About Water, facts, tips and more 

 

 

 

Hello and thank you from all of us at Isabel’s Beauty Blog. Your support is well appreciated, it helps us continue to research and invite new contributors. We take the time to bring you quality information, products and authorities in the subjects we post. We wish for you, family and friends to enjoy and share, your choices with others.
Here in week 284, we are sharing facts on water, the post would have been too long if we wrote all the information we gathered, so with that being said, we decided to do a few posts on this subject from the point of view of a few experts.

Personally, I learned what my body water requirements are. I was doing a movie in Beaufort SC, and it was summer. We were working six days a week, very long hours and I became unconscious of the amount of water I was over drinking!!! In addition to perspiring, I ended up very ill due to a loss of Electrolytes, WOW what a lesson that was, I was really bad off for three days with a very close chance of kidney failure, believe me, I went onto research and I am very aware nowadays of my consumption of water. For the most part, I always drink lukewarm water never cold, I learned through Traditional Chinese Medicine that the Spleen does not like cold, and that is the ruler of weight, good old cellulite, and it is the one in charge of multiple major roles in the body, like a filter for blood as part of the immune system. Red blood cells are recycled in the spleen, and platelets of white blood cells are stored there, so I personally don’t want to upset this amazing organ, so I am conscious not to consume cold foods in general. I personally have deep consideration for my body and this organ.

I want to share a little bit about electrolytes:

 

 Wishing you health, happiness and wealth from all of us at IsbelsBeautyBlog.com

 

According to: Paul Pitchford from HEALING WITH WHOLE FOODS

Water is the most abundant nutrient in the body, comprising two-thirds of the body’s mass, for the most part, nobody teaches that to us. People make efforts to obtain unadulterated food but neglect to find water of similar quality. Every type of water has its own unique quality. Rainwater tastes lighter, well water is more mineralized, river, lake, and spring water each have their own qualities.

One of the most important principals regarding our personal water consumption I believe is listening to the wisdom of our body, and drinking accordingly to our own thirst. So often we are told drink 8 glasses of water a day and other recommendations that perhaps are not for every individual constitutions or needs, not to mention any reference to the quality of water and the temperature of it when consumed.

If large amounts of water are ingested for reasons such as hard work or internal heat, is best done at least thirty minutes before or one hour after meals. Otherwise, digestive enzymes and secretions are diluted, and food nutrients are not effectively extracted. When water is taken with meals it is best to drink small amounts and warm perhaps a warm tea is a great idea.

The optimal water intake varies widely, every person’s requirement is different.Thirst is an important indicator of the need for water, this not always a conscious choice, is very important to listen to our boys so we don’t over or under do it.

 

Key Factors that Influence Personal Water Needs

 

Water requirements are lessened by:

 

Sedentary lifestyle

Consumption of fruit, vegetable, and sprouted foods

Cold deficient conditions

Cold and damp climates

Water requirements are increased by

Physical activity

Consumption of more meat, eggs, or salty foods

Fever, heat, or excess conditions

Dry, hot, or windy climates and many other variants

Major properties of water

Relaxing

Moistening

Hydrating

Soothing

Cooling

and dispersing

 

Too much water from any source can cause coldness sensation, actual dehydration, loss of minerals, weakness in digestion and loss of energy in the whole body. Chinese healing traditions states that an excess of water depletes the Digestive Fire of the spleen-pancreas and hinders the kidney-adrenals ability to provide warmth energy (yang qi).This applies especially to cold water and cold foods (salads, fruits etc)

On the other hand, insufficient water consumption causes toxicity of the body as well as constipation, tension, tightness, overeating, inflammation, dryness, and kidney damage.

When drinking water it is recommended to drink slowly, this helps the body to absorb it better and retain electrolytes.

The amount of water intake will significantly influence long-term health so be conscious about it.

 

 Water composition in different parts of human body

 

 

Photo courtesy to soulutionsfitness.ca

 

 

 

 

 

Water is responsible for dissolving most nutrients, minerals, and substances in the biological processes of the human body. It transports the required amount of essential nutrients to different parts of the body and also provides a moist environment for our ear, nose and throat tissues. Water also plays a vital role in flushing waste and toxins out of bodies.

 

 

How much water should you drink every day?

 

This question looks very simple but there are no easy average answers. Over the period of time multiple recommendations are available to this question:

Before answering this question, let’s see what are the factors involved in calculating daily intake of water:

1. The climate, where do you live for example altitude, tropic etc
2. What is the nature of your work
3. How is your health status
4. How active are you
5. Does your activity make you perspire?
6. Are you an athlete
7. Do you have health issues
8. Do you consume fruits and vegetables that contain water?

After considering the above points and whatever common sense adds, there isn’t a specific formula available at this moment which can fit everyone. Multiple research and studies have been produced on this subject with different recommendations over the period of time. Here are some of them:

Daily Water Requirements:  Drink 50-75% of your body weight in Ounces (Oz).

Sedentary people: 50%

Active people: 75%

See example for a person with 150 Pound

 

 

	Sedentary People	Active People
Body WeightFor example take 150 Pound	50% of 150 = 75 Ounces(2.2 Liters or 9 Cups)	75% of 150 = 112.5 Ounces(3.3 Liters or 14 Cups)
Hot or humid weather	+16 Oz(½ Liter or 2 Cups)	+16 Oz(½ Liter or 2 Cups)
Strenuous Exercise	+16 Oz(½ Liter or 2 Cups)	+16 Oz(½ Liter or 2 Cups)
Total per day	107 Oz(3.2 Liters or 13 Cups)	144.5 Oz(4.3 Liters or 18 Cups)

 

Note: This is only an estimate. This may vary person to person, always take in consideration the content of water that is in the food you consume.

 

How to Read the Signs for Your Body’s Water Needs

 

According to Dr Mercola

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/12/15/drinking-enough-water.aspx

 

Once your body has lost between one to two percent of its total water content, it will signal its needs by making you feel thirsty but not before that. Using thirst as a guide to how much water you need to drink is a good way to ensure your individual needs are met, day-by-day do not wait a long period of time after you get the signal or you start to do damage, and always try to drink water no sodas which dehydrate you more, juices contain too much sugar which also dehydrates.

However, by the time your thirst mechanism kicks in you may already be a bit dehydrated. Most studies show that about 2/3 of us are dehydrated and need to drink more water.

This is particularly true for the elderly. Therefore, it’s also wise to learn some of the other, more subtle, signals your body sends, indicating you need to drink more water. As noted in the featured article, this includes:

• Fatigue and/or mood swings
• Hunger even though you’ve recently eaten
• Back or joint aches
• Dull, dry skin and/or pronounced wrinkles
• Infrequent urination; dark, concentrated urine, and/or constipation

 

The Color of Your Urine Is an Important Marker

 

 

Besides listening to your thirst, a good rule of thumb is to look at the color of your urine. You should be drinking enough water to turn your urine a light-colored yellow.

Dark-colored urine is a sign that your kidneys are retaining fluids in order to maintain your bodily functions, which includes detoxification. As a result, your urine will seem highly concentrated and dark in color. You may also urinate less frequently, for the same reason and accumulate more toxins.

Since your thirst mechanism tends to become less efficient with age, older adults need to pay more careful attention to the color of their urine to ensure adequate water intake.

Bear in mind that riboflavin (vitamin B2, which is also found in most multi-vitamins) will turn your urine a bright, almost fluorescent yellow this is also true of B vitamins in general. So if you’re taking supplements containing B2, it may be more difficult to judge by the color of your urine.

The Frequency of urination can also be used to judge your water intake. A healthy person urinates on average about seven or eight times a day. If your urine is scant or if you haven’t urinated in several hours, that too is an indication that you’re not drinking enough.

 

Symptoms of Chronic Dehydration

What Is Dehydration?

 

 

Sports drink is one of the highly commercialized beverages today – from its TV advertisements to its popular athlete endorsers – as mainstream media makes it look like drinking it will keep you healthy and well-hydrated. Beverage companies advertise that sports drink will help replenish the electrolytes in your body during exercise or outdoor activities, but the truth is the ingredients of your favorite sports drinks will not hydrate and benefit you, and may even be detrimental to your health.

A typical sports drink contains high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and artificial sweeteners. It has two-thirds of the sugar content of soda and is 30 times more erosive to your teeth than water. High-fructose corn syrup could cause negative health impacts like preventing the natural production of your body’s human growth hormone (HGH). It also contributes to almost all chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Aside from sports drinks, there are also other sweetened beverages that you don’t benefit much from, like sodas. These are also equally unhealthy for your health, as just a 20-ounce bottle of cola gives you 16 teaspoons of sugar in high-fructose corn syrup. Diet soda makes no difference either because a study revealed that diet soda drinkers have a 70 percent increase in waist size than those non-diet soda drinkers in a 10-year period.

Commercial fruit juices are another sweetened drink that you must avoid because they do not have any hydrating properties and are actually loaded with sugar. For example, Minute Maid’s 15.2-ounce bottle actually contains 49 grams of sugar.

What’s more, most processed fruit juices are made with little resemblance to what an actual fresh fruit juice would be. Commercial fruit juices are pasteurized and their oxygen is removed to preserve them for a long time, making the juices less nutrient-dense. Store-bought fruit juices with an expiration date of 60 days or more is a sign that it is heavily processed, so I encourage you to boycott these kinds of beverages.

 

Indicators of dehydration:

1. Bad breath. Saliva has antibacterial properties in it, but dehydration can prevent your body from making enough saliva.

When you’re not producing enough saliva in the mouth, you can get bacteria overgrowth and one of the side reactions of that is bad breath from chronic dehydration,” says John Higgins, MD, associate professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Texas in Houston, and chief of cardiology at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.

The primary symptoms of dehydration are thirst, dry skin, dark colored urine, and fatigue. But there are also a number of commonly overlooked signs that may suggest you’re suffering from more or less chronic dehydration. Such signs include:

• Digestive disturbances such as heartburn and constipation
• Confusion and/or anxiety
• Urinary tract infections
• Premature aging
• High cholesterol
• Skin breakouts among many other

 

Dehydration Is a Common Problem Among the Elderly

 

According to recent research, one in five seniors does not get enough water on a daily basis. Among those who do not have a caretaker, that number is even higher—one in four. And seniors with dementia are six times more likely to be dehydrated.

Dehydration also tends to be more common among people taking more medication. According to BBC News:²
“A 2013 analysis of death certificates by the [UK] Office for National Statistics had shown that 1,158 care home residents suffered dehydration-related deaths between 2003 and 2012.

But Dr. [Lee] Hooper said those figures were not clear-cut as patients often stopped eating or drinking towards the end of life. She also stressed that while care homes could sometimes do better, it was important to point out that identifying dehydration and solving its causes was complex.

‘The reasons older people do not drink enough are that as we age we lose our sense of thirst so they may not be thirsty. [Or they] decide not to drink because of continence issues, because they don’t have as much social contact or because of frailty or forgetfulness.'”

 

Why I Do Not Recommend Bottled Water by Dr Marcola

 

While drinking water will help flush out toxins, the more unfiltered water you drink, the more pollutants you’re consuming… Most tap water contains an array of harmful contaminants, including fluoride, disinfection byproducts, chemicals, radiation, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical drugs. Additionally, be careful about bathing in unfiltered water as you can easily absorb more toxins by breathing in a hot shower than you can by drinking tap water all day long.

Last year, federal scientists reported finding traces of 18 unregulated contaminants in one-third of the water samples collected from 25 municipal utilities across the US, including perfluorinated compounds like PFOA.  So besides making sure you’re drinking enough, another very important consideration is the type of water you drink.

Many instinctively reach for bottled water, but there are many reasons to avoid this option. Drinking from plastic water bottles can pose serious health risks from industrial chemicals like bisphenol-A and bisphenol-S (BPA/BPS), as well as phthalates, which leach from the plastic itself into the contents of the bottle. BPA and BPS are estrogen-mimicking chemicals linked to reproductive defects, learning and behavioral problems, immune dysfunction, and prostate and breast cancer. Phthalates are also endocrine disruptors and have been linked to a wide range of developmental and reproductive effects, as well as liver cancer.

