How to Bleach and Tone Your Hair Without Damage (Bleach Bath)

So lately I decided I needed to bleach my super dark (dyed) hair in order to be able to dye it a lighter color. I've learned my lesson: using a lighter box color will NOT lift the color. It will only darken it further or do nothing and make it brassier. 

So.. My hair has been dyed with several box dyes in order to achieve a neutral/ashy medium brown color. But every time it came out either too dark or too brassy. A bleach process seemed absolutely necessary. I had to get rid of all that color buildup.
Still, I'm trying to grow my hair super long and I can't afford any kind of damage or at least not a major damage. So I did my research and decided a bleach bath (bleach shampoo/french shampoo..etc) is my best bet and I was right. I'll tell you why later. 

So without further ado, I went on and gathered my ingredients:
  •  Any shampoo you like, preferably a white/clear one and if it's a clarifying shampoo then it's even better. Don't use conditioner!
  •  Your bleach powder
  •  Volume developer (preferably 30 if your hair is dark but no less than 20)
  •  Food coloring (optional): blue/blue-green to tone brunettes and blue-purple for blondes. 
 So, before you start (and here comes the secret to minimal/no damage) and preferably the night before, coat your hair, rather saturate it, with coconut or olive oil! It will tremendously help preventing damage and dryness and it's a great way to condition your hair. 

 Next, grab your ingredients: mix the bleach with the developer as you would regularly do, then when your mixture is ready, add about as much shampoo and few drops of the food coloring you need so that you end up with colored concoction that's half (or less than half) bleach and half shampoo. Apply it to the ends first and work your way up. Leave the roots till the end as they develop a lot faster. 

Leave it on initially for 20 minutes, then check the color. If it's not light enough for you then leave it on for additional 10-15 minutes. Don't leave it on for more than 45 minutes! 

Rinse it off and you should be good to go. I mean your hair will be light enough for you to dye it the right color and it will be relatively toned thanks to the food coloring but you'll still need to tone it with a box dye and/or a toner. 

Remember this has to be a relatively gentle and gradual.If your hair isn't light enough after the first bleach bath process, wait at least one week, and redo it without skipping the oiling step because it's extremely important.

Grow Longer, Thicker Hair with Garlic Oil!

Quick easy beauty hack: Garlic is probably the most effective natural hair loss remedy. Combined with Olive Oil it can do wonders to hair growth. All you need is slice some cloves of garlic very finely and place them in a clean bottle and fill it with olive oil. Leave the oil alone for a few days. Now once it's ready, apply it generously to your scalp, massage it, and preferably do the inversion method as well. Leave it overnight and wash it the next day. Garlic oil can do miracles provided you are consistent. This will guarantee a fast and healthy hair growth.

How to Make Your Nose Look Naturally Smaller (easy tricks you never thought of!)

Years ago I was really obsessed with my nose. I wanted it to be slimmer and longer but I wouldn't even consider getting plastic surgery. But as I grew up, I learned to actually love my nose and I kind of grew into my face and it really made me realize that my nose is actually perfect for my face. I've noticed many things that I couldn't even think about before and I want to share these "discoveries" with you:

  1. You nose might not be too big at all. If you're still in your teens, you will definitely grow into your face. It's definitely too early to judge your features.
  2.  If you're underweight, or just a little too slim (at least in the face) then your nose will definitely look bigger in proportion. I gained weight and my whole face actually started looking tremendously better! My cheeks rounder and softer-looking, my "protruding" buccal area suddenly became normal and less prominent, my eyes are no longer sunken and hollow, and I just look more attractive.
  3. I figured out a way to permanently contour my nose: I just use sunscreen! Yes, sunscreen. Well this might not work for all skin tones but if your skin tans (like gets browner ) in the sun, apply a sunblock (one that you usually use for your whole face to prevent tanning) on the area to be highlighted ie the bridge of the nose and for the sides of the nose you could either leave them alone to tan without any sunscreen on like I do, or simply apply a bronzing lotion or any form of sunscreen that promotes tanning. You'll see: permanent contour! And it works for cheekbones!


