Review: Lavera Sensitive with SPF

My thoughts: Too waxy. Even in super hot weather still too hard for my liking. The Titanium Dioxide doesn't visibly whiten upon application, but some hours later there are white patches on my lips. And it's only SPF 5 with Titanium Dioxide being ingredient nr7. Not very moisturising either, my lips feel dry after a while.

I use it for sunny days but like to layer some Silk Naturals lippie on top.

No significant smell. Lots of good ingredients but the makers should cut half of the waxes and butters and change for oils.

 
My rating: 2/5

Truth seeking: North Korea Exposes the Western Propaganda

Full length documentary film of 1h 35mins really REALLY worth watching from beginning to the end.
As always, thinking for yourself highly encouraged.

Artwork: Portrait of Olivia

Olivia (4 years old)

It's a portrait of size 38x30 cm (15"x12")
Medium used: Gouache on canvas sheet

 ready for framing

Dying my hair black with henna

This is my natural hair color, a very dark brown:

And as I like it more black, but I want to avoid harsh chemical hair colors, I tried the "black" henna.
Btw my favorite conventional dye used to be L'oreal Casting Creme Gloss in "ebony black" some years ago. A nice natural black, not a bluish black. Now I refrain from this toxic stuff.


First henna I used was a prepacked powdered mix of henna and indigo herbs (Lawsonia inermis and Indigofera tinctoria) that I got here. This henna powder felt  somewhat grainy, not finely milled. I used 2 packs of 100g each for my long hair.That's about 6€ per coloring.
My experience: I mixed very hot water with the powder, added a few drops of lemon and applied. The application was A LOT more messy than expected. I kept it under shower cap and a towel for 2 hours. I shampooed it right away (no sulfates). It washed out purplish-blue water.

My hair got visibly darker (to me anyway, not that anyone actually noticed), and lightly covered my grays. But it felt oh so dry and brittle when combing because I didn't use any oil in the mixture. 
I haven't had used any silicone stuff on my hair for some time prior to this coloring, but I moisturized my hair with coconut oil two washes ahead. I didn't notice any change in shine or condition of my hair after this dying.

Another one that I used 3 months later, was SANTE's powdered hair color. This one according to ingredients list contains two different indigoes and no henna herb. But it looks the same like the previous one, a green herb powder. Felt finer milled than the previous one. I got this with discount, but regular price was about 8€. I managed to use one box of 100g for one dye job.
My experience: I mixed very hot water with this powder and added about 2 spoonfuls of coconut oil.
I kept it under shower cap (was inside the box) and a towel for 3 hours.
Application and also the washing was a bit easier due to the oil content. It left my hair greasy but I shampooed only on the next day (no sulfates). This one washed out green water :)
The result was about the same like the
previous henna. The blackness has mostly washed out since then so now I got it blacker again.





My result color:


Looks darker than my natural color, black-brown,
in direct sunlight it's a deep coffee brown as opposed to reddish brown of my natural color.
Same results achieved with both products.
Worth the mess and price? Hard question.
Hopefully it does my hair good at least.

Close-ups of a before completely white hair now irregularly colored from henna:

Read fortune from my palm
anyone? lol

Things to remember: 
*Use natural (and preferably sulphate free) shampoo and silicone free conditioner at least for 3 washes before using henna so it can adhere to the hair. Otherwise it won't.
*Use small amount of oil (preferably jojoba or coconut) in the mixture, it will condition the hair during the dye job but won't seal off the color like silicones do.


Based on positive reviews, I plan to try the "Caca Noir" from Lush. In that case I will add up and update this review.

Chewinggum is bad for you

I used to be lightly addicted to chewing gums few years back, chewing on up to 5 minty treats a day. Once I approached a healthier lifestyle and learned to understand the ingredients, I just decided to stop. I finished my last bottle (!) of gums and had not bought one since then. And I got used to their absense very fast and I don't miss them at all.  

The "food babe" from foodbabe.com has written a great post about the bad side of chewing gums, I suggest you read it and make your mind: http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/09/wanna-a-piece-of-gum/

It's a trap! 

Read the ingredients, that's what you ingest and absorb through your mouth's tissue.

My artwork: Mike's family

It's a portrait of size 60 x 40 cm ( 23" x 16" ).
Medium used: gouache on canvas.

detail

Process of the painting:

The origin of TAUPE color

I found out by accident that "taupe" means a mole in French, just like "topo" in Spanish. And it has that greyish brown color indeed, at least in this picture :)

One interesting tip written here is that used cat-litter repels moles from your garden! Good to know :)

Good habits to combat acne

Not only good cleansing, good sleep, quality natural cosmetics, not only healthy eating and drinking plenty of water is the key. Have you ever realized there are common mistakes, that trigger acne and problem skin, that you may do everyday?

Your check list to consider: 

~ Changing your pillow case very often, it absorbs grease and dirt of your face and hair when you sleep 

~ Washing your hair regularly. Your hair (especially long hair or oily hair) accumulates sebum from scalp and dust and this is then touching your face. Also careful when applying oils to moisturize or leave-in conditioners (silicones and all the "-cone" and "-xane" stuff clogs pores).

~ Cleaning your make up brushes and tools, at least once a week, with soap and running warm water, if you use them daily

~ Stop touching your face if not necessary. Wash your hands before you do anything to your face or use clean cotton bud and such. And don't do the bored "fist on cheek/chin" pose when sitting at a table. And don't tap a pen or a pencil on your face either, thinking can be done without it.

~ Blot away sweat and oil gently with a clean tissue, any simple smooth dry tissue or handkerchief will do. Avoid blotting paper that is infused with anything or have ingredients.

~ Keep your glasses clean

~ Don't press your phone on your face, when you make a call, hold it some space away.

Good luck with a more beautiful skin! 

Truth seeking: Disarmament leads to Democide

Pets

To all those who keep animal slaves and call them "pets".....

.....I really wish you thought harder.

Say NO to palm oil

Palm oil is used in about everything - from food, cosmetics to industrial use. Its worldwide demand is rapidly growing, but did you know how it's obtained and what damage to nature, animals and people does the Indonesian palm oil production make? Read on SAY NO TO PALM OIL

Tags:
Aceite de Palma, African Palm Oil, Crude Palm Oil, Elaeis guineensis, Elaeis melanococca, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Huile de Palme, Main Ja, Oil Palm Tree, Palm, Palm Fruit Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Oil Carotene, Red Palm Oil, Indonesian Palm Oil, Carotino

Welcome to Madrid #3 : Police brutality

I want to share an article with videos about police brutality in Spain happening at protesting riots. Contains violence, but overlooking injustice will not make it go away. Truth is to be seen and done.
http://www.care2.com/causes/why-u-s-media-wont-show-you-the-these-protests.html