Happy Womans Day

Today, 8th of March, here in Romania we celebrate Womans/Mothers Day ^^. Sooo.....I wish a wonderful day to all the women and mothers all over the world! You shall always be loved!!!

Kissu

Alverde Natur Kosmetik - Camouflage

Hey guys! Hope your all well!
I want to share with you some facts about a brand I have known for some time now...but only just recently brought from: Alverde. (see link here) (or in Romanian)

Alverde is a DM Drogerie Markt, german brand, almost entirely VEGAN! I say almost because a few products, like chapsticks and hand cream, contain beeswax. You can find a list of the ingredients here. And also....you can find more details on the brand itself, by reading the post of another blogger, and user of the products, "That's the break's Blog".



From the very start I can say that I'm in love with it! It's more than affordable....I paid around 20 lei (sooo....less than 5 euro? ^^ give or take), the pay off from the tinniest amount is incredible, the consistency being very creamy, yet light, perfect for both blemishes and under eye area (cuz' I do hope you know....that softer, liquid like products are better for under the eyes...and creamier ones, for face and neck line). It blends well and it's a bit more on the full coverage side (funny, since it's so light).
I have yet to put it on my face....since I go straight to the bathroom and take my make-up off, when I get home...but as you can see from the pictures, the coverage on my hand cuts (I'm still trying to teach the bunny to talk and tell me when she wants down from my arms *laughs loudly*) is pretty good! Also, the amount, in the pan, is more than sufficient! I'm really pleased with the product and I am looking forward to getting more from the brand. *kicks away all her nearly ending products, grinning innocently*



The color I picked out is 002 "Beige". There were also "Sand" and "Strawberry", only as a tester. But I'm again giving a shout out:
PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T FIND TESTERS, ASK FOR THEM! DON'T OPEN THE CONTAINING PACKS! OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT JUST WANT TO GET THEM AFTER YOU OPEN THEM! IF THERE AIN'T A TESTER AND THE SALES PERSON TELLS YOU TO OPEN IT, LOOK AND SEE IF ONE PRODUCT IS ALREADY OPEN...BUT DON'T OPEN THEM ALL AT ONCE!
I think you guessed my problem....ALL....*sighs* seriously....all of the products were opened...and they didn't have any extra >< *mutters under her breath*. And lets say the sales lady....wasn't really...wanting to be helpful. In the end...I found one that was just pinched slightly (sending out my thanks to those that actually get the idea, to test lightly), took it and ran!! :))


But in the end....I love the product! Have you tried anything from Alverde? How do you find their line?

Hope it was helpful!
Kissu

Show some love

I'm giving a shout to all those that read and like this blog!

I would like to say to all of you a warm THANK YOU! I just love it when I get really nice comments from all of you, feeling even warmer when people appreciate and request my services! Even if I don't update as much now as I have been, you have always shown your support and there are no greater words I can say to thank you. "The Show" goes on because of the awesome feedback you give me! Thank you once more!

My request now...from you....is this: I really appreciate all your messages, but I would like to ask of you to subscribe to my blog if you like it ^^. Also....I finally managed to make a FaceBook page, more ways for you to follow the posts and see recent activities. On another hand, BlogLoving is a great new way you can follow, not only mine, but a lot of other great blogs on all kinds of topics!

So please...Show some love for those that write for you and subscribe! It means the world to us to see that people appreciate our work, making possible for more opportunities to be attracted for us and our subscribers!

Remember....Subscribing is free and easy to do....And everytime a new post comes up, you get a notice...So you don't have to tune in daily to see if your favorite blog has a new post ^^. More simple, huh?

Show some love to those that make your day a little brighter ^^
Kissu

Say YES - Sephora Collection

Hey guys!

Due to recent events, I once more decided to start writing in English. (I know...you must hate me by now ^^;;; ). I guess I'll be adding up even more hate as I post another review and not a make up...that will come also I promise!!

