Happy Halloween and Dia De los Muertos

beautyineverything.com

A lot of things will be going on these next couple of days… Halloween (samhain), All soul’s day and my favorite Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead). One of my dreams is to experience The Day of the Dead in the middle of Mexico. Taking in all the colors, sugar skulls, altars, food and most importantly the people who honor the dead with such splendid festivities.

Many believe that despite their ancestors having experienced a physical death, they still do not cease to exist in the spriritual realm. It is believed that they continue to be part and conscious of us, the people they experienced life with. Neither time nor space seperates us. In the same way we love and remember them they also continue to do the same despite the thin veil that seperates us.

This is why on the day of the dead and the original meaning behind Halloween, calls for altars and offerings with the deceased’s favorite foods, candles and photos set up beautifully to ensure that the ancestors are still rememebered and honored for who they were and will become in their journey to spiritual elevation.

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Just because your loved one died a physical death does not mean they should die a spiritual one too….

This is usually the time of year where I give thanks and remember my lineage. I give always thanks for the memories my ancestors left with each story told, each aunt, cousin and family member I have, which to me is an extension of my ancestors. You truly don’t know who you are until you know where you came from………..

This is my favorite time of the year so I will be enjoying it! I hope you all enjoy it in your own special way too……..

Images Via BeautyinEverything.com

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Hungry? CheeseBurger Empanadas

I tend to keep myself on a lean diet of salads, portioned rice and my hefty dose of seafood and veggies. But sometimes my inner child yells from within yearning for some guilty pleasures. Or how I like to call it…my anytime snacks.

Empanadas and I go way back. My mom and I used to make and sell them during the summer to my neighbors for a buck when I was a little girl. And it was the go to after school snack just enough to hold my siblings and I until dinner.

Every person from every country I have ever known has their own version of empanadas. Which is basically fried dough filled with anything you can imagine eating. I have had all types of empanadas. Vegetable empanadas, rice empanadas, shrimp, fish, chicken, cheese, although I have never tried it, even fried egg empanadas exist.

The possibilities are endless I tell you. Here I will show you how to make a cheeseburger empanada.

This weekend I got 1lb of ground beef and 10 flour discs already premade and ready to fry.

I seasoned my ground beef lightly with Adobo, added garlic and onions for taste and mixed together.

In high heat I added it to my pot. You don’t need to grease the pot, the meat will start letting out it’s own fat…

Which you will have to drain every now and then while it’s cooking, since you don’t want to end up with greasy meat.

Once you have made sure you cooked the meat thoroughly, with no pink meat in sight, you want to let it cool for a bit while you tend to the already thawed out Empanada discs.

You want to first place your slice of cheese if you chose (land o lakes American) and cooked meat at the center of the disc.

The meat you can get from your local meat dept. shop etc. However, for the flour discs there are two options… You can either make your own…or you can just go to your local ethnic frozen section and find your Empanada discs. I get the large ones for about $1.79.

. Once you have filled your disc with the thousands of things possible…..

You want to wrap the disc. Once you have done that you want to secure the edges with a fork….

And off to the frying pan it goes… I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil on med heat….

Leave in until both sides are crsipy…

And enjoy.

I usually add fried sweet plaintains but forgot!

You can turn this into anything you would like. You can either make just enough for one or make all ten and save them in the fridge for a day or two. If you get the urge just drop them into the frying pan whenever you get hungry.

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Giveaway Winner Announced! + How I Care for my Nails

I got a little caught up this weekend so sorry for being late in announcing!
Using Random.org today and counting from the order each comment was received, the winner of Amal Oils 100% Organic Argan Oil is comment #3 Califia’s Lap

1. SunyBlack

2. Jennifer

3.Califia’s Lap

4. Tara

Congrats! Email me at HellnotesforBeauty@yahoo.com with your shipping address.

I want to thank everyone who entered. However if you did not win or enter don’t worry, Amal Oils is Offering Hell Notes for Beauty’s readers 20% off their purchase until October 28. So go on over to AmalOils.com and enter the code HELLNOTES15 and you will receive 20% off your entire purchase.

