BNIO Fitness Presents....


WRAP in the City Party!

Join me if you want to de-tox and LOSE INCHES of Fat NOT Water that STAY's off....Lift, TIGHTEN and TONE a part of your body ie. abs, legs, thighs, arms, face, chin, neck
…all within 45 minutes!!


Date: Saturday, August 27th from 4pm-6pm


What: “WRAP in the City Party!”



My de-tox body slimming wrap is a GREAT compliment (with proven results) to your exercise routine and healthy lifestyle! Not there yet? No Worries…This is a great way to JUMP-Start your NEW healthy lifestyle and lose inches in the process!


Join me and get wrapped in this all natural based de-tox slimming body WRAP* for only $30 -or- just come to talk to me about how itWorks!

Drinks and Light Fare will be served.

Want to bring a friend? No problem! Sign them up as well!


RSVP  in the comments section below or on facebook: www.facebook.com/BNIOFitness

Want more info? visit: http://www.bniofitness.itworks.net/

*Wrap application will be done in private.

***Spaces are limited.*** ***Please confirm your attendance AND/OR desire to Wrap during the party by Monday 8/22/2011 so that I will have a wrap available for you.***

Let me help you get your sexy back!

Nars Amazon Lip Liner and Mac Ruby Woo Lipstick Review

Hi Dolls!

This post is for the ladies and for the men that want their woman to have sexy Red Lips! (Fellas- Trust me, we won't get mad at you if you step outside the box and pick up a nice red shade for us, with some red shoes to match  :) ... especially with Valentine' s Day not to far away!  Even if you get the wrong shade, its the thought that counts...)  I digress.....

Now.. I must admit, I have NEVER been a fan of Red Lipstick on me.  I'm more of a neutral lip color sort of woman.  My sisters pull off red lips beautifully, but for me, I've been over it since my high school days.  In addition, red lipstick always reminds me of the bad fashion choices from the 80's that carried over to the 90's that got lost in transition.  Perhaps because I never attempted to find my right red shade?  who knows... I digress again....

HOWEVER...
I must say that I was recently blown away! 
YES!?  Could it be, will Red work on me?

I recently ventured out to Sephora and Mac, and here's my take (thanks to the lovely ladies at Sephora!)
Ruby Woo by Mac is a beautiful Matte color (think Marlyn Monroe's matte red lip color) with an orangey-red base and it worked great on me, thanks to the help from the excellent "Red Lip Expert" at Sephora! I have a yellow undertone in my skin.  If you have a Warm Skintone (yellow undertones) like me, then Red Lipstick with Orangey reds, Warm reds, Tomato reds, Brown based reds, Golden reds, Tawny reds will probably work best on you.  If you have Cool Skin Tones (pink undertones) then pink tones of red, Berry Reds, Blackberry Reds, Brick Reds, Blue tones of Red and Plum tones will probably work good on you.  (thanks Sephora ladies!)

Amazon Pencil Lip Liner by Nars,  was the perfect complement to the Mac Ruby Woo.   If you have difficulty getting this MAC color, try Jungle Red by Nars.  Its almost the exact same color!

Here is a pic with me wearing Mac Ruby Woo Matte Lipstick, Amazon Lip Liner by Nars and some red shoes, of course:

What do you think?

How to Use Lemons to Remove Age Spots

Lemons are one of nature's powerhouses!  Ever notice that most cleaning products contain "The Power of Lemons"?  Well, its not an advertiser gimmick.... Lemons actually are an excellent agent to break-up and remove dirt.  They can also be used on your skin to reduce age spots and dark spots left over from acne scarring.

What to do to remove dark/age spots:
Take a lemon and squeeze the juice from it using a juicer or your hands if you don't have a juicer.  (You can store the lemon juice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.)  Take a cotton ball and saturate it with the fresh squeeze lemon juice.  Focusing on the dark spot(s), pat the saturated cotton ball on the hyperpigmentation spot(s).  Repeat for several days or until the spots are gone or you receive the desired results.   When I do this, I noticed a different within 5-7 days.

Please check out my previous post on Night Time Facial Treatment which explores a three step process using Amla, Lemons and Cucumbers!

