naps in between events-you’ll wake up refreshed for your next workshop
  • Go to the artist panels/talks (they are so informative and inspirational)
  • Check out the good eats (so many amazing restaurants-if the locals are in it- it’s the shit!)
  • Buy some records, take in new music say hello to your fave and upcoming DJs (the environment is so chill out there!)
  • Club Hop, there are so MANY amazing events, all on the same night, check out all of them!
  • Purchase tickets in advance from home (they sell out FAST-months in advance), make sure you can actually attend all the events once you arrive!
  • Check out the Heineken Museum
  • Go to a local Coffee House and meet some interesting people, try out the green (if you feel like it!) It feels fabulous to be at a place where there are no issues with green treats-you’ll find many,many,many strains and flavoured paper 🙂
  • Don’t forget to browse in as many weed shops as you can-Many of the shops get most of their best strains from Canada (betcha didn’t know that!) *wink,wink
  • Link up with people who you’ll be able to work with later on-you just never know!!!!

Bravo #ADE2017 see you people at #ADE2018!

Beauty, Food, Health & Wellness, Holistic Health, Information, Knowledge, Recovery, Reflections, Toronto

Ayurveda – What’s Your Dosha?

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When weather changes, life conditions and circumstances change our bodies respond and react. For me, Ayurveda serves as a maintenance and management tool. With a Canadian climate Ayurveda is a very useful tool for weight management, skin maintenance and overall body health and wellness.

While in Japan for example, I found it very humid, so humid that I had (heat rash) that just appeared the first few months of moving there. I’d  never experienced rashes in Canada and I didn’t know what to do. I immediately consulted my book: Absolute Beauty by author and Ayurveda Practitioner Pratima Raichur. One of the first things to look at before using anything is to do the quiz and discover what your body is doing right now! The quiz helps you to understand where your body is imbalanced and it is often not the symptom that shows up on the surface-it’s a series of symptoms that create one reaction or illness.

Dosha Skin Quiz.jpg

You’re usually asked to complete a quiz that asks about skin and shows you the kinds of foods you’re eating, the foods that are aggravating or causing your symptoms and what you’re doing daily. Ayurveda gets you to tap into your life in detail by figuring what your body needs to heal or recover from its dis-ease. More than likely the foods that we all love the most are the ones that should be eaten in moderation or avoided completely.

I visited Dr. Sonal Bhatt for the first time 11 years ago. She’s one of the best Ayurveda practitioners in Toronto with a vast knowledge in Western Medicine as well! I had visited my family Dr. a few times and he wrote my skin eruptions off as a temporary skin flare up and gave me a series of harsh antibiotics. Without analyzing my symptoms too much,the first thing she did was look at my finger nails,the whites of my eyes,my lips,my hair strands and she pulled my skin to check for elasticity and hydration.

I love avocados, bananas and olives all of which I should not be eating. However I can tolerate these foods prepared with other fruits vegetables and spices! I also love peanuts and cookies (those of which I really have tried to scale back.)

She asked me to go into my Dr’s office and request lab tests asking for nutrient levels,antibodies,hormones,iron levels and hemoglobin. I returned with the results and her diagnoses was even more accurate than the test results. She sent me to get the test results so she would not administer ‘natural medicines and herbs’ that were too dangerous or would cause adverse effects.

She recommended I find a colon hydrotherapist (who I’ve recommended to many over the years) once I started ‘cleansing’ my system with all the herbs. I found a very experienced and knowledgeable colon hydrotherapist (Karryn Arato) owner of  (West Toronto Wellness Centre) on Bloor St. W. She’s one of the most youthful and healthy persons I’ve ever met!!!!!! Between both of them I used to travel back and forth to check for progress, and to receive more herbs and concoctions.