Now off to the my nail care regimen.

People always ask about my nails and how healthy and hard they are. However I never was the one to ever think that by simply caring for my nails I would have such healthy nails.

Here are some tips I have gathered along the way.

Limit the use of acrylic nails

If you are serious about your nails this is one of the main things to look out for. I used to be the one at the salon every 2 weeks refilling my acrylic nails without giving too much thought the damage I was doing to my nails. Nails need to breath like any other part of your body. Like with anything that does not have adequate air, fungus can develop taking it years before you can get any normal nail growth. It has been over 5 years since I have used acrylic nails. The first two years were a wreck. I had grooves, dent’s and they were flaky and dry. But I resisted ever getting them done again and am glad I stopped.



Water Intake and Overall Health

Nails are said to be a reflection of your health. That is why maintaining a balanced diet as well as drinking water can make a huge difference, for me it was very crucial. Not only did my nails become much healthier after consuming a lot of water, but my overall health improved as well. So make sure you are conscious of what you eat and at the very least increase your water intake.

Know how to care for your nails

How you file, paint and clip your nails makes a huge difference. I always file my nails when I feel they are too long. When I first started caring for my nails, I read somewhere that filing your nails as opposed to clipping is much better. This is because when you use a nail clipper you tend to crack your nails and in some cases tear them up as well. So I never clip my nails, I just file them to my desired length. I also never paint up to the cuticle. I always leave a space so that way the nail can breath when wearing polish. I also like to use oils on my cuticles so this lets the new nail growth benefit from the oil. I have been using coconut oil for quite sometime for my nails and cuticles, as well as Vitamin E oil and have to say that it works. Recently I have been using Argan Oil and have been equally satisfied.

I always do a face and hair mask for my skin and hair but rarely take the time to pamper my hands and nails for more than 10 mins. So I took an advice from Jalila’s YouTube video and decided to give my nails some extra TLC.  Lemons are great because they help lighten and refresh your hands and nails while the argan oil helps strengthen. You can use Vitamin E Oil as well. However, here I’m using Amal Oils Argan Oil ( which has been fabulous for my skin, hair and now nails!). You will need 20 drops of Amal Oil (or any of your choice) and a Lemon. Dip your hands in for 5 minutes twice a week and you will have lighter and brighter nails.

Recently I got a professional manicure for an event I was attending. Yes I clipped my nails. But they will grow back….. It was funny because at the nail salon the technicians were amazed and had a huddle of nail girls all around “oooohh and ahhhhhing” everytime she clipped one. I did not feel too bad they were mighty long and I needed a break.

I got this polish from CQ called Vintage Gray and I loveee this color so much. So this weekend after soaking my nails…..

I did a french manicure. I just paint my tips with 2 coats that way my nails won’t crack with daily washing, cleaning etc. I also like doing a french manicure on myself because since it’s just the tip being colored, I don’t have to paint the entire nail bed, leaving me with the rest of the nail free, able to take in the oils much better.

So these were the final results….. I adore this color and will be wearing it for a while…

So I hope these tips help especially those just coming off their acrylics. At first your nails will look jacked up and you will be tempted to color them or even worse, cover them up with acrylic again. Don’t do it, brave the ugy part and keep your nails free for at least 6 months while nourishing them at the same time.

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How WEIRD Are You?

Words are not only powerful but also rich in history. This is why I have always been intrigued by words, the history and origins of them, formally known as etymology, “study of the true sense of a word”. Take the word WEIRD for example. To me and you in these current times, weird means just that……weird. But did you know this word has a much greater and deeper meaning?

Recently someone called me weird (all because I gave the person a natural recipe for a remedy), and so I decided to figure out this word. A word many like to use when they simply just can’t figure your path out. 