For today I have something really yummy for your hair! The organic collection from Sephora for your hair, body and face. I tried a while back their lip balm and loved it! Since i can't seem to find any shampoo that won't have SLS or other methyls, propyls and so on, I started a more or less hunt for organic products and ingredients to start making my own.
Since I can't really make liquid shampoo and conditioner, I went ahead and got the "Say YES to.." shampoo and conditioner from Sephora. This line is 95%-97% organic (on what I got, the only thing not really organic is the fragrance), products containing ingredients mainly from carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and blueberryes, but also having other oils and extracts as: Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Olive Fruit Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Green Tea Extract. You can see the other ingredients here ^^.

What can I say about it.....I LOVE IT! I haven't felt my hair so clean, yet smooth and fluffy, in some time! And a little does go a long way...no over the top foam or having to rinse it for good minutes...I really like it!

And even more, quote:
"Yes To is a cruelty-free company and we NEVER test on animals. We love the little creatures!Something we are very proud of is the PETA2 endorsement of our hair and skin care products."
*jumps up and down and claps happy*

Prices were: 45 lei each. ( you can see the prices in euro by clicking on the linked words )

In other words, I recommend the brand with all my heart!! Keep yourself safe and healthy, while helping the planet also!
Hope this was helpful!
Kissu

Winter Haul - La an nou...produse noi!

In primul rand vreau sa va urez un calduros "La multi ani!", sanatate, noroc, fericire si sa se indeplineasca tot ce va doriti!(Cam tarziu.....dar gandul conteaza ^^)

Revenind la oile noastre...acesta este un mic haul, comandat in principal de la firma "Farmasi" in luna decembrie, Bourjois si Herbosophy.

Pentru cei ce nu stiu, "Farmasi" este o firma turceasca, produsele dorind a fi considerate profesionale, dar la jumatate de pret sau chiar mai putin. Sincera sa fiu...cu niste modificari, au un adevarat potential!

Produsele lor nu sunt testate pe animale (ceea ce este un punct important pentru mine), insa au o mare problema cu parabenii in produsele de fata. Ce pot spune...inca nu mi-a intrat total in cap ca trebuie sa cer informatii sau sa citesc total ingredientele. Norocul meu este faptul ca nu le folosesc decat cu o baza ce are ca principal scop protectia tenului fata de orice este rau din exterior si in plus...fondul de ten fiind pentru matifiere...il folosesc in principal atunci cand nu vreau sa existe vreo modificare in machiaj (ex: pe parcursul unei petreceri). In restul produselor comandate nu am observat prezenta acestora.

In orice caz, daca nu prea tineti cont de aceste lucruri...produsele in sine sunt geniale!Culori puternice, pigmentate, fara transfer si care sunt la preturi foarte comode pentru buzunar!








Farmasi
Face: * Stay Matte Foundation: nuantele 1 si 6;
* Stick Foundation: nuantele 1 si 7;
Lips: * Gleam Rouge Liquide Lipstick (in ordinea prezentarii): 12, 13, 17, 16, 20;
* True Color Lipstick: nuanta 14;
Ochi: * Catwalk Illusion Mascara, negru.

Tot in cursul acestui sezon, am primit cadou din partea unor prieteni, doua produse Bourjois: 3D gloss, nuanta "Nude egeric" si fardul mono, in nuanta "Raffine". Glossul pot spune ca il folosesc zi de zi, fiind excelent pentru machiajul meu zilnic. Fardul este intr-o culoare pala, placuta, usor aurie. Se intinde bine si are o textura usor satinata. Imi place foarte mult culoarea si merge in multe combinatii si nu numai pentru ochi!




