HOW TO MAKE A BODY SPRAY WITH 4 INGREIDENTS

 HOMEMADE BODY SPRAY

Making your own body spray is not only cost effective, it's a great way to have control over the ingredients you're using. You'll know what you are putting on your skin, this is very important for those who suffer from skin diseases, allergies and have sensitive skin. Most store brought body sprays and perfumes have artificial dyes and harsh chemicals added to them to preserve the shelf life of the product. These artificial dyes and chemicals can be very harmful to your skin trigging an allergic reaction. The best way to make sure your body spray's are safe is to make them yourself.



 EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database is a website that provides great information on what's inside of thousands of beauty products. This is a wonderful resource guide for you to know if a product your using may be harmful to you and your family.

Here a link to the EWG'S Skin Deep Database:

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Body Sprays are so easy to make you and use them as air fresheners too. They are very affordable to make, all you need is a spray bottle, distilled water, alcohol,vegetable glycerin and a fragrance of your choice. .

Ingredients needed for the body spray

 

 Add distilled water to fill the spray bottle half-full.

 

 

Add an equal amount of alcohol or vodka

Add a small amount of vegetable glycerin for a moisturizing spray. You can omit this step if you don't have vegetable glycerin.

Add five to six drops of fragrance oil or essential oil and shake the bottle well. Test the spray by spritzing your wrist. If it is not as strong as you like, add more oil, one drop at a time, until it reaches the strength you want.

 As you can see there is no color to the body spray. I used a few drops of warm vanilla fragrance oil and it didn't change the color of the water.

Store your finished product in a dark, cool place.

Time to go make your own you can re use an old body sprat bottle just make sure you wash out it thoroughly. There are so many essentials oils and fragrance oils you can use, so be creative. This also can be used a air freshener. 

. .

Make your body spray even more refreshing by storing it in the refrigerator.to give you a cooling effect

Storing your spray away from high humidity will help it last longer.

Test the fragrance oil for skin reactions before making your spray. Dab a diluted drop of the oil in the bend of your elbow and leave it undisturbed for 48 hours. If you see any signs of irritation, avoid use of that oil. Citrus oil and synthetic cinnamon oils often cause skin irritations.

MAKE YOUR OWN ALL NATURAL BROWN SUGAR BODY SCRUB

 

 

 

 How about having a spa day at home? Brown sugar scrub treatments at the spa can be expensive  and buying scrubs from your favorite bath and body store or online can be pricey too. Making your own all natural brown sugar scrub is fun, easy and affordable. You probably have the ingredients in your kitchen. I saw a brown sugar scrub retailing online for $65.00. There's no way I'm paying $65.00 for a brown sugar scrub. The cost of all the ingredients needed for making your own body scrub is under $10.00 You only need three ingredients Brown Sugar, Olive Oil and honey.

 

 

 

 

 

• Brown Sugar is a gentle exfoliate great for all skin types
• Olive Oil is a great moisturizer
•  Honey has anti- bacterial properties which means honey will stop bacteria from growing in your body scrub and honey is a great moisturizer 

  I really love making my own sugar scrubs because I have control of what ingredients I can add to the scrub. There are so many great oils you can use like sweet almond, grape seed and avocado oil. You can even add some shaving of African black soap so that the scrub can later up.  This scrub will make you feel soft and smooth. The natural brown sugar buffs away dry skin cells and helps to hold moisture in you skin. Olive Oil and honey ensures that your skin is left completely hydrated and revitalized. 

 

 

 

        Here's how to make a all natural brown sugar scrub

 

 

You'll need:

 

1 to 2 cups of brown sugar

 

5 tablespoons of Olive Oil

 

2 tablespoons of honey

 

                                           1 to 2 Cups of Brown Sugar added to a bowl

                                                     Add 5 tablespoons of Olive Oil

                                         

                                                       Add 2 tablespoon of honey

                                         

 

Mix all ingredients and place in a container with a lid

 

 

Finished Product

 

 

You can play around with your brown sugar scrub recipe. You can add more brown sugar, oils even essentials oils or fragrance oils  You can have a spa day everyday without even leaving your home and spending a lot of money. Beauty on a budget that's my motto !  

