We’ve talked about being an exercising beauty before. Do yourself a favor and take some time today to learn the benefits of Yoga. Afterwards, treat yourself by viewing and using the free videos available at DoYogaWithMe.com by clicking the link at the end of this post. Continue reading Stress Less with Yoga
Tag Archives: health
Yoga in 10: Basic Flow – Yoga in 10 | The Dr. Oz Show
We’ve talked about being an exercising beauty before, and how yoga can be part of your routine. I found a very nice website, which will help you explore yoga. Click the link when you find an opportunity, and stay beautiful! The demo will start after a brief Ad 🙂
Yoga in 10: Basic Flow
You don\’t have to practice like a guru to benefit from yoga. Ten minutes a day can improve your balance, breathing and flexibility. Start stretching your way to better health with this fun introduction to the fundamentals of yoga from Steve Ross.via Yoga in 10: Basic Flow – Yoga in 10 | The Dr. Oz Show.
Enjoy!
Native American Beauty Conversations
Some of you may remember our post last year, which gave us ideas for using natural products to enhance our beauty. As you may recall, those suggestions came from old beauty rituals used by Native Americans. Well, once again we have found some wonderful suggestions for taking care of yourself using ancient Native American Wisdom.
Native American Beauty Wisdom: Blueberry Honey? Honeysuckle Chamomile? Body Butters? These are just a few of the names used for the products made by the Native Wisdom company. Why don’t you check it out for yourself. I assure you, it will be a nice learning experience. ♦ Native Wisdom is a 100% Native American owned company. Products are made from the highest quality ingredients utilizing Native American Herbology passed down from family elders. The co-owners of the company are three sisters. The eldest sister, a former chemist for the FDA, did extensive research on herbal products. The middle sister has over 10 years experience in the skin care industry. The youngest sister, a dean’s list student pursuing her MBA, specializes in marketing research for the company. via: http://www.nativewisdombeauty.com/index.cfm/fa/pages.main/pageID/2
At Hairblues, we can never get enough information for helping us make our locks easier to manage. Check out what kind of remedies American Indians use for their hair.
American Indian Remedies for Hair
- Jojoba oil is an extract of the Jojoba plant found in California, Arizona and parts of Mexico. Jojoba oil has been used for hundreds of years by American Indians to moisturize and grow hair. The molecular makeup of jojoba has similar characteristics to the natural oil the glands of the scalp produce. Jojoba oil can be purchased at herb shops and can be applied directly to your hair or you can add a few drops to your favorite conditioner to promote hair growth. Jojoba is hypoallergenic and will not harm your hair or scalp. Aloe vera is another product used by Native American Indians to promote hair growth and is also an excellent moisturizer for your hair.
- Mix 1/4 cup of wheat germ, 1/4 cup of aloe vera and 1/4 cup of coconut milk and use this product as a natural shampoo. Aloe vera can be purchased at drugstores and herb shops and can also be applied directly to the scalp as it will open pores on the scalp that may have previously been blocked and will allow the hair follicles to grow. The American Indians also used and continue to use several kinds of oils to promote hair growth such as emu oil, rosemary oil, and mustard oil.
Read more: http://www.ehow.com/way_5729694_american-indian-hair-grow-remedies.html#ixzz2lj32MFjJ
Natural Beauty Conversations
Do you think about whether your beauty is ‘Natural’? How does one become a ‘natural beauty’ ? What about all the signs fashion and cosmetic experts tell us define beauty? Does beauty get defined from within?
Well, it turns out that there are ways to enhance your beauty, as well as other ways to define it. According to an article I read, natural beauty can be had without facials, makeup, hair extensions, or the latest fashion item. Yes, you can have beauty just by doing some, or all, of the following things:
- Stop Smoking!
- Cut down on sun exposure.
- Stress and depression contribute to aging.
- Overweight adds to making us look older.
Did you know that people who smile, and laugh are perceived to be younger? They usually have a more cheerful and younger outlook. Have you ever seen older people who look annoyed, and are, or seem to be, frowning? Chances are they appear older to you. So keep that positive outlook, it will not only make you feel better, it will make you look better.
Other Suggestions
- Pursue activities you enjoy. Remember my post about Yoga and “downward facing dog”?