Fiind intr-o cautare pentru un gel de demachere care sa nu ma mai bombardeze cu toti parabenii (ca de...greu nene pe aici), picioarele mele m-au purtat intr-o farmacie mai high-end...ca sa zicem...unde am facut o oferta la produsele Herbosophy! Bun...ma uit rapid la finalul listei de ingrediente (ca de...tot patitul e cunoscator) si nu vad urma de parabeni!(mai jos fiind chiar scris si subliniat acest fapt) Fericita...ma uit si la inceput...cand ma pocneste un SLS care imi sparge bula mea de extaz. Pun frumos produsul la loc si incep o noua cautare. Nu va pot spune ca in nici 2 minute ma intorc fara prea multe sperante la acesta, dupa ce jumate din produsele din farmacie de demachere contineau un cocktail "placut" de parabeni cu SLS. (restul e adevarat ca nu aveau...dar si buzunarul meu era dupa la fel de nauc, ca o a doua zi dupa o betie crunta). Insa o mica steluta s-a intrevazut in produs cand am aflat ca nu contine un SLS ca toate SLS-urile...ci o varianta mult mai delicata si speciala pentru tenul acneic. Acuma....ce sa mai zic...ca tot romanul....dintre toate relele, macar il iau pe cel cu mai putin rau. Eu si podelele industriale ;) . La casa mi s-a oferit si un balsam de buze, de la aceeasi firma, fiind inclus in promotie. Am zambit frumos, gandindu-ma din nou la parabenii mei, am luat produsul si spre mirarea mea....este chiar OK! Ingredientele sunt bune si textura este foarte placuta! Nu este grea, nu este lipicioasa si ramane pe buze, hidratandu-le mult timp (eu am obsesia sa pap rujurile...mi-a cam dat de furca acesta si in final m-am lasat pagubasa).

Herbosophy:
*Cleansing Gel - Oily/ Acneic skin.
*Lip Balm Nourishing, Spf 20.


Sper sa va ajute acest post!
Kissu

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Avertisment!!!

Pentru toti cei care nu au destul timp, chef sau considera ca nu este necesar sa se uite pe ingredientele produselor care le cumpara!! Nu conteaza niciodata ambalajele frumos colorate sau dozele de parfum dintr-un produs!!

De fiecare data cand mergeti la cumparaturi si doriti sa cumparati detergeti, produse pentru igiena corpului sau intima, produse pentru igiena bucala, sau produse pentru bebelusi, cititi cu atentie ingredientele pentru a verifica daca contin SLS ( Sodium Lauryl Sulfate ) sau SLES ( Sodium Laureth Sulfate).

Acesti ingredienti sunt adaugati in compozitia cosmeticelor noastre pentru a crea mai multa spuma atunci cand le utilizam. Insa acestia sunt derivati din acid sulfuric si pot cauza probleme fatale in cazul utilizarii indelungate!

Aveti grija de corpurile voastre, cititi intotdeauna ceea ce contin produsele care le consumati sau utilizati! Oricum traim intr-o lume extrem de poluata...de ce sa aducem un adaos a acestora in corpurile noastre?!

DIY Home spa - Rehydrate

To continue the "do it yourself" series, we are going to talk today about hydration. It's not so hard to do, easy steps can be followed in order to help you, internally and externally. And the benefits are numerous.

In these days, doctors and nutritionists can't stop advising us to drink water, tea or organic juices. I already talked about ways to help you drink more fluids during the day, in my moisturizing post. I would like to add that now I also drink compote (boiled fruits) with some vanilla or honey. I'm hooked up on mirabelles (corcoduse) because they help me cool down in a hot summer day, the are toning and a great fluid for the internals.

Natural face and body hydrants:

1. Yogurt. Don't know about other people, from other countrys, but here, it's an unwritten law that if you have sun burns, you should put cold yogurt on it. It will cool the sensible area and rehydrate it, minimizing the after effects like blisters with water or skin cracks. Even if it's not the case for you, why not try it out:
- take a warm shower in order to open your pores; while still in the tub, rub in (as much as you want and need) a 24% fat or higher yogurt; sit about 10 min and massage; wash of with warm water.
If you can get natural, straight from the producer one, if would be even better. You don't necessarily have to pay a lot...go to a dairy farm and ask if they have for sale.


