Using Olive Oil for Beautiful and Healthy Hair

You probably already know about the many health benefits of olive oil but did you know that it is great for your hair to?  Olive oil is rich in essential vitamins and fatty acids, such as vitamin E and other antioxidants that can help to protect your skin and hair from the free radicals that can damage cells, making it a long time favorite for natural skin care.  All of the great things about olive oil that make it a wonderful moisturizer for your skin also makes it a great choice for hair care.  It's even great to help clear up a stubborn lice  problem for kids by preventing the nits from sticking to the strands of hair.  In addition to adding shine and vitality to your hair, olive oil can also help to clear up dandruff.

Here are some other great ways that you can use olive oil for healthier and more beautiful hair:

  • Add to your normal conditioner for extra softness, shine, and manageability.
  • Use olive oil as a deep conditioner treatment.  Apply olive oil into your hair starting at the roots and covering your entire scalp then comb through hair.  Wrap your hair with plastic wrap or a shower cap and leave for 20 to 30 minutes for a great oil treatment. 
  • Olive Oil for Thinning Hair: This same method has also been used for treating hair loss.  Just apply the olive oil directly to the scalp, massage in then cover for several hours or for best results leave in over night then rinse out and shampoo as normal.  This helps to improve the scalp and hair condition to stimulate growth.
  • Create a Natural Hair Mask for Split Ends: For a deeper conditioning treatment, mix the olive oil together with an egg and beat well.  Apply the mixture to your hair, paying close attention to split ends or other problem areas.  Cover with a shower cap and allow to set for 20 to30 minutes before washing out with your normal shampoo.  This is a great treatment for your hair on a weekly basis that can help restore the essential nutrients that add health and shine to your hair.

A Few Quick Tips:
Using an eye dropper or oral syringe (like the ones that come with over the counter medications for babies) will help you to get the olive oil directly on to your scalp or other targeted area with less mess.

Because the natural body heat from your head helps to activate the oil and allow it to set in, better conditioning your hair, it is a good idea to first use a plastic wrap after piling your hair on top of your head and then cover with the shower cap or towel.  This helps to keep your body heat locked in while also guarding against drips.

Olive oil can stain some fabrics so be careful when using pillow cases or towels for your treatments and be sure to use old ones that you will not care to get stained.

Most importantly, when using olive oil for hair use only Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Since this comes from the first pressing of the olives it contains the most benefits with the least amount of added chemicals for the best result on your hair (as well as for cooking).

In addiiton to using olive oil treatment for your hair you can also find shampoos that contain olive oil that are more suitable for daily use such as L'Occitane's Olive Tree Daily Shampoo.

Vibrant Versatile Vinegar

Are grandmothers ever wrong? Never. Mine used to tell me that nothing was better for washing windows than white vinegar and newspaper. And that rinsing my hair with a half a cup of vinegar and a cup of cold water after a shower would make my hair glow like the sun. Did I listen? No. Was she right? Yes, naturally.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that the simplest and most inexpensive items on the shelf are in fact, the most efficient. We buy in to the marketing of companies selling expensive cleaners, conditioners, cosmetics, and medicine; when the one product that we have had all along, does not only a comprable job, it does a better job.

Vinegar is one such product.

One gallon of white distilled vinegar costs about three dollars and can be used 70 different ways, replacing hundreds of dollars worth of other products which are designed to work only one way. Vinegar was discovered by accident over 10,000 years ago, named vin aigre by the French for 'sour wine'. It is the fermentation process of wine gone awry that made the first batch and since then, having discovered its many capabilities, it has been made on purpose from fruits, wine, beer, potatoes, sorghum, dates, beets, hops, and whey.

Vinegar was used in biblical times for its healing, soothing properties. A couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in your water will cure a cold, soothe a sore throat, calm a cough, and disinfect and heal wounds when applied topically. Rinsing your hair with a mixture of vinegar and water will soften and condition your it, giving it unequalled shine and highlights, as well as cure dandruff. Applying a vinegar poultice by soaking cotton in equal parts vinegar and water and leaving overnight, will dissolve warts and corns. Soaking your feet in strong vinegar water, will kill nail fungus and soften hard skin. Pouring a half a cup of vinegar into your bath water will soften your skin, removing oils, bacteria, and hard minerals, and will leave your bathtub sparkling clean.

Cleopatra won a wager using vinegar, claiming she could could consume a fortune in one meal. She dropped priceless pearls into a glass of vinegar and they dissolved within an hour. She drank them down and won the bet. Vinegar can be used to dissolve hard minerals in the shower, sink, and is an excellent cleanser. Freshen your coffee maker by pouring white vinegar into the resevoir and allow it to brew through. Follow with two cycles of fresh water and enjoy fresh coffee that never tasted so good! Pouring vinegar into your toilet bowl and letting it rest for 30 minutes will give you a clean toilet without any scrubbing. Soaking your showerhead in a strong vinegar solution will remove all lime and mineral deposits.

