Wednesday, December 28, 2011

How to Get Rid of your Dandruff!

Hey hey! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. New Year's is just around the corner...actually, it's this weekend. THIS YEAR HAS GONE BY TOO FAST! Hopefully our 2012 will be amazing and fun and full of new adventures. Anyways recently, my boyfriend and I were talking about his hair and how he gets dandruff sometimes. I had a dandruff problem when I was little and after the first time I ever dyed my hair..plus it's a common dilema. So today, I want to show you guys what causes Dandruff and how we can get rid of it with home remedies and products.

What Causes Dandruff?
Every day, our skin cells are renewing. This actually happens 24/7. On average, we tend to lose 487,000 cells because of this constant rejuvinating process. Dandruff occurs when the dead skin cells are maturing at a faster rate then normal and the skin cells become more clumpy, oily, and are significantly larger than normal dead skin cells. There are different factors as to why your skin will to shed more than normal. It could be the drastic weather change such as winter and summer when it is incredibly cold or hot.  It could also be your food intake or there may be something wrong with your health that your dandruff is trying to show you. Also, overuse of hair gels or sprays, harsh shampoos, and just exhaustion can be making your skin cells rejuvinate just a little too fast.

Now, let's move on to treatment...

How to Treat Dandruff...
There are many different ways you can treat your hair for dandruff. There are home remedies and there are special products specifically targeted towards dandruff. Why don't we start with the home remedies as usual...

Olive Oil - Heated olive oil is a great dandruff treatment. It's simple and everyone has olive oil in their house somewhere. Just warm up some olive oil, massage it into your hair, and rinse. Be sure to do it twice a week though! Olive oil will also condition and moisturize your hair, so it's a win win situation.

Coconut Oil - I've never heard nor seen coconut oil before, but it is used in Asia as a natural conditioner that also prevents dandruff. Not need for heat or anything, just apply the oil on to your hair and let it sit for about 30 minutes, then shower.

Tea Tree Oil - My mom used to make me use tea tree oil for everything...and it has a bit of a smell to it. But, it's an easy treatment. You can even add it to your current shampoo, so it's not like it's a difficult process. Just add 1 drop of tea tree oil for ever 1 oz of shampoo. You can even apply it directly to the scalp.

Vinegar - If you don't mind the smell of vinegar, then maybe this is for you. Sometimes, the residue from your shampoo or conditioner can make your scalp irritated and therefore cause dandruff. Vinegar is a great solution to eliminating the residue. Just mix 3 tablespoons of vinegar with a cup of water and just rinse your hair with it. You may not want to go anywhere right after...but as long as the dandruff goes, I'm sure you'll be happy.

There are more remedies that include lemon juice and limes, apple cider vinegar, and what not, but let's move on to helpful products!

Herbal essences "no flakin' way" Anti-Dandruff Shampoo - $4.19
This shampoo is easy to come by and it doesn't have an akward smell (which is the complaint of my boyfriend...). It smells fruity and delicious and also has high ratings and reviews from users. Plus, it's not that expensive and it comes in a cute bottle. ;) Very nice.

AVEDA scalp benefits Balance Shampoo - $13-$14
If you're willing to spend a little extra for a great shampoo, then this would be your best pick. With high ratings and fanastic reviews, I would definitely suggest this product. It does not weigh your hair down and keeps your hair looking refreshed. It is a tad bit expensive, but your also getting amazing quality because this shampoo does have natural ingredients featured in its formula.
JASON Tea Tree Oil Shampoo - $8.45
I have honestly never seen this shampoo in any store I've been to, but there are so many reccomendations and this shampoo has the highest rating I've seen out of all the others which is a 9.7 rating. This shampoo is hydrating and will leave your hair squeaky clean and soft. The tea tree oil is also beneficial! So you get a lot of goodies in just one bottle.

Well everyone, I hope you found this post helpful and full of useful information. Like I said, New Year's is coming up and I want to wish you all a safe holiday and hopefully I will post again before the New Year! I am so thrilled. I hope you all take care and have a wonderful rest of the week!
Thanks for Reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae





Sunday, December 25, 2011

Very Merry Christmas!

