Sunday Spa Day - Teeth

Ingredients
Baking Soda
3%hydrogen peroxide

Dentists use hydrogen peroxide in their commercial grade whiteners, just at a higher concentration.

Directions:
Pour about a tablespoon of baking soda into a bowl. Add enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Stir with a spoon. When you have a toothpaste-like consistency, dip your toothbrush and brush over your teeth. Do not swallow, after brushing for a minute or two, rinse mouth with water and spit out.

 

I have only used this once so the verdict is still out on the results. I will say that my teeth felt just from the dentist clean, I will use for a few weeks and get back to you (hopefully with a gleaming white smile)

…C



Sunday Spa Day - Hair

I don't mind my long locks, my only complaint is I wish my mane looked like that of a Panteen model;super shiny and healthy.
Ironically I am sure that those women in the Panteen commercials are not even using Panteen to achieve their shiny locks. I venture a guess at this because most commercial shampoos contain sulfates. Sulfates are an inexpensive chemical ingredient found in many household cleaning products such as floor cleaners, engine de-greasers, and shampoo.
These sulfates rid hair of oil and residue which sounds good because you want shampoo to cleanse your hair, however it also strips your hair of essential oils~thus leaving your hair dry, brittle and prone to damage and breakage.

I looked to my kitchen and staples that I have on hand for this Banana-Avocado Hair Mask.

1 ripe avocado
1 ripe banana
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine avocado, banana, egg, and oil in blender or food processor. Puree until as smooth as possible.

With your hands, work the mask onto your scalp and distribute it all over your hair, I paid special attention to my ends. Then cover hair with a shower cap and leave in for 20 minutes. Rinse hair and follow with regular shampoo and conditioner regimen.

Avocado - can help nourish hair that lacks moisture. Avocados contain vitamins, minerals and fats that will help restore shine in your hair.
Banana - helps in softening hair and promote elasticity therefore preventing split ends.
Egg - contain a large concentration of essential proteins and nutrients. Because of the high protein content, eggs can be used to strengthen hair.

When searching for shampoos and conditioners, look for ones that contain or use the word moisturizing/moisture and not protein. Protein is good to use once a month as in a hair mask however using it everyday will cause build-up on your hair.

…C

Food for Thought

Eating as healthy as possible is important to me. Teaching my kids healthy eating habits is equally important.

Back in October I read an article about cash strapped farmers feeding their cows candy as the price of corn rises. They are mixing traditional feed with crushed up pieces of marshmallows, candy bars, even powdered hot chocolate mix. The farmers see this as a win-win because they are reducing their expenses in terms of feed cost and they are fattening up the cows, therefore increasing their profit.

Think of it in terms of this; Would you put vinegar in your gas tank? No, because cars were not meant to "consume" vinegar. No, because cars will not run at their optimal efficiency by putting vinegar in the gas tank. No, because it can't be good for the car and the desired output of the machine.
I have no scientific proof here but logic tells me cows will not produce the most nutritionally rich products (milk, beef) if they are being fed non-nutritious food on a daily basis. I am no scientist or official nutritionist and I do not even claim that I do not nosh on the occasionally candy bar myself. However to me, it seem preposterous that someone out there thinks feeding cows candy is even somewhat ok.

And if you want to talk schematics here, cows are not, by nature, even meant to eat corn. Cows are meant to eat grass. However corn is cheaper than grass so we have forced cows to alter their diet and eat corn. I will not go into how they get cows bodies "prepped" to a corn diet, you can search that on your own if you are interested. But I thought I would just give you some food for thought.
How bad does it have to get before we demand better?

This is just a reminder, there are some markets that are still open in the winter, two that I frequent are The Rochester Public Market and The Brighton Farmers Market. If you go to eatwellguide.org you can type in your zip code and find locally grown foods that are close to you.

 me supporting my love of vegetables in this one of a kind beaut of a shirt. This is actually an old shirt but I am proud to say that it is made in America and can be found here.

…C

Kickin it old school

This outfit draws on some inspiration from many different eras, let's take a trip back in time.

Lace top - I never thought I would wear a lace shirt, however lace is everywhere these days. Lace was hugely popular back in the days of Queen Victoria, however thankfully it is updated since then and since your grandmothers doily's.

Rolled Jeans - I love rolling many of my pants. My husband laughs at me and always asks if I am expecting a flood. Rolled pants remind me of the 50's. Picture James Dean with a pack of smokes rolled in his t-shirt sleeve and jeans rolled at the bottom. Or who remembers the 90's with the tight roll? Thankfully again, this trend is updated.

Oxford Shoes - again popular in the 40's and 50's. Everything old is new again!

Hat - The Cloche hat is a bell shaped hat that was popular in the 20's.

 Lace top - American Eagle, similiar

Jeans - American Eagle

Shoes - Piperlime

Hat - Target

Bracelet - 3DivasStudio - teaser - there will be a post coming soon about the bracelet

Thanks to Jason and Michelle at Rock Paper Scissors Salon

…C

 

Born in the USA #1

Remember my 30 Day Buy American Challenge? I made the proclamation a few weeks back and you have not heard from me about it since. Well finding American made products in stores can be difficult. So I headed to Etsy to check out their great contributors to find some unique pieces and support these local artists and designers. I have made some made in America purchases and have been waiting for them to arrive. Well it's kind of like Christmas all over because some of my purchases have started to show up at my door.
Born in the USA purchase 1, this is a subtle and unique way to add a little detail and change the look of a traditional skirt. It is a slip extender made by Vezanie from Marietta, GA. She makes a few clothing pieces including dresses and skirts, however I would say she is most known for her slip extenders. She has several colors, patterns and styles to choose from that you can add to a short or long skirt.

…C

 

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Sunday Spa Day - Lips

You sign up to be on survivor and can only bring one thing to the island with you, what would it be? How many said Chapstick? That would definitely be in my top 5.
Here is a homemade lip exfoliating remedy to keep your lips soft and supple during these cold winter months.
Ingredients:
Granulated Sugar
Honey
Oil (you can use olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil)

• Mix 1 tbsp honey with 1 tbsp of sugar and 1tbsp of oil
• Apply a small amount onto lips and rub gently for a minute
• Let mixture remain on lips for a minute or two
• Wipe off with a warm damp cloth
• Finish by applying Vaseline, your favorite chap stick or even a dab of extra oil onto your lips seal in moisture.

The sugar is used as an exfoliator while the honey acts as a cleanser and healer and the oil locks in moisture.
You can store the extra in the refrigerator for about a week. Use 2-3 times throughout the course of the week.

…C