Leslie Billera

“Dry, dull hair” These three words are probably the most popular words found in hair care advertising. Most women lament frizz, crave shine – and will do anything to get it (including yours truly!).

Good news: all it takes for shiny hair is a trip to the grocery store – or maybe to your pantry or fridge!  The following four recipes are 100% natural ways to add shine to your hair without silicone serums and petrochemicals-laden products.

Share Some Shampoo Sheen: add a teaspoon of baking soda to two teaspoons of your shampoo. It will remove residue from your hair without stripping out natural moisture.

Love Me Some Apple Cider & Lemons! Dilute one half cup of organic vinegar in one cup of water and use it as a final rinse after shampooing. Lemon juice mixed with water in the same proportion also gives hair a shiny, bouncy look.

Brunettes Beware: If you want to avoid the bleaching potential of lemon juice, brew up some extra shine with organic coffee. A strong cup or organic joe, once cooled, makes a great hair rinse!

Cooling Care: After shampooing, rinse your hair with cool – not cold – water. Cool water closes hair cuticles which adds shine. (Cold water may cause a headache due to its tendency to restrict blood vessels, so don’t go there!).

Let us know what worked for you and if you have any suggestions for a shine-tastic, all-natural hair care solution. We love hearing from you!

Source: the green beauty guide, Julie Gabriel

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Go. Do. Start. Finish. Cross something off the list…and add something else on.

I don’t know about you, but this is what my days look like. Task-masters extraordinaire, most of us are eager to gain closure and move on to the next.

There’s the rub: there is always something next.

It’s so easy to forget to slow down, take a breath, and enjoy something JUST FOR YOU.

That’s where aromatherapy comes in. Just think about the definition of aromatherapy: the use of essential oils from plants to heal. Aromatherapy is literally about using nature’s pure essence as a gift…one that helps to calm nerves and clear your mind. The scent of lavender, for example, alleviates anxiety, depression and nervousness.

Lavender is also a fantastic sleep aid – for those whose commitment to common sense keeps them up at night.

If you periodically clear your mind of all the ‘to do’ list clutter, when it’s time to get back to the ‘to do’ list, you’re grounded and geared up to go.

• Give Yourself Permission: Too often, America’s work culture seeps into our personal life approach. You work hard when you need to – imagine if your commitment to restoring your brain was equally driven? Recognize that it’s absolutely critical to schedule ‘me’ time into your days, weeks and months. Otherwise, the time will continue to fly…and the tension will continue to build.

• Schedule Me Time: If everything is mapped out on your calendar, schedule your soothing baths , wake-up workouts, and mojo-lifting meditation there too. Squeeze it in. Make room for it. Once you get it on that calendar, don’t let it fall off. It’s a priority – move it around but keep it on the calendar.

• Bundle Up…with lavender bundles that is. Dried lavender gives off a sweet scent that will fill any room with warmth.

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