Friday 28 September 2012

Diet: A Healthy Snack

Banana Cookies




I have searched the Internet and combined several different healthy cookie recipes into the following one, according to what I had in my cupboard and how I wanted it to taste. This recipe is super easy and healthy, and the most important thing is that these cookies are soooo delicious.

Ingredients:  3/4 cup rolled oats
                     1 banana
                     1-2 tsp unrefined sugar (or stevia or honey)
                     1/4 tsp baking powder
                     some milk (2 tbsp approximately)

Mix oats, sugar and baking powder in a small bowl. Add the chopped banana and blend the mixture with the food processor. (I like the oats to have the flour consistency, that's why I blend it all together. But you could skip this and just mash the banana before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.) Add milk and mix it well until you get a sticky consistency. Place the mixture with a spoon on cookie sheet and bake it in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes on 180 degrees Celsius (360 Fahrenheit). This mixture will make about 6-8 cookies, depending on their size and I would say each cookie has no more than 30 calories! They are a great on-the-go snack since they are really filling and satisfy the sweet-tooth. And they are also super healthy and nutritious. You can alter this recipe the way you'd like, by adding cocoa or chocolate chips to it.

Hope you like this recipe and bon appetit! :)

xoxo,
Iskra



Thursday 20 September 2012

Diet: Tea Time

My Favorite Teas


I LOVE tea!! :) And Fall and Winter months are perfect for this hot, comforting beverage. Natural, unsweetened teas is delicious, good for you and a healthy substitute for a juice or soda. Here are a few of my favorite teas. 

BLACK TEAS

Twinings Earl Grey Tea

I love all Twinings teas, but Earl Grey is an all-time favorite.This tea has a famous story behind it's name: the Georgian Prime Minister, Ear Grey, was given cases of this tea by a Chinese Mandarin. He liked it so much that he brought it home and asked Twinings to recreate it for him, and the tea was named after him.
As Twinings would describe it, it's a light fragrant black tea, infused with a distinctive lemon and bergamot flavour. It's taste is rich and distinct.

Twinings Lady Grey Tea

The Lady also had to have her tea, and she sure got a delicious one :) The Earl Grey mixture is enriched with the delicate hint of oranges and lemons and is a perfect pick for afternoons.

Twinings Irish Breakfast

Black tea blend with rich and smooth taste.

Twinings English Breakfast

Another black tea blend, appropriate to go with the breakfast, but not exclusively.This tea is full- bodied and full of flavour, perfect to begin the day with. 

Ahmad English Tea No.1

This amazing tea is a blend of Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan tea, with the slightest hint of bergamot. Light, but rich flavour. 

Whittard of Chelsea Afternoon Tea

This tea is a specific blend of fine black and jasmine green tea, combined with the distinctive flavour of bergamot. It's taste is also very light and flowery. 

I drink my black teas instead of coffee, with milk and unrefined sugar to taste.


GREEN TEAS

Twinings Green Tea with Mint

This is my favourite green tea and I love drinking it by itself, without adding any honey to it. A perfect mixture of green tea and mint, which gives a perfect light taste.

Ahmad Blueberry Green Tea 

I love this unusual blend of green tea and blueberry; the fruity taste is delicate, but present.

Pure Green Tea

And, of course, pure green tea by any brand hits my top-teas list.

I love having my green tea in the evenings, and usually drink them by themselves, without adding any sweeteners. When I crave something more sweet, I add a small tea spoon of honey and enjoy my tea :)



Tuesday 18 September 2012

Beauty Bit: BB Cream Review

La Roche Posay Hydreane BB Cream




I was at the Mall the other day and passing by a pharmacy, I saw that La Roche Posay came out with their first BB cream. I have wanted to buy a BB cream for a while, but didn't for several reasons. First, I didn't want to buy a drugstore brand like Garnier because I have sensitive and acne prone skin and I use strictly the brands which my dermatologist prescribes. Second, the shades of the Garnier cream don't really match my skin well, and up unitl recently, Garnier was the only available brand in my country. So I was super excited to see that La Roche Posay came out with this product, because I use their face products and I LOVE them.The pharmacist gave me a sample to try it out. 
This cream is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin and also has SPF 20. It comes in two shades, light and dark, and is paraben-free, non comedogenic, hypoallergenic and nickel-controlled (formulated to contain only the minimum quantity of nickel). It contains La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring water, which is incredibly good for the skin. It is very light and smooth in texture, and is oil free. It can be used as a daily moisturizer or as a make up basis.
I tried out the lighter shade, since I am very fair, and it matched my skin perfectly. It is very moisturizing and feels really light on the skin, as if wearing a very light, fluid-based moisturizer. The complexion is visibly smoother and unifyied. If you don't need a lot of coverage or on casual days, when you want your skin to look silky and super healthy, but you don't want to burden it with heavy foundations, you can wear it by itself. If you want more or need more coverage, you can apply some loose powder on top and it'll last you the whole day.Your complexion won't seem dull, your skin will look super healthy and dewy. The only thing one might dislike is the scent, because it does have noticeable (but nice) scent to it. 