The first place I checked was of course my pocket dictionary and a few other books I have:

From Langenscheidt’s pocket Merriam-Webster English Dictionary:

Weird \wird\adj [ME wird, werd fate, destiny, fr.OE wyrd] 1 : MAGICAL 2 : UNEARTHLY, MYSTERIOUS 3 : ODD UNUSUAL

I was actually surprised to see the word magical up there. Unearthly, not much because well, of course anything out of this earth will seem weird to anyone. However, this is not where the true meaning of the word weird ends. The word weird we know of today, actually comes from the word wyrd and is very much so in relation with the triple goddess of destiny and fate.

O.E. wyrd “fate, destiny” (n.), lit. “that which comes,” from P.Gmc. *wurthis (cf. O.S. wurd, O.H.G. wurt “fate,” O.N. urðr “fate, one of the three Norns”), from PIE *wert- “to turn, wind,” (cf. Ger. werden, O.E. weorðan “to become”), from base *wer- “to turn, bend…….” {source}

 The original meaning of Weird, Wyrd literally meant Fate, destiny, the supernatural all governed by the goddess. The take on the modern word weird comes from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth in which Shakespeare used the term weird to name his trio of characters, known as the “weird sisters” (witches). These witches in the play were associated with prophecies and destiny.

Image Source

The weird sisters however, is a take on the norns in Norse Mythology (aka triple goddess in many other cultures as well) who in their triple aspect, governs the fate/ destiny of every being.

 

“The norns of Scandinavia were among the oldest and most mysterious manifestation of the triple goddess. Like the Greek Morae and the Saxon weird sisters, they represented …..Become, becoming, and shall be. They lived in the magic womb cave at the root of the world tree, determining the fate of every creature.”

-The Women’s Encyclopedia of symbols and sacred Objects

 In Greek mythology the 3 fates (moirae) are closely related with norns. They are known for binding man to his/her ultimate destiny. They represent the past present and future weaving their aspects into the web we call life. The web of life is connected to everything, each strand of action and thought weaving and binding itself, ultimately determining your fate for better or worse.
 

Snowce

“Weird was a Saxon name of the death Goddess or crone who often stood for the whole trinity. Her name was variously given as wyrd, or wurd, or urd, meaning both “Earth” and the word of Fate’s immutable law”

-The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by Barbara G. Walker

When you are in constant rebirth you may seem out of place and just plain weird to most. However, I feel that whenever I’m called weird, I’m where I’m supposed to be. Present in my own destiny. Once I’m considered normal for the sake of acceptance I won’t be staying true to my WYRD (fate, destiny). So stay true, stay weird….

More Sources and Interesting reads:

 The Tree of Life Web of Wyrd

Wyrd: The Role of Fate

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Amal Oils Hair Review

This was my hair right before rollersetting a couple of weekends ago.

Lately as you all may know, I have been in the process of getting rid of a lot of hair products, anxious to jump start my new hair regimen sometime mid November or early December, which will be mostly based on natural, organic products and ingredients. I have come across several DC and one that seems to never come around for me is Nacidt’s Avocado Deep Conditioner. However this time around I added oils to it and the results were amazing.

Earlier in September Jalila of Amal Oils, sent me 100% organic Moroccan argan oil to try. The day I received the Argan Oil for review I had just did my hair (party that night) and since I typically DC every weekend I had to wait for my next DC session (but I did use it in a facial that day). Finally the weekend came back around and off to roller setting I went.





I can never get a straight line!

 I shampooed with Dr.bronnner’s castile soap, diluted with water. Then I used La Plancha (which I have been using biweekly). I’m really loving La Plancha’s Deep Heat reconstructor treatment. There are 3 ways to use it, I will tell you more in my review about it. 

I used the first method which is to leave it in for 3-5 mins and then rinsed, followed by Nacidt’s Avocado deep Conditioner (and several drops of amal oils argan oil). Left it in for 15 mins with heat. Once I rinsed the Deep conditioner I followed with Mane N tail. Once the conditioner was rinsed, I followed with my beloved Chi Keratin mist and several drops of argan oil as my leave in.