2. Honey. This is great for small areas like your lips, knees, elbows, etc. Also, if you get burned, it stops the pain and you wont get a scar. So how to use it?
- mix it with sugar and put it in the desired area; it will exfoliate and hydrate (i use this for my lips and it works like a charm);
- apply it after exfoliating and leave it as much as you can; wash the rest.


3. Olive oil. This is a great tip I learned in my constant travels to Greece. We saw young, but mostly old people use it when they were sun bathing. Back then it looks like you were putting a chunk of meat into the frying pan and wait for it to roast...but it also made me wonder...

Sun bathing re-became popular recently actually...in Ancient times it was a way of showing from what part of the world you came, but after that, it was a sign that you were a peasant and had to work for your daily bread. High society went to great lengths in order to keep their "whiteness" ( we all know about the French Court and Japanese society ). We all have to thank Coco Chanel for her "eccentric" ways ( thought at that time ).

So it's no wonder that when people went to the beach again...they had no idea of SPF or UV, appropriate hours or other factors. But they did feel how the salt and sun made their skin dry. So what better choice than olive oil? For a country that exports it by gallons?

If you are wondering, I did use! And I have to say...my legs never get tanned...but that summer they did :D!

- use it on the beach;
or
- use it in small amounts on your freshly washed skin and rub it in throughly.


4. Aloe. This is a tricky ingredient to get a hold on around here. But if your do, you should know that it comes in two way: pulp and the entire leaf. Pulp is great to eat and drink.

Leafs:
- you can cut them and drag it on the skin and let it absorb it on its own.
- you can squash it and put in spritzer; it work wonderfully when you want to cool yourself down or if you get a contusion, cut, burn...you get the idea :P


5. Marigold cream. I can't even tell you enough about this one! It works wonders!! If you can get it, naturally made, keep it with you at all times! You can use it in more ways than those I mentioned before :)!


6. Green, Marigold and Chamomile tea. Tea rehydrates your system and also you could use it in a final wash before you get outside of the tub. You can also take a towel, moisten it in tea and press it on yourself (make sure it is a temperature you can handle). You can also use...used tea bags: put them in the fridge, in a new clean bag; leave them over night and the next day you will have your own personal "gel mask"...that will help even more :D.
There are more ways to rehydrate your skin, but these are the ones I could think that are easy to get a hold on by everybody.

I wish you a great sunny weekend!
kissu

DIY Home spa - Exfoliants

Hey guys! How are you? Summers here...still a little rainy, but I kinda like it like this :D. Still, the Sun is brighter now then always, so don't worry...you'll still get that glamed up tan you dream about :)).


I know a lot of gals and boy that have a trunk full of cosmetic items stored up in the bathroom. I do admit that I am also guilty, but in this economical state you have to set priorities straight and see if it's really worth it all! Personally, I found that home made cosmetics work better on my skin than those from the drugstore. Plus...it's free from parabens ( preservatives ), petrol derives and no animal have been hurt in the making of :P. If you want to know how...keep on reading.
Home made body exfoliant:

I know I use them up like crazy!! Exfoliants are great for your skin. They help you get rid of the dead skin, renew it and also tone it. In summer is a must because it can make your skin get tanned faster and keep a longer bronze ( after exfoliating, you tan a fresh layer of skin ).

If you are still at home:

1. Grab about 4 spoons of salt and 2 to 3 spoons of sugar ( sugar is strong ingredient, so you can vary the amount for a gentle or harder scrub ). In order to make the combine, you can add your shower gel of choice, but if you want to go natury all the way...add olive oil, vitamin E in and vitamin A in oil form ( vitamin E: prevents aging of the cells and also helps the vitamin A to work better; vitamin A: takes care of the skin and hydrates ). Wash your entire body and use a hard sponge to take wash off any oils left. (this is great for dry or normal complexions).



2. If you have oily or normal skin and you don't want to use oils, you can use sodium bicarbonate and mix it with your shower gel of choice. It is a little drying, but it's a very good exfoliant.