BONUS:  In addition, lemon juice can be used to whiten nails as well!  For your at home mani, simple soak your clean finger nails in a small bowl of fresh squeezed lemon juice for about 10 minutes.  You will notice instant whiter nails!  This is especially good if you wear a lot of dark fingernail polish.


NOTE:  Lemon juice can increase sensitivity to sunlight so be sure to wear sunscreen.  I would suggest doing the treatment at night before bedtime.  Please also check with your physician before use to ensure that hyperpigmentation is not related to another problem such as skin cancer.  In addition, I am not a physician, so please check with your doctor before proceeding.

Feather Hair Extensions by Fine Featherheads

For those of you who like to stay on top of fashion and hair trends, you should consider Feather hair extensions by FineFeatherHeads.com! I know this sounds a little far fetched, feathers in your hair?  Who knew?  But when done in moderation, its extremely cute, fun and flirty!  Don't take life so seriously :) 

You can get these done at by your participating stylist at your local salon that provides the service or find them at finefeatherheads.com and do them yourself. My friend had these done in her hair over the weekend and they look fab! It's very subtle and you can do as little or as many as you like!!!!! I'm thinking "less is more" so I'm planning to have a few thin strains added to my "do". The great thing about this < "hair art" you can manipulate the feathers to fit straight or curly styles! These look great with loose or sleek ponytails, chignons, in bangs, straight, wavy or naturally curly hair. These add an extra level of fun to plain ol' boring hair! Here are some pics I found online with the featherheads in the hair:

My friend's stylist added only a few thin strains to her hair, why I like a bit better then the ones in the pics above, at least for me.

This style definitely speaks to the stylist, chic, Bohemian princess in you!  Would you try these? I'm excited to try these! What do you think?

Clarisonic Pro Skin Cleansing System Review

Today I received my Clairsonic Pro Skin Cleansing System in the mail! Yeahyah... I am super excited and can't wait to use it. Clarisonic is revolutionary in the skin care world and is said to clean and remove up to 6x the amount of dirt and grim and clean deep into the pores. The battery has to charge for 24 hours, so it should be ready for my first use pretty soon. Please check back soon for updates and my personal review on this! A friend of mine dies for this and said its made a dramatic and noticeable change in his daily facial routine.  He said he couldn't imagine life without it!

Have you used this or do you own it? What is your take on it?

Lose Belly Fat with a Body Wrap? Home Remedy!

Lets face it, we all love to have a slim waist! Right?  But we can't always afford or have the time for the Spa.  I must admit, pre-recession, I went to the spa every month for some kind of service!  NOW, I do a lot of my SPA TREATMENTS as home and I have saved tons of money.   I also know exactly what is going into my treatments.  I've created a very zin like oasis in my home for my spa treatments, and I love it just the same! 

Not only is a slim waist considered attractive in this day in age, it is important that you keep the weight around the belly to a minimum for optimal health. Fat around the belly, or visceral fat, has been linked to heart disease in both men and women. Visceral fat is deeper inside the abdomen, surrounding internal organs.

Scientist have link inflammation around the cells of visceral fat deposits, and the artery-hardening process. Although no conclusion of this research is definitive (as far as I know- I'm not a doctor), it definitely makes sense! In addition to the science behind it, most of our vital organs - heart, lungs, kidney etc. are located in the central region of our bodies! Anything that is layered on top of them has to be a strain, right?

Well as a TEMPORARY SOLUTION (consult with your physician first), a belly wrap can aid in eliminating the toxins around your belly.

If you are JUST targeting your belling, HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED:

1/2 cup Bentonite Clay













2 tablespoons of Organic Sea Salt (I use Celtic Sea Salt)














Ace bandage















1 cup of hot water
Measuring tape (optional)
Warm robe or sweatshirt
Application brush (optional)

WHAT TO DO:
Take measuring tape and measure your belly in inches.  Measure at belly button as well as your natural waist line.  Add the bentonite clay to the hot water and stir with a non-metal spoon until clay creates a paste.  Add more water as necessary.  When clay cools to a comfortable temperature, with an application brush apply the paste onto your belly in a thick layer (about 1/2 or more thick).  once all the clay is applied, wrap your belly with ace bandages until all the clay is covered.  Cover yourself with a robe or towel.  Sit back and relax for about 30-45 minutes!    Rinse of clay in warm shower.  After washing, measure belly again to see if any inches were lost.  You can expect anywhere from 1/2 inch to 2 1/2 inches after first application. 

