Source: cultureoushock.wordpress.com

If you’re like me, I’m sure you spend a good minute every day, post-shower, moisturizing your skin up and down so that ash is not the first thing people can see when you walk in the building. As great as all those lotions and butters are, putting them on in the heat is not as fun as I would like it to be. But I’ve found that if you don’t have all that extra time to waste, a scrub is a great replacement for the greases and lotions. They exfoliate, make your skin supple and can give it a great shine (not to mention, it can do wonders for some hard feet!). Here’s a few we would recommend for these upcoming steaming days and nights.

Shea Moisture’s Organic Olive Oil & Green Tea Body Scrub – $14.61 (plus shipping)

This very helpful scrub is supposed to help big time with its anti-aging capabilities, but I love it mostly because it not only smells good, but the mix of organic olive, green tea and avocado makes my skin shine like no other! I started using it on my feet after I noticed they were looking mad ashy and feeling like bricks, and the Shea Moisture scrub lubed up all the unsightly cracks, exfoliated my skin, and kept it moisturized for the whole day. After much pedi success, I started using the product on the rest of my body, and every time I do, I save a good ten minutes in my daily regimen since I can ditch the cocoa butters and creams! This product can usually be found in Target stores, but if not, it’s available online.

Source: v-fashionwise.com

Caudalie Paris’ Crushed Cabernet Scrub – $29

Looking for some spa quality ish without having to dole out spa-service money? Well Caudalie has a crushed cabernet scrub that is hard for your skin to resist. Made with grape seed oil, honey grapeseed oil powder, rosemary and a bevvy of other snooty booty but useful ingredients, the scrub can make your skin feel fresh and new. Plus, some even say it helps in the fight against cellulite, but if I can just get it to keep me from looking and feeling like Ashy Larry, that’s all I need.

Source: samples4free.co.uk

The Body Shop’s Shea Body Scrub – $19

If you just have to have shea butter involved in your daily routine, you should check out the Shea Body Scrub from the beloved Body Shop. The salt grains and organic sugar (if you put on softly and not rough) leaves you moisturized and smooth without feeling oily when it’s all over. Many scrubs can have you slipping and falling out of your tub and make you feel like you jumped in shortening, but this Shea Body Scrub keeps you covered in a light but luscious way.

Source: getpeachy.com

Tree Hut Body Scrub – $7. 49

If you don’t have $20+ to spend on a simple scrub, you can still get great stuff for the low low. For instance, this body scrub by Tree Hut is less than $10 and comes in varying scents. The great thing about it is that it’s not too heavy on the skin and preserves your skin’s natural moisture. All the natural extracts infused in the scrub really help this inexpensive product go a long way for a long day!

Source: polyvore.com

Bliss Hot Salt Scrub – $36

For the baller with a LOT of ash, I would also recommend Bliss’s hot salt scrub. It’s another product that provides you with the spa experience for less, and will do more than most by providing comfort and warmth to tight muscles that could use some stretching. The dead sea salt and glycerin along with the rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender pack a pretty powerful punch. It definitely helps you unwind in a hot shower, or get nice and exfoliated (and shiny) after a cool one. Enjoy!

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By Chrissi J

Source: naturallymemedia.com

Everyone asks about what they can do to make their hair grow, and to keep their hair moisturized, but are you checking to make sure your hair has shine? The kind of shine where your locks are shining when you step out in the sun? Try these tips to keeping your hair all aglow no matter what time of the year.

Cold Water closes your hairs pores so that your hair will reflect light rather than absorb it. The water doesn’t have to be freezing ice cold, but try giving your hair a cool blast after you shampoo & condition.

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum smells great & works wonders for most textures, especially fine hair. I would especially recommend it for straightened hair… It’s a gloss and isn’t heavy at all. For longer lasting and the shiniest of results, massage the Garnier ‘Sleek & Shine Anti Frizz Serum’ into your hair when it’s damp. No worries though, you can also use this product on dry hair as well.

Coconut Oil is great for all hair types & textures. It’ll definitely give you shine & moisture. You want to make sure that you only use unrefined coconut oil, and use it when hair is moist for best moisture penetration. Coconut oil is also great for hair growth and helps prevent hair loss. If you’ve ever had any severe breakage, try massaging coconut oil into the area and watch your hair grow back!

Grapeseed Oil coats the hair and is very great for shine. Grapeseed oil helps to repair brittleness and is a God-sent product for fine and straightened hair. It’s so light and doesn’t weigh the hair down at all. It’s not greasy or overly-oily and you can use it while your hair is damp or dry. You can also use grapeseed oil for a hot-oil treatment.

Almond Oil smells great and is also great for shine. Be careful not to use if you’re allergic to nuts though! Almond oil also great for hair growth and has been said to prevent hair loss.

Castor Oil is great for shine and maximum moisture. If you have straight hair, loose curls, or sometimes even fine hair, you’ll want to steer clean of this for everyday use as to not overdo it. But castor oil does make a great conditioning treatment for all types of hair. Soak your hair in castor oil for about 15-30 minutes after you shampoo and rinse thoroughly with warm/hot water. Castor Oil also great when used to twist locks!

Chrissi J is a hair-care specialist currently based in New York City, specializing in creative natural hairstyling and overall hair care. She is the originator of the Keepin’ It Kinky Campaign. Check out her work and videos at Keepin’ It Kinky and through her YouTube page.

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