2013 curls- 1st attempt Inching Elbow Plank - Lose the Pooch! The Best Exercises for Lower Abs - Shape Magazine - Page 7 The term "lower abs" is actually a misnomer—your rectus abdominis muscle, or abdominal wall, actually covers your entire midsection and connects at your pelvis. Still, women (and men!) are constantly searching for exercises that will help eliminate that dreaded lower-belly pooch. Workout details: Do the prescribed number of sets and reps for each exercise consecutively, taking a short 45-60 second rest in between sets. You'll need: A mat or towel. RELATED: For more secrets for flat belly and toned bikini body, check out Shape's exclusive weight loss plan, The Bikini Body Diet. A major perk of these moves: Focusing on the activation of your core is one of the keys to success with these abs toners (and any abdominal exercise). BONUS: Workout Video: The 8 Best Exercise for Lower Abs This is a great way to wake up your core at the beginning of your workout or as a stand-alone exercise any time you want to squeeze in some extra abs work. This is another move that's much harder than it looks.
1st attempt continued... Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Hair, Body & Food Olive oil is actually a fat derived from the fruit of the olea europaea tree, otherwise known as the olive. Olive oil has been used for millenia all over the world, but especially in the Mediterranean, where it has been considered a traditional, medicinal, religious and even magical entity. It has a rich history and its extraction was first recorded in the book of Exodus in the bible! #Serious. I first read about "EVOO" when I was browsing natural hair sites in early 2009 after I just went natural. Let's explore why EVOO is the best type of olive oil to use! Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Trader Joe's Extra-virgin olive oil is the purest, tastiest, and most effective form of olive oil. Some uses:Used for cooking, especially with vegetables and very lean meats: I only cook with olive oil.Ear wax softener: gross I know, but this oil is a great emollient and helps get ear wax out very easily.Natural shave oil: stay away from the chemical-laden shaving creams! Have you ever used EVOO?
DIY – How to Make a Retro Hair Rat | Around the Way Curls A “rat” was used to make this pictured retro bang I have been looking online for a comprehensive tutorial of how to make a hair rat but I have yet to come upon one. So I decided to make one because I imagine that lots of other people are desperate for the “how to” as well. The tools Measure and mark 1″ on both ends of your flexy roller. Cut off your measurement of the foam. This is how it should appear after cutting the foam. Now using your wire cutters, cut the exposed wire. This is how it should look afterwards. Now take your darkly colored stocking of choice and cut it to be slightly longer than the flexy roller. Roll the flexi roller in the stocking until it is completely encased. Take your needle and thread and sew the roller inside the stocking. It should result in looking like this (only neater). Now cut the ends. Now do just that! This is how it should look. Wamski!
8 Tips to Effectively Seal Your Ends Photo Source by Cipriana of UrbanBushBabes.com There is nothing like the feeling of well moisturized ends, but on the flip side there is nothing like the feeling of dehydrated ends, and let me tell you the latter is a feeling I would rather avoid. 1. I have found using thicker oils specifically on my ends provides for longer sessions of moisture. 2. Remember normal porosity hair can only absorb so much water. 3. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair therefore more thirsty. 4. This tip is very important for longer lengths. 5. No manipulation of your wet sealed ends means higher chances of your ends retaining moisture longer. 6. I know this might be the kryptonite advice for someone who loves to wear their hair down but updo styles (where your ends are tucked away) can drastically reduce the amount of moisture you lose from your ends, especially if your hair is shoulder length and longer. 7. 8. Last but certainly not least make sure your ends are at their best before you seal.
Shanti's Twist-Out Technique I began with freshly washed hair. I then deep conditioned with Mix Chicks deep conditioner which I allowed to sit on my hair for an hour before rinsing. After rinsing, I applied Kinky Curly Knot Today leave-in conditioner to my wet hair followed by a light almond oil. I then parted a side part in my damp hair and began to do FLAT two strand twists. 1. I twisted 3 twist on one side and two twist on the opposite side, ending with 4 twists in the back. 2 Twists on opposite side 4 (or is that 5) FLAT twist extending downward. I then covered my hair and went to sleep to allow it to dry. After pinning the top hair to also go to the side. The Product Reviews SheMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie = B Price - I love this stuff! Hold - It gets a B for wash and goes but a C for twist outs. Smell- Sweet baby Jesus this stuff smells great. Overall scoring - I believe that the SheaMoisture brand is soon to reign as one of the most effective and beloved hair products in the natural hair community.
