10 Beauty Tricks Using Baking Soda ♡

DIET REVIEW - CLEAN 9 - DAY 2!!!!!!! GET IN HERE IF YOU'RE TRYING TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT

Hiya Everyone! Sorry i took a break from blogging!

Things have been crazy for me in the past few months! Let me explain!.......

For the past 3 years i had fibroids that have disturbed me! I had fibroids earlier in my life ( about 8 years ago) and i had surgery then to remove it. The thing about fibroids is that they tend to reoccur and are prevalent in black women.

I had sworn off surgery as i do not react well to anaesthethia in any form but when my period went on for 3 whole weeks, i really did not find it amusing and so i decided to explore taking it out! I spoke with an amazing doctor...Dr Diya of Ave Maria Hospital, Oniru, Lagos, Nigeria and he was so great at convincing me that i had my fibroids removed. (I will do a post on this later as it is an important topic for the ladies).

It's been 6 weeks after my surgery and i feel great aside from the feelings of lethargy and bloating caused from the surgery(i checked online and this tends to happen to a lot of ladies as surgery slows down your intestines and the painkillers and antibiotics may take a toll on your pooping system)

So i decided to do Clean 9, which is made by Forever Living.  Here's what it looks like....it contains the following:

 1 measuring tape

                                                                                       Booklet on the Program

2 bottles of 1 litre Aloe vera gel

9 Fiber Sticks (referred to as snacks)

1 Pouch of Vanilla shake

54 Forever Garcinia softgels which help reduce appetite

18 Tablets forever Therm

I have actually tried this diet before but cheated right from Day 1. This time however i decided that i was going to follow it to the letter as i do know it can be an effective means for weight loss especially if you're trying to get rid of 3-9kg....

My day 1 wasn't eventful as i stuck to following the program for the day and drinking gallons of water( i have resorted to a technique for guzzling water- I just throw it down my throat instead of sipping it as i find i drink more water this way! I know! I'm mad!!!!) I haven't felt hungry at all and i have loads of energy. I think it's all about staying focused.

I started at a weight of 62.7kg which for a 5 foot 3 lady like me makes me feel overwhelmingly fat as all my size 8 clothes are super tight and i cannot even try squeezing myself into size 10 clothes as i would look like a sausage in my opinion.

My aim is to lose at least 5kg taking me to my best weight- 58kg. I really hope i can get to this as i would be super happy!
I am also following the advise of doing moderate exercise for at least each day. I had started exercising in the form of walking for the past 2 weeks as i needed to build up my stamina. I hate walking and would rather run but unfortunately, this is the only exercise i am allowed to do since i had my surgery. I am not even allowed to do abdominal exercises - which is a relief as i find them super duper boring!

BTW please don't judge me! I am diet obsessed!

I will be back tomorrow to give a status report on my Day 3

If you would like to purchase Clean 9, hola @me on 08165702717

INTRODUCING....ETHICALLY MADE BY NATUURLIKE!!!!

A Work in Progress…….Ethically Made by Natuurlike – Hand made Skin and Hair Products made Ethically and with Good conscience!

I just made this delicious smelling Face and Neck scrub! It contains Natural ingredients  Rice flour, Goat milk , hibiscus, Lavender, tea tree  Oil, Vitamin E oil……all working in synergy to give you a natural clear, glowy dew complexion

RICE FLOUR – Aside from being anti aging, rice flour brightens the skin and  contains ferulic acid and Allantoin which helps reduce skin irritation

GOAT MILK -  Is a natural cleanser and one of the best moisturisers containing  vitamin A and several B vitamins including Niacin, B6, B12….Goat milk also contains Lactic acid which is an Alpha hydroxyl acid, assisting with sloughing off dead skin cells, helping to hydrate and brighten the skin

HIBISCUS  -  Hibiscus is referred to as the “Natural Botox Plant”. Hibiscus has a magical reputation for increasing skin elasticity to give a stunning natural youthful boost. Hibiscus actively combats the ageing process by firming and lifting skin. It is also a great antioxidant

LAVENDAR OIL – Inhibits bacteria, reduces redness and calms inflammation and is therefore helpful for acne prone skin…it helps stimulate new cell growth and regenerates the skin

TEA TREE OIL – Another Miracle skin ingredient, tea tree oil  has so many anti-viral and anti-fungal benefits that The ‘Australian army “ puts it in Soldiers’ first aid kit! It is excellent for acne prone skin

VITAMIN E OIL – My all time favorite antioxidant! Vitamin E ! It Protects the skin from environmental pollution, is an excellent moisturizer and  has excellent wound healing properties

FEBRUARY CONSULTATIONS

Hey guys!!!!

