It is a good thing that this wonderful moisturizer is so easily accessible. When you buy yogurt for cosmetic purposes, always choose organic full fat yogurt. It is those fats that help your skin most.

Now, lets see a few easy yogurt masks:

The Simples Yogurt Mask

Take a fat slice of bread and spread 2 tablespoons of yogurt on it. Wait two hours until the bread soaks up the water. Apply the drained yogurt on your face and keep for 20 minutes.

Yogurt Mask With Whitening Effect

Drain the yogurt as explained in the previous maks recipe. Add 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 crunched Aspirin pill (acetylsalicylic acid). Keep for 20 minutes and wash off with cool water.

Yogurt Maks for Dry Skin

Drain the yogurt as explained previously. Mix with 1 tablespoon thinly sliced parsley and a few drops of olive oil. Again, the mask should be kept on the face for 20 minutes.

You might not know, but yogurt is also good for burns. If you have a sun burn, apply some yogurt on your skin and it will take the heat and sooth the burn.

Aloe plant

1. Aloe Vera is a moisturizer used for centuries in cosmetics. It also has soothing and regenerating properties. To make Aloe Vera lotion wash a few leaves of the plant with warm water. Dry them and leave them fridge for about 10 days then mash the leaves to extract the juice. The lotion will then be ready. If you don’t have Aloe Vera plant at home, some pharmacies sell Aloe Vera gel which you can use too.
2. Cucumber lotion is also very useful. To make the lotion, take an over-ripe cucumber, peel it and cut it into small pieces. Put the pieces in a jar filling it half way. Fill the rest of the jar with vodka and leave exposed to the sun. After 12 days, drain the liquid and the lotion is ready. If you notice that it dries your skin too much, then when you create it next time increase the cucumber and reduce the vodka.
3. Herbal pledget can soothe and hydrate your skin too. Mix together birch bark or buds, marigold flowers, camomile and juniper in equal parts. Make a decoction from one tablespoon of the herbal mixture and one cup of water. Boil for five minutes on low heat. When the decoction is ready, put a soft towel in it. Cover your face with the hot towel until the heat is gone. Then make the towel wet and hot again with the decoction and repeat until 20 minutes have passed. You can keep the leftover decoction in fridge for a few days and use it as a lotion.

Natural products are more pure and less harmful than store-bought products. However, it is possible to be allergic to natural ingredients as well. If you notice that some of the ingredients in the recipes above irritates your skin, stop using it. Listen to your skin.

Do you know any other natural moisturizers for oily skin?

1. The Simplest Banana Mask is taking a piece of banana and rubbing it to your face and neck, avoiding the area around the eyes. Stay with the banana for 10-15 minutes and rince your face.
2. Cleansing Banana Mask can be prepared by mashing one banana until smooth and adding 1 tablespoon of milk or cream. Keep the mask on your face and neck for about 20 minutes.
3. Banana Mask for Oily Skin can be prepared by mixing one mashed banana with one tablespoon honey. Add a few drops of lemon or organe essential oil (or lemon juice). Keep on the face for 20 minutes and rince off with cool water.
4. Honey Banana Mask is good for dry skin. Mash two bananas with one tablespoon honey. Keep on the face for 10-15 minutes.
5. Regenerating Banana Mask can be made by mashing half a banana and adding to it one tablespoon plain live yogurt, five drops lemon juice and one teaspoon olive oil. Keep on your face and neck for 20-30 minutes, then rince with cool water.

All those recipes are very easy to do and contain only ingredients everyone has in their fridge. So go ahead, try and see how good simple natural cosmetics can be for your skin.

Note: If you have allergies to any of the mentioned foods above, the natural masks can cause irritation.

Easy Splatter Paint Nails

The original article can be found in this blog, called Pretty Gossip. I think this nail polish design is big fun. Both as final result and making process. It is a bit a messy  business, but when precautions are taken there shouldn’t be any problem.

As it is seen fromt he picture below, basically the technique is splattering two of the three used nail polish colors over polished nails with the thirds, base color. This is done by dipping the straw in nail polish and then splattering it by blowing trough the straw.

Fish Tail Manicure

The original article can be found in this blog. I love this idea. It is somehow simple and yet very effective. I also love when only one nail out of the 5 have a certain effect. It makes the whole look more simple, but still interesting.

So, the technique is creating more visual interest by creating an easy and yet sophisticated design in the ring finger. Everyone knows how to create a fish tail braid, this is similar but with nail polish. And it looks cute.

