by Tara Mackey | Blogroll, Green Beauty, Hair
I cut my hair for the first time when I was ten.
I had gotten a trim here and there, of course. Even bangs once (so I guess I cut a PART of my hair REALLY short, but to me, it didn’t count.)
By fifth grade I had curls that cascaded down my back. I always had to move my hair before I sat down, to make sure I wasn’t about to start sitting on it. Leaning back in the grass was a nightmare – my hands just about always intersected with my curls.
In fifth grade, my parents decided that a haircut would suit me.
I walked into the salon of a family friend’s with a mane of raven mermaid hair that I had never known life without.
I walked out with a bob that was chopped to just below my ears.
I didn’t even look like the same person.
Honestly, I think my hair was traumatized, because it’s never grown to quite the same length since – haha.
I have been striving since my early days of green beauty to find the perfect combination to keep my hair healthy. I feel like lately I’ve struck the perfect balance. If I do just a few things throughout the day thoughtfully, I am extremely happy with the results! My hair is SO much healthier today than it was when it was super long. I always used to struggle with frizz, dandruff and split ends.
I’ve realized over the years that the length of your hair does not equal the health of your hair. Although my hair was MUCH longer back then, it’s MUCH healthier now. Here’s how I’ve managed to keep my hair happy, bouncy, shiny and growing out at a great pace:
I use this organic oil 2-4x a day. Malaya Organics Hair Oil contains ONLY healing ingredients that nourish and repair hair, and I use it for styling and split ends as well. Your tresses will thank you! Many products on the market (in fact, many of the most heavily marketed) contain sulfates, alcohols and silicones to exfoliate, sud or “soap” up your products.
Sulfates strip your hair of natural oils, drying out your hair. Silicones coat your hair and weigh it down. Alcohols also weigh down your hair. Look for hair products that say “sulfate and silicone free.” Also, check your ingredient list and make sure there are no hidden ingredients!
If you can’t pronounce it, don’t buy it!
Here are 4 simple ways to use organic oil for flawless hair:
In The Shower
- Before you shampoo, apply a few drops of oil to the ends of wet hair. This will minimize the appear of split ends and make dry ends feel softer. After a minute or two, the oil will soak into your hair, and since you’re following with shampoo, your hair won’t be left with a greasy film.
- If you brush your hair in the shower (and do so gently, it is the leading cause of breakage!), use this oil before you comb through. This botanical formula contains vitamin e, which is an antioxidant that helps repair and build tissue. When you apply vitamin E to your scalp, it helps reduce inflammation and repair damage to the follicles, and healthy follicles encourage hair growth.
Styling
- Water can only do so much. To keep flyaways down, apply just a drop of Malaya organic oil to your index finger and lightly coat the wild strand. This will also coat the places it’s applied and make them healthier, so hopefully they cooperate more with you in the future (as mine do now! YAY!) Curly or frizzy hair?
- Use this oil to style your curls or keep frizz at bay! Borage oil is the richest natural source of gamma-linoleic acid or GLA (17 to 25 percent). GLA is an important polyunsaturated omega-6 fat that helps keep your scalp and hair healthy.
Split Ends
- If your hair is colored, extremely dry, or damaged, try using this oil on the ends. It’s a great daily moisturizer and if used sparingly, it’s pretty much non-greasy. It contains healing ingredients like coconut oil, which is a fatty oil that will coat the hair and moisturize until it’s washed out. The second stellar ingredient, argan oil is proven to make hair softer, silkier and shinier.
A Spa Quality Hair Treatment
- You don’t need to leave your house for great, spa-quality results on your hair! Seriously! Use this incredible organic oil as an overnight hair treatment or a conditioning treatment. Why spend a zillion dollars at a spa for someone to use who knows what on your hair?
- Simply massage this luxurious organic oil into scalp roots to ends. Leave in or shampoo after several hours. If you want to “activate” the oil and stimulate your hair, warm it on the stove or microwave for a few seconds to heat it up.
- The oil smells amazing because it contains healing essential oils like bulgarian rose and sandalwood. Rose oil also has stimulating, antiseptic, antiviral and bactericidal properties that are beneficial to hair and skin, making it useful as a fast-acting scalp tonic.
You can feel comfortable knowing that this unique combination of organic oils has been formulated to keep your hair healthy!