All in all, I love this product, I highly recommend it and will definitely purchase it!

Friday 14 September 2012

Beauty Bit: Drink Yourself Beautiful

The Amazing Green Tea


It is simply amazing how nature is filled with so many delicious, extremely nutritious and beneficial foods and drinks. One such drink is green tea. 

Green tea is proven to be one of the healthiest drinks out there. The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a powerful antioxidant. It combats cancer cells and prevents their growth, and lowers LDL cholesterol levels. Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, but the difference lies in the fact that green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. Black and oolong tea leaves are fermented, and the EGCG is turned into compounds that are not as beneficial as the untouched ECGC in the green tea. Although it contains caffeine (in truly low amount compared to coffee, or even black tea), avoid decaffeinated versions; they are not as beneficial as the regular green tea is. 

Here is a list of some of the benefits of green tea:

- green tea reverses endothelial dysfunction in smokers
- it lowers bad cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduces harmful liver enzymes
- it could help stave off cancer, with a study showing just four cups of green tea a day reverses cell damage in heavy smokers that might lead to the development of tumors
- green tea is beneficial for heart, and overall cardiovascular system's health
- regular intake can help easing menstrual pangs
- it is good for healthy teeth and gums
- it slashes the risk of stroke
- according to one research, green tea could even preserve your brain power as you age
- it helps regenerate impaired immune system
- it prevents arthritis
- it helps reduce inflammation
- it clears the skin, due to its detoxifying properties

And if all of these health benefits didn't convince you, maybe this will; researches have shown that green tea can help with weight-loss and weight maintenance . Green tea is filled with anti-oxidants, and will boost your metabolism and suppress appetite, thus supporting your weight-loss plan. 


Hope you will find this helpful! :)

xoxo,
Iskra


p.s. While doing this research, I consulted several articles, including those from http://www.dailymail.co.ukhttp://altmedicine.about.com, http://chinesefood.about.comhttp://arthritis.about.com.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Bookworm Series no. 1

End-of-Summer Book Haul


Recently I went to my favorite bookstore and picked up several great books. 


First book I picked is Matched by Ally Condie. 

"On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her match. Society dictates he is her perfect  partner for life. Except he's not. In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that's when her whole world begins to unravel..."



I also picked its sequel, Crossed










I loved The Time Traveler's Wife, so I decided to buy another book by Audrey Niffenegger, Her Fearful Symmetry.

The story starts with the death of Elspeth Noblin, who decides to leave her beautiful flat overlooking Highgate Cemetary to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina Poole, on the condition that their mother never steps into it. But, the curious thing is that the twins have never even knew their ant existed. Hoping to start their own, separate lives in London, the sisters start unraveling the secrets of their aunt, who doesn't seem quite willing to leave her flat even after death. It is a ghost story about love, loss and identity.


And last, but not least, I bought Delirium by Lauren Oliver and I am really looking forward to reading it as I heard awesome reviews.

Again, a dystopian society where people believe love is a disease and needs to be cured. As the back cover of the book brilliantly puts it: "There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it. Then, at last, they found the cure". And the cure is an operation that leaves you incapable of feeling any kind of love. And the protagonist is looking forward to being cured, and thus safe from this terrible disease... until she finds herself falling in love.



And I also borrowed several books from the library:
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and its sequel Crescendo

Hush, Hush brings the story of a high school girl, Nora Grey, who never really thought much about dating until Patch came along. He's dark, dangerous and mysterious and Nora's strongly drawn to him against her better judgement. But after a series of terrifying encounters, she is not sure if she can trust him. He seems to be everywhere, and to know everything about her and her friends. When she finally tries to seek answers, she finds herself right in the middle of a centuries-old battle between the immortal and the fallen ... and she has to take sides.



















And another dystopian themed novel, Unwind by Neal Shusterman. This sounds like a really good, though a bit disturbing and thought-provoking read. In a society in which unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways decide to fight the system that would "unwind" them. They have to survive until their eighteenth birthday, when they can no longer be harmed.