- Exercise. Lift weights. Keep active.
- Travel keeps you active and gives you a younger outlook when you learn and see new things.
Read more at: http://www.well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/30/a-youthful-glow-radiating-from-within/?_r=0
Remember you’re as young as you feel and if you feel young, you will look younger!
I hope this is helpful 🙂
Who knew SPF is the Fountain of Youth?
I am convinced aging is something we should welcome. The opportunity to share our mature years with our family and friends is certainly a blessing. Nevertheless, not only do we want to be fit, we also want to look our best. Feeling good about our appearance is important to many of us. So when a study comes out that helps us to do that, we are happy to learn about it.
In a recent study conducted at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia with 903 adults below the age of 55 that regular use of sunscreen show no increase in skin aging. In fact, the study showed that the adults who used sunscreen daily appeared 24 percent younger than those who did not use the sunscreen daily. Miracle? Maybe :), but I think many of us may consider using SPF protection going forward after hearing about these findings. you can read more about the study by clicking this link. via Sunscreen – The New Fountain of Youth? | Advanced Dermatology Blog – Dermatologists in NY and NJ.
Below is the scoop on some of the best moisturizers with SPF. Click on the link for details.
- Sunscreens are essential for skin care day in and day out, 365 days a year. If applied correctly (meaning liberally and reapplied as often as needed), they are the best anti-wrinkle product you can use. In order to make the Best Products list, a moisturizer with sunscreen must: Provide broad-spectrum sun protection and be rated SPF 15 or greater. Help skin fight sun damage. Increase healthy collagen production. Contain a mix of antioxidants, skin-repairing ingredients, and cell-communicating ingredients. Protect skin from environmental damage. Improve skin texture. Contain the appropriate ingredients for your skin type. Not be packaged in a jar via Best Moisturizers With Sunscreen: Beautypedia Skin Care Reviews.
- When I first got into my SPF obsession (back in my undergrad years of college), I didn’t really feel the need to shell out money for the most expensive brands. I was happy perusing the drugstore aisles for a decent moisturizer. I also wasn’t aware how important having an SPF of 30 was. The best one I found was Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer in SPF 15 ($16.99) (although a SPF 30 one does exist and I recommend getting that one). via Renee Jacques: I Tried Seven Popular Sunscreens And Found The Best One.
- Here’s what Real Simple magazine suggested. via The Best Face Moisturizers with SPF | RealSimple.com.
I hope this is helpful 🙂
“I Feel Bad About My Neck” – Remedies
The late, very engaging, innovative, author and playwright, Nora Ephron, said it best, as you may remember from her book title, “I Feel Bad About My Neck”. Many of us spend our time looking for remedies to help us with aging faces. However, she taught us that even with those ‘miracle’ creams, our necks,it turns out, would be our ‘dead giveaway’.
How many of us are beginning to look closer (or not) at our necks? As we age, it becomes visible that our necks seem to get little attention. That is until we notice that they are looking more weary than our faces. Not too long ago, I received a request to find out what we can do about our necks. Below are various suggestions I found on the Web, which I hope will help you in caring for this very delicate part of your body. One suggestion is to not put perfume on our neck! Also, avoid certain types of jewelry in humid weather. I never heard that, have you? Read on, to learn more. Don’t forget to click on the links for more details.
Best Natural Skin Care Products for Tightening Neck Skin
Natural Skin Moisturizer to Tighten Neck Skin It is important to keep skin moisturized to plump up lines and wrinkles on neck and to firm sagging skin on neck. Apply moisturizer to keep the natural moisture and oils, which are responsible for the skin’s elasticity and integrity. Moisturizers help keep your skin smooth, supple, and moist; prevent neck wrinkles and tighten flabby skin on neck. Look for a light-weight daily moisturizer blended with natural and organically grown plant extracts like aloe vera, green tea or soy. These natural ingredients help keep the sagging neck skin looks smooth and firm. They can prevent imperfections such as wrinkles, sagging, age spots or thinning, etc. Apply moisturizer to the loose neck skin twice a day in upward strokes to encourage neck tightening and lifting of the loose neck skin. via Tighten Sagging Neck Skin: Best Natural Skin Care Products and Neck Firming Tips | Health Tips 2013.