Ingredients: Coconut Oil*, Olive Oil*, Argan Oil*, Hemp Oil*, Apricot Kernel Oil*, Jojoba Oil*, Sweet Almond Oil*, Avocado Oil*, Sunflower Oil*, Borage Oil*, Herbal extracts – [Rosemary Leaf*, Nettle Leaf*, Lavender Flower*, Chamomile Flower*, Elder Flower*], Proprietary blend of Essential Oils and Absolutes * including – Clary Sage Oil*, Bulgarian Rose Absolute*, Sandalwood Oil* and Geranium Oil* (ideal for falling and dry hair), Vitamin E Tocopherols (GMO Free).
by Tara Mackey | Beauty, Blogroll, Featured, Health
You guys may remember last year when I judged The Glamour Beauty Awards.
It was SO amazing to nominate + assess the Natural & Organic category for Glamour Magazine ( let’s face it’s – it’s amazing that there even IS a Natural & Organic category at all!)
I felt such a sense of pride to see so many familiar names and faces.
I truly feel like we all started this journey together (many of the companies nominated have popped up in the last decade or so), and it’s been amazing to watch a few of the awesome brands that I once found on Etsy taking their rightful place in the beauty cabinets of women worldwide.
I had a blast, and for months to come whenever I’d connect with a certain brand owner or two, they’d go,
“Oh heeeey! I know you!! You’re the one who nominated us for best lipstick!!!”
or
“Aren’t you the girl who voted us Best Sunscreen in Glamour?!”
Yup.
That was me.
Well, I had the privilege of being asked to do it again this year!
Cue happy dance and confetti!!
I am also in this months issue of Glamour Magazine! Page 88 🙂
I am so excited to share my favorites in Natural & Organic!
Check out Glamour’s full list here and explore mine below:
BEST SUNSCREEN: BABO BOTANICALS (only $8.95!)
This was one of my favorite picks and Glamour featured it! This formula not only provides great sun coverage, it also contains avocado and jojoba oils along with organic shea butter—which is high in fatty acids, so it moisturizes and hydrates skin.
BEST LIPSTICK: KJAER WEIS
BEST MULTI-TASKER: RMS BEAUTY MAGIC LUMINIZER
BEST MIST: ODACITE ROSE + NEROLI TREATMENT MIST
BEST LIP COLOR: 100% PURE MATTE LIPSTICKS
BEST MOISTURIZER: ODACITE BEAUTIFUL DAY MOISTURIZER
BEST DEODORANT SPRAY: EO SPRAY
BEST DEODORANT CREAM: AGENT NATEUR
BEST BODY PRODUCT: UMA OIL BODY OIL
BEST BODY OIL: GENETIX ORGANIC ENHANCEMENT OIL
BEST CLEANSER: PAI SKINCARE CAMELLIA & ROSE CLEANSER
BEST MASCARA: LILY LOLO MASCARA
BEST SERUM OR OIL: MV ROSE PLUS BOOSTER
THE BEST FACE MASK: TATA HARPER PURIFYING MASK
BEST SHAMPOO: RARE ELEMENTS SHAMPOO
BEST HAIR TREATMENT: JOSH ROSEBROOK NOURISH CONDITIONER
BEST CONDITIONER: RARE ELEMENTS ESSENTIAL CONDITIONER
BEST MAKEUP POWDER: RMS “UN” POWDER
Love you guys!
Thanks for tuning in all these years and for always making the healthiest choice!
Big thank you Glamour for giving Natural + Organic brands the highlight they deserve!
Also, if you want to check out my other Top Picks, they’re organized by category now! Just scroll to the top of the blog and check them out!
xoxo
Tara
by Tara Mackey | Blogroll, Fitness, Giveaway
Five years ago, the word “exercise” seemed like the most daunting word on the planet. I saw no value in it and (possibly more importantly), I had absolutely zero motivation to do it. At the time, I certainly saw no way that it could possibly help me as a person.
There was only one problem: I was always in massive amount of pain. Yes, five years ago I was in excruciating pain – each and every day. The kind of pain that will drive you nuts. The kind of pain that’s unexplainable to anyone who hasn’t experienced it before. Blessed with juvenile arthritis on top of a bad spinal curve, I thought I was doomed to be in persistent pain forever.
Little did I know that just a few tweaks in my daily regiment were the keys I had been missing to rid myself of pain for good. Moving needed to be an essential part of my wellness – or I was never going to feel well!
What if I told you that just one simple move could activate your metabolism (speeding up weight loss), strengthen your core (hello six pack!), improve your posture (HEY job promotion!) and help you feel pain free?
Along with supplements, food and the right exercises, I have near completely rid myself of pain. And I’ve done this – not through painkillers – but through exercise!
Exercise should be easy and fun. That’s why I am so excited that Kohl’s has recently launched with epic brand Under Armour.