 

 

 

 Give it a try and let me know how much you enjoyed it. 

 

 

MAKE YOUR OWN HAIR GLOSS/POLISHER WITH 4 INGREDIENTS

DYI HAIR GLOSS/POLISER

 

 

 

During the summer our hair can get dry, frizzy and dull looking due to the extreme heat, using heating tools like blow dryers, flat irons and sweating our hair out when we work out. This can be very frustrating, so we shop around for products that claims to add shine and frizz control to the hair. We buy Oil sheens, hair serums, polishers and glossers. Most of the time they don't even work and usually they are made with harsh chemicals that actually can do more damage to our hair.

I made my own hair polish and it works great! It leaves my hair shiny, soft  and less frizzy.  How about making your own hair glosser/polisher it's very easy and affordable you'll only need four ingredients.

 

 

 All the ingredients can be found at your local health food store, natural food store and online. Try this easy quick recipe it will leave your hair nourished, soft and shiny!

 

 

The four ingredients are :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vegetable Glycerin  

 Vegetable glycerin is a humectant it draws moisture into the hair, it's also promotes for hair growth, it's a great moisturizer and it's  adds luster to dry fizzy hair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Almond Oil

 Sweet Almond Oil is a very light oil It works great as a “sealant.” This means that it “locks-in” moisture. Sweet Almond Oil also nourishes hair, smooth's hair cuticles to control shedding, promotes hair growth and thickness, prevents hair loss, and boosts shine.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba Oil might be the only one organic compound that comes close to oil our hair makes. It’s moisturizes and conditions the hair and scalp, promotes hair growth, protects and heals the scalp and adds luster to dull hair.

Rosemary Essential Oil


Rosemary Essential Oil promotes hair growth and thickness.
Rosemary oil stimulates hair follicles and helps the hair to grow longer and stronger. It also slows down premature hair loss and is excellent for balding people



To make the hair glosser/ polisher you'll add equal amounts of the oils to a spray bottle or any old bottle that you have on hand, then add 6 to 10 drops of rosemary essential oil to the mixture shake well. Spray or pour a little of the oil onto your hands then distribute the oil through your hair.

Spray or pour a dime size of the oil onto your hands then distribute the oil evenly through your hair.
 



 

 



 My hair after adding the hair glosser/polish

 

Nice shiny,none frizzy hair



Give it a try and let me know how it worked for your hair.



AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

THE TRUTH ABOUT OBAMACARE

 

 I wanted to  share information on the AFFORDABLE  CARE ACT so many of us don't have health insurance, because we simply can't afford it or your employer simple doesn't offer healthcare coverage. I worked in the healthcare field and didn't have healthcare insurance and trying to find coverage on my own I could afford was impossible.  We share information regarding taking care of our lovely natural hair and our bodies, we share what products works best for us. I want to share the product of affordable healthcare. This is a new process and I know that there will be changes to come.  I will try to keep up with the changes and provided as much information as I can. We take care of locs, braids, twistouts, blowouts let's take care of our HEALTH as well !



 Staring on October 1, 2013 the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ....A.K.A OBAMACARE will be open to millions of Americans. We will have access to affordable healthcare for the first time. There is so much misinformation on the news and on the internet that you can get mislead very easily. We all need to be well informed of our options and not let politics play a role in you receiving adequate affordable healthcare.

 Here's some of the benefits of the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT  that I got from http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare .

I hope this answers some questions you may have about the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.   This is just an overview I will be updating regularly to keep you informed.

Coverage

• Ends Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions for Children: Health plans can no longer limit or deny benefits to children under 19 due to a pre-existing condition.
• Keeps Young Adults Covered: If you are under 26, you may be eligible to be covered under your parent’s health plan.
• Ends Arbitrary Withdrawals of Insurance Coverage: Insurers can no longer cancel your coverage just because you made an honest mistake.
• Guarantees Your Right to Appeal: You now have the right to ask that your plan reconsider its denial of payment.