Hello! Hello! Hello! Well I'm sure you know what today was...
IT'S CHRISTMAS
I hope everyone's Christmas was enjoyable and amazing. I had a wonderful week and a blessed Christmas. This week, I learned how to ice skate while at a surprise birthday party for a friend of mine and Anthony's. It was so fun...and easy. Then we headed out to P.F. Chang's for her birthday dinner and oh my gosh. They had the most amazing shrimp lo mein I have ever tasted in my life. So yummy. And their mango tea was great too, although they refilled it with sweet tea. Another treat was that I got to see my best friend, Cait, on Friday. I've known her all throughout high school and she has been my friend through thick and thin. She's been there when my life was spiraling downwards and when it improved. It was so nice to catch up and exchange gifts. :) She also made dinner and I brought dessert. It was nice and refreshing to spend some girl time.
Anyways...today was such a happy day. My heart has been fluttering all day. I woke up to a beautiful day outside. It wasn't a white Christmas, but it was still a lovely day that brought a smile to my face. (I don't like the snow anyways, muahahaha!) Anthony come over in the morning for breakfast and to open the gifts my parents got him. He was happy with his Timberland fleece and cashmere scarf. And he even gave me one of my gifts which was a beautiful diamond cross with a heart around it. And on the back it says "I am Loved." It is my first cross ever. I love it so much. So, we spent some time with my family, then we headed over to his house to spend time with his and open up more gifts. His mom got me the cutest slippers and some awesome smelling goodies from bath and body works. She is so sweet! And Anthony got me a Snoopy Shirt and a Hello Kitty shirt along with a Coach bag. :) So cute! He really does spoil me.
But I think the one thing that made my heart flutter was just being surrounded by people who love me or at least care for me. Everyone seemed in such good spirits. I couldn't help but smile when I got home. I can't wait for 2012 and what it has to bring. Anyways guys, I'm going to go to bed and watch the 3rd and 4th seasons of "The Big Bang Theory". I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! I will see you all next time soon!
Merry Christmas from Anthony and Me!
(Don't mind the messy hair! We just woke up..)
Thanks for reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae

P.S. - I hope you all like the new banner and colors! I am slowly working on the blog, so be please be patient with me!! I'm so happy it's coming together now! And also, we've reached 400 views! :) It's the simple things that will bring a smile to my face. Be on the lookout for a review video on Aveeno's Daily Moisturizing Lotion!! Take care everyone!


Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Treating Eczema~! Best Lotions and Home Remedies for the Job.

Hey everyone! Winter is finally here and it's the worst season for my skin. Unfortunately, winter is when my eczema acts up and becomes visible and itchy. I never get it any other time of the year, just the dry winter season. So, I know there are others who have this problem so why not find a solution?
For me, I get eczema on my shins and ankles. Luckily, I can hide it, but I still feel the need to itch and it's just a little embarrassing knowing that there's this rash on my leg...ugh. So what is eczema?

Eczema is a form of dermatitis,[2] or inflammation of the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin). - Wikipedia

It's a pain in the butt, but it can be tamed and your skin can be restored~! I am always looking for natural and less expensive ways to treat anything regarding skin and hair...and I'VE FOUND SOME FOR ECZEMA. :) You don't really need like full on recipes, but just the simplest ingredients will help!

Apple Cider Vinegar - Honestly, I'm not an apple cider fan...let alone mixed with vinegar? However, many people who have eczema have found that it does help. I heard it tastes...terrible, to say the least. But if you can manage it, all you have to do is drink 2 tablespoons a day with a glass of water and rubbing apple cider vinegar on the affected areas, you should have clearer skin in no time.

Coconut Oil - I'm not a big fan of coconuts either, but coconut oil helps in the same way apple cider vinegar does if not better. Just drink 3 tablespoons of coconut oil and also rubbing it on the affected areas. It's inexpensive and coconut oil is easy to find.

Aloe Vera - I love aloe vera. Aloe vera has been something my family uses for everything from eczema to sun burn. It is nice and cool and very soothing to inflammed skin. It will lessen any inflammation and promote healing to the affected area. Aloe vera can be found in different products, but it is a plant in it's rawest form! I suggest the plant overall.