6 Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar Via AppleCiderVinegarBenefits.com Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has long been used as a natural hair care product to promote healthy hair in both men and woman. Its acidity is close to that of natural hair, it’s a good conditioner and cleaning agent and it’s also an effective germ killer. As a result, apple cider vinegar uses and benefits for the hair include: Vinegar hair rinseHair Herbal rinseEssential oil vinegar hair rinseDandruff and itchy scalp reliefNatural hair loss treatmentHome Remedy for head Lice 1. Hair is on the mildly acidic side of the pH scale and has an ideal pH of 4.5 to 5.5, which is close to that of an apple cider vinegar rinse (pH 2.9). On the other hand, many of the hair care products we use, such as soap-based shampoos, bleaches, hair colors, and permanents are strongly alkaline. Rinsing with apple cider vinegar will help balance the pH of your hair and remove the buildup that can result from the use of these styling products and inexpensive shampoos. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Blow-Out Tips and Tools for Natural Hair I was a busy little bee this weekend, hitting three different stores (one twice), in order to get the items I needed for my impending blow-out. I made the appointment for my Afro puffy twists for this week and I was finally faced with the fact that I needed to make some decisions about my hair prep. I read CurlyNikki’s post on Flat Ironing Tips and recognized the importance of the right products, good techniques and the proper tools. So, I proceeded to do some research while standing in Harmon in front of 4 shelves full of hair dryers (I know you shouldn’t love an inanimate object. via Consumer Search: Today’s blowers offer a bounty of options, all promising softer, shiner, healthier hair. Ionic hair dryers emit molecules with a positive or negative charge to dry hair. The awesome, but horrible thing? The reason that I was at one store twice? Ultimately, I only paid $28 (plus tax) for the dryer. Back to the product search. And that’s that. Check out my results, HERE. CurlyNikki Says:
Hair Loss, Dry Hair, Split Ends? 10 Natural Remedies for Common Hair Problems via RealBeauty.com Samira Asemanfar, owner of the hair mask bar TheBroot, teaches us how to treat our hair woes the natural way, and shares some remedies for organic DIY at-home treatments. 1. Brittle Hair “Add protein to your diet,” suggests Asemanfar. “Eggs, poultry, or beans will help keep your hair strong and growing.” 2. If you have thin hair, banana, egg, and oils work wonders. Strengthening Hair Mask Ingredients: - 1/2 Banana - 1 Egg - 1 tbsp. Directions: Mix all ingredients in blender; apply and leave on for 30 to 45 min or 15 to 20 min with a thermal heat cap; thourougly rinse out all mixture from hair; wash with shampoo; condition and do a final rinse with cool water close the hair cuticle to seal in the moisture. 3. Vitamins B-6 and B-12 should be your new best friends if you want to get your hair’s growth cycle back in gear. 4. “Rinse with the coldest water you can bear, close the hair cuticle,” says Asemanfar. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Lets be real: Everyone has hair issues!
How to Stretch & Soften Natural Hair... Naturally! If you have curls, coils or waves then you are probably very familiar with the term shrinkage. Most of us have it but the problem arises when your shoulder length hair turns into a TWA. As cute as the TWA look is, if you’ve worked hard to get the length, then you probably want to show it off from time to time. Here are some ways to stretch your coils and show off that length! Read On for More Tips>>> Banding This method is great for stretching the hair without straightening it since it’s simple to do and doesn’t involve heat of any kind. It’s important to note that if you’re using this method to dry your hair or stretch it for a style like twists, then you should detangle first to remove any knots and ensure that the hair gets as stretched as it can. Plaiting Begin by separating a small section of your hair and tying off the rest loosely. Try as we might, there will come a time in our life when our hair gets as dry and as hard as a brick. How do you like to stretch your coily hair?
Dry Felxi-Rod Set and Maintenance via Shamiamglam I was discouraged when my first flexi-rod set lasted ONE DAY. But I vowed to try it again once the weather was cooler. *Slick Rick voice* Heeeere we go… In my usual fashion, I washed, DC’ed & roller set my hair last weekend. The next morning I removed the rods & separated my curls by finger twirling the hair. That night I pineappled & tied a scarf around my hair. On the evening of Day 2, I dry twisted my curls (sans product) & tied a scarf around my head. Day 3 hair was my favorite HANDS DOWN! By the end of day 3 my hair was feeling pretty dry, so I added a little bit of Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk before detangling & re-twisting. I was simultaneously underwhelmed & disappointed by my curls on Day 4. Notice that my kool-aid smile has left the building… It was fun while it lasted, but I washed it out on Day 5. *pours out a lil liquor*
Flexi rods!!