The Power of Shea Butter

Ever heard of Shea Butter? Probably not. Or you probably have. Well Shea Butter is a thick white substance that is extracted from the nuts of a Shea-Karite Tree located in the tropics of Africa. But there is more....

Shea butter has powerful healing properties, caused by the high content of fatty acids.

The benefits of Shea Butter are amazing. It reaches out benefiting the skin, body, and Hair.

• It's a perfect moisturizer
• It protects from the sun (protects the skin from UV Rays)
• evens out the skin tone
• It helps diminish & or reduce acne
• It softens the rough skin (such as feet, elbow, knee)
• It works on Blemishes and Wrinkles
• It soothes sunburns, wounds, or skin rash
• It also works on Eczema
• It's a dry skin & dry scalp relief
• helps penetrate the skin WITHOUT clogging pores

And Due to the high content of fatty acid (as mentioned above) Shea butter is included in tons of cosmetic, bath & body, skin care, lotions, shampoo's, conditioner, and hair products. Shea Butter also retains all it's natural vitamins such as Vitamin A, E & F, which work all together to protect the skin, soothing any rash, or dry skin, damaged dry hair (can help repair split ends!) it also balances the skin's moisture, keeps it hydrated, and helps diminish & or reduce scars, premature wrinkles, & facial lines.

Plus, Shea butter will absorb into your skin, leaving no greasy or oily trace behind. Not to mention that it helps restore skin elasticity. Shea butter is a MAJOR benefit to the Skin, body and hair. It has also been known that people use Shea butter for skin problems (But before use: Please consult dermatologist FIRST.) 

How does Shea Butter benefit my hair?

It benefits by hydrating the scalp, protecting the hair from dryness or weather damage, restores the moisture & luster back to dry and or damaged hair.

NOTE: Make sure you don't get tricked into buying Fake "Pure Shea Butter". Shea butter is a white thick gooey substance. Shea Butter should NEVER be green, hard, mixed with other ingredients or anything. It varies in it's color, such as from golden yellow, gray-yellow, to pure white, mostly a creamy soft color. (But NEVER Green.)

• So Make sure you check the Shea Butter before buying. Usually when the Shea Butter is Purely white, it means it's highly refined, and it may not have all the vitamins and healing properties it used to have. 
• NOTE: Shea Butter is usually found in health food market; stores. Or specific online distributor. 
• Shea Butter & OR Shea Butter products can be found in stores like Walgreens, Target, Bath & Body, & Vitamin Shoppe.

Wow, who knew Shea Butter can be such a big benefit to skin and hair? ...Now you know. :)

XOXO

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What to eat for breakfast? / Healthy Food Swaps

Wondering which are the foods you eat that are a no-no to your diet? do you feel they are just so delicious (yet terrifying) you cannot give them up? Well I whipped up some easy food swaps here, and also a quick Healthy Breakfast list idea. Remember, there are healthy foods out there that suit your taste buds, and you WILL find them!

 

Quick Healthy Breakfast Ideas: (this is usually the hardest part for the majority, what should we eat for breakfast? a question that comes up thousands of times every morning all over the world. )

 

• Oatmeal- (….with some sugar!) See Oatmeal has tons of health benefits, plus, it’s the right way to start off your day. Oatmeal carries the right source of fiber you need. Not to mention that eating Oatmeal will slow down the digestion of starch. Apparently, multiple studies show that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop a bad heart disease. And of course, Oatmeal (or oats, to put it that way) contain a really good source of Vitamins and nutrients. (like zinc, vitamin E, copper, iron, selenium, and it’s a good source of protein)

• Cereal- nothing better than an old classic bowl of cereal. Some recommended brands of healthy yet yummy cereals are Kellogs, Honey nut cheerios (which helps lower cholesterol), Healthy Valley, Whole Grain cheerios, and even General Mill’s too. What do you have to say now? I just listed 5-6 delicious healthy cereal brands. If you want to spice things up, add some fresh cut fruit to your bowl of cereal. Another twist? Skip the milk, combine yogurt, cereal, and some fresh fruit- you got yourself a scrumptious parfait.

