Get Active With Activated Charcoal: Part 2

My baby totally photo bombed my pic

Ok, so I may or may not have had a lot of fun making my own 

Homemade Face Mask.

I found this gem of a recipe at Body Unburden's site. This is by far the easiest DIY project I've ever made. The best part is that it works! ::angels singing from above:: I've tried it a few times already and I even have it on now. You would think that putting this black mask on your face would give you blackheads but it doesn't. It works like a magnet pulling the dirt out of your pores naturally. 

I have big pores. They look even bigger when there's dirt trapped in them. I've tried so many horrible things like those nose strips which are like putting glue to your face. Oh, and I've exfoliated my face off and then used a burning toner thinking it would do the trick. I admit they were all awful ideas. They either didn't work at all or only worked temporarily. It seemed like little blackhead goblins attacked my face at night or something! I didn't know then what I know now and that's why I'm so eager to share this with you.

You need: 

• 2 Activated Charcoal Capsules (this is not the same stuff grandpa grills with)
• 1/2 teaspoon Bentonite Clay
• Water
• Glass Container

THAT'S IT!

Directions:

• Mix the charcoal and clay in a small bowl. Add the water and mix completely with a wooden or plastic spoon until smooth. (Do not use metal because the mixture can pull toxins from it)
• Put your mixture into your small glass container
• Do a spot test on a clean area on your neck or underside of your arm to make sure you don't have any bad reactions
• Wash your face with a mild soap and pat dry
• Apply to face avoiding area around eyes and lips
• Allow to sit for 10 minutes max
• Wash off with water and wash cloth

Tweakage:

I only have loose activated charcoal so I used 1/4 teaspoon. I started mixing everything with a wooden spread knife and quickly switched to a silicone spatula. I needed to press down and continually scrape the sides in order to make it nice and smooth. 

I washed my face with my scrumptious honey energizing soap and patted dry as directed. I used warm water to help the pores relax. I was having way too much fun painting my face with this that I didn't set a timer! The part that I had on for over 15 minutes started to burn my skin. It wasn't horrible but I ran to wash it off just in case. The redness went away within minutes. The places I had it on for the right amount of time came out awesome. I rinsed with soap and cold water to help close the pores, then I moisturized with coconut oil as I normally do.

I realized later that my skin burned not only because it was on too long but because it was on too thick and couldn't dry. 

Of course I would label it Awesome Face Stuff

Results:

My pores were SO clean. I didn't even have to pick at my face with a blackhead remover for 30 minutes in front of a 10x magnified mirror to get it that way! I've used this wonderful mask plenty of times since and a little has gone a long way. I've been applying a thin amount now... and setting a timer. That brings me to...

Tips:

1. Set a timer. 
2. Apply a thin, even layer of mask.
3. If your skin is very dry, the mask may get stuck under dead skin. It may take a little longer to clean off, just don't scrub hard and irritate the area. 
4. I recommend only applying it where you need it. "Don't try to fix it if it ain't broke."
5. Don't forget to set a timer.

Hubby caught me washing it off and said it looked like I had a 5 o'clock shadow. Hot.

Another beauty use for activated charcoal:

You can quickly make your own eye liner! If you want a thicker smokey look, wet only the tip of a clean pencil brush. Dip the brush in the powder (have a tiny bit of powder set aside in a small container so you're not putting your makeup brush in your activated charcoal jar). Tap the side of the brush with your finger or on a surface to 'shake' off excess powder. Apply your smokey liner as desired! If you want a thin liner look, use an angled brush or eye liner brush and wet the entire brush and make the tip narrow with fingers. Then tap the brush in some powder making sure to get the excess off before applying. I'll try to remember to take pictures the next time I do this.

How do you use activated charcoal? Please share in the comment section below!

Get Active With Activated Charcoal: Part 1

I have a very long list of DIY beauty recipes that I'm dying to try and tweak to my satisfaction. Recently I decided to use my activated charcoal in different ways other than for teeth whitening. I found two recipes that looked very promising and that has pretty decent reviews. I spend way too much time reading reviews. It's funny how some posts have reviews with mini cat fights under them. Makes for good entertainment.

What is activated charcoal, you ask? Well, it's a tasteless, odorless, non-toxic powder that can be used as an antidote for poisons because of its high absorption properties and it also aides in digestion. I've read that it works topically on bites as well. Wellness Mama has a great post with a lot of detail and history about activated charcoal.

