The Do's and Don'ts of: The Healthy Hair Diet

                                        

                                                  The Healthy Hair Diet

Drop the french fries & frozen meals! Hair La Vie explains the top food do’s and don’ts for healthy, long hair

You are what you eat. “Taking vitamins are a great way to help make your hair fuller and grow faster. But while you're patiently waiting, a change in your diet can make a huge difference and even help expedite the process”, explains Carla Rivas, hairstylist and co-founder of the all-natural hair growth vitaminHair La Vie.

“Any foods that would make you breakout, such as those filled with sugars and grease are going to cause a buildup on your scalp that's going to affect the way your hair feels, looks and grows. Anything that irritates your skin (think ice cream) will bother your scalp, which can damage your hair follicle. A damaged hair follicle will either grow weak hair or not grow hair at all.”

Top Food Don’ts

1. Sweet Treats

Sugary foods like your favorite candies or cupcakes cause your insulin level to rise, which also causes an increase in androgen (a male hormone) in your body. This hormone is known for causing hair follicles to shrink or become irritated. This leads to hair thinning and hair loss.

2. Greasy Foods

The grease form fatty meats like fried chicken and french fries can cause more secretion on the scalp. Also, a lot of the time after eating greasy foods people touch their face and hair without washing their hands. This causes both acne and damage to the hair. You need a clean, debris free scalp or your hair will not grow healthy and your follicle could be damaged.

3. Salty Foods

Think chips and canned/frozen meals. Consuming a lot of salty meals and snacks will dry your hair out and leave it weak, lifeless and breaking.

4. Low Protein, Filler Foods

Starches like pasta and a lot of cereals which can be low in protein will leave your hair limp and unhealthy. That bounce and shine most ladies want is not possible without a healthy dose of protein.

Top Food Do’s

People should be eating nutrient and antioxidant rich foods like fruits and vegetables. These help hydrate your scalp and strengthen your hair.

1. Eggs

Eggs contain the protein, zinc and iron that your hair and body needs. Zinc benefits for hair include promotion of cell reproduction, tissue growth and repair of broken tissues. It also maintains the oil-secreting glands that are attached to your hair follicles, thus decreasing their chances of falling out.

2. Tomatoes

Tomatoes have antioxidants that aid in scalp circulation. A healthy scalp leads to happy hair. Add to a salad or mix into your favorite dish for a pop of color and tons of fresh flavor.

3. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is an amazing source of protein, vitamin B5 and vitamin D. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is great for keeping the scalp clean and free from film and debris. This keeps the follicles from becoming irritated and promotes healthy, strong hair growth.  Add fruit, nuts and granola for an energizing midday snack.

4. Lean Protein

Opt for healthy lean protein sources like grilled chicken or baked salmon. Your hair is made of protein so it only makes sense that you're going to want to enjoy nice lean proteins. If your diet lacks protein your body will begin rationing the protein left which will lead to hair loss. Protein also has the iron you need for healthier, beautiful hair.

What's your opinion about the Healthy Hair Diet? Do you think you could make these changes to your everyday diet?  Let me know in the comments! 

Back to School Basic Must Haves for Junior High Students - #JustACallAway

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #JustACallAway #CollectiveBias 

As I sit here to write this article sharing our short list of back to school basic must haves for Junior High students, I still can't believe that my Lil Diva will be in seventh grade this school year.  To look at her now, realizing that in a just a few more years she will be in High School then leaving for college makes me want to throw myself on the floor, curl up in the fetus position - and just stay there! 

Sounds like someones being a tad dramatic, huh?   

I guess you can say I'm getting way ahead of myself , but none the less, she will be in her second year of Junior High as of next Wednesday, August 26. 

As a junior high student her school schedule, as well as her classwork will be more structured and detailed from what it was last school year.  Although changes to classwork and schedules are to be expected, at least the overall requirements set by her school, Columbus City Preparatory School for Girls, are for the most part, relatively standard. 

However, as she gets older, her list of "must haves", has changed drastically as you'll see in our list of back to school basics listed below.  

If you happen to be in a similar situation where your student is beginning Junior High (or even High School) this school year, please consider all of the follow recommendations. 

