My Split Hair Personality

My hair is a house divided. It has two distinct personalities, and the civil war between my hair follicles had driven me to the point of exhaustion. It has also helped create my signature style, the eternal ponytail.

The right side of my hair is full, thick and naturally wavy; the left side is completely straight, lifeless and dull. When I was younger, I tried to get permanents in my hair. There were several reasons I did this, not the least of which being the fact that it was the cool thing to do. I would sit for hours at the salon, getting nauseated at the stench of perm solution, only to walk out with half a head of beautiful curls. Home remedies did not work either. No matter how much styling product I piled onto my hair, the curls would not stay. This drove me nuts, but the funny thing is that it completely infuriated my sister-in-law. Although this was several years ago, she still gets worked up at the memory of my hair. I am not exactly sure why it bugged her so much, but I can tell you that my hair produced much profanity from her lips.

Anyway, I tried to cut my hair super short once, thinking I could rock a boy cut and no one would ever see the dysfunction within my hair family legacy. Two words can describe the endeavor: epic failure. When cut short, the curls on my right side stood straight out, while the left side clung to my head for dear life. I looked ridiculous.

And so now I just go with the ponytail. I pull it back and ignore it. Some may call it sloppy or boring, but I prefer to go with shabby chic look.

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All-Natural Revitalizing Facial Mask

I wanted to create a natural recipe which targeted my specific facial needs. I whipped together an all natural facial mask from kitchen ingredients. It works as a clarifying and toning mask ridding of uneven tonalities in the skin, plus as a peeling mask and moisturizing mask due to the yoghurt, milk and honey ingredients. The cherry and lemon ingredients act as a toner and astringent, evening out skin tone. They are also powerful antioxidants. Plenty of money is saved rubbing vitamin C on your face rather than purchasing those Vitamin C gel caps sold by the beauty industry. I've paid anywhere of $50-60 for a 30-day supply of those little gems.



Facial Mask Recipe:
2 tbsp yoghurt
A dash of milk
1 tbsp of honey
A wedge of lemon
1 tbsp of virgin olive oil



Yoghurt balances ph levels in the skin nicely, especially if using an ingredient like lemon, or anything acidic, including aspirin. It is also packed with wonderful enzymes. Additionally, I use (cherry) natural yoghurt, not plain yoghurt, because cherries have deep toning properties different from lemons, limes, tomato and so on.

Adding 4-5 caplets of aspirin will change this mask into a mini-dermal abrasion mask revealing a newer layer of fresh skin which is brighter, cleaner and smoother.

Additionally, this mask goes on clear (and very moist like a moisture pack) and dries firm onto your face, like a peel-off mask. It truly tightens the skin yet moisturizes to totally revitalize dull and tired skin.

Because the consistency can change with ingredients each time it is made, you can also add a gel basis to it for a peel-off mask. Adding some aloe gel, or gelatin, will make certain it can be peeled off. Peel-off masks clean deeper and remove dirt, dead skin cells and even unwanted fine hairs from the face.

Make sure to cleanse and use a facial scrub before you begin the facial mask portion of your beauty regime. The most simple and basic natural facial scrub is a little water or oil with brown sugar dissolved into it. After cleaning and a facial sloughing, I squeeze the remaining lemon from the lemon wedge over the t-zone of my face. It stings and tightens immediately.

After the mask is washed gently away, or peeled, I use natural vitamin E from my supplement bottles and add the oil onto my face -- then I add a moisturizer to complete my home-made facial experience.

Photos: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Spa Club, Yuan Spa and Sanctuary Spa

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The Buzz about Coffee Beans

Not only do I absolutely adore coffee in the morning, but I’ve come to believe it is a magic bullet. Yes, it can cause symptoms for some folk when it comes to digestion and/or high blood pressure, but other than that the new findings that coffee is very healthy for us overpowers the minimal side effects for the majority of people. Coffee is the perfect pick-me-up for all sorts of reasons!

The java bean has been found to improve circulation and reduce unsightly cellulite. It serves as a vaso-restrictor on blood vessels reducing varicose veins, plumps skin with a healthy glow, darkens skin as a natural skin tanner, revives and smoothes skin and the most significant finding is how coffee fights cancer.

Yes, it fights and destroys many forms of cancer including skin cancer. Caucasians in cooler, northern regions who use coffee have significantly lower occurrences of skin cancer in contrast to those who don’t drink coffee. Many women living in warmer climates world-wide have known a long time about the benefits of coffee upon the skin. Coffee is healthful as both a preventative and healing agent, both ingested orally and applied topically to the skin.

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Coffee Skin Cure Ideas

When it comes to skin care, coffee is a choice ingredient these days ever since it’s been established those little beans are good for us. You may have even seen beauty products on the store shelves containing java beans this past spring. You can blend together your own natural recipes straight from home and it is cost effective. Moreover, if it’s a self-tanning lotion you’re looking for you can even concoct your own lotion at home.

Other recipes you can make yourself with the bean are coffee grind scrubs, skin tints, coffee moisturizers and cellulite wraps. Coffee beans are very effective on cellulite treatment and ridding of varicose veins. Combine some coffee grinds with some egg white for skin exfoliation. Apply the scrub all over before applying your sunless tanner to the skin for a streak-less application and smooth skin.

Another application is to brew a pot of coffee and allow it cool before pouring the cooled coffee all over your skin for a darker skin tint - naturally. Leave it there for about one half-hour and then rinse.
Moreover, a recipe of brewed coffee beans mixed with olive oil (or oil of choice) along with coconut milk makes a natural yet effective oil-based suntan product. If you add more coconut milk than oil you’ll end up with a creamier based lotion rather than the tanning oil variation. I simply purchase a can of coconut milk at any grocery store. I find it gives you an overall darker tan, and also prepares and protects your skin from skin damage and possible skin cancers. This tanning product won’t guard you from the sun’s UV rays so applying an SPF base is recommended.

Now, for those seeking an effective cellulite treatment, especially in the spring season before summer, the java bean is a good friend. On average, a cellulite wrap offered at spas range from $70-$210. However, at home you can give yourself a series of treatments, which will work better on ridding the winter toxin buildup in the skin that so many women are prone to. These are the recipes I’m using:


Coffee Scrub

First, a simple recipe of coffee beans, brown sugar, olive oil, a few drops of almond oil and, if you like, a dash of chocolate into the blend makes a delicious and powerful scrub. Rub this all over in the shower and rinse off for smooth and revived skin, a cellulite treatment and exfoliation of the skin all wrapped into one scrub. Plus, you can rub this scrub in and leave it on for up to one hour for an alternative method of tinting the skin.

Coffee Wrap Treatment

If you’re needing that extra cellulite treatment which works deeper and more intensively into your toxin buildup than it is very simple and easy to use the coffee scrub already mentioned, but add a bit more oil to it and wrap yourself firmly in traditional cloth wraps (if you have found them in stores) while remaining in a warm location. It is also possible to warm blankets or towels and add drops of aroma therapy for a very aromatic and heating/thermal wrap experience.

The simple wrapping of saran wrap also proves effective for a thermal experience. Saran wrap likely is the most used home product for wraps. Similarly, wrap yourself in blankets or towels after you’ve applied the saran wrap in the targeted cellulite zones. Better yet, jump in your sauna or similar space if you’re lucky to be around those warm units while you’re wrapping. Do at least one to two wraps for light cellulite and up to a series of 6-8 wraps for problem cellulite areas. Reducing cellulite is not only a cosmetic concern, but a good health preventative in the detoxification process.

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