I've been doing research and trying to integrate "natural beauty" into my regimen for the past 20 months or so, and over those months, I have read a lot about essential oils. Essential oils are concentrated oils drawn from plants, so they are probably one of the purest forms of fragrance you can find. Some essential oils, because they are so rare or costly, are often diluted into carrier oils such as jojoba oil. Essential oils are commonly used for aromatherapy, but they can also be added to oils and homemade skincare ingredients for health benefits.

Below is a brief description of some of the more common essential oils and ailments they are generally known to help with. Important to note: do not take essential oils internally, and do a skin test before adding any essential oil to your skincare products by adding a drop to a carrier oil (jojoba, coconut, sweet almond) and applying to a patch of skin.

*Essential oils marked wit an asterisk are ones which I think would be a good multipurpose or useful oil, if you're just starting out with essential oils.

Basil (sweet)
There are several types of basil essential oil, but sweet basil is one of the most commonly used. It is used to uplift and refresh in aromatherapy. It has antibacterial and stimulating properties, along with other more specific health benefits. Avoid using during pregnancy.

Bergamot
Bergamot is a citrus, and citruses are generally used in aromatherapy to uplift and create a more positive mood. As such, it has anti-depressant qualities, along with antibacterial, astringent, stimulating and others.

*Chamomile
There are several different types of chamomile essential oil, some more expensive than others. Generally speaking, though, chamomile is known to help calm and relax, and is good for sensitive and dry or mature skin.

Cinnamon Leaf
As you may have guessed, cinnamon leaf essential oil is used to invigorate and refresh. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and alleged insecticide properties. Avoid applying this directly on the skin, as it may be too harsh and burn the skin. Avoid using while pregnant.

Citronella
Citronella is known to ward off insects, but it's also said to help purify and revitalize. It has antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic properties and should be avoided while pregnant.

Clary Sage
Clary sage is used in a lot of skincare for aging or dry skin, but for aromatherapy, it is used to center. Clary sage has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, along with sedative qualities. Avoid when pregnant.

Clove
Clove has antibacterial, anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Like cinnamon, clove can be quite abrasive when applied directly to the skin, so dilute if using in this manner. Otherwise, it is used to warm and comfort. Avoid while pregnant and if you suffer from liver or kidney conditions.

*Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is widely used for a number of ailments, especially for headaches and colds. Add a few drops to an oil warmer or to a bowl of warm water to allow to infuse your room with its scent. When not ill, eucalyptus serves to purify and invigorate. It has antibacterial, anti-fungal, decongesting and stimulating properties. Avoid when pregnant.

Frankincense
Frankincense is very much a love it or hate it scent. Its aromatherapy benefits include calming, and it has anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, astringent and sedative properties.

Geranium
Geranium is often used in perfumery for its rose-like fragrance, and in aromatherapy, it is used to help lift moods and soothe. Due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and regenerative qualities, it has been used in healing. It also balances oil, so is suited especially to oily skin. It also has anti-depressant and sedative properties. Avoid when pregnant.

Ginger
As you can imagine, in aromatherapy, ginger oil is used to warm and anchor. Its properties include being antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, an astringent and a stimulant.

Grapefruit
Grapefruit uplifts and boosts, like all citruses. Citrus essential oils can be used in skincare to help brighten and lighten the complexion, though care should be taken to apply SPF following application, as some essential oils have not been stripped of bergapten, which may cause photosensitivity. It also has antibacterial, anti-depressant, astringent and stimulating properties. Pink grapefruit essential oil is also said to help with cellulite.

*Lavender
Lavender is fairly well-known as a calming, soothing essential oil. It is also used in skincare to heal and repair skin, and is particularly good for sensitive skin and mature skin, and it is said to even help heal acne. Other properties include: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.

Lemon
Again, like the other citrus essential oils, lemon can help boost the mood and energize. Take care in applying it on the skin, however, because it can cause photosensitivity to the sun and UV rays. Its properties include: antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and an astringent.

Lemongrass
Lemongrass is oftentimes used as an insect repellent, but also in home fragrance. Its scent helps revitalize and purify. It is anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, an antioxidant and an astringent.

Lime
Lime essential oil has a slightly more bitter edge to it than other citruses, but it has the same mood-boosting and happy-making benefits. Again, beware of photosensitivity when applying this on the skin. It is antibacterial, an astringent and restorative.

Sweet Marjoram
Sweet marjoram, in cooking, often replaces rosemary. In aromatherapy, sweet marjoram helps to warm and balance. It is an antioxidant and anti-viral. Avoid when pregnant.

Myrrh
Myrrh is commonly used in incense and has a warm, spicy aroma. Its fragrance is used to help center. Its properties include being anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, an astringent and a sedative. Avoid use when pregnant.

Neroli
Neroli oil is the oil of orange blossoms. It is primarily used in fragrance to calm and soothe, but its properties include being antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal. It is said to be good for all skin types.

*Orange (sweet)
Orange is an extremely bright and cheery essential oil which works to uplift. Be careful of applying this directly to the skin, as it may cause photosensitivity. Always follow up with an SPF. Orange essential oil is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal and stimulating.

Oregano
Oregano in the essential oil form is medicinal and herbaceous, and is used in aromatherapy to invigorate and purify. It is antibacterial, anti-fungal and antimicrobial. Avoid use when pregnant.

*Palmarosa
Palmarosa, like geranium, is used in perfumery to imitate or enhance the rose scent. In skincare, it is especially good for mature skin as it helps skin regenerate. However, it also helps the skin regulate oil, so it may also be useful for oily or acne-prone skin. It is antibacterial and anti-fungal, and is sometimes used as an insect repellant.