Bottled water also costs about 1,900 times the price of regular tap water, and may or may not have received any additional treatment. Studies have shown that 40 percent of bottled water is actually regular tap water with possibly no additional filtering treatment. While the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires large public water supplies to test for contaminants several times a day, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires private bottlers to test for contaminants only once a week, once a year, or once every four years, depending on the contaminant.

One independent test performed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in 2011 revealed 38 low-level contaminants in bottled water. Each of the 10 tested brands contained an average of eight chemicals. Disinfection byproducts (DBPs), caffeine, Tylenol, nitrate, industrial chemicals, arsenic, and bacteria were all detected. Fluoride is also usually present in both tap water and filtered bottled water.

Many bottled glasses of water actually make a point of adding fluoride back into the water, so if you are drinking bottled water, make sure it’s fluoride-free. Last but not least, plastic bottles also cause enormous environmental problems because of the sheer volume of plastic waste they create; the lack of adequate recycling capability for plastics; and the amount of oil required to manufacture them.

 

 

The Health Benefits of ‘Living Water’

The answer to all these health and environmental issues is to minimize or eliminate your use of plastic water bottles. The most economical and environmentally sound choice you can make is to purchase and install a water filter for your home which requires a certain amount of research, not all filters are made the same. And, in lieu of plastic bottles, use reusable glass water bottles instead which have a much smaller ecological footprint and have less harmful chemicals to damage your health.

The very best water, however, comes from a natural gravity-fed spring. We do not suggest drinking distilled water on a regular basis. It’s too acidic and is not recommended for extended use due to the fact that it will bind with minerals and pulls them out of the body. Although it can be beneficial for temporary detoxification purposes or specific conditions it is best to use it carefully. The ideal pH of your water should be between 6.5 to 7.5, which is neutral. What you want is pure water that is clean, pH balanced, and “alive.”

Mountain spring water is ideal. Not only does it have a healthy pH, but it’s also “structured” in a way that is not well understood. The previous interview with Dr. Gerald Pollack on this subject shows some very interesting facts. He’s one of the leading research scientists in the world when it comes to understanding the physics of water, and what it means to your health. His book, The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor, clearly explains the theory of the fourth phase of water, which is nothing short of ground-breaking.

The fourth phase of water is, in a nutshell, living water. It’s referred to as EZ water—EZ standing for “exclusion zone”—which has a negative charge. This water can hold energy, much like a battery, and can deliver energy, too. This is the kind of water your cells contain; even your extracellular tissues are filled with EZ water, which is why he believes it’s so important to drink structured water for optimal health.

I drink vortexed water nearly exclusively as I became a big fan of Viktor Schauberger, who did much pioneering work on vortexing about a century ago. Dr. Pollack confirms that by creating a vortex in a glass of water, you’re putting more energy into it, thereby increasing EZ. Water from deep sources, such as deep spring water, is an excellent choice as EZ water is also created under pressure. FindaSpring.com is an excellent resource that can help you find a natural spring nearby. As an added bonus, collecting spring water is usually free—you just need to bring your own jugs. I recommend using glass jugs instead of plastic, for all the reasons discussed earlier.

 

 

What’s In Your Water?

According to http://wellnessmama.com/8079/water-filter-options/

If you are drinking tap water, the answer to that question is about 300+ chemicals and pollutants, according to research from the Environmental Working Group. Among these many contaminants are:

 

• Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) such as pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. These chemicals are found in most municipal water sources and even in well and other sources due to agricultural run-off and contamination. Research links certain VOCs to damage in the reproductive system, liver, kidneys and more.
• Heavy Metals like lead and mercury are found in some water sources and have been linked to any health problems.
• Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals are chemicals that may mimic or interfere with the normal hormones in the body and these chemicals are being found in increasing amounts in the water supply. From this testimony before a congressional committee on the issue: “Over the past fifty years, researchers observed increases in endocrine-sensitive health outcomes. Breast and prostatic cancer incidence increased between 1969 and 1986 ; there was a four-fold increase in ectopic pregnancies (development of the fertilized egg outside of the uterus) in the U.S. between 1970 and 1987 ; the incidence of cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) doubled in the U.K. between 1960 and the mid 1980s ; and there was an approximately 42% decrease in sperm count worldwide between 1940 and 1990 .” These chemicals are known to affect animals when they enter the water supply as well.
• Fluoride:  This is perhaps the most controversial of the contaminants in water (if something like water contaminants can be controversial!) because it is purposefully added to the water and there is a much-heated debate about the benefits/harm of this. Anyone who listened to the HealThy Mouth Summit is well aware of the potential dangers of Fluoride thanks to Dr. Kennedy, but the short is: If fluoride has any benefit, it would be directed to the teeth, as drinking the fluoride has not been statistically shown to increase oral health at all. Additionally, fluoride has been linked to thyroid problems and other disorders when consumed internally.

So what are the options for those of us not interested in drinking a chemical cocktail every time we are thirsty?

 

 

Bottled Water:

Bottled water has started falling out of favor lately and with good reason. Mark’s Daily Apple did an in-depth analysis of why, but bottled water is not a good option for several reasons:

• Chemicals from the plastic bottle itself can leach into the water
• In most cases, the water itself is no different than tap water
• Bottled water costs more in many cases that drinking tap water
• Water bottles are a major source of consumer waste each year!

Verdict: Not the best option on price, taste, or health so I skip it. That being said, having a bottle of water is very convenient, and there are some great sustainable options. Glass and VitaJewel bottles are my personal favorites!

 

 

Pitcher Water Filters

Pitcher water filters like Brita use Granulated Activated Charcoal to remove some contaminants. They are less expensive than other filter options upfront but require frequent filling (especially for large families) and cartridge replacement (making them more expensive in the long run). Since the carbon is not solid, it does not remove all toxins through these filters will improve taste.

Pitcher filters will reduce chlorine, but are not effective at removing VOCs, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors or fluoride. This category also includes faucet mount external filters, which use the same technology.

Verdict: Better than nothing, but doesn’t remove the worst offenders and is somewhat costly to use compared to other options.

 

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Reverse Osmosis filtration uses a membrane which removes many contaminants from water. It is usually paired with a Granulated Activated Charcoal filter to remove chlorine and many mounts under the sink and have a holding tank. The semipermeable membrane separates many contaminates (which usually have a larger particle size than water) from the water and rejects a large amount of water in the process.

The result is a waste of several gallons of water for every gallon filtered and many naturally occurring minerals (including calcium and magnesium) are also removed from the water. We used this type of filter for a long time but added trace minerals back into the water to replace the ones that are filtered out. It does remove a large number of contaminants but is not the best option, in my opinion.

Pros: Removes a large number of contaminants. Many unite are stored under the sink and have a simple spigot over the counter for getting the water. Does reduce arsenic, asbestos and heavy metals. Does remove fluoride.

Cons: Wastes more water than it produces. Does not reduce VOCs or endocrine disruptors. Requires adequate water pressure to work so it is not usable if the home water supply is cut off. Takes up to an hour to filter one gallon of water and filters need to be replaced regularly. Removes necessary minerals from the water.

Verdict: Certainly better than a lot of options out there and does remove fluoride, but not the best due to its waste of water and costly filters.

 

 

Distilled Water

The distillation process uses heat to cause the water to become steam. The steam rises and moves to a cooling chamber where it turns back into liquid, leaving behind many contaminants. This type of filtration reduces large particles like minerals and heavy metals but does not remove endocrine disruptors or VOCs since they vaporize at equal or lower temps that water and rise with the steam. It does effectively kill bacteria.

Pros: Removes a large number of contaminants. Does reduce arsenic, asbestos and heavy metals. Does remove fluoride.

Cons: Does not reduce VOCs or endocrine disruptors. Home distillation systems are often large and expensive.  Use a large amount of electricity and will not work in power outages. Removes necessary minerals from the water. Long-term use can cause mineral deficiencies in a big way, is not recommended.

Verdict: Better than bottled water, but definitely not the best option out there, especially for home situations.

 

 

 

Solid Block Carbon Filters

 

Recognized by the EPA as the best option for removing chemicals like herbicides, pesticides and VOCs. Quality carbon block filters will remove chemicals, pesticides, bacteria, fluoride (with filter attachment), heavy metals, nitrate, nitrites and parasites. Most are gravity based and can safely transform any type of water into safe drinking water including rainwater, pond water and even sea water (though these types of water will clog the filters much more quickly and are not ideal!) It will even filter water with food coloring to create clear water (yes, I tested it…)

This is the option that we use now and my only complaint is that it does take up counter space. The advantages are that it is gravity based and will work even without electricity or running water. While these types of units can be more pricey than pitcher filters or other filters up front, they seem to be the least expensive in the long run and require the fewest filter replacements (a big plus for me!). These types of filters also don’t remove naturally occurring minerals from the water, making it the best tasting filtered water option, in my opinion.

Using a filter calculator, I’ve determined that the specific system we use won’t need to be replaced for over 20 years with our current usage (though I’m guessing our usage will increase as the kids get older).

The most common type of this filter is the Berkey and it comes in many sizes for different uses. It can even be used camping to filter river water for drinking! (Tested this too and it saved one of my brother-in-laws from Giardia when other members of his group got it while camping)

Pros: Filters VOCs, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, nitrates/ites, bacteria, parasites and other chemicals. Very inexpensive per gallon cost and infrequent filter replacement. Great tasting water. Doesn’t require electricity or water pressure to work. Portable options can even be used while travelling.

Cons: Does require counter space and does have to be manually filled (not a big deal for us, we just fill at night and we have plenty of water the next day). More expensive up front. Does not remove endocrine disruptors and there are some concerns with third-party testing with some brands.

Verdict: A good option, especially in places where under-counter or permanent systems are not an option.

 

Under Counter Multi-Stage Filters

 

After years of research and trying most of the options above at some point, we finally found and switched to an under-counter multi-stage water filter system that meets all of the criteria and exceeds them.  It filters water through a 14-stage process that utilizes most of the methods listed above, along with others like UV and adds minerals back in. During the filtration process, water goes through these stages:

Stage 1 – Five Micron Pre-Filter
Stage 2 – Internal Coconut Shell Carbon Filter (like Berkey)
Stage 3 – Reverse Osmosis Membrane (Purifier #1) (like regular RO but more efficient)
Stage 4 – Mixed Bed De-Ionization Purifier (Purifier #2)
Stage 5 – Mixed Bed De-Ionization Purifier (Purifier #3)
Stages 6 & 7 – Homeopathic Restructuring – Erasing Memory, Molecule Coherence
Stage 8 – Holding Tank – standard tank holds about 3 gallons of pure water. Other tanks are available.
Stage 9 – Ultraviolet Light – 14 Watt
Stage 10 – Reprogramming – Adding Natural Mineral Properties
Stages 11-12 – Far-Infrared Reprogramming
Stage 13 – Coconut Shell Carbon Post-Filtration
Stage 14 – Alka-Min (Alkalizing, Ionic Remineralization)

It removes fluoride, lead, chlorine, MTBE, chromium-6, nitrates, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, water-borne illness and more.

Pros: Removes the widest range of contaminants. Very easy to use with no manual filling required. Spigot attaches near the sink for easy use. Water tastes great.

Cons: Must be installed under the sink. We had to hire a plumber for this, though we probably could have figured it out ourselves, I was just reluctant to try.