Have you read any of these books? How did you like them? Share in the comments below :)

xoxo,
Iskra

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Diet: A Healthy Treat

Fake Ice-cream


I have decided to try and make a healthy and raw ice-cream alternative and I loved loved loved the outcome:)  And the best thing is that it requires only two ingredients!

Slice 2 bananas, place them on a plate and cover them with plastic wrap. Put the plate into the freezer and let it freeze for at least 6 hours (or even better, overnight). Put the frozen bananas into a food processor and add a small amount of frozen strawberries (at least half of the mixture has to be the bananas) and blend them (3-4 minutes) until they form a smooth, creamy mixture. At first the consistency will seem strange, bananas will turn into crumbles, but as you blend it, it will become incredibly creamy. Scoop the ice-cream and serve it in an ice-cream cup.

* Don't use blender for this recipe, because it is not strong enough to chop the bananas properly and might even break. 


Hope you like the fake ice-cream and feel free to be creative in adding new ingredients to it! You could also do a bananas-only version!

Bon Appetit :)

xoxo,
Iskra

Sunday 9 September 2012

Fashion Bit: Top Makeup Trends

Fall 2012 Makeup Trends



LIPS : Red is always a great option for Fall, but this year red is coming with a twist - the most popular lip colour for the upcoming season will be mulberry. It's a deep mulled-wine colour with rich chocolate brown undertones and creamy matte or even shiny finish. This gorgeous coulour fits perfectly into the Fall and looks great on both blondes and brunettes. 





EYES: According to Harpers Bazaar many catwalks included the Futuristic Eyes look, which is way too dramatic for the off-stage. But choose a dramatically dark carbon black eyeliner and apply it in thick streaks and add saturated eye shadows beyond the outer corners of your eyes.



Also, another hit for the Fall are multi-toned eyes. Choose eye shadows with hints of silver or gold incorporated into the colour. Coloured mascaras are also in for the upcoming season.


BROWS: The upcoming season sports thick and well-defined brows. Accentuate the shape and the arch of your brows to perfectly frame your face. 

FACE: Although more fashionable during Spring months, this Fall surprised us with the trend of fresh and natural looking faces. Clear and fresh skin and dewy complexion are wanted, so easy-to-sport No Makeup Makeup Look will be desired in the following months.




What do you think of the upcoming trends? Which one do you prefer?

xoxo,
Iskra




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Saturday 8 September 2012

Diet: Snack Idea

Hummus


Hummus is a very popular Middle Eastern dish that made its way into our kitchens. It's super healthy and delicious. It can be served as a dip or spread over bread or meat. The way I love to eat it is as a snack with fresh carrots. Here is a simple recipe on how to make homemade hummus.




Ingredients: 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
                  2 tbsp tahini
                  2 cloves garlic
                  4 tbsp lemon juice
                  2 tbsp olive oil
                  1 tsp salt
                  black pepper (to taste)

Add garlic into the blender. Add the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend until it forms a creamy paste. Put the mixture in a serving bowl and pour the olive oil on top. 

Bon Appetit :)

xoxo,

Iskra

Friday 7 September 2012

Beauty Bit: Facial Exfoliants

Physical vs. Chemical Exfoliants


Exfoliation, or the removal of dead skin cells, is a very important step in facial care. Regular exfoliation will make your skin smooth and soft, and will also lessen the breakouts. It will also make your skin better at absorbing moisturizers, or other treatments. Exfoliation stimulates new cell growth by removing skin cells that your body is no longer shedding.
The exfoliants can be divided into two large groups: physical and chemical exfoliants.



Physical Exfoliants

Physical exfoliants basically manually remove the dead skin cells through friction with the help of abrasive ingredients. Some physical exfoliants use natural products, such as almonds, seeds, etc., and can be rather harsh on sensitive skin; other products use gentle synthetic beads. However, many dermatologists agree that those with acne shouldn't use physical exfoliants, since they can irritate already inflamed skin and thus cause redness and  breakouts. 
Most popular forms of physical exfoliants are scrubs, abrasive pads and cloths and microdermabrasion.

Chemical Exfoliants

Chemical exfoliants remove dead skin cells by using an acid or enzyme, so no abrasive agents are needed. You simply apply the exfoliant (which can be in a form of a lotion, gel, tonic, mask, etc.) and the "chemical" does the work, so you do not rub it into your skin. Some treatments are supposed to be rinsed right away, while others are left throughout the night and they work on your skin while you sleep. 
Most popular forms of chemical exfoliants are Retinoids (such as RetinA), AHA (Alpha Glycolic Acids), BHA (Beta Glycolica Acids) and Chemical Peels.