Currently running!!!

DRINKING CUMIN SEEDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Did you know that drinking Cumin seeds first thing in the morning as a tea or sipping cumin tea all day can assist you with suppressing your appetite and helping you burn fat easily? This is no hype at all.......read on?

I was bored the other day and doing my favourite thing which is watching youtube videos of hair Vloggers and I bumped into a video of an indian hair vlogger who was talking about Cumin seeds for weightloss. I remembered that I have seen Cumin seeds at the supermarket so I clicked on it to see what it was all about.

You can watch the video here

WHAT IS CUMIN SEED?
Cumin seed or Jeera is a nutty, slightly peppery seed predominantly used in Indian and Middle Eastern Cuisine. In India, it is regarded as a spice and used for cooking meats, spice foods and make curries..

In a recent study of 78 men and women testing showed Cumin as effective as prescription drug Orlistat (Xenical) for weight loss, without the nasty side effects. Over the 8 week trial, those receiving Cumin lost an average of 2-3 lbs – better than those taking Orlistat.


Another recent research study a Shahid University (more below) tested women on a controlled diet who were given cumin powder vs placebo and found the women given cumin powder lost 3 more pounds, and decreased their body fat % almost 15% vs less than 5% for the control group.
The dosage tested was 3 grams – or about 1 teaspoon of cumin powder daily, mixed with yogurt.
Abdominal Fat Burning
Both of these studies showed that not only is cumin great at overall helping your body not to build and store fat, but it’s specifically good at targeting your abdominal fat.

Conclusion:Cumin is not a magic diet pill but it does appear to be as effective for weight loss as popular prescription diet drugs, and have other health benefits with minimal negative side effects

Lower Cholesterol and Triglycerides 
In the study at Shahid University, those taking cumin lowered their triglycerides 23 points and nearly 10 points off their LDL cholesterol levels.

Improve Mental Health with Cumin
As mentioned, cumin is also beneficial to mental health. It can help you improve your memory and sharpen your concentration skills(4). It’s commonly suggested to use cumin in your daily diet if you suffer from any kind of insomnia, too.

Digestive system
In Indian cuisine it’s commonly combined with a number or other spices, such as ginger, fenugreek, black pepper and turmeric powder. This helps increase the effect that it has on your digestive system and helps your body absorb more nutrients, which in turn helps prevent your body from storing fat(6)
Cumin is an amazing source of iron, which is important for ensuring a healthy digestive system. It helps your body produce energy more effectively, carry a healthy supply of oxygen to the tissues in your body, and improves your immune system.
Arthritis, Asthma, and more
Cumin has also been proven to help those who suffer from arthritis, asthma and kidney disease.
Side Effects
This study of cumin (5) with subjects taking up to 20 grams of cumin daily showed it was “well tolerated with no significant adverse side effects.

Add Cumin to your diet

If you want to try adding Cumin to your diet for weight loss, you’ll need to carry some with you during the day since it works best taking it 3 times a day.
Add to recipes, or foods like YogurtIn one of the studies demonstrating the best weight loss results, the test subjects mixed cumin powder in their yogurt, so that is a good option for many people.

You can also follow the easy method of boiling 1 teaspoon of cumin in water and drinking as tea first thin in the morning

WHERE TO GET CUMIN
You can buy cumin seeds or cumin powder at any indian shop
I get mine from Park n shop Victoria Island OR Emjays supermarket on Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island

2016 GOALS / HOW TO HAVE $10,000 OR MORE CASH MONEY IN THE BANK

I read this article from one of my favourite bloggers, Nadege http://relaxedhairhealth.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/2016-intentions-how-to-have-10000-cash.html and thought to share.....as you get older, you want to at least have a Nest kept aside for the future that you do not touch.

This year, 2016, my aim is to grow my Nest and this article helps set out steps you can use to achieve this! Happy reading!