Owner/Founder Karryn Arato

@wtwellnesscolonics

Dr. Bhatt gave me all kinds of hand-prepared pills and capsules made with all kinds of herbs (usually bitter) to be taken with every meal or a few times a week with VERY specific instructions. Once those customized preparations are made it’s usually enough to last 3 months or more and the most incredible thing is that I see her very early on before said symptoms are severe-usually the issue disappears within a few weeks!

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Because Ayurveda, like most Native medical treatments, works with the body’s earth elements, symptoms are described in accordance to senses. Ingredients are used to diminish or balance overactive reactions within and outside the body. So for example: If the skin has acne breakouts and is maybe red and inflamed that’s considered heat, so a cooling food like cucumbers or Papaya are applied to the skin with Turmeric and honey (a natural anti-inflammatory)…..Get it?

I spent about a month mixing honey, turmeric and mashed Papaya all over my face and the eruption disappeared in about 10 days!

Many of us don’t pay attention to what our bodies are saying until the ‘disease’ appears. Ayurveda focuses on self-healing, prevention and maintenance. Author and Ayurveda Practitioner Pratima Raichur even has recipes with all natural cooking ingredients-some you might have to look for (in Brampton.)

With the quizzes online or in any of most informational books you’re able to see what your body does normally, what it’s doing abnormally and what it needs to achieve balance. Pre-mixed and measured face oils, face scrubs,teas and tinctures all need to be rationed, refrigerated or kept in dark bottles to prepare. Once you understand what the item is supposed to look like, how it’s supposed to smell and the expiration of the concoction-it’s easier to make the batches every few weeks!

Processed foods, fast foods,canned foods and chemically engineered foods can aggravate other times the body only shows symptoms at a chronic/critical stage. Which is why it’s important like any other medicine to finish it all and take at the recommended time!

Every season-I check the quiz, look at my symptoms/reactions and do a 30 day fast. It’s only required to do 9 but I find that the fast/cleanse doesn’t feel too extreme if it’s stretched out for a longer period of time. I do it this way to prepare my system for the next season or after a major change like a trip/flight or back to back partying OR stressful times and situations.

If I’ve eaten badly/poorly and had a fair amount of alcohol-the fast/detox/cleanse is more intense and will run for a longer period of time.

This detox is mainly an elimination of low vibrational foods and more nutrient rich ones which correct any bothersome symptoms such as gas, constipation, extreme sweating, body odor, bad breath, indigestion,weight gain, skin eruptions, joint pain or persistent colds and flus. (I haven’t had any of those symptoms in sooooo long.)

Living or travelling to another country for the first time was a huge change for me health wise. When I returned to North America I needed to overhaul my diet. It was really hard to eat foods I wasn’t used to. I developed allergies to foods I previously enjoyed. I used the little knowledge I had of Ayurveda back them to balance EVERYTHING.

Creating balance means eating a particular way to balance your body’s constitution. You may be required to also fast anywhere from 9-40 days or more! (With very specific foods of course.) After that a Pancha Karma (or five treatments) is needed to remove all the waste accumulated and ready to be dumped out. It involves colon cleansing, intense massage with steam/heat/herbs and induced vomiting. It’s a long process but the results are long lasting. It’s an amazing feeling afterwards-you feel lighter,cleaner,gut not as bloated and energy levels are sky-high. Countries with seasonal changes are places where it might be a better idea to fast and/or cleanse for clarity!

I found Ayurvedic practitioner (Sonal Bhatt) on Dupont St. She now has a new location on Lawrence Ave. in Toronto. She’s one of the best in the city, along with her assistance-she offered me an in-depth quiz and analysis which helped my established body constitution (Kapha) and she ordered a few lab tests and we found out with those results that I was deficient in every vitamin.

Sonal Ayurveda

Dr. Sonal Bhatt – Ayurveda For Total Health

Iron, B12, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Vitamin E and many more. I took them separately instead of a bottled multi vitamin (too many fillers.) She recommended that I isolate the supplements to recover from deficiencies more quickly. She gave me tons of herbal supplements made from hand-picked herbs and I took them for about 3 months and   felt brand new!