Patchouli
Patchouli, like frankincense, is a fairly controversial scent. It is thought to be romantic and soothing, though not to insects! It is sometimes used as an insect repellent and is otherwise thought to be antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and decongesting.

*Peppermint
Peppermint is an essential oil I highly recommend having in your collection if you like mint scents at all. It is excellent for headaches and nasal congestions -- apply a few drops to your oil warmer or a bowl of warm water. It is also great for neutralizing odors and in aromatherapy, it is used to invigorate and refresh. It is rarely used in skincare because it can cause skin sensitivity, but used in moderation, it adds a tingly feeling to foot masks and body scrubs. It is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, an astringent and a stimulant. Avoid if you suffer from epilepsy or are pregnant.

*Rosemary
Rosemary is one of the do-all essential oils. It is often used in skincare as an astringent and is particularly good for oily and acne-prone skin. It is also often used in hair loss and scalp treatments as it has anti-bacterial qualities to it and helps with dandruff. In aromatherapy, it is used to help invigorate and clarify. It is antibacterial, an antioxidant, an astringent, anti-fungal and stimulating. Avoid if you suffer from epilepsy, hypertension or are pregnant.

Sandalwood
Sandalwood is used in aromatherapy to relax and center, and it is an astringent, an emollient, a sedative and anti-fungal. Some claim that it can serve as an insecticide as well.

Spearmint
Spearmint is a slightly sweeter and more mellow mint than peppermint essential oil, and is also used to help revitalize and clarify. It is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, an astringent, a decongestant and a stimulant.

*Tea Tree
Tea tree is quite a well-known antibacterial and anti-fungal. In beauty, it can be added to carrier oils and shampoos or conditioners to combat dandruff, and any other dermatological conditions. It is thought to be antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, a decongestant and an insecticide.

Thyme
Thyme is rarely used in skincare products because it can irritate the skin, but is commonly found in household cleaning products due to its antibacterial properties. In aromatherapy, it offers an energizing and purifying fragrance. Other properties include being anti-fungal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, a stimulant and an insecticide. Avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Ylang Ylang
Ylang ylang is said to be sensual in scent, but is also known for its sedative properties. It is also antibacterial, an anti-depressant, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and a disinfectant. Avoid when pregnant.

I'm declaring the month of April my "spring cleaning" month, which just means that I'm going to be spending more time focusing on simplifying and getting in tune with myself.

Last month, I set up a weekly exercise regimen solely from exercise videos found on YouTube, and since the routine changes up each day of the week, I haven't had too much trouble sticking to the plan or staying interested. One of my favorite discoveries has been Adriene Mishler, a 20-something actress and yoga instructor based out of Austin, Texas.

As a long-time exercise video user, I can typically tell within 15 minutes whether or not I'll be able to watch (and rewatch) someone's videos without getting annoyed. Adriene is one of the best fitness instructors I've ever come across. She balances motivational tips ("find what feels good" is her main tenet), instructional tips, and a little bit of humor without talking too much and coming across as insincere. Most of her yoga videos are timed to resemble a real-time yoga class, and each video addresses a different concern (flatulence was a recently covered topic, I kid you not). Her videos range from beginner videos to more advanced videos, fat-burning videos, and videos that focus on particular poses. If you're looking for a soothing, inspirational instructor to get you into or back into yoga, I highly recommend checking out Adriene's channel.

Another YouTube video I've added to my playlist is a meditation video that I keep coming back to, in spite of the fact that I sometimes question how I've managed to take it seriously. It's a 10 minute guided "elevated focus meditation," guided by Dr. Michael Millett. The words "hypnosis" and "hypnotherapy" are associated with Dr. Millett's name, but I have found this video nothing but calming and easy-to-follow (if I start buying and liking things I haven't normally done, I will alert you and the authorities lol). The reason I struggle sometimes not to laugh while following this particular meditation is because Dr. Millett's mantra seems to be "Don't just have a good day, have a great day." Aside from that, his guided meditation is sparse and gives you room to breathe and let go. This video, along with Esther Teule's meditation videos, have helped me dive into meditation with ease.

Are you planning to give your life a little spring cleaning? And if you practice meditation, who are some of your favorite guides/teachers?

Photo: Yoga With Adriene's Facebook page

This photo was taken on the grounds of the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida. (If you look inside, it's empty.)

Now that we're in our third month of 2014, I think I can begin to reflect on meditation efforts. (I vowed to meditate every day this year.) Meditation is such a strange concept, really. How do we know when we've succeeded? It's similar to those questions that run around in my head: how do I know that what tastes bitter to me also tastes bitter to you? And what do growing pains really feel like? Did I just experience growing pains, or are they some other kind of pain that I just don't have the words for?

When I first started meditating, I couldn't really fathom what it was to "clear my head of all thought." I tried my best to focus on my breathing, which I knew meant I was still thinking about breathing. But eventually, it seemed right. Like thinking about breathing was the only thing I should've been doing at that place and time, that it was the key to being in the here and now. But once in a while, breathing turns into drifting. Not daydreaming, not sleeping, but something in between. Sort of like that little empty void you fall into before you really fall asleep, and the moments you wake up from only to wonder how long it's been, or what you were doing during that time.

That's been the highest level of meditation I've reached. I'm not sure if there's something more to it.

I started meditating, first and foremost, because I wanted to retrain my focus. I feel that over the years of increasing technological attachment, my attention span has suffered. Meditation has helped, truly. I'm just not sure that it's helped in my every day life yet. But it has helped me focus on any given moment when I make a conscious effort to.

