Cleaning Your Home The Natural Way

 I have became overwhelmed by all the information about toxins in household cleaners. Determined to make healthy choices for my family and the environment, I am switching to natural cleaners. 

Here are some great homemade cleaning products.

ROOM DEODORIZER
Commercial deodorizers can be harmful to your health. The American Lung Association cites them as a contributing factor to the spike in asthma cases. The Canadian Lung Association labels air fresheners as a hazardous product. It's no wonder that people are learning how to freshen their homes the natural way. 

If you have an odor issue, first get rid of it. Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet, and leave it out overnight in dishes around the problem areas. Baking soda has an amazing ability to suck up odor. Once you're odor neutral, it's time to add some pleasant scents to the home. Many people still choose to make potpourri, while gelatin room deodorizers and reed diffusers are more modern solutions. For myself, I like this simple spray solution:

Baking Soda

Water

Essential oil

Combine 4 cups of hot water with 1/4 cup baking soda and mix well. Add real lemon juice or your favorite essential oil. I like to alternate between lavender and grapefruit. When choosing oils, make sure you select pure essential oils, and not synthetic ones.

The options are endless. Natural cleaning solutions that can be made easily and inexpensively are becoming more popular. People are eagerly abandoning commercial cleaners and sharing their homemade secrets. Here are a few more tips I've gathered from friends. Share yours in the comments.

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons borax 

4-5 drop orange or lemon essential oil (citrus cuts grease) 

2 cups hot water

Combine all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well. If you need a little extra cleaning action, replace the baking soda with washing soda. Washing soda is twice as strong as baking soda. It's recommended that you wear gloves and a mask when cleaning with washing soda, but don't worry, it still passes the natural ingredient test, and will cut through your toughest dirt and grime.

SINK CLEANER
This sink cleaner is so simple you can whip up a paste for each use. 

3 tsp Lemon juice
3 tbs Cream of Tartar (you'll find it in the spice isle)

Combine the lemon juice and cream or tartar to make a paste. The proportions don't need to be exact, but the paste should be smooth and thick. Simply scrub it in gently and thoroughly then rinse it off to uncover your clean sink. 


OVEN CLEANER
Chemical oven cleaner is one if the harshest household solutions, one many of us would happily avoid. This organic solution is a great alternative, but it still requires that you practice some precaution; see theoven cleaner instructions for some other important tips

.

1/2 cup of salt
1/2 cup of baking soda
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of vinegar

Mix the ingredients together forming a thick paste. Cover any holes or openings with tin foil. Apply the mixture to the bottom and side walls of the oven. Leave overnight. Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup vinegar in a spray bottle. Use this solution to wash off the paste.

TOILET BOWL CLEANER

Chemical based bathroom cleaners are the hardest to part with. Somehow we feel like cleaning the bathroom needs to induce a toxic headache or it's not really working. Trying out recipes like this one fornatural toilet bowl cleaner is a great way to see just how well homemade solutions really clean. 

2 tbs baking soda
1 tbs olive oil
3-4 drops essential oil (optional)

Pour the baking soda and olive oil into your toilet bowl and scrub it with a toilet brush. Add in a few drops of scented oil as a deodorizer. 

WINDOW CLEANER

With six homemade window cleaners, Tip Nut has you covered. Their cleaners range from your standard vinegar solution to some more creative black tea concoctions, and I've had the most luck with this simple recipe:

1 gallon water
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbs lemon juice
Approx. 1 tbs dish detergent (liquid)

Mix all ingredients together and store in a container, ready to refill your spray bottle. The lemon juice and dish detergent will cut through those greasy hand-prints. Spray the cleaner on your window and wipe it with a microfiber cloth, newspaper, or squeegee. 

HAND SANITIZER

A pump in the bathroom, one in the kitchen, one in the playroom, three or four floating around the car and one in my purse; while it's true that nothing beats a good scrub with soap and hot water, for a family on the go hand sanitizers are essential. Here's how to make your own alcohol-free hand sanitizer:

1 cup pure aloe vera gel
1-2 tsp of witch hazel 
8 drops of essential oils of your choice

Combine all ingredients, adjusting until you have your desired consistency and stir well. Tea tree oil is the best disinfectant, but isn't safe for pregnant women, children or pets. Other recommended oils include orange, lemon and basil. This recipe, along with some alcohol-based solutions and additional tips are all available from No Ordinary Homestead.