The first recipe I did was for an all natural homemade mascara. Why bother making my own mascara? Well, Food Babe reminded me recently of all the unnecessary "ingredients" that go into most store-bought mascaras:

• PARABENS - Used as a preservative and is an endocrine disrupter that messes with your hormones. (Top Offenders: L’Oreal, Cover Girl, Avon, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Maybelline, Neutrogena, Revlon, Chanel, Lancome)

• PARFUM (a.k.a. fragrance) - Why do you need parfum on your eyes – that’s crazy. Oh it’s to cover up the smell of coal tar! This is even in some products marketed as “unscented.” Some fragrance ingredients can trigger allergies, asthma and acne, linked to cancer and neurotoxicity, and are harmful to fish and other wildlife.  (Top Offenders: Neutrogena, Lavera, Milani)

• ALUMINUM POWDER - Considered a neurotoxin and linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other cancers. (Top Offenders: Cover Girl, Estee Lauder)

• BHA and BHT: Used as a preservatives and is an endocrine disruptor and may cause cancer (BHA). Harmful to fish and other wildlife. (Top Offenders: Maybelline, Rimmel)

• PROPYLENE GLYCOL:  Linked to acne, eczema, and other skin allergies. (Top Offenders: L’Oreal, Mineral Fusion, Rimmel, Avon, Maybelline)

• COAL TAR DYES: p-phenylenediamine and colours listed as “CI” followed by a five digit number. The U.S. colour name may also be listed (e.g. “FD&C Blue No. 1″ or “Blue 1″). Potential to cause cancer and may be contaminated with heavy metals toxic to the brain. (Top Offender: Maybelline)

• FORMALDEHYDE RELEASING PRESERVATIVES -  Look for DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine and quarternium-15. Used in a variety of cosmetics. Slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer. (Top Offender: Almay)

• RETINYL ACETATE (VITAMIN A ACETATE) - Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) (Top Offenders: Elizabeth Arden, Almay, Revlon)

  *Ingredient research provided by The Environmental Working Group and David Suzuki Foundation*

  
  

I always had an issue with the mascaras I bought. I realized that all those fancy rounded brushes didn't make my lashes curl, the skinny one didn't make the bottom lashes much thicker, the waterproof mascara meant that my lashes would fall out in a few days and so [I had kids and] I gave up. I haven't worn mascara in a long time until I saw this recipe. I LOVE it. Best mascara I've ever used, seriously. I curled my lashes super close to the lid a few times and applied two coats. One eye, than the other allowing time for the first to dry and so on. It was so easy to apply. There were no pieces of mascara flying everywhere as I brushed it in. My lashes didn't feel like I was applying Elmer's Glue either. It all went on really nicely without having to do any touch ups or follow up with an eyelash brush to remove any clumps. Can you believe that? NO SMUDGES! It didn't dry immediately but it was set after a few minutes.



This is what the recipe calls for:

• 2 tsp of coconut oil (not shown in pic)
• 4 tsp of aloe vera
• 1/2 tsp beeswax (or more in humid climates)
• 1-2 capsules activated charcoal (or you can use cocoa/cacao for brown)

Directions:

1. Put coconut oil, aloe, and beeswax in small sauce pan over low heat and stir until beeswax is melted.
2. Remove from heat and add activated charcoal, stir until smooth. 
3. Put your mascara in the bottle. I got mine from Amazon. 

Tweakage:

I used 1 teaspoon of beeswax and I'm very happy with the hold, even in this Bahamian heat. The aloe did separate like the comments under the Thank Your Body: Homemade Mascara post, but it still worked great. You just need to mix it up with your brush a little while its inside the tube.
I didn't have activated charcoal capsules so I used a heaping 1/4 teaspoonful of the powder I had on hand.

I used a syringe to get the mascara inside. I was able to draw it up and out with one hand while holding the sauce pan on and angle. You can get one for free usually at local pharmacy. Just ask them at the counter for an infant syringe. Or if you happen to have one already, just make sure its clean. Oh, then keep it with your cosmetic making goodies so it doesn't get mixed up with baby medicines.

I think next time I might try it with only 3 teaspoonful of aloe, although I may have to cut back on the beeswax. It also made a bit more than what the tube could hold, so I will double it next time and fill two tubes.

Take Note:

Try to be sure that all of your tools are dry before you start because any water added can cause the mascara to get mildewy. This is all natural with only aloe acting as a preservative and coconut oil as an antibacterial. No artificial preservatives are added so if I find that something turns out gross like that, I'll be sure to post it.