Oatmeal - Oatmeal is one of the most beautiful things ever. I have found oatmeal the most effective when it comes to my eczema. You can use oatmeal based products, which is what I use...OR you can try a good ol' oatmeal bath. The oatmeal bath will soothe irritation and itchy skin and also cleanse the skin of any causes of the irritation. It's easy and relaxing.

Now that we've got some simple and natural ways to take care of eczema...why don't we just take a look at some products that I suggest for taming your eczema!

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion $5-$10
I have been using this lotion ever since the cold season hit and I love it. I highly reccomend it because it is an oatmeal based product. It is fragrance free and is great for sensitive skin, such as eczema.

Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Lotion $6.49
I've never used this specific lotion, but when I got my tattoos...this brand was my choice. When you get a tattoo, the healing process is a bit much. Your skin will become itchy because it is an open wound and is healing. So I bought Eucerin. From the reviews I've read, it is a miracle worker for eczema. It's not that expensive and it is also fragrance free and dermatologist reccomended.

Vaseline Cocoa Butter Smoothing Body Butter $5.99
I have not tried this product, but it has been reviewed highly by people who have eczema. It is great for sensitive skin and people who have severe eczema. The cocoa butter and shea butter allows the skin restore it's healthy glow and moisturizes and conditions the skin making it soft and smooth.

Anyways guys, that's it for today! December 26, I will be filming a Christmas haul video and possibly another video before New Year's Eve/Day! I hope you all have an amazing week and Happy Christmahannukwanzika! May all your Holiday wishes come true!
Thanks for reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae
P.S. - May I suggest you all to follow http://kaycaitsdailyranting.blogspot.com/ ? I've known this girl all throughout high school and trust me, she's got a lot to say! I love her to death and she's mah best fran. :D Haha, so definitely check her blog out and give her some followers! <3

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

A personal post for Today~

Hey everyone! It's been a while since my last personal post...I'm sorry! I've been focused~! MY FINALS ARE THIS WEEK. Wednesday to be exact. I am far from excited but I am as ready as I possibly can be. Ugh...
So, what's happened since my last post...
Well, me and Anthony celebrated our anniversary. It was so relaxing...although I had some freakin' terrible cramps. We spent most of the day at home just laying down and watching TV. I gave him his gifts and even made him breakfast since he was taking me out to dinner. It was truly wonderful. I gave him a ring with the three crosses at Calvary on it. Inside had Philippians 4:13. The dinner was great! It was Anthony's first time eating a Korean meal, but he seemed to enjoy it.
It was really nice and romantic in our own way. We aren't the type to do extravagant things, but when we get the chance to get away or go out to eat, we cherish it. And this was a day/night that I cherish. So anyways...here is what we got each other for our anniversary..
Our rings. He gave me mine a couple days earlier. He couldn't bear to wait. The night he gave it to me, he had to say something before letting me see the ring. I really don't want to post it on here because it was personal and very heartfelt for us both...but best believe I was crying my eyes out of happiness. It's not an engagement ring, but it kind of feels more than that to me. I love Anthony. :) He brings the biggest, dorkiest smile out of me.

And honestly, that's really the only big thing that's happened. Right now, I'm sitting in the living room watching "The Big Bang Theory" in Anthony's sweatpants. We just got done decorating the Christmas tree. I finished my Christmas shopping today which was great...but expensive. However, I felt God saying that he will help me pay for Christmas this year...and he gave me a well paying job to pay for Christmas, Israel, and my car payment. So, I'm not worried about it.
Tomorrow, I have my college finals. I think I will do fine on my accounting final...but my math final...I'mma need prayer for that one. I am good at algebra...but this math requires logic and truth tables and venn diagrams and p's and q's and GEOMETRY which is beyond my comprehension. It's wierd though. I'm good at accounting but I'm terrible at math. Ugh, oh well. I will let you all know how I did soon! Maybe...if it's not terrible. :) Anyways, I'm going to leave you all with...I don't know. A word for thought. And the word is...
PUDDING

Alright guys! I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and I think my next post will be a review on my Aveeno oatmeal based lotion! Or the St.Ives Green Tea scrub. We'll see, haha! Bye everyone.
Thanks for reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Seasonal Skin Benefits of December~! Time for Tomato!