My hair Journey and How To Repair Dye-damaged Hair Naturally

For the last couple of years, I've been abusing my naturally-fragile with excessive dye and heat processing  styling. I started out with very dark brown virgin hair, with a curly texture, very long but also very prone to breakage and split ends.  I dyed it black with Henna which gave amazing results. Yet after about two years, I started to feel bored with black hair, and I also started feeling that it was a little too harsh on my skin tone. Therefore, I made up my mind to get my hair to be brown again-lighter than my natural color even!- come hell or high water.
This was of course going to be very tricky and I knew it. That's why I did a lot of research beforehand because I was afraid of what would happen to my hair. The main problem was that a henna dye is much harder to strip from the hair, and using bleach on a henna-processed hair can be very dangerous and result in a disaster. I was also worried that lifting my hair color, no matter how gently, would definitely wreak havoc on my already fragile locks. But I was so determined to be a brunette again that I was ready to do it all costs.
After a rigorous online research about ways and methods to lighten my henna-dyed hair as gently as possible, I decided to give the volume peroxide (30 or 40 developer) + baking soda method a go.
It worked. Of course I was scared to death and I did strand test first to make sure I don't end up bald or something like that. I ended up with blotchy orange hair with infinite shades and colors ranging from darkest brown to brightest copper. Obviously the root were a lot lighten than the rest of the hair as well. Afterward it was a long jourrney of box-dye experiments and I was applying shade of shade of brown and even blonde to achieve that light brown color I'm after to no avail. I've always been left with more damage and brassiness. I let my hair recover for a few months and then I dyed it a medium brown which came out jet black but faded to a very dark brown  within few weeks. This fixed the brassiness temporarily and also evened out the color. Only then, having achieved a decent color, have I decided to stop the dye madness and fix the damage. Here are the few things I did to completely recover the health of my hair which will work for anyone:

  • First and most importantly, you have to just cut off the extremely damaged hair. Just get rid of it. Give it a good trim and preferably have a professional do it for you. Don't worry about the length, you'll have to be a little patient but there are some ways to grow it back fast.
  •  Stop or at leat minimize heat exposure. Luckily for me it was summer and I didn't really have to straighten my hair so that really helped as well.I just left it alone. No dye, no heat.
  • Use a good deep conditioner. I simply apply a weekly mask of egg yolk, honey, and olive oil and leave it on my hair for at least one hour then wash and condition as usual.
  • Limit hair washing. Just don't watch unless you really have to. This might sound gross but it's really important. Too much shampoo is as bad for your hair as dye or heat. If you can wash it with conditioner only like I do then it's even better. 
  • Finally, just give it time. If you really have to dye your hair then don't do it more than once a month. Don't leave the dye on for too long. Use a good brand and not cheap one. And if you can, just go to a professional and don't do it yourself. It might be a lot more exspensive but it's totally worth it.

The "Power" of Makeup




Just a little rant: 
So you've probably, at some point, come across one of those "Models before and after Makeup/This is why I have trust issues/You should take her swimming" kind of post on the internet. 
Just an example here.

It's the kind of posts (and comments, memes..etc) that makes me wonder whether those so-called "men" behind them are that stupid or just that tasteless. So here are my two cents about this outrageous web phenomenon:

 First of all, if you find that amount of makeup attractive, then something is seriously wrong with your taste.
Don't get me wrong ladies, I love makeup and I think every woman (and even man) is free to wear as much as they want whenever they want.
But I mean on THOSE lists we only see extreme cases where the makeup (at least in my opinion) becomes rather uglifying.
Those women actually look tremendously better, albeit imperfect, in the before pictures and every single one of those posts is implying that it's the other way around-i.e. those women are naturally disgusting but thanks to the "power of makeup" they have become super attractive-and calling it false advertising. 
Like, are you kidding me? Did you seriously think that girl was born with shimmery blue eyelids and deep plum lips? If you were sitting right next to someone with 3 layers of full-coverage foundation, contour/highlight and false lashes wouldn't you be able to tell they didn't wake up like this?
If you really have trust issues then it's really your fault for being that stupid.