With Under Armour at Kohl’s, your favorite store will now be able to provide you with the gear you need to get going. You can easily access the extra-push you need to give it your all with every start – every day!
Not only was moving an essential part of my cure – without it, the other proactive steps I take for wellness (food, supplements, hiking, mind-strengthening) just would not work! Not only do certain exercises give me a competitive healthy edge, they’re damn fun to do!
For instance, if crawling isn’t a part of your daily exercise routine – it should be!
My new favorite exercise to incorporate into my routine is The Bear Crawl. This simple set of moves tones your core and improves your ability to strengthen your spine. Your deep core stability muscles (also known as “the corset muscles”) all become activated. The body contracts because it is on high alert to guard the spinal joints, ligaments, discs and nerves.
Not only does The Bear Crawl make you feel like a kid again, it fires up your metabolism, aiding in weight loss and the ability of your body to process fats. In addition to stabilizing your spine, your chest, arms, abdomen, shoulders and upper back will tingle after you finish your reps!
Mastering The Bear Crawl also helps your posture! Studies on posture are striking. You may think of this as an exercise, but you should start thinking of it as a brand new life!
Posture is so important on many different levels. In one study, students were asked to rate themselves on their job performance while holding one of two postures: confident and shrunken. The results were telling: how the students rated themselves as future professionals depended on which posture they held as they wrote the positive or negative traits.
Students who held the upright, confident posture were much more likely to rate themselves in line with the positive or negative traits they wrote down. Their confident, upright posture gave them more confidence in their own thoughts, whether they were positive or negative.
The Bear Crawl can definitely help you get there!
HOW TO BEAR CRAWL:
- Get down on all fours
- Keep your hands underneath shoulders
- Keep your knees underneath hips
- Lift knees off the ground
- Allow the posture of your body to be natural
- Move forward 10-20 yards
- Move back 10-20 yards
- Move sideways 10-20 yards
- Move in the other direction 10-20 yards
That’s it! Super simple – and SO many great benefits!
Feel free to laugh at yourself – but this workout is SUPER serious! You’ll feel like a kid again – but get adult results!
HEAD OVER TO INSTAGRAM OR TWITTER:
Take on the bear crawl challenge! Post a photo or video of yourself doing the bear crawl and tag @Kohls, #GetYourStart, and #BearCrawlChallengeSweepstakes to enter to win a $1,000 Kohl’s gift card!
10 runner-up winners will each receive a $100 gift card from Kohl’s.
Thank you to Kohl’s and POPSUGAR for sponsoring this post.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 or older. Ends 11:59 pm CT on 3/31/17.
See Official Rules for full details including eligibility, prize descriptions & limitations. Void where prohibited.
by Tara Mackey | Beauty, Blogroll, Recipes
You’ve likely seen Unicorn Food pop up on your instagram feed (it’s hard to miss!), but have you heard of Unicorn Food’s sexy new sister – The Mermaid Mocktail?
Whether you’re strapping on your boots in this unseasonal Nor’Easter, or you’re basking by the beach, there’s something about have a beautiful mocktail during the day that makes you feel like you’re on a faraway island. Sometimes a beautiful drink, some summer vibes and a good book are all that you need to relax. Great to share with your kids, too – or add a little champagne for yourself!
Made with butterfly blue pea tea, the health benefits of this sophisticated and simple drink are so far-reaching! Great to enjoy hot or cold – all year round!
BENEFITS OF MERMAID TEA:
- Butterfly pea tea is full of antioxidants and anti-infllamtory properties has been proven through clinical research.
- Been proven to have anti glycation properties. Glycation is damage caused to protein because of sugar molecules and it is one of the main causes of skin aging.
- Recent scientific studies have shown it to be effective in stopping the progress of cataracts and improving night vision.
- The tea is very good for people suffering from chronic fatigue as it improves vitality.
- Has been proven to have analgesic properties (pain relieving properties).
- According to “The Ayurvedic medicine Clitoria ternatea—From traditional use to scientific assessment” Bluechai has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a memory enchancer.
- Feeling blue? This amazing flower also reduces stress and depression!
- Packed full of Proanthocyanidin and Anthocyanin which stops the harmful effects of free radicals. This helps to improve overall cell health by perventing premature aging, cutting the risk of cancer and other diseases.
INGREDIENTS:
INSTRUCTIONS:
- To make the tea, place flowers in a tea catcher
- Place tea catcher in teacup + pour the boiling water over the dried flowers in tea catcher. Steep till the color of the water changes to blue color
- Add organic honey + lemon + stir
Enjoy hot or add ice and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to enjoy it cold!