 

 

The Power of Water- Ed Begley Jr

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Benefits Of Drinking Water

https://youtu.be/kN-non9J4Ag

 

 

10 Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water Every Morning

 

 

 

Why Drink Coconut Water? | Health Benefits of Coconut Water | The Healthy Grocery Girl® Show

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VITALITY

Emerald – clear quartz

St. Hildegard declared nearly 1000 years ago: “All the green of nature is concentrated within the Emerald.” This lush crystal has been a source of fascination in many cultures and was considered a symbol of eternal life in ancient Egypt. Louis Pasteur said: “We drink 90 percent of our illnesses.” Your body needs a sufficient amount of fresh water for well functioning cleansing processes and a stable health. It’s a natural way to help you lead a better life. Become vital!

 

 

FIVE ELEMENTS

 

Amethyst – chalcedony – petrified wood rose quartz – ocean chalcedony

 

 

Traditional Chinese medicine has developed over 5,000 years and recognizes health as a harmonious balance of five elements: Wood for growth, water for reflection, earth for grounding, metal for strength and fire for passion. Every person is a unique blend of these elements. Following this ancient philosophy, we have included one kind of gem for each element in this blend to reflect each attribute. Get your life in balance. Experience this ancient wisdom.

 

 

 

Aqua-Ionizer Deluxe 9 Plate Alkaline Water Ionizer and Alkaline Water Machine by Air Water Life 

 

• Life Time Warranty-Vanguard Platinum Plate Coating Technology-9 Plate Alkaline Water Ionizer
• (3.5pH-11.5pH) -860 ORP Alkaline Water, Fresh from your own Luxury Water Ionizer in your own home.
• Takes HOT Water up to 165ºF – 7 Healthy Water Options –
• Built-in Active Carbon Water Filter: Long-life, hi-tech filter purifies over 1,585 gals.

 

 

iSpring RCC7AK – Built in USA, WQA Certified Reverse Osmosis 6 Stages 75GPD Under Sink Water Filter w/ Alkaline stage, Clear Housing, Designer Faucet

 

• Purity It Refines with the Minerals It Restores – Restores natural minerals removed by RO to produce great tasting Mineral Water at 2 cents a bottle
• Most Cost Effective Technology – Rejects up to 99% of 1000+ pollutants such as chlorine, fluoride, lead, arsenic, pesticide, drugs, and fertilizer

 

 

 

Invigorated Living Premium Alkaline Water Pitcher Ionizer, 2 Long-Life Filters Included, Alkaline Filtered Water Purifier Machine, High pH Natural Filtration System, Removes Toxins, Enhances Immunity & Optimizes Health

 

• UTILIZING OUR 7-STAGE ALKALINE WATER FILTERS CONSISTING OF MINERAL BALLS, ION EXCHANGE RESIN & ACTIVATED CARBON – the pH level of drinking water is increased, the water is purified removing chlorine, odors and heavy metals, while inhibiting bacterial growth. Our filter system filtrates 90% of all lead, zinc, copper and pollutants in tap water giving it a more natural taste.
• Imported
• DRINKING ALKALINE IONIZED WATER CAN IMPROVE HEALTH – by removing heavy metals, chemicals, chlorine & chloramine from our water, while increasing essential mineral uptake (iron, zinc, calcium and other beneficial minerals). Metabolism can be improved aiding in weight loss.
• ALKALINE WATER FILTRATION REMOVES FREE RADICALS, ELIMINATES TOXINS, & INCREASES IMMUNITY & ENERGY LEVELS – through powerful antioxidants & high negative ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential – a measure of the cleanliness of the water & its ability to break down contaminants. Most bottled and tap water has a positive potential, while alkaline water with its negative potential donates extra electrons to neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals on the body).

 

 

 

2 Silver Alkaline Energy Flask Ionizer Water Bottles with Cases

 

• The Pod is a portable water dispenser that converts regular water into alkaline and ionized water that anyone can drink anywhere, anytime.
• The Pod uses 13 types of minerals in its filter including Tourmaline, Zeolite and Maifanshi stone.

 

 

 

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Christmas traditions from around the world

 

On week 283 our intention is to share holiday traditions of the different nations and their holiday celebrations, with you and to take this opportunity to wish all of them loving wishes this is great opportunity to focus on PEACE.

We did extensive research and  I must say it was a challenge to try honoring them all, so please forgive us if we miss a nation of your interest and if we did let us know through an email and we will add it. We found that it was so much information we needed a few Posts for that intention so we did our best to edit an amount that is realistic for people to take the time to read, so just enjoy and choose what resonates with you. It is so interesting to learn different traditions, it reminds me once again that the planet is a lot bigger than just my day to day perception.

Thank you again for the generous support from you all, it is overwhelming the thousands of views and connections we receive, we work many hours, sometimes seven days a week to offer you our extensive research.

We wish you Health, Peace and Ideal abundance for you, your family, and friends, and to the whole world may all your wishes come true, from all of us at Isabel’s Beauty Blog.

 

 

Christmas in the United States of America

 from http://www.whychristmas.com

 

The United States of America has many different traditions and ways that people celebrate Christmas, because of its multi-cultural nature, many customs are similar to ones in the UK, France, Italy, Holland, Poland, and Mexico.

The traditional meal for Western European families is turkey or ham with cranberry sauce. Families from Eastern European origins favor turkey with trimmings, keilbasi (a Polish sausage), cabbage dishes, and soups; and some Italian families prefer lasagne!

Some Americans use popcorn threaded on a string to help decorate their Christmas Tree!

In New England (the American States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine), there are shops called ‘Christmas Shops’ that only sell Christmas decorations and toys all the year round!

People in America like to decorate the outside of their house with lights and sometimes even statues of Santa Claus, Snowmen, and Reindeer elf.

Towns and cities often decorate the streets with lights to celebrate Christmas. Perhaps the most famous Christmas street lights in the USA are at the Rockefeller Center in New York where there is a huge Christmas Tree with a public ice skating rink in front of it over Christmas and the New Year.

In Hawaii, Santa is called Kanakaloka!

In the Southwest USA, there are some special customs which have some similarities to those in parts of Mexico. These include ‘luminarias’ or ‘farolitos’ which are paper sacks partly filled with sand and then have a candle put in them. They are lit on Christmas Eve and are put the edges of paths. They represent ‘lighting the way’ for somewhere for Mary and Joseph to stay.

A popular food at Christmas in the Southwest USA is tamales. You can find out more about Christmas traditions in the Southwest USA on www.lonestarwesterndecor.com/vibrant-Christmas-traditions-of-the-southwest.html

 

 

 

 

Christmas in Mexico

In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated from the December 12th to January 6th.

From December 16th to Christmas Eve, children often perform the ‘Posada’ processions or Posadas. Posada is Spanish for Inn or Lodging. There are nine Posadas. These celebrate the part of the Christmas story where Joseph and Mary looked for somewhere to stay. For the Posadas, the outside of houses are decorated with evergreens, moss and paper lanterns.

In each Posada, children are given candles and a board, with painted clay figures of Mary riding on a donkey and Joseph, to process around the streets with. They call at the houses of friends and neighbors and sing a song at each home. The song they sing is about Joseph and Mary asking for a room in the house. But the children are told that there is no room in the house and that they must go away. Eventually, they are told there is room and are welcomed in! When the children go into the house they say prayers of thanks and then they have a party with food, games, and fireworks.

Each night a different house hold’s the Posada party. At the final Posada, on Christmas Eve, a manger and figures of shepherds are put on the board. When the Posada house has been found, a baby Jesus is put into the manger and then families go to a midnight Church service. After the Church service, there are more fireworks to celebrate the start of Christmas.

One game that is often played at Posada parties is piñata. A piñata is a decorated clay or paper-mâché jar filled with sweets and hung from the ceiling or tree branch. The piñata is often decorated something like a ball with seven peaks around it. The peaks or spikes represent the ‘seven deadly sins’. Piñatas’ can also be in the form of an animal or bird (such as a donkey). To play the game, children are blindfolded and take it in turns to hit the piñata with a stick until it splits open and the sweets pour out. Then the children rush to pick up as many sweets as they can!

As well as the posada’s, another type of Christmas play known as Pastorelas (The Shepherds). These tell the story of the shepherds going to find the baby Jesus and are often very funny. The devil tries to stop them by tempting them along the way. But the shepherds always get there in the end, often with the help of the Archangel Michael, who comes and beats the devil!

Nativity scenes, known as the ‘Nacimiento’, are very popular in Mexico. They are often very large, with the figures being life size! Sometimes a whole room in a house is used for the Nacimiento, although this is less common now. The figures are often made of clay and are traditionally passed down through families. As well as the normal figures of the Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherds and Three Kings, there are often lots of other figures of different people, including women making tortillas, people selling food and different animals and birds, like flamingos! The figures can be bought from markets in cities all over Mexico. The baby Jesus is normally added to the scene during the evening of Christmas Eve. The Three Kings are added at Epiphany.

Christmas Trees are becoming more popular in Mexico, but the main/most important decoration is still the Nacimiento.

Christmas Eve is known as ‘Noche Buena’ and is a family day. People often take part in the final Posada and then in the evening have the main Christmas meal. At midnight, many people go to a Midnight Mass service, known as the ‘Misa de Gallo’ (Mass of the Rooster). There are lots of fireworks to celebrate Christmas Day.

Poinsettia flowers are known as ‘Noche Buena’ (Christmas Eve) flowers in Mexico.

People in Mexico also celebrate ‘Los Santos Inocentes’ or ‘Day of the Innocent Saints’ on December 28th ad it’s very like April Fools Day in the UK and USA. 28th December is when people remember the babies that were killed on the orders of King Herod when he was trying to kill the baby Jesus.

In some states in Mexico, children expect Santa Claus to come on December 24th. In the south of Mexico, children expect presents on January 6th at Epiphany, which is known as ‘El Dia de Los Reyes’.

On El Dia de Los Reyes the presents are left by the Three Kings (or Magi). If you’ve had a visit from Santa on Christmas Eve, you might also get some candy on el Dia de Los Reyes!

It’s traditional to eat a special cake called ‘Rosca de Reyes’ (Three Kings Cake) on Epiphany. A figure of Baby Jesus is hidden inside the cake. Whoever has the baby Jesus in their piece of cake is the ‘Godparent’ of Jesus for that year.

Another important day is Candelaria (also known as Candlemas) on the 2nd February and it marks the end of the Mexican Christmas celebrations. Lots of Mexicans have a party for Candelaria.

In Mexico, presents might also be brought by ‘El Niñito Dios’ (baby Jesus) & Santo Clós (Santa Claus)

In Mexico people speak Spanish (Español), so Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘Feliz Navidad’. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.

The largest ever Angel Ornament was made in Mexico. It was made in January 2001 by Sergio Rodriguez in the town of Nuevo León. The angel was 18′ 3″ high and had a wingspan of 11′ 9″! Perhaps the most amazing thing about the angel was that it was completely made out of old beer bottles, 2946 of them!

 

 

 

Christmas in Denmark

Some people in Denmark give and receive extra Advent presents on the four Sundays of Advent.

Different types of Advent candles and calendars are popular in Denmark. A Kalenderlys (calendar-candle) is an Advent candle and most people have one of these types of candles. A Pakkekalender (gift calendar) are also a fun way to countdown to Christmas Eve. There are 24 small gifts for the children in the calendar, one for each day until Christmas Eve.

Julekalender (Christmas calendar) is a television series with 24 episodes. One episode is shown each day in December with the last one being aired on Christmas Eve. The first Julekalender was shown on TV in Denmark in 1962. The two main Danish TV channels DR and TV2 both show different versions of Julekalender each year. The theme of the stories in the Julekalender normally follows a similar storyline, with someone trying to ruin Christmas and the main characters saving Christmas!

As well as the TV series, both DR and TV2 produce paper advent calendars to go along with the stories! DR is the oldest TV channel in Denmark and its’ paper calendar is called Børnenes U-landskalender (Children’s U-Country Calendar). It’s been making the calendars for over 50 years and profits from the sale of the calendar go to help poor children in a developing country. The calendar made by TV2 is called julekalender and profits from that calendar go to help Julemærkefonden, a children’s charity in Denmark.