1. MOBILE SERVICE 

In addition to the standard list of school supplies every student needs, a reliable mobile service is certainly one of our top must haves for our daughter. Now that she is more independent and responsible for getting to her bus stop on time, having a cell phone helps.  She can call me from the bus stop in the mornings, stay in contact with me or her dad during the day as well as after school hours while she is busy with her after school activities. 

We did some research on several different mobile services before deciding that the Walmart Family Mobile (WFM) 4G LTE service was the best option for her. 

For starters, the WFM service is only $29.88/month (for the first line) with unlimited talk, text & data which includes up to 1G of 4G LTE data. 

Not only was the service price a great starting point, but the phone she selected - Samsung Grand Prime ($149) - also convinced us (especially her dad, as he is the tech guru of the family) that Walmart Family Mobile was the best option for her. 

Disclosure: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to this page or Walmart for current pricing. 

On her new phone she is able to set an alarm to wake up in the morning, check what the weather will be like so she can wear the correct uniform, keep track of school closings or delays with the Good Day Columbus app, stay on track with the school bus by following them on Twitter and of course, have all the emergency contact info stored in her phone. 

Now that she is getting older and gaining more independence, she can use her cell phone to stay in contact with both myself and her dad at any given time during her day.  I like knowing that she is #JustACallAway . 

2. PLANNER / AGENDA

A day planner or student agenda is not always included on the school supply list, but in my opinion it is a must have for any junior high student.  Last year, she learned what it's like to move from class to class each one having a different teacher and different class rules.  Having her agenda with her during the day, she is able to keep track of her class assignments, daily homework, project due dates, and test schedules. 

3. EXTERNAL HARD-DRIVE / USP PORT 

At first I thought purchasing her a hard-drive was a bit too much, but I have to admit that having one just for her has certainly come in handy.  When there is a project due or any extra credit work offered, she can begin working on it during her homeroom or study class using the computers at CCPSG and save her in-progress work onto her device.  This way she doesn't have to be bothered with printing her work or loosing her notes - all her work is nicely saved in one convenient place. 

4. TRAPPER KEEPER 

With all the different classes she'll be attending, walking around school with several books and folders in her arms can be difficult and tiresome.  Yes, she does have a locker, but going to her locker to switch out her notebooks will not always be an option. To make it easier for herself, she decided that the trapper keeper she used last school year would come in handy. Inside she has a small pouch that holds her pencils/pens and using the dividers, she keeps her main folders and notes neatly organized inside. 


Of course all school supply lists require the essentials like notebooks, folders, pencils, loose leaf paper, binders, etc; but the four listed here today can certainly help your student during this upcoming school year. 

Looking at our back to school basic must have list for Junior High students, is there anything you would add? 

Back to School: The Rosette Embellished Ponytail Tutorial

Today's easy diy hair tutorial is perfect everyone, especially those of you who are going back to school.  

According to  Latest-Hairstyles.com contributor Melissa Cook, "this rosette embellished ponytail takes the same amount of time as a regular ponytail and is ten times cuter than the average pony look." 

What You Need:

– brush
– two clear elastic bands
– four to five bobby pins
– medium hold hairspray

The Rosette Embellished Ponytail Tutorial:

Step 1

Begin by brushing through the hair to remove any tangles and part the hair in the preferred spot. Separate off small sections of hair on each side of the head.

Step 2

Bring the two sections to the back of the head and over the rest of the hair, then tie it together with an elastic band.

Step 3

Now braid this small ponytail section into a basic three-strand braid and tie off the end with a second elastic band.

Step 4

Roll the braid up and towards towards the elastic band at the top, creating a rosette shape.

Step 5

Pin down the edges of the rosette with four to five bobby pins, making sure they stay hidden underneath.

Step 6

Spray the style with a medium hold hairspray and you are ready to go!

Can you see yourself recreating this rosette embellished ponytail?  

Switching to Electronic Cigarettes with blu PLUS+ eCigs

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias Inc and its advertiser. Readers must be 18 years of age or older. All opinions are mine alone.   #bluPLUS  #CollectiveBias 

If you have been following this blog for a while, then you know that I do not share a lot of information about my other half...my "partner in crime" and soulmate. 

