Blog

5 Tips To Reduce Forehead Acne

Posted on by HappilyNaturallyMe

No matter where those annoying bumps are accumulating the bottom line is you want that acne gone. Here are 5 tips to help you with that annoying and embarrassing issue on your forehead. 

  1. Bad Hair and Makeup Products- I shall say no company names, but I used a foundation in college that gave me the worse acne in my life because it was laced with so many bad chemicals. This was actually the start of me paying more attention to the products I used on my face and this was in 2004. It was the craze back then and is still very popular but never again. You should also be mindful of the products you use in your hair as well. There are plenty of hair products these days with more natural ingredients.
  2. Your Food- Reduce the starchy and greasy foods and eat more fruits and veggies. Your digestive system plays a big part when it comes to the health of your skin.
  3. Reduce Stress- Ever notice when you are really stressed your acne is more profound? This is because more oil is produced and clogs the hair follicles even more. This is normally the case for someone that already suffers from acne. 
  4. Drink More Water- This should be a no brained since you need water to have healthy skin. Water helps to flush out internal toxins.
  5. Clean Face- Clean your face 2x daily to remove dirt and any other harsh things your face has picked up from the environment. Make sure you are using something mild. Again stay away from products that have harsh chemicals so my suggestion is to use either the Shea Butter or Olive Oil Soap by Happily Naturally Me. 

So there you have it!! 5 tips to clear up that forehead acne. Your internal health is just as important as your external health. Make sure you are preserving your natural beauty with natural products. 

DIY Beauty: Rice Hair Growth Rinse

Posted on by HappilyNaturallyMe

Who would have ever thought rice water could promote hair growth?  It is super easy to make and all you have to do is add it into your routine.  My hair feels so soft each time I do it.  So how does rice grow your hair?  Well here are a few key nutrients Rice Water contains: Selenium, Magnesium, Folic Acid, Thiamine, Niacin, B1-B6, Vitamin B, Vitamin K and so many more things to help promote hair growth.

Ingredients

1 cup organic rice

2 cups distilled water or whatever water your prefer.

Directions:

Let rice and water fermented (sit in a bowl or cup) for 12-24 hours before use.

Strain rice from the water and discard rice.

Wash hair as normal with shampoo.  Apply rice water to your hair and let sit 30 minutes while hair is wrapped in plastic cap.  If you have a hooded dryer it can only help, but not necessary to get the benefits of the Rice Water Hair Growth Rinse.

Rinse hair thoroughly and style as normal.  I still use my leave in conditioner after rinsing or if you do not use a leave in, do your normal condition before using the Rice Water Hair Growth Rinse.  You will most defiantly notice a big difference in your hair.

Super easy and inexpensive!!!!

 

DIY Beauty: Mayonnaise Hair Treatment

Posted on by HappilyNaturallyMe

If your hair is feeling dull and dry than this is the Mayonnaise Hair Treatment for you. It is super inexpensive to make so it won’t break your pockets. The good thing is I’m sure you probably already have all of the ingredients in your house anyway. Here is why I picked these 3 ingredients to create this DIY Mayonnaise Hair Treatment.

Mayonnaise is packed full of protein- Hair is made up of 91 percent protein and that protein breaks down when we do all of those bad things that we do to it.

Apple Cider Vinegar is great for clarifying- The apple cider vinegar will help break down all the product buildup on your scalp and hair. Not getting rid of the product buildup will weigh down your hair. This is why your hair still feels dry when you put moisturizing products in it.

Olive Oil is just fantastic on natural hair- Olive oil penetrates the strands of your hair very well to give it some moisture.

How to prepare your DIY Mayonnaise Hair Treatment

You will need to mix the following amounts together to create this Mayonnaise Hair Treatment:

  • 1 cup Mayonnaise (I used organic because most of the things in my house are organic)
  • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

How to apply your DIY Mayonnaise Hair Treatment

  • Step 1- Wash your hair with your favorite shampoo.
  • Step 2- Separate clean hair into small sections and apply DIY Mayonnaise Hair Treatment thoroughly to each section and scalp.
  • Step 3- Cover hair with a heating cap or a plastic bag for 30-40 minutes.
    • *Do not put plastic bag over your face*
  • Step 4- Shampoo the mixture out of your hair and follow-up with your favorite conditioner.
  • Step 5- Apply whatever products you normally use and style to your preference. I normally do a twist out after a wash.

This DIY Mayonnaise Hair Treatment will give your hair the boost it needs to feel softer, look fuller and keep moisturized. Try it out and let me know how it works for your hair type.

Please keep in mind of you decide to do this in the shower, the surface of your tub might become slippery so be careful.

 

Stretch Marks: The Key is Prevention

Posted on by HappilyNaturallyMe

Most of us have them and none of us want them. Whether dark or light those imperfections in our skin are there to stay for the most part. Stretch marks are very hard to get rid of and that is why prevention is key to dealing with them. Before you can learn how to prevent stretch marks, you need to first understand how you get them in the first place. So what are stretch marks anyway? To keep it simple, they are just tears in the layers of skin. They are a result of you growing faster than the skin can stretch.

Stretch Marks 3

Pregnancy is the biggest culprit of stretch marks developing because we pack on the pounds very rapidly to bring that bundle of joy into the world. If you just happen to be one of the ones that don’t gain much weight, your stomach is still stretching to carry the baby growing inside and yes I fall into that category. My stomach was hard like a basketball and I knew I needed to keep my body hydrated and moisturized at all times. This was prior to my knowledge of the benefits of shea butter and the science of my skin expanding. I just knew I didn’t want stretch marks so I was slathering on the cocoa butter. It just so happened I was drinking tones of water because certain juices tasted weird during my pregnancy and I was staying away from all soda.