Vitamin E Oil Honey Mask for Firming Sagging Neck
You can make use of natural skin tightening oils to firm loose sagging skin on neck. Take two tablespoons of milk and add a few drops of vitamin E oil and honey in to it. Apply this natural skin firming mask to the face and neck and leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water for neck tightening. Follow this up by applying a moisturizer. To firm up sagging neck skin, you need to use this homemade neck skin tightening mask every other week.
Do Neck Exercises for Neck Tightening
Performing facial exercises on a regular basis can help in firming the neck muscles and reducing the sagging skin on neck or turkey neck. Try the exercise below and click the link for other suggestions:
Stretch your chin up high and thrust it forward hard. At the same time, pull your head back gradually the farthest you possibly can until you feel a pull on the neck muscles. Repeat this turkey wattle neck firming exercise several times, forward and backward. You will feel the muscles of your chin and the front of your neck tightened. via Tighten Sagging Neck Skin: Best Natural Skin Care Products and Neck Firming Tips | Get a Natural Facelift without Surgery.
Best Neck Tightening Creams for 2013
As we get older our skin may become thinner, a little saggy, and we may even begin to see wrinkles and fine lines starting to appear. Usually we will notice these problems on our face. However, our neck and jaw line can also start to get these same signs, and it is important to find the right neck cream to help firm and tighten the neck area while reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Using a wrinkle cream for you face may not work as well on your neck. via Best Neck Tightening Creams – Turkey Neck Firming Cream Reviews.
♦ Some of the best natural ingredients to look for when buying a night cream for neck tightening are: Cynergy TK, Manuka honey, Avocado extract, Shea butter, and special emollients for nighttime use.via Tighten
Sagging Neck Skin: Best Natural Skin Care Products and Neck Firming Tips Health Tips 2013.
♦ Protecting your Skin even if you wear sunscreen daily, you should take a few more steps for protecting your skin besides using the right neck skin care products. Avoid make-up and perfume on the neck and be careful about the weather when you wear jewelry. Even silver and gold can leave black marks when worn for extended periods of time on humid days. When you know your skin will be exposed to a lot of moisture,opt for pearls, bends and enamel jewelry. via Aging Gracefully: Neck Skin Care Tips.
I hope this is helpful!
FYI – Hair Loss is a Lonely Feeling
Anyone suffering from hair loss knows it is a very lonely feeling. She also knows that anytime she sees an article about Hair Loss that she is immediately drawn into what that person’s experience is like, and what she can learn from the other experience. Such was the case as I was standing on the checkout line in the grocery store when I spotted the title article in the March 2013 Family Circle magazine, “The Health Problem 30 Million Women Have…Are You One of Them?” How could I resist reading this article? Shouldn’t I be informed about this problem? And sure enough, just as I had suspected, the article was about Hair Loss.
♦ ♦ ♦
I bet many of you had no idea the number had gone up so dramatically — 30 Million Women! Yet, even with that news, it still is a very personal experience to each of us who is going through it, and who struggles daily with how to attack, or solve this condition. Many of you may think that you did something to cause this condition. Many of you are wondering if there are any cures out there, which may help to slow down this process. Similar to the condition itself, help seems to be very slow coming.
♦ ♦ ♦
Penny Musco’s article “What Happened to My Hair” will not tell you of any miracle cures. She does not paint a ‘rosey’ picture for you about the turmoil of hair loss. What she does do, that may help some of you, is she accepts the facts for her particular situation, and eventually accepts herself. Her family (including her husband) still loves her, and she does not feel ‘shame’ anymore for having lost her hair. Although many of the “solutions’ she tried did not work for her, it does not mean it will not work for you. I suggest you use her “4 step plan to save your strands”.
1. Get to a dermatologist, pronto.
2. Opt for medical procedures first.
3. Consider cosmetic solutions second.
4. Be Patient.
Read her article at: http://www.pennymusco.com/Media/Non-fiction/WhatHappenedToMyHair.pdf
I hope this is helpful! 