ALTERNATIVE:  Follow instructions above, instead add the ace bandages to the clay so the bandages are completely covered, adding more hot water as necessary.  Wrap the clay covered bandages around your belly.

One bentonite clay body wrap can reduce your belly fat by NOTICEABLE inches, and since bentonite clay body wraps are non-toxic, you can do several wraps in a day or over the span of a couple of days to lose many inches from your waist.

Have you tried this?  Do you plan on trying this?  Please share dolls and kens!

NOTE:  *This is a temporary fix, and should not be used as a substitute for regular weight lost. This should not be done by pregnant women. I am not a doctor, so please consult with your doctor or holistic doctor before doing this procedure. Everyone's situation is different. I am just providing tips and procedures that have worked for me and have personally consulted with my holistic doctor. 

Dye Hair Naturally with Indigo!

Well, the months are getting colder and the days are getting shorter... The easy breezy summer days of 2010 have come and gone. What does that mean for me? Time for change! This weekend I am planning on dying my hair black (its currently dark brown) naturally with with Organic Indigo. I recently dyed my Mom's salt and pepper hair with Indigo and covered ALL of her grey with amazing results! She wanted a chocolate brown/dark brown color and we achieved it beautifully.

So this weekend, I plan on doing my monthly henna treatment and this time.. drum roll please... following it with a dose of Organic Indigo.  The Indigo will darken my henna, which currently gives me reddish brown highlights in the light.  It was perfect for summer and fall, but winter calls for change. I plan on leaving the Indigo in for about 45 minutes (the longer you leave it in, the deeper the stain) resulting in dark brown/black shiny hair!  I am excited!  I love dark hair in the winter! 

What do you think?  I am excited to share my results!  Please check back soon for updates....

Some Indigo History:

Indigo comes from the ground leaves of the indigo plant which contains a deep blue dye.  The leaves of the plant are harvested, dried, and ground into a powder.  In modern day, Indigo is most commonly used to dye jeans, but has been used as a hair dye for centuries and many cultures still use this as opposed to chemicals to dye hair.  Indigo combined with Henna is a great ALL NATURAL replacement for modern chemical dyes and is non-damaging!  

Indigo Results:

1. Mix Indigo and Henna together, you achieve a medium brown to rich deep brown hair dye.
2. Apply Indigo AFTER Henna application, you achieve rich, shiny black to jet black color.
3. Indigo and Henna together cover grays.  (click here for pictures!)
4. Adds incredible shine to dull hair!
   
   
   

I'll post before and after pics!

NEWSFLASH Curlformers: Extra Wide and Long

As promised, on an earlier Curlformers post I wanted to post an update once I used my Extra Wide and Long Curlformers to achieve larger and fuller curls. I received my Curlformers on last week! (Sidebar- Super fast shipping by the way!) Well, last night after an invigorating Kickboxing class, I washed and deep conditioned my hair and I was ready to ROCK with my new larger Curlformers! The process of course is the same, NO HEAT STYLING but I DID USE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS, just for fun and I love trying new products!

This time, I used only 2 products:
Jane Carter Solution Leave in Conditioner (my staple leave-in)
Natural Oasis, Conditiong Foam Wrap and Sculpting Lotion

The Natural Oasis is new to me and is a DREAM!  OMG!  So love this! I stumbled upon this while in my local hair store last week on my quest to find an all natural setting lotion.   The POWER of PRAYER! True story-- For a couple weeks, I searched for an all natural setting lotion with no luck and was secretly dreading getting one with alcohol :/. Right before I went in the store, I prayed to find an all natural setting lotion, and there it was!!! ...recognize each opportunity as a blessing and give thanks for even the smallest of things! I will post a FULL review on this product soon but needless to say, I LOVE the combination of the Extra Wide and Long Curmformers, JC L-I-C and Natural Oasis.

My curls came out nice and full, like.. Ocean Waves with body!