I have good reasons why I prefer to keep Him a mystery - mainly because I am selfish and do not like to share him, but the biggest reason is that He is not about the blogger/online life. He loves his privacy and I deeply respect that. 

Although that last statement is true, there is one aspect of His life that I am going to share with you today and that's: He is a semi-heavy smoker. Of course, this is a habit I was well aware of from the very start of our relationship, but what I wasn't prepared for was the fact that I would eventually get annoyed by it. 

Annoyed?  

Yes, extremely...annoyed. Here's why.

My biggest pet peeve of His smoking habit is the odor that's left lingering behind. If you live, or have lived with a smoker, you know exactly what I am talking about.  The odor is similar to that of a dirty old ashtray filled with empty filters and ashes.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying the He leaves all his smoking 'ish around the house. Not at all. He does his best to keep everything downstairs in his man cave, but the issue is: I can still smell it. 

Since all my previous attempts at helping Him curve his habit have failed miserably, I decided to take another approach: 

I convinced Him to try blu PLUS+ e-Cigs. 

blu PLUS+ is an electronic cigarette. I gave Him the Xpress Kit which includes 2 blu tanks, blu PLUS battery and a USB charger.   I'm going to guess that you know what a USB charger is, so let me break down what the blu tanks are and how the blu PLUS battery all works. 

Step by Step tutorial on putting the blu PLUS+ eCig together

1. blu PLUS+ Xpress Kit 

2. Once opened, inside the Xpress kit are the 2 blu tanks, blu PLUS battery and a USB charger. 

3. The 2 blu tanks (this is what holds the flavor) + blu PLUS battery (this is the part used to inhale the vapor)

4. After separating  the 2 blu tanks, peel the back of packaging to remove the tank. 

5. Upclose look at the blu tank

6. On the top of blu PLUS battery there is a small "peel here" sticker 

7. Remove sticker to expose the top (this is where you inhale the vapor)

8. The blu tank has a tiny rubber casing that you remove to expose a screw

9. Taking both the flavor tank + battery, screw these two together to assemble the eCig

10. The assembled blu PLUS+ eCig

11. As you inhale the vapor, the e-Cig will have a bright blue light. 

As you can see, putting the kit together is simple and straight forward, but is blu PLUS+ worth it? 

Yes, it most definitely is.  

According to Him, although using the e-cig is not exactly the same as smoking his traditional cig, it does get "the job done".  After experimenting with the Vivid Vanilla tanks that we were given, He wanted to see if there were other flavor options to choose from, so we decided to check out the blu PLUS+ website to see what they have to offer. 

 

After noticing all the products with different nicotine strengths and flavors (these are available online only), He chose the Magnificent Menthol in High strength, since this is the option most comparable to what he was smoking in the past.  

In addition to being able to customize His e-cig, he quickly noticed just how convenient blu PLUS+ is. The battery is rechargeable - it can be plugged in whenever it runs low or charged overnight. The e-cig is also travel friendly in the sense that He can take it with him everywhere he goes. If He needs to, he can also have his e-cig charging in the car waiting for him after he gets off work. 

And of course, the best part of blu PLUS+ is that it is 100% odorless! 

Since there is technically no "smoke" with this e-cig, the stale smell of ashtray is no longer in His man cave or the vehicles we drive.  When He smokes, all you can see is the vapor that is blown out. 

Overall, I have to say that I am impressed with blu PLUS+. I know that I am not the smoker in the family, but I know He feels the same way (even if he chooses not to confess it!). 

At this point, even if it has only been a few weeks, I am very hopeful that this alternative to traditional cigarettes will help Him curve his habit eventually overtime... that's all this lady can hope for. 

If you are a smoker, or know someone who smokes that would like to give blu PLUS+ a try now's your chance. 

blu PLUS+  is now offering their Xpress kit (like the one I received) with a free pack of tanks for only $14.99 (regularly priced at $30).  

Place your order today because this offer is only available while supplies last. 

Connect with blu on social media to stay informed on everything - including when they have giveaways and prizes. 

You can find them on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest. 

Have you or anyone close to you ever tried using e-cigs as an alternative to traditional smoking?  I'd love to hear your story... 