Turquoise and Gold

Well, I’m sure it works with other colors too. It’s the technique that’s interesting. By using a plastic bag and a shiny nail polish, we create a pleasant texture over a solid colored base.

The whole tutorial is available in The beauty Department.

1. Green Tea Face Mask. Green tea has wonderful healing power over acne. To make the mask, boil some water and add 5 packages of green tea. When the water cools until 37 degrees, add 5 packages ginger. During the next 20 minutes, dip your face in the liquid for as long as you can. You might perceive the mask as burning and nipping. After the 20 minutes, wash your face with cool water.
2. Carrot Mask for Pimples.Grate 2 middle-sized carrots. Mix them with 1 egg yolk. Use the mask on a clean face and keep it for 20 minutes. Remove it using a cotton pad impregnated with rose oil.
   

   Natural Acne Face Mask

3. Calming Lotion for Irritated Skin. Mix a cup of green or black tea with the juice of 1 lemon. Cool the liquid and apply on the face occasionally.
4. Blackheads Killer. Grind 5-6 Aspirin pills and add a few drops or rose water. Apply on the face and keep until the mask is dry. Remove it by hand and wash off the rest.
5. Lemon Mask Against Oily Skin. This mask also shrinks the pores. To make it mix together equal parts of lemon juice, honey and clay. Apply on the face and rinse after 20 minutes.
6. Cleansing Banana Mask. Mash one ripe banana and mix with a teaspoon of cream or milk. Apply on the face and wash off after 20 minutes.
7. Pore-Shrinking Ice Mask. Add some mint, parsley, camomile tea or cucumber juice in water. Freeze in ice-cube forms. For a fast mask, take an ice-cubed mask and rub in your face until the ice melts.

For even more natural homemade face masks, you can also check our Homemade Acne Masks article here.
To avoid allergic reactions, please consult with your physician before trying any facial masks mentioned above.

Advantages of using a homemade facial scrub

1. You get to make sure that whatever stuff you are putting on your face is made only from fresh and natural ingredients. Many commercially manufactured facial scrubs contain synthetic ingredients that are harmful to the skin and accelerate its aging.
2. The ingredients you get to use for your homemade facial scrub are certainly rich in nutrients that will make your skin truly soft and healthy. It is always better to get the vitamins and minerals that your skin needs straight from their natural sources. In this way, you get the full nutrient blast without the synthetic cocktail that you get from commercially manufactured facial scrubs.
3. The ingredients you need to make your own facial scrub are typically found in your own kitchen. You don’t have to go shopping for these ingredients from inaccessible health stores. If you don’t have an ingredient you need, you can always make a short trip to your local supermarket or grocery store.
4. A homemade facial scrub is much cheaper than those you buy from a beauty store. Beauty products, especially those with high-end brands, can be very expensive and require significant investments on your part. It is not always practical to spend so much money on beauty products, especially when you can make your own at only a fraction of the price.

A Few Pointers to Remember

Homemade Facial Scrub

As great as homemade facial scrubs are, there are a few things you need to remember before you start making and using one. One is you need to know if your skin is allergic to certain substances or not. There are so many scrumptious facial scrub recipes that you can find on the Internet. You may feel encouraged to try out one of these recipes. However, if it happens that you are allergic to an ingredient in the recipe, you may develop skin conditions instead of attaining smooth and lovely skin.

Another thing is you need to use whatever homemade facial scrub you make all in one go. It is only necessary for you to use a deep-cleansing facial scrub once a week. If you make too much of the stuff, it will go bad after a couple of days even if you put it in the fridge. Beauty is nothing if you waste so much to achieve it.

A homemade facial scrub is great. It is a cheap way to keep your skin beautiful using ingredients you can easily obtain. You should try your hand at making a homemade facial scrub today.

Try it by yourself

Here are a few recipes for natural facial scrubs. You can find almost all ingredients in your fridge, so don’t hesitate and do your skin some good.

• Sugary Goodness. Mix together an egg yolk, some brown sugar and some honey. Play with the ingredients until a the consistency is nice, smooth and not runny. Apply to face and neck, rubbing the mask gently with your fingers in circular manner. Wait 10 minutes, then wash your face. This mask is both cleansing and nourishing.
• Coffee Brake. Mix together some ground coffee, sea salt and olive oil. Rub gently to your face. Wash off immediately.
• Soda. Use some baking soda on your face. Make sure your face is wet before you apply. Rub gently, try not to overdo it or your skin might get irritated. Wash off. This mask is great for teenagers and people with oily skin.