Here are some pics of the final "do" with the Extra Wide and Long Curlformers:


Day 1. 
I promise to take better pics and do a vid next time! This was an experiement, but I loved my results!

Day 2
A little frizz, but still nice and curly!



To Mac Blush or not to Mac Blush?

Hey dolls..

Now, I am a self-proclaimed natural girl.. natural hair, organic eating, vegan in training, natural skin care product junkie.. the works.. HOWEVER.. I have yet to fully convert to Organic and Natural makeup.  :/  I'm sorry!  I just love make-up wayyyy to much! I love getting glammed up!  I'm a huge fan of gorgeous eyes, natural hued lips and feminine gleaming cheeks!  That is why I am a sucker for Mac Blush. They have so many colors that range from bold and beautiful to soft and chic.. what more could a girl ask for!  


I recently purchased Gingerly Blush by Mac:



Its the perfect blend of rose and peach and is great for the fall! Lately, I've been wearing it everyday to transition from my summer bronzers.  As a tip, I've been applying a light coat of my FAVORITE summer bronzer and topping it with my Gingerly Blush to achieve the perfect "season transition" glow!   Mac also has a great line of Mineralized blushes and I am dying to try... soon.. very soon...

Here's a pic with Gingerly.. very faint and believable.. you can sort of see it in this pic!

Flax Seeds for a Hair Gel?

Hola! Well, I have something GREAT for everyone today!  I hope you enjoy this... Here is a new all natural alternative for hair gel... DRUM ROLL PLEASE.. Its flax seed hair gel! Many people are taking their hair products into their own hands now a days, as many hair products contain alcohol and lots of people in general, are just interested in trying new things! Well, here is the latest and greatest of things I've tried for my hair. FLAX SEED HAIR GEL.. Yes, you heard correctly.... Its made from Flaxseeds and a few other simple ingredients. This product is perishable, but can last up to about 2 weeks if kept in the refrigerator. Here is the recipe. Let me know what you think of it and if you like the results on your hair!

Flaxseed Gel Recipe

Ingredients:


2 Tbsp Whole Flax Seeds
1 cup water
Pure Aloe Vera Gel, if desired
Few drops of essential oil of your choice for scent
Vitamin E capsule as preservative
Container to house gel

Instructions:
1.  Mix one cup of water to flaxseeds and add to a pan.


2.  Heat slowly, stirring often to stop seeds from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

3.  Continue to stir gently as water comes to a boil.

4.  A frothy jelly will form.  Be sure to turn the heat down a little when seeds settle in the jelly rather than falling immediately to the bottom of the pan then turn the heat off.

5.  Carefully pour the liquid through a strainer over a bowl checking for any seeds that may have passed through.

6.  Add Essential oils or preservative.  (Preservatives will extend the life of the gel to about 2 weeks.  ie. Vitamin E capsule.  Mix the gel carefully adding any alcohol or preservatives to increase the shelf life of the gel.)

7. Fill container with gel and add Aloe Vera Gel for additional moisture, if desired.

How did it work for you?

PS.  I'm on a quest to find a recipe for a Setting Lotion to set my hair when I do my curly styles!  I want to try to make it myself, so we will see.  If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share.  I want something that will not leave my hair sticky, but will yield a nice soft finish that holds curl and eliminates frizz....

Brahmi Oil.... Great for hair growth, sound sleep and much more

Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic and Research Center provides a monthly newsletter with a wealth of knowledge in Ayurvedic medicine and practices. Please check out the July 2010 issue of AyurvedaNews for more information on the benefits and uses of Brahmi.

Here is the Brahmi oil that I use on my hair.  Brahmi oil is really amazing and promotes the growth of long and lustrous black hair and provides sound sleep. It also helps in curing dandruff, burning of eyes and joint pain.
















In addition to Brahmi oil, see my previous post on my Top 5 hair oils.   Enjoy!... please post comments on your results with Brahmi oil!

ATTN PARENTS: Amazing book for teen girls!

Good morning!

Back to school is in full effect for our youth. I remember those days! Life can be pretty intimidating as you leave you tween years and began to come into your own. This is an excellent book which gives our teenage girls a great starting point to engage conversation and ask questions as it provides answers to many questions they may have about health, beauty, fashion, wellness, body image and development as they began to come into their own. I would like to recommend this book.