Makeup when applied properly and tastefully can truly enhance and refine natural beauty. It complements a girl's personality and style that's why Gothic girls and, say, the Kardashians wear different kinds of makeup.When you take it off you'll still look like yourself. (duh) A little less refined/put together maybe, but still you, although I find that most women look better without any makeup whatsoever anyway. 
Besides, no amount of makeup whatsoever can be that positively and amazingly transformative for you to have "trust issues" (Hell that's not even the case with Plastic Surgery.)  At least not in person. Excessive amounts can ONLY give the exact opposite effect and look extremely obvious and unattractive.

Women use makeup to express themselves rather than impress and false-advertise. Simply because they like it. You probably wouldn't even notice that winged eyeliner or the new shade of lipstick anyway.





(PS: the girl IS wearing makeup in the left photo above.)





How To Fade Hair Dye, Fix and Bad Dye Job and Tone Brassiness Easily

I have a history with hair coloring disasters and I found myself more than once with a color that was too dark, or worse: blotchy, brassy hair.

Anyway, from my personal experience, I learned two tricks that worked for me in order to achieve the desired hair color and fix a bad dye job.

  • How to Fade Hair Dye : Mix equal amounts of baking soda and developer (volume peroxide) until you have a thick paste. Apply it evenly to your hair and cover with  a plastic bag. Leave it on until the hair is light enough for you. To speed up the process you can use some heat from a blowdyer. Next you'll probably have to re-dye your hair with the right shade (always go 2 shades lighter than the desired one)
  • How to Tone the hair: If the hair color is too brassy/orange this is a hack that will not only fix the problem but will condition and treat chemically-damaged hair which is probably the case here: Add  few drops of food coloring (Blue to tone orange in brunettes, Green to tone red in brunettes, Purple to tone yellow in blondes) with your deep conditioner or any regular conditioner. Apply generously to your hair and leave it on for about an hour. Your hair will be softer and much less damaged afterwards. After several washes with this pigmented conditioner the unwanted tones will be almost completely gone.

How to Drastically Reduce The Appearance of Stretch Marks Naturally

We all have stretch marks. Whether they're from pregnancy or just weight fluctuations/growth spurts, we all want to get rid of them or at least reduce their appearance significantly to the point they become barely noticeable, especially indoors (you know, they're much more visible in sunlight.) 

First things first, it's nearly impossible to completely get rid of stretch marks, even with lasers and surgical procedures. But we can still improve their look dramatically with simple natural home remedies that worked for me. They work for both purple (new) and old white stretch marks. So let' start:


  • Olive Oil: Regular massage with olive oil can really improve the overall skin condition and reduce stretch marks overtime. You have to do it before bed. Apply olive oil on affected areas and massage for a few seconds and go to sleep.
  • Exfoliation: It really makes the stretch marks blend in with the rest of the skin, making them less visible. I use an exfoliating washcloth and sometimes baking soda.
  • Fake Tanning: This is a brilliant way to camouflage the scars and make them blend with the rest of the skin. It's like a "makeup" for stretch marks. It can last for weeks. But I find it to be the most effective way. 

How to Make Nose Smaller Naturally: 3 things you didn't know affect your nose

Looking at the title of this post, it might sound stupid, but believe me, from my experience at least, nose size DOES change without plastic surgery.
Okay, needless to say when we talk about making your nose smaller NATURALLY, that it's not about fixing your nose hump of drastically altering your nose's appearance. It's actually about making your nose get back to its natural size.

Yeah that's right. Haven't you noticed that your nose sometimes looks perfect and other times it looks like it's swollen and twice as big? It's not really that much of a difference, to be sure, but it does make ALL the difference in your appearance. At least for me.