Polish silverware: Fill your sink with hot water, sprinkle in some baking soda and add a sheet of tin foil. Let the silver soak for an hour, rinse and wipe clean.
Clean a vase or bottom of a container by adding rice to your cleaning solution. The rice scrubs all those hard to reach places!
Get rid of the smell in your sink by crushing orange or grapefruit peel in the garborator.
Sprinkle borax anywhere you've had rodent problems. They won't come near it.
Mop your floor with vinegar and hot water. Add a touch of olive oil for polish.

The Natural Way to Minimize Pores!

Pores are tiny hair follicles in the skin. They may take on a larger appearance when they are clogged with dirt or oil. They can also become larger due to the increase of dead skin cells that gather at the base of the pore. The most effective means of minimizing pores naturally is to keep them clear. This includes regular cleansing, exfoliating and care. Whether you choose to make your own skin care products at home or buy them, you can naturally reduce your pores with a few quality ingredients. Oats, cucumber, sugar, mint and even steam are some of the recommended components to look for or include. Here are a few suggestions for how to minimize pores naturally.

1. Clean your skin with a mild, all-natural soap. Cleansers with oatmeal, goat milk or cucumber are recommended for clearing pores.

2. Exfoliate the skin with an all-natural scrub. Whether you make your own or buy one, some good choices for exfoliating include ingredients such as sugar, whole oats or strawberry seeds. These items have a gritty texture that works well for removing dull, dead skin cells. Look for these and other exfoliants in natural skin care products or homemade product recipes.

3. Use an all-natural toner to deep clean your pores. Avoid products that contain alcohol or peroxide because these can dry your skin.

4. Try opening the pores with a steam bath. This can be done by boiling a pot of water on the stove and then putting your face directly over the steam for approximately 15 minutes. Or you can run hot water in the sink, place a towel over the back of your head and put your face down to catch the steam in your face as it rises. The towel will hang down the sides of your face and help trap the steam. The steam will help open the pores and clear away any residue.

5. Drink plenty of water every day. Hydrated skin not only has a more healthy appearance, but also assists in healing itself.

6. Mix a solution of apple cider vinegar and crushed mint leaves. Combine 2 tbsp. (30 ml) of each into a small glass bottle. Let the solution sit for 1 week then strain out the mint and add 1 cup (236 ml) of filtered water. Use this like a toner, preferably at night because it does have a strong vinegar odor.

7. Try a solution of baking soda and water. Stir 2 tbsp. (30 ml) of baking soda with a small amount of water until a paste forms. Apply this paste to your skin and allow it to dry for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

8. Apply ice directly to your skin for a quick fix. The cold will naturally shrink your pores temporarily and allow you time to apply make-up or sunblock without it getting deep into the pores and causing them to clog. Be sure to thoroughly cleanse away any make-up or sunblock as soon as you can.

9. Avoid smoking and second hand smoke whenever possible. Smoke reduces the amount of oxygen, blood and nutrients flowing to the skin. This inhibits the skin's ability to repair itself naturally

I did this because my birthday is coming up in 3 weeks and I want my skin to be in tip-top shape! Try some of the tips and let me know the results. I tried the baking soda clay mask and it really is miracle in a box. I immediately saw a change in my pores. Hope you all enjoy!

Goodbye, Pepsi Generation. Hello, Beyoncé Generation.

Pepsi, on Thursday, will attempt to launch its brand — and hired hand Beyoncé — into the pop-culture stratosphere with a 60-second commercial featuring the wildly popular pop singer. The spot, by ad agency 180 LA, launched at 9 a.m. ET Thursday on Pepsi's YouTube channel, features Beyoncé reliving her past and exploring her future while watching herself in a mirror dance to her new song, Grown Woman.

The move comes at a time when top-draw celebrities are increasingly calling the sponsorship shots as they reach for more creative control and push harder to embellish their own brands, even as they get paid millions to hype sponsor brands.