If you are sun bathing:

The most efficient exfoliant is right next to you and you can't get more natury than this: the sand and sea. Go get yourself wet and rub some wet sand on your skin. ( I would go for that which is next to the water or if you can get some from under...it has already salt and minerals from the sea ). Go back in for a wash and apply sun lotion after you dry yourself. Feel how incredibly smooth your skin is? Repeat it a few times during the day and you are going to get an incredible tan!


Home made face exfoliants:

Your face skin is a little more sensitive than your body...but you already know that. You can have different skin tipes and you have to know how to work with them.

For oily skin:

1. Just as before...salt and sugar are your friends. You can add them separately in your daily face wash lotion or mix them.
But you can also try something more "green":
-on a cotton bud squeeze some lemon juice; add sugar on it and rub it vividly on your face;
or
- wet your face; rub in sugar; remove the sugar with a cotton bud that was lemon juice on it.
The sugar with take away dead skin cells and the lemon will absorb the excess oils.

2. For a daily exfoliant ( I wouldn't recommend it, because you can force the skin to over produce oils; once every 2-3 days is better ) you can used sodium bicarbonate:
- in your daily cleanser;
or
- wet your face; apply it and rub it on your skin; remove with water;

3. In case of acne: take a few pills of Aspirin ( preferably without "skin") and let them sit in a few drops of water. They will break up and you can use it as such on your face. You can also use a old toothbrush to rub it in on the areas where acne acts up.

For dry skin:

Exfoliating is tricky on a dry complexion. It is necessary, but once or twice a week is more than ok!

1. Sugar ain't so good for you, being so hard. You can use it, but mix it with hydrating agents like: yogurt, honey, olive oil, vitamin E in oil form or even tea. You can also do this with salt and sodium bicarbonate and even mix them.

2. For acne problems, you can use Aspirin, but mix it with honey.

For mixed skin you can use the tips from above and alternate. For the T zone ( forehead, nose and chin) use oil free and on the rest use some sort of hydrating factors.

In any of the cases, please be careful not to over do it!! You can cause your skin to react in a way that will over produce oils or over dry.

You can also use salt and sodium bicarbonate in your bath.


Hope this was helpful!
Kissu

Ps: Stay tuned for more home spa posts!

Review - Seventeen Cosmetics

A few weeks ago I ran out of my L'oreal foundation...and so necessity pushed me on the hunt for a new product. Not so "in love" with L'oreal products, because of moral reasons and the way my skin looks when I use them ( note: every item from L'oreal I have, I received as a present from my friends), I wanted to change to something better at a lesser price if possible...and I found the best replacement!!

I know Seventeen products since I was a kid and my mom brought lip glosses from them. I loved the texture, but somehow I always thought of them as products for a mature skin. Also in high school, some of my gal' mates used the foundation from them, but I didn't take too much notice.

They recently have the launch of some new products, got out some new magazines with looks and had a somewhat change in the ingredients. So I thought...why not take a look? While browsing, another girl came, tested the foundation and then started talking on how much she loves it and how much her sister is also in love with it...how it doesn't look like a mask and blends so well...I find these small chats on cosmetics very nice and it's a great way to exchange opinions! (my teacher in management always said that a happy customer can influence up to 7 -8 other potential customers; but an unhappy one can influence even as much as 20 other people...funny huh?)

Thus been told, I found myself at the counter with a brand new bottle of foundation, with a personal bonus: a new pressed powder....couldn't help myself. *innocent glare*

So far...the only thing I can possibly say is that...I ADORE THEM!!!!!
The texture of the foundation is so light and yet it covers everything so well that I don't even have to use a concealer anymore! Because of some recent events I had a mild break out because of the stress accumulation. The product didn't gather or clogged on the sensible areas, reduced the shine and it lasts all day long with no transfer. And "in a combo" with the powder...I have no worries!