Before using any of these, consult your dermatologist and he / she will reccomend the most suitable exfoliant form for your skin type.


I have not tried that many exfoliants, but I have been using Eucerin Dermo Puryfier Scrub for a few months now and I love it. I have sensitive, acne prone skin and this scrub is gentle enough not to irritate my skin, but also removes dead cells and makes my skin smooth and soft.


Wednesday 5 September 2012

Fashion Bit: Top Trends

Fashionable Fall / Winter 2012


After doing a lot of on-line research and comparing it with what I've seen in stores lately under the new arrivals, I made this list of top fall 2012 trends.

1. Maroon Trousers - This is truly a beautiful colour, awesome for the upcoming months of
fall. You can pair them with a black shirt and black boots, or combine them with a lacy white / ivory shirt and heel. Either way, they will look amazing and stylish.

2. Print Trousers  - To add a little pop to the season, there are print trousers. The prints are different, but one of the most popular ones is the floral print.

3. Lace - A trend that was super popular this summer will continue into the fall/winter. I'm so happy that many stores have beautiful lace dresses under the new arrivals,   because I love love love this trend. 

4. Black Leather - What seems to be a huge hit among the top designers is black leather; pants, jackets, coats, or just on sleeves of a t-shirt, leather sure seems to be a must for the upcoming seasons.

5. High Collars/ Turtlenecks - Perfect for winter to keep us warm, turtlenecks seem to have their comeback this fall.


6. Peplums - Another interesting trend are peplum dresses in various colours and in print, too. 

7. Long and Oversized Coats - This trend seems to be a huge hit on the runaways. 

8. Side Panel Jeans - Aside from comfortable denim, this fall bring us another trend; side panel jeans. A twist to familiar jeans is a line on both leggings. Other trends including the jeans are floral print, polka dots and coated denim. Also, tapered and baggy jeans are likely to be very popular in the upcoming months.










As to colours, the most popular combination is black and blue (cobalt). Another trend coulors include white, black, and gold. 

How do you like the upcoming seasons' fashion? Which trend is your favorite?

xoxo,
Iskra

Diet: A Lunch Quickie

Tuna Pasta


This recipe is healthy, but super quick to make! I make this dish pretty often, since it's delicious, light and, well, truth be told - I loooove tuna :)

Ingredients: 1,5 cup whole wheat pasta
                  
                  1 mozzarella cheese (optional)

                  2 tbsp olive oil
                  1 medium onion
                  3 coves garlic
                  1 can tuna (preferably in water, not oil)
                  1 can pelati tomatoes 
                  
                  spices - salt, sugar (just a pinch), pepper, 
                  2 -3 laurel leaves, garlic powder,                
                  cayenne pepper, basil, rosemary, cilantro
Serves 2!

While the whole wheat pasta is still cooking on the stove, finely mince onion and garlic. Cover the pot with 2 tbsp of olive oil and add minced onion and garlic. Saute until they turn golden, then add the canned tomatoes and mash them into smaller pieces with a ladle. Add all of the spices (to taste) and let it cook for approximately 5 - 10 minutes. Add the dried tuna into the pot and mix it into the sauce. Let it sit on fire for another 2 - 3 minutes and remove from the stove. 

When serving, first put pasta into a plate, then add chopped up mozzarella cheese and spread the sauce on top. That way the cheese will melt better. 

Bon Appetit :)

xoxo, 
Iskra
                  

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Beauty Bit: Sugar Coated Lips!

DIY Sugar Lip Scrubs 


With colder weather, our skin becomes more dry and sensitive, and our lips tend to get chapped. In order to prevent that and make them smooth and kissable, here are a few DIY  all-natural recipes that you can whisk at home.

Honey, I Wanna Kiss Scrub

Ingredients: 3 tsp olive or jojoba oil
                 2 tsp honey
                 2 tsp finely grated white or brown sugar

Mix all the ingredients together until they form a nice paste. Rub gently into your lips, using circular motions. Rinse with warm water and apply a lip balm if needed.

Olive or jojoba oil will hydrate your lips, while honey contains cleansing and healing properties and is a natural binder of the paste. Finely grated sugar is a natural gentle exfoliant will scrub your lips nicely, without damaging it.

