Honey Hair Mask

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The recent weather has left my hair feeling a bit dry and looking a bit dull. This hair mask adds an instant rich texture and shine to your hair.  This mask combines two of my favorite ingredients, honey and coconut oil. These two essentials are beyond versatile, from consumption to topical application they are pretty much perfect. 

What you need;

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp coconut oil

In a small sauce pan over low heat combine the honey and oil until melted and combined. Allow to cool for a few minutes.  While the mixture cools, wet hair thoroughly and comb mixture through entire. Apply the honey oil mixture to hair from root to end.  Make sure you concentrate on the ends where most damage occurs.  Wrap your hair in an old t-shirt and allow the mask to absorb for at least 30 minutes.  Relax during this time, you deserve it! Hop into the shower and rinse the mask out with your regular shampoo and conditioner routine. Be prepared for shiny, healthy and soft hair.  

Yogurt, Oatmeal and Honey Mask

Just when I thought we had turned a corner to Spring the weather gets chilly again and leaves my skin the driest it has been all winter.  It is no secret that from a young age I have loved applying facials masks and in my adult life I love to make my own.  I swear by this at home facial to bring my skin back to life.  Most of the ingredients are probably in your kitchen right now and combined they moisturize, cleanse, exfoliate and brighten.  The yogurt contains lactic acid, a gentle exfoliant that helps cleanse your pores.  The milk fat in the yogurt and honey contain moisturizers and a nice squirt of lemon adds a little extra Vitamin C to the mix for brightening. While washing off the mask the oatmeal helps rid any dry areas of skin.   This mixture is amazing on your skin and good enough to eat!  Yes, you may eat the leftovers, just allow the oats to sit in the yogurt for a couple of hours!

*If you suffer from sensitive skin omit the lemon, it can increase your chances to burn.

1 tablespoon of greek yogurt

1 tablespoon of honey

1 tablespoon of dry oats

A squeeze from a lemon

Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl.  Apply the mask to your face with your fingertips or wide brush (the brush feels wonderful).  Leave on your face for 15-20 minutes and relax.  Gently wash off the mixture with warm water in a circular motion using a damp wash cloth. Your skin should feel smooth and hydrated.  I follow with a light moisturizer and nothing else to give my face a day off of makeup. 

Other tips to help dry skin;

It's been said before and I'll say it again, water, water and more water.  Hydration starts from within so make sure you are getting at least 8 glasses a day.  Eat nutrient dense fruits and veggies for their health benefits and hydrating qualities.  Sleep is when your body heals, that means everything from the inside out.  Your skin regenerates while you sleep so enjoy some extra zzz when you can!

I hope you enjoy this mask! It is always good to remember to do something nice for yourself.  

Homemade Vegan Granola

Granola is one of my favorite things to eat in the morning.  This tasty item is flavorful, full of texture and delicious. Granola can also be quite nutritious but it's hard to know how much of certain ingredients are in store bought brands, leaving room for excess sugar you don't need. A couple of weeks ago I came up with this granola recipe, it's vegan, gluten free and I don't use any regular sugar.  I eat this with yogurt or milk, sprinkle it on top of oatmeal or eat it on it's own as a snack.  I hope you enjoy it!

2 cups gluten free oats

1/2 cup olive oil (I prefer regular to extra virgin in this recipe, it is much milder in flavor)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup slivered almonds

4 tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Toss the oats with olive oil and half of the maple syrup in a bowl.  Spread out mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Place in oven and cook for ten minutes.  Remove from oven and remix granola on pan adding the remaining maple syrup, almonds and cinnamon to the mix.  You want to make sure the ingredients are evenly coated with the wet ingredients. Place back in oven and bake for ten minutes. Make sure the mixture is thinly spread so it evenly cooks.  If it starts to look like it is getting to dark, turn down the oven temperature.  You should start to smell the nutty flavor of the mixture, remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.  Break into pieces and store in airtight containers.  

