DIY Face Pack- Removing blemishes

Image Source: Wikihow

Oranges are rich in Vitamin-C, which helps in restoring collagen to your skin.They also have vitamin A which will remove blemishes from the skin by restoring hydration to the skin. Clean the orange well and extract the juice from the orange and mix it with honey.You can store the mixture in the refrigerator for about 5 days.Apply the mixture on you face and let it stay for  15 minutes or so. Then wash your face and apply shea butter on your face. It is very easy to prepare and you can make a part of your daily routine. 

Avocado and Tomato Salad

I tried this salad at home and would like to share the recipe with you all.

Traditional Ingredients to make this ultra delicious salad: (this serves 3)

2 vine ripe tomatoes (de-seed)
3 large perfectly ripe Haas avocados, cut in half and peel carefully with a sharp knife and cut into larger slices
1 green onion (thinly sliced)
1.5 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt to taste
juice of 1 large lime
1 tbsp cilantro, very finely chopped

Mix carefully and chill for 30 minutes prior to serving. Enjoy with your favorite protein!

Source: Nuttykitchen

Shea For Your Hands

Image Source:Smerete.com

"Hands not only are susceptible to the first signs of aging, but very often age even faster than the face," says Ellen Marmur, MD, chief of dermatological and cosmetic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. That's because the skin on the back of the hand is much thinner than that on your face.

"There is very little fat on the backs of the hands, so when even a small amount of collagen or elastin fibers begins to break down -- which is part of the normal aging process and partly from sun exposure -- it's going to have a noticeable impact on your hands," says Gregory Buford, MD, a Denver plastic surgeon.

The end result, say experts, is wrinkly, crinkly crepe-like skin texture and the noticeable appearance of bulging veins, which also grow larger over time.

Did You Know?

The moisturizing effect of shea butter peaks within one hour of application and lasts about eight hours.(Source: Pobeda and Sousselier)

Understanding Acne- Infographic

I came across this interesting infographic about understanding acne, its causes,myths and when to see dermatologists.

Unrefined Shea Butter Conditioner for Hair ( Buzzle.com)

I came across this hair conditioner which is full of healthy oils with our favorite miracle product unrefined organic shea butter.I thought I would share it with you guys.

Ingredients:
2 ounces unrefined shea butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoons olive oil
½ tablespoon amla oil
½ tablespoon almond oil
½ tablespoon castor oil
1 tablespoon of aloe vera oil
5 drops of rosemary oil

Preparation
In this recipe, the goodness of shea butter is blended perfectly with essential oils for hair growth. First of all, melt shea butter in a microwave safe bowl in the oven. To this, add the remaining ingredients - coconut oil, olive oil, amla oil, almond oil, castor oil, aloe vera oil and rosemary oil. Using a wooden spatula, stir well the mixture, and make a cream like concoction. The final result will be a thick conditioner for natural hair care. You can try this shea butter recipe for natural hair and use it right after shampooing, for softening hair.

Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/homemade-shea-butter-recipes-for-hair.html

Harmful Ingredients in Contaminated Shea butter

Never buy shea butter from a source that does not have a proper certification or unsure of the process of shea butter. Have you heard about moldy shea butter?It comes from not properly cleaned shea nut.It presents in black layer on the top of shea butter.This moldy shea butter worsens the problem when it penetrates into the open wounds/scars.

There is a list of harmful ingredients that you should be aware of if shea butter is not properly tested:

• Lead
• Mercury
• Yeast
• Coliform Bacteria( E.coli)
• Hexane 

It is always best to buy Premium Grade A shea butter from a reputed source.Shea Butter that are grade F is reserved for Shea Butter not fit for human use. Grade F Shea is contaminated by micro organisms (such as mould, yeast or coli form bacteria) or contaminated with heavy metals (such as lead or mercury).