You can also support Julemærkefonden when you send Christmas Cards in Denmark. Every year a set of Christmas stamps/stickers/seals called julemærket are sold in December to help raise money for the charity. You use a normal postage stamp as well, the julemærket stickers just make the post look more Christmassy!

Christmas Parties are held from 1st November to 24th December where everyone has a good time! Making cakes and biscuits is popular in the time before Christmas. Gingerbread cookies and vanilla ones are often favorites.

In Denmark, most people go to a Church Service on Christmas Eve at about 4.00pm to hear the Christmas Story. It’s also traditional to give animals a treat on Christmas Eve, so some people go for a walk in the park or woods and take some food to give the animals and birds.

When they get home the main Christmas meal is eaten between 6.00pm and 8.00pm. It’s served on a beautifully decorated table. Popular Christmas foods include roast duck, goose or pork. They are served with boiled and sweet potatoes, red cabbage, beetroot and cranberry jam/sauce.

Most families have a ‘ris á la mande’ (a special kind of rice pudding, made of milk, rice, vanilla, almonds and whipped cream) for dessert. All but one of the almonds are chopped into pieces. The person who finds the whole almond gets a present called a Mandelgave (almond present) and it’s often a marzipan pig!

After the meal the lights on the Christmas Tree are lit, people might dance around the tree and sing carols. Then it’s time for people to open their presents. The Christmas tree normally has a gold or silver star on the top and often has silver ‘fairy hair’ on it to make it glitter.

On Christmas day people meet with their family and have a big lunch together with Danish open-faced sandwiches on rye bread.

In Denmark, children believe that their presents are brought by the ‘Julemanden’ (which means ‘Christmas Man’). He looks very similar to Santa Claus and also travels with a sleigh and reindeer. He lives in Greenland, likes rice pudding and is helped by ‘nisser’ which are like elves.

St. Lucia’s Day (or St. Lucy’s Day) is also celebrated on December 13th, although it’s more famous for being celebrated in Denmark’s neighbor, Sweden.

In Danish, Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘Glædelig Jul’

 

 

 

 

Christmas in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia (and especially the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) they still use the old Julian calendar, so they celebrate Christmas on January 7th, not December 25th! The Christmas celebration in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is called Ganna. Most of the people go to Church on Christmas day.

Many people fast they chose not to eat anything on Christmas Eve (January 6th). At dawn on the morning of Ganna, people get dressed in white. Most people wear a traditional garment called a shamma. It’s a thin white cotton piece of cloth with brightly colored stripes across the ends. It’s worn like a toga. If you live in a big town or city you might wear ‘western’ clothes. The early Ganna mass starts at 4.00am! Ouch, that shows Faith right there.

The Ethiopian capital city is Addis Ababa. It’s a modern city. Most people who live outside big cities live in round house made of mud-plastered walls which have thatched cone-shaped roofs. Sometimes houses in the country are rectangular and made of stone.

The design of Ethiopian Church is similar to the houses. In the country, for the most part, they are very old and have been carved out of rocks. In cities, modern churches are built in three circles, each within the others.

The choir sings from the outer circle. Everyone who goes to church for the Ganna celebrations is given a candle. The people walk around the church three times in a solemn procession, holding the candles. They then go to the second circle to stand during the service. The men and boys are separated from the women and girls. The center circle is the most important and holy place in the church and is where the priest serves the Holy Communion or mass.

In the tradition is being said that one of the Wise Men who visited Jesus came from Ethiopia.

Around the time of Ganna (Christmas celebration time), the men and boys play a game that is also called ganna. It’s played with a curved stick and a round wooden ball, a bit like hockey.

Traditional Christmas foods in Ethiopia include ‘wat’ which is a thick and spicy stew that contains meat, vegetables and sometimes eggs. What is eaten on a ‘plate of injera’ – a flatbread, Pieces of the injera are used as an edible spoon to scoop up the wat.

Twelve days after Ganna, on 19th January, Ethiopians start the three-day celebration of Timkat. It celebrated the baptism of Jesus. Children walk to church services in a procession. They wear the crowns and robes of the church youth groups that they belong to. Adults wear the Shamma. The priests wear red and white robes and carry embroidered fringed umbrellas.

 

 

 

Christmas in Russia

The official Christmas and New holidays in Russia last from December 31st to January 10th.

In Russian Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘s rah-zh-dee-st-VOHM’ (C рождеством!) or ‘s-schah-st-lee-vah-vah rah-zh dee-st-vah’ (Счастливого рождества!). Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.

Some people fast (don’t eat anything) on Christmas Eve until the first star has appeared in the sky. People then eat ‘sochivo’ or ‘kutia’ a porridge made from wheat or rice served with honey, poppy seeds, fruit (especially berries and dried fruit like raisins), chopped walnuts or sometimes even fruit jellies!

Kutia is sometimes eaten from one common bowl, this symbolizes unity. In the past, some families like to throw a spoonful of sochivo up on the ceiling. If it stuck to the ceiling, some people thought it meant they would have good luck and would have a good harvest!

The Russian word for Christmas Eve ‘sochelnik’, comes from the word ‘sochivo’.

Some Orthodox Christian Russian also don’t eat any meat or fish during the Christmas Eve meal/feast.

Other popular Christmas Eve foods include beetroot soup (borsch) or vegan potluck (solyanka) served with individual vegetable pies (often made with cabbage, potato, or mushroom); salads often made from vegetables like gherkins, mushrooms or tomatoes, and also potato or other root vegetable salads.

Sauerkraut the is main dish in the Christmas Eve meal. It can be served with cranberries, cumin, shredded carrot and onion rings. It might be followed by more pies or porridge dishes such as buckwheat with fried onions and fried mushrooms.

Dessert is often things like fruit pies, gingerbread and honey bread cookies and fresh and dried fruit and more nuts.

‘Vzvar’ (meaning ‘boil-up’) is often served at the end of the meal. It’s a sweet drink made from dried fruit and honey boiled in water. Vzvar is traditionally at the birth of a child, so at Christmas, it symbolizes the birth of the baby Jesus.

Following the meal, prayers might be said and people then go to the midnight Church services. They often don’t wash the dishes until they get home from Church – sometimes not until 4.00am or 5.00am!

The New Year celebrations are still very important to Russians (sometimes more than Christmas).

This is when – when ‘Father Frost’ (known in Russian as ‘Ded Moroz’ or Дед Мороз) brings presents to children. He is always accompanied by his Grandaughter (Snegurochka). On New Year’s eve children hold hands, make a circle around the Christmas tree and call for Snegurochka or Ded Moroz. When they appear the star and other lights on the Christmas tree light up! Ded Moroz carries a big magic staff. The traditional greeting for Happy New Year is ‘S Novym Godom’.

 

One of the most famous things about Christmas in Russia, to people in western Europe and the USA, is the story of Babushka. Babushka means Grand Mother in Russian. It tells the story of an old woman who met the Wise men on their way to see Jesus.

However, most people in Russia have never heard of the story and I’ve had many emails from Russian visitors to the site who have never heard the story before! It seems that it was probably created by an American poet and writer called Edith Matilda Thomas in 1907.

 

 

 

Christmas in Ukraine

Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated on the 7th January is because, like many countries where the main Church is the Orthodox Church, they use the old ‘Julian’ calendar for their church festivals.

In Ukrainian Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘Веселого Різдва і з Новим Роком’ (Veseloho Rizdva i z Novym Rokom). Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.

The main Christmas meal, called ‘Sviata Vecheria’ (or Holy Supper) is eaten on Christmas Eve (6th January). Traditionally people fast (don’t eat anything) all day but you might start the day drinking some holy water that has been blessed at church.

You can’t start eating the meal until the first star is seen in the sky. So people (especially the hungry ones!) go outside as soon as it starts getting dark in the afternoon to try and spot the first star. The star represents the journey of the Wise Men to find Jesus and that Jesus has been born, so Christmas can start!

The meal normally has 12 dishes which represent Jesus’s 12 disciples. The main dish is often ‘kutia’ a type of a kind of sweet porridge made of wheat. Other dishes can include mushrooms, sauerkraut, red ‘borsch’, dumplings known as ‘varenyky’ (Pierogi), whitefish, ‘bigos’ (a meat and cabbage stew), cheesecake and bread.

 

The room where Sviata Vecheria is eaten normally has a Didukh decoration placed in it. The Didukh is a made from a sheaf of wheat and symbolizes the large wheat field in Ukraine. It literally means ‘grandfather spirit’ and can represent people’s ancestors being with them in their memories. Sometimes people use some heads of wheat in a vase rather than a whole sheaf of wheat.

After the meal, people love to sing carols or ‘Koliadky’. They can be sung around the table or you might go out caroling in the streets. People sometimes carry brightly colored stars on poles when they go caroling singing.

The Ukrainian carol ‘Shchedryk’ is where the popular ‘Carol of the Bells’ came from St Nicholas (known as Svyatyi Mykolai) visits children in Ukraine on December 24th.

 

 

Ukrainian Christmas tree with Spider webs 

Hindu: Pancha Ganapati

21–25 December – Modern five-day festival in honor of Lord Ganesha, celebrated by Hindus in USA.

 

Think of this as the Hindu Christmas, a modern winter holiday full of family-centered happenings, but with five days of gifts for the kids, not one. From December 21 to 25 Hindus worship Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed Lord of culture and new beginnings. Family members work to mend past mistakes and bring His blessings of joy and harmony into five realms of their life, a wider circle each day: family, friends, associates, culture and religion.

Pancha Ganapati includes outings, picnics, feasts, and exchange of cards and gifts with relatives, friends, and business associates. A shrine is created in the main living room of the home and decorated in the spirit of this festive occasion. At the center is placed a large wooden or bronze statue of Lord Panchamukha (“five-faced”) Ganapati, a form of Ganesha. Any large picture or statue of Ganesha will also do. Each morning the children decorate and dress Him in the color of that day, representing one of His five rays of energy, or shaktis.

 

 

 

Hindu: Makar Sankrat/Pongal

From http://www.cookinglight.com

 

This January 14 Hindu holiday celebrates the new solar year, considered to be the beginning of the new day for the gods and the end of their six-month night. It is observed and named differently in each region―Pongal in the south of India and Makar Sankrat in the north. But most festivities include a common theme of ceremonial cleansing, offerings, and celebrations of the harvest. Pongal, which means “to boil over,” refers both to the concept of bounty and to the traditional dish of rice boiled in milk, which is given to the gods as an offering. Sesame seeds, or til, are looked upon as a symbol of health and friendship. Sweets made from sesame and jaggery―a special kind of sugar―are exchanged on the holiday along with the saying, “accept these sweets and speak sweet words.” The tradition reminds people to resolve past quarrels so that friendship can thrive.

 

 

 

Muslim: Eid ul-Fitr/Hari Raya Puasa

 

Ramadan is the month-long Muslim holiday celebrating the revelation of the Koran to the prophet Muhammad. Devout Muslims fast each day from sunup to sundown for the full month and then break the fasting period with a three-day festival. Because the Muslim world spans many countries and cultures, the celebrations, foods, and even the name of the festival change from place to place―in Arab countries, it’s called Eid ul-Fitr, and in Malaysia, it’s called Hari Raya Puasa. The dates change from year to year (falling sometime between October and December), depending on the Islamic calendar. Although the festival reaches a broad group of people who celebrate it in diverse ways, there are general things that all Muslims do during Eid,” says Rabiah Ahmed, spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, such as preparing the house, getting dressed up, and gathering with family and friends for a feast. After 30 days of fasting, food is shared in abundance, and children exchange gifts and receive money from their elders.