Especially before I go to bed, I make it a habit to have a cup of tea, that makes it much easier to fall asleep. And beside that, it is very interesting, that green tea is healthy as well. There are many studies about the effects of green tea on the human body. On the above site is also an article about the green tea diet, which shows that green tea can be a really good addition to improve your health.

Asian people seem to drink green tea for long time already and for example in Japan the rate of cancer is lower than in other countries. It is not yet clear if that is really because of the green tea, because in Japan, people tend to eat more fish as well. But so far I couldn’t find any negative effects about drinking green tea daily.

How do you like this tea? Do you drink it often or do you not like it at all? Would be interesting to read your opinion.

For seasonal hair strength boost, or for general weekly care, here are some ideas for hair masks which will help you keep your hair nourished, shiny and, most importantly: healthy.

Best Ready-Made Hair Masks

The following hair masks are some of the most liked and satisfactory. The review is based mostly on the used ingredients and their effect on the hair. However, please keep in mind that different people’s hair can have different needs and a mask might be good for one but not for another. The best way always is to try and see what is best for you!

Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Mask

The Macadamia Oil is an extract taken from the nut of the Australian tree of the same name. Even though this oil can be used for cooking, it is also found in haircare, skincare and sun protection products. It has moisturizing effect.

The mask contains also other moisturizing ingredients such as Glycerin and Algae extract, as well as some soothing extracts (Tee tree and Aloe Vera).

Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Mask is strong enough to moisturize even curly dry hair. It also is widely used as a conditioner, though if your hair is not generally dry, this would not be a good idea because if used too often, it may make your hair oily.

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask

This hair mask is especially designed for over-processed or extra dry hair. For such type of hair it is recommended to use the mask weekly, or even more often, as a conditioner.

The Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask has the best quality/price balance. You can get a package for less than 10$.  Note also that a very small amount of the mask is needed when used. This makes the 6 oz package go a long way.

There are three extracts in the mask: Olive, Meadowfoam and Almond oils. The combination of those oils provides complete moisture treatment for hair and scalp.

Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask

This mask contains Moroccan Argan tree extract which contains vitamin E, phenol (disinfectant), carotenes and fatty acids – ingredients perfect for a hair mask nourishing. In a nutshell, the Argan oil renews the cell structure of the hair in a very natural way.

The Moroccanoli mask is more pricy, but having in mind the richness of natural hair soothing ingredients in that oil, it probably is worth investing into it.

General Tips:

• For very dry hair, you can use masks as conditioner.
• For normal to oily hair: once a week.
• For normal to dry hair: twice weekly.

Homemade Hair Masks

The ready made hair masks are a more “lazy” way to take care of your hair. However, if you want a fresh, organic and right-out-of-fridge nourishing, you should try one of these easy homemade masks.

• Avocado Hair Mask
  This is a very simple but effective hair mask. All you need is one ripe avocado and 2 tbs olive oil. The avocado should be mashed in a blender or with a fork until creamy, then mixed with the olive oil. This mask has to stay on the hair minimum 15 minutes.

• Moisturizing Mask
  This easy mask is for very dry hair. In order to do it simply mix two egg yolks with 1 tbs olive oil. Let it on your hair for about half an hour.

• Honey Mask
  Honey is one of the most healthy food. It is a very good ingredient for all kinds of natural cosmetics. Here is how to use it for a hair mask: mix 3 tbs of honey with 1tbs olive oil. Mix well and keep for about 30 minutes.

• Banana Mask
  Bananas are very good nourishment for hair. To make a banana hair mask, you have to mash a ripe banana very well. Preferably in blender. Then you can add 2tbs yogurt or 1tbs honey. Keep for 30 minutes.

As you have probably noticed, natural hair masks take more time and preparation. However, they have their advantages. Organic masks are more safe, because of the usage of ingredients that can actually be eaten. Also, those kinds of masks are considerably cheaper.

If you are a busy person though, it is better to use a ready mask than none at all. The ready masks do have their own charms: nice package, lovely smell and color. And it is so easy to use them!

Whichever mask you prefer, make sure it is what your hair needs. It is important to know the needs of your own body.

Of course, most masks cannot do wonders for over a night, but if you are consistent and observant you will see the result and find the best nourishment for you hair.

Did you ever wish that your skin was a bit fairer, a little clearer? Before we get to those little tips you can take on how to get fair skin, let’s mention the very best thing you can do to ensure your skin is as wonderful as it can be: avoid the sun.