• Fresh Fruit- Yummm!! you know why I love fruit? because it adds color to your plate. If your plate does NOT have color, you are not combining (or eating) correctly. Your plate should always have color. Anyway, what fruits can we go with for the morning? hmm…let’s see: Oranges, Bananas, Pine apple (I love pine apple, great source for fast metabolism) raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, pears, pomegranate, infinite fresh fruits! Oh and here’s a good tip for the morning: You can always make a good natural homemade fruit smoothie.I promise it should not take more than 10 minutes, and it’ll whip up a filling delicious amount. You can use ordinary fruits like strawberries and bananas, add some milk, some sugar, blend and voila! Obviously you could vary the amount of each ingredient, and add as many fruits as you’d like, until you find the right combination that suits you

• Yogurt- Don’t forget the deliciousness that is yogurt! Extremely fresh, comes in all sorts of fruity and tasty varieties. And if you are lactose intolerant or sensitive like me, you should try some Soy yogurt- now wait a minute! Don’t cringe like that! While there may be some horrid brands that taste like cardboard, I guarantee there are soy yogurts out there that are worth it. My favorite brand is O’Soy, I always choose the strawberry flavor, and I love it! :) So don’t be scared, buy one or two and try it out.

• Scrambled Eggs: Prefer something salty for breakfast? Try some scrambled eggs (you could choose to use egg whites instead of yolk if you’re on a serious diet) and mix it up with some fun ingredients, like spinach, tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms, salmon, or chicken- you want to add some flavor to it to wake you up and prepare your body and energy for the day

• Sandwich: You can go crazy with sandwiches. I like mine simple in the morning; cheese, ham, and mayo- and it doesn’t get boring- because it’s all about finding the right brand of ham, brand of mayo, brand of bread, and even cheese, it turns out exquisite. Try substituting white bread for wheat, or rye bread (definitely recommend rye bread). Experiment between butter and mayonnaise, or perhaps sour cream or cottage cheese. Throw in some lettuce, even scrambled eggs if you’ve got the time, chop some tomato slices and you’re in for a bite of flavor.

 

And there you have it, I’ve listed some very good examples of healthy nutritious breakfast foods. Most of the time we forget of the simple, yet when done right, amazing, foods that are easy to make in the morning. And because with most of these suggestions, you can always combine and mix different ingredients, you shouldn’t be getting bored anytime soon!

 

And like I said here are some great food swaps:

• Croutons —> Nuts: You can swap Croutons in your salad for nuts, or even grilled or baked chicken. Do you know how much calories and carbs 1 single Crouton contains? you’ll blow up if you eat more than 10 croutons
• Soda —> Water & Tea: Soda can be delicious, but also a bad health factor, not to mention junkie. I gave up on soda 6 years ago!!! and I’m still living, haha. I swapped Soda for some good Tea and Water, and if you try the “soda ban” and swap it for Tea & water you’ll soon see why it was a great choice. Always remember that caffeine keeps you coming back for more and more, and people later on develop a caffeine habit, be sure to moderate. As for tea, there are literally hundreds, if not dozens, of flavors and different herbal kinds that you could find and try out, if you would like some taste or flavor in your drink.
• Canned Soups —> veggi soup: Canned soups contain high sodium, and what happens when you consume too much sodium? your body will retain water, bloat, and increase high blood pressure. You can swap Canned soups for Homemade vegi soups, it’s got all the nutrients and vitamins you need. And as for flavor? you needn’t worry about that, homemade vegetable soups are just as good as any other.
• White Flour Pasta —> Whole wheat pasta: No big difference in taste, but a big difference in the nutritional aspect, and it’s a healthier choice. Whole Wheat pasta contains the fiber you need for your body. 
• Candy & sweets —> Chocolate covered Bananas or Strawberries: Yummy! For the times you get a little craving for sweets, try out some chocolate covered Bananas or Strawberries (it is DELISH!) I really love it, swapping candy & sweets for fruits/ chocolate covered fruits is a great choice. Your health or diet gets a win and so does your craving.
• Fried Fish /sticks —> Shrimp! : Frozen shrimp has really good protein, comparing it with the Fried Fish or even fried fish sticks, Frozen Shrimp for the win!
• White bread —> Wheat Bread/ or RYE: Yes I know what you must be thinking “Ugh, this again? I’ve heard this a billion times” well yeah you heard it a billion times, but have you tried it once? Do you really want to wait until the billion and one comes along? If your answer is a No, then it’s time to swap White bread for Wheat bread, or Rye bread- Rye bread is such a great choice if you don’t like the taste of wheat (Remember you can always toast the bread)

Hope these ideas and suggestions help you out! :) Let me know

 

 

 

- Bria

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Color my nails update!