 

 

 

Iranian: Shab-e Yalda

In Iran, the winter solstice, which falls on December 21, is hailed with Shab-e Yalda―the birthday of the sun. It’s a celebration of the triumph of light over dark, good over evil. It is thought that on the longest night with evil at its zenith, light needs help to overcome darkness. On this day, families build a bonfire outside and gather until sunrise for a night of storytelling, dancing, and food. In Iranian culture, certain nutritional properties of foods are considered hot and others are considered cold (regardless of temperature or level of spice), much like Chinese yin or yang. A balance between the two is important. Summer foods are preserved throughout the year for the Shab-e Yalda feast, where they mingle with the foods of winter to symbolize the balance of seasons. Saffron and carrots, for example, are warm foods served during Shab-e Yalda to counter the cold of winter.

 

 

 

Jewish: Hanukkah

More than 2,000 years ago in Palestine, Judas Maccabee and his followers triumphed over the tyrant Antiochus and his army, despite overwhelming odds. But when they returned to Jerusalem, they found their temple desecrated with pagan idols. In order to purge the temple of its defilement, the Maccabees rebuilt the altar and cleansed the temple, rededicating it during eight days of ceremonies. Tradition holds that there was only enough sanctified olive oil to light the temple for one day, but it burned miraculously for all eight days of the celebration. Today, those of the Jewish faith celebrate this victory during an eight-day holiday that begins on the 25th of Kislev (in late November or December). Each night of Hanukkah, people light one candle on the menorah in memory of the miracle of the oil. Since antiquity, the festival has also honored the significance of olive oil to the ancient Jewish culture as fuel, food, and even medicine, and it shows in the foods of the feast. Dishes cooked in olive oil, and latkes (potato pancakes) in particular, are celebratory symbols of this gift of sustenance.

 

 

 

Christmas in the Philippines 

 

The people in the Philippines like to celebrate Christmas for as long as possible! who doesn’t? I love Christmas.The playing of Christmas carols in shops can start in September! how about that for business!

The formal Christmas celebrations start on 16th December when many people go to the first of nine pre-dawn or early morning masses. The last mass is on Christmas day. The Christmas celebrations continue to the First Sunday in January when Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings is celebrated.

In the Philippines, the early masses held before Christmas are called the ‘Misa de Gallo’ or ‘Simbang Gabi’ in Filipino.

Most Filipinos people are Christians with about 80% of people being Catholics. It’s the only Asian country with so many Christians. For this reason, Christmas is the most important holiday in the Philippines. December is actually one of the ‘cooler’ months of the year in the Philippines. The Philippines only has two real seasons, wet (June to October) and dry (April and May). December is one of the months in between the wet and dry seasons a great time for their celebrations.

In the Philippines, the early masses held before Christmas are called the ‘Misa de Gallo’ or ‘Simbang Gabi’ in Filipino.

The Christmas customs in the Philippines are a mixture of the Western USA and the UK and native Filipino traditions. So people in the Philippines have Santa Claus or ‘Santa Klaus’, Christmas trees, Christmas cards and Christmas carols traditions that came from western countries.

They also have their own Christmas traditions such as the ‘parol’ which is a bamboo pole or frame with a lighted star lantern on it. It’s traditionally made from bamboo strips and colored Japanese paper or cellophane paper and represents the star that guided the Wise Men. It is the most popular Christmas decoration in the Philippines.

 

 

 

Philippines Christmas Parol

 

Christmas Eve is very important in the Philippines. Many people stay awake all night through to Christmas day, WOW Party! During Christmas Eve evening, Christians go to church to hear the last ‘simbang gabi’ or the Christmas Eve mass. This is followed by a midnight feast, called Noche Buena.

The Noche Buena is a big, open house, a celebration with family, friends, and neighbors dropping in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Most households would have several dishes laid out and would normally include: lechon (roasted pig), ham, fruit salad, rice cakes (bibingka and puto bumbong are traditional Christmas foods) and other sweets, steamed rice, and many different types of drinks.

The Philippines culture has eight major languages, here’s how to say Merry Christmas in some of the languages!

• In Tagalog, Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘Maligayang Pasko’
• in Ilonggo it’s ‘Malipayon nga Pascua’;
• in Sugbuhanon or Cebuano it’s ‘Maayong Pasko’
• in Bicolano they say ‘Maugmang Pasko’
• in Pangalatok or Pangasinense they say ‘Maabig ya pasko’ or ‘Magayagan inkianac’.

 

 

 

 

African: Kwanzaa

First celebrated in the United States in 1966, Kwanzaa was created for those of African descent around the world to reconnect with their common heritage. The name is derived from traditional harvest celebrations in Africa called matunda ya kwanza, literally “first fruits,” which were seven days of gathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration. Beginning on December 26 and lasting for seven days, modern Kwanzaa celebrations esteem one of the seven core principles of African American unity, the Nguzo Saba, on each night. Karamu, a lavish feast of traditional foods from African cultures around the world, takes place near the end of the holiday.

 

 

Different Ethnicity Santa Claus

Hoteiosho, Japan

Japan’s holiday gift-giver is a fat Buddhist monk with eyes in the back of his head. Some say he travels with a red-nosed reindeer and some say he works alone, but he doesn’t arrive on Christmas in either hybrid Christian-Buddhist tale. Christmas in Japan is spent with family doing charity work. But on New Year’s Eve, the real action begins: the house is cleaned and decorated, then family members throw beans for good luck and await their gifts from the benevolent monk.

 

 

Native American – Hopi
(Soyal, Soyala, Sol-ya-lang-eu)

 

From http://www.brownielocks.com/nativeamerican.html

The date of this observation is on December 22.  It is celebrated by the Hopi Indians. Although a black Plumed Snake is the basic symbol of this ceremony. But it is not based on snake worship. (Just like their Snake Dance Ceremony isn’t either.)  It is a ceremony related to the sun as it relates to the winter solstice.  It is one of the Hopi’s most sacred ceremonies and is also called the “Prayer-Offering Ceremony”  because it is a time for saying prayers for the New Year and for wishing each other prosperity and health.

 

 

CHRISTMAS FACTS

 

1 Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.
2 Today, in the Greek and Russian Orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.
3 In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today’s Mardi Gras parties.
4 From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.
5 Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.
6 The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith’s 1607 Jamestown settlement.
7 Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.
8 The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.
9 Rudolph, “the most famous reindeer of all,” was the product of Robert L. May’s imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store. 10 Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center
Christmas tree tradition in 1931.

 

 

Here we are sharing some of the sites we support is great ideas for gifts that can make a global and personal difference.

 

Stand for Hope

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Click the link below to make a difference 

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 Holiday Recipes

 

Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie

 

Ingredients

• 8 large or 10 medium potatoes (Yukon gold works well)
• 2 tablespoons Earth Balance or other vegan buttery spread
• 1/2 cup unsweetened rice milk or other nondairy milk
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 ounces cremini or baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
• Two 15-ounce cans lentils lightly drained
• 2 tablespoons dry red wine, optional
• 1 to 2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos
• 2 to 3 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning blend (such as Spike or Mrs. Dash)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
• 8 to 10 ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs

 

Directions

 

Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a small mixing bowl.

Stir the Earth Balance into the potatoes until melted, then add the rice milk and mash until fluffy. Season with salt, cover, and set aside until needed.

Preheat the oven to 400º F.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add the lentils and their liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the optional wine, soy sauce, seasoning blend, thyme, and pepper. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch with just enough water to dissolve in a small container. Stir into the lentil mixture.

Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until it’s all wilted down. Remove from the heat; taste to adjust seasonings to your liking.

Lightly oil a 2-quart (preferably round) casserole dish, or two deep-dish pie plates. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom. Pour in the lentil mixture then spread the potatoes evenly over the top. If using two pie plates, divide each mixture evenly between them.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to turn golden and slightly crusty. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.

8 or more servings

Read more at http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/lentil-and-mushroom-shepherd%e2%80%99s-pie/#KfpLlFEREyltxKZj.99

 

 

 

Organic farmer Beverley Thurber shares her snappy-tasting ginger cookies.

 

 

Ingredients

1. 4 1⁄2 cups flour
2. 4 teaspoons ground ginger
3. 2 teaspoons baking soda
4. 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
5. 1 teaspoon ground cloves
6. 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
7. 1 1⁄2 cups shortening, at room temperature
8. 2 cups sugar or the sweetener of your choice
9. 2 Organic Valley Large Brown Eggs
10. 1⁄2 cup molasses
11. large, decorative sugar crystals or additional regular sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Use a whisk to combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Place shortening in a large bowl. Cream the shortening with electric beaters at medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Continue beating as you slowly and gradually add the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. After all the sugar is added, keep beating for other minutes or two.

4. Add eggs and molasses; beat well.

5. Reduce speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Use a spatula to stir and “smooth out” the cookie dough.

6. Use a 2-inch-wide ice-cream scoop to make scoops of dough. You can scoop them directly onto the baking pans or roll the scoops into smooth balls first. Place them two inches apart on the baking pans. Sprinkle each mound with sugar crystals or regular sugar.

7. Bake until light brown and puffed, about 15-17 minutes.

8. Cool cookies in the pan on wire racks.

http://www.organicvalley.coop/recipes/show/ginger-molasses-cookies/

 

 

GLAZED VEGAN POPPY SEED GRAPEFRUIT CAKE

Ingredients

 

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup soy milk

1 cup vegan margarine

2 cups f organic sugar or a sweetener of your choice

3  egg replacer for 3 eggs

3 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons grapefruit zest

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice

1 1/2 cups of organic confectioner’s sugar if you choose to

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil a 10-inch bundt pan.

Add apple cider vinegar to soy milk. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the margarine and sugar or sweetener of your choice until fluffy. Beat in egg replacer.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture, alternating with the soy milk mixture. Stir until smooth. Fold in the grapefruit zest, poppy seeds and grapefruit juice. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan 10 minutes then (carefully!) remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

Combine confectioner’s sugar and grapefruit juice and mix until smooth. When cake has completely cooled, drizzle with glaze.

 

 

Egg Nog Puffed Crepes

 

Kissed with nutmeg and cream, these delicious German Pancakes are delightfully easy to prepare.

Serves 6.

1/2 stick butter

6 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup eggnog

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup fresh raspberries or berry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a 9×13 baking dish and put the dish in the preheating oven.

In a blender, combine eggs, flour, eggnog, and salt. Blend for 2-3 minutes, until light and frothy.  Open the oven door, quickly remove the pan with butter (so long as the butter is completely melted and starting to sizzle). Pour egg batter into

 

 

 

Great Gift Ideas

 

California Signature Wine Gift Basket

A trio of famous California wines, name brand sweets, and delicious gourmet foods in a structured bronze chiller.

Spirit of the Season Cookie Tower

Fresh baked cookies in all the favorite flavors, stacked in a festive tower to send your happiest holiday wishes!

 

Honey Spa Treatment

Luxurious bee-themed spa products, as seen in InStyle and Vogue.

Give the gift of pure relaxation with this exquisite collection filled with upscale honey-themed products so luxurious that they rival the offerings in the most exclusive spas.

Gift Includes: 

• Golden Bee Lavender Filled Eye Pillow (Microwavable).
• Bee Shaped Luxury Bath Beads.
• Beeswax Candle.
• Spa Care Accessories: Body Massager, Hair Brush, Nail Brush, Pumice Stone, and Bath Sponge.
• Royal Jelly Soap, and more

 

 

 

 

 

Capresso Electric Water Kettle

Our convenient and affordable Capresso Electric Water Kettle boils water extremely quickly for tea, coffee, hot chocolate or instant soup. Made of durable, heat-resistant German SCHOTT glass, this fast boiling kettle has a large capacity and an automatic shutoff feature. It’s perfect for home as well as on trips to anywhere with an outlet.

 

 

 

 

 

Fondue for Two with Chicken Soup for the Soul® Food and Love

A special gift for the sweetest of people in your life

• Chicken Soup for the Soul® has been featured on well-known television shows like Oprah and The Today Show, and is a recognizable brand worldwide.
• The fondue set includes porcelain ramekins, fondue forks, and chocolate mix.
• Items in this gift come packaged in a beautiful custom-made red gift box.