Skin discoloring

How to get fair skin? In this Article we tell you how to!

First of all, almost all serious skin discoloring can be attributed to over-exposure to the sun. Because the UVB and UVA rays of the sun cause skin damage, these rays are dangerous to your health in general. Take the following precautions whenever you go outdoors before you even think of trying any of the other tips:

• Keep your bare skin out of direct sunlight.
• Use a sunblock with a high SPF – at a minimum, use one that’s at least SPF 30. Find one with a mineral block such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide – such a sunblock may give your skin a slight whitish tinge – if it’s too white, mix in a little foundation makeup.
• Wear a big floppy hat that shades your face, neck, and shoulders. Experiment with the style – you can still be fashionable with your magnificent hats.

Fair skin

Second, in our quest on how to get fair skin, let’s talk diet – eat fruits, especially pears, apples, mangoes, guava, and peaches. A healthy diet will make your skin healthy. And drink lots of water, at least ten glass per day – dehydration does your skin no good whatsoever. And having more than enough water daily will also reduce those dark under-eye circles.

Skin care

Third, be sure to follow a regimen of good face care. At least once a day, use a gentle facial cleanser. If you have a poor complexion, try these remedies to restore smooth clear skin:

• Sandalwood oil can help in the removal of pimples, freckles, rashes, and red blotches. It will reduce prickly heat, lessen the effects of over-exposure to the sun, and heal swelled face. The oil itself may be a little expensive, but the effect is worth it. You can add sandalwood oil every other item you use on your skin, from facial cleanser, to skin toner, to face scrub, to moisturizer. With sandalwood oil, you’ll find it even easier to maintain a fair and clear complexion.
• Almonds can be ground into rosewater to create a paste to apply to your skin – leave on for a half-hour, then gently wash off.
• Mix an egg white, a bit of lemon juice, and some honey – apply the paste to your face, and leave for fifteen minutes, then gently wash off.
• Wash your face in tomato juice, or tomato juice and oatmeal – the antioxidants within these ingredients will be an excellent treatment for your skin.
• Mix milk powder with warm water to create a paste to spread on your face – let the paste sit for thirty minutes, then rinse it off with cool water.
• Cut a fresh papaya in half and rub the cut side over your face each night to help restore clear skin.

Make-up and skin

Fourth, think about make-up and clothes that will make your skin appear lighter than it actually is. Wear dark clothes. Do not wear beige or white clothes that will make your skin seem dark in contrast. However, your clothes do not have to be black — try some bright bold colors that flatter your natural coloring.

As to make-up, try using a light base that’s a shade lighter than the natural color of your skin – over that base, dust on a light translucent powder to enhance the fairness of your skin. Do not put on lots of makeup, or your face will look unnatural, not at all what you’re going for. In the summertime, pick a base that also has sunscreen for that little bit of extra protection against the sun that will help you keep your skin fair.

If you wear lipstick or use eye makeup, use darker shades for contrast with your skin – but do not overdo it. Pick either the lips or the eyes to emphasize with the darker make-up, but not both – the result of doing both in this manner will make you look overdone.

Facial treatments

Fifth, here are some facial treatments that go beyond cleansing, and that actually cause some lightening of the skin.

• Mix honey and lemon juice, apply to the face and skin, leaving it in place for twenty minutes before washing it off with cool water.
• For dry skin, mix equal amounts of honey and cucumber juice, apply to your face and your body, leave on for fifteen minutes, and then wash off.
• For oily skin, use one teaspoon of cucumber juice alone – to make some cucumber juice, grate the skin off from a cucumber, and squeeze out the juice.
• At night, as you’re getting ready for bed, after you’ve washed off all your make-up and lotions, dab some lemon juice on your face, keeping the juice away from the eyes.
• You may feel some slight heat, but try to keep the juice on for at least fifteen minutes before you wash it off
• Put on a facial yogurt mask or use a tea-tree facial cleanser, and wash off with milk – all three ingredients are skin lighteners. Tea tree cleansers will also help with sunburns.

Skin lightening treatments

Sixth, for more serious skin lightening treatments, try the following:

• Use a bleaching or lightening cream. These creams, though they will help you lighten skin, should be used with care. Use with caution. Before you apply any on your entire body, try a dab on a small test spot on your forearm to see if your skin reacts adversely. Also, be sure to consult your own dermatologist before any use.
• On a three-times-a-week schedule, apply either salicylic or glycolic acid, both of which are natural skin lighteners.
• Try applying hydroquinone, found in over-the-counter cosmetic products – look for 2% or less within the product. Test the product before applying – if your skin darkens, a rare abnormal reaction that may happen with dark-skinned people, wash it all off, and discontinue use immediately. Visit a dermatologist if you’re not sure whether or not you should try a hydroquinone product.

