JFDI: Oil Pulling

I'm not going to write a long post about oil pulling, there's way too much info about it on the internet....the skinny is to swish oil in your mouth, like mouthwash, for 15-20 minutes and spit it out in your trash, not down your drain because oil hardens. Coconut oil is antimicrobial and has a mild taste, so I use that. I've seen testimonies on the internet that this type of oral health practice has not only freshened breath and removed plaque, one person claims it cured an already formed cavity. I've also heard that it pulls toxins out of your entire body through your mouth, so it "cures" hangovers! Sounds pretty win win to me. Try it!

How To: Use Aromatherapy in an Easy Way

One simple pleasure I enjoy in my home is an ultrasonic oil diffuser. I bought mine at Hi Health for under $40 and use it every night. This little dome uses high-frequency ultrasonic electrical vibrations, not heat, to create the aromatic mist. It not only turns off automatically after the water is gone, it cycles through colors and I love using it as a nightlight when I sleep, and all you need is to fill it with water and 10-15 drops of whatever scent you love. I use lavender at night to relax me and eucalyptus during the day to give me energy. It adds a tad bit of moisture to the air, which is needed in dry Arizona weather, but not as much moisture as a humidifier does which can sometimes be harmful to computers or tv's in the room. I use mine right beside my bed and it's just something that I love and wanted to share. Scents and aromatherapy can often be underestimated, or some don't know how to use them properly, but this gadget is well worth it and fills the entire room with wonderful smells! 

Bon Soir

In the last year, I've developed problems sleeping. As an anxious person, if I have ANY additional stress, it keeps me awake at night. Or if I do fall asleep, I often have nightmares about whatever is troubling me and I wake up sometimes up to ten times a night, then having to try to fall back asleep is frustrating. I feel like I cant get into that deep sleep that lets your body heal and your emotions and thoughts you've had throughout the day disperse. I had recently had a rough couple of weeks, so I turned to a psychiatrist who prescribed me RX sleeping pills. They did not work. I started taking them earlier in the evening, thinking that maybe my metabolism was slow and I should give them time to kick in. That did not help. I'm just one of those people that doesn't respond to sleeping pills. I tried binaural beats with a sleep app on my iPad, but falling asleep with headphones on is uncomfortable to say the least. I still fall asleep to guided relaxation meditations I find on youtube, but I've FINALLY found something else that helps me sleep throughout the night naturally. Transdermal, or topical, magnesium has benefits such as relaxation, help sleeping, stress reduction and improved moods. Research shows that the American diet is very deficient in magnesium, but taking it orally can upset your stomach as it acts as a laxative. Applying it therapeutically as an oil on the skin helps it absorb into the cells more efficiently. Magnesium allows muscles to relax and decreases the discomforts of muscle cramping. It is known as the anti stress mineral. It is a natural tranquilizer, even used by some as a deodorant because it relaxes your arm pit glands that produce sweat. For sleep, I put it on my feet, then I add a few drops of jojoba oil and put socks on. I've had the best sleep in my life and it's much needed for me because if I don't get enough sleep I look horrible and my lupus symptoms increase. Hope this helps you, sleeping beauty!

xo, L

How To: Care For YOUR Hair Type

Everybody is different. Some skin and hair care that may work for me wont work for everyone. The first step in determining how to tailor your hair care is to figure out what type of hair you have. Obviously, it's easy to tell just by touch if your hair is thick or thin. But the most important thing you need to know to get the best out of your hair is if you have porous or low porosity hair. A simple trick is to get a bowl of room temp water and drop a piece of your hair lightly on top. If it is still floating on top of the water after 2-5 minutes, your hair is not porous. If it sinks, you have high porosity. Neither one is better or worse, it's just important to know so you can treat your hair accordingly.

Low Porosity Hair Care:

If your hair is not very porous, it means it has a hard time holding onto moisture. You need to be using light hair products with humectants. Heavy conditioners are not for you, they will sit on top of your hair making it feel waxy and weighed down. If you love hair masks, like I do, utilize heat (wrap a wet towel around your hair that is hot) because heat opens up the pores, letting the hair absorb the mask. Another trick is using a pre-cleansing treatment. I do this all of the time. Using a hair penetrating oil, like coconut oil, several hours before you wash your hair can add softness and moisture to your hair. But because you wash it after, it doesn't turn out greasy. Oils don't create build up like conditioners can, which is good because hair with low porosity tends to easily get build up when using the wrong products, like thick conditioners. If you often get tangles in your hair, jojoba, sunflower or grapeseed oils are great for that when used as a pre-shampoo treatment.

High Porosity Hair Care:

If you have this type of hair, you may find it tends to get frizzy, especially when exposed to humid weather. The trick to keeping high porous hair smooth and frizz free is to use anti-humectant products, that way hair doesn't absorb any moisture in the air. Because this type of hair can also lose moisture very easily, it is important to use leave in conditioners, moisturizers and sealers before styling. Another thing to keep in mind, which is the exact opposite to low porous hair, is that heat is NOT your friend. Your hair cuticles are already open so over styling with blow dryers and curling irons make your hair damaged easily. To get the most out of porous hair, you need to use things to fill in "the gap" so try an avocado deep conditioning mask. And when choosing products, look for things high in protein such as aloe or wheat protein. Another trick for protecting high porous hair is to shower before you get in the pool. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but your hair will soak up the water from the shower easily leaving little room to absorb chlorine.

{ Here is me with my low porous hair! No matter what type of hair you have, use a hat to protect it if you are going to be in the sun! }