The secondary reason for wanting to meditate was to eliminate some stress from my life, or have a better handle on my stress. Again, I'm not sure that I've gotten to a point where I've been able to eliminate any stress from my everyday life, but I have found it easier to fall asleep, and that definitely counts for something.

What does meditation mean to you? How do you know when you've been successful at it?

As you know, I've been an Anglophile all my life. There were times when I embraced English culture with open arms, and there were times when I gave it a less-than-satisfactory one-armed hug. The heyday of McFly was one of those times.

Somehow, they were always in my periphery. By the time I arrived in England in 2005, I could talk about how cute Dougie Poynter was, and I'm pretty sure 2005 was after the little fling Lindsay Lohan may or may not have had with Harry McFly. (I still don't know all of their last names.) I even had some of their songs on my iPod.

Back in 2005, English culture was very English, and American culture was very American. It's only been 9 years, but to me, the line between cultures has since blurred considerably. And McFly looked like a quintessentially English pop punk band in 2005. I couldn't get past the hair.

This should explain what I mean:

A couple of weeks ago, I wasn't feeling quite myself in terms of my health, so I decided to do a reboot and a no-pain, quick detox. I did a quick Google search and found Dr. Oz's 48-Hour Weekend Cleanse, which looked fairly balanced -- not a juice or starvation detox. The cleanse is meant to release toxins from three critical organs: the liver, kidneys and colon.

Dr. Oz's cleanse consists of the same menu for both days of the cleanse -- a bowl of quinoa for breakfast, a smoothie for lunch, a vegetable broth for dinner, and several juice recipes for snacks. The meals include healthy ingredients such as fennel, parsley, rice milk, almond milk, prunes, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, mushrooms, etc. You're allowed to snack on celery, peas, cucumbers or radishes all throughout the day, and it's advised that you stop eating by 7pm (something I forgot for certain on Sunday).

These are the recipes I used:

Breakfast: Quinoa with Chopped Prunes
Makes 1 serving

Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
1 pinch nutmeg
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp flax seed oil
1/3 cup chopped prunes
1/4 cup rice milk

Directions
In a small pot, stir 1/2 cup quinoa, a pinch of nutmeg and 1 tsp of grated ginger into a cup of water.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the prunes and rice milk. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes.
Before serving, stir in 1 tbsp of flaxseed oil.

Lunch: Fruit Smoothie
Makes 1 serving

Ingredients
1/2 cup almond or hemp milk (plain/unsweetened)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 banana
1/2 cup ice

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.


Dinner: Vegetable Broth Soup
Makes 5 servings

Ingredients
2 red onions, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 fennel bulb, fronds and stalks included, roughly chopped
2 tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup sliced shitake caps
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 cabbage, roughly chopped
2 quarts water
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
8 sprigs parsley, chopped stems and leaves
1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Directions
Combine all ingredients, except for the chopped parsley, in a pot. Add 2 quarts of water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 1 hour. Adjust seasoning.
Remove whole parsley sprigs and serve topped with some freshly chopped parsley.
Serve with a side of traditionally fermented sauerkraut and chopped apples (warm or room temperature).

What did I think of the cleanse? Well, let me just start off by saying that I really wasn't able to tell whether it was "working" or not. I didn't feel noticeably better than usual, but I certainly didn't feel worse. I was a little sleepier than usual on the second day, likely from not drinking any caffeine like I normally do. Both on Sunday and Monday mornings when I woke up, my body felt as if it'd been run over by a bus. Very, very strange. I did feel as if my skin was softer than usual on Sunday, but again, I doubt that had much to do with the cleanse, as I don't think skin can regenerate that quickly. On Monday, I felt pretty good, but not noticeably ... and I slept more during the cleanse because I was caffeine-deprived, so that's a hefty factor. On the weight side, I'm sure I lost a couple of pounds, but I didn't weigh myself beforehand.

My biggest problem with the cleanse was that it wasn't explained very well. Why are we adding caraway seeds to our vegetable broth? What are the health benefits of caraway seeds? Sure, I could look it up, but you're the doctor, Dr. Oz. As a result, I skimped on some seasonings I thought were just for flavor when it came to the veggie broth. I skipped the sauerkraut side dish at dinner time because I don't love sauerkraut. I'm sure there are a lot of vitamins in sauerkraut.

I also thought that lunch was incredibly sparse, while breakfast was overly filling. A entire bowl of quinoa, for me, is more than I can eat for breakfast. What I ended up doing was noshing on it all throughout the morning until it was finished, about an hour or so before my regular lunchtime.

I've written about coconut oil in the past, but the longer I've had it around, the more I've come to appreciate all the uses and benefits of coconut oil. So I thought I'd devote an entire post to it! (Even though everyone and their cousin has written about it by now, I'm sure.)

As I mentioned in my Spring Clean post, I purchase my coconut oil from Trader Joe's at the price of $5.99 for one pound of the good stuff. I've been told that they sell huge vats of coconut oil at Costco's, which comes out to less than $5.99 per pound. I've also seen coconut oil at Target for $7.99 for about the same amount, and I'm sure Walmart has taken to selling the stuff by now.