I incorporated dietary changes into my daily routine. That was 10 years ago.
I recently went to see her again last year! As your body is constantly changing with age,jobs, life schedules and dietary changes-the old instructions she gave me were no longer required. I kept the previous instructions-I know what to do when something gets off track. (If I’m out and not eating or drinking what you’re having I’m not boujee I just can’t eat it-I really don’t feel great eating certain foods-I always try to find what alternatives work best!) One of the things I use to balance my combination/oily and sometimes overactive skin is all the oils inside and out. (Evening Primrose on a 15-day rotation, Cod Liver and Flax.) Within a few days EVERYTHING balances out-not to mention my skin looks great! Toronto water can be a little harsh, these oils protect everything from hair to nails to skin!

So here she’s marked off foods I can/can’t eat under Kapha Dosha…..
Most wheat based foods I shouldn’t be eating…
An herbal tea every morning-it works!

I was sometimes eating take out foods and foods that caused inflammation in my system from canola or soy oil used to prepare items so I tried to stay off of cooked foods for a while and it worked. I followed some of her guidelines for at least 3 months and all the symptoms ceased.  The treatments were and still are very effective! Visiting my Ayurvedic practitioner maybe 4 times in a decade means the results and advantages are PRETTY good! I usually don’t see my Doctor except for my routine annual check-up or an ear or eye exam.

So many household brands are embracing the Ayurvedic concept. What’s great is that companies making that subtle shift also make it easier for us to incorporate balancing practices and nutritional fasting into our busy schedules. As commercial brands evolve as they also dis-spell the myth that eating well and healthy is expensive or impossible.

I still consult a few Ayurvedic and other holistic books here and there for more understanding about ways I can change my meals and balance my skin and digestion. One of them is Queen Afua’s: Heal Thyself This is just one pathway to healthier living/eating.And yes, it’s a persoanl choice. There are many out there that’ll work better for you! We’re in month two of 2018-here’s to a cleaner lifestyle!

-shine

Biography, DJ Culture & Music, events, House Music, Movers & Shakers, Music, New Jersey, New York, promoters, theshineprjct

Honeycomb Music – Josh Milan :Two Time Grammy Nominated, One For The Team (January 2018)

theshineprjct

Photo Josh Milan

I enjoy writing spiritual lyrics, conscious lyrics that touch your very soul. I love writing lyrics like that-just because I love it so much!  …..and in rolls anotha one *cue DJ Khaled

The journey to the Grammys is not quite as straight a path as it appears and as this article is being published mid–January 2018, Honeycomb Music Label Owner Josh Milan is a certified two-time Grammy nominee. To see someone in the community reppin’ a music genre that is marginally recognized by the greater music industry-is amazing!

shine – I’m thinking there’s no way that he’s not going to take home a trophy. No way. Not this year…..

House/Dance Music-singled out and officially categorized in and around the main ‘streams’ is a BIG deal. Not that it makes it any less underground or exclusive but it keeps the culture alive and well. Good music, good lyrics and great instrumentation are definitely a BIG deal in the Land of Josh Milan. I was surprised; not that he shouldn’t be a contender on that list, but mostly that the Dance category was added to the newer category list! Again, right next to Louie Vega!

Milan feels that things need to change (with respect to the Grammy Nominations Review Committee)he says, ‘there are some excellent recording artists, producers and musicians coming out of the scene/community from all over and it’s something that needs to be recognized. This is how the culture needs to be kept alive. ‘Something needs to change in the industry’

I asked him how he felt about the Grammys transitioning into a more digital judging process-he felt that the decision-making process, as advanced as it has become, indeed makes voting easier and more inclusive of all artists-but life still remains modest as a recording artist.

Milan fully understands that many still may not know who Louie Vega or Josh Milan are but he does feel that, ‘it would still be our position whether we win or not; to teach and direct our people through music…..it’s challenging he says, ‘because there’s no money in it, NO MONEY chinedu!!!!’ lol

(I had to laugh about the way he said this BUT he really emphasized that there is STILL no money in music.)

