I know that summer is winding down, but the damage from the fun in the sun is probably adding up and your hair is showing the effects. I'm going to share a couple of my favorite Summer Hair Hacks to have your hair on it's way to looking it's best again!
Dry frizzy hair? Want some shine back? It's no secret that I'm obsessed with coconut oil. I use it for everything. Yes, everything... even a hair mask. Coconut Oil Hair Mask What you'll need.... Coconut oil, preferably organic blah, blah, blah. And a shower cap. After showering (at night, I just rinse my hair prior to application shampooing is not necessary) place anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon (or more depending on length and texture of your locks) in your hands and melt. Quickly work through your damp hair from root to tip. Once applied wrap up your hair in a bun and cover with a shower cap. Leave on over night, shampoo and condition as normal and voila! Super shiny and conditioned hair. The mask should be applied every one to two weeks for maximum benefit. Natural, and inexpensive! Smells super summery too! Green pool hair? Don't cut it! Use a little baking soda and it will come right out! I've also used this baking soda trick to take out Manic Panic that is faded or even demi and semi permanent hair dye. Baking Soda Chlorine Remover Simply wet hair and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to your USUAL amount of shampoo. The mixture will be paste like. Wash your hair with the mixture, and let sit on your hair for 10 minutes. Repeat. Only do this twice. You don't want to completely strip the natural oils out of your hair. I recommend a good conditioner after (maybe the coconut oil treatment) and if you still have a tint of green in your hair wait a good 24 hours before using baking soda on it again. I've used this to strip out demi and semi permanent hair color so it should greatly reduce the green tint from too much time at the pool! Want that sexy beach hair? You know... sea spray looks good on you girl. I'm land locked though! No beach for 2,000 miles so what does a girl do? Spend $16 on a designer spray? That's crazy talk. Beachy Wave Hair Spray What you'll need: 1 cup hot water 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp coconut oil 1 tbsp hair gel 1 tbsp hair conditioner (optional) Recycled spray bottle Instructions (it's not complicated I swear) Dissolve the sea salt in the hot water. Add in the coconut oil and hair gel, mix well. Add in the hair conditioner (optional) Whisk and blend together well, pour into a spray bottle. Shake well prior to applying to hair and be transformed into one of those red swim suit wearing hotties dashing through the sand with great hair! If you're like me you don't blow dry your hair in the summer. I am a "wash and wear" kinda gal when the temperature passes 80. I do love to throw my wet locks up into a bun and allow it to dry naturally. At night I take it down for PERFECT waves that are sexy and frame the face. And my hair smells amazing at the same time. I don't have to worry about breakage as I drive with the windows down and my hair typically grows a lot with the extra care I give it in the summer. My last and final hack for your summer hair style is to FLIP your bobby pin. Yep, flip it over - put the bumpy side down and it will grip your hair so that your wet hair will hold as it dries in your fancy bun. As always if you've got some summer hair hacks of your own, share with me! I'd love to hear them!
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Tip One: Move toward the light
Any camera film, DSLR, or phone all do the same thing - capture light. When you have good light, you'll have good photos. If you're capturing something that can be moved, try to arrange it so that the light flatters your subject. If you're shooting at night, the onboard flash may do the trick - but I recommend looking for a light in the area as long as your subject is movable. Overhead lighting or street lamps can work great at night for getting the better images. Just try to find some flattering light and move towards it. Tip Two: The in App camera is not your friend Don't use the camera in an app, use the camera icon on your phone. The in app camera will downgrade the resolution of your images. When you use the camera icon on your phone for your photos you'll be able to adjust lighting and contrast as you capture providing you better images. Tip Three: Forward facing camera is bad Don't use the forward facing camera. The forward facing camera uses less pixels than the rear facing camera and you'll notice a compression issue as well. If you're trying to get a great selfie of your new outfit or hair style, use a mirror and the forward facing camera. You'll get a better looking photo with less "noise" or digital distortion. If you've got an iPhone you can use the "handicap" option that will allow you to set the phone down and capture an image hands free, it works just like a timer. Tip Four: Cleanliness make sure you don't have any obstructions on your lens. If you're like me your phone is in your purse, pocket, table, desk, everywhere and it gets pretty dirty pretty fast. Just a simple quick wipe before you go to snap your pictures will ensure a better capture! Tip Five: Hold still! This doesn't apply necessarily to your subject as much as it is does to you. Much like any other camera you may use, any shaking while holding the device will create some blur to your images. Try to hold the camera steadily while you shoot away. Tip Six: No Zoom Don't zoom in before you snap. Wait to crop the image. Once you zoom on a cell phone camera you're degrading the quality of your final image. While it's an option, it's not going to help you capture a masterpiece. Try using an editing app to zoom in on your subject after you've captured. Please let me know if you've got any tips for mobile photography of your own! Happy shooting! Natural Remedies for common skin issues