Hi everyone,

Wondering what nail colors are in? Keep reading, plus learn some helpful tips along the way ;)

Ok so not long ago, I made a post talking about different subjects in beauty, like updates in makeup, and I also mentioned the summer colors 2010. Here is a new update:

So we are in the mid-summer and soon (SOON, not tomorrow.) going into Fall (Around Mid-September).

And we've got some amazing colors for Summer-Fall 2010! Talk about neutral, quiet baby blues, some coral colors, smooth pink, specific metallic colors, and a whole mess of colors!

For Summer colors there are Teals, turquoise, your pinks, corals, then you've got your neutral nail colors. Here are some featured nail polishes that are great for summer:

There we've got four colors that represent each summer nail color category, like I listed above. (China Glaze for audrey (Teal color), China Glaze Shocking Pink, NARS Midnight Express, Essie Tart Deco Nail Polish)

Upcoming Fall 2010 colors will be posted here on Fashion Girlz. Just to give you an idea, calm smooth colors: neutrals, black, reds, baby blue teals (which look GREAT on any skin tone)

•  Do you have brittle nails? the cause is probably from detergents & water (when you wash the dishes). Using gloves will protect the nails from getting more brittle and weak. Same goes for when your using cleaning supplies (especially bleach)
• Too much filing your nails can also be a bad thing. 

 Check for tomorrow's post on "What's your lip color?" 

XOXO

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Helpful Beauty 101! #1

Hey everyone!

Today I come with an amazing post that will definitely be super helpful to all of you who take care of yourself, or are beauty lovers, or if you are just into beauty.  I am just so excited I don't have any idea what to say for the introduction, so instead, let's make it short, and move onto the post! #1 ;)

SKIN: 

Important Daily Care for you type of Skin-

For OILY SKIN- For Cleansing: This type of skin needs a strong cleanser that contains either alpha-hydroxy acid OR that contains salicylic to get rid of all the dead skin, and it will help cleanse and clear your pores, and dissolve some excess that is clogging up your pores. When using moisturizer, make sure you use a non-cosmedogenic type of moisturizer.

For NORMAL SKIN- Cleansing would be easy as 1-2-3. Just gently wash 1-2 times a day with a soap-free formula to cleanse the skin. For moisturizing, any type of light weight moisturizer (it can be non comedogenic) that you feel comfortable using.

For DRY SKIN- To cleanse, you can use any mild soap free formula at night (before going to bed) and then rinse with WARM WATER in the morning. 

Exfoliation for Oily & Dry Skin!

Exfoliating for OILY SKIN- For Oily skin, it is recommended to use an exfoliating face wash on the acne-prone skin type everyday. For a more intense method of exfoliating a at-home microdermabrasion kit that contains or uses salt crystals (recommended: use once a week - max.) and this helps lessen and decrease the appearance of large pores or acne scares.

Exfoliating for DRY SKIN- for Dry skin, it is recommended to be buffed (2-3 times a week) using a milkd microbread scrub. (be sure to AVOID using microdermabrasion, since it can be really harsh on the Dry or Normal type skin.)

What Blush Color are you?

Not many Cosmetic Colors can really bring out your true beauty. It depends the color you use on your skin. For example:

If you have FAIR Skin: It is highly recommended that you use Soft pink colors, or if you tend to use blush a lot, a Peachy Blush is the perfect color for this type of Skin Tone.

If you have MEDIUM Skin: it is recommended that you use a type of vibrant Pinks, Apricots, Gold-Pinks to really bring out that glow in your skin.

If you have DARK Skin: it is recommended that you use colors that really "pop" such as vibrant bright Fuchsia, a Rich plum color, a Medium bight pink rose color is perfect for this type of Skin Tone.