You should be very patient – it can take a long time to lighten your skin. A complete lightening result can take anywhere from several months to several years. Daily consistency is the key.

Warnings on your way on how to get fair skin:

• Never use any product with a concentration of hydroquinone that is higher than 2%.
• Never use laundry bleach on your skin thinking it will lighten your skin – it won’t, and can cause serious burns.
• Never use hair bleach on your skin.

The connection between professional and personal life may be rough and keeping the balance between work and life can be really hazardous. I found out about that not long ago, just after I set some daring targets to reach in my business A X-ray of my breasts which usually is a routine, showed some abnormalities this time. In the weeks that followed I underwent an additional mammography, a biopsy and eventually surgery. The happy news was that the abnormalities were harmless and so I could get back to work full speed, leaving the experience for what it was.

However… that is not the way it worked out. Simply because I did not feel like working at all. I did like my client work and engagements to speak at certain gatherings, but just hated to think of the analytic and creative work that comes with tele-classes and internet marketing. I really tried my best but I could not bring myself to any enthusiasm for these tasks. In my private life I felt the need for time and energy to renew and restore my inner balance while in my work I felt I should make good for lost time in the past few weeks.

Needless to say I was once again caught in the dilemma between my spirit and my business requirements, as I had been before and I know magical success formulas don’t exist, let alone help. But I do know as well that we can take care of our lives and our businesses once we agree that we will put in the work that is needed for that.

I have put together nine strategies which may help you to change the road to your destination and may also come in handy if you want to put the relation between work and private life back in balance:

1. Don’t panic

Although you might be caught in panic the best way to handle the situation is modest steps instead of giant decisions. At a time like this you do not get a divorce, sack an employee or buy important things like a new computer system. Modest steps are called for. Tip: to get some perspective you might want to talk to a coach or therapist.

2. Return to your source

It is not important from what walk of life you come, just try to get a connection back with your source of life or your spirit. Acknowledge that something bigger than you embraces you. Try to spend a minimum of 15 minutes per day to connect with your source. (Mark Silver describes in his free downloadable book “Getting to the Core of Your Business” the Remembrance Practice which I really like).

3. Tell the truth

At time our energy leaves us when we are just pleasing others all the time or live up to standards we don’t recognize as our own. Check if there is an imbalance. Be aware when you are not totally honest and be clear for yourself about your motives. If there is any weeding to do, clean up afterwards. Tip: talking to a therapist or coach may help you to communicate more clearly.

4. Check your body

Do you sleep well? Do you eat healthily? How is the level of your energy? If you feel you could do better in these fields you might go for a professional check up and take action to restore your well being.

5. Tune up your thinking

Evidence shows that if we manage our way of thinking we can profoundly affect our mood and motivation. Check the internet for book-sites that have books with which you can upgrade your cognitive skills, try to talk to a therapist or do both (if you are in a good health psychologically a professional coach will do just as well).

6. Surround yourself with good company

Do your peers and clients stimulate you, encourage you? How about your playmates? If you play on the wrong playground with stupid kids it is neither much fun nor very productive.

7. Set healthy, flexible limits

Yes I know, there is an intimately connection between real life and real business. However that does not mean you have to give up your whole privacy. To reach a balance between work and life you have to set limits in such a way you can feel like giving without completely depleting yourself and feel available without “being overrun”. Keep these limits flexible because like everything else in life, things may change.

8. Create or refine systems

In order to run a real life and a real business we need good systems. Check to find the weak parts and find a solution to get the system back on track. If you don’t have a system, create one.

9. Keep the goal, drop the plan

The best way to reach a goal is sometimes to forget about your plans. Clear out the file with commitments and offers and only keep those that can bring your current activity in balance with the current resources. There is no need to abandon ship when all you have to do is drop the anchor and make some necessary repairs – or enjoy a few weeks off.

Using these strategies made me postpone the re-launch of a tele-class and withdraw for a while from internet marketing. Thus I stopped the war between my business and myself so I was able to repair the imbalance between life and work. Now I feel more enthusiastic about the things I undertake – like writing this article. My demanding goals are now inviting possibilities which no longer put me off. If it takes more time to reach my goals, getting there will sure be sweet.

~Mary Miller