I like to watch reality competition shows.  Every so often, the contestants will be tasked with an interesting and unique challenge.  The game show announcer declares that the winner will receive $10,000 in cash! 

Screams are heard from the hopeful contestants as they are filled with emotion at the possibility of earning $10,000.  Some jump up and down, others have tears in their eyes as they describe how their lives would change if they were to receive such a blessing.

I watch what unfolds with mixed feelings. 

On one hand, I too would be excited if I received $10,000 for less than an hour of activity.  But, on the other hand, I never want to be in a situation where the only way to receive such an amount of money would be to win on a gameshow.  Yes, $10,000 is a lot of money, but at the same time... it isn't.

Years ago, I set the intension of saving $10,000 cash.  I picked that number because $10,000 was (and still is) a lot of money.  I wanted direct access to $10,000.  I never wanted to be in a situation where I never had five figures in the bank unless I won it on a gameshow.  I needed $10,000 to be normal and accessible.  T Harv Ekar talks about the financial thermostat in his book Secrets of a Millionaire Mind.  This is our self imposed financial comfort level.  The people who started crying at the thought of having $10,000 likely never had that amount of money.  But, on the other end of the financial spectrum are those who've made millions, lost it, and made it back again.  Once you reach a certain financial level, it becomes easy to replicate. 

 My wish for every single person reading this post is that you have the opportunity to have at least $10,000 in your bank account.  Whenever an emergency situation comes up, you'll be ready.  If your family members need help, you can assist.  If you lose your job, you can continue to pay your bills. If an opportunity to invest comes your way, you can take advantage!  And if you were to lose the $10,000, you'd know how to get back to that level again.  Wouldn't you want that?

Good!  Let's talk about how to do it.

1. Create a system
When I first made the decision to become a deca-thousandaire, I went back to the basics.  The book that taught me was Automatic Millionaire.  I don't think I even finished reading the book before I set up automatic wealth deductions from my paycheck to my savings.   Saving automatically changed my life!   Reaching my goal was way easier than if I had to use discipline to get to the same outcome. 

We receive 26 paychecks a year.  If we saved only $200 per paycheck, we'd easily have $10,000 in two years.

 "But Nadege.....two years is a long time."

Really?  If you would have started saving $200 a paycheck when North West was born. You'd have $10,000 by now.  That's how fast time goes by.   Even if you don't have and extra $200 to save each paycheck, start with $100 or $150.  As the years go by, you'll get raises and can increase your automatic deductions.  The point is to do it!   If you do nothing else in 2016.  Set an automatic deduction to a savings account and let it work for you. 
 
2. Measure your results
The day I decided to save five figures, I opened up excel and created a spread sheet.  Each month I'd update my net worth tracker by listing my debts and the amount saved.  My favorite thing to do at the end of the month was to look at my numbers.  Chills went up my spine as I watched my net worth rise.  With every thousand dollars saved, I become even more excited about the day when my bank account would reach the magic number.  It was an obsession.

3. Enjoy saving. Hate Debt!
Let's face it, saving multiple thousands of dollars is easier when you don't have a ton of debt.  First and foremost you need to have a reduction plan in place.  At one point I had a car payment that needed addressing. So once I had a small amount saved, I threw all of my money at the stupid car payment until it was out of my life.  Every spare dime I had I allocated towards reducing the loan and I kept a log of how much interest saved as motivation to keep going.  

Debt causes your money to leak. Perhaps you could have saved those $10,000 multiple times over if you hadn't been paying on so many credit cards.   Debt is the enemy of your wealth and you must treat it as such.  You can't get comfortable with it. You can't have it lingering around.  It must be dealt with using a high level of urgency.   For help on how to attack your debt, I suggest Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.

4. Stop thinking $10,000 is a lot of money. 
 One of the most powerful ways to manifest something in your life is to stop seeing yourself as separate from it.  When you're thinking "$10,000 is a lot of money" you might be falling into  the trap of viewing it as something that's unattainable.  Yes, $10,000 is a decent sum of money, but you've got to start getting comfortable with the idea of having a surplus of $10,000 cash.  It's a new mindset. 