You can add different nuts or dried fruit to your recipe.  I like to keep mine plain so I can add different flavors when I eat it to change things up.  Below, I made hot grain cereal topped with the granola, almonds, pistachios, pears and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Winter Night-time Moisturizer

The weather has been pretty frigid these past few weeks in many places.  I've experienced my own bit of extremes from being out in the cold and coming into my heated apartment which ends up drying out my skin!  My saving grace during these cold months is a combination of ingredients that I keep on hand and yes, a lot of my beauty tips come from ingredients I keep in the kitchen. "You like to nourish from the inside out" is what one of my dear friends told me and it's true! Coconut oil is something I am currently using daily to change things up since I can't have dairy right now.  Adjust the ingredients to your liking, I found this combo works happily on my skin and I wake up glowing.  

1 tsp Coconut Oil

1 tsp Argan Oil

2-3 drops of pure essential Lavender Oil

I place all the ingredients in a cupped palm and rub my hands together till combined.  I massage into my face in an upward and circular motion and finish by rubbing into my neck and chest.  Two of the most overlooked spots to moisturizer are our neck and chest, don't forget these places! I finish by taking a little extra coconut oil and rubbing it on my lips and around my eye area.  

I love this combination of ingredients because each one has amazing benefits. Coconut oil acts as a natural exfoliant removing excess dead cells on the surface of your skin while strengthening underlying tissues.  Argan oil helps balance out the oil in the skin while penetrating and moisturizing.  Lavender oil is amazing for clogged pores and the beautiful aroma helps calm my mind before I fall asleep.  

A few notes for anyone interested.  

• The idea might seem crazy to some to put oil on your skin, won't it make you skin more oily?  The truth is that one of the leading causes of breakouts is a lack of moisture. Moisturizing with natural oils will balance out your skins oil level and help you towards a more even complexion.  
• A little bit goes a long way so find the combination that works best for you.  Maybe Argan and Coconut aren't for you, other awesome essential oils to try are Almond, Castor, Olive and Grapeseed.  All of these oils have amazing benefits too and I swap them in from time to time. If the measurements are too high or low for you adjust to your liking.
• When buying these oils be sure to buy 100% pure versions of these, not any blends.  They will cost a bit of money but that's the real deal, you don't want the diluted stuff.  A little bit goes a long way and you would end up spending more on generic night creams.  Be sure to read all of the labels.
• In the spirit of the New Year and trying new things I would say go for it, it's about taking a moment for yourself and indulging.  

I hope you enjoy this and please reach out with any questions or comments!

xxo Lexie 

Sweet Potato Fries

Over a week into the New Year and I am feeling refreshed.  The first week of my detox was not as bad as I had thought but my cravings for things skyrocketed.  Around day five I needed to get creative and realized I actually didn't have to look that far. I had a sweet potato looking to be used and I had the perfect idea, I made my tried and true sweet potato fries.  This recipe is something you should never feel guilty about enjoying!

1 sweet potato

1/4 cup of olive oil

Sea Salt

Fresh Thyme (dried will work too)

Preheat your oven to 450º Fahrenheit.  Take your sweet potato and slice off either end, then slice in half. Place the larger circle side of the sweet potato down onto a cutting board and slice long ways at a 1/2 inch thickness.  Take each slice and cut a 1/4 inch slices to make into the fry size.  Repeat on the other half.  

Place the fries into a bowl and toss with the olive oil.  Make sure the fries are well coated and that there isn't too much excess liquid.  

Place directly onto a sheet pan (no foil or parchment needed) and space out so the fries are not overlapping or touching too much.  

Place in the oven and baked for 15 minutes, remove from oven and flip fries over.  Place back into the oven and cook ten minutes longer.  I really like mine a bit darker and crispy, adjust to your preferred taste by lower oven temperature and cooking time.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh thyme and serve.

Enjoy!