I wasn’t sure what DC to use, when suddenly I gave a mean look to nacidt’s avocado. This deep conditioner and my hair have issues. So for the sake of not wasting it, I decided to try adding Amal Oils Argan oil.

I do my best and anchor each one for proper hold.I feel like I get decent results considering rollersetting is so dam hard….

 I try my best! As my hair gets longer the harder it is to rollerset on my own especially the back. My skills are also a bit rusty since I did not rollerset much this past summer.

I stay in that dungeon of a dryer for a whole hour, reading, napping whatever….

The the end results. Very soft shiny hair.

Usually Nacidt avocado tends to leave my hair feeling like a straw, but after trying it out with the argan oil, I have been curious to see how my essential oils would let up as well. I love how Amal Oils Argan oil leaves my hair so silky. I tend to do well with argan oil and the products infused with them. So I had no complaints considering I had 100% organic Argan oil.

Leaving the oil as a leave in worked very well. I have other argan products but by far I like Amal Oils because it’s scent is non existant. The feel is not too oily either, it worked wonders on my DC and hair  without weighing it down.

Right after I came out the dryer, I wrapped my hair in a wrap. After a couple of hours I twisted it into a low bun and when I let the bun out I got some very pretty wavy spirals. I styled it to the side pinned with a few pins and there I had it. Soft shiny bouncy hair.

Argan Oil is definitely a great treat for any regimen. I noticed how soft my hands and cuticles have been as well as how my deep conditioners are instantly transformed using Argan oil.

Pretty much that is what I have been doing mixing and experimenting as well. Today I will follow this same regimen but will flat Iron after I rollerset so check out my next post on my results. I also will start adding other oils especially essential Oils to my Deep Conditioners. So stay tuned for my opinion on that as well.

In the mean time don’t forget to enter my sponsored giveaway by Amal Oils 100% Organic Argan Oil!

 Ends this Friday the 22nd!

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Common Skin Care Terms You Should Know

While researching skin care products and ingredients, I have come across several skin care terms I have not been too familiar with. You read and hear about them all the time but do you know what they mean?



Google Images



Here are a few common skin care terms I have become familiar with:

Astringent: Used to remove skin surface oils and to temporarily help appearance of pores.

Antioxidant: Ingredient helps eliminate free radical attack.

Free Radicals: Environmental molecules that break down skin cell structure that helps cause skin to appear to age.

Dermabrasion: A procedure in which the skin is sanded to improve its texture. Microdermabrasion uses a type of sand to abrade the skin, usually done by an esthetician or a cosmetic doctor.

Collagen – A protein that forms the chief constituent of the connective tissue and bones. It gives skin strength and durability. Age related declines in collagen production cause thinning of the skin, wrinkles, and sagging. Cosmeceuticals such as vitamin C and eating foods rich in amino acids stimulate collagen production.

Elastin – A protein component of skin that helps maintain skin resilience and elasticity. When elastin is abundant and undamaged, the skin regains its shape after being folded or stretched.

Antiseptic: A substance that stops the growth of bacteria

Comedogenic: Capable of triggering non-inflammatory acne lesion (comedones). A product and/or substance that promotes acne.

Comedone(open): Black Head
Comedone(closed): White Head

Cyst: A deep-seated mass filled with liquid or semisolid material (puss) and surrounded by a capsule.

Regenerative: Restores and revives tissue growth

Sebum – The semi fluid secretion of the sebaceous glands, consisting chiefly of fat, keratin, and cellular material. The oil naturally produced by ones skin to help protect it.

Antiseborrheic:  A substance that controls the excessive secretion of sebum, and reduces oiliness of the face and greasy scalp, a condition that is most common in adolescents.

Acid Mantle: A protective oily layer on the skin’s surface which functions as a protectorate against environmental impurities and helps regulate moisture loss and water retention.

Antiseptic: A substance/property that stops the growth of bacteria.