 

 

 

 

Make-up Brushes

 

 

 

Hello, and thank you for your support, likes and share without it we wouldn’t be here.  On week  299. We are sharing a post about the difference between Synthetic and animal hair brushes, how to clean the brushes and their different uses. Here we will share the common uses, so if we miss a fact please let us know so we can pass it along to our readers, we will give you credit for the contribution send your additions to isabelsbeautyblog@gmail.com.

I personally love using a good brush to apply makeup, and as the years in my career go by I notice that my make up peers all have a favorite brush, sponge and my dear friend Carme Tenuta loves to use Q-tips for application of products, now the trend is a blender sponge ( I love the blender sponge, you can reuse it so no waste on that) and the toothbrush make up brush, which we will share along in this post in brief words. I have applied makeup with so many tools in a pinch to become creative, you can save the day, trust me. So let’s go to our post, enjoy, thank you ahead of time for subscribing, sharing and liking with deep gratitude, from all of us at Isabel’s beauty blog.

 

What is a brush and what are the parts that compose it?

 

How much do you know about your paintbrushes? A great part of an artist’s tool case, the paintbrush is a tool that helps you express your self.  In addition to all the other makeup supplies, it’s a staple. The creation of a very good quality brush involves skills perfected over centuries. Although some of the processes in the fast pace life have become automated over time, many aspects of a paintbrush are still manufactured by hand. It is most fascinating to witness the creation of one of my most favourite tools. In order to truly understand the paintbrush, it’s imperative to have a grasp of its anatomy and what it takes to build it, once you realize what it takes to create such a valuable tool and you appreciate it’s creation process, your work will have that much more appreciation, it does to me.

 

 

Hair

The part that does the painting on the brushes is commonly divided into three types of materials: natural hair, bristle, and synthetic. The quality of the brush and what the brush is best used for is according to hair type, blend, and its construction.

Natural Hair (animal Hair)

When Animal hair is used, like sable it has a finely tapered point and “flags,” which are similar to split ends on human hair. The soft, fine fibres and flags allow the brush to hold more make up or whatever medium is used for, and spread it is supposed to apply colour evenly and by that blend better.

Bristle

Bristle is a much stiffer, coarse, natural hair that often has flagged tips also. The Bristle kind brush is great for adding texture to projects, heavy-bodied products are ruff for a skin I use it texturizing color on prosthetics projects great for hiding edges and giving depth, great tool!!

Synthetic

Due to the many production requirements and the high cost of many types of animal hair the industry is favouring synthetic filaments (yeiiii for animal safety) were created from man-made fibres, such as PBT resin and such of synthetic materials, are very often referred to as Taklon or Syn-Sable. The diameter of a synthetic filament of this material and the blend of different filaments affects how soft or stiff a brush is and how the brush performs with various media and it’s blending performance.

At this time there’sisThere’s a whole range of advanced new synthetic makeup fibres on the market that are good not just with liquids and cream, but also with powders and they give a great finish.

The old conventional wisdom that synthetics are only good with liquid and cream cosmetic products has persisted in many reviews. But it’s just really true anymore!

The American chemical company DuPont, based in Delaware, which originally invented Taklon, has invested a lot of R&D in developing a range of newer synthetic fibres such as Natrafil and other ones that are just as good at everything natural fibres are good at doing.

Taiki the Japanese company is one of the leading brush manufacturers in the world has also worked with DuPont to develop Tafre fibre. That product contains DuPont’s Sorona, which has 37% percent renewable plant-based ingredients — from corn — and extrudes it from machines in such a unique way that is more similar to the way hair grows out of skin for a much more sophisticated fibre that picks up powder a lot more like the natural animal hair brushes.

 

Very interesting video about the Brush industry

Hair Blend

The Paintbrush lines that incorporate natural hair and synthetic filaments, as well as various blends of these, offer a large range of options for artists. Most frequently, the standard shapes and sizes in a brush line are made of a similar hair blend. Your chosen product medium and the effect you’re looking for will be what determine which brush blend works best for you finished look.

Examples of Hair Type and Blend

An Oval Mop Wave is a brush with very innovative synthetic hair that is crimped to mimic the shape and movement of natural hair brushes. This particular brush is recommended for softening and blending, decoupage, due to the fact that it shows minimal brushstrokes great blender love the look it creates I am a fan of it.

The Flat brush is made with a blend of different size synthetic filaments that allow for an even product distribution and a smooth flow throughout the bristles I like flat brushes with an oval edge great for around the nose and edging, in general, I even correct booboos at the edge of the lip and love it for concealer details,I use this type of brush a lot is a great blender and super when it comes to defining edges.

The Lunar brush has a 50/50 blend of stiff bristles and synthetic hair filaments. This combination blend allows the makeup or whatever medium you are using to settle on the outside of the hair, while at the same time distributing the makeup evenly throughout the bristles for textured effects another one that it can be used for fantasy and effects make up.

The Round Blender Brush has soft, natural hair that makes this brush great for techniques that require a light, feathery touch on your application.

Handle and Ferrule

The handle of a paintbrush is frequently made of wood, and more and more brush lines use environmentally conscious coatings on the wood by that we mean less toxic material. Brushes with short handles allow you to get in close to detail a more detail work, I personally prefer short handles for many reasons at the end is a matter of preference. For that and their handle balance, short- handle brushes are my preference they are easy to store and to travel with ( I like thin handles due to the fact that I can store more brushes in my holder too. Handle balance involves the thickness of the handle in the mid-section and how it tapers to a point, making the brush comfortable in the hand.

The ferrule is the metal band that connects the brush head to the handle and is usually glued on both ends and crimped near the handle part. A good quality is very important I preferred synthetic and titanium they don’t corrode and don’t contain NICKLE witch is toxic to our health and the fact that can cause a reaction on people skin and the sensitive skin around the eyes.( here is were bacteria can accumulate when the brushes get washed with soap and water as I have witnessed before they don’t dry properly) make sure that they get dry before you store the brushes to prevent mould and accumulation of bacteria, I clean mine with 99% alcohol for over 40 years and they are in great shape.

This s a great site to learn about brushes and where to purchase https://www.lab2beauty.com/t-brush-anatomy.aspx

Shapes and uses :

These are just what the common denominator is you can use any brush that you prefer and however you feel like the end product is the focus here.Your tools are of your choice and like. Everyone is different in their needs and form of application so here we are sharing information from many sources, you can choose what accommodates your need the end result is what is important.

 

 

 

 

 

Click the image to enlarge 

 

Click Image to enlarge

 

 

 

 

 

Most Makeup brushes fall into two categories: the ones made with animal hair and the ones made with synthetic bristles. Today’s synthetics are actually had become better than the animal-hair brushes and that is the opinion of many of my pears, for many practical reasons. Even do the feel of a high-quality synthetic brush may be similar to an animal-hair one, there are actually many differences between the two.

1. Synthetic brushes made of nylon or polyester filaments are less likely to become damaged by the makeup itself or products you might use to clean your brushes they dry really fast when you clean them, aside from not holding bacteria like animal hair brushes they don’t deteriorate as much and they are easy to restore once they get to bend.
2. Synthetic brushes are easier to keep clean because they don’t absorb the makeup pigment like animal hair does especially after continuous cleansing, animal hair opens up the cuticle of the hairs, just give it a thought what would happen if you apply makeup or any other painting product to your hair daily and clean it hopefully after every time you use your hair for it, how damage do you think your hair would get and take in consideration that your hair gets nutrients like blood and oils from your body, the paint brushes made with animal ar made with dead hair no more oil or blood supply, with that said the hair gets damage fast, especially when they are not taken care of properly. This means wear-and-tear on the Synthetic brushes.
3. Synthetic brushes are better for creating a soft, layered look they spread the makeup more evenly without over rubbing and irritation.
4. Some people are sensitive or allergic to the animal hair that some brushes are made from, including squirrel, mink, sable and horse hair and some are of animals that you don’t really want to know. Synthetic brushes are better suited for people with those sensitivities aside is no animal cruelty involved in the prosses.
5. Synthetic is a great brush option for you if you are vegan and vegetarian, Or you have compassion for the suffering animals.
6. Benefits: Synthetic brushes are unique in that the bristles naturally gravitate toward each other, allowing for more precise, smooth and streak-free application. Due to the fact that the hairs’ precise properties, they are great for angled, sharply cut brushes.
7. Synthetic hair is great for cream and liquid products – including foundation, cream blush, gel liner and concealer. It is able to not absorb so much of the product and apply a smooth finish to the skin without much streaking.
8. For any cream and liquid product including lipsticks.
9. Unlike natural brushes, synthetic brushes don’t “trap” and absorb makeup between bristles, which means that you’ll use less product than you would with fluffier natural brushes. Synthetic brushes tend to be flatter and smoother than natural bristles, which makes them ideal for precision.

 

 

Face Brushes

• Foundation A brush with long, flat bristles and tapered tip
• Powder  A brush with fluffy bristles; soft, full and rounded
• Fan brush – similar to a fan painting brush, used for light touches and even playing mascara and soft blush
• Blush brush – fine bristles and rounded head
• Concealer brush – soft and flat with a pointed tip and a wide base and some of them with a flat curved tip
• Kabuki brush – very thick and rounded with a short handle
• Duo fiber multipurpose brush – flat, circular and feathery head
• Mineral powder brush – thick and rounded for the most part
• Face Contour Brush – Slanted and rounded for cheekbones
• Face Sponge – Varied Shape, Sponge Texture

Eyes

• Eyeshadow brushes

• basic eyeshadow brush
• crease brush
• lid brush
• contour brush/blending brush

• Angle eyeshadow brush – small, soft and rounded angled tip
• Eyeliner brush – very thin and fine with soft bristles
• Blending eyeshadow brush – long with a round head
• Smudge brush – flat and soft
• Mascara (usually comes with the mascara) or you can purchase the disposable mascara wand your using it in different people.
• Eyebrow brush – long, thin with tougher bristles ( like a thin toothbrush)
• Slanted Eyebrow Definer Brush – Stiff and Angeled
• Spiral brush for use to comb on any shot small hair and to apply color

Lips

• Lipstick brush – fine, soft and tapered
• Lipgloss brush (usually comes with the lip gloss)

Here are some sites to find out about animal cruelty is no joke we don’t wish to participate in hurting animals for products that can easily be replaced with excellent performance products that are non-animal cruelty.

 

Are the animals harmed when they give up their hair? If we have the common sense that is a given they do not take them to a Beauty Salon that is for sure. According to caringconsumer.com, mink and sable brushes often use hair obtained from the fur industry, which is known for trapping and killing animals for their pelts, often by gassing or electrocuting to avoid damaging the hair nice right?. Horsehair commonly comes from horses slaughtered for meat, goats are shorn like sheep (and they suffer cuts and other injuries) we won’t place the photos we have, they are horrific!! Squirrels are hunted or trapped, breaking legs and for the most part damaged to death!!! not to mention traumatized. Some manufacturers obtain their hair supplies from other countries,( like China) where animal welfare regulations are either lax or nonexistent, I lived in China and there were no regards for animals in general.

“Companies that claim that they are cruelty-free,” says Peggy Hannaman-Jones, founder of the Branded J Collection, “claiming they are shaving the animals and using shed hair from animals are incredibly deceiving themselves and others, to say the least. It is simply not true! All hair is bought through fur farmers all over the world.” We are definitely not interested in participating in hurting anything, Period!!

Let’s talk about the Oval brush

Matthew Waitesmith the former senior vice president at MAC Cosmetics was the one that reinvented the tools not just for professionals, but for novices, too. Apparently MAC had introduced these type of brushes some years ago but they are getting super popular now because They blend products super fast and easy not to mention extremely well and the important thing for me is that uses very little product so you save all the way around, the only part for me is the Palette, where you are supposed to place product to avoid cross-contaminating. You throw away the pads, not really for me, too much waste and not much benefit. An expensive, wasteful gadget to me.