Earlier this week, rapper Jay-Z announced he's opening his own sports agency to represent top athletes — including Yankees star Robinson Cano. LeBron James, whose brand is global and who even has part-ownership of a British soccer team, has said he became a businessman the first day he stepped onto an NBA court. And Justin Timberlake now considers only wide-ranging sponsorship deals with a chunk of creative control.

"We're entering the age of the celebrity industrial complex," says Patricia Martin, author of Renaissance Generation: The Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What it Means to Your Business. "It's no longer about taking a fee, but about two brands coming together so they both move product."

Martin traces the beginnings of this evolution back several decades to the heydays of basketball legend Michael Jordan and singer Michael Jackson. Since then, she says, the power of the celebrity has grown multidimensional with the rise of social-media celebrity packaging.

"Celebrities don't just want creative approval anymore," says Noreen Jenney Laffey, president of Celebrity Endorsement Network. "They want creative control."

Beyonce performed during this year's Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show in New Orleans.(Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Beyoncé will have much of that, and more, including:

• Song power. Her new song, Grown Woman, will be seen and heard by more than 1 billion people worldwide by the time the campaign ends.

• Design power. Beyoncé will help design the new cans with her image that will be handed out at special Pepsi-sponsored events — but not sold in stores. Pepsi will sponsor her upcoming concert tour.

• Content power. Beyoncé will play a role in establishing the Pepsi Creative Development Fund, which will be devote to the co-creation of innovative consumer content.

"She is at the epicenter of pop culture," says Brad Jakeman, president of PepsiCo's Global Beverages Group. "We couldn't have asked for a better creative partner."

Hair & Nail Trends for Spring 2013

HAIR

With breezy waves, unfussy braids, and lower-than-low ponytails, the spring runways were all about natural, undone hair. It was roughed up, not too perfect, and still crazy-pretty. Better yet, the styles are so simple that they won't drive you crazy when you attempt them yourself. Here, a few looks for spring 2013.

MESSY BRAIDS

"It's not polished and it's not glamorous," McKnight said of the sporty braid at Balmain. He got the look by roughly drying the hair and spraying it with Pantene Pro-V Classic Style Hairspray. He braided the hair and secured it with a thick black elastic, then added a second elastic at the base of the neck. To make the hair look "lived in," he pulled out random sections around the ears.

NATURAL WAVES

J. Mendel makes elegant dress-up clothes, but the hair this season was relaxed and unfussy. "They're not barrel curls," hairstylist Orlando Pita said of the "flat and natural-looking" waves he gave the models. He parted the hair down the middle, smoothed the front section with Phyto Professional Workable Holding Spray, and then pushed the hair behind the ears. Starting just under the ears, he ran a flatiron over one-inch sections of hair, rotating it both toward and away from the head to create soft waves. He tamed frizz with Phyto 7 Daily Hydrating Botanical Cream. 

SICILIAN TWISTS

"It's about the scarf," Guido said of the hair at Dolce & Gabbana, "like how a woman would just pin her hair up [and] put a scarf on." He began by applying Redken Aerate 08 Bodifying Cream-Mousse to the hair and blow-drying it straight back, removing any hint of a part. He placed the scarf around the head about an inch from the hairline and tied it off-center at the nape of the neck, letting the ends skim the shoulders. He rolled the hair up as if he was going to do a French twist, instead folding the ends under to form a loop, and fanned the hair out on top of the head. "There's a little indication of the '60s. [There is] a little Riviera feeling," he said.

ROUGHED-UP TEXTURE

To create a tousled, sexy texture at Lanvin, Guido misted the hair with water then roughly blow-dried it. He sprayed the roots withRedken Quick Tease 15,made a deep side part, and teased the thicker half with a Mason Pearson hairbrush. He pushed the hair behind the ears and finished by blasting just the front with hair spray.

ULTRALOW PONYTAILS

To complement the scarves in the Rochas collection, hairstylist Eugene Souleiman decided on superlow ponytails. He parted the hair down the center, misted it with Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Hairspray, and blow-dried it straight with a round brush. To lock in the "supernaturally straight" style, he then flatironed it. He pulled the hair into a very loose ponytail, letting the top portion of the ponytail fan out so that the hair looked like it had been cut into a bob from the front. "My favorite thing about it is that it's one of those looks that's so normal, it's really abnormal," Souleiman said.

NAILS

Contrast was the name of the game when it came to nails at the New York shows. Looks ranged from light and innocent to dark and dangerously chic this season. We saw pretty swan white polishes, barely-there French manicures and buff looks juxtaposed with black vamp shades, medieval “cage” inspired designs and the most breathtaking of all—the “dripping blood” effect seen at Prabal Gurung. Balancing out these more extreme styles, we noticed plenty of glamorous metallic varnishes and colorful two-tone manicures that added the perfect pop of sparkle and impact.

American Idol's First Transgender Contestant

Josh "J'DA" Davila probably has to be the most unique contestant of the season on American Idol 2013. He is more fond of dresses and heavy makeup than Nicki Minaj. Some could argue he looks better in it than she does though...

Some have questioned whether included JDA in the Top 40 was just a publicity stunt? American Idol? Say it ain’t so! Some (well, Idol nemesis Vote for the Worst) are implying that’s what Top 20 hopeful Joshua “J'DA” Davila is for the show.

The comments from VFTW about Joshua Davila, aka Jada, were anything but positive before the season started airing — hence the implication that he landed in the Top 40 just for publicity. The New York Post reported the following:

“An eccentric, transgender singer is one of the show’s hopefuls this year -- advancing past the show’s famous boot camp, Hollywood Week, last week...”

Before auditioning, the 26-year-old Chicago native and cosmetics salesperson was a semifinalist in Chicago’s “Windy City Gay Idol.” 

Jada Davila reportedly wants to represent for the transgendered and gay community on American Idol 2013, saying, “We just don’t see enough of it in the media. So that’s where I come in.”

With all of the hype over the 11 seasons of American Idol about this being a “singing competition,” it seems unlikely that they would let someone who couldn’t sing advance that far. When we actually got to see JDA in action, he was actually pretty fabulous. However, he failed to wow the judges enough with his voice during the Vegas rounds and was sent home

How ever why is it that the judges kept referring his look to "whatever this is" when they OBVIOUSLY know what it is. Actors do it all the time. It's called CROSS-DRESSING !! Martin Lawrence did it in "Big Momma's House" Tyler Perry did it in"Madea" and John Travolta in " Hairspray" not to mention all of the stories you hear of the entertainers who do it behind closed doors for sexual fetishes. Cross-dressing and Drag  queens are not a new thing in Hollywood. We as the gay community are guilty of bringing our own kind down and that's NOT OK  Regardless of what you think of his appearance Joshua is a strong and inspiring individual who opened doors last night and overcame adversity. We should be applauding him and supporting him instead of dragging his name through the mud. #TeamJ'DA Werk it hunty!!!

The Differences Between Drag & Trans !

Many times people have referred to me as a Drag Queen or a "Tranny" (a word I despise) without even knowing what they truly mean and what they stand for. Well I guess it's my duty to break it down for you all like the Mariah Carey song... Cue my fan!

Drag Queen

A drag queen is a man who dresses, and often acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and can vary even within the same city. Although many drag queens are gay men, there are drag artists of all genders and sexualities who do drag for various reasons or purposes.

Generally drag queens are males who dress and act in a female gender role, often exaggerating certain characteristics (such as make-up and eyelashes) for comic, dramatic or satirical effect. Other drag performers include drag kings, who are women who perform in male roles, faux queens, who are women who dress in an exaggerated style to emulate drag queens and faux kings, who are men who dress to impersonate drag kings.

The term drag queen usually refers to people who dress in drag for the purpose of performing, whether singing or lip-synching, dancing, participating in events such as gay pride parades, drag pageants, or at venues such as cabarets and discotheques. In the United Kingdom, alongside traditional drag work such as shows and performances, many drag queens engage in "mix-and-mingle" or hosting work at night clubs or at private parties and events. Drag is a part of Western gay culture.