Cicatrisant: Helps heal and fade wounds, scars from acne

Fungicide: Kills fungus



Google Images



These are just the most common, check out the Sources/Links below for more Information and Terms:

 
Beauty Glossary A-Z
 
Essential Day Spa: Dictionary of Terms A-Z
 
Skin Care Ingredients Glossary
 
Glossary of Skin Terms
 
Skincaredictionary.com
 
Mimi.hu Beauty Index

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Meditation and Aromatherapy: How To Use an Essential Oil Burner

 Peace, courage, ideas and inspirations originates in the mind. A focused and rooted mind can achieve many things.

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Meditation has for ages, been known to be a very beneficial technique used to help focus the mind and balance your overall well being.

 Centering your mind, by way of meditation can not only benefit the way you think and attract things into your life, but it can also help you achieve a comfortable state of balance and self recognition. The mind is an attractive mind (not a good looking one). I mean the type that pulls things into your consciousness, daily life and daily existence. The mind is like a magnet, pulling in the energy it captures from emotions, words and attitudes from all around and within us. Some say that the world is a reflection of your mind and it’s thoughts. I tend to believe that, since everyone in their own mind, has a different perspective when it comes to how they perceive and view the world. 

Some meditate to center a scattered mind, to help them focus their thoughts, reach a level of spirituality and of course, to simply experience a few moments of peace and solitude. However, when most think of meditation (especially when I started considering meditation) most tend to  think, “oh boring, quiet sessions secluded with no interaction.” 

Despite this common way of looking at it, meditation doesn’t always have to be boring, quiet or secluded. For me however, I have to have some level of alone and quiet time. No phone calls, visits or plans just me taking time out to free myself of any influences. This is important because you have to know when your voice is talking to you as opposed to other people’s opinions and ideas about you. Especially true when it comes to life changing/making decisions.

  Mundane tendencies, negativity and  fear can at times prevent you from taking the moment to discover who you truly are and the decisions you wish to make for yourself. Meditation can help you realize these fears and face them, all the while helping you focus on the steps you will take to confront and resolve them.These are just some of the tools meditation can be useful for.

Like with most things in life, you will most often than not struggle with obstacles, same with meditation. Mindless chatter, the bills, MAC, work, shea butter and just plain mundane thoughts will cross your mind. This mindless chatter can be a good thing because it can help bring to surface what it is you are dealing with. This is why it is important to master these fleeting thoughts because at times it can take up your whole meditation session. Sometimes when meditating I can get caught up trying to tackle each thought but I always bring myself back to adjusting them

As I mentioned  some find it boring, but you don’t always have to look at it that way. There are many things you can incorporate into your meditation sessions. You don’t have to sit in a certain position as the pictures above. Any place and time that you can claim for yourself and shut your eye for a few moments with the intention of freeing and discovering your mind to more fruitful and beneficial thoughts, ideas and vibrations is the goal (at least for me).

Recently I have noticed that visualization helps. It helps me stay focused on what I’m meditating on. I simply started off with a peacock feather I had. I imagined and visualized the colors and the animal it belonged to, then an intruding thought came to mind, but the colors in my mind were so tempting that I did not get caught up on the thought and all that it entails, instead I drifted back into to my visual. Not only did I not forget my goal (the feather) I also did not let the mindless chatter take over entirely.

Right before my meditation sessions, I like to listen to music but recently I have been intrigued with aromatherapy. As you may know, I have been meaning to buy an essential oil burner when I mentioned it here.

So recently after browsing walmart’s Fragrance Oils section, I came across this oil burner on clearance for 4 bucks! As a beginner I found this to be a great deal.

 It’s very simple in terms of using it. There was a wide selection but I stuck with the white ceramic plate design which just sits on the 4 legs.

As you can see the round part on the lower level of the ceramic plate is where

you will place your votive candle to warm the top portion of the plate.

Once you have placed your votive candle…. You want to add water to the top portion of the plate. The water will act as your carrier if you will, since you don’t want to burn the essential oil directly, you want to have water to help diffuse the aroma instead.