When I first began my financial transformation, the first thing I did was to stop flinching every time I saw a price tag of something that seemed expensive.  That doesn't mean I bought the item, it just meant that I couldn't overreact to the cost. This took a lot of work, because I was the cheapest person you know.  But once I stopped gasping for air every time I saw a $100 price tag, my mind and life began to shift. 

You have to get comfortable with the notion of having that much money. If you don't, you'll do everything in your power, consciously and subconsciously, to keep yourself at your current financial level. 

5.  Get to a milestone then replicate.
To save $10,000 in cash, all you have to do is create a system to save $1,000 in cash. Then replicate.  It's that simple.  If you can save $1,000, you can get to $10,000. It might take a little longer, but it's possible and it's worth it. Sure, thinks will pop up along the way which will cause you to dip into your savings.  But, you'll pay it quickly, then get right back on track towards your $10,000.  One thing I made sure to do was not get upset when a situation came up that required dipping into my savings, instead, I was grateful to have the money available. 

 Having a cushion of $10,000 makes you feel so amazing.  You can walk into a store and get what you want. But chances are, you'll be wiser with your money because you'll want to maintain that $10,000 threshold.  When you've worked hard to build your savings, you won't be so quick to blow it.   I suspect the game show winners often spend their earnings as quickly as it comes in.

Why, because when you get a lump sum of money, the next thought that appears is: "how am I gonna spend it?"  But when you build up $10,000, the next thought is "how can I get this to $20,000....

And that's when the fun begins.

GREETINGS!!!!

Hey All!!!!


Happy new year!!!!

It's so good to be back on my Blog after taking a hiatus......a lot has happened to me, but Thank God, i'm still standing!

I'm going straight to Resolutions as I have a few Resolutions to make this year...they are:

• Blogging more frequently....this needs to become a habit
• Focus on my business, come up with some natural products that are just too awesome (watch out for this shortly!!!!)
• Exercise every day...i wear a fit bit so i am aiming to make at least 10,000 steps a day though, i gotta admit , this is so tough these days as i usually feel tired
• Run at least 3-4 times a week
• Take care of my hair better.....i feel i am at a stage where i understand my hair better now. So, i am aiming to grow at least 6 inches of hair and retain at least 5 inches so no more scissors trigger happy hands
• I am currently transitioning to natural so i will see how that goes. At the moment i am about 13 weeks post relaxer which is just like a normal stretch to me. I intend to wear a lot of Protective styles this year
• Aim to be happy in my skin, after all, how can anyone love you if you don't radiate loving yourself enough?
• Focus on being more healthier and work on my looks as time is taking it's toll on me...(i know this is funny, but i am aiming to age gracefully)

So, how are you all doing???

Any resolutions this year?

Flawless Glowing skin

Nothing beats having beautiful, flawless, glowing skin making you look forever young. Come on!!!! Everyone wants that……. I love going to the spa for body scrub like treatments and even a Hamman bath. But did you know you can actually give yourself a Spa treatment within the comfort of your house/room? How? Read on!!!

  What you’ll need – Kessa/Hamman gloves 

                             _   Moroccan Black Soap/ Your DIY

Black Soap treatment containing Black soap ( liquidified; 3 tbsp. honey: 3 tbsp. lemon juice)

                              _ Sauna Suit.

1. Wear your Sauna Suit around your house for 1 hour. The sauna suit heat up your body and removes toxins in your body and traps the heat softening your skin for a better absorption of your products.

1. Slather your body lavishly with your soap mix same way you’d rub a lotion on your skin but not sparingly.

1. Wear your Kessa glove and gently exfoliate your skin from head to toe in light circular motions to cleanse skin and remove dead skin.

1. Rinse off with water…….. Note all the dirt being washed out.

1. Moisturize your skin. I love jojoba oil as its light but very moisturizing. You can use any cream of your cream.

1. Notice how your skin is glowing.

Try this wonderful tip and thank me later ………

BENEFITS OF USING HONEY ON SKIN

Honey is sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to but you might be surprised to learn that this ingredient has incredible skin benefits as it has antibacterial properties and skin saving antioxidants…………Check out the many benefits of Honey on the skin

Acne - Honey acts as a natural antibacterial so great for treating and preventing acne

Ageing - Because it’s full of antioxidants it slows down ageing

Complexion booster - Is very moisturising and helps create a glow

Clarifier - Opens the pores and makes them easy to unclog

HOW TO USE

1. Moisturizing Honey Mask: honey is a natural humectant meaning it draws moisture from  the air into the skin and ensures it’s retained it in  the layers where it’s needed most for penetrating, long- lasting hydration.    