I'm Coco-Loco About You Scrub

Ingredients: 1 tbsp coconut oil (unrefined is always better)
                 1 tbsp honey
                 2 tbsp brown sugar

Very similar to the Honey, I Wanna Kiss scrub, but with another nourishing and great tasting oil. Put the mixture in a small container and keep it for 2 weeks in refrigerator. 

Pout Like A Model's Scrub

Ingredients: 1 tbsp sugar
                 1 tbsp honey
                 1/2 tsp olive or jojoba oil
                 1/2 tsp vaseline

Mix all of the ingredients well until they form a paste. Put the mixture into a container to store and keep it in fridge for a week. 


What are your DIY lips secrets? Share them in the comments below and let me know how you like these free recipes :)

xoxo,
Iskra

Sunday 2 September 2012

Beauty Bit: Pucker Up!

Healthy and Beautiful Lips


A lot of our habits make our lips dry and
chipped, and we are not even aware of it.

1. Don't lick your lips! It may bring a momentary relief, but it just makes the problem worse. Our saliva evaporates quickly and leaves our lips drier than they previously were. Plus, the enzymes in our mouth, used to digest food, are harsh for the delicate skin of our mouth.

2. Avoid breathing with an open mouth. The air flowing constantly in and out dries the skin on our lips.

3. Eat a healthy diet, filled with veggies and fruit. Vitamins B and E are very important for   healthy lips and skin in general. Also, a balanced amount of healthy fats and oils is important for the skin (but also for hair and nails) and prevents it from being too dried out. Add salmon, avocado and olive oil to your meals. 

4. Drink a lot of water! Dehydration can cause chapped lips. In a way, our lips act like berries left to dry in the sun - they take all the water they can find. But if there is not enough water to "suck in", they simply dry out.

5. Get a gentle scrub and exfoliate your lips when needed (sugar lip scrub recipes). Afterwards you can treat your lips with a special lip mask, like this one: blend a small piece of avocado, 1 tsp honey and 1 - 2 tbsp plain yogurt. Apply it on your lips and let it sit for 5 - 10 minutes, before rinsing it off.

6. Avoid using lip plumpers, since their ingredients are very drying and irritating for the lips.

7. Find a suitable lip balm to hydrate your lips, and choose one with an SPF factor.

And now that you have your beautiful lips, don't forget to smile, because smile is one of the most beautiful things we can do with our lips... except kissing, of course ;)

xoxo,
Iskra


Saturday 1 September 2012

Diet: Back To School Lunch Idea

Tuna Salad Wrap


I simply love this awesome and healthy recipe! It's super easy to make and can be packed in a lunchbox and taken to school, college or work. This way you can control what you eat and avoid processed foods and unhealthy sandwiches. 
Let's get started :)

Ingredients

2 whole wheat tortillas
1 canned tuna (4 oz.) - preferably a tuna in water, not oil 
1/2 red pepper diced
1/2 yellow pepper diced
1 small onion diced
1/2 cucumber diced
3 tbsp sweet corn (canned)
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 tsp mustard
spices of your choice (eg. garlic powder, black pepper, cilantro, cayenne
pepper)

Serves 2!

Open the can and drain down the water from tuna. Put tuna in a bowl and add red and yellow pepper, onion, corn, cucumber and spices. Mix in the Greek yogurt and mustard. After preparing the mixture, grill shortly the two whole wheat tortillas and then fill them with the desired amount of the dressing. Voila! :)

We're using the Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, because the latter is full of fat and is not really beneficial for our health. Greek yogurt on the other hand is packed with protein (has double the amount of protein that the regular plain yogurt contains) which is incredibly important for our body and over-all performance and is low in sugar.  

This amount of the dressing will probably leave you with some leftovers, so pack them in the fridge and enjoy them the other day! You can always adjust the amount or add or leave out certain ingredients.

Bon Appetit:)

xoxo,
Iskra

Diet: Breakfast Porridge

This is an extremely simple, quick and healthy breakfast recipe. It is filling and truly satisfies the sweet tooth. You will need rolled oats, almond (or any other) milk, 1/2 banana and some cinnamon.

Take a cup of milk and put it in a small pot. Add the preferred amount of oats (the more you add, the thicker the porridge will be). While the oats are cooking, take a small bowl and mash the banana. Once the porridge is cooked, let it cool off for several minutes and pour it over the banana.Due to the sweetness of the banana, no sugar or honey is needed.  Sprinkle some cinnamon on the top and enjoy your breakfast!