These brushes prove the claim to provide a uniform application with their dense, microscopically small and soft fibers which is absolutely true. They really are amazing blenders I must say.
It provides superior blending with an ultra-fine tip which blends on a microscopic level, creating patterns so small they are imperceptible with the naked eye and provides a very gentle feel during application of makeup. Great for mature skin, they are super gentle and get in very small little creases.
It provides efficient use of a product with a uniform surface area of each CosmeFibre which helps pick up and lay down product without holding on to it. CosmeFibre is made of a proprietary material that has some shape memory which retains shape so much better than conventional animal hairs and it doesn’t change your brush shape at all. Be conscious of the cleansing and how hard you push on them, they are not invincible.
Versatile brushes which help the fibre perform well with powders, liquids or emollient-based products.
To help to avoid sensitivities, CosmeFibre provides an excellent animal-free alternative to conventional animal hair makeup brushes. All Artis brushes are 100% Animal-Free!!!! yeah.
The CosmeFibre brushes are made using a high tech manufacturing process that produces completely consistent fibres and is shaped and refined by hand into high-quality fibre bundles. Each brush is hand-assembled to create the artisan-quality Artist Brush.
These brushes are chemically resistant which can resist excess water, alcohol, acids, detergent etc. Artis brushes won’t degrade from brush cleaning formulas. I clean mine with 99% Alcohol and the look brand new
These are also UV resistant and brushes won’t degrade due to sun or light exposure not like animal hair ones.
Modern construction and provides a comfortable fit for holding the brush. The fibre alignment and the tilted handle aid in simplifying application and blending to one’s own face.
High tech resins, metallized plating, and durable monofilaments are used to help make the brush more dependable and durable over its lifetime of use.

All in all, I absolutely love them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://features.peta.org/cruelty-free-company-search/index.aspx

http://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/ultimate-guide-to-cruelty-free-makeup/

 

Synthetic makeup brushes are, made of synthetic bristles. Sometimes they are dyed to look just like natural brushes — to a dark cream or brown colour — but they can also look like white or beige artificial hairs. They can be quite soft as animal hair brushes, but they’re much less expensive and come in many styles and brands. Plus, they’re also much easier to upkeep and don’t shed as animal hair ones.

Brands like Real Techniques, Urban Decay, Too Faced, and EcoTools make exclusively synthetic brushes, and some even have cruelty-free sustainable objectives. On the EcoTools website, they make it clear that their brushes “are beautiful and show respect for the earth and it’s beings.”Let’s keep the earth and animals unharmed there is no need to do anything that can cause pain or destruction do.

Today’s synthetic makeup brushes are not your grandma’s super stiff nylon bristles from the old days. So if you only know the name “Taklon” it’s time to expand your beauty knowledge. Today’s modern synthetic fibers, such as Tafre and Natrafil, offer excellent “pickup and payoff” of powder makeup, in addition to liquids and creams.

For decades now, the conventional procedure in makeup application is that you should use a synthetic makeup brush when applying liquid or cream makeup products and a real natural animal hair brush for powder and blending applications a bit much for me at least.

Usually, this advice is even attached to explanations that sound perfectly reasonable, such as the (true!) fact synthetic brushes are more hygienic for applying foundation to clean, bare skin.

But the real reason for this longstanding advice – which has become severely outdated in just the last 5 years – is that traditional synthetic brushes have never been very good at picking up powder compared to brushes made with real animal hair.

That’s because the cuticle of the real animal hair is covered in DEAD cells that form scales (isn’t that a great thought), which are layered along the hair shaft in specific shingle patterns. Sometimes these scale layers can run 12 layers deep, providing lots of nooks and crannies that serve as little scoops to pick up powder makeup particles and ultimately deposit them on the skin, and with that said the powder or make up stay in there also mixed with Skin cell and oils Hmmmm!.

Each animal, in fact, has a different shingle pattern that offers unique characteristics in picking up and depositing makeup, as described in these forensic FBI files. This document from Silver Brush in Windsor, NJ, explains the differences between many animal hair variations when it comes to applying paint. And this catalogue from Crown Brush explains many of the differences when it comes to makeup application keeping in mind that a good artist can acomplish the top results with even their fingres, is not the tool what does it is the talent.

To date, goat remains the most popular makeup brush on the market. But pony, squirrel, badger, boar and sable have remained popular in some circles for their unique cuticle qualities even do synthetic brushes are perfectly good. In fact, Kolinky Sable brushes are highly cherished by makeup artists as well as painters, because of their ability to achieve the finest of point shapes and again the new non-animal brushes can accomplish the same.

 

 

The Trouble With Animal Hair — The Animals!

 

 

 

Beginning in 2013, however, US federal authorities began seizing shipments of Kolinsky hair brushes because of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to provide protection to more than 35,000 species of animals and plants, we are so glad for that. PETA explains in this article that many of these animals are killed for their hair alone .and not for their meat at all!!!!

So, as you can see, using real animal hair brushes in makeup brushes has gotten, well, pretty complicated from an ethical and compassion standpoint and pretty expensive when you consider an animal must be caught or raised, slaughtered, skinned and then the hair has to be cleaned and sorted into different grades is that what we really want to do? when are other choices?

And to be honest, it’s never been the most hygienic option because those layers of scales that create the cuticle can trap all sorts of dirt and oil and are a popular breeding ground for bacteria.

Aside from allergies to animal hair — and many women have them — there are many other issues that come with using animal hair in brushes.

Most cosmetics brands today only want to use animal hair in brushes if the animal was not killed specifically for their hair. Because that would, obviously, be cruel. And when you’re applying pretty pink blush and lipstick, very few people also want to think of dead animals. In fact, squirrel brushes (which set the softness standard) have pretty much been eliminated from the landscape because of a widespread industry practice to stop killing them for their hair alone.

DuPont has been a continued leader in developing synthetic makeup brush fibers that outperform the fibers of the past. From nylon and Taklon to more modern cosmetic brush fibers, such as Natrafil and Sorona, which is used to make Tafre, today.

But if the animal was, say, slaughtered for its meat — goat is the most widely consumed meat in the world — and the hair was a byproduct of food consumption, the beauty industry has mostly still been okay with that.

Sometimes, an animal need not be killed at all for its hair, although it’s often more expensive to acquire animal hair humanely. When Wayne Goss says his brushes were made with natural goat hair “gathered humanely,” it certainly raises more questions than it might answer for some, like, precisely how was it gathered humanely?

Then, once the brush makers have the animal hair, there are also issues with the quality — or grade of the hair — and the consistency of its color, among other factors. When a brush maker is making a huge product line of brushes for, say, the Estee Lauder brand, where all the brush hair needs to be consistent, these issues can be significant. That’s why a lot of brush hair is still dyed, which you can see color bleeding from your brushes after washing sometimes.

What’s more, natural hair also has to be well cleaned and sanitized because all those little scales along the cuticle trap dirt and bacteria.

So ultimately, real animal hair can be unethical, expensive and problematic. 

 

 

Early Synthetic Fibers

 

Because of these challenges with real animal hair, a lot of makeup brush manufacturers and their suppliers have been hard at work developing more sophisticated synthetic makeup brushes that behave as good or better than real animal hair or older model synthetic fibers.

The earliest synthetic makeup brushes on the market were straight up nylon and were stiff, flat fibers with a totally flat – microscopically speaking – surface structure. That’s why powder products really don’t stick to them; the powder literally slides off.

If you’ve ever tried to apply a dark eyeshadow with a synthetic brush, you are likely familiar with what a fallout disaster can look like.

Taklon, just like nylon, was originally developed by DuPont, the American chemical company based in Delaware. Taklon is made out of thermoplastic polyester — sometimes referred to as PBT, which stands for polybutylene therephthalate — to mimic the characteristics of natural sable. It is a bit softer than the earliest nylon brushes and a touch better at picking up powder than nylon, but not by much.

Taklon also has a tapered point, and sometimes Taklon, whose rights are now owned by the Toray Chemical Co. of Osaka, Japan, is generically referred to as “tipped polyester.” real-techniques

You can still find plenty of cheap nylon and Taklon brushes on the market today, and some brush manufacturers have gotten pretty clever to try to get them to work better with powders.

Today, for example, nylon and Taklon are made in a range of sizes, and the diameter affects the stiffness and softness of the brush, with the narrowest diameter fibers being the softest with the most sway.

By mixing together various diameters – or denier – of these early synthetic fibers, or by getting clever with the toe shape, brush makers have been able to enhance the pickup and payoff characteristics of certain synthetic makeup brushes.

Take a look, for example, at the severely raked side of the brush toe on a Real Techniques brush, and you’ll see how a clever toe shape, with the end of every strand strategically placed, can improve powder pickup by using the tip, primarily, to pick the product up.

But the real holy grail in synthetic fibers has been replicating goat hair, the real workhorse fiber of the beauty industry in terms of makeup powders – and, perhaps, enhancing the antibacterial properties of the brush at the same time.

Already familiar with the opportunities of the enormous makeup brush market, DuPont’s Filaments group has been hard at work trying to solve these problems.

Around 2010, DuPont launched Natrafil, which takes another polyster fiber and roughs up the surface structure microscopically with some texturizing additives in a complex and patented process, resulting in a structured surface. Just like natural cuticle, this rough microscopic structure helps the fiber pick up powder as well or better than goat or pony hair.

In today’s competitive beauty market, however, some brush manufacturers decided to kick it up a notch, too.

These Tafre-fiber makeup brushes from Japanese brush maker Taiki represent some of the most advanced synthetic makeup brush fibers on the market today. They are for discerning customers that need excellent pickup and payoff of makeup products, from liquid and creams to powder.

The Japanese brush maker Taiki, for example, which has a US headquarters in Montvale, NJ, has developed an all-new patented way of making synthetic fiber with an underlying polyester material.

Basically, Taiki uses DuPont’s Sorona fiber — which is a “PTT,” or poly trimethylene terephthalate — to create a new brand of synthetic fiber, Tafre, that may be the most modern and innovative on the market.

Taiki uses its manufacturing machines to extrude the fiber in a way that is similar to the way hair grows out of skin on an animal. Which is to say that they twist it and kink it in a patented process that creates a more natural style of fiber. Because they are using DuPont’s Sorona, which contains 37% percent renewable plant-based ingredients — from corn — it’s also considered a green, environmentally friendly fiber. The creation of PBT fibers relies more on fossil fuels.

Compared to nylon, Sorona production uses 40% less energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 56%. Interestingly, Sorona is also used in residential and commercial carpets, apparel and automotive mats and carpets. It’s also highly durable with a high degree of stain resistance!

Matthew Page, Global Segment Leader, for DuPont’s Sorona Automotive group, told My Brush Betty in November that Taiki is the only company using Sorona material in a makeup brush today. “It has high performance and durability,” he explained, “so we see the cosmetics industry as an attractive opportunity.”

The true test of Tafre’s value for me was when I tested an eyeshadow Taiki-Tafre brush with some bright blue shadow after I had already applied all my other makeup. I have hooded eyelids so eyeshadow application is always an issue for me, because if brush fiber isn’t soft enough, it will tug on my eyelids, causing fallout and misplacing the color. In this fallout test, the brush performed beautifully. The brush was exceptionally soft, so no tugging. And, maybe even more interesting, no waste! I didn’t have to see all those pretty (expensive) makeup flakes dusting away or making a mess on my cheeks.

In the end, synthetic brushes today — if you choose the right ones — are great for all types of makeup products, from liquids and creams to powders, and they are also more hygienic, less prone to shedding and fallout and ensure a more consistent brush.

So when you buy that same model of brush that you love a few years from now, chances are better it will be just like the one you’re replacing.

 

 

Synthetic Word Jumble

 

Artis-MirrorNow, there are a lot of fancy synthetic fiber names on the market today – and most don’t really explain what they are — so it may be difficult to tell if you’re getting brush made of Tafre or Taklon. Very few sellers of makeup brushes are transparent about the synthetic material used.