So straight off the bat, I can tell you it's inexpensive. Especially once you learn how multipurpose coconut oil really is. I'll make it really simple -- I use it to:

1. Deep condition my hair
2. Hydrate extra dry spots on my face and body (use caution if you have acne-prone skin, as I've read that coconut oil is comedogenic)
3. Remove eye makeup
4. Spread it on toast (it's good for you -- supposedly slows down memory loss)
5. Lessen irritation from insect bites
6. Moisturize my cuticles
7. Include it in a wax-based lip balm, or on its own as a lip balm/gloss
8. Massage the scalp -- it also slows down hair loss and heals flaky/itchy scalp

You can also (I haven't tried these, so let me know if they've worked for you):
9. Use it as a cooking oil
10. Apply it to age spots to lighten them
11. Apply it on sunburns to soothe skin
12. Consume it to increase metabolism
13. Apply to skin to soothe poison ivy, chicken pox, eczema, psorasis
14. As a leave-in hair product for flyaways or pouffy ends (apply with a light, light, light hand)
15. Apply to feet to treat athlete's foot or fungus
16. Apply regularly to reduce signs of cellulose and varicose veins (I'll believe it when I see it!)

That's just a small sample of the things you can do with coconut oil. Basically what they're saying is ... it's a miracle oil. To me, I love it because it's inexpensive, smells nice, and has a nice soft, velvety (almost powdery) dry-down. Which means I can apply it to my face and not have to worry about it melting or dripping all over my face, or never drying completely. Plus, it's all natural!

I also love, love, love the results coconut oil has given my hair -- it almost completely changes the texture of my hair from dry and frizzy to shiny and manageable, for up to a week's time. I melt about a tablespoon of coconut oil and massage it into my hair and scalp, tie it up and put a shower cap on over it for an hour or two. Then I shampoo out (maybe even two or three times), and voila! Just be careful not to overdo it or you'll find yourself needing to shampoo your hair half a dozen times before it doesn't look like a grease ball anymore ... therefore undoing any benefits of the coconut oil.

A couple words of caution though: if you intend on consuming coconut oil, be sure to purchase virgin coconut oil -- preferably the unrefined kind. Coconut oil has a melting point of 77 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point it goes from a smooth-looking white solid to a clear oil. Don't worry about it melting and solidifying too many times, though. It's perfectly fine. If you're going to be applying it in your hair or on your skin, be aware that coconut oil is said to stain clothing. I haven't personally experienced this, but then again, I haven't worn anything but pajamas while applying coconut oil to my hair, face or body.

Coconut oil is naturally cholesterol-free and trans fat free, and contains something called lauric acid, which is a saturated fat used to treat viral infections, cold sores, genital warts, ringworm and even HIV/AIDS. It's also said to have antimicrobial, anti-fungal and antibiotic properties. So this is some good stuff!

What other uses have you found for coconut oil? Have you found that your health has improved since beginning to use it?

Reading material:
+ WebMD: Coconut oil
+ New York Times: Once A Villain, Coconut Oil Charms the Health Food World
+ Dr. Oz: The Surprising Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

source: abullseyeview.com

Target's next collaboration is with FEED, the brainchild of model Lauren Bush. FEED, logically, raises money through its products to help feed children all over the world and bring awareness to hunger and malnutrition problems. Lauren designed the famous burlap FEED 1 bag, which feeds one school child for an entire year.

Target's collection with FEED (USA) will work to raise money to feed children and families within the U.S., and the collection debuts on June 30.

The collection itself is very basic, and very barebones and American in style. I'm not sure how appropriate it would be for FEED to brandish items that were more ornate or showy. The collection reminds me, actually, of what Lauren Bush herself is known for, through and through. She's former President George W. Bush's niece, modeled for Tommy Hilfiger (and Abercrombie and Fitch), and married designer Ralph Lauren's son David. (She goes by Lauren Bush Lauren, in case you were wondering like I was!) "All-American" is what I'm trying to say.

I've been so busy lately, running around, volunteering, meeting up with friends from out of town ... and the weather has just been so spectacular, it's hard to want to sit in front of the computer. When I have been on the computer, though, I've been spending a lot of time on YouTube. It's really interesting what YouTube has become -- when I started using YouTube in 2005, it was little more than a place for people to upload covers and maybe a few reviews here and there. But now it's become its own source of original entertainment, with various types of "channels."

I was talking to my friend the other day about what life used to be like before all of this "advanced media" (I don't know what else to call it), and she really can't remember life before it at all. Apparently she thought YouTube's been around since we were in our early teens, and that streaming video has always been a way of life. But I reminded her of my early web days and my first ever website, which was in 1998 and dedicated to Nick Carter. I remember having to wait days, weeks, sometimes even months, to catch an interview I'd missed because I'd have to wait until someone had uploaded an extremely shoddy video capture online, and even then, the only way I was able to make out which Backstreet Boy member was which was by the pixelated masses of hair atop their heads. That was 2003-2004.

We've come so far, and sometimes I wonder if we'll run out of new internet innovations. I also wonder what kind of impact this will all have on us that we can't even conceive of right now. I guess only time will tell ...

source: HayleyOkines.com

In the meantime, here are some of my very favorite/most interesting YouTube videos from the recent past. Some of these stories are fairly well-known, but hearing their stories again always reminds me of human resilience and will.

I love that spring feeling seemed to come earlier this year, just as Mr. Punxsutawney Phil said! Here in New York City, we had a couple of days of surprise snow amidst balmier days ... March, in like a lion, out like a lamb.

Whenever I think of "spring cleaning," I think back to March/April days when I was in elementary school. I think we did most of our spring cleaning during my school spring breaks, which, back in elementary school, would have been mid-to-late April (usually close enough to my birthday that I'd worry about not being able to spend it with friends at school). Back then, it seemed as if Aprils were extremely mild and sunny, enough to be able to throw open our windows and let the fresh spring air circulate through our house. I don't think it's been warm enough to do that for years now, which is a real pity. But that's what I associate spring cleaning with.