Cinnamon 

When buying cinnamon, always look for the Ceylon Cinnamon and avoid the ones produced in China or Thailand (known as the Cassia Cinnamon). While both Ceylon and Cassia cinnamon contain Coumarin, naturally occurring plant components which have strong anticoagulant properties, the difference lies in the amount. Ceylon cinnamon contains hardly any Coumarin, while Cassia cinnamon contains a higher amount of Coumarin and it can cause health problems to some individuals if taken on a regular basis. Coumarin is also toxic, especially for the liver and kidneys.

Benefits of Cinnamon:

- balances blood sugar
- treats digestive disorders
- improves circulation
- is anti-inflammatory
- is a natural brain stimulant
- is an excellent source of manganese, dietary fiber, iron and calcium
- has anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties
- boosts metabolism and is believed to help with weight loss

xoxo,
Iskra



Diet: Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This smoothie is great for breakfast, as a post-workout drink or as a snack in between meals. It is light, refreshing and at the same time filling.

Ingredients (serves 2): 
1 cup of almond milk (app. 3 dcl)
1 banana sliced (it can be frozen or fresh)
handful of strawberries
2 tbsp oats
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 scoop protein powder (optional)

Put all the ingredients into a food processor, blend them together and enjoy the smoothie! :-)

xoxo,
Iskra

Beauty Bit: DIY Hair Masks

Dry And Damaged Hair


There are several nourishing masks for dry and brittle hair you can mix up in your own kitchen using basic and natural ingredients. Oil - based masks are extremely good for dry hair, they make it softer and visibly healthier. Here are a few recipes to try out.

Coconut Oil 

Coconut oil is one of the most famous remedies for dry hair since it is one of the few oils that can actually penetrate the pores of our hair. It can be used by itself or enriched by other ingredients to form a nourishing treatment. Opt for the unrefined version if possible.
In this mask we will combine coconut oil with egg, which is full of proteins.

Ingredients: several tbsp coconut oil (depending on the length of the hair)
                  1 whole egg

Coconut oil turns solid on room temperature, so first  take a few tbsp and melt it down in a small pot on a stove on low heat (or put the jar in a bowl with hot water in it). After the oil is melted, add in the egg and mix the two ingredients together. Apply it on your hair and let it sit for 30 - 40 minutes. To make the mask even more effective, you can put on a shower cap or wrap your head in a plastic wrap. Be careful to rinse the mask with lukewarm and not hot water (hot water will boil the eggs).

Olive Oil 

Olive oil is another famous remedy, known by our grandmothers and passed down by generations. As well as coconut oil, it is both good for skin and hair. 

Ingredients: 4 - 5 tbsp olive oil
                  2 egg yolks 

Whisk the ingredients together and apply it on your hair. Put a shower cap and leave it in for at least 20 minutes. Again, you can enhance the effect of the treatments by applying heat - wearing a shower cap or wrapping your head in plastic wrap. Rinse with lukewarm water.

Argan Oil

Argan oil, also known as the Miracle Oil, is extremely beneficial for both hair and skin. It penetrates the hair pores and hydrates it. It improves hair elasticity and growth. Natural antioxidants in argan oil strengthen and repair hair. It is believed that it locks in the moisture, thus making hair healthier and shinier. It is great nourishment for colour treated hair. It is rich in vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids such as Omega 3 and Omega 9, which heal the hair and treat the split ends. 

Apply argan oil in your hair and also massage it in the scalp. Comb your hair to evenly distribute the oil. Wrap your head in a warm towel and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. 

Jojoba Oil

Another great "beauty oil" is jojoba oil. It is a great treatment both for skin and hair, because it closely simulates human sebum, the oil that actually protects our skin and hair from drying. It strengthens and moisturizes dry and damaged hair.
Apply jojoba oil in hair, put on a shower cap and let it sit for 20 minutes or even overnight before washing it off. 

Avocado


Ingredients: several tbsp coconut oil (depending on the length of the hair)
                  1 ripe avocado
                  1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Melt the coconut oil and add it to mashed avocado and apple cider vinegar. Avocado is full of healthy and nutritious fats and rich in potassium and vitamins E and B, while apple cider vinegar will add to the shine of your hair. 


Ingredients1 ripe avocado 
                  1 tsp olive oil
                  1 tsp honey

Mash avocado until smooth. Mix the mashed avocado meat with olive oil and honey, apply to hair and leave it in for at least 20 minutes. 
Honey is famous for its moisturizing properties which make it ideal for maintaining scalp health. 

xoxo,
Iskra