MOTD Spotlight : Starlooks Looksbook

Happy Saturday Beautiful ;) 

You may be surprised to see that a new article is being posted on the weekend, but it just so happens that there is a very good reason why. 

But, before getting into that .... 

If you follow me on Instagram (@latinflavadesigns) you may have seen the above photo shared about three days ago. In the post, I shared that everything in this photo was used to create my MOTD (makeup of the day).  Some of these products just happen to be staples in my makeup collection, but three of them were received a few weeks ago and have quickly become favorites. 

The three makeup products I am referring to were received in my most recent Starlooks - The Looksbook Box: Skin Perfecting Blush in "Rose Gold", "High Life" Liquid Illuminator and lastly, Eye Pencil in "Noir". 


Let's begin with the Skin Perfecting Blush in "Rose Gold" 

This limited edition blush is described as "soft, all-in-one highlighting, bronzing, and shimmering blush powder". 

When describing this blush, I would have to agree with the description above.  The formula is pigmented, not glittery or overly metallic. 

Application is very easy. I like using a dual fiber stippling brush to apply this on the upper part of my cheeks. 

The rose gold color is perfect for creating a bronzy cheek. 







Next up: "High Life" Liquid Illuminator "

For the most part, I tend to stay away from liquid highlighters, but I did give this one a try. 

Although this limited edition highlighter comes in a tube, using the doe foot applicator allows for precise application across the top of your cheeks, under the arch of your eyebrow,  even on the top of your cupids bow. 

I have used this in all three places and I really liked it. I was pleasantly surprised that this liquid/cream highlighter worked extremely well on oily skin. 






Lastly : "Noir" Longwear Eye Pencil

For long-wearing power, kohl pencils are the best to use - this one is no different. 

The formula is super creamy, highly pigmented and lasts on the eyes like no ones business. 

I used this to tight-line my upper eyelid and not only did it glide on beautifully, it did not smudge, burn my eyes, transfer onto my contacts or fade away. 

Even the swatch I made on my arm didn't want to come off - I had to scrub it off ;) 







My favorite (and yours, I hope) part: swatches: 

Swatches from bottom : High Life , Noir Longwear Pencil, Rose Gold Blush

Now that you have seen photos of my new favorite Starlooks makeup products, allow me to fill you in on their new box : LooksBook 

Each LooksBook by Starlooks will contain fashion forecasted, pro quality, HD photo-compatible color Perfect Size® cosmetics tucked into a convenient, educational 'Book'.(Side Note: These Perfect Size® cosmetics are not sample size - rather 3/4th's of a full size product, perfect for traveling, or carrying around in your makeup bag.)

To become an exclusive LooksBook member, visit Starlooks website HERE

As a member, you'll receive your very own makeup box delivered to your door each month for only $12 / month + FREE domestic shipping. 

Each box will have: 

• three (3) Perfect Size® Starlooks pro cosmetic products
• a travel size "book" to carry your three makeup items in (this will help keep your makeup clean, safe and travel friendly)
• tips + tutorials on how to apply the makeup like a pro

Now it's your turn: 

What type of HD pro quality makeup are you looking forward to receiving in your future LooksBook box?  

Beauty Guide: How to Apply Your Skin-Care Products

Learning how to apply your skin-care products may sound trivial, but knowing the best method to do this should be considered as something important. 

Think of it this way - skin-care products are not exactly cheap. Even if you choose to use drugstore brands, these products will still cost you on average about $10 - $25 + depending on the brand you purchase from. And that cost is just for one product alone. We all know that the average woman uses at least a minimum of 3 -4 skin-care products everyday. 

So, if you are going to be spending money on several skin-care products every 30 days or so, you might as well learn how to get the most benefit from them.  ( gurl, you want to get yo' monies worth, right?!)

To give you a step-by-step guide, Total Beauty created the following info-graph: 

The Only Way Ever to Apply Your Skin-Care Products

This is certainly the only skin care application guide you'll ever need to refer to. By following this user-friendly guide, you will be on your well on your way to seeing the many benefits of your skin care products.



Were you already following any of these steps?  How do you apply your skin care products?