Once that is done it all depends on your mood, time and of course oil of choice. Aromatherapy is just one of the avenues to help you become more familiar with meditation. Not only can aromatherapy help you create an ambiance it can help you naturally have your house smelling good anytime too!

I have been using about 2 drops of each oil alone because I want to familiarize myself with each scent before I start mixing. Right now, Ylang Ylang and Lavender Oil have been on heavy rotation. Soon, I have to get my hands on vanilla and some other scents as well.

So give yourself some time, find a quiet space where you can interact with the realized you.

***Please make sure to never leave candles unattended****

For more info 

on how to use an oil burner View this Clip

 –

Essential Aromatherapy: A pocket guide to essential oils and aromatherapy

 By Susan E. Wormwood, Valerie Ann Worwood

The Aromatherapy Bible: A definitive guide to using essential oils

By Gill Farrer Halls

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Hair Regimen Overhaul: Keeping it Natural and Organic



Fall Cleaning


So as my Dominican Hair product junkie phase comes to a full circle this month from a year ago, I’m looking forward to finishing what I have left. I like to get the most out of my money so I have been mixing and matching products as well as adding oils to those that have not been too good.

Something I have been meaning to do since my product junkie phase, especially with Dominican products, is go natural and organic as much as possible when it comes to my hair. Although I truly love my products there are many ingredients I need to keep away from. Such as silicones, petrolatum and many more ingredients that provide you with results in the short run, but in the long run, it can turn into a whole other story.

So this morning I took out most of what I had left (mostly empty containers) and I’m looking forward to finishing up a couple of product reviews I also have coming up.

One thing I will have a lot of trouble getting rid of is my daily moisturizer. I used to use lusters pink lotion and quickly fell in love with ORS Olive Oil moisturizer soon after ditching lusters pink lotion.

It contains mineral oil and other stuff I’m not too sure about. But it’s been my baby for so long I hope to find something natural that works just as good.

Tiffany over @ A day in the life of a Curly Gurly got her hands on some BEE MINE products and their daily moisturizer is on my wish list can’t wait to see her review and start experimenting with some other things as well.

La Plancha is basically my last Dominican hair product I have yet to thoroughly review along with one more other, ( I think 10 en 1) and so far so good. I like this treatment will keep using it every 2 weeks until I run out. Nacidt’s products are also a hard product to let go. Back when I stared reviewing Dominican hair products Nacidt Avocado was not feeling my hair, so recently I have been adding oils to it such as ylang ylang and Argan Oil and it’s like a whole other product!

This is IC polisher hair gel which I have been usuing for the past year or so and love it. Great for minimal hold and slicks back my hair giving it shine and taming my edges. Love it because it does not dry out my hair or leaves those bothersome flakes certain gels tend to leave.

I recently got my hand’s on Eco styler’s much talked about Olive oil gel and just loveee it! It gives a much more firmer hold than the IC gel, so I tend to use it when I go out dancing. It helps my hair from sweating my hair styles out.

These are some of the hair related things I have been up to. So hopefully sometime by November I can embark on my new regimen which will be great because I will try to do as many natural treatments as possible, something I was unable to do this past summer. My wish list is coming along and basically since my last hair update, I have been protective styling, roller setting now that the weather is milder and of course browsing products and forums for my up coming all natural regimen.

So stayed tuned for this new phase in my hair journey.

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Amal Oils: Moroccan Argan Oil Giveaway (CLOSED) + Sugar Cane Syrup Face Mask

Earlier in September Jalila Bouchareb of Amal Oils (100% Organic Argan Oil), a company founded by Jalila, contacted Hell Notes for Beauty to sponsor not only a review but a fabulous giveaway to a lovely reader as well! Amal Oils is a fascinating company considering it stands on the foundation of Jalila’s sensational entrepreneurial spirit and her strong connection with the women of her native country, the beautiful Morocco.