rendering process that takes more than a couple of steps to create your favorite voodoo tonic, I recommend skipping that treatment and trying something natural first. Worst case scenario you go back to your expensive creams. Natural remedies: Witch hazelIf you've never heard of Witch Hazel it is a natural astringent or skin toner made from the Witch-Hazel plant and its leaves and bark. It was used by the Native Americans for its healing properties and is used for treating skin irritation, redness, swelling, swelling of the eyes, and bruising as it balances the PH of your skin without over drying as it locks in moisture. I recommend soaking a cotton ball or square with Witch Hazel and applying it after cleansing both day and night. You'll see any residual dirt or make-up removed after cleansing, and it will heal the redness and any dryness on the face, neck and decollate. I also use it on fresh tattoos as it helps reduce both swelling and redness while soothing. Witch Hazel is widely available in both brand name and store brand varieties. It is often sold in the pharmacy area of your favorite mega store or grocery chain. Look for where you would also purchase rubbing alcohol or peroxide and there should be at least a couple of options for you to choose from. The average purchase price for 16oz's should be about $1.60 depending on what area of the country you're looking to buy. You should also find Witch Hazel at your local health food store or co-op. One bottle of Witch Hazel lasts me about 60 days and I also use it to make a natural eye make-up remover. Here are some more uses for Witch Hazel: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-227-WITCH%20HAZEL.aspx?activeIngredientId=227&activeIngredientName=WITCH%20HAZEL Natural Remedies: Tea Tree OilTea Tree Oil is what it sounds like, an oil made from the leaves of the Tea Tree. It is often used to treat a variety of skin aliments. While it's not recommended that you ingest Tea Tree Oil, it is used to treat tooth and mouth infections so we're still okay with our beauty rule of thumb. Specifically you can use Tea Tree Oil to treat acne, ingrown hairs, cold sores, and allergic reactions. It needs to be diluted for proper application with another oil such as olive oil, avocado oil, or grape seed oil. The recommended dilution level is 5%. A good rule of thumb is 2 drops of Tea Tree Oil per 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil. You can store your mixture in a small jar, and apply with a cotton swab directly to any acne break outs or skin irritations. This mixture can also be used to heal "strawberry legs" or ingrown hairs. Use it instead of your moisturizer after shaving, twice daily until the problem areas have healed. Tea Tree Oil can be found at your local pharmacy and in some cases your favorite mega mart store in the vitamin isle. It will most likely run you about $11-$12 for a 1-2oz bottle. That sounds expensive, but you're only using a couple of DROPS to make a couple of weeks worth of spot treatment. Again depending on how many areas of the body you're treating a bottle of tea tree oil will last me several months. If you're concerned about budget for this item stay away from the health food stores and co-ops, I've noticed in my area that they charge a couple of dollars more than the pharmacy chains. I also use Tea Tree Oil to make my all natural, biodegradable multi purpose house cleansers. It smells wonderful and cleans and disinfects. I'll be sure to post that recipe soon. For more information and uses of Tea Tree Oil: http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-113-TEA+TREE+OIL.aspx?activeIngredientId=113&activeIngredientName=TEA+TREE+OIL&source=2&tabno=2 Natural Remedies: Baking SodaI bet you just thought I was crazy when you read "baking soda" for your face as a natural beauty treatment. But if you aren't aware of the many uses of baking soda, allow me to enlighten you. Baking soda is the best natural exfoliant around. It's inexpensive, readily available and doesn't rip or tear your skin when used as an exfoliant. You only need to mix baking soda with water to make a paste to use for the entire body. It also helps alleviate ingrown hairs, and soften your bath water. I use baking soda for everything. Cleansing the sink, toilets, as a water softener and fabric softener, for heartburn (my favorite use by far) and for an exfoliant. Baking soda is SO CHEAP! And it's so good for such a large variety of uses that I purchase it in bulk. I'll go more in depth on the wonderful things you can use baking soda for in another dedicated post but for today I want to stress that if you're breaking out try exfoliating twice a week with baking soda paste and see if that doesn't expedite the skin healing process. For more information and uses of Baking Soda: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_bicarbonate As always if you have any questions in regard to the content of this post please comment. If you like the information please share! Elle
New menu items from the triple rock social clubThe Triple Rock Social Club is located at:
629 Cedar Ave Minneapolis, MN 55454 Phone: (612) 333-7399 Hours of Operation: 4pm to 2am Web: http://www.triplerocksocialclub.com/food/ Podcast FridayS!So I'm a part of a Podcast on Fridays... Empty Minds Radio. We record in Saint Paul in the Golden Leaf, smoke cigars, talk some smack, and the episodes are available online here: _ ww.emptymindsradio.com. Check out all of the episodes and if you're able, donate to the program to help keep us going. You'll want to get to know Tom, Myron, Jerry, Garry, and Paulie they keep me laughing throughout the podcast. *vulgarity alert* if you are easily offended by profanity this is not the podcast for you. |
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