Homemade Brown Sugar Scrub

This is one of my favorite scrubs to make.  I mainly use it on my face, but occasionally use it all over my body.  It is so great for exfoliation without dryness afterwards.  When I first made this it looked kind of thin in consistency, but when I used it.... WOW!  It gave my skin a great "scrub".  I use it first, and then follow with a vitamin E or tea tree based soap.  Then I use my homemade toner.  I will share that recipe with you later.

Now, let's make it!
Mix together:
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
15 drops tea tree essential oil
15 drops ylang ylang essential oil
15 drops clary sage essential oil
15 drops lime essential oil
***you can substitute the grape seed and avocado oil for 3 tablespoons of any oil you like***

Now I add enough brown sugar until it is the consistency of a caramel sauce.  Today I used about 5-6 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Here is the finished product.  Like I said, it may not LOOK like a scrub, but just WAIT!  You will be surprised!!! ENJOY!!!!

My Green Smoothie Base

I love green smoothies.  I buy them pre-made ALL THE TIME.  I figured I should be able to do something similar at home.  I went to the market and was overwhelmed in the produce section.  If I don't have a list with me I get sensory overload lol.  I forgot my list at home, but remembered a couple ingredients and then got creative with others.  Everything is organic.  Here is what I used:

4 kale leaves, chopped
1 cup of parsley, chopped
1 bosc pear, chopped
1 kiwi
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups of water

I put the kale, parsley and water into the blender and set to liquefy.

Then I added the pear and kiwi.

Next I added the bell pepper.

Then I transferred to a plastic container.  I added a couple of drops of lemon juice to the container, too.

So that is my green smoothie base!

Here is the smoothie I made with it after:

It was really yummy and had a nice kick to it!  I can't wait to get a juicer, because the only thing I didn't like was the bits of bell pepper skin.  I will be having this every morning!

For this I used:
1/2 cup smoothie base
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana
1 cube frozen crushed garlic
1 cube frozen crushed ginger
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
1 serving whey protein powder
1 tablespoon chia seed
2 tablespoons local honey

My FAVORITE Homemade Deep Conditioner

As you will come to find out, I LOVE making my own products.  As a matter of fact, I am working on my own business making natural hair and body products.  I am always telling people about my favorite homemade deep conditioner (DC).  Here is the recipe and the regimen I *usually* follow on the days I DC my hair.

My ingredients are:

1. Avocado
2. Coconut Milk
3. Honey
4. Water
5. Castor Oil
6. Tea Tree oil

First I scoop the avocado into the blender.

***I forgot to continue taking pictures of my process, but it is really easy.  I blame my anxiousness to use my fave conditioner on my forgetfulness. :)***

Next I microwave 2 tablespoons of honey with 3 tablespoons of water just until they are warm.  I add that to the blender and begin blending.  I use the "Puree" function.  Make sure you don't close the lid tightly because the warm water/honey mixture can cause it to pop off.  

After that is blended I add 1/4 cup of coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of castor oil (you can use any oil you want) and blend until smooth.  Then move the mixture to a container and I add 10 drops of tea tree oil (you can use any essential oil you want or omit it all together).

Mix it very well to make sure the essential oil is evenly distributed.  

Here is the final product.  Smooth, shiny and silky!

Now I just apply evenly through my hair, put on a plastic shower cap or conditioning cap and wait at least an hour.  Here it is on my hair.

This is my hair after rinsing out the DC and shampooing using Shea Moisture's Argan Oil & Raw Shea Butter bar soap.

I bought this product today at Walgreen's and decided to use this to condition.  Also here is a picture with it on my hair.  I put on a plastic cap again and will leave it on for 45 minutes.  

Here is my hair after detangling and rinsing.  The bioinfusion didn't allow for super easy detangling that some of my other products have.  It did feel good while I had it on and after I rinsed it out.

***Usually on days I DC with this mixture I also do my ACV rinse after this second conditioning.  I planned on doing it, but forgot.  I don't know what's wrong with me today. haha***

Then I sealed with a little Carol's Daughter Hair Balm:

I had planned on twisting it, but I am tired.  I think I will try dry twists tomorrow. 

I decided to add a little of Carol's Daughter Hair Milk after it dried some.

Try this homemade DC and I bet you will fall in love with it!

Combat Allergies Naturally

When I was still living in NYC I never had one single problem with allergies. Now that I am in NC it is a constant battle. At first I thought I was just getting frequent colds or having adverse reactions to products I use on my skin. I would feel like little bugs are crawling all over me and that feeling had me going crazy. Now my allergies are somewhat under control, but only due to OTC allergy medications. I would like to fight allergies naturally and started doing research. Here are a several things I found out about and I can't wait to try them

1. The main one I am going to try as soon as I get to the local farmers' market is LOCAL HONEY. I really love honey in the first place, so to know it could help is awesome. Eating honey made by local bees can help alleviates allergy symptoms because it is made from the same plants causing the allergic reaction. Taking in a small amount of the allergen works just like a vaccine, helping your immune system build antibodies against it.
2. The juice of half of a LIME mixed with a cup of warm water will help flush your system of toxins from allergens. I bet adding a little local honey would make it even better. Drink once daily in the morning.
3. I use APPLE CIDER VINEGAR in a rinse for my hair (you can find my ACV hair rinse recipe here), but it can also help with allergies. Drinking about two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in an 8 oz. glass of water once every day, either all year, or just during allergy season, can help to slow the production of the histamines that create allergic reactions.
4. Recognized throughout the world as a natural antihistamine, one or two daily cups of CHAMOMILE TEA, sweetened with honey, can provide immunity toward many common allergens. Once again, I'd add the local honey to that as well.
5. GARLIC is another natural antihistamine. Just add it to some of your favorite foods and fight allergies while adding flavor!
6. Take 250 milligrams of QUERCETIN three times a day. This natural supplement is a potent anti-inflammatory flavonoid, and it is widely used in natural medicine practices to fight allergies.