Making mascara was a messy task for me. I say, if it wasn't messy, than it wasn't fun! But if you don't care for messy-fun than the easiest way to clean up is with a wet cloth. You may need a few. Try to wipe and than use another clean part of the cloth or else you'll just rub it in.

Tiny Extra Tip:

After I had both of my babies I experienced hair loss. After my second pregnancy I noticed a lot of my lashes fell out making spaces on my lids. I started brushing coconut oil on them at night and sometimes after a shower during the day. I notice a drastic change within the week! Happy to say they are much fuller now.


TADA! The results are in: beautiful lashes!

I put this on before a date night to watch some comedy. I laughed so hard that I cried and wiped my face a few times. When I got home and looked in the mirror there were still no smudges. So I wore it to bed to see what would happen. I usually sleep on my back and not on my face, but with my eyes closed all night, still no smudges. So to really test it out I went on a run in the morning. It was super humid and  I sweat like nobody's business. Still no smudges BUT the sweat that dripped into my eye burned! Not enough to run to water and wash it out but enough to be annoying. After a few hard blinks it went away. :)

So happy I took the time to do this that I did something else too: (to be continued)

Pudgy to Fit Really Quick

My second pregnancy was pretty tough on me. My body couldn't handle it and in the end of the 9 months, I could hardly walk. After my daughter was born I was in the worst shape of my life. I am 5 ft and I was 149lbs. Looking in the mirror made me terrified that I was going to look and feel that way forever, but then looking at all the beautiful clothes in the closet that I wore before my first baby made me furiously determined. That's when I promised myself I'd get back to how I was (or as close as I could). Below are some Pre-Baby shots.

Catching dinner

Enjoying life with my husband

Of course I want to be healthy and live a long life but sometimes people, like myself, need short term goals. I'm pretty hard on myself and even though I'll feel better after losing 5 pounds, I'll still be sad that I'm not as comfortable in my body as I used to be. I don't feel better mentally until I look better physically. Superficial, I know, but I never had weight problems growing up so I had to learn ways to deal with the extra weight physically (tired faster, not able to hold my baby for long periods while standing up...), mentally ("Why am I so fat? My husband should get rid of me"), and emotionally (feeling sorry for myself, envious of people who don't have these issues).

After having my son

After having my daughter

GOAL 1: Eating Right

First I just want to mention that before starting this mission I had a great understanding of what healthy food was and what it could do for me because of the book Clean by Alejandro Junger. This was an amazing jumpstart to great health in addition to the already active lifestyle I had before I got pregnant. I didn't do his 21 day cleanse but rather used his guidelines for food and smoothie making. If you're new to eating healthy I recommend starting there. 

Luckily I don't live near any chain restaurants, so if I want to eat I have to cook! Cookbooks were my first investment. My favorite one is Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan. I've already pre-ordered her second book. Not only did she introduce me to the Paleo Diet but she also has some amazing tips to save time making nutritious meals. With two babies under two, I could use some time! I'm over-the-moon happy with this book. 

After much research on Paleo, I decided to give it a shot. I found many books online for free with my Kindle on Amazon. Some good, some not but it was free so I just kept the good ones. I subscribed to some blogs like, Mark's Daily Apple, and Food Babe (not 'Paleo' but clean eating site) and they give me daily reminders to keep up the healthy eating and I get to see success stories from other people whose lives have change from this diet. 

RESULTS: 

With just eating Paleo for 3 weeks, with little to no exercise, my husband and I lost 10 pounds each. It was such a relief for me. My husband wasn't trying to lose weight but I can tell that he is now really motivated to go out and exercise by doing things he enjoys. 

GOAL 2: Workout Regularly

I don't get a lot of time to myself during the day. Most of my workouts consist of pretending I'm a bunny rabbit and hopping down the hallway. But even with two little ones, I force myself to stop looking at my to-do list of chores and open my laptop (forgetting Google and Facebook exist) to Blogilates. I recommend this site to ANYONE who likes to work out. It's based off pilates but I don't think there's one person out there that's too cool for this. She had tons of HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts too. When I was going to a personal trainer before my wedding, he would have me do planks and leg lifts that are exactly what's done in her videos. Not only are they wonderful workouts, but she plans every month out for you (always different so you don't plateau), has links set up for you to get to them without searching YouTube, has a whole calendar for beginners, a new app for those on the go, but above all - she's an awesome person. You can tell that she truly cares about inner beauty first. Her inspiring videos are FREE and her radiant personality is motivating. You won't want to let her down. 