Applying Blush the RIGHT Way? It can sometimes depend on your face shape. Two ways to apply is by applying it on the apples of your cheeks (say cheese and apply). And a new way is by applying it JUST a bit lower from the apples of your cheeks. (Kabuki's are great blush brushes to use.)

What's my type of Bronzer?

Fair Light Skin- bronze, apricots, and peach shades will do the trick.

Light/Medium- Medium Bronze applied on the T section of the face + cheeks. Then apply a Bright pink blush on the apples of your cheeks.

Olive to Dark- Copper, Shimmery Bronze, and deeper hues are perfect for these type of skin tones.

What Colors will make my eyes Stand out?

What if your Blue eyes: using opposite colors will do the trick. Such as earth-type of colors, like a copper, bronze, chocolate, gold, neutral will really bring out those blue eyes.

What if your Brown Eyes: Blue, Navy, Vibrant Violet is the answer! These type of opposite colors will really show out your eyes, and mainly turn the focus on the eyes.

What if your green eyes: Lavender, Violet, Plum, dark red such as burgundy will do the trick

Tip: To bring out your eye color, always remember to use opposite colors, instead of using blend colors that will just make your eyes blend in with the rest.

Keep Visiting The Fashion Girlz Blog for the #2 of the Helpful Beauty 101 Galore! Learn more about Caring for your lips, hard-to-find tricks on making your lips fuller, the perfect nude lips? 

Also more on ACTUALLY curling your lashes, and hard-to-find tricks on making those lashes perk up with volume! All of this in the next edition of Helpful Beauty 101 Galore (#2)

Stay updated and keep checking for the "Helpful Beauty 101" #2!!!

Remember! We've got some great giveaways going on in the fashion girlz blog, so be sure to check em' out! ;)

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You All Rock!

XOXO

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Tips for the perfect Summer Tan!

Hey Everyonnee!

Well since we are in summer, what do we all think when the word "Summer" is brought up? Beaches, and in beaches what do we do? Go to the sea, relax, spend time with family, Getting a Tan.....

Now sometimes we may go get a tan, but sometimes we end up looking cherry red, so I've come up with some helpful tanning tips to keep your skin perfectly glowing and Tan for summer!

• First of all we ALWAYS have to remember to wear sunscreen, those who don't, aren't caring for their skin. By wearing sunscreen you protect your skin from many problems. And you also keep your skin from peeling, so many sure to get a good Sunscreen (at least SPF25 or SPF15 is good)
• If you want a perfect tan, You will have to exfoliate to keep your skin glowing, clean, and new. There are Sugar Scrubs (Such as the new Touch'd Sugar Scrub| 25% promo code: MBFashion | valid through June 7th-18th) Or any good exfoliator that you can find in your nearest drugstore that you feel comfortable using
• Always keep a healthy body moisturizer around, apply some 1-2 times a day (maybe in the afternoon & before you go to bed) There are TONS of great moisturizers out there! But make sure you find those that keep your skin hydrated, that is what you'll need for summer, Try out Skin MD natural, which I do have a bottle and I even bought the sunscreen and it's my favorite moisturizer, the only one I use. But If you know about any moisturizer that hydrates your skin and keeps it in good health, suggest it by commenting below :)But using a good and proper moisturizer can help prevent those "Summer Tan" peelings and off-skin-tone blemishes.
• Yeah I bet you know what I'm going to say...Always drink lots of water ;)
• Selecting your Tanning Lotion: Every person has their own likes and differences when choosing tanning lotions, I mean maybe someone is looking for a different type that you are (that's for sure), but there are also suggestions that you can try out. Such as the Fiji Blend's 2009 Lavish Tanning Lotion, or the True Blue Spa- Strike Gold Self Tanning Lotion with Bronzer, or the L'Oreal Body Expertise Sublime Bronze Luminous Self-Tanning Lotion Instant Action, Also the 2009 California Tanning Lotion Collection, which comes with different "shades" or different "Types" to choose from. But remember, these are the "Top Tanning Lotion Suggestions" It all depends on you, just remember to read the ingredients, make sure it has some Natural Ingredients in there ;)
• Showering with cool/a-bit cold water helps A LOT! It closes the pores, and gives a really healthy glow skin results.
• Remember not to stay under the sun too much, or tan yourself aggressively, as this will cause some serious cherry red skin with the side of blemishes and peelings, ohh...don't forget those really bad sunburns! So remember :) try using this technique: First go 10 minutes facing up, then once those 10 minutes are over, flip to the other side so it will also tan your back.
• A Good walk on the beach (back and forth) helps exercise your legs and abdomens, so it will look more toned and give that nice last touch
• Always have a bottle of Aloe around! This helps soothe the skin!