National Vegetarian Week!!!

Hey there!  I just thought I would let everyone know that National Vegetarian Week is from May 21-May 27, 2012.  To check out the official site and find all kinds of resources and recipes click here.


Check out one of the recipes they have featured on the site.  It looks yummy and pretty darn cool.  Since I am a smoothie addict, I will have to try this soon.

A fruity treat for people who don't like to eat in the morning

• Serves 4

• Preparation time 10 minutes

• Vegan

Ingredients

Green layer:

4 kiwi, peeled and chopped
1 pear, peeled and chopped
1/4 honeydew melon, sliced
150ml apple juice

Amber layer:

2 mangos, peeled and stoned
1/4 honeydew melon, sliced
100ml orange juice

Red layer:

200g strawberries
100g raspberries
1/4 honeydew melon, sliced
100ml cranberry juice

Method

1. Place the green layer into a blender and thoroughly whizz. Transfer to a separate jug and rinse out the blender.
   
2. Repeat with the remaining layers.
   
3. To serve, share the green layer between four glasses. Carefully spoon over the amber layer and finally the red layer. Serve straight away.

Cook’s tip: You can sweeten each layer to taste with a little sugar or concentrated fruit syrup

My First 3-Strand Twist Attempt

I don't get great results with 2-strand twists.  When I take them out it just looks like I did a wash & go.  In the natural hair group I am in on Facebook I saw that someone did a 3-strand twist out and it looked dope!  So I decided to give it a go.  I am usually kind of lazy when it comes to styling, but my hair retains moisture more when it is twisted or braided.  Here is the regimen I used before twisting:


I deep conditioned using raw shea butter.  This was my first time using shea butter as a DC and my hair seemed to like it.  I just softened it in the microwave for a few seconds, worked it through my hair and wrapped it with plastic wrap.

Then I washed with Shea Moisture's Argan Oil & Raw Shea Butter bar soap and conditioned with One 'n Only Argan Oil Moisture Repair Conditioner.  I only had a sample of the conditioner.  The fragrance was pretty strong, but it made detangling a snap.

Here is my hair after detangling:

Here is my hair after using my ACV rinse:

Then I used my Turbie Twist hair towel while I dry myself and get dressed to absorb some of the excess ACV rinse.  I don't rinse the ACV out.

Next I used kynx i am Fierce Refreshing Leave In Moisturizer and didn't care for it and found nothing moisturizing about it AT ALL.  This is what my hair looked like after using it.

Since I didn't like the kynx product I added Sof 'N Free Curl Wake Up Spray and I really REALLY like it. A LOT!

I combed Sof 'N Free Curl Sealer through small sections before twisting:

Here is the tutorial video on 3-strand twists that I used:

http://youtu.be/lS71kyJTOOQ

Here are my 3-strand twists and one that I took out the next day:

Also, after I twisted I used my shea & oil mix on the ends to seal them well.

I can't wait to take the rest out tomorrow!  I am loving the definition and I never would have gotten those results with 2-strand twists.  Also, my twists didn't unravel like the usually do with 2-strand twists.  I will upload pictures when I take the rest out.  I hope you give it a try too!




So.... my hair got damp from the shower and became a bit frizzy, but I still L-O-V-E the definition!!!  Here are some pics:

Clarify Hair Naturally (Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse)

One of my favorite ways to treat my hair is by giving it an apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse. Most people use an ACV rinse to remove product buildup in place of a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying shampoos strip hair of its natural oils and that can cause excessive drying and who wants that?  I initially used an ACV rinse only to help remove buildup.  I fell in love with it after seeing that it also made my curls more defined, bouncy, shiny and fluffy!  YAY ACV!  After that I had to find out what other benefits ACV rinses have besides removing buildup.


BENEFITS OF AN APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RINSE

• Closes the hair cuticle to protect the inside of the hair shaft from damage
• Removes buildup (cheaper and with less damage than clarifying shampoos)
• Can restore the pH balance of the scalp and hair
• Give hair a healthy sheen
• Promote blood circulation of the scalp
• and I am sure more that I don't know about

Please keep in mind that ACV is an acid and overuse can cause degradation to your hair shaft.  I have not seen any adverse side effects and will continue to use it 2-3 times a month.  I use it AFTER washing and conditioning since it is hard for conditioner to get through closed hair cuticles after using the rinse.

HERE IS HOW I MAKE MY APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RINSE:

Some people use plain water.  I had to be a little extra of course :)  I boil water and then let dried rosemary, black (English breakfast) tea and peppermint tea seep for a while.

I don't have a particular brand of apple cider vinegar I use, but for this batch I used Target's brand:

I use a 64 ounce container and filled it with 48 ounces of the rosemary/tea water and 16 ounces of ACV.  For me this is enough for 3 rinses and I keep it in the refrigerator.  I like to use it cold.  I don't know why, but it works for me.  When I first started using ACV, I used less and suggest anyone doing it for the first time to use less also to see how your hair reacts to it.

Once it is cool I add a1/2 tablespoon of an essential oil.  I usually use tea tree oil, but I used peppermint oil this time.