The powder is also very light and has a medium coverage. It didn't dry up my skin when I used it alone and it stayed put for some good hours. I would recommend using it with the foundation, but it does work fine even without!

The products contain zinc and bee wax and this also helped me to reduce the break out and heal the areas! The wax is great in order to make the product more lasting and not let the excess oils or perspiration alter the finished look.
As I said..I love, love, love, looove them!! Pair up with a hot fuchsia pink...or any color of your choice...and you'll have a wow effect for sure!!

Right now I and kinda between shades, but I use:
Foundation - Time Plus, shade medium;
Powder - Natural Color Compact Powder, shade medium beige.
The difference is small, almost unnoticeable and I also use it on my neck and chest.

Hope this is helpful!! Have a nice weekend!

Kissu.

Sunny Side Up!! Summer Make-up

Summer is almost here and in this period of the year you have to take extra care of your skin!

First of all drink lots of water to hydrate yourself and use an cream that has an SPF more then 10. Use a foundation that also has SPF and is more on the sheer side...you don't want to have a runny face! Use cosmetics that are waterproof and always have a mineral water spritzer with you to use it over the day to cool and keep your skin from over drying of sweat.
Don't over do your make-up. Keep it simple and light...less is more you know. Sunlight help your skin to produce the vitamin B, which normally our organism doesn't make.

Now let's talk about today's make-up:

Start with a base. I'm using Seventeens Gel Base for eyeshadows. Take a vibrant orange and place it on the entire lid and crease, blending it as you get it closer to the brow. With a lighter, peach color, go into the inner corner of the eye and blend it with the orange.Place in the crease a fuchsia shadow and also blend it up towards the brow, but not passing the orange from before. On top, use a purple color, but just in the crease, to obtain a clean and sharp look. Line the upper lash line with black liquid eye liner.
On the lower lash line, use a turquoise green shadow and a waterproof black pencil on the waterline. Mascara and your done!


As for my face, I used the same routine, but with different products, suitable for summer.
What I used:
For the face: * Artistry Self Defining Sheer Foundation, shade Buff;
* Rimmel London, Lasting Finish Minerals Loose powder, shade 103 True Ivory;
* Blush from the Sephora pallet, "Tango in Buenos Aires";
* Miss Sporty, Bronzing Powder, shade Sun Kissed.

For the eyes: * Ruby Rose 72 shades pallet
* Sephora Pallete;
* E. Funkhouser creme eye liner, shade Graphite;
* Maybelline NY, Unstoppable Eyeliner, shade Onyx;
* Miss Sporty, Pump Up Lashes, shade 001 black.

Beautiful hair - Henna

If you want to have a somewhat hair color change, but don't want to go through all the ordeal of dying your hair, then natural or ammonia free products should be your choice. They don't penetrate the hair strands and alter the inside in order to change the color. They just stain the area. Henna is one of these products.

Henna is a plant, found in Africa and the south of Asia, and it has been used from ancient times (Bronze Age) to dye skin (body art and tattoos), hair, nails or wool and other materials. Henna also acts as an anti-fungal and preservative lotion. That is why it's used also in medical treatments. Henna colors because of the "lawsone" found in the leaves. This is a burgundy organic compound that has the property of binding itself with proteins. If the leaves aren't broken they will not stain, because the "lawsone" molecule needs to be released in order to stain. They need to be smashed with a acidic formula like tea tree, eucalyptus or lavender. In this way the stain process will happen faster and last longer. So natural henna is a reddish color, but now you can also find other colors like blond, brown or black, derived from the base colors.

But thanks to tehnology, now we can buy the plant already made into powder. Henna is a good dying product, because it fixates on the hair protecting it from external agents. It also makes it thicker and stronger and you will see that not so much hair will fall off after the process. It also helps the scalp and heals it in case of dandruff.