Yesterday was the first day of spring, and already I'm excited about slowly cleaning the house. There's something particularly exciting about cleaning at this time of year, maybe equally exciting as cleaning the house just before the start of the new year, except it seems like less of a chore and more of an unburdening.

Here are some little and easy things you can do to clean, both the house and yourself ...

Baking soda and vinegar
Not to scare you (but to gross you out), but I heard that your kitchen sponge has about four times as much bacteria as your toilet. Yeah. In the past, my mother has used this mixture to unclog sinks and toilets, but I recently discovered that you can actually disinfect sponges with this mixture too. I tossed my dish scrubber into a mixture of equal parts baking soda and vinegar and let it soak for a couple of hours. All of the dark-colored gunk that had embedded itself in the nooks and crannies of the scrubber had magically disintegrated and the scrubber smelled a heck of a lot cleaner. It also seemed to absorb the soap better, which meant less dish soap was necessary to wash the dishes. Alternatively, you can microwave your sponge, but the image of a hot, soggy sponge (or would it dry up in the microwave) is utterly unappealing to me.

Coconut oil
You've probably heard the hype surrounding coconut oil by now ... I mean, if my father knows about it, it's probably been a big deal for some time. I originally bought some coconut oil to make my own lip balm with, but I read that it was a great conditioner, which I have tested and can verify. You melt down 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of solid coconut oil and massage it into your hair and scalp, put a shower cap on for an hour or two and wash it out and ... wow, the results were amazing. Better than any deep conditioner I've ever used, expensive or inexpensive. The results were longer lasting, too, and of course, it's completely chemical-free. I've also used it as a moisturizer, and I have loved it: it's both deliciously (albeit lightly) scented and creamy without being greasy. It dissolves into the skin and leaves an almost powdery/velvety feel to your skin, rather than sticky or oily.

If you can get your hands on the extra virgin type of coconut oil (Trader Joe's carries it in 1 lb. jars for only $5.99), it's said to be highly beneficial to your health. Along with being a fantastic moisturizer, it's also supposed to improve a whole plethora of ailments, including Alzheimer's Disease and memory loss. My father, who is quite old, claims that his mental acuity has improved since the inclusion of coconut oil in his diet. I haven't experienced anything of the sort yet, but perhaps it's more apparent in those whose memory loss has been compounded over the years? I haven't gotten around to cooking with it yet, but I have become very, very fond of spreading it onto my toast in lieu of butter. It tastes better than butter, if you ask me -- it has a really fragrant, light and nutty flavor. If only everything that was healthy tasted this good!

Household pests: fruit flies and ants
Do you get those pesky little fruit flies once the weather turns a little warmer? This easy method works wonders: mix 1 part water, 1 part fruit juice (or maybe a little more than 1 part) and a drop of dish soap into a cup and combine. Similarly, if you find that fruit flies have befriended your innocent plants, spray your plants with a mixture of water and dish soap (go light on the soap if you don't want to kill your plants). If it's ants that are invading your space, mixing a quart of water, a teaspoon of dish soap and a teaspoon of cooking oil. Spray directly on the ants -- this works almost immediately. Wish I had known when I was in Taipei!

Exercise
I've moved on from yoga to the slightly more challenging Pilates, and it's been absolutely kicking my ass. I even started with a "beginner's workout." I gave Pilates a shot about 5 or 7 (or 10 ... time flies, is it really not 2003?) years ago with a bit of Mari Winsor and a woman named Kris. Mari's workouts scared me off, they really did. I decided to give it another go this year with Cassey Ho's YouTube workouts, which are shorter and slightly more fun. I couldn't move my hips for two days after the first workout, but there is (obviously) an immediate and noticeable difference in my body afterwards! I'm determined to conquer the workout and move onto Cassey's other workouts.


Flowers
I'm not a big flowers person, but I do think they're nice every once in a while as a treat to someone or to yourself. They can be an inexpensive way to dress the house up and cheer yourself up (if you get your flowers from Trader Joe's, har har). Plus, spring just isn't spring without some flowers and greenery, is it?

Happy Spring!

Dr. Seuss source: Amazon.com

I hope you made it out of February unscathed. I'm pretty excited about the fact that it's March, even though it also means that 2013 is zipping by at lightning speed. I have a very good feeling about this spring and summer, and this is coming from a girl who hates hates hates New York City in the summer.

Anyway, not much to note on this lovely Sunday, but I do have some interesting reads to share ...

+ yourmonkeycalled.com: You Are Boring
In line with the idea that one narrows one's perspective on/breadth of life based on the people one hangs out with, what one reads, the limits time places on our information consumption ... and how we can remedy that.

+ The Week: 11 Words You're Probably Mispronouncing
Who knew "Seuss" was supposed to be pronounced "Soice"?

+ New York Times: The No-Limits Job
Not quite sure why this is in the Fashion & Style section of the paper, but it's an interesting look at career-building for 20-somethings who work outside the periphery of finance, law, business and medicine.

And a relaxing, before-bed yoga routine I've been loving ...

Hello, February! I have to be honest -- this is my least favorite month of the year, and not just because it contains Valentine's Day or is the shortest month of the twelve. Do you suffer from the winter blues (or Seasonal Affective Disorder, which can also occur in the summer) like I do? For me, it comes and goes, depending on how dreary the winter, but I've suffered from it practically every February-April or May since I was 18. SAD is a "young person's disease" and is said to ebb in the 40s and 50s, and affects more women than men.

It's not as bad for me now that I don't live in Massachusetts anymore, where winter seemed to drag on and on between late October and early May. In Massachusetts, I would start feeling that time was slowing down and that I was down in the dumps beginning in February, but here in New York City, I feel that SAD doesn't really hit me until March. Ever since I discovered the patterns of my blues, I have been trying to make an active effort to stay positive during the worst months of the winter and minimize the symptoms.