Hey everyone! I am so happy to be posting about tomatoes. I recently came across a product I was interested in and it's main ingredient was tomatoes. So I'm so excited because I just found out that tomatoes are normally in season in December. So, this month's seasonal benefits is TOMATOES.
Everytime I think of tomatoes, I think of cold and cooling. Well...that's why we use raw tomatoes on our skin. They have lypocene and anti-oxidants that are soooo...amazing and good for our skin. It is an amazing...fruit? (Or is it a vegetable??) And I will be sure to include some tomato-based products for you to try! So, why are tomatoes so good for our skin?

If you have Large Pores...
If you have large pores, you are more prone to infection and acne because dirt can settle in easier. What I keep seeing and highly suggest is just mixing fresh tomato juice and lime juice and applying it to your skin REGULARLY for 15 minutes a day and rinsing. This will clean out your pores and, as I said regularly, will shrink your pores. Thus, making you less prone to access dirt in your pores.

If you have Acne...
I have been prone to acne since I was little. For the first time in my life, it's actually managable. But, I'm always looking for products that help and are natural and organic. I've found those products to be most effective. So, knowing that tomatoes help with acne is awesome. Tomatoes are acidic, and their acidity does dissolve and reduce the dirt which will clean your acne. Tomatoes are also rich is Vitamin C and Vitamin A and even Vitamin K. So it also nourishes your skin while cleaning it.

If you have Excess Oil...
Excess oil is one of my major causes of acne. What you can do is combine tomato juice with an avocado and leave it on for 20-30 minutes. After you rinse, you should notice you face is less oily. You can also use cucumber juice instead of avocado if you like. Either should do the job, it's all about preferences and whether or not you're allergic to one or the other.

If you have Blackheads...
I tend to get blackheads on my nose...that's where the most oil on my face is and it's terrible. Thankfully, tomatoes can help get rid of those blackheads! For this, I would highly suggest the tomato and avocado mask because tomatoes have repellent substances which removes the blackheads while the avocado has the antiseptic and moisturizing properties which will cleanse and moisturize your face.

If you have Inflammation...
Inflammation is like redness of your skin. It can be caused by irritation from itching, a sun-burn, or another type of irritation. If you really want to soothe the inflammation, mix half of tomato that is freshly grated along with natural or organic yogurt. Both are cold and will instantly soothe the inflammation. The yogurt will give your skin protein which will make you skin soft and the tomato will neutralize your skin. It will feel so good. I promise!!

Here is a video plus. I love BubzBeauty's channel because she knows so much about skin care and hair care is she just seems so sweet and helpful. I love to feature her videos on here because they are helpful and easy to do. So...here is a short video on her DIY Tomato mask! I hope you enjoy and feel free to subscribe to her youtube channel!



Tomatoes will help your skin stay healthier and also make your skin appear younger and make it glow. Plus tomatoes are easy to get and there are plenty of tomato-based products out there. Here are the few I would try and reccomend...
Tomato-Based Products to Try...
Yes To Tomatoes Facial Starter Kit
I have seen this brand on amazon but you can also get it at Target for about $20. The Yes To brand also has 2 other facial starter kits with carrots and cuccumbers. But this one specifically uses tomatoes as it's main ingredient to promote perfectly balanced skin. It's unscented and is best used for oily-skin and it comes with 4 items which includes a tomato mask. So, I would highly suggest this for everyone. It's a great deal for an organic brand.

SkinFood Tomato Whitening Line
I've never used a SkinFood product before...but the reviews I've seen have been everything but negative. You can get SkinFood products on amazon and also at sasa.com. They also have other tomato products like hand lotion. This line is meant to brighten up dull skin, help clear your skin, and improve your skin tone. They also include organic acids which help dissolve the dirt in your skin and make it clearer. So, if you're willing to pay $20 per item in this line I would suggest it.
Well everyone! That's all I have for you today!!! I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope it was beneficial. Let me know if you have any of the products above or have tried any tomato facial masks. I would love to hear your stories and reviews! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend~! Take care and stay blessed!
Thanks for reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae