Thursday, 28 March 2013

yummy chocolicious berry desert cum pizza




box Betty Crocker Gluten Free brownie mix
Butter and eggs called for on brownie mix box
1
package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3
cup sugar
1/2
teaspoon vanilla
2
cups sliced fresh strawberries
1
cup fresh blueberries
1
cup fresh raspberries
1/2
cup apple jelly

METHOD:
Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray or shortening.

In large bowl, stir brownie mix, butter and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base. Arrange berries over cream cheese mixture. Stir jelly until smooth; brush over berries. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Cut into wedges. Store covered in refrigerator.
Recipe from: Betty crocker 





Wednesday, 5 September 2012

Make Scrub yourselves for glowing skin:


2 cups sea salt, kosher salt, or white sugar. Salt will be slightly more abrasive than sugar.
1 cup sweet almond oil. Grape seed and olive oil are also excellent choices for oils.
10-30 drops of cosmetic-grade and/or high quality essential oils of your choice. Lavender is suitable for most skin types.
A covered, plastic container for mixing and storage.

Making the Scrub

Combine the salt or sugar with the oil. Then, begin adding essential oils drop by drop. The scent should be present, but not overwhelming. Always make sure that the essential oils are skincare quality, to aid in the prevention of skin irritation. Oils with stimulating properties, such as peppermint or spearmint, should be avoided, as they may irritate the most sensitive areas of the body.

Saturday, 25 August 2012

Oily skin follow these simple tips:



Relaxation, living a stress-free lifestyle and lots of sleep are only some of the helpful tips that many health and beauty experts would generally recommend to anyone who wants to have a beautiful skin.

While these tips are generally helpful since the body naturally reacts well to healthy habits, it is also important to know what the specific remedies are in maintaining an oil-free skin.
What causes oily skin?

If you’re dreaming to have oil-free skin, you have to know what causes oily skin and act on them accordingly.

An oily skin can be bad or good. A person who has an oily skin can have the fewer tendencies to develop wrinkles early in life. On the other hand, she will be prone to blemishes such as pimples. This is because the sebaceous gland that produces sebum or the natural oil content in her skin is more active thus causing the skin to be clogged.

Causes of oily skin may be hereditary. Others may be influenced by a person?s hormone levels, diet, intake of contraceptive pills, and exposure to hot or humid weather. Stress has also been proven as one of the major causes of blemishes on the skin especially on the face. Changes in the hormone levels during pregnancy or menopause also affects a healthy skin.

Make your own face power at home:



Mix ½tbsp cornstarch with 1tsp baby powder in a bowl. Cornstarch is a thick powder that lasts longer on the face. Baby powder and cornstarch makes a soft mix that is best for the skin. Apply a little on your face to feel fresh. You can add a few drops of an aromatic essence if you want to make the powder smell better.
In a bowl, mix 1tsp green clay powder with 1tbsp cornstarch. Green clay is mostly used in making face packs. You can use it to make homemade face powder too! When mixed with cornstarch, green clay hides dark spots from the skin and opens the skin pores. You can either apply with a makeup puff or a brush to look fresh any time of the day.
Take a 1tsp beet-root powder, 1/2tsp mica and 2 ounces arrowroot powder. Mix them together. Now slowly add 5-8 drops of lavender essential oil (one drop at a time based on your requirement). Also add the powders in little quantities to suit your skin tone. Apply the homemade powder on your face and check if it is matched with your skin tone or not. Add more amount of these ingredients if required.
If you want to make a foundation powder at home, do not go for harsh chemical products. Just mix cornstarch with cocoa powder. While adding cocoa powder, see that the powder matches with your skin tone. Slowly add a little amount and mix. If required, add more in the bowl. Mix well so that no lumps are formed. Store it in a box and use whenever required. This mineral powder gives a better effect of a foundation than the others because of the cocoa powder.
One of the easiest ways to make a natural foundation is to apply a non-scented baby powder on the face. Just take the powder in your palms and then press it on your skin. Baby powder sets on the face and absorbs moisture. Thus the skin looks fresh and dry. This is an ideal face powder to beat the summer heat. You can also mix the non-scented baby powder with a compact. If you have a broken cake of a compact or foundation powder, just crush it finely and mix with the baby powder.

Relax your hair:



Castor Oil Massage: The normal definition of relaxation has little to do with straightening. So let us start with a hair therapy which will only relax your hair roots without having any effect on the texture of your hair. Massage your scalp and the length of your hair with castor oil. It will increase the volume of hair and also relax the hair tensed scalp muscles. Massage castor oil into your hair twice a week to get more manageable and softer (if not straighter) hair.

Coconut Milk & Lime: Mix equal proportions of coconut milk and lime juice in a container. Massage your scalp with this mixture and soak the entire length of your hair in it. Wrap a hot towel around your head and sit for an hour. You need to do this 3 times a week for a month to get noticeable results and continue to do it 3 times a week to maintain straight hair.

Plain Milk To Set Hair: If you need a quick fix solution for relaxing you hair then this is it. Mix equal amounts of milk and water in a container. Pour it into a spray dispenser. Spray your hair with milk diluted with water from root to tips. Then comb your hair with a fine comb to distribute the solution evenly across the thickness of your hair. Then wait for it to dry. Follow this up with a hair wash and use a good qualityhair conditioner. This will keep your hair straight till the next wash.

Olive Oil And Eggs: This hair therapy mask is rare but very effective. It may not straighten your hair radically, but it will relax your hair immensely. Break 3 eggs into 100 ml of olive oil. Whisk it together with a beater. Apply this hair mask and leave it for 20 minutes. Wash it off. Rinse every last bit of the mixture from your hair because it is very foul smelling. You will find your hair much relaxed after going through this hair therapy.

Get Shiny Hair Naturally:



1. Apply olive oil on the hair few hours before washing. Massage the scalp and tips of the hair with the oil. This clears the sebaceous oils from the scalp to get oil-free hair. You can mash avocado and add olive oil and 1 tsp of baking powder. Apply this paste on the hair and leave it for 30-45 minutes. Rinse well.

2. Always wash your hair with cold water. Hot water spoils the softness and quality of the hair thus making it brittle and fussy. Washing hair with hot water takes away the essential oils. Cold water can make the hair get the shiny and glossy touch.

3. After shampooing the hair, you can either use a conditioner to get silky hair with shine. Leave the conditioner for 2 minutes and then rinse off well.

4. You can use a natural conditioner such as vinegar to get shine in the hair. Add a few drops of vinegar in water and apply it on the hair. Leave for 30-40 seconds and then rinse off once with water if you want to.

5. The egg is one of the remedies to get shiny and glossy hair naturally. Beat an egg and apply it on the hair. Leave the paste on hair for 30 minutes and then wash it with a mild shampoo. The smell of egg will go a few hours after washing the hair. The hair becomes silky and glossy.

6. Never brush or comb wet or damp hair. The hair becomes frizzy, leads to breakage and split ends. Let it air dry and comb after the hair is completely dry.

7. Plastic bristles of brush or comb can spoil the shine in the hair so, use a natural bristled brush to keep the hair shiny and glossy.

8. Avoid applying hair gel which contains alcohol. It makes the hair dry. Also avoid using hair dryer. Occasional use of hair dryer to set the hair is fine but it is best to let the hair dry naturally.

Use these 8 remedies to get shiny and glossy hair naturally.