Scientists say that sunlight, for obvious reasons, works wonders on SAD symptoms. They recommend that one sets a timer on their bedside lamp so it turns on a half hour before one's alarm goes off, to mimic daylight. Similarly, sunlamps and other types of lamps that mimic natural sunlight are recommended for those who don't get enough sun (so many of us who live in big cities and work in office buildings with little access to windows!).

What works for you?

For me, I've slowly figured out that exercise helps a great, great deal. In the past, I've brushed this off because I've been lazy, but now that I exercise regularly, I can really see the difference in my mood.

Other things that help me are more superficial -- sprucing up my surroundings, for example. I like redecorating, even if only with a happy and bright-colored garland or some new homemade art. Luckily, Valentine's Day decorations afford us plenty of cheerfully-colored décor options. Fresh flowers are another option.

And, my cheap and easy year-round go-to: painting my nails. When I'm in need of a mood-lifter, I turn to my pinks, corals, reds and fuchsias.

Music always, always helps. In the early winter, I like music that incorporates warm, cozy-sounding wood instruments, so I tend to listen to acoustic, folk or even country music with positive messages.

I haven't tried this one yet, but I'd imagine that aromatherapy would help as well. A few drops of pure essential oils like peppermint, orange or lemon in a clay pot or oil burner are said to be energizing, and lavender or chamomile calming if you're having trouble sleeping. (Sleeping more during these months is also recommended, and probably the way our ancestors dealt with it.)

Working on a project you're really excited about helps. Having something to look forward to -- whatever the season -- is a great way to "pass the time" or get through the hard times. Just make sure it's not something that will be so challenging that you'll find yourself easily frustrated or tempted to give up. Make it fun.

Lastly, if it's financially possible, travel is a great way to get away and regain some perspective and maybe even to catch some rays. Even if it's to another cold, wintry place! I went on a skiing trip to Vermont a few Januarys back and returned with a big smile in my heart to last me the rest of winter.

P.S. A little bit of chocolate never hurt anyone.

source: Haim's Facebook page

I'm sure many of you have already heard of them (I tend to be late to the game outside of my usual genres), but there's been a lot of buzz about this Los Angeles-based group called Haim, made up of three sisters and a drummer. I've seen them compared to everything from Fleetwood Mac to garbage (not the band, but ... rubbish), but Wikipedia labels them "contemporary R&B," which completely blows my mind. R&B is pretty much the last thing I think of when I listen to Haim.

What do you think? This is my favorite song of theirs:

I hear 80s pop rock, some folk rock or Fleetwood Mac-y elements, and in pretty much all of their songs, a distinctive rhythm from various genres -- in this song, it's samba or something along those lines. I personally like it because it reminds me of the best of 80s and early 90s pop music, that "everything's going to be alright forever and ever" feeling that very few artists seem able to or want to capture these days, quite possibly because it seems naïve or unrealistic. "Forever" reminds me of Gloria Estefan and "Do It" by Nelly Furtado. I really like the huskiness of the lead singer's voice, too.

How's your year going so far? If you made any resolutions, are you still keeping to them? I know my photo-a-day project has fallen to the wayside, though I do tend to take a ton of photos on the days I remember ... maybe to make up for the days I don't remember.

In striving for self-improvement (in the hopeful early days of January) as one does, I've been focusing on a couple of things: remaining positive and trying to streamline my routines and daily habits so as to lead more productive days. I have to admit, aside from the occasional workout, I haven't really been spending too much time trying to lead a more physically healthy lifestyle, but I suppose that too will come (or I will have to make it!).

Anyway, I've been a subscriber of Brain Pickings' weekly newsletter since the fall, and I really enjoy the little jolts of wisdom and layman's academia it injects into my week, although it's sometimes hard to keep up with (the site is a rabbit hole!). Here is a little something I found in one of the newsletters that I found simultaneously relieving and worrisome ... maybe I'm thinking too much about it. But it's altogether a good thing to keep in mind, I think!

How about some Hump Day cheer? I saw all of these videos recently on YouTube and had to rewatch them multiple times because they made me smile so much. I hope they do the same for you!

Not long before New Year's, I finally decided to look up what "parabens" were. Since I began my search for my favorite organic lip balm and ended up making my own, I have become more and more aware of what sorts of chemicals go into everyday cosmetic products. The natural next step to thinking "what am I putting on my lips" was "what am I putting on my skin?"

Now, I'm not a big cosmetics girl. In fact, I've never been too knowledgeable about any type of body or beauty care, most probably because I've always found "better" places to spend my money. In college, I stumbled upon a body lotion scent I really enjoyed from Bath & Body Works and I've pretty much been getting my body lotions from them ever since.

Well, I read about parabens, alright. Methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben. They're basically additives put in lotions, shampoos and hair products to keep bacteria at bay. While it hasn't been proven that parabens cause cancer, intact paraben have been found in breast cancer tumors of 19 out of 20 patients studied (in a 2004 UK study). What's more is parabens have been linked to endocrine disruption, elevated levels of estrogen, reproductive toxicity ... The FDA is continuing to study the effects of parabens on health and in the meantime have ruled them harmless in small doses. But they're EVERYWHERE, which means the small percentages that show up in one lotion or shampoo becomes compounded, especially for those of us who use multiple moisturizers and beauty products layered atop one another.