What you need:
*one package of henna powder;
*a larger ceramic or glass bowl (henna will stain plastic bowls and it will oxygenate in metal ones) and gloves;
*your other products to put in the mixture;
*shower cap and an old towel;
*a cheaper, yet effective hair conditioner;
*time and patience; henna is harder to make and apply than a normal dye and you also need time to sit with it (from 3 to 6 hours in order for the ingredients to stain and help the hair).

How I make my henna mixture (keep in mind you can add whatever you want in the mixture to keep the color longer or help the hair):
*in the ceramic bowl I mix: pressed garlic (for my hair to grow faster and regenerate), one egg, castor oil (ulei de ricini; also for my hair to grow faster), vitamin A and F, one spoon of hair balm and 2-3 spoons of olive oil;
*I add the henna powder in this mixture and combine them, also adding fresh lemon juice from one lemon (this will help the color fixate better);
*in a medium tea pot I put water and place on fire until it reaches almost boiling point; put some chamomile or marigold flowers and let them boil; when I can't get anymore "juice" out, I put 2 teaspoons of coffee and cinnamon or cloves;I let them also to boil for 5 to 10 minutes; filter it while still hot;
*I put the hot water on the mixture from before and mix it until it has the consistency of cream; I let it rest for 10 min and place it when still warm, not to burn my scalp (henna is most effective when hot or very warm); it the product went cold you can put it the microwave and warm it up a little;
*I distribute it all over my head and hair,gloves on my hand, until I cover all of it; be careful not to place to much on the skin because you can stain it;
*I cover my hair with a shower cap and an old towel, because some of the water will drip and stain if you aren't careful; the warmth of your body will make it work faster and more efficient; if you want it to go even faster you can use a blow dryer;
*After 4 hours, when I want to wash it, I would put warm water on it and a medium amount of conditioner and start to work it through my hair; I repeat this step until all the "mud" is washed away (it will become muddy, but the lemon will keep it from drying);
DO NOT SHAMPOO HAIR!! Chlorinated water and soaps may spoil the darkening process and alkaline products may hasten the darkening process (lemon is an alkaline, but you don't want to use it anymore for a natural effect).

In the beginning it will be a vibrant color, but from that point the darkening process will begin; in 2 to 3 days time this process will end and the color will appear to fade, as the stained dead cells exfoliate. Using warmth, even after you washed the hair, will continue the process of darkening. If you want that vibrant color you can wash the hair with shampoo, but the exfoliating will start faster. You should also dry your hair with an old towel because it can still stain even after you wash it.

The process is long, but the results are worth it!Your hair will be healthier, with natural shine and a color that, I for one haven't found in other dyes.
For more recipes and ways to do your hair with henna go to this site: http://www.hennaforhair.com/


Hope this was helpful. Have a nice evening.
Kissu.

Basics - No.1: Moisturize

Have you ever experienced overly dry sky, mixt complexion turning into oily all over, breakouts, acne spots, blemishes, areas of redness? It could be that you have a skin condition and these are sometimes due to changes in the season, your diet, all types of stress or environment. It could be that you haven’t moisten your skin properly.

We hear all day long on Tv, read in magazines and here from our nutritionists and doctors that we need to drink daily 2l of water. Most of us take those words in vain…I know I have, for long periods of time, and when our bodies react to this, we don’t know from where it came. A few years ago I would have been glad if I drank one or two glasses of water. Bad, bad…really bad. My skin suffered along with my kidneys. I have a mixt complexion (meaning my T area –forehead, nose and chin- are oily and the rest of my face, normal to dry) and I suddenly had the worst relationship with my skin. It became very oily or very dry, make-up dripping off or falling in flakes. You surely wouldn’t want that! I went to my doctor and when I got my results I realized how important water was. My kidneys had lots of “sand”, and I was very close to growing “rocks” inside me. So this is how I started drinking my 2 l of water per day.