Costs

• Ends Lifetime Limits on Coverage: Lifetime limits on most benefits are banned for all new health insurance plans.
• Reviews Premium Increases: Insurance companies must now publicly justify any unreasonable rate hikes.
• Helps You Get the Most from Your Premium Dollars: Your premium dollars must be spent primarily on health care – not administrative costs.

Care

• Covers Preventive Care at No Cost to You: You may be eligible for recommended preventive health services. No copayment.
• Protects Your Choice of Doctors: Choose the primary care doctor you want from your plan’s network.
• Removes Insurance Company Barriers to Emergency Services: You can seek emergency care at a hospital outside of your health plan’s network.

The Affordable Care Act and African Americans
 
The Affordable Care Act –will help make health insurance coverage more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans.  For African Americans, like other racial and ethnic minorities, the law will address inequities and will increase access to quality, affordable health coverage, invest in prevention and wellness, and give individuals and families more control over their care.
African Americans suffer from obesity, heart disease, and diabetes at higher levels than the general population. For example, in 2010, 37 percent of African Americans were obese, compared to 26% of whites¹. Expanding opportunities for coverage can improve health outcomes for African Americans.
Already, the Affordable Care Act has benefitted the nearly 85% of Americans who already have insurance:

• 3.1 million young adults have gained coverage through the parents’ plans
• 6.6 million seniors are paying less for prescription drugs
• 105 million Americans are paying less for preventative care & no longer face lifetime coverage limits
• 13.1 million Americans have received rebates from insurance companies
• 17 million children with pre-existing conditions no longer denied coverage or charged extra

Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act will provide 6.8 million uninsured African Americans an opportunity to get affordable health insurance coverage. The following provides an overview of the coverage and benefits available to African Americans today and those made possible by the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Happening Now:

• An estimated 7.3 million African Americans with private insurance now have access to expanded preventive services with no cost sharing. These services include well-child visits, blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, Pap tests and mammograms for women, and flu shots for children and adults.
• The 4.5 million elderly and disabled African Americans who receive health coverage from Medicare also have access to many preventive services with no cost-sharing, including annual wellness visits with personalized prevention plans, diabetes and colorectal cancer screening, bone mass measurement and mammograms.
• More than 500,000 young African American adults between ages 19 and 25 who would otherwise have been uninsured now have coverage under their parent’s employer-sponsored or individually purchased health plan.
• Major federal investments to improve quality of care are improving management of chronic diseases more prevalent among African Americans.
• The health care workforce will be more diverse due to a near tripling of the National Health Service Corps. African American physicians make up about 17 percent of Corps physicians, a percentage that greatly exceeds their 6 percent share of the national physician workforce.
• Investments in data collection and research will help us better understand the causes of health care disparities and develop effective programs to eliminate them.
• Targeted interventions, such as Community Transformation Grants, will promote healthy lifestyles, lower health care costs, and reduce health disparities.
• Increased funding available to more than 1,100 community health centers will increase the number of patients served. One of every five patients at a health center is African American.

Coming Soon:

• 6.8 million uninsured African Americans will have new opportunities for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace.  Of the 6.8 million uninsured African Americans who are eligible for coverage through the Marketplace, 56 percent are men.
• The Marketplace is a destination where consumers can compare insurance options in simple, easy to understand language. At the Marketplace, consumers will be able to compare insurance options based on price, benefits, quality and other factors with a clear picture of premiums and cost-sharing amounts to help them choose the insurance that best fits their needs.  
• Consumers may be eligible for free or low cost coverage, or advance premium tax credits that lower monthly premiums right away.  Individuals with higher incomes (up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or $94,200 for a family of four) will be eligible to purchase subsidized coverage from the Health Insurance Marketplace.
• States have new opportunities to expand Medicaid coverage to include Americans with family incomes at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level (generally $31,322 for a family of four in 2013). This expansion includes adults without dependent children living at home, who have not previously been eligible in most states.

