Every Girl Loves A Diamond!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend! They are gorgeous and you love to wear them. But did you know that there was a war fought over them? Just until recent years, every time you purchased a diamond, it funded a war in Africa. Feel free to bling it up now! We have the Kimberley Process Certification System. And yes, Blood Diamond featuring Leonardo Dicaprio was based on these diamonds. Read about it at...

http://www.diamondfacts.org/conflict/index.html

Diamonds can get a little pricey so check out your local Claire's. They have some great knockoffs!

A Great Product For Your Hair

Is your hair ever tangled when you get out of the shower? You try to comb your hair but it hurts really bad! Here is my little secret on tangle free hair. Rusk Calm Detangler. I have been using this product for about 2 years and I love it. It works really well and it leaves your hair feeling really soft! Check it out...

http://www.rusk1.com/

The Splenda Secret

Hello everyone! I summarized an article for you to read and learn about the dangers of Splenda. I encourage you to read the full aricle at the link below.

Splenda, the 0 calorie sweetener that is sweeter than sugar, but has no long term side affects and no surge in insulin. Splenda is said to be completely natural and healthier than plain table sugar. This is too good to be true. As cliche as that saying is, it is the truth. Splenda, which is the trade name for a molecule called sucralose, is made from sugar. The only difference between the two is that three of the hydroxyl groups in sugar have been replaced with chlorine in the sucralose. Also, your body is absorbing the chlorine because it does not recognize the Splenda as food, hint the 0 calories. There is more, too. In the manufacturer's experiments on rodents, Splenda caused shrunken thymus glands and enlarged livers and kidneys. But Splenda is still considered to be safe in 60 other countries.


Also in my research, there have been a lot of cases of people who become irritable and bloated and get headaches among other symptons because of Splenda. Some researchers say Splenda can be linked to some forms of cancer, too.

http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.aspx

Banana Beauty

Bananas make great facials! Mash them up, spread it all over your face, and let it sit for about 15 minutes. A great treatment. But there is more to a banana than facials and a sweet treat. Bananas help with your mood (make you happy!) and your digestive system. They also help with heartburn, morning sickness, nerves, and stress relief. Bananas can help you give up smoking too. And when you have mosquito bites, a quick relief is to rub the inside of the banana peel on the bite. Very soothing! But the best thing about bananas, is that they keep you fuller longer than any other food. Yummm!

I got these brilliant facts from http://bananasweb.com/bananas/Health+Benefits+of+Bananas

Tips For Shiny Hair

Here are some really helpful tips to get your hair looking fabulous!

• Use shampoo with natural oils and extracts from olives, almonds, or avocados such as Neutrogena Triple Moisture Creme Lather Shampoo.


• Put shampoo just on the roots of your hair and as you rinse it out, let the suds run down the ends.


• Let your conditioner sit on your hair for a good 5 minutes so it will penetrate for maximum shine.


• Before applying conditioner, squeeze any excess water from your hair so it doesn't dilute the ingredients.


• Before using any hot tool on your hair, apply a silicone-based shine serum to wet hair. The heat activates the silicones so they coat and smooth each strand.


• Sleep on a silk or a satin pillowcase. Cotton ones soak up the moisture from your hair, making it look dry.

Here is a great recipe that will remove buildup from your hair, making strands ultra-shiny. Put equal amounts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. After shamppoing your hair, spritz the mixture all over and let sit for 5 minutes. Then shampoo once more to get rid of the vinegar smell. Voila! Shiny hair!

I found these tips in Seventeen magazine.

Cool Snacks

Everyone struggles with eating good, healthy food. I think the reason is because the healthy food isn't good. Well, here are some delicious foods you can find at your local grocery store and when picking out snacks, try to find some that are high in fiber. Remember, have fun with your snacks!

• 
  
  Yogurt. Yoplait has released some new yogurt called Yo-Plus Yogurt. It is made especially for your digestive system and comes in a variety of flavors-strawberry, peach, vanilla, and cherry.


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  A banana. Keeps you fuller than any other food. A sweet snack.


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  A handful of mixed nuts. Try the ones without a lot of peanuts and a handful is plenty.


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  An apple a day keeps the doctor away.


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  Kashi granola bars. Very filling and super healthy.


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  Thinly sliced carrots and a new dip called Fiesta Ranch. One of my favorites!


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  Dried cranberries. Sweet and chewy.

Go Veggie!

There have been a lot of stories recently in the news about mad cow disease, chicken recall, and meat contaminants. Well, I have a great solution for everyone. Go veggie! That does not mean you have to be a vegitarean. Something much better. Morningstar Farms have an assortment of foods that look like meat but are really vegetables. Cool right? Bacon, sausage links, burgers, and a whole lot more. They taste great and you can eat worry free!

Check it out...

http://www.seeveggiesdifferently.com/products.aspx?coid=23&family=363

Homemade Beauty

Homemade Beauty
Ok, so if you are anything like me, you enjoy making recipes for your hair and face rather than spending money on similar products. Here are some cool recipes you should try that will really make a difference. Enjoy and leave comments on how they worked for you! Also, I did not include any with mayo. Yuck!

Honey Mask Recipe

The best facial mask is honey. Place a cloth in warm water and apply to your face to open the pores. Smear on honey, and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then use cold water to close the pores. Use once a week.

Remove Hair Build-up Recipe

1/4 cup vinegar1 cup waterAfter conditioning the hair use this as a final rinse. Leaves your hair soft and shiny.

Hair Egg Conditioner Recipe

1 teaspoon baby oil1 egg yolk1 cup waterBeat the egg yolk until its frothy, add the oil then beat again. Add to the water. Massage into the scalp and throughout your hair. Rinse well.

Hair Conditioner Recipe

Combine mashed avocado with some coconut milk. Comb it through the hair and let sit for 10 -15 minutes, rinse out.

Shampoo Recipe

In a blender, combine 1 ounce olive oil, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Use as regular shampoo.

Remove Conditioner Buildup Recipe

Baking soda removes conditioner build-up from your hair. Rub in and rinse thoroughly, then shampoo with your regular shampoo.

Avocado Facial Recipe

Avocado is a naturally rich moisturizer. Mash the meat of the avocado into a creamy texture. Massage into the face and neck . Leave on for 15 minutes and gently rinse off.

Facial Mask Recipe

Squeeze half a lemon and mix the juice with one beaten egg white. Leave on your face overnight or, for a quick pick-me-up, just 15 minutes. Splash warm water on your face to rinse.It helps to removes blotches, because the lemon works as a bleaching agent.

Egg & Honey Mask Recipe

Mix together 1 tablespoon honey, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon almond oil and 1 tablespoon yogurt. Honey stimulates and smoothes, egg and almond oil penetrate and moisturize, and yogurt refines and tightens pores.

Banana Wrinkle Fighter Recipe

Banana is wonderful as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Spread all over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash of cold. Gently pat dry.

Grape Cleanser Recipe

Grape juice makes an excellent cleanser for any skin type. Simply split one or two large grapes, remove pips and rub the flesh over face and neck. Rinse off with cool water.

recipes from healthrecipes.com

Yummy Smoothie Recipe

Just because it is cold outside, doesn't mean you can't enjoy a delicious smoothie! Here is a great recipe I found that makes you wish it was summer!

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen strawberries, raspberries, or cherries
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 to 3 tablespoons honey or to taste

Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26398,00.html

Fresh Ideas For You

Hello everyone and thanks for visiting my blog. You can call me Livy and I have created this blog to share some great ideas on beauty, health, current events, and anything else of interest. So tell your friends about this blog! Also feel free to leave a comment on what you would like to hear about.

:) Livy