So by following these basics tips, you are going to have one perfect Glowing Tan! And you remember the basics right?

*Moisturizer

*Sunscreen

*The Right Tanning Lotions

*Keep an aloe bottle around

*Exfoliate and Cleanse

*Cool Water to close pores and Give a glowing healthy skin

*Drink Water

And Take good care of your skin!

There is also....the tanning bed sessions. But that is only if these tips don't work out for you, the 2nd option would be the Tanning Beds, but start out 10-15 minutes, don't go max yet! (6 sessions would do good)

I Hope this Great "Tips for Perfect Tan" Post Helps out! ;) 

Always on the search for the best!

REMEMBER! We have a great Giveaway Going On "Fashionable Yet Funny Crazy Dog Shirts Giveaway" so be sure to check it out! ;) It might interest you!

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You All Rock!

XOXO

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Skin Care Tips for Oily Skin!

Hey everyone!

Well since the last post was about "Dry Skin Care Tips" Today we have "Oily Skin Care Tips" which from my research, a lot of women and teenagers these days have Oily skin Problems....

No worries :) Here are the best tips for Oily Skin!! 

•  If you are a makeup lover, yet you have oily skin, try switching to Mineral Makeup, try finding cosmetics or makeup products that HAVE the ingredient "Silica" and AVOID those cosmetics that have the ingredient "Sericite" (Yes for Silica, No for Sericite)
• Also, try to avoid wearing any kind of moisturizer when wearing Mineral Makeup, because that will just get your skin oilier and oilier 
• Washing your face 2-3 times a day will help also, just make sure you don't over do it (maximum would be 3)
• If you use a Cleanser that over-dries your skin, that is also a problem, time to say goodbye to those types of Cleansers
• Showering in Hot water can remove and take away your Skin's moisture, Cold water is bad too. Try showering in Tepid water. (Not to hot, and not to cold, just right.)
• There is a Home Remedy (In-Home Treatment) For oily skin, which you can find an article, just click here (It has instructions and steps for the In-Home Treatment for Oily Skin)
• Guess what I found out? Another great way to help out your oily skin problems, is by using Clay and mud. There are some Product (for Oily Skin) that may contain Mud or sometimes Clay. But what Mud and (or) Clay can do is that it helps out by cleaning and removing oil from the surface of the skin! W-ow!
• Also make sure you keep a well balanced diet on Fruit (No...I don't mean you only have to eat fruit, I am just saying that eating fruits along with your diet can benefit and become another effective solution to Oily Skin) 
• "What are the Consequences if I Don't care for my Oily Skin?" well there are A LOT of bad consequences that can happen to your Oily Skin, for instance if you use too much makeup product, too much beauty product or combine too much Foundation, with Moisturizer, Mineral Makeup, it make more and more Oil on your skin, causing all the Oil to clog your pores, and cause Blackheads, Whiteheads, and even reaaall bad Pimples and Zits
• "Then how do I know what products to use to help out my Oily Skin??" well there are many different options, you can talk to your Dermatologist (Which is many of the Oily Skin People's Choices) Or/And...you can follow these steps, and care for your skin carefully, A lot of In-Home treatments and remedies for Oily Skin have all worked out so far, or have shown some sign of it working slowly
• Another way to deal with Oily Skin is by trying to avoid Fried, or High-seasoned foods
• Drinking lots of water is the most important tip that EVVERRYONNEE must keep in their minds :) and do too. Drink lots of water, as this helps out your skin become clean and clear, it also hydrates your skin
• You can also try rubbing Apple Cider Vinegar in the Oily Skin Areas, as this can help Neutralize

 That was our "Tips for Oily Skin" Post! Keep Checking on the blog for more exciting and interesting posts! There will be lots of great posts throughout this week! Stay tuned!!

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You All Rock!

XOXO

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