In addition to Blogilates, I like to continue educating myself by reading different types of fitness books. I really liked The Primal Fitness Blueprint by Mark Sisson. He talks about things like chronic cardio that really makes sense. He also pushes the fact that the best workouts are the ones that you're having fun doing. You can get his book free when you subscribe to his site.... He inspired me to get the paddle board that I've always wanted. I follow his primal fitness plan and mix it up with the Blogilates videos that correspond to what I'm working on that day.

My awesome inflatable SUP

I know running almost goes against The Primal Fitness but it's the "mommy time" that I get to myself early in the morning before the family is up. I don't run everyday, in fact, I'm just starting out. Two books that have motivated me are Hot (Sweaty) Mamas by Kara Douglass Thom and Laurie Kocanda. They truly pushed me out the door with my running shoes on convincing me that I need to do this for myself without feeling so guilty. Not feeling guilty wasn't something I thought was possible but I came home and feel like a wonderful, happy mommy which is what my family deserves. READ IT! I'm also in the middle of reading Run Like a Mother by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Brown Shea. This book so far makes me want to toss the kids in the stroller and GO!

I currently run with a Navy Diver and according to him, I run incorrectly. Yep. I started dancing when I was two and stopped when I was pregnant with my first. I don't have runner's muscles, I have dancer's muscles. Instead of putting one foot in front of another quickly, I take graceful leaps... something I have to work on I suppose. 

I can't forget to mention Yoga. It does a world of wonders for my body and my mind. Even though it's only an hour per week and some morning stretches, it really makes me feel like I'm taking great care of myself. Those last 5 minutes of yoga that I share with myself is better than any decadent molten chocolate cake I'll ever experience. 

I'm not going to lie, if there were a CrossFit by me then I'd probably be doing that but this plan that I have now is the closest thing, if not, better. 

RESULTS:

I am close to my second level in the primal fitness book, I can run two miles (almost) non-stop, balancing on the paddle board is so much easier,  I can do some awesome yoga pose holds, but most importantly, I can hop like a bunny rabbit for much longer. (I'll take some 'after' shots soon)

AND NOW:

After having built a strong foundation for my healthy lifestyle, I felt it was time to compete with myself. I made a 'goal weight' for a month. I wanted to reach 125 lbs. My birthday was the actual day to weigh in. I did it! I was so proud of myself that I made another goal. My husband is sweet enough to make sure that they are "realistic"  goals so I don't let myself down. The first month was 5 lbs and this month is going to be 4 lbs. I know from some reading that the first 10 pounds is the easiest to lose so I understand that the rest will be stubborn. It will all eventually be gone though. :) 

I'm so happy in this journey that not only do I feel accomplished and almost back to my old self, but I also learned to cook healthy meals for my family. Plus, working out in front of the kids daily shows them that it's an important part of life. It's amazing how the solution to my problem ended in benefits for the entire family. <3  

Going All the Way: My Experience with "No-Poo"

Okay, confession time. So, I was really focused on eating right and being healthy that I've lost sight of what was going on outside my body. Can you relate? Well, when it comes to food I feel like everyone deserves REAL nutrition and none of that artificial, full-of-preservative, GMO stuff. Once my healthy habits became a true lifestyle for me I noticed that I changed. My toothpaste tasted like chemical poison, perfume that I used to wear on special occasions gave me an instant migraine, and my normal moisturizer started to burn my skin a little. Suddenly, I felt like Cher from the movie Clueless where she's standing in front of a fountain and realizes, " Oh my God, I love Josh."

My symbolic fountain bursted up and I realized that I wasn't so "natural" after all. My skin deserves the same treatment my inner organs do! It was time for a change. So, similar to Cher, I took all the products I didn't want/need and gave them to people could use it. It was sad parting with all the pricey Aveda products that I used to be so happy purchasing, thinking they were oh-so-good for me. But I'm super happy that it went to people who couldn't afford anything that came in a luxurious rosemary mint scent.