It provides amazing tips to help engage conversation. So whether you are a parent, godparent, aunt, uncle, or mentor.... check out this book for the teens in your life! (In addition, I am currently writing a book for teens providing natural alternatives to health and beauty, lifestyle development at a young age, overall wellness, body image, self love, etiquette and more! Please look out for this.)

Top Five hair oils

Hey dolls, 

Here are my Top 5 pics for natural hair oils....

#1. 100% Pure Coconut Oil-- Coconut oil has great strengthening qualities for your hair.
#2. Vatika Oil-- The base of this oil is coconut oil and it is enriched with Lemon, Amla, Henna and 22 other herbs.
#3. Wild Hair Growth-- This has a base of olive oil, coconut oil and jojoba oil and is enriched with other herbs.
#4. Brahmi oil by Ramtirth-- The base is coconut oil and it is enriched with Brahmi oil and 22 other herbs.
#5. Amla Oil-- Aids in encouraging hair growth, this has a base of vegetable oil. (I am currently looking for an Amla oil that has a Coconut oil base. If not, I plan to make my own at home!)

All of these products can be found at Amazon.com. I've purchased all of them and they are great products.   Feel free to check them out... the beauty of this is that NONE of these oils are expensive and they far supersede some of the expensive products that are currently on the market in my opinion.   As usual, you can add essential oil to the oil if you want to alter the smell! 

DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum

DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum



I just purchased DiorShow Max lash plumping serum from Sephora and I love it! This really does what it claims! My lashes look super full, curled and lengthened and are a great compliment to my full brows and full natural hair--- thanks to henna and no more chemicals in my hair. I recommend giving this product a try. The price point is reasonable for high end make-up as well.

Top Three Homemade Hot Oil Treatments

100% Natural hot oil treatments for hair growth











#1 -- For hair growth
8 drops of Rosemary essential oil
2oz of Jojoba oil
2oz of Almond oil
Warm towel
Plastic cap

#2 -- For hair growth and also for clear scalp
3 drops of lavender essential oil
6 drops of Neem oil*
1/2 cup/(4oz) of Coconut oil
1 teaspoon of Brahmi oil
Warm towel
Plastic cap

#3 -- For hair growth and also for soft, manageable frizz free hair
1/2 cup/(4oz) olive oil
3 drops of sweet orange essential oil
Warm towel
Plastic cap


How to use: For each recipe above, combine all ingredients in a small plastic bag and place bag in a cup of hot water for 1 minute. Remove the bag from water and test temperature of the oil. Cut hole in the corner of the plastic bag and slowly apply the oil to dry hair from scalp to roots massaging in for a minimum of 1 minute. Cover the hair in plastic cap and cover with a warm towel. Let sit for 30 minutes minimum. Rinse hair with shampoo (2 times to get oil out) and continue normal hair regiment.

*Ingesting neem is not always safe. Consult a physician if you are pregnant or trying to conceive prior to use for optimal precautions.

Kajal Intense Kohl Eyeliner by Guerlain

For all of my "Sex and the City" fans, I'm sure you remember the infamous marketplace scene from the 2nd Movie when Carrie purchased the dark Kohl eyeliner (along with the SHOES) and then wore the intensely amazing eyeliner that night when she went out with Aidan. WELL.. of course, being the makeup junkie that I am :) I went to ol' trusty eBay and found the eyeliner that she purchased in the marketplace and ordered it! I got 6 tubes for like $3.14 plus shipping.... great deal right? Well, the eyeliner was really dark and deep, but I was little fearful of the reviews I read on the possibilities of lead poisoning from certain kohl liners. Needless to say, I've discontinued use on a daily basis.

HOWEVER, while in my travels, I did find a neat alternative. Guerlain Cosmetics has a spin on this eyeliner for all of us searching for that PERFECT intense dark kohl eye. It's Terracotta Khôl Kajal Intense Indian Kohl. Its a bit more expensive then 6 kohl's for $3.14, but it is lead free, so you can line away with confidence! :) Now, I have not tried this product yet, but Guerlain has NEVER steered me wrong. I am looking forward to purchasing soon and will share my thoughts... I'll do a video when I apply it to get some feedback.