   Information cited from http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare

 

MAKE YOUR OWN ALL NATURAL MAKEUP

HOMEMADE FACE POWDER FOUNDATION

I love using natural mineral makeup because I want to put makeup on my skin that has natural properties and I don't like to look like I have a lot of makeup on. I believe that makeup is suppose enhance your NATURAL BEAUTY. Mineral makeup suppose to better for the skin, because it doesn't contains oils, talc, perfume, dyes, alcohol and other harsh chemicals. Mineral makeup is very light weight, leaves your skin glowing and looks very natural. Buying mineral makeups can get pricey and you can't control the ingredients, so I decided to make my own All Natural Cocoa Face Powder Foundation so that I can have control over the price and the ingredients.

Cover Queen Collection Loose Powder and Bare Mineral Mineral Veil

I have Bare Minerals Mineral Veil  and Cover Girl's Queen Collection Professional loose powder the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil is little pricey $20.00 for such a small container  however, the Cover Girl's Queen Collections Professional Loose Powder was a reasonable price $8.99 and a pretty nice size. I wanted to know the ingredients so that I can make my own for the fraction of the price. I started researching the ingredients and found that a lot of the mineral makeup's main ingredients are Corn Starch. Zincs and Magnesium- there's no telling what other hidden ingredients or chemicals are in mineral makeups. So the best way to know what you're getting is to make your own. Not only do you control the ingredients your control the price and you just might already have all the ingredients needed to make your own all natural face powder/foundation right in your kitchen especially if you have children because we will be using Unsweetened  Cocoa Powder to make our natural face powder.

 

 

 

Benefits of Cocoa Powder

 

 

The benefit for using Cocoa Powder is that it's inexpensive and you can find it in your local grocery stores. Make sure that you purchase Unsweetened Cocoa Powder the only ingredient on the label should be Cocoa Powder.

 

Cocoa Powder is rich in antioxidants. It's loaded with iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium you'll find these same ingredients in the name brand mineral powders you'll find in top department stores 

 

Cocoa Powder rejuvenates the skin by leaving it glowing, soft and supple and it's also natural sun skin it protects the skin from sunburn. It's safe for all skin types.

 




Cornstarch, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder and Arrowroot Powder



I found a few recipes that used Unsweetened  Cocoa Powder and Cornstarch or Arrowroot Powder. I had all these ingredients in my kitchen so I gave it a try. I love that I only have to use two ingredients they are all natural and very budget friendly.The cornstarch was about $1.00 the Cocoa Powder was about $2.00 and the Arrowroot powder was $4.99 for a 16 oz bag from Nature's Garden Whole Sale Candles and Soap Supplies. So that's a total of $8.00 for all the ingredients. The cost will be even cheaper because you don't have to use the Arrowroot Powder and the Cornstarch unless you want to test the two to find out which one works best for you.

 



 

 

TIME TO MAKE YOUR OWN NATURAL FACE POWDER

 

  This is a comparison of the Queen Collection press mineral powder and the Cocoa face powder I made. I really couldn't tell the difference the color looks the same and the texture is the same.  

                                This is the All Natural Cocoa Face Powder I made

 

    I made my own natural face powder foundation and I absolutely love it.  I will not buy mineral makeup from a department or drug store again. My homemade face powder compared to the store brands was unbelievable! The feel of my homemade face powder felt better on my skin, the face powder felt light and smooth and was very easy to blend. My face had a natural glow I didn't look like I had makeup on. The aroma of the face powder is delicious ( just like hot cocoa) the smell wasn't overpowering and I didn't smell like hot cocoa all day.  

  This was so easy to make I just mixed 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder ( you can use cornstarch) and 2 tablespoons of Cocoa powder, mix together in a container and you're all done. You will have to adjust the amount of Cocoa Powder and the starch you use to find the perfect match for your skin tone. If you are fair complexioned add more starch if you're more deep complexioned add more Cocoa Powder.  

Here's a video showing how to make a Natural Face Powder I found on YouTube

Give it a try and let me know how your All Natural Face Powder/ Foundation turned out. I really LOVE beauty on a budget this recipe will save you so much money and the added bonus is it's all natural !

