Natural weight loss remedies

Hello everyone!

I've been trying to find ways to help my weight loss progress and help with cravings. In my research I have heard a lot about slimming teas and in particular about Oolong tea so I decided to give it a try.

Below is a video review of my first taste of Oolong tea and in a few weeks I'll make another video with an update on my progress. I've been exercising 5-6 days a week and eating moderately although I must admit that in the past 2 weeks I've been indulging more than usual. I need to get my cravings under control.

Anywhoo :) Check out the video, subscribe to my channel and let me know if you've had any experience with Oolong tea and/or any other slimming teas.

Tata for now beautiful people

New beautiful year

Hey everyone,

This is just a quick post holiday post lol (see what I did there?) to wish everyone a beautiful new year. The winter months can seem dark and dank but just remember this is the time to prepare for the summer and to spend time at home with loved ones. I know personally I aim to have a wonderful 2015 and I hope you do too. Unfortunately, this is also around the time I get sick a lot. If this sounds like you, give these simple remedies a try:

1. Echinacea: this supplement helps to strengthen our immune system to help it fight off any pesky colds and infections.

2. Lemon and honey: this combo not only tastes great but helps kill bacteria and soothe congestion.

3. Chamomile tea: my mom taught me to add lemon and honey to any herbal tea but I find chamomile to be the most soothing and helpful in getting rest.

4. Epsom salt bath: if you have achy muscles a nice relaxing bath with about a cup of Epsom salts should help ease those muscles.

Finally don't forget to keep warm and get plenty of rest. I hope you guys find this helpful.

Lots of love

Stay beautiful

Maureen

Five problems people with curly hair know all too well

I have had curly hair all my life, and it has never been an easy thing to deal with. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining because my curls and I have a love/hate relationship. I love having full and wild curls but I hate when they get matted or flatten out or just act confused as I like to say. Here are 5 problems people with curly hair know all too well:

1. Curly hair is dry! Unlike our straight haired brothers and sisters who have the issue of their hair becoming greasy if they don't wash it every day; curly hair is naturally dryer and so I only wash my hair 1-2 times a week and absolutely no more than that. I must use conditioner every other day on my hair otherwise it feels like straw. I've learned that to combat the dryness use sulphate free shampoos and alcohol free hair products. Also, if you can stand it, rinse your hair using cold water, as hot water weakens your hair, making it dryer and easier to break.



2. The curls don't spiral. Curls come in 2 basic shapes, the spiral or the S shape and both can be beautiful but let's face it, most curly haired people like to make their curls spiral so it looks a little neater. Whether your curls are tight or loose it's always a bad idea to brush you hair, especially when it's dry. Instead, try using a wide tooth comb to detangle in the shower with conditioner in your hair. Then if you are really patient you can manually wrap various strands of hair around your finger to encourage it to spiral.

3. Curls get matted. Because I don't brush out my curls everyday, they tend to get very matted, especially at the bottom of the back of my head. Now, I think dread locks are absolutely beautiful but I also like my curly hair and I'd like to keep it nice and in shape as much as I can. I don't really have a solution to this problem so if anyone out there does, please share. I usually just brush through the mats with my hand but that causes a lot of breakage.

4. The curls frizz. For all your ladies and gentlemen who live in humid climates, my heart goes out to you. Keeping a nice curl in humidity is a difficult feat. However, with the finger spiral method and good all natural products I think it's somewhat doable. Coconut oil is great for curls but make sure you put a little in your hair when it's still dripping wet. I have added coconut oil to my dry frizzy hair and I felt that it only made matters worse. I also occasionally use hair mousse which is wonderful, just make sure you get one that has no alcohol in it so it doesn't dry out your hair. Also, a good quality Argan oil will usually help as well.


5. The curls get flat. I absolutely hate when my curls look flat and lifeless. I used to like the tame look when I was still a kid but I didn't have an appreciation for my curls at that time. It's a tricky thing to get voluminous curls. The only way I've found to separate the curls is by doing a scratching motion at the scalp when your hair is completely dry and that should fluff up the root somewhat. Anyone out there have tips for this problem please share that info as well.