The drink makes a splash at parties!
by Tara Mackey | Beauty, Blogroll, Green Beauty, Health
Want bigger breasts but don’t want implants? How about a tighter tummy without liposuction? Are you looking for enhancements to your body that have no downtime and don’t include invasive surgery?
One of the most common questions I get asked is “Are there natural alternatives to botox, fillers and plastic surgery? And if so, what in the world are they?”
There are a variety of body sculpting techniques to help you achieve your desired affect. They’re safe, surgery-free and in many cases – even organic! Here are my favorite different types of natural body enhancement currently available today:
According to the FDA, “Breast implants are not lifetime devices. You may need to have one or more re-operations over the course of your life due to any combination of local complications.” In fact, over 43,000 implant removals and 108,000 breast reconstructions were performed in 2015 alone!
Last year, I looked for natural ways to enhance my body.
What I gained (surprisingly easily) was two full cup sizes AND a huge wake up call that you CAN enlarge, enhance, tone, firm and shape your breasts – without surgery!
Your breasts are an important component of your femininity, and you should always feel like they are beautiful. This enhancement oil allows women to receive the breast enhancement they desire without extensive surgery and long recovery times. Their breasts remain their own, only larger and fuller. It’s the ideal treatment for women who want a boost in confidence. (PS Use code STAYWEIRD for 25% off!)
Sound a little hokey? I’d never heard of this ritual either, before a little research! But the reviews on Genetix are undeniable and glowing (you can also check their adorable instagram for the latest babes raving!) Turns out this beauty ritual has been around since the days of Cleopatra! I am SO happy I discovered this oil, because with their risk-free return policy, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain!
This organic oil is a doctor recommended top choice and a #1 bestseller for a good reason: my goal of achieving a natural breast augmentation, perky side boob and a natural lift went from daunting and disappointing to EASY – and fun! This beneficial treatment is one that can transform the contours of the body and the breasts.
I am ALWAYS testing products as part of my job for the books I write (I even judged the Glamour Magazine Beauty Awards 2016 & 2017!) I’ve tried DOZENS of products for this purpose and this oil is the only one I really believe in!
It’s absolutely the easiest and most effective way to boost your cup size.
Once I started incorporating this organic massage into my nightly routine, I saw serious results overnight. That’s why I am SO passionate about it!
My fiancé and friends noticed immediately. My bras filled out, then got too small to wear comfortably. My boobs started to bounce when I walked up and down the stairs. Cleavage was miraculously added to the (previously bare) tops of all my shirts, dresses and workout gear. After just a few days, I was really feeling myself.
A little research confirmed that we should actually be doing this daily beauty ritual every single day – and many people are!
From little ladies with an A cup saying they woke up to noticeably bigger boobs the first two days, to momma’s using it to help stretch marks after nursing, to girls saying it helped to ease PMS, PCOS and PMDD symptoms (sign me up, girlfriend!!). Even women who’ve already chosen to get implants absolutely LOVE it!
There’s a reason why every woman in the World has to try this awesome beauty ritual.
How do I know?
Personally, I had to share this because it helped me to increase 2 full cup sizes – and the effects have been long-term! Use code STAYWEIRD for a huge discount that also includes worldwide, same day + free shipping! How great is that?! Just like Amazon Prime – but with customer service! 😉
Check it out…
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Pro Tip: Take in combination with this herb for fastest results!
LIP FILLERS:
Is there a natural way to get the top trend, #KylieJennerLips – without using #KylieJennerMethods. Kylie admitted to using lip fillers a few years ago, which are full of toxins and also need to be kept up with every few weeks. Side effects include permanent scarring, asymmetrical lips, nerve damage and infection.
These three methods act as a natural lip plumper. They are not expensive and have no side effects, so use them without any hesitation:
- Organic Peppermint Lip Balm – for a full, pouty look and a natural plump. Apply before bed at night and allow it to work overnight, then re-apply throughout the day. Peppermint naturally helps to improve blood circulation in lips. When you apply it directly to your lips it creates a slightly swelling, and your lips also become tinted rosy red naturally. However, direct oil can irritate them, so an organic lip balm is a great alternative!
- Cinnamon – Exfoliate your lips once a day with cinnamon and salt. Another way is to just add cinnamon powder and a tiny amount to olive or almond oil, mix them well, apply it. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse it off. Wasabi also works for this purpose!