The very first thing I decided to change was my shampoo. I researched high and low and I stumbled (can one stumble via internet?) across this pH Balancing Shampoo Recipe. It's SO simple and SO easy.
From what I've read the pH balance in your scalp is important because it helps prevent hair loss, dandruff and bacterial growth. This recipe is better than using castile water soap because it has a higher pH than your scalp naturally does. I never felt like I had a scalp problem but looking back I always kept 3 sets of different shampoos and conditioners because it seemed when one of them started to bother me, the other would make it feel better. I thought it was normal for your hair products to stop working when your hair got 'used to it.' I've only been using this recipe for a month but I love it and I promise to post updates on it so if you decide to try it, you know what you're getting into.

Before researching what was best for my hair, I had never heard of "No-Poo" in my life. Just saying the word "Poo" while referring to my hair seemed gross but I got over that real quick and started it right away.

Before I tell you my experience with this, it is SO important to know about the Transition Period aka Detox Phase that Robin mentions in the link above that went away after 4 uses for her. While your hair is getting used to being naturally beautiful without all the foreign products that you thought you absolutely needed, it may look really greasy at the roots. It will look like you either forgot to fully distribute your gel in the rest of your hair or like you didn't wash your hair in a few days. I rocked out many varieties of these looks for TWO WEEKS (so worth it). I personally feel that this shampoo may not be the best for oily prone hair, but you really don't know what your hair is really like until you've fully detoxed. Oh, and your hair won't smell gross. Woo!

During the transition period, these are some of the things that may help:

• Brushing your hair often to help bring the moisture from the scalp to the roots (I have long curly hair so I didn't)
• Cute head bands (I got some on sale at Tilly's)
• French braiding
• Just tossing it up into a messy bun (use cute headband)

It'll feel heavy at the roots and you'll want to touch it but I recommend not doing so. If you're out and about touching things on dusty store shelves, for example, then putting that accidentally into your hair will make it smell dirty.

Enough with the disclaimers!

pH Balancing Shamoo:

• 1 can of Coconut Milk
• 1 3/4 cups of Aloe Vera

Right now I'm using the Aloe Farms one because that's what I had on hand for the baby wipes I make, but I'm going to try the Lily of the Desert next. At first I didn't want to buy from Lily because one of their types of Aloe contains carrageenan (I know I'm not eating the shampoo but I'm still against it). That's the coconut milk that I use in the picture but I know a lot of people recommend this one also. There's always the option of making it yourself!

Directions: Mix ingredients together and pour into molds to freeze. After shampoo is frozen, you can keep them in there or put them in a baggie to store in the freezer. Easy peezy.



You can use ice cube trays like Robin beautifully showed in her photos. I used the two freezing trays for baby food that I have on hand. Using my trays, I know each pod (is what I call them) is 2oz each and is good for about 3 washings (for me). This makes 12 pods and should last me 2-3 months. I think they look pretty cool. They should last me 2 months but I'll update on that when I know for sure.



To use: The day before shampooing, place a cube/pod in a container in the fridge so it is at least slightly melted. Lather a quarter size into scalp and ends then rinse! There will be no bubbles so don't scrub hard for them. You can let it sit if you'd like. No conditioner is needed.

Sometimes I forget to take it out and I'll just use it frozen. I'll put the frozen pod in my hand (which hurts sometimes) and let the warm shower water melt it onto my scalp. The coldness let's me feel that I got it all over my scalp. When I do remember to thaw it out, I put a nickel size into my palm and massage it in sections so I know it's on the entire scalp evenly...but I'm weird so you may just want to do it normally. Then, I use a comb to bring it to the ends and rinse while massaging it out. Since I have hard-to-manage hair I just wrap it up in a towel while it's still super wet and take it down after I put on my moisturizers. Oh yeah, and don't forget to put it back in the fridge! 

Don't use this shampoo everyday. I use it 3 times per week and just rinse with water other times. Once a week I use an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse as a quick conditioner. It's just 1/4 cup ACV and 3/4 cup filtered water.

Results: Since I started using this method a little over a month ago I have noticed that my curls are more uniform. They are now all about the same tension whereas it seemed like each curl used to have a mind of its own. I called them Medusa Curls. I used to really love using all my products and styling with a blow drier and straightener but now I'm in love with my soft, natural curls. They look like the beach curl style that I used to try so hard to get with the diffuser. I know the color is nasty, I got it colored ombre style at Aveda a while back. I'll have my hubby take more pics soon so you can see the rest of my hair.

 Well I hope that was of some use to you! I'll be sure to post updates and other sites about this recipe if I come across any. If you decide to try this, please be patient with the transition. Once you get past it you (and your hair) will be so happy and naturally beautiful. <3