TWIST OUT WITH ELASTA QP DESIGN FOAM AND SHEA BUTTER

I just wanted to share the wavy curl definition achieved after I took down my twist out. I have failed may times doing a twist out. My curls sometimes were not defined. My hair looked like a big DRY bush ! However, Practice makes perfect! So after I Co- washed my hair last night with one of my favorite conditioners which is Elasta QP  Soy Oil Proteins and Vitamins ULTRA HYRDRATION ANTI BREAKAGE MOISTURE - RICH CONDITIONER.  I decided to give a twist out another shot.


My hair is soft naturally, so my twists always seems to unravel, after using the Elasta QP conditioner my hair gets even softer but very manageable. This time I decided to do the twist out and close the ends of the twists with Bobby pins and foam rollers to keep the twists from unraveling. It worked GREAT ! I'm a happy camper today. After Co- Washing I used a homemade Shea Butter mixture with Shea butter, Jojoba Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Castor Oil and Glycerin to help keep the twist from unraveling and to help seal my hair. I also used Elasta QP Feels Like Silk Design Foam. I LOVE THIS FOAM ! I use it for my wash and go's and for my blow out's. The Design foam really gives my curls great definition and for my blow out's it makes my hair so straight, silky and bouncy. My twist out turned out Great! My curls are wavy and defined. I have to style my hair.now I'm sure I can find a cute hairstyle to do.
Tell me what you think.  

     Elasta QP Design Foam and Ultra Hydration Condition

  Homemade Shea butter 

Twists

Taking Down My Twists

Wavy Curls 

                                               

                                            Another close up the curly wave pattern

                                              
                                        Final look after all the twists are taken down

7 Great Oils For Natural and Relaxed Hair

You don’t always have to buy expensive name brand products for your Natural Hair or Relaxed Hair. You can find some of the best products in your kitchen, flea markets and on online at wholesale Soap making and Cosmetics supplies stores that carry natural carrier oils.  From my experience you can get the best deals online for natural oils.  I have natural hair and I love using Natural Oils on my hair. I’ve used Natural Oils for years on my natural hair. My hair is colored and it tends to get dry and frizzy. My hair needs a little more attention to combat the dryness and fizziness . I’ve notice the  Natural Oils I use leaves my hair shiny, softer, stronger and less frizzy. I also used Natural Oils on my hair when it was relaxed. It helped keep my hair straighter a little longer.  That’s the great thing about using Natural Oils, they are wonderful for all hair types, you just to find the Natural Oils that works best for your type of hair. I've  listed my top 7 Natural Oils below. I've used all the Natural Oils listed and I love all of them.  Give them a try !

 

 

Here’s A List Of My Top 7 favorite Natural Oils

 

Avocado Oil

Avocado Oil is great for Natural and Relaxed hair. It’s a light oil that won't weigh the hair down. It’s loaded with amino acids, essential fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, B, D, and E. And it’s excellent for moisturizing, deep conditioning, improving hair strength,  promoting hair growth and boosting shine. It’s also great for thinning hair and relieving dandruff.

 

Castor Oil

 

Castor Oil is particularly great for Natural hair. It’s a thick heavy oil, it may be too heavy for relaxed hair. If you want to try it on relaxed hair, use a dime sized amount. It’s loaded with amino acids, essential fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, B, D, and E. And it’s excellent for moisturizing, deep conditioning, strengthening hair, thickens hair, helps manage split ends and promotes hair growth

 

 

Coconut Oil

 

Coconut Oil  is great for Natural hair and Relaxed hair. Coconut Oil is a light oil that won’t weigh your hair down. It’s a solid oil that turns liquid when it’s hot outside. It’s prevents dandruff, promotes hair growth, great conditioner, moisturizing, strengthens hair, thickens hair, and boost scalp health and repairs damaged hair.

