HG Quickie: Oily Hair

Don't have time to wash your hair? Not a problem! You can use a dry shampoo to get rid of excess oil. If you don't have one, you can use cornstarch, which is a natural way to get rid of excess oil on your scalp.

To use cornstarch, just pour some into a clean plate or any flat container and dip a large or medium size blush brush into it. Brush it lightly onto your scalp, concentrating on the roots of your hair and leave it for 5-10 minutes to soak of the oil (you can get dress or drive to work; learn to multi-task ladies. *wink). After that, brush your hair with a hair brush to remove cornstarch flakes and the excess oil it absorbs. This will make your hair grease free for the rest of the day.

Note: You can also use baby powder if you don't like the texture of cornstarch. If you have super oily hair, I recommend you to use a dry shampoo like Klorane gentle dry shampoo ($18.00/Php 750.00 - not sold locally) or Beauty Formulas Dry Shampoo (Php 119.75/ $2.91 - will be reviewing next week)




Anne :)

DIY: Reduce cellulite - Coffee w/ Coconut Oil Body Scrub

Mother's day is just 6 days away and I am a little short on budget so instead of heading to the stores to look for the perfect gift, I decided to make one that I'm sure every mom (or every woman) would love - all natural body scrub!

Every mom needs a break and would definitely love some pampering so I'm sure your mom would love this homemade Coffee w/ Coconut Oil Body Scrub which is invigorating and will reduce the appearance of cellulite!






Quick facts:

Coffee - helps reduce inflammation and cellulite. In India, it is also used to melt body fats.
Virgin Coconut Oil - has antioxidants that helps in keeping the skin to stay soft and from aging.
Cinnamon - make skin plump and treats eczema. 

Let's get started...

What you'll need:

1 cup of ground coffee

1 cup of brown sugar (you can also use white sugar)

 

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1 tsp. cinnamon ground

1 tbsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Procedure:

All you have to do is to mix everything in a medium size bowl making sure that everything is mixed in thoroughly. If the mixture is a little oily for you, go ahead and add some more sugar and coffee.

At this point, I noticed that the mixture is a little oily for me...

...so I added 1/2 cup of ground coffee and 1/2 cup of sugar.

Packaging:

You can buy one from a craft store or reuse an old jar, just make sure to wash the jar before using. I used the old Crumpy Duo jar that my mom used to love.

 

 

 ...and your done! You can also try making different body scrubs, experiment with different oils like almond oil and olive oil. Also, you may try to pair lemon or kalamansi with sugar (or sea salt) instead of coffee. Just make sure that you (and the receiver of the gift) are not allergic to any of the ingredients that you will put in the mixture. Remember, we want them to look good; we don't want them to end up having bumps and worst, drop like a fly! (hehe, ok that is a little too exaggerated, they may not die, but still...) So, make sure to research first and know the preferences of your mom (or friend) before making one. Good luck and have a great mother's day with your mom!


Anj :)


References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/98727-benefits-coffee-skin-care/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/91597-benefits-ground-cinnamon-skin/

HG Quickie: Soft, Kissable Lips

The key to having soft and smooth lips is to keep it hydrated. The skin that we have on our lips is different from most of our skin, it is actually thinner and is lined with mucous membrane which explains its pinkish color. Mucous membrane also lacks keratin (a tough protective layer that keeps our skin from drying) so it has to be moistened.

Since the skin on our lips is thin and fragile, I don't really recommend scrubbing or exfoliating it as this will only make your lips chap more. A simple lip care routine like lip balm and sunscreen is enough.

If you have very dry or chapped lips, make sure to slather on some lip balm or petroleum jelly before going to bed and you'll be good the next day. Also, NEVER lick your lips as this may cause your lips to chap even more. Saliva contains acid that helps break down food and when it dries out, it dehydrates our lips even more.

So make it a habit to moisturize lips by keeping a handy lip balm in your purse to make sure you'll have soft and kissable lips all through out the day!

Anj :)