The second surprising transition on top of the 3 new musical categories is that key players contributing to an album now include (Producers, Songwriters, Sound Engineers and Mixers!)

According to Billboard.com, any supporting roles ‘credited with at least 33 percent or more playing time on the winning album will be eligible to receive a Grammy in the Album Of The Year category’.  The biggest and most groundbreaking move is that full albums from the Classical, Jazz and Dance categories will now be included. This is a subtle but very successful way to pull the ‘Underground’ to the forefront and keep the culture alive.

It’s sad that the Grammy Association took so long to wholly recognize other genres but exciting that these genres can be introduced to broader audiences to build and sustain the scene. With the ‘best’ artists embraced by the Academy its’ a great starting platform for vast audiences to focus on strong artists in each category. With Canada and Canadian Artists making waves globally in other genres-especially at this year’s Grammy Awards Show, this huge path widening for Dance Music lends exponential opportunities here up north. Especially those artists known to us.(Yay, Canada!)

Dance is broad but Dance encompasses so much and that’s the beautiful thing about this move! Milan feels that it’s truly an honour to be acknowledged by his peers and it may enhance the types of projects he’s going to work on from here onwards. It might even expand his artists network. But no matter what-He is focused on doing more music.

Being in the scene,working in the industry, loving the industry doesn’t have to be solely about the money if you have a clear idea of what you want to do.

Milan has left a huge imprint on the music scene over the last three decades. His participation has spurred musical movements and global scenes.That picture is BIGGER than money right? We talked about his career and the future of Honeycomb Music:

shine – Congratulations on your first and second Grammy Nomination!

JM- Thanks so much!It’s a great thing to say that I’m a Grammy nominated guy-it would be nice to say Grammy Award Winning Recording Artist Josh Milan….BUT mostly it feels good because I’m being acknowledged by my peers!

shine – How passionate are you about this music?

JM – I enjoy writing spiritual lyrics, conscious lyrics that touch the soul. I just love it so much! I know as artists that ‘we outta know better because when people approach me and tell me that the sounds and lyrics really resonated with their spirit, it makes it all worth it. We’re still gonna be doing what we do. What do we call ourselves? Musical heroes? Yeah, we try to save the world with our lyrics’. That’s what I’m tryna do. I’m still gonna do that! I’ll be that guy forever!

shine – Where would you like your career to go now?

JM – I want my music to be the kind of music that people are going to remember 20 years from now. I think at this point that’s where I’d like my career to head-in that direction. I’d like to have the kind of music that lasts forever, not so much what’s hot in the club right now. I want my nieces and nephews to listen to my music and be able to remember the lyrics. Longevity and all of that. I’m going for that timeless sound.

shine – When did your journey with music start?

JM – Back in the day, I started playing the organ in church. As I discovered my musicality I was unaware of my family’s church rules on playing instruments. You’re chosen to play. And with me being so young, I begged my cousin to show me everything and he showed me and I kept at it everyday, all the time. It was a natural thing at the time, and so I jumped on the organ and figured it out…… I started playing TV shows and anything I could remember in my head. I played it. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned I had a gift. I knew I could play- but I didn’t think it was a miraculous thing to play by ear.’ (yes, it is JM!)

shine – Studying piano is hard. I appreciate those who do what they do musically. It’s mostly hard when you’re taught and it’s not your learning style, its a lot harder when you’re older than school age. It’s not impossible but IT’s challenging.

JM – I don’t know how to read music, but I tried once. It was sooo hard…it just boxed me in so thoroughly. IT turned me off and I couldn’t do it. I know what it’s like for something that comes to you naturally.