Celebrating Native American Beauty Tips at Thanksgiving
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the beauty contributions of the First Nations people. As I explored the web to learn about what Native American women used to secure their beauty throughout their lives, I was interested and astounded by the many remedies, which were ‘natural’ products. Aloe Vera, which I have used to soothe my skin after experiencing a terrible sunburn, is but one example. After spreading this gel-like solution from a plant, which looks like a cactus, but in fact is a member of the Lily family, my skin was instantly relieved from the irritation. You can grow this plant in your home as long as you don’t expose it to frost.
What are some of the other ‘natural’ beauty remedies used by Native Americans? The list is extensive.
Bearberry for itchy scalp, Juniper for shiny hair, Blue Corn to purify skin, Fireweek to protect skin from the cold.
The First Nations people had myriad ways to help them remain beautiful. Get a detailed description at this link: http://multiculturalbeauty.about.com/od/Natural/tp/Native-American-Beauty-Secrets.htm
For an added treat, click this link to see the Native American Beauty Pinterest collection.
http://pinterest.com/klayhe/native-american-beauty/
See you at the next post! 🙂
A Beauty Discussion
In the past HairBlues has focused mainly on hair loss and hair care suggestions. However, in the future this blog will focus on various types of beauty issues; nails, hair color processes that promote articles about beauty, and what others define as beauty.
♦ Are tattoos taboo, or beautiful? To whom? What is “body art”?
♦ What is the false hair and human hair industry doing for and to women? Which women primarily? What is ethical human hair?
♦ Is it important that you have a particular hair salon and hair beauty specialist attend to your hair?
♦ Does it make a difference if you pay $100 or $50 to have your hair done? What do hair specialist do, that you can not get done by doing it yourself?
♦ Can women get a good haircut at a barbershop?
♦ Are some beauty salons community hotspots where discussions of various topics, and seeing friends take place?
♦ Do nail gels ruin your nails? What do some people say about ultra violet nail drying machines?
HairBlues looks forward to the coming conversations, and exchanges. We hope that you will join in. The calendar format will change to a monthly update rather, than a post every other week. We welcome your continued interest and ask that you make sure to continue to follow us, as well as hearing your ideas of topics you would like to view and learn about.
Stay beautiful !
Tips for Chemically Relaxed Hair Beauty
Many women prefer the convenience of chemically relaxed hair. What can we do when those chemicals cause other types of scalp problems? How do we avoid suffering from hair loss caused by chemicals in the future? Here’s good piece of advice that I found searching the Internet.
It’s best to consult with a professional to determine what your particular needs are when it comes to relaxers. And no, you cannot apply a lye relaxer over hair that’s been processed with a no-lye relaxer (and vice versa)! However, you can apply a different relaxer to new growth if your current straightener isn’t giving you the results you want. It’s not recommended to constantly switch relaxer types or brands. Once you find the relaxer that works for you, it’s best to stick with it until or unless it stops. via Lye and No-Lye Hair Relaxers.
It turns out that many hair care blogs have articles commenting on just this topic. I searched for some of the key points highlighted, which may help to reduce any problems that you are having due to chemically induced dry scalp with your relaxed hair. Read on and don’t forget to click the link at the end for a more detailed discussion about these topics.
♦ After your hair has been chemically straightened, wait 48 hours before you wash your hair. The chemicals need time to set.
♦ Once a week for the first month, apply a deep conditioning mask and cover your head with a shower cap to lock in heat.
♦ When you sleep, use a satin pillow case, this will help protect your hair by preventing it from tangling.
♦ When it comes to styling your hair, avoid using high heat blow dryers or curling irons. If you must use them then reduce the heat.
♦ Try to avoid using hair spray or gel as they can dry out your hair.
♦ If you want to colour chemically straightened hair, then wait 14 days before you do. via How to Take Care of Chemically Straightened Hair.
♣ Daily application of a moisturizing cream also helps. Avoid products that contain petroleum and silicones as these are often too heavy for relaxed hair. Instead, look for products that use oils like aloe vera, jojoba, olive oil and other natural oils. These are much lighter than the petroleums and silicones, and they moisturize your hair without weighing it down. via How to Take Care of Relaxed Hair | eHow.com.
HairBlues Recommendation: Check out the Just Natural website to find products for relaxed hair that will help you to moisturize your hair and scalp with organic natural products. Click the link below.
I hope this is helpful 🙂
HairBlues 