I know some people that just can’t drink that much water. I don’t think of it much now, but here are some ways to help you:

· Get yourself some boiled water and a pack of natural, no flavors, additives or other nasty stuff, tea. Green Tea, Fruit Tea, Marigold(Galbenele) Tea, Chamomile( Musetel) Tea and the list can go on and on. Green tea and hot water make your best friends and the worst nightmare for your unwanted body fat. I don’t know one person that doesn’t like Fruit Tea. Marigold and Chamomile have healing and cleansing properties. I do have to say that I never use sugar in my tea, not even brown, in order to get the most of the plants.

·If you don't like tea, I suggest boiling some lemon slices. Wash your lemon as best as you can, but don't scrape the peel off because you have your vitamin C there. I cut my slices into little pyramid shapes, to get more juice out of them. In this way, you have a hot lemonade, perfect for the cold nights and again a very good friend against unwanted body fat . Lemon cleans the stomach and the vitamin C does the job best from there.

- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Eat seasonal fruits and try to buy them from people you are sure that they don't add additives or growing factors. I embraced the Eco trend a long time before it was a trend, and now that I don't eat meat too often it's mu best frind. I take an apple and a carrot and mixt them in the blender It's yummy and it keeps me full for some good hours. This also keeps your skin looking healthy and youthful and keeps away wrinkles.

Why so much hot water? Since ancient time Asian people use hot water for daily use to keep their body clean and healthy. The drink it during their meals and mixt it with green tea. Cold water tends to thicken and block blood arteries. Warm water flows in your body taking care of your internal organs. Most of the bacteria, good and bad , sit in our stomach. Hot water cleans it helps you digest the food and take out the unnecessary elements faster out.

So we now know how to take care on the inside. But what about the outside?

Weather is an important aspect for our skin. We sit in the sun all day in sumer, we start to cover it in the fall, we don’t even see ourselves in the winter and in spring our skin gets “drunk” with liberation. So how to make your skin look at her best in all the moments of the year? By using some sort of protection and hydrating factors.

For your face:

· In winter we need something a little bit “fatty”, but still work around our skin complexion. Don’t over do it, because you might change the balance in your skin. Always use something with an SPF. If you don’t really see the sun, that doesn’t mean it’s not there.

· In summer, SPF is a Must!! We don’t want sun burns, premature wrinkles, spots or uneven skin.

· On the lips and around the eyes use a gentile gel based cream specific for that area. It will sink into the skin faster and protect these delicate areas.

· Always, ALWAYS clean your make-up!!! Even if you are dead tired, a sleeping zombie or other undead creatures, always clean your face!! If you don’t, your pores will suffer and so your skin will also. Make-up is good (in my opinion) but up to a point. When you sleep your skin relaxes and your pores take all the make-up and dead skin in. From here on..you can imagine.

For you body:

· Same principle work for your body as well as for your face. But with a twist. The skin on the body is a lot tougher. It need different products, but the principle is the same. Use creamy formulas in the winter and lighter ones with SPF in the summer.

· Use scrubs weekly in order to eliminate dead skin on your body. In this way, your skin will regenerate and the moisturizer will work more efficiently.

What I use:

v For my face I use right now Nivea Visage Oxygen Power, Day and Night formulas. I cant say I love it…wanted to try it for a long time but I’m not that satisfied with it. I moisturizer I used and loved was the Artistry Balancing Cream. It was great for my skin and went really smooth and my skin “ate” it like a kid eats sweets.

v For my body I use Minus -417, body oil. I find that oils work best for me, because I have a normal to dry skin. It was only natural ingredients and it even works in summer on the beach, but with a SPF cream, because it doesn’t have SPF.

I DON’T RECOMMENT: Lotions that have petroleum derived elements. (petroleum jelly –vaselina-, paraffinum, mineral oil). They create a waterproof layer, that doesn’t let the skin breathe changing her metabolism. When Vaseline was invented, the scientist used to induce wounds on his skin and apply it on them and the wounds would heal fast. That was because kept the moist in and block microbes. Other then that…nothing. So I don’t recommend it for daily use. Also those that have parabens should be avoided, because they have a bad influence on nature.

I do hope it was helpful. Wish you a nice day!

Kissu.