After his revelation it made me wonder about school and how it turns kids off of learning….all it takes is just one person all it takes is a good teacher that’s able to recognize that a kid has a talent.He mentions one of his favourite writers and greatest Nobel Laureates of contemporary American literature (James Baldwin) who was given tools (books by classic authors) at such an early stage by his teachers at a time when African-Americans were given very little opportunities-this story inspires him.

JM – Kids have so many tools available to them these days due to technology. Kids can maneuver all that (tech) with ease and this is a huge step forward especially with very specific things like music and music production

Milan noted that nothing about the music business and musical content is intended to create inspiration or direction because music is sold and made for profit. That’s why he enjoys making and playing the music so much. This is the main reason he decided to make and distribute all his music on private label Honey Comb Music. At Honeycomb he says,’we keep it nice and clean’.

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shine – Transitioning from a recording artist in the early 80s to an independent label owner and artist today-what are some of the biggest changes?

JM – One of the biggest changes I’ve seen is the steady decline in content and talent. The entire industry and record labels particularly has taken a complete turn/change. The excitement of good music has turned into the excitement of a lot of money. The good music suffers, y’know? Rarely do you find a great full album anymore. Back in the day you’d find just every song is like ‘ahhh man I love this’ its a rarity now. And of course, artists aren’t making the kinda money they are making today. Another is the cash grab.

Everybody is fighting for pennies whereas in the past people were chasing larger sums of cash. From 1989-2017 numbers/dollars/publishing and royalties have dipped a considerable amount. That’s a DRASTIC change. People (accomplished musicians even) hold extra regular gigs just trying to keep a roof over their heads. And finally, label ownership. Don’t come in thinking you’re gonna be making all this money.

It’s just not gonna happen. Everything’s rented. From women to vehicles. That’s why I have my own label. If money is gonna be shrunken and swallowed up-I’d like to be the one in control of it at least. That’s my position. I would politely decline any label offers-especially with creative direction and control. I’d like to have that. They (big music companies) need to make money.

shine – At what point did you decide you wanted to become a recording artist? 

JM – I wasn’t.  got looped into this thing, it was an accident. I was enjoying my musicality and I met a guy at church. I was playing and doing my music thing. Chris, lead singer of Blaze told me about a DJ that could make beats. We had no idea what a record deal was. We had no idea what a record label was-we would make tapes. We’d play music against record beats and come up with songs. Those recorded tapes we handed over to a guy in the neighbourhood who had just started a record label.

At that time in 1984, a record label was a real BIG deal. We had no idea about studios. IT was unbelievable. We made $500 for that and eventually Kevin sold his tables and we gathered $1000 and recorded something in the studio. We became recording artists after that. The 2nd label we signed with was Quark Records.

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We got on the radio. 1987 was the last time you could hear a House record on regular rotation on major radio. Then the 90s came-that’s what ended it all. Those were the last days….. it was the end of commercial House as I knew it. The other genres started to take over. The New Jack Swing and Hip Hop was becoming the future. We were slowly fading away. Shortly after that we were signed to Motown. That was HUGE.

shine – Did you meet Berry Gordy?

JM – Yes, I got to meet my heroes. I met Berry Gordy and Diana Ross. I’ve seen major things!!! I wouldn’t trade my independent for any of that.

shine – What happened at Motown?

JM – We were (Blaze) was dropped from Motown. They looked at us as the next Earth, Wind and Fire. A fully planned Marketing strategy was set up…….it was a big plan. Motown signed Boyz II Men and included them on very many promotions with the other big Motown artists at the time. Heavy D being one of them……Boyz II Men would go on to be one of the biggest acts for mainstream Adult/Contemporary but Josh Milan remained connected to the people.

After Boyz II Men’s debut- Blaze was dropped. They didn’t start anything or develop anything with us. House was seen as a bad idea and all projects related to Blaze were dropped. We were fortunate to have huge records in the scene. Many artists were supported by the masses. We had a good run. We got gigs. (this is possibly birth of the Underground maybe?) We had a good run……I realized very quickly that I had to create Underground sounding House Music.