If I had it my way I'd wake up to curls that look like the images below:

Despite it's shortcoming I embrace my curly hair and feel lucky to have hair that's almost as confused as me. :)

Tata for now my natural beauties

Maureen

Surprising benefits of some of your favorite holiday ingredients

When we think of the holidays, an image of a great holiday feast can't help but make its way into our minds. But did you know there are other surprisingly great advantages to some of our favorite holiday ingredients. Here are 5 surprising benefits to some yummy holiday ingredients:

1. Cranberries
Many of you may already be aware that cranberries are healthy to consume due to their antioxidant properties but did you know that cranberries are as great for the outside of your body as they are for the inside? Cranberries help with tooth decay and bad breath as they prevent bacteria from forming. Also, cranberries have vitamin C, and even salicylic acid that is great for skin. A great little tip is to use some unsweetened cranberry juice mixed with some honey, rub it onto your face, leave it for approximately 10-20 minutes then rinse. It makes a great toner and it smells delicious.

2. Peppermint
Peppermint has menthol and cooling properties that are great for treating greasy or oily skin and acne. I know this to be true because whenever I get a zit I put a little toothpaste and the redness and swelling goes down. Furthermore, you can use peppermint to soothe the blood vessels on your head and stimulate hair growth at your scalp. It also makes your head nice and minty ;)

3. Cinnamon
Some surprising uses for this spicy/sweet holiday spice include hair growth, breath freshening and lip plumping. To stimulate hair growth you can mix some cinnamon with olive or coconut oil and massage into your scalp, leave on for about 10-15 minutes then rinse. To freshen your breath just chew on a cinnamon stick. Finally to use it as a lip plumper just mix a little powdered cinnamon with olive oil, rub the salve all over your lips then rinse... It exfoliates and swells the lips, leaving them slightly plumper and softer. 

4.Ginger
Most people are aware of the plethora of benefits that ginger offers especially in regards to how it aids with digestion. What most people don't know is that ginger is great for reducing the appearance on whiter  scars. Just apply a fresh slice of ginger onto the scar and hold it there for about 10 minutes. After a week of doing this you should see the scar appear more faded. Furthermore, ginger is also great for dandruff. Mix some ginger paste with a little olive oil and apply to scalp. Leave it on for about 15-30 mins then rinse. If you practice this routine a few times a week then your dandruff problems should disappear.

5. Apple cider vinegar
I'm not entirely sure if people use this ingredient as much as I imagine they do around the holidays but I know in our home it was always the star in a fresh salad. Apple cider vinegar (ACD) has many useful beauty uses that include deodorant, hair conditioner, skin soother and even home usage as a cleaner. It has anti bacterial and anti fungal properties that make it super multifunctional.

So for this holiday season, you can not only put these awesome ingredients in your face but also, on your face for added benefit.

Have a great weekend all!

Maureen

Five natural ingredients to survive the winter.

When winter hits, it can strike with a pretty hard blow to your skin and hair. The wind, snow and rain all respectively affect our moods and our bodies. Here are my top 5 recommendations for all natural substances that you can use to combat the harsh winter weather.

1. Shea butter
Shea butter is well known for it's moisturizing properties, it also contains vitamins A & E and fatty acids that are great for the skin. The reason I chose Shea over Cocoa is because it does not clog your pores and it has anti-inflammatory properties so it's safer to use if you have issues with acne.

2. Olive oil
Olive oil is amazing for skin and hair. It is intensely moisturizing so beware, this is mostly for people who suffer from very dry skin. I find olive oil particularly useful as a hair treatment. It nourishes and strengthens your hair when you use it which is great for me as my hair is naturally dry and so gets parched during winter months.

3. Lavender essential oil

This particular recommendation comes from the need to unwind and relax after a hectic (yet jolly) holiday season. I use it along with some chamomile tea to unwind at the end of the day and I drop a couple drops in my baby's bed time bath to subdue him.

4. Garlic

This one was a bit of a shocker to me as I was doing my research. Garlic can help stimulate hair growth, fight acne, fight colds and control weight. In addition it has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties...Is there anything garlic can't do? 

5.Epsom salt

Here's another natural ingredient that is great for relaxation. Pour some Epsom salts in a warm bath to sooth achy muscles and help circulation. Epsom salt also works great as an exfoliant and has anti-inflammatory properties. 

Well ladies and gentlemen, those are my top 5 recommended ingredients to help you through the winter. Now I think I'll go make an olive oil and garlic hair mask that I'll wear while taking a nice warm bath of Epsom salts and lavender oil then moisturize post bath with some Shea butter ;)

Toodaloo (I have no clue how to spell that) beautiful people

Maureen

Welcome!

Welcome everyone to the Naturally Gorgeous blog space where we will be posting about all things related to natural beauty from what beauty essentially is, to what natural products work best, to tips and tricks related to skin and hair care.

I hope you enjoy your time here and please visit often.

Thank you and I look forward to liaising with you again soon.

Maureen