Argan Oil (argania spinosa) exclusively known to Morocco, has been all the hype lately, especially in hair and beauty products. Coming from a tree that can live for up to 200 years, withstand droughts and overall difficult conditions, it is of no wonder why Argan Oil has been used to also withstand and tackle the ravages of aging skin and dry hair for generations.

 Amal Oils 100% Organic Argan Oil has been a great treat because when I started hearing all the rave about Argan Oil I was rather discouraged because most products were made with Argan Oil. It wasn’t the Argan oil itself. I wanted to try the oil itself, not products infused with it.

 This is why I was excited that Jalila had contacted me because not only did she have the highly talked about Argan oil from Morocco, but 100% organic, free of parabens, toxins, preservatives and fragrance. I finally had the main ingredient itself not just a product with the oil, which is usually found at the bottom of the ingredients list anyway.

  Argan oil also possesses a variety of culinary and health uses as well, not just cosmetic. For generations it’s been a part of Moroccan cuisine as well as known to help with cholesterol levels making Argan Oil even more interesting. However, Moroccan women use it for a variety of beauty regimens and here are some of the reasons why:

 
***
Antioxidant properties

High Vitamin E content

Anti inflammatory

Improves skin elasticity

Gives hair and nails strength and shine

Softens skin

Anti aging qualities

Eases skin issues such as dry skin, eczema, psoriasis 

Heals sun burns
Reduces excessive skin oil production

Treats acne
***

Amal oils (hope in Arabic) is dedicated to not only the preservation of beauty and youth but also preserving the livelihood of poor Berber women. In turn this ensures that the women who help produce this oil are fairly compensated for their very hard work by donating a portion of sales back to the women of Jalila’s country. It’s great that Amal oils is part of a cooperative that prides itself in helping women take part in their local economy. This gives poor Berber women hope through health care, education and overall woman power in a largely male dominated society.

I have tried several products that contain Argan oil and in fact have had great experiences with them, however as a lover of all things natural, I had to give Amal Oils a try and the first thing I started off with since receiving the oil 3 weeks ago was with my hands. I use about 5 drops for my hands and cuticles and my hands feel so velvety and soft I almost feel guilty using such a luxurious oil on my hands.

 I also incorporated it into several deep conditioners I have been meaning to get rid of. I’ll have a hair review coming soon in the mean time here’s a face mask I did using:

Read more to Enter the Giveaway and see how you can make you own fabulous Argan Oil facial using

Sugar Cane Syrup (melao in Spanish )

Amal Argan Oil

Plain Greek Yogurt

Banana

Leave mask on for 15 minutes until it dries
I like to use it maybe once or twice a week especially before a special night out, party etc.

This is a great facial mask because it contains 3 of the 5 main Alpha Hydroxy acids I mentioned in my earlier post.

Bannana (Malic Acid)

Bananas contain antioxidants as well as a variety of vitamins protecting and nourishing the skin. Malic Acid is also found in bananas which helps increase collagen production, minimize fine lines and tightens pores.



Plain Yogurt (Lactic Acid)



This is my first time trying Greek Yogurt and have to say its so much better because it’s so thick, feels like a cream and smells like vanilla even though it’s plain! I love using yogurt because the Lactic Acid that yogurt contains helps sooth the skin and refine pores. Yogurt’s antibacterial properties are also ideal for oily and acne prone skin types.



Amal Oils Argan Oil (external use only)



Argan Oil contains a vast amount of Vitamin E ideal for softening the skin and treating scars.

Argan oil is also great for those who deal with eczema or severe dry skin. For oily skin types Argan Oil also reduces excessive oil production.

Sugar Cane Syrup (Glycolic Acid)

Last but not least, Sugar cane which contains Glycolic Acid. Glycolic acid helps exfoliate, soften and even skin tone as well as promote collagen production essential for supple skin.

I’ve always loved adding bananas to my face masks because when you put it on you feel a tingling sensation which lets you know the ingredients are working. This was one of my first facial mask I experimented with when trying out natural facial recipes, I usually add honey but lately I’m using Argan Oil for most of my facials and love how soft and clear my skin has been feeling.