That’s the only way I could survive. At the same time-commercial acts Robin S,Cece Peniston,Black Box,Neneh Cherry,Martha Wash and Technotronic were dominating the charts. I decided to go hardcore. My lyrics have been consistent to this day-but the sound was almost more dark and club-definitely not a place for the radio anymore.

shine – Who’s Alexander Hope?

JM – I used the name Alexander Hope. I did a bunch of songs under that name. Blaze made a few hits at the time too-I Found Love, Consequences and a song called Saturday (it was huge). We (Blaze) survived the 90s!

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shine – What was it like trying to make it in NY then?

JM – At times like those are when I loved the industry the most- any scene is supported by the locals in NY-you could be part of any scene in NY and make a living. Of course it would be a modest living. But you can survive.

shine – What are you working on right now?

JM – I try to find artists that make noise vocally. Reminiscent of Earth, Wind & Fire style music [loud with horns] I’m looking for loud music with horns and good lyrics. I look for strong instrumentation and solid production are key components I strive to re-create a 70s for 2018 sound. I’m currently working on a few singles with artists Ramona, Dawn Tallman and New York based Afro Latin group Ritmo Y Tumbao (percussionists who embrace African and Latin Rhythms) I add vocals and more rhythm to their music.

shine – Are there any favourite artists you’ve met over the years?

JM – Over the years I’ve met so many greats-from Phyllis Hyman to Bobby McFerrin but really, I would like to work with Chaka Khan. (Even accomplished individuals have people they admire!) I’m not sure if she’d work with me though. She’s my shero. I channel my inner Chaka Khan for #inspiration. I feel that maybe she wouldn’t take me seriously. I’ve wanted to work with her my whole career! (Ahem Ms. Khan are you reading this???)

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shine – What are some of the new rules to learn about the good ole’ music biz?

JM – It’s really important for artists to learn the rules of this biz, don’t come into the studio thinking that you’d like to work on music wanting it to sound a certain way. If you don’t know the rules, how can you win? Learn about publishing which is extremely important. (One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned.) Publishing rights for music and lyrics are even bigger than gigs. Keep all rights to your publishing. It IS a business. Treat it as a business first and foremost. Louie Vega is someone who has taught me about the business first. He taught me a lot. We both took different routes towards our careers. Louie to DJ’ing and myself to the studio.

I’m sharing this kind of advice so no one has to go through this walking into the industry. Many singers and vocalists arrive to the studio with no conversation or agreement and talk nothing about being paid. Many artists passionately want to perform and sing but this forewarning is solid. Lofty and dreamy ideas are great but before entering the studio, there should be some discussion about what you’re doing and how it looks financially.

Producers reading this might not like the candid advice I’m giving but it’s truth. Artists, don’t get burned! It’s rare that all-encompassing details are so direct-with these financial times we’re all really fighting for the dollars and if you don’t know something; nobody’s gonna try to tell you-be forewarned from here! You gotta get what you need for yourself. It’s an ugly business. Get it? Got it!

Stay Tuned

Every year he holds a birthday boat ride in NYC. Louie Vega, Jihad Mohammed hosted a House Music cruise on the Atlantic last year with guest DJ Mike Dunn (Chicago) and he brought it! This cruise happens every year!

The shine prjct wishes Josh Milan and Louie Vega all the best this month at the Grammy’s. Take one home for the Global House Team! 

-shine

Credits: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/grammys/7832881/grammy-awards-changes-online-voting-album-rap-categories

Establishments, Food, Health & Wellness, Knowledge, theshineprjct, Toronto

It’s That Time of Year Again…..1 month to go…….

theshineprjct

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Even though corporations have vast collaborations with food banks to donate food on a grand scale and they are in every position to do what we can’t do financially; it’s people like you and I that add a personal touch to giving.

There are many things you can do as an individual to stay grounded. Staying grounded is something you should do regularly to remind yourself who you are, where you could be and what you want life look like internally. A great way to live your life is one where you’re giving of your time, efforts and hands to those in need-especially those that will appreciate it!