After reading about parabens, I rushed to my bathroom to skim labels. I found them in all of my lotions, including Kiehl's and the Body Shop, which have very "green" and organic reputations. They were in my Bath & Body Works lotions, all 11 bottles I had lying around. I was kind of devastated, because I've grown attached to certain scents, but my most recently bought bottles already went back to the store and will be replaced with a paraben-free lotion. Parabens are in my daily moisturizer, too.

Other keywords that popped up while I was reading about parabens were "sodium benzoate" and "dimethicone." Sodium benzoate is another chemical preservative found in both body products and foods (sodas, pickles, salsa, juices). The worry with sodium benzoate is that when it's mixed with ascorbic acid (or vitamin C), benzene (a carcinogen) can form. Another article I read said sodium benzoate itself is a carcinogen, but it seems like a premature statement. Currently, the amount allowed in foods is said to be harmless, but the FDA does not oversee cosmetics and body products.

"Dimethicone" is a word I've seen again and again, almost as much as I've seen the word "paraben." Dimethicone (and its siblings cyclomethicone, dimethiconol, phenyl trimethicone) does not appear to be carcinogenic, however it seems to have the same effects as petroleum, which is it traps everything in (and out, thus serving as an excellent moisturizer) ... which ultimately means it inhibits the skin's natural processes. It, like petroleum, is non-biodegradable and can cause a dependency on it because it makes your skin drier in the long run (have you ever noticed how you NEED to reapply Chapstick or Vaseline once you've applied it once, or else your lips become even more chapped?). So while dimethicone hasn't been ruled unhealthy, it's bioaccumulative and not the best option in terms of long-term use or environmental friendliness. (Petroleum and mineral oils, however, are a different story and is suspected to block estrogen and damage one's immune system, among other things.)

I did a basic search on the internet and have found that St. Ives is the most consumer-friendly (aka inexpensive) line that is paraben-free and fairly natural. I was also surprised to find no parabens in my Oil of Olay night cream. Other brands that are fairly accessible with paraben-free options are: Nature's Gate, Avalon Organics, Burt's Bees, Kiss My Face. And like I said before, I was disappointed to find that many Kiehl's lotions and moisturizers contain parabens, as do the creams from Body Shop.

I do consider myself fairly conscious of the environment, but I'm definitely not a tree hugger or an organic/vegan enthusiast. I just think it's important to think about what you're putting in your body, and how the corners that corporations have cut over the years in order to make money might be taking a toll on us. And while I know I can't eliminate some of these harmful chemicals from my life, I'm going to try to minimize their presence in the ways that I can. It is my hope that more and more companies will roll out more natural products in the coming years.

More resources:
+ Parabens
+ Sodium Benzoate
+ Dimethicone
+ Petroleum and mineral oils

Happy New Year, everyone! Today also happens to be my blog's second birthday. I hope you all had a good New Year's Eve and feel ready and excited about the upcoming year (and not too hungover). If you didn't already know, I love fresh starts and the feeling of endless possibilities. It's kind of silly, really, because every day, every minute and even every second is really a new opportunity to start something or become the person you've always wanted to become, but there's just something about a new calendar year and a collective hopefulness.

I long ago stopped making New Year's resolutions, but I still make lists of things I'd like to accomplish within a year's time. I don't think I did too well with my list from last year ... I did finish the "Harry Potter" series and visit Australia and New Zealand, and I made a greater effort to read. Other than that, none of my goals were completed (take the GRE, finish drafts of my stories/novels, finish reading "White Teeth").

Here's a new list to work on over the next 12 months:

Take a photograph a day using Hipstamatic
I love this iPhone app ... I've had it for years and have been adding paks to it in intervals, but I always forget to use it (mostly because the photos have to be taken in-app). I've spent at least $10 on the paks so I resolve to use it more often this year!

Finish not only "White Teeth" but also "On Beauty" by Zadie Smith
For reals this time.

Write in my journal every day

Learn to better manage stress
Ever since visiting the hospital and seeing how fast my heart rate can be on the heart monitor, I've been more aware of my heart rate and stress levels. I did a little research and have been seeing a lot of mentions of the benefits of meditation, particularly a technique called "transcendental meditation." Apparently it's quite easy and involves repeating a two-syllable word over and over again until you are focusing only on those two sounds, for 15 to 20 minutes a day. I can do that, right?

Finish a draft of a story
Any story. I've had at least 3 story ideas floating around in my head for years and years and have made starts on many of them, but I haven't completed a draft I'm happy with yet.

Write a song
I've been toying with my Casio keyboard for a few years now, writing bits and bobs of beginnings of songs, but I struggle with the choruses. As in ... I don't think I've successfully written a chorus, ever, but plenty of verses and bridges. I find this amusing, because I think for most people, the chorus comes first. This is the year!

And as always, the health and mental health upkeep ...
Exercise regularly, eat more healthily, sleep more ... be more focused, and be more positive.

What are your goals for this year?

At the end of each year, I see these memes that go around with a end of year theme. One of the questions I often see is "what song or songs sums up your year?"

I gave this question some thought for 2012, and the one song I kept coming back to is "In My Life" by the Beatles. Typically, I like choosing songs that are from the current year, or at the very least a song I discovered during the year, but this song is probably the only one that fully sums up the colors of the year.

I think the end of the year is a great time to do some cleaning, both on a superficial and a deeper level. I tend to dedicate the last few days to week of the year to discarding unused items around the house, tidying things up, vacuuming floors and washing surfaces ... and then I sit down and do the heavier stuff, like reflecting upon the ups and downs of the past year, how I could've done better and where I succeeded, and how I've grown or not grown. And then the lists ... all the lists of things I'd like to accomplish in the coming year and areas where I'd like to improve.

