Henna Mehndi - Natural dye for body art Part - 1

What is henna?

 

Henna, or Lawsonia inermis, is a plant that produces a wonderful natural red dye from its leaves. The leaves are dried first and then ground into a fine powder and then mixed into a paste. The paste is applied to the skin in different intricate patterns which leaves a reddish-brown stain known as ‘MEHNDI’. 

Why to use henna?

 

 1.   Henna Mehndi is considered as a temporary art or tattoo, which is completely safe because it is made of all natural ingredients.

 2.   Mehndi only lasts for a few days which allow us to change the designs often J.

 3.   It is sooth-ing to the skin and cooling to the body. Mehndi has been used to treat fungal infections and heat exhaustion. It has a mild antiseptic property, and is an amazing natural sun block.

 4.   Birthdays, book clubs, grad nights, weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, and mainly girl’s nights are great times to include henna Mehndi. You can create your own day of pampering and relaxation for family and friends.

 5.   Mehndi has an exotic light natural scent and cool henna paste applied to the skin can be very calming. 

     Where does henna work best?

Mehndi usually works best on the feet, hands, wrists and ankles. Mehndi will have the darkest stains and will last long on these areas. Since the skin on the feet and hand is thick, it allows the henna to soak in deeper that results in a richer, darker and long lasting beautiful stain.

1.   Wrist: Natural wrinkles are seen in the wrist bend. Especially when we bend the hand up and down. Ensure to apply the Mehndi pattern just one inch above the bend to prevent the Mehndi from smudging.

2.   Ankles: Follow the same procedure given for the wrist. The advantage here is if the design is placed one inch above the anklebone will make the legs appear slimmer. It will also secure the paste and avoid dim stain from being rubbed off to early or prematurely by wearing shoes.

3.   Lower Back: It is advisable to apply mehndi to the lower back while the person is standing. Designs can easily distort if it is not allowed to dry at least a few minutes before bending, walking, or sitting down as this area usually stretches a lot. To avoid smudging you can place the design one or two inches above the waistband. It will look beautiful when to wear your jeans or even on a skirt with a short blouse.

4.   Stomach: Patterns on stomachs will be tricky as the belly folds when bending or sitting and can easily smudge. So it is best to apply patterns to the stomach while the person is lying down or standing. Let the mehndi dry at least a few minutes before bending, walking, or sitting down. For pregnant bellies, position the mom on a comfortable sofa, and work around her to add the patterns. Sitting on the floor between her feet will also work well. Use only Lavender Essential Oil in Mehndi paste that is applied on a pregnant woman.

5.   Face and Neck: These body parts have high concentration of body oil, especially on the face, neck and chest. The skin is very thin which does not allow the mehndi to absorb well. Mehndi stains on these areas only last a few days and it usually will be light in color.

“Henna Mehndi - Natural dye for body art part 2” will be published in a couple of days. In the 2^nd part I will share information about how to store henna and how to prepare henna cone which is very important to get the desired designs… Until then take care and keep smiling!

15 weight loss healthy foods to burn belly fat quickly

 Fat burning vegetables:

Garlic

Garlic is a terrific food that adds flavor to your cooking and is a confirmed fat burner. Alicin in garlic does an excellent job in helping to flush fat from the body and also suppress the appetite and aid in weight loss. Garlic also helps to regulate insulin and it is also known as an antioxidant.

Ginger

Ginger increases metabolism, expands the blood vessels, and stimulates circulation. Ginger has been used for centuries as a spice, food, and medicine. It helps digestion and stimulates metabolism, which results to intensify calorie burning. Ginger is a natural ingredient in many "fat-burning" supplements and diet.

Hot Peppers

Hot peppers have a flavorless compound termed capsaicin. This compound limits appetite and stimulates metabolism slightly, but just for a short time. This compound has a significant impact on weight loss. It is more abundant in spicy habaneros. Jalapenos or Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin which speeds up the metabolism, heart rate and cuts down "bad" fat in the arteries.

Broccoli

Adding broccoli to your diet can help you lose weight because it is a low-calorie food that can help fill your tummy quickly. Just one cup of steamed broccoli gives you about twice the amount of vitamins K and C you need in a day. It also is a very good source of vitamin B2 and B6, magnesium, phosphorus, protein, fatty acids and omega-3.

Asparagus

Asparagus is another excellent food which burns fat. Asparagus has the chemical named asparagine, and it is an alkaloid which directly influences the cells and burn fat. Asparagus also contains a chemical compound that helps remove waste from the body, which in turn helps reduce fat level.

 Fat burning fruits:

Oranges

Citrus foods contain vitamin C which helps to liquefy fat and gets rid of it from the body faster. Not only rich in Fiber, the high vitamin C in the oranges is conducive to fat burning. Vitamin C helps the production of Carnitine in the body which oxidizes or breaks down fatty acids.

Lemons

Lemons are excellent liver detoxifiers, and also alkalize our body. They might seem acidic based on taste however in the process of being metabolized by the body; lemons in fact alkalize the bodily fluids and tissues. Maintaining the health of the liver is also crucial to the body’s ability to burn fat and digest food, as the liver is one of the organs in charge of these functions.