For example, the new Alexis Bittar Liquid Gold brushes at Sephora says they have “Satine” fiber, humm! They say it’s “revolutionary” but don’t explain what are they made of. Too Faced says its brushes use “Teddy Bear” hair. Again, that comes with no explanation so just marketing names. The innovative new Artis brushes  here use “Cosmefibre,” which comes with just a tad more explanation, but still not as much as I would like for something I’m using on my face every day.

There’s one sure-fire way to get an advanced-synthetic fiber brush: Make sure to test a brush before you buy it by dipping it in some powder to see if it falls off. Just give it a light shake and see what happens. An advanced synthetic will hold onto most of the powder until you actively deposit the powder on your skin.

Most important of all, don’t believe the old adage that synthetics are only good for liquid and cream products. That’s just not true anymore!you can find amazing synthetic brushes that do a great job, we refuse to compromise the safety of animals.

 

CRUELTY-FREE MAKEUP BRUSHES: SYNTHETIC OR NATURAL?

 

Is pretty simple for us if it means hurting a anything in the process of creating a tool we don’t want to use it, period is no need at all, that is conscious KARMA and nature is not really in alignment with this behavior.

From: http://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/makeup/cruelty-free-makeup-brushes-synthetic-natural/

When it comes to the topic of cruelty-free makeup brushes, there are even more things to consider. If a cruelty-free company offers brushes made from natural hair, does it mean the brushes are cruelty-free? Does it mean that the company isn’t cruelty-free? In this quick guide, I’m going to walk you through all the questions you might have about choosing brushes that are 100% cruelty-free, and share with you my personal opinion on what truly makes a brush animal-friendly.

The term cruelty-free usually strictly refers to animal testing. If a product is cruelty-free, it means that it hasn’t been tested on animals at any point of production or afterwards. Cruelty-free does not however take into consideration things like animal ingredients, meaning that a product can still be certified cruelty-free by the Leaping Bunny and contain animal ingredients. This is a controversial subject and it’s very subjective where the line between what is and isn’t literally “cruelty-free” can be drawn, but for the sake of clarity: cruelty-free refers to the testing methods, while vegan refers to the ingredients.

As you know, most makeup brushes are made from natural bristles of animal hair. Brushes themselves don’t have to be tested on animals, and are often sold by makeup brands that are completely cruelty-free in the sense that they abide by a strict no-animal-testing policy and are sometimes even certified. By this standard, it might be logical to conclude that brushes made from natural hair are also cruelty-free, although not vegan. This might sound right, but I disagree with it 100%, and here’s why.

Where everyone draws the line when it comes to what is and isn’t cruelty-free is sometimes a matter of opinion, and while I have pretty strong convictions given that I’m passionate about living cruelty-free and what it means to me, I also respect most opinions on the subject. And I’ll share my personal opinion with you: I believe that no makeup brushes made from animal hair can be cruelty-free. This applies to the vast majority of brushes, especially those that are cheaply-made in places like China. About 99% of brushes made from Animal hair are, in our opinion, obtained from cruel methods that can be just as cruel as animal testing.

Many companies claim that the hair used in their makeup brushes is obtained through “humane methods” and that the animals only “get a haircut” in the making of those mass-produced brushes. But who are we kidding! Does that sound plausible to you? Even though there’s no real way to prove it, it all sounds like sugar-coating to me. Also remember that a lot of brushes use badger hair and squirrel hair, and in those cases, it’s safe to assume that those small animals are getting more than just “a haircut”. So there you go: I believe that buying synthetic, or vegan, brushes is the safest way to ensure that your makeup tools are cruelty-free.

That being said, I still support cruelty-free companies that sell natural hair brushes under their brand, although I will personally not buy or recommend buying their animal hair brushes. Sonia Kashuk is an example that comes to mind: the company is cruelty-free and their makeup brushes are excellent, but I only choose to buy their synthetic ones. It’s a matter of preference, as well as where you personally draw the line. If you’re a cruelty-shopper and still buy non-synthetic brushes, I’m not here to preach. After all, the official message of these brands is that their animal hair brushes are, indeed, cruelty-free.

Where do you draw the line? Do you avoid all animal ingredients? Are you fine with all animal ingredients, or do you only buy cosmetics that contain some of them, like beeswax, and avoid others? Or like me, do you draw the line at animal hair brushes?

 

 

Today, there are more cosmetic companies than ever focused on quality products that are cruelty-free and eco-friendly.

Aveda offers brushes with bristles made from taklon (a non-animal fiber) and handles made of 30% natural flax fiber and 70% polypropylene (of which 90% is post-consumer recycled resin), making them not just animal-friendly, but environmentally-friendly as well.

 

The Body Shop, which does not test its products on animals (neither does its suppliers) or sell brushes made from animal hair, offers good-quality synthetic brushes in different shapes and sizes for different applications. Whether you’re adding a touch of pink to your lips or a soft finish to your forehead, consider the variety of its synthetic brushes available.

 

From the Body Shop I selected one of my favorites the Eyeshadow Brush item #10611, the brush is a high-quality make up brush even though they sell it as an eyeshadow brush which I use it often for and love, the brush is great for concealer detail and anything else you find a use for, so often people ask me what brush I use with which products and my answer is always whatever works for you. There are really no rules, companies design brushes to work for different uses and to provide us with bigger selections and more product, to tell you the truth all of us that use brushes on an every day terms, have our favorites that we adopt.

My last bit on this brush, I like that the brush handle bottom is flat and I can place the brush standing up, easy for me to grab and it doesn’t get product all over my setup.

 

NVEY ECO, originally from Australia but you can order its products online, offers certified organic makeup products. Along with that the company sells makeup brushes with bristles made of synthetic fibers, not animal hair, and include the world’s first compostable makeup brush handle Hummm why would we want to compost our make up brush handles? not sure well intended do. None of the ingredients in the company’s products are made from ingredients derived from genetically modified crops, nor does it use mineral or petroleum oils.

 

Urban Decay is known for its creative and alternative colors (along with product names like Smog and Acid Rain and Oil Slick), and for its cruelty-free and certified vegan products. Check out its “Good Karma” line of brushes made from recycled plastic bottles and aluminum.Now that is Eco friendly reusing products that other way contribute to solution great solution.

In Urban Decay brushes I would like to go over a few of them that I have tried lately.

Lets start with Good Karma Optical Blurring brush, (the blurring name is probably referring to blending  I assume), The brush is very good at blending. I use it especially with clients that favor mineral make up.  For me it is easy to handle and blends very well. It works with cream foundations, liquid foundations, and mineral powder foundations even though it was created for Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation.

The brush bristles are amazingly soft, it just glides.  Not only do I like the feeling but the idea that it seams very gentle on the skin, which is a concern for me, to much pulling and rubbing can cause IRRITATION!and that combined with products  no so good especially for the long term.

 

The brush is very easy to clean and dries very fast, another great plus for me being that it is synthetic. it is not bacteria friendly and wont cause allergies for people that have animal hair allergies, not to mention CRUELTY FREE. The brush is medium size with a dome head. Very easy brush to manipulate for chin area, nose area, and eyes if you choose to. And to ad another quality that I admire, the fact that it comes in a container to store it, great to keep sanitized .

 

EcoTools, All materials used in the EcoTools collection are earth-friendly, and include tree-free paper, a natural hemp blend, recycled plastic lining, as well as non-toxic inks. The brushes are made with recycled aluminum, bamboo, and synthetic bristles.

For more information on synthetic versus animal hair makeup brushes  click here

Super Synthetics

from: http://www.peta.org/living/beauty/synthetic-make-brushes/
There’s no reason to use animal-hair brushes, especially when there are so many high-quality synthetic brushes available. Check out these companies’ luxurious offerings:

• Circa Brushes 

  Carries a line of makeup brushes that use high-quality, hand-cut synthetic hair. Eva Mendes is the creative director for this cruelty-free beauty brand, available exclusively at Walgreens.

 

 

• wet n wild is sending a positive message to cosmetics companies around the world: It dropped all animal hair from its makeup brushes and went vegan!

 

• Branded J knows that animal-hair brushes aren’t just bad for animals—they’re also bad for your skin. Unlike animal-hair brushes, which are loaded with dead skin cells, bacteria, and chemicals that can cause your skin to break out, Branded J’s collection of custom-cut taklon brushes is animal-friendly, anti-bacterial, and awesome for applying make-up.
• The Body Shop knows that if you wouldn’t put on makeup using your cat’s tail, you don’t want to use any other animal part, either—its brushes don’t contain animal hair.
• Ecco Bella Botanicals has a range of non-animal brushes that complement its cruelty-free cosmetics.
• Paris Presents’ EcoTools makeup brushes are made with cruelty-free taklon bristles, sustainable bamboo handles, and other natural and recyclable materials to keep you and the Earth looking beautiful. Alicia Silverstone is a celebrity fan of these luxurious-yet-affordable brushes, which can be found in many drugstores.
• For professionals and newbies alike, It Cosmetics offers a large selection of high-quality brushes to help you apply makeup smoothly and accurately.
• Garden Botanika brags that its 100 percent taklon brushes are actually softer than those made from fur, allowing more makeup to cling to the brush and providing a smoother application.
• Origins Natural Resources brushes look and feel like animal hair, but don’t worry—they’re cruelty-free just like the rest of Origins’ personal-care products.
• Urban Decay Good Karma brushes tickle your face using synthetic taklon.
• Aveda brushes are also made of taklon, with a flax-infused, recycled-resin handle. They’re animal- and environment-friendly!
• Nanshy uses only super-soft synthetic hair in its brushes—and its lush vegan brushes are famous for their durability, flexibility, and easy maintenance.
• Sevi Cosmetics‘ 100 percent taklon brushes are the perfect complement to its vegan makeup. No cruel animal testing and no creepy animal ingredients!
• Valana Minerals knows that “[t]here is no need to sacrifice quality or animals in the pursuit of beauty.” Its six luxurious synthetic makeup brushes are perfect for applying Valana’s cruelty-free and vegan powder, foundation, blush, bronzer, and eye color.
• Afterglow luxe professional cosmetics brushes are uniquely designed to provide a beautiful, flawless finish. Handmade of the highest quality taklon, they’re super soft and ideal for applying loose mineral makeup evenly.

 

 

Cruelty-Free Makeup Brushes

 

Review – Synthetic Makeup Brushes – Cruelty-free – ELF & Eco Tools No Animal Hair from CrueltyFreeQTs

 

 

 

Cleaning your brushes

I personally clean my brushes every time I use them. When I work I use individual bags for the actors with their brushes and their makeup, it is a great way to avoid cross-contamination and breakouts. One of my mentors taught me to use 99 % alcohol for several reasons, one being that it kills bacteria in contact another is that dries very quickly so no more bacteria or fungus mould can grow on the brushes inside the ferrule. The alcohol doesn’t damage the brushes at all contrary to what one would believe. I have over 500 brushes and use them for years and they are in perfect shape. The commercial Brush cleaners tend to have scents that can cause allergies,  Skin breakouts, and contain Petroleum byproducts like oils that get in the Farrell of the Brushes (that is the metal cylinder that holds the hair to the Brush handle ) it doesn’t let it dry and bacteria grows there. they are more expensive and a lot less quantity and it leaves a residue on the brush that I personally don’t wish to place on the actor’s skin is not made for that. I get a Gallon of 99 % Alcohol and it lasts me for several months.Is too much risk of contamination to take so have a Brush Cleaning Party with your friends!!!

 

 

 

 

 

ZOREYA(TM) Makeup Brushes 15pc High-End Real Walnut Handle Makeup Brush Set with free case

KENZIE BEAUTY 10 PCS Oval Makeup Brushes Set

Uniqcare Electric Makeup Brush Cleaner and Dryer- Professional, Automatic

 We use 99% Alcohol with the Brush cleansing Machine nothing else

ABCsell Acrylic Makeup Cosmetic Organizer Display Stand For 10pcs Toothbrush Foundation Brush RD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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