As a high school student I volunteered at the Y and loved teaching kids sports! I designed simplified Basketball, Soccer and Volleyball activities for really young kids. I loved watching kids progress with their motor skills and confidence over a year’s time-it was so rewarding! At the local hospital I’d be helping operating room patients fill out their paperwork when they could not understand the information or did not have next-of-kin with them when they checked in!

Those moments I’ll always remember. For the last few Christmases-I would call around and sign up with different organizations to help out for soup kitchens and/or food banks and the waiting lists are so long because so many want to help out this time of year. Early last Fall, I called the Daily Bread Food Bank and asked if they needed any people and they did!

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I reached out before Canadian Thanksgiving and glad I checked in a lot earlier. Just like food donations and hands, it’s better to start early. Did you know #DailyBreadTO supplies other food banks in Toronto with food/supplies/preserves? This insures that all neighbourhoods get an equal measure of what’s needed instead of running out-especially this time of year!

Apart from feeling good about helping others, the most rewarding part was seeing some of the same families every week who feed their children and are truly grateful for what’s available. Some of the other volunteers were so kind, dedicated and gracious. Once I got to know everyone, I got to hear their stories. Many people in the city are making ends meet and a few extra things make a huge difference.

The Food Bank is set up to look and feel like an actual grocery store to remove the ‘ration’ style of the Food Bank process and each customer can shop like they should. Volunteers are waiting to help bag the groceries and customers know how much they are permitted to receive!

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I lived in Etobicoke for almost 7 years and had no idea that Daily Bread Food Bank was on Islington Ave! I’m writing this not to promote volunteerism or helping out during the holidays but mostly to encourage food donation all year round. Once the holidays are over-shelves are bare. Many items running out quickly are things like diapers, wipes, ensure, milk, eggs, produce, laundry detergent, toilet paper and toiletries.  Anything that is used daily or weekly is so needed.  After talking to so many people, when the holidays have passed, it’s tougher to retain enough stock to go round.

There are so many corporations who bring their employers in for food sorting and packaging marathons to raise money for the Food Bank and those events are always high energy with good music and live DJs! (That’s my favourite part.)

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One thing I found touching was seeing patrons check labels for calories, sodium,  ingredients and expiration dates. They are just as conscious about what they are eating as the next person! Give what you can of course BUT think about the health of your fellow human beings.

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For me personally, food donation and donation in general has now taken on a whole new meaning. I give outside of the common holiday gift giving times, I give whether or not there’s a dire need or disaster and I try to give what’s necessary besides the usual donation items.

It was an incredible experience. Have a Happy Holiday! Have a wikked 2018!

-shine

 

Beauty, Fashion & Beauty, Food, Health & Wellness, Holistic Health, women & entrepreneurship

Naturals for Naturals: An All Natural Product Marketplace!

theshineprjct
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Awesome grassroots brands with amazing stories, make healthy living effortless! Living naturally becomes essential when chemicals and toxicity reach high levels. #naturals4naturals is one of those brands holding this philosophy!

 

FOR NATURALS ONLY: @naturals4naturals launched an all natural marketplace FOR NATURALS ONLY.  That means only products with all natural ingredients. 🌿🌿🌿
Go to www.naturals4naturals.com to shop all natural products for men, women, babies, and pets.  You can also sign up as a vendor. (Link in the bio @naturals4naturals)
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Our Story: 1 daughters and 1 mother were tired of checking the labels of “natural” products and still seeing so many ingredients that were not truly “natural,” so they came together to create Naturals 4 Naturals by IveyDale. We are a team of 3 women collectively known as IveyDale (our last names + mother’s maiden name) who are committed to adding more natural & organic products to our kitchen and medicine cabinets.
Why Naturals 4 Naturals? For me (Amber the oldest daughter), it started when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2012. I could no longer afford to put chemicals into my body and I started changing my diet. Because of my health concerns, I started looking at labels like a hawk. The sad reality, which many of you already know, is that a lot of our food is extremely toxic. If you have a natural, organic, or vegan product line and you would like to partner with them, contact them at http://www.naturals4naturals.com/
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Beauty, Fashion & Beauty, Toronto