Vinegar can be used in the garden and home to repel ants and pests by mixing equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and applying to desired areas. Use the same mixture on tough stains in your laundry, on your carpet, or upholstery and let sit for 30 minutes before cleaning as normal. Vinegar will remove all odors and bacteria from sour clothes or a even a room full of smoke. Place a small bowl of vinegar in the room and it will absorb the offending smells and pollutants in the air. You can also spray it into the air as a deodorizer or onto glass as a streak free window cleaner, as mentioned before.

In the Civil War, vinegar was used to prevent scurvy. Today, you can use it to preserve cut flowers by mixing 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar into the water vase. For flowers and plants in the garden, use a 1:8 ratio of vinegar to water on flowering plants like azalaes, gardenias, and rhododendrons. Pour a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar into a quart of drinking water for your pets to keep them flea and tick free. Rinse them with a light solution of vinegar water to ease itchy skin.

On a health note, studies have shown that vinegar helps regulate your blood sugar levels which, is especially beneficial to people with diabetes. It also helps to curb the appetite and prevents fat cells from sticking to your body and clogging your arteries. Vinegar is also good for curing an upset stomach, hiccups, or any digstive problems. Simply pour 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drink. If the taste is disagreeable to you, add a tablespoon of raw, organic honey.

The uses of vinegar are endless! Enjoy!

http://blessingsforlife.com/hometips/vinegar.htm

http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html

 

Farrah's Legacy, Her Fabulous Flip

Michael Jackson is maybe getting a big, huge tribute to his life? But what about poor Farrah? Is she now forgotten, her death eclipsed by someone so strange and so apparently god-like that Farrah herself has been forgotten just a few short days after her death?

Like Michael Jackson, I choose to remember Farrah as she was, and not at the end of her life (like when she had that weird interview on the David Letterman show) and I have decided that to best honor her memory, I will have to somehow, in some way get her hairstyle.

I have done extensive research on this, have uploaded my picture to the not-so-official" Farrah Fawcett hair-styler page, and I must say that I, of course, would look absolutely stunning with her hairstyle on my head. I mean, come on, if that old hag Julia Roberts can pull it off, so can I.......right?

If Michael Jackson, was the King of Pop as they say, was not Farrah Fawcett the queen of hairstyles? Can we not give her some love and attention for her fabulous Farrah flip? Does she not get any credit or remembrance at all for "inspiring" the minds and bodies of teenaged boys throughout the 70's?  I think she deserves a song, "She's got Farrah-Fawcett" hair....If whoever wrote the original of "Betty Davis" eyes made a re-make of that song, she could make an absolute killing.

 

As a tribute to the woman she was, I will endeavor to have my hair like her. As for the sex symbol status she attained, I will leave that to the legions of young women who already aspire for nothing more. We love you, Farrah. Rest in Peace.

Angelina Jolie Kicks Off World Refugee Day

Saturday marks a day where people all over the world can stand together and recognize international refugees, understand them—and offer them support. On Thursday, Angelina Jolie, a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, along with the UNHCR High Commissioner, Antonio Guterres, helped launch this year’s World Refugee Day activities.

This year’s events are themed, “Real People, Real Needs.” This is to showcase the fact that all of these refugees are just like us, and have to eat, sleep, and care for their families just as we do.

At the launch ceremony, hosted by the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC, Angelina asked that Americans be aware of the suffering and plight of millions of victims of conflict all around the globe.

To see a clip of the event, moderated by NBC’s Ann Curry, click here.

Click here to join in on Refugee Day live this Saturday from 9 AM to 9 PM EST. The U.N. is all teched-out in Obama fashion, hosting a live audio-visual feed from refugee camps during the day. People who participate can use text messaging, Twitter and video submissions to help spread the word and get involved.

In addition to the live streaming from Djabal, one of the 12 refugee camps run by the UNHCR in eastern Chad—which helps more than 250,000 refugees from Darfur—the online event will also feature refugee camps from Colombia, Pakistan and Iraq. People tuning in may witness, for the first time in their lives, what it is like to be displaced and homeless due to your nation’s involvement in a war, at no fault of your own.

As Angelina said in her speech, forced displacement is simply a fact of life for many people. “Whether it be from Darfur, Myanmar or the Swat Valley, or some as yet unknown crisis, mass migrations will be a feature of our future. We must look beyond the simple numbers and instead at the individual,” she said.

These are well-said words. How often do we hear of a crisis and think, wow, those are big numbers, and carry on through the Starbucks Drive-Thru with our day as if nothing happened?

But we know if it were a single face of someone we know—a relative or a dear friend, or even an acquaintance from high school—it would touch us deeply. We must remember that each one of these people has a face, has a life and a family, and is simply just like us.

Hippy Chick Clothing Swap at The Farm

Barely mid June at around 7:30pm, I am traipsing along a forest trail behind three new girlfriends I've made here at The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee. We have been bunking together at the Eco-Hostel for the last two weeks throughout our month long apprenticeship in Natural Building. We are on our way to a ladies' clothing swap at Caroline's house, where we will meet the other women of The Farm, the longest running American intentional community and ecovillage, to swap clothing and stories and songs, some fine dishes of food, wine and tequila.