Now that I am way more educated on keeping my skin healthy I look back and realized I was doing the right things. Although cocoa butter is an amazing butter to use, I know now shea butter is more superior because of the extra healing properties it has compared to cocoa butter. Throughout my pregnancy I only developed one stretch mark and I attribute that to me leaving my belly ring in. The stretch mark is right wear the extended plastic belly ring was located, but has since faded drastically.

Stretch Mark 1

So when you know your body is about to go thru a dramatic change, you want to start getting your skin ready sooner rather than later. Unrefined shea butter and cocoa butter are packed full of nutrients that improve the elasticity of your skin and boost collagen levels. This is what makes your skin more stretchy and drastically reduces the chances of it tearing. If you happen to already have stretch marks, don’t get all depressed about them; with the right skin nourishment, you can improve the appearance overtime by repairing your skin.

Happily Naturally Me’s Whipped Shea Butter works wonders for prevention and the fading of stretch marks. My stretch marks from growing into my teenage body are barely visible since I started my natural skin care journey about four years ago.

Thigh Stretch Marks

Happily Naturally Me has just what you need to better your skin. Your skin is the biggest organ you have and you need to give it nutrients. The sooner you start taking care of your skin the better it will be in the future. Preserve your natural beauty with natural products.

DIY Beauty: Blackhead Removal

Posted on by HappilyNaturallyMe

We all get them and none of us like them. I have a habit of trying to squeeze them out with my fingers and I know that is not a good practice. Recently I learned about the power of gelatin to remove those unsightly little blackheads. Use this below mixture and you will never buy over the counter pore strips again.

Ingredients: DIY Blackhead Removal  

1 teaspoon of unsweetened gelatin
1 teaspoon of your choice of milk. (Almond, Soy, Whole Milk, Etc)

Instructions
Combine the ingredients in either a microwave safe dish or in a double boiler. Stir the mixture until it is well combined and heat them in the microwave or on the stove top. If electing to use the microwave, I suggest you heat the mixture in 10 second intervals. You want the mixture to be warm and not hot so you do not burn yourself. Please use caution before applying to your skin.

Clean your face first to remove all dirt. Use either your fingers or a small spatula to apply the mixture to the desired area that you want to remove the blackheads. I was able to do my entire face being sure to stay away from the eye, mouth and nostril areas. You do not want to put the mixture near areas were the skin is thin. Let the mixture harden on your face for about 15-20 minutes and peel off to see the magic happen. Rinse your face with cool water to close your pores and rub gently with a washcloth to remove any gelatin residue. Your face will feel like a baby’s bottom for the next few days and be blackhead free.

Have fun with this inexpensive DIY beauty tip by Happily Naturally Me.

Happily Naturally Me is not liable if you burn yourself when applying this mixture. Please use caution and do not over heat.

DIY Banana Hair Smoothie

Posted on by HappilyNaturallyMe

Bananas are not just for eating!!!  That’s right they make a great hair smoothie to replenish necessary nutrients for marvelous hair.  The application of bananas to your hair will soften and boost the shine of your dull tresses.  The trifecta of potassium, natural oils and vitiams are just what you need to promote hair growth.   Have fun mixing these 3 ingredients and enjoy the benefits of this DIY Banana Hair Smoothie.

Ingredients

1 Ripe Banana (The softer the better for mixing)

1 Table Spoon of Honey

1 Table Spoon of Olive Oil

Step 1: Combine all 3 ingredients into a food processor and blend until there are no more lumps.  Straining the mixture is optional.

Step 2: Separate lightly damp hair into at least four sections and work mixture throughout each section.  For best application use a wide tooth comb and comb mixture through each section of hair. Cover plastic hair with plastic cap and let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Step 3: Thoroughly wash or cowash mixture out of hair and style as normal.

Extra Tip: Add 3 table spoons of sugar and turn this DIY Banana Smoothie into an instant face and body scrub.

 

 

What’s so Special About Shea Butter?

Posted on by HappilyNaturallyMe

Butyrospermum parkii also known as Shea Butter is far more superior then all the other seed oils you will come across.  It is extracted from the nut of the Karite Tree which grows in parts of West Africa.  What makes it so special is the fraction of healing properties it contains compared to all other seed oils found in skin and hair care products.  This is why the Karite Tree is called the “Tree of Life”.

In parts of Africa, where the tree is harvested, it is considered “Women’s Gold.”  Shea Butter is the primary source of income for many of the women that live in these areas. With the increase demand of Shea Butter, it has help improve economic conditions to better the lives of the people that live there.

100% pure unrefined Shea Butter contains vitamins A and E in addition to necessary fatty acids. In a nut shell, Vitamin A is great for improving skin cell renewal and contributing to rejuvenated looking skin and Vitamin E increases the blood circulation to the skin and protects the skin against any free radicals that can be damaging. It is said that the moisturizers that are found in Shea Butter are the same as those found in the skins sebaceous glands.  Sebaceous glands naturally protect our skin by keeping it moisturized and waterproof.

Here is a list of some known benefits of Shea Butter:

  1. It helps retain moisture in skin and hair
  2. It improves collagen levels which help with anti-aging, stretch marks, burns and scares
  3. It can be used as an anti-inflammatory and help with other skin irritations
  4. It helps to protect the skin from sun exposure, but should not be used in the place of sun screen.
  5. It can help improve skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis

This article is not a medical guide so please do not use it as such. Always consult your doctor for medical treatment.

Resource: www.SheaInstitute.com