Oil Pulling

If you haven't heard of oil pulling you may be hiding under a rock. It's getting quite a bit of attention over the last few years for its supposed health benefits including:

• Teeth Whitening
• Reduces plaque
• Prevents bad breath
• Increased overall oral health
• General Detoxification
• Clears Complexion
• Reduces Inflammation
• Etc, etc, etc

In a nutshell, oil pulling is swishing about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (or other vegetable oil) in your mouth for 20 minutes per day to draw out toxins. The oil doubles in size from saliva and the "toxins" as you swish it around. I started oil pulling last week and do notice whiter and cleaner teeth overall, but the main reason I tried it out was to help get rid of my canker sores. They're healing faster than they would normally, but it's not a miracle worker overnight. I have noticed that they are less painful, which is a huge plus! If you're interested in oil pulling read more about it from some trusted sources in the links below.

Mercola.com link
US News & World Report Health link

Tips from a Celebrity Makeup Artist

I was the lucky winner of a makeover with Lindsey from the Painting You Pretty blog! She worked as a Celebrity Makeup Artist in Los Angeles with clients like Victoria Beckham and Amanda Bynes, and she now lives in the Phoenix area with her hubby and cute son Harvey. Learning tips and tricks from a true pro and not just a girl at the Sephora counter is worth its weight in gold, so I was all ears (and eyes) during my appointment.

Lindsey wrote about my makeover on her blog (here). Below are a few of my favorite tips she shared with me.

1. Eye Cream. "I don't care if you buy the cheapest one from Wal-Mart, just use an eye cream." She didn't ask, she just knew! I was like a kid caught with his mouth full of candy. The skin under my eyes were parched for moisture, and a little anti-aging action never hurt anyone. Lindsey will be happy to hear I purchased an eye cream today.

2. I was wearing the wrong foundation. I've been using Bare Minerals Original Foundation for years, but just recently switched to the Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation. The problem is, I have dry skin. What is the powder sticking to? Not much. I've switched now to a CC cream with a light dusting of powder to give my skin a finished look. Consider your skin type before choosing your foundation!

3. Wet your eyeshadow. I'm not too creative with my eyes, so I don't use much shadow. Lindsey taught me a few great tricks with my eyes and perhaps my favorite is getting the tip of the brush wet then getting some color from a dry shadow and apply it to the lower part of your lid. Amazing results! It applies like a cream this way and looks so pretty. (She suggested NYX shadows)

4. Shaping eyebrows. Wow. She did some amazing things with my brows. She outlined them to how they should look, and I've got some growing in to do and need to chill out on the plucking. She filled them in just right and used a brow gel. Seriously, get a pro to help with your brows. GAME.CHANGER.

5. Applying blush. OK, so like a dummy I've been going crazy with the blush. It took my appointment with Lindsey to help me realize I only need blush on the apples of my checks, not a long pink streak up the side of my face. She used a cream blush that was great, and I've been using Stainiac which I love. Either will wear much longer than a powder blush.

If you're in AZ and want to learn some great tricks from a pro, make an appointment with Lindsey! She personalizes her suggestions, is knowledgeable, sweet, and affordable.

Why We've Converted to Juicing

One evening when the hubs and I had nothing better to do we watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead on Netflix (movie trailer below). This journey of an overweight Australian who goes on a 60 day juice cleanse is intriguing. From fat to fit, his transformation is pretty awesome. Next we watched The Gerson Miracle about the effect a juicing diet can have on cancer. Is juicing really the miracle non-drug? Some say it is.

Chase and I aren't overweight, we don't suffer from regular migraines, but I am convinced there is something to adopting juicing into your daily diet that can provide huge health benefits (even if you're not trying to cure cancer). The extreme form of juicing that is shown in these documentaries isn't for everyone, but who couldn't use more vegetables? Americans consume far too many carbs, fatty snacks, and sugars in our grab and go lifestyle.

Well, we now own a juicer. Stay tuned for more juicing experiences, recipes, and benefits.

Louie Season 4. Watch It.

Yes, you should watch season 4 of Louie. Comedy doesn't always have to be funny. That's right, Louis CK has made his miserable life so relatable that it's comical. It's not jump-out-of-your-chair or slap-your-spouse-in-the-face funny. It's sad. It's dark. It's real.

Here are a few of my favorite scenes so far:

• Louie loses his mind and publicly berates his daughter for intentionally stepping off the 6-train
• Louie has an internal struggle with an overweight woman that makes him laugh
• The local news reports that LeBron James died in a hurricane ... along with 5 million other people

Louis CK, season 3 was a let down, and I was disappointed that I had to wait over a year for season 4, but it was worth it. Well done.

-Scratch

Six Tips for Healthy Hair

Photo Credit: Averi Black 

I was fortunate enough to be blessed with lots of dark brown locks. It's not as thick and luxurious as it used to be, but I don't have much room to complain. As we age, hair doesn't stay naturally amazing. It takes some work to keep it looking great. Below are a six tips I adhere to that help keep my hair healthy.

ONE. Keep coloring your hair to a minimum. I don't dye my hair. I have in the past, but it's not a regular occurrence. I'd say my last dye job was 3 years ago. Overprocessing=bad. Natural=good.

TWO. Go easy on the amount of product you put in your hair. For example, I don't use much hairspray (if any). Let it go natural.

THREE. Heated tools should be used sparingly. They can strip your hair of essential oils. If you use a straightener or curling iron regularly, use a heat protector spray. I only use heated products (hair dryer, curling irons) about 3 times per week.

FOUR. Don't wash your hair everyday. This one took me a while to adjust to, but it's worth it. You save time, and your hair will be healthier in the long run. It's a win-win.

FIVE. Wash your hair with warm water since hot water stimulates sebum production and leads to greasy hair. Seal the hair cuticle with cool water.

SIX. Eat well. Protein, omega-3's, and fruits and veggies are good for your hair. Junk food is not. And it's not good for your body. Are you shocked? #dontbe