And then, before the clock actually strikes twelve on New Year's Eve, I like to a do a more superficial type of cleaning -- I don't know if it's a widespread "habit" or tradition or if it's in any way linked to the Asian idea of starting a new year fresh (new clothes, new haircut, showered and all of that), but I like to wind down with a nice, cleansing shower or bath, freshly scrubbed so I'm as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as one can be expected to be following a raucous (or not so raucous) night out. I do tend to find that that cautionary (and alarming!) phrase uttered by some member of the first season of "The O.C." (probably Seth ... okay, apparently it was Hailey, Seth's aunt) about where and who you find yourself spending the first minutes of the new year with really sets the tone for the entire year. Leave it to me, she who has had to work New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (sometimes followed by a wild night out) to tell you ... having no distinct end or beginning to a year really throws you off!

Anyway, I want to share with you some of my newer pampering "tools" -- (what I consider luxurious) bath and beauty products I've discovered over the past year or so that I feel really make a difference. (And if there's any doubt, I was definitely not sent samples by any of these companies for review or compensated in any way. Oh how I wish!)

Vegetable wax candles

Something about winter just calls for cozy home scents. I've been using an oil warmer over the years, but this year I wanted to add a little ambience, so I've been using candles for that nice, comforting glow. I use vegetable wax-based candles to create a cleaner burn with less soot. I'm not sure what the exact benefits of using vegetable wax candles are, although I'd imagine using something natural is almost always better than using a synthetic product. I just picked up a few scents from Bath & Body Works, and White Barn No. 2 Chestnut and Clove is my current favorite. Over the years, I've grown less tolerant of overly sweet, foodie scents and have leaned more towards clean, light perfumy scents. This one, to me, doesn't smell anything like clove -- I smell cedar (one of the highlighted notes) and something a little sweet, which is probably the chestnut. Overall, it's quite mentholly/minty (from the cedar) and resembles a fresh and light men's cologne with a touch of sweetness. By the way, did you know there's a "right" way to burn candles? How I wish I had known this before I'd wasted all the candle wax I've burned in the past! As you might be able to tell from the photo, I'm still learning how to achieve the right kind of even burn.


Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream
$17.99 for 1.8 oz

Along with reading about petroleum in body products, I did a bit of reading on organic/green beauty products this year. I just thought, "If it's not good for us to ingest chemicals, shouldn't we be more careful about what we're putting on our skin and lips?" I was sent a generous sample size of this night cream with a Drugstore.com purchase, which lasted me 3 weeks! This product is 99% natural, which is awesome. It's heavy and definitely only suitable for nighttime use, but it was so hydrating (I don't have particularly dry skin on my face) and turned powdery smooth. I noticed a difference in my skin tone the next day. It has a bit of an odd scent, like garden herbs (it's infused with clary sage) and cucumbers or something, but nothing I couldn't get past. I haven't bought a full-sized jar of this year because I still have a pot of Oil of Olay night cream (which has served me very well over the years), but if you're looking for a natural alternative and don't have oily skin, I would give the Intense Hydration line a shot.

source: LushUSA.com

Lush's Volcano Foot Mask
$13.95 for 3.5 oz/$22.95 for 11.1 oz

I've tried a number of Lush items over the years, from the lauded Big shampoo (didn't make much of a difference) and the Pied de Piper foot lotion (same) while I was in England to the Fair Trade Foot Lotion (it's alright). Although it seems as if I may have always paid a lot of attention to my toes, it's really not true. I found towards the end of my time in Taiwan that my feet had grown a little callused and dry in spots and decided to try out the Volcano foot mask first thing upon my return. I was kind of skeptical, seeing as my previous Lush purchases hadn't stood out to me in any way, but this mask really works to soften feet and relax them. It's made with a lot of cinnamon and natural things that make your feet heat up and tingle. And if you wash the mask (which is admittedly quite messy) off with a pumice stone to your calluses, voila. My feet looked practically brand new after my first application. I really recommend this product, even if it isn't at all inexpensive. I'm nearly done with my first tub and am trying to pinch pennies and think of ways to squeeze out enough for a second. This is definitely my favorite discovery of the year, as I think it it is both effective and pampering.

source: Kiehls.com

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
$11 for 2.5 oz

I've been wanting to try Kiehl's out for years. Years. I'd long been curious about its #1 lip balm, but I've just never shelled out the $7.50 or whatever the going rate is now for it because to me it just seemed like condensed Vaseline. This Black Friday, I thought of Kiehl's when I went to take advantage of sales while replenishing my moisturizer supply. I bought a gift set that included this hand salve, and though the product I really wanted to try was the Creme de Corps, the hand salve was the product that really impressed me. I have really dry hands that are oddly rough for the amount of sedentary work I do. I don't even have a hand washing problem, so I'm not really sure what the issue is -- but it's one that's been plaguing me since I was in preschool. Well this hand salve has really worked wonders for me. I'd been using Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula Hand Cream in times of need, but I've never liked how long it takes to absorb and the fact that it's petroleum-based (I discovered this year that petroleum works in the short-term but creates a sort of dependency on it to keep skin moisturized). The Kiehl's salve soaks in pretty much immediately, has a non-greasy feeling and a slight tingle. And best of all, it really "saves" the dry spots. Minutes after my very first application, I saw that what I thought had been permanent dry, white/ashy spots were skin-colored again. While the salve isn't a miracle worker in that it prevents dryness, one application lasts about half the day for me. The one downside is that the scent might not be for everyone -- it's got an herbal yet plasticky scent, but it fades rather quickly.

On the eighth day of my twelve days of Christmas, I'm sharing some of my favorite holiday or holiday-related videos from past and present ...