When we arrive, the room is filled with women of all ages, a toddler named Ruby is kicking and laughing in the big pile of clothes thrown into the center of the living room. Zandra, the 8 year old of Alayne and Jason, a young couple who manage the Eco-Hostel and live on The Farm, runs up to give me a big hug. I toss my hat in the pile and pour a glass of tequila and cold chamomile tea. The clothing swap has begun!

Women are laughing and trying on each other's clothes, music is playing, breasts are flying free, babies are laughing, guacamole is being had and little girls are running around stirring the feminine chaos into a monument of uncouth divinity. The energy in the room is strong and unstructured, gentle yet wild, and the colors and movement of it all deserves to be woven into a gorgeous tapestry or into a song, which I may write a little later.

The point is however, that this clothing swap is not only eco-friendly through the exchange of clothes, it is community friendly and heart friendly in its gathering of women. All female or co-ed clothing swaps may be an event you consider hosting. Its alot more fun than going thrifting alone or with a couple of friends with the added bonus that no money is exchanged. By hosting or attending a clothing swap, you create the opportunity to visit with others, discuss environmental or family matters, artistic and business endeavors and genuinely just let your hair down while doing something constructive. The larger the group, the more clothes, the more conversation and the more fun!

This is a great idea for kids' parties, girls' nights, right before Halloween, or anytime you want to unwind and be social. For the guys, maybe a night of swapping electrical gadgets or sporting items that they've grown tired of. Why buy more when you can trade that mp3 player for a chair massager, or a cocktail dress from 1993 for a pair of slammin' bell bottoms? Just kidding!

We all walked away with 5 or 6 very colorful pieces. I scored two pairs of really nice jeans, a black sparkly tie halter top from the 40's, a huge white men's dress shirt which I have worn over short shorts while baking cookies, and a three dimensional rainbow colored sweatshirt from the late 80's which is almost too wonderful for words. Overall, it was the experience itself which was the major score. I will never forget the baby buried in the clothes being tossed up in the air by the 8 year old who's mother was dancing shirtless in a wide brimmed hat alongside the other revelers, cookie makers, long wavy haired wine drinkers, spandex leotard and cowboy boot trying oners..... In the middle of Tennessee, just before summer, on an ecovillage called The Farm.

Enrich your life by hosting, attending,  or suggesting the idea to your group of friends and make sure lots of new people are invited. Eco fashion and community is a combination that will serve both our environment as well as our checkbooks. With all the recycled fashion these days, there is no reason not to recycle clothes from within the community in which you live, while getting to know one another better.

Listerine Whitening Strips - My New Best Friend

I am normally a Crest girl, Crest toothpaste, Crest white strips, etc.  The other day my mom gave me Listerine whitening strips to try.  At first I was like, no thank you, I still have some Crest White strips that I am using, but then she insisted. Knowing my Crest white strips were almost gone and I am a broke 20 something living in Los Angeles, I thought, hey, why not.  I was still skeptical about them (why, because I knew nothing about them, I have only used the Crest product), so I started to read up a little about them (knowledge is power). 

I liked the fact that, unlike the Crest white strips, they dissolved in your mouth, but then I wondered was it safe to be swallowing all that bleaching agent?  As I read on Listerine’s website under the FAQ section, it is safe to swallow (I am sure they would not put it on the market if it was not, but I still wanted to know what I was swallowing anyways).  The bleaching agent is actually hydrogen peroxide which is broken down into oxygen and water and any other ingredients (these other ingredients I am not so sure about) are washed away with your salivary flow.  The strips themselves happen to be very, very thin.  They are like the Listerine breath strips if you have ever put one of those on your tongue, except these go on your teeth. 

What I also like about the Listerine whitening strips is that unlike the Crest strips they mold to your teeth.  You can walk around talking and they are hardly noticeable.  The Crest strips are kind of clunky and they always start to fall off my teeth after awhile.  I also remember the Crest strips making my teeth sensitive after using them for two days.  I have used the Listerine strips now for over two days and my teeth feel fine, they even look whiter, already.  Listerine Whitening strips not only whiten your teeth, but they give you fresh breath while doing so.  I also love that the same strip can be used for either your top or bottom teeth, they do not have separate packages for top and bottom like Crest.

The only problem I have had with Listerine Whitening strips is that they dissolve after 5-10 minutes (which is great), but my teeth still feel like they have something on them, so after about 15 minutes, I’ll usually brush my teeth.

Listerine Whitening strips are easy to use, there are 3 simple steps:  Tear (the package open), Notch (lower teeth- notch goes in your top left, upper teeth- notch goes in your bottom right), and Press.  Easy as that, no mess to clean up (unless you feel the need to brush your teeth after, like I do).

Overall I would give Listerine Whitening strips 4.5 stars out of 5.  My current Crest White strips I would give 3 stars out of 5.

Don't Forget About Shoes

I love shoes and I feel STRONGLY that they make or break not just an outfit but your WHOLE LIFE. Yes! I'll be the shoe specialist at Beauty World. Check back or subscribe for more updates from me.

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