Amal Oils Argan Oil is stored in a glass bottle, similar to the bottles most of my essential oils are stored in which helps preserve the oil much better. It has a very light, almost faint scent which you have to really stick your nose into your skin to catch it’s light nutty scent. Which I prefer, since I tend to be a bit sensitive when it comes to scents.

It also has a handy built in dropper so you use just the right amount you need.

So it’s finally time that you try this oil out for yourself. This is why One lucky reader will go away with a 2 oz bottle of Amal Oils 100% Organic Argan Oil!!!!

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Hell Notes for Beauty is my personal Blog. The product was sent for review purposes only. Review of this product is based purely on my own experience and opinion. I’m in no way paid/work or am affiliated with Amal Oils.

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Black Bean Rice and Haddock (Moro de Habichuelas Negras y Pescado)

In this post I will feature my favorite beans, blacks beans. I grew up loving this rice known as Moro de habichuelas negras. It’s one of my main go to rice when I want to pair it with a main dish, especially fish. The only difference in this recipe from growing up and now is that these beans are canned (gasp!). My mom hates everything canned so typically she would get raw beans, and soak them over night so they would get soft, and yes she did this everyday except Sundays for my entire childhood.

But I usually don’t have the time or enthusiasm after work to soak beans although I should because the taste definitely does not compare when you do it from scratch. However, thanks to Goya this takes me no more than 30 minutes to prepare. I swear if my mom would find out I did not use raw beans and soaked them over night she would be very hostile. But a woman’s got to eat and a can surely can do it for now. (Next food post I will show you how to soak and use them.)

This rice is also done with the same concepts as the last rice I did. Since I usually eye ball my ingredients, here are some exact measurements (and added ingredients) taken from Dominicancooking.com

4 people would make 6 cups of water and 4 cups of rice

The most basic Ingredients I use:

1 can of beans (your choice)

Adobo (or any all purpose seasoning of choice)

Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Achiote aka Bixa (to give hint of flavor and color)

Onions

Garlic

peppers

Olives (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

 In this post  I will accompany this rice with fish and a salad.

First you want to oil your pot with Olive oil

While your oil is heating up, chop up the onions, garlic and green peppers….

Add it to your hot pot

While your onions etc are sauteing you want to then add your beans of choice….

At this point you want to add your adobo, vinegar, olives,

Mix everything together….

Now add water and add your achiote and cilantro (if you choose) to lightly flavor and also color the rice. Once your water starts boiling ….

You want to add your rice….

 and stir every couple of minutes…..

 let it boil until the rice is almost dry and put a lid on it. Depending on your stove the rice will be done between 30-45 minutes.

The other day I noticed that my local walmart got rid of their seafood counter and replaced it instead with two huge coolers displaying fish in bags. While browsing I was curious since the price was $3.50 for this pack of 4 haddock pieces. 

Read more for some more goodness

The prices, depending on the fish, varied up to 8 bucks for salmon I think. But they had tilapia, flounder and a whole bunch of other fishes. However I chose haddock since it has been a while I had some and wanted to see how well these bagged fishes taste.

Since I like to keep it simple after work, I just grabbed what I had and chopped away.

 You can use so many types of marinades and rubs, however I chose to lightly sprinkle my fish with kosher salt, some garlic and onions and  lightly saute the fish with olive oil until it’s well done.

While the fish is almost done, the rice and salad is in route…..

And there you have your rice perfectly done not an overbearing taste at all which is what I like. For my salad, I did my usual watercress with cucumbers and red onions.

This picture came out a bit blurry but well worth the shot since everything came out pretty good.

And last but not least the CON CON I loveee how this soaks up all the flavors of the rice, this if most definitely my favorite part of the entire meal! 

 I’m exploring different organic natural seasoning alternatives and also different types of beans which makes for a great time and exploration. This can be a very hearty and fulfilling meal for not only yourself but entire family as well and usually for me, all in under 1 hour.

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