Top 5 Hair Products from Back in the Day: What’s in Your Momma’s Vanity Drawer?

theshineprjct

I visit my Mom once a month. In the Summer, I usually stop by her place with nothing else except for flip flops, a sundress and shades. If I’m staying over and not rockin’ the braids (some Summers I don’t-) I need products that work as good as what I use at home. (I’m always trying out different curling custards and gels!) I had a look in the cupboards in her bathroom and just like me, she had TONS of product.

I reached in and some of the stuff was laughable. I chuckled because I saw products my Mom used to use on my hair when I was little. The products of my childhood!!! I started checking for dust and grime on the various bottles and containers because they were pushed deep, deep into the back and I opened bottles and jars to smell the contents and look for expiration dates to see if anything had gone bad. This stuff was all new!

The product was purchased a few weeks ago-maybe a few months back……If my Mom is still buying this stuff-not only is it what she is used to, but it’s got to be some stuff worth trying out. Here are the 5 items I found:

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SoftSheen-Carson-Let’s Jam-Condition & Shine Gel (Regular Hold)

If I don’t feel like wearing the ‘fro, I do a sleek low bun. I do a centre or side part, get all the edges in from front to bank. It’s sticky enough to get the hair all down, a little wavy and VERY shiny! It’s great-however, depending on how much you put on it can get a little greasy. Actually, more than greasy…..my forehead was shining lol It does a good job,still!

 

Queen Helene Cholesterol

Queen Helene-Cholesterol-Hair Conditioning Cream

With many days of extreme heat and sun…hair can get thirsty. If you’ve got low-porosity hair (What’s your porosity?) a good deep treatment might be what you need. I dumped half the jar on my hair and combed it through from root to tip before a typical co-wash. I put on a plastic cap, wrapped it with a heated towel and was left with some hydrated curl-defined hair! I didn’t think it was going to do anything with this massive amount of hair but glad I tried it out!

 

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The Original-Mane ‘n Tail-Moisturizer-Conditioner

This is great for co-washing. Hair ends up super curly, super moist and dries well for the perfect wash and go! This doesn’t flake or dry-out on you midday. Try the LOC method with this and you’ll see how well it works. The conditioner is not too thick. If you decide to blow out your hair in the Summer, this gives a very smooth and bouncy laid bob!!!

 

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World of Curls-Comb-Out Conditioner & Oil Sheen (Moisturizer)

This product made me laugh because this is a ‘Jheri-curl’ product.   I wondered why she’d be using the ‘juice’ without having jheri curls. I sprayed it on with the Mane ‘N Tail as part of the co-washing style process and it gave a very wet and wavy look that dried that way. I checked the ingredients and one of the main ones: GLYCERIN. It’s an excellent humectant for dry hair! (Ease up on how much you use though, it can be a little greasy if it’s not applied to wet or damp hair.

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SoftSheen-Carson-Care Free Curl-Instant Moisturizer with Glycerine

Of every item I tried in her stash I felt they were just okay. This is the ONE product I took home! It’s perfect! IT goes on smooth, deeply absorbs into the hair and disappears. It leaves the hair with defined, hydrated curls. It helps my thick hair dry faster and you can apply as little or as much as you like! I use this so much now that instead of buying a bottle or two at a time I started purchasing a 946 ml salon-sized bottle which lasts a few months.This product has been carried into the cooler months and still operates the same way in Winter. This product also has glycerine and can be used with a deep conditioner and/or grapeseed,jojoba or olive oil combination it looks the same every single time.

If you have a chance, check your Momma’s stash you’ll be surprised some of that stuff will never go out of style!