 

Jojoba Oil

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Jojoba Oil is great for Natural and Relaxed hair. Jojoba oil is a light oil, it won't weigh your hair down.  Jojoba oil might be the only one organic compound that comes close to human skin oil. It’s moisturizes and conditions, promotes hair growth, protects and heals the scalp and adds luster to dull hair.

 
 

Olive Oil ( Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

 

Olive Oil

Olive Oil is great for Natural and Relaxed hair. Olive Oil is a light oil that won’t add weight to your hair. Olive Oil is rich in nutrients, adds moisture, restores damaged hair, smooth's flyway's, adds shine, makes hair manageable, deep conditioning,  strengthens hair, eliminates dandruff, and also has powerful antioxidants that can help fight hair loss

 

Rice Bran Oil

 

Rice Bran Oil is great for Natural and Relaxed hair. Rice Bran Oil is an light oil that   won’t weigh down your hair. Rice Bran Oil is rich in Vitamin E and Omega Fatty 3 acid in which is great for dry and premature graying hair. Great for heat damaged hair, split ends, fizzing and it’s a natural sunscreen for the hair.

 

Sweet Almond Oil

 

Sweet Almond Oil is great for Natural and Relaxed Hair. Sweet Almond Oil is very light, it won’t weight the hair down. It works great as a “sealant.” This means that it “locks-in” moisture. Sweet Almond Oil also nourishes hair, smooth's hair cuticles to control shedding, promotes hair growth and thickness, prevents hair loss, and boosts shine.




Which of these do you use? Do you have a favorite?

How To Make The Most Delicious Carrot Salad From Carrot Pulp

How To Make The Most Delicious Carrot Salad From Carrot Pulp

    I bought a juicer last year and I love it! I love the taste of fresh fruit and vegetable juice. After juicing you will not want to buy store juice again! My favorite juice is  carrots and green apples juice. I love the deep orange color of the juice and it's so yummy.  

 I always threw away the pulp from juicing because I didn’t know what to do with the pulp. I didn’t think the pulp would be appetizing. I was so wrong! My brother who is a personal trainer and a vegan juiced a lot and he made carrot salad from the pulp of the carrots.

 I had to try it, the smell of the red onions and the green bell peppers had my mouth watering. The colors were so beautiful the deep orange of the carrots, the purple from the red onions and the green from the bell peppers. He also added some Grapeseed Mayo which is very good too.  They say we eat with our eyes first, well I know that’s true for me, because in my mind I was digging right into his carrot salad.

My brother Reggie made me a pita carrot salad sandwich.  I took my first bite and I was hooked from then on. My sister and I would always ask him to make his world famous carrot salad. I figured I can make some myself. I have a juicer, So I said to myself, let me get to juicing some carrots and make some carrot salad. I didn’t know if mines would be as good as my brothers but I had to try it for myself.

I juiced about 12 carrots and 1 green apple.  After juicing I drank the carrot apple juice it was delicious!  I chopped half of one green bell pepper and half of one red onion. I didn’t have any Grapeseed mayo so I used regular mayo.  I also added two pinches of salt.  I mixed all the ingredients together. It looked and smelled just like my brothers. I took a taste and it was GREAT!  I did my happy dance in my kitchen. Now I have a great recipe for the carrot pulp I no longer will throw it away.

I made a sandwich from the carrot salad. I use whole wheat bread, you can use whatever you have on hand.  You can eat it plain  or you can eat it with crackers or pita chips.  If you come up with a different way to eat the carrot salad let me know please. Leave a comment .

 Here are the ingredients:

The pulp from at least 12 carrots

 The pulp from 1 Medium green apple 

½   Green Bell Pepper

½    Red Onion 

2 pinches of salt

Mayo --if you are a vegan or vegetarian  use the Grapeseed Mayo.  If you're not a vegan or vegetarian you can use regular mayo

Remove the pulp from the pulp catcher from your juicer and place the pulp in a bowl. Dice the Green Bell Peppers and Red Onions and add to the carrot pulp. Add as much Mayo as you desire. Add two pinches of salt. Mix together and dig in ! Keep the carrot salad in a bowl that has a lid to keep the carrot salad fresh. Keep refrigerated.