Avocado

Avocado is loaded with healthy Omega 9 fatty acids the same fats found in olives, olive oil, and macadamia nuts. Avocados speed the transformation of fat into energy and helps boost the rate of metabolism.

Grapefruit 

Numerous studies support that grapefruit is a great weight loss food. A study at Johns Hopkins University confirmed that women who eat grapefruit daily can reduce almost 20 pounds on an average in only 13 weeks, without altering anything else in their lifestyle or diet.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are filled with vitamin C and the phytochemical lycopene. They stimulate the production of amino acid called as carnitine. Research has revealed that carnitine helps speed up body’s fat-burning ability by one third. Tomatoes fight certain types of cancer and also help lower blood pressure. You will reap health benefits if you can add tomato sauce or tomatoes to your diet.

Other fat burning foods:

Eggs

Eggs contain great levels of vitamin B12 which facilitates the body to break down fat and to stimulate metabolism. Egg whites are another excellent food which burns fat. They contain protein which is a tremendous source of energy; this allows the body to burn calories and fat while building muscle. An additional health benefit of egg whites is that they are very low in calories which help you to reach your weight loss goals.

Salmon

Salmon contains Omega 3 fatty acids and this can alter leptin. This is a hormone in the body connected with higher caloric burn.

    

Turkey

Turkey is considered as a fine alternative to chicken as it is higher in nutrients and proteins and lower in calories. 5 ounces of turkey contains only 10 grams of fat and

175 calories.

Chicken breast

Chicken breast without the skin has a high protein content, carbohydrate content and very low fat. The protein helps to build muscle. Chicken breast also contains vitamin B, this helps to metabolize food. Chicken breast is one of the effective fat-burning foods you could eat. Having a chicken breast without skin and bone is consuming the leanest meat – which is good for optimal fat burning. Always ensure the chicken is very lean with minimal fat and make them the first option when you purchase chicken.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an easy-to-cook, great food that burns fat, although it's vital to pay attention to packages to see if there is high sugar content in it. It works well as a fat-burning food because it contains soluble and insoluble fiber. Any food that is rich in soluble fiber will typically improve weight reduction.

Amazing eye make up

1. Always begin with a clean slate. Wash your face with a mild cleanser before you start, pay particular interest to your leftover eyeliner or mascara. To get rid of residual eye makeup, use a regular lotion or cleansing milk on a cotton swab or just cold water. For dry skin around the eyes rub a few drop of moisturizer underneath your eyes and between the outer corners of the eyes and the temples. Never apply moisturizer on your eyelids because this will only make them greasy, and the eye makeup you apply will get ruined.

2. Apply Concealer to your eyes: Concealer can hide under-eye circles or the slight discoloration under your inner eye. To conceal dark circles under the eye, apply three drops of concealer under each eye. Start with the inner corner where skin likely to be darkest, and then apply under the pupil and on the outer edge. Pat until the concealer fades away.

3. Use eye base on your lid: Eye base is the main factor to keeping your eye shadow in place for long hours. First prime your eye lid properly this will prevent your eye shadow to become a greasy line.

4. Apply eye shadow: It's good to make use of a three-toned shadow and apply from lids to brow. Start with a colour that almost matches your eye lid. Brush the shadow across your lid and up to the brow bone. Go along with a medium colour across the lid only. Apply a darker colour in the crease. Blend the eye shadow well.

5. Next apply eyeliner: You can use an eyeliner pencil, liquid eyeliner, or a wet eyeshadow on a slanted brush to line your eyes. Dark eye shadows serve excellent as eyeliners. In a dark eye shadow dip a slanted brush after making it wet, apply eyeliner to the eyes as close to the upper lashes as possible and start from the inner corner of the lashes to the outer corner. Follow with eyeliner on bottom eyes, but apply the line only from the middle of the eye out and then smudge the bottom line of the eye with a cotton bud because you do not want a prominent line. For a smoky eye look, take a brush and pat the dark eye shadow along the upper eye lid and below the eye lid.

6. Apply highlighter to Brighten your eyes: This step includes only the inside area of the eye.  Dab a finger into a light colour eyeshadow and press it into the inner edge of your eye where the upper eye lid meets the bottom eye lid. This will significantly brighten your eyes

7. Highlight your eyebrow: Make use of the same highlighter. Dab the highlighter on the brow bone, focusing on your mid-brow outward. Use your finger.

8. Curl lashes: An eyelash curler can make your lashes look stunning. Grip your upper lashes with an eyelash curler and grasp the clamp for a couple of seconds. For extra effect, you can also heat the curler for a few seconds under a blow dryer. Check the heat on the curler before applying on your lashes. Don’t burn yourself. You can access your lashes easily when you half-close your eyes. Keep in mind to always curl your lashes before applying mascara and never after.

9. Apply mascara: You can apply mascara a little or a lot. Start applying mascara at the base of your upper lashes and gently sweep in an upward direction. For a dramatic look, apply on the lower lashes too. For applying multiple coats always do it as the first coats of mascara are still wet.  If you apply a new coat to dry mascara it will only result in clumps.