- Cupping – if you’re already cupping, congrats! You know what the heck I’m talking about! If you do not already know, lip cupping is a 100% natural method for lip enlargement. Its concept derives from an ancient suction method known as ‘Cupping’- which may date back to as far as 3,500 years ago. This involves an esthetician using a small “cup” on your lips and pumping. In the long-run, your lips may stay naturally enlarged with daily use of a cupping set. Please begin by asking your dermatologist or acupuncturist to use the smallest one on you and to instruct you on how you may be able to do it safely at home. The clinical trials done with lip cupping showed that lip size increased by 36% from base-line lip size after 60 days of twice daily applications for 2 minutes each time. I do this once a week and have definitely seen great results!
BUTT ENLARGEMENT/LIFT:
According to the 2015 report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), butt implants and lifts are the fastest-growing types of plastic surgery in the United States. The trend started in 2014 (AKA ‘the year of the booty’), and is clearly here to stay: On average, there was some sort of butt procedure every 30 minutes of every day in 2015. Say what?!
I totally get it: those famous fannies are worth envying. But you don’t need surgery to score a toned rear end. Just like with every other body part, the right body products and workout can sculpt you in ways you never thought possible! I’ve learned this the easy way – with a lot of booty to prove it!
Get started with these Major Booty-Boosting Moves. And if you totally hate traditional lower-body exercises (me! hi!) the 14 Day Fitness Plan is for you!
Pro Tip: Apply an organic oil like Genetix nightly to enhance the growth and division of fat cells! It contains natural phytoestrogen-dominant herbs like zhi mu, which naturally enhances curves!
EYES/FACELIFT:
Facelift surgeries were down 4% in 2015. This is because after the surgery became popular in 2011-2013, long-term complication began to arise for those patients. Some experienced permanent nerve damage, permanent face twitches, sagging skin, serious infections and more.
What if I told you that you can make your face seem younger, tighter and brighter – totally naturally?
One of my favorite tricks to taking ten years off my face is a good pair of lash extensions. Lash extensions can lift your face and change your entire look. I know this sounds a little crazy, but it’s SO true! Longer lashes in general can make your face look so much different. One of my friends is a big fan of the Xlash eyelash serum, she said she’s really noticed a difference in the length of her eyelashes and the way she looks. This just shows that, no matter how it’s done, longer eyelashes can make you feel so much more confident. Personally, I love lash extensions. However, some people might want to try a more natural method of enhancing their eyelashes.
Without extensions ^^
With extensions ^^
The first time I got them done by my girl Emily, I almost cried because my face had not looked that youthful in over ten years! Lashes can “lift” the face visually and draw attention to your eyes – instead of to the areas around them. They make you look healthy and I always feel like Scarlet O’Hara when I get them done!
(^^^ the struggle without them is real!!! I will NEVER go back!)
Plus, lash extensions are safer and honestly – they are far superior to glue-on lashes (which I could NEVER do, especially on a daily basis) and mascara. I have a full post on my lash extension experience over the last few months coming soon – I did the deep dive on this one for you guys! SO keep a look out for that!
If you’re in San Diego, get your “natural face lift” from Emily. She’s an absolute pro and doesn’t take 3 hours to do your lashes like 99.9% of other lash artists. Tell her I sent you for BOMB pricing and a great discount!
Another way to give yourself a natural face lift is to wear braids. Hear me out here. I recently got them done and BOY did my face love it! It literally pulls the skin on your face back (with your hair), giving you a youthful look and letting you show off your skin. I absolutely loved braids and will definitely be rocking this look far more often:
TUMMY TUCK:
Abdominoplasty-sometimes called “tummy tuck”-has a higher risk of major complications than other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, reports a study in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Want a nip and tuck effects (without the nip and tuck?!) These days, there are trainers-pros at toning up their clients head to toe-who also specialize in particular body parts, such as the abdomen and stomach. I’ve studied from some of the best and created a workout plan that can be done at home. This plan focuses on toning and firming your entire body, with a focus on enhancing the butt and toning up the belly.
Many people decide to try different types of exercise and workouts to try and get their desired body shape. For some people, regardless of how much they exercise, they won’t see the outcomes that this should bring and they may have no other option than to look for something similar to this tummy tuck surgery in Tulsa to help improve their self-confidence. You should always try exercising first as you may be surprised by the results that it could bring, but always be aware that, even if other people don’t agree with it, that there are other options available to you to get your perfect body.
The results can be as effective as a tummy tuck – or even lipo! Those who get surgery have to keep up with exercise any way. This is the only way that your abs will last long-term and is much safer than surgery.
Questions? Comments? Love?