Example : Rupaul and Drag Race alum's Raja & Manila Luzon

Transsexualism

Transsexualism describes the condition in which an individual identifies with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their assigned sex, i.e. in which a person's assigned sex at birth conflicts with their psychological gender. A medical diagnosis can be made if a person experiences discomfort as a result of a desire to be a member of the opposite sex, or if a person experiences impaired functioning or distress as a result of that gender identification. Transsexualism is stigmatized in many parts of the world but has become more widely known in Western culture in the mid to late 20th century, concurrently with the sexual revolution and the development of sex reassignment surgery (SRS). Discrimination or negative attitudes towards transsexualism often accompany certain religious beliefs or cultural values. There are cultures that have no difficulty integrating people who change gender roles, often holding them with high regard, such as the traditional role for "two-spirit" people found among certain native American tribes.

Example : ANTM's Isis King & Actress Candace Cane

Cross-Dressing

Cross-dressing refers to the act of wearing clothing and other accoutrements commonly associated with the opposite sex within a particular society. Cross-dressing has been used for purposes of disguise, comfort and as a literary trope in modern times and throughout history.

Nearly every human society throughout history has expected distinctions to be made between males and females by the style, color, or type of clothing they are expected to wear, and likewise most societies have had a set of social norms, views, guidelines, or even laws defining what type of clothing is appropriate for each gender. It does not, however, necessarily indicate transgender identity since a person who cross-dresses does not always identify as being of a gender other than their assigned gender.

The term denotes an action or a behavior without attributing or proposing causes for that behavior. Some people automatically connect cross-dressing behavior to transgender identity or sexual, fetishist, and homosexual behavior, but the term cross-dressing itself does not imply any motives.

Example : Fashion designer Phillipe Blond & Supermodel Andrej Pejic

In conclusion I am very aware that I am a man. I do not wish to become a woman nor feel like I am a woman trapped in a man's body. I am extremely happy and blessed to be who I AM.  I do not wish to be like anyone else but the BEST person I can be. I do however admire and applaud ANYONE who chooses to live their life by their own rules and does NOT conform to what society says. All of these brave souls are my inspiration. BE STRONG, BE KIND, & SPREAD LOVE!

How To Keep Your Hair Color From Fading!

1.  Use a good deep moisturizer 7 to 10 days before coloring to prepare hair for the color. Use a clarifying shampoo to wash your hair at least 24 hours before your color (this is especially important if you use styling products with silicon because they will prevent the color from adhering to the hair). Do not wash your hair within 24 hours of coloring because the color will not take to the hair as well. Furthermore, do not use the clarifying shampoo after coloring because it can strip the color from your hair.

2. Do not shampoo your hair until at least 48 hours after the color is applied to avoid stripping the color. When you do shampoo and condition, use products that are specifically designed for color treated hair. Shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair have ingredients that are designed to protect your color rather than stripping or dulling it. I prefer Park Avenue Color Protecting Shampoo& Conditioner. My stylist also advised not to shampoo my hair every day but only when necessary to protect the color.

3. This one is a little difficult for me because when I take my shower the water is hot enough to boil eggs most of the time. However, in order to protect my color I have learned to shampoo and rinse in cool water rather than hot water. The hot water opens the hair follicles and dulls the color. Cool water will keep hair color much brighter and true than using hot water.

4.Speaking of showers, the chemicals in your water can dull and strip hair color. My stylist suggested that I invest in a filtered showerhead and she was correct - my hair color does last longer and is brighter than before.

5. Heat not only damages your hair but it also damages your hair color. I dry my hair on a medium heat setting and I use John Frieda Heat Defeat Protective Styling Spray to protect my color and hair when using a flat iron or other heat styling tools. This is essential to keeping your hair color from fading.

6. Protect your hair from the sun to make the color last longer. Purchase hair products that have UV protection. Wear a hat if you are in the sun and cover your hair when you are in tanning bed

7. Avoid using hair spray if possible because this will dull your hair color. However, make sure that you use products to enhance the shine and appearance of your hair color such as BioSilk Silk Therapy (I cannot live without this product for my hair).

8. There are color enhancing shampoos on the market that are designed to boost your hair color by depositing small amounts of color on your hair. I have tried some of these and found that they actually turn my color brassy if I use them every time I shampoo. Therefore, use these only once a week or every other week to give your color a little boost. Pick a shade that is closest to your hair color for best results.