Without further ado, here's a list of things that I noticed affect your nose size and hurt your looks:

  • Lack of Sleep: When you're sleep-deprived, you generally look your worst. We all know it causes puffiness, dark circles,  patchy skin etc..  Puffiness actually depends on the person, and for those like me, it doesn't concern my under-eyes  but only my effing NOSE!! Please tell me I'm not the only one, but for me, a good night's sleep (ie uninterrupted, before midnight, and for at least 8 hours) is the difference between having a cute slender nose and waking up with a puffy swollen tip and huge nostrils.
  • Caffeine: This one affects your nose directly or indirectly. The direct effect happens right after you're done drinking your cup of joe. Some people are mildly allergic to caffeine, and in my case, I feel like my nose gets a little congested and swells  immediately after I drink coffee. Indirectly though, coffee decreases your sleep quality which can make your nose bigger like I just explained, and also because it affects your hormones, which leads us to the next point.
  • Hormonal Imbalance: Whether  it's due PMS, Pregnancy, poor nutrition, sleep disorders or even caffeine, this really has a huge impact. Kim Kardashian can confirm that ;)

How to Get Rid of Back Acne Scars

Body acne can be extremely embarrassing. I've been there. Thankfully, I don't have to deal with it anymore. My acne (including back acne) has completely cleared up after my Accutane course. However, I still wasn't able to wear backless tops and I felt extremely embarrassed wearing swimsuit, all because of the dark hyper-pigmentation all over my back (especially the shoulders.)

Still, after several  months my scars have improved tremendously thanks to an effective routine. I actually find it easier to get rid of back acne scars than to get rid of facial acne scars.

Without further ado, here is how I lightened and  improved my "back situation."
  • Protection: The most important step you have to take in order to get rid of back acne scars is to PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING DARKER!! I know you must be tempted to reveal some skin or go tanning on the beach, but the less you expose your back to the harmful sun rays the better. If you have to, just wear the highest SPF you can find.
  •  Exfoliation: Don't over do it! I use a Loofah or an exfoliating washcloth to scrub my back (and entire body) at least twice a week. The most effective exfoliant though is Baking Soda,  but don't use it more than three times a week.
  • Lightening: Protecting you scars from the sun prevents them from getting darker, and exfoliation will drastically lighten them in the long run. Still, you might not be able to get the results you want using only these two procedures, or at least your results won't be as drastic or as fast as you want. If your scars are really dark, I recommend you use a proper lightening cream that suits your skin. Hydroquinone is effective but it might not be what you need. There are plenty of skin-lightening products on the market. Choose the one you feel  is right for you.

If none of this works for you over a period of 3 months or so, just consult your dermatologist.

How to grow your hair at least 1 INCH in 1 WEEK! (All about The inversion Method)

If you're obsessed with long hair and hair growth methods, you might have already heard about the inversion method.
Many of you, however, are probably not familiar with the term. The inversion method is a simple "shock treatment" that is supposed to make your hair grow at an unnatural rate (at least 1 inch a week.)
This sounds ridiculous right?

I've personally tried the inversion method and I'm writing this post to answer all your questions. So here we go, all you need to know about the inversion method in a Q&A form:

Q: First things first, what is the inversion method? 
Very simple. You are going to reverse blood flow to your scalp. All you have to do, is sit on the edge of a chair, and grab your favorite hair oil (optional step), tip you head over slowly an start massaging your scalp for 3-5 minutes, with or without the oil, it doesn't make much of a difference.
When you're done, raise your head slowly, you might feel dizzy and if you get a headache and it doesn't go away quickly STOP IMMEDIATELY. It can be dangerous.
If that wasn't clear enough for you, just youtube "inversion method" and watch the endless tutorials.

Q: How often should I do it? 
 Okay, this is important. The inversion method should be done for no more than 7 days and no more than once a month! In other words, you don't want to do this every single day, every week for months thinking you can grown 4 inches a month.
That's for two reasons: One is that it can be dangerous and painful. And second because it's a "shock method" so if you keep doing it all the time it will lose its effectiveness.
I recommend doing it monthly, for 1 week a time. I personally do it from the 7th to the 14th of every month.


Q: The most important question here: Does the inversion Method work? 
Yes, yes and yes!! It's incredible but it does effing work. For me at least it worked. My hair became visibly longer in one week but I didn't even measure. It's definitely more than 1 inch anyway.
This obviously depends on your hair type though. All you have to do is try. It's just one week!

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