Apply a thin layer of raw honey to slightly damp skin in a circular motion. Leave on face for at least 30 minutes and rinse off with warm water…Viola! Soft, radiant skin

1. Pore Cleanser: the enzymes in raw honey clarify skin and keep pores clear and clean. Plus, the anti-bacterial properties of honey and jojoba or coconut oil also prevent bacterial build-up that can lead to skin imbalances and breakouts.

Try it: Stir one tablespoon raw honey with two tablespoon jojoba oil or coconut oil and stir very well. Apply to clean, dry skin and massage gently in a circular motion, avoiding your eyes area. Rinse with warm water. 

1. Gentle Exfoliator: honey is loaded with antioxidants, enzymes, and other nutrients that nourish, cleanse and hydrate skin. Baking soda meanwhile is a gentle natural exfoliator that removes dead cells, allowing new cells to emerge for a radiant complexion.

Try it: mix two tablespoons of honey with one tablespoon baking soda. Splash your skin with water then, gentle rub the mixture on your face or body in a circular motion. Rinse well.

1. Sunburn Treatment: honey restores hydration to the deepest layers of sun- exposed skin and both honey and aloe Vera contain powerful anti inflammatories  to calm burned and aid- recovery.  

Try it: mix one part of raw honey with two pure aloe Vera gels. Apply to the affected area.

1. Acne Treatment: honey contains antibacterial and antifungal properties that thwart bacteria that can lend to breakouts. Its anti- inflammatory properties will calm redness and irritation. 

Try it: apply dab of raw honey to affected areas and let sit overnight. You can also add some drops of tea tree oil or lavender oil to the mix for deeper cleansing

MY WIG REGIMEN

I started my wig regimen on the 15^th of June 2015. If you don’t know already, wigging is an excellent method of protective styling and if done properly, can aid with length retention and hair growth. How? Well, depending on how you wear your wig, it can actually provide you with 100% no manipulation for the period or low manipulation.

                               Below is how I am using wigs to grow my hair.

1. Cornrow/ use plaits. The cornrows can be about 4-10 and plaits about 8-20. It just depends on if you like your hair flat or not. I tend to like to do my plaits myself as it gives me control over how tight or lose my hair is, but sometimes, I may want that professional looking cornrow, but I find no one handles my hair better than me.
2. Co wash my hair 2-4x a week. It just depends on how dry I feel my hair is. I’m currently relaxes, stretching and moisture is everything so a conditioner wash is very important. I cowash my hair in the cornrows or plaits. 
3. Shampoo hair once a week. I do this to prevent build up which can be caused by the silicones in my conditioner wash. I use Aussie Moist which is great at providing moisture but can form a film around your hair stands. I also use Vo5 moisture milks strawberries and cream, and sometimes may use Sitrimillah’s  Creamy hair cleansing rinse…… It just depends on my mood. 
4. I DC once/twice a week. This also depends on what I feel my hair needs. I like to do a garlic treatment with Alter ego garlic treatment to prevent shedding mid-week. (during relaxer stretching, we tend to lose hair by shedding.) You can control this with the aid of garlic pills, a tea/coffee rinse or a treatment specifically for that purpose. 

                    My second DC treatment is during the weekend and usually consists of me using Sitrimillah’s  hairveda or Aphogees 2 min reconstructor  (which is a protein treatment). It all depends on what I think my hair needs.

• 2x daily moisturizing and sealing with my spray bottle mix which consists of castor oil, water, kinky curly knot today and jojoba oil…this mix is da bomb for my hair….i got this mix from Kimmaytube’s recipe for leave in but found aloe vera doesn't do much for my texlaxed/relaxed hair….using water instead just works perfectly for my hair
• I re do my plaits / cornrows every week or every 2 weeks as my spirit moves me

I am currently doing my inversion for 7 days after which Ii am not sure if i will relax my hair or continue stretching….Part of me wants to relax but another part wants to stretch for another month or two. When i am ready to relax tho, i will buy my relaxer. In meantime, i am enjoying wigging my hair