 2020, a new decade is up on us. The dawn of a new era. Many people start the new year off with resolutions or mantras such as, “New Year, New Me”, but fail to continue with these resolutions or even the mantras. I know I have. A couple of years back I wrote a blog about the 4 Key Elements of Self-Care. Let’s revisit the topic of self-care, why it matters and how to incorporate self-care into our daily lives. Why self-care matters? It’s important to make sure that you take the time to take care of your mind, body, and soul every day, not just when you are sick. Incorporating healthy eating habits, reducing stressors, exercising daily, spending time with your loved ones, or just taking a time-out when you need it can all be incorporated into self-care practices for years to come.  Self-care involves eating right. Have you ever heard of the proverb, “Let food be thy medicine”? I truly believe this, because, the foods we eat have a profound effect on our bodies, internally and externally. Food can keep us healthy or contribute to weight gain, diabetes, cancer, eczema, psoriasis, acne, etc. Likewise, eating the right foods can lead to improved overall health, such as improved mental awareness, a healthy gut which in turn means a healthy digestive system, clearer skin, and stronger hair and nails. Some self-care foods to incorporate in your diet include dark green leafy veggies, nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans), all fruits, and fatty fish (salmon).  Self-care involves reducing stressors. Let’s face it, we are all super busy. I’ve come to the realization that we are not living in a “village” like communal setting, unfortunately… So what are some ways we can reduce some stressors in our lives. Have a no phone at the dinner table rule. Sit together and eat each meal with your family (not in front of the television). Have conversations pertaining to everyone’s day. When my children were in elementary school, they taught me about the “rose” and the “thorn” conversation starter that their teachers taught them. Everyone goes around the table and tells their “rose”, what happened good to them today and their “thorn”, what happened that was not so good today for them and then we each discuss how the rose and thorn made them feel. This elementary school conversational starter is still incorporated into our dinner time meals until this day.  Self-care involves exercising daily. We all know that exercising is good for us. But, did you know that exercise is good for your mental and physical well-being? Exercise boosts your mood, your anxiety, gets those endorphins pumping, shedding excess weight, and not to mention it is excellent for your skin as well. Think of, “glowing skin”! How do you incorporate exercising daily? With our busy schedules it may be difficult to go to the gym every day. Try walking in your neighborhood, doing yoga, or utilizing YouTube for at home exercises. If you can’t seem to fit in exercising daily, try every other day or 3 – 4 times a week then work your way up. This may sound daunting at first but trust me stick with it and you will enjoy every moment of it.  Self-care means spending time with loved ones. In other words, surrounding yourself with positive, uplifting people, be it your family, friends, or an organization you are involved in. A couple of weeks ago my husband and I went to have Sunday brunch at a local restaurant. A friend of ours was hosting the event, Brunch with Live Entertainment. Brandon Vaughan is a local jazz musician who hired a local chef to cater New Orleans style fusion food at his event. Our children were at Sunday school for a couple of hours so we thought this would be a perfect time to incorporate some self-care time into our lives while supporting one of our friends. 😊 We were out for approximately 2 hours which was just enough to head back and pray with our children and friends at our local masjid (mosque), then head home to prepare for the start of the new week. If you’re in the area and would like to attend one of Brandon’s events or book him for an upcoming event, click here.  Self-care means saying “no” to others and “yes” to self-care. I posed a question to my Instagram tribe earlier this month asking how they incorporate self-care into your daily lives? I received many common answers such as; relax, exercise, sleep, etc. But one word stuck out to me, and that was the word, “no”. Learn how to say “no” to others, even if it hurts. This is something I think we all deal with, I know I sure do. I sometimes take on way too many tasks, knowing that more than likely I’m going to have a hard time fitting that task into my daily, weekly or even monthly routine. Many of us feel obligated to say yes when someone asks for our time or energy. Understanding your boundaries and guarding your self-care time will empower you to politely say “no” so that you can continue with incorporating self-care into your daily lives.  Schedule your self-care time, and guard that time with everything you have. It can be hard at times but it is extremely important to incorporate self-care time into your daily lives. Whether it is carving out a 10-minute walk, a 20-minute soak with your favorite bath salts, or your favorite Nailah’s Shea products, going to the movies with friends or enjoying good conversation with friends over tea or coffee. The more you can work self-care into your schedule, the better you’ll be able to grow, enjoy life, and thrive! I would love to hear how you are currently incorporating self-care into your daily lives. Tell us in the comments below.
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 Many people use off-the-shelf commercial soaps in order to maintain their health from day to day, but little do they know these conventional soaps contain ingredients such as Triclosan, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Parabens, Ureas, Synthetic Colors, etc. These toxic ingredients can possibly cause an increase in birth defects, reproductive toxicity, and even hair loss. Be wary of the various companies that may write “organic” or “natural” on their packaging. Next time you are in the store, just take a glance at the ingredients used to create these so called “soaps.”  On the other hand, handmade soaps are made of natural ingredients found in plants, flowers, and trees, which compliment your skin’s natural composition. Some popular ingredients known to be used are coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil, mango butter, etc. These ingredients are then carefully crafted into a unique product made specifically for you. You can even sometimes see the overall improvement of your skins health after just a couple of uses. The natural ingredients used in handmade soaps help moisturize and protect your skin. After every use of these handmade soaps your body will thank you! What are you using on your skin and your families skin lately? Now’s the perfect time to switch to all natural and organic. Try out our organic hand-crafted Shea Butter soaps, right here.
 What is it?Aromatherapy also referred to as “essential oil therapy”. Can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize, and promote the health of body, mind and spirit. The science and art of aromatherapy is based on the various treatments by which essential oils can be used effectively and safely.  History The art of aromatherapy has been practiced for thousands of years. Some of the first evidence comes from an ancient Chinese emperor who wrote a book describing the aromatic and healing properties of plants. The ancient Egyptians were the first to use essential oils. They invented a distilling process to extract the essential oils. Several kinds, such as frankincense, were used in the process that preserved the bodies of the ancient kings and queens before they were embalmed and mummified. Ways to use Aromatherapy  1. Apply to the skin Never directly, of course. Very few essential oils can be used directly on your skin. When using essential oils topically you definitely want to make sure that you dilute your essential oils in a carrier oil before applying to your skin. Essential oils are fat soluble, meaning they are immediately absorbed into the skin. Our whipped shea butters contain certified organic essential oils and are already blended with carrier oils. So there’s no need to dilute. You can find them here. Some other carrier oils that are good to mix and dilute with are sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil just to name a few. Popular areas of applying essential oils to your skin are on your wrists, your temples, your feet, or behind your ears.  2. Inhale Open up a bottle of essential oil and bring it near your nose and simply breathe in deeply then out through your mouth or you can place 2-3 drops of essential oil on a tissue or a pillow while sleeping, this can be helpful to reduce coughing at night and to encourage sleep. Steam inhalations can also be helpful for coughs, colds, chest infections, and even skin cleansing.  3. Use in a bath After the hustle and bustle of the workday, don’t you just want to relax and unwind? Well, taking a quick 20-minute Epsom salt bath with your favorite blend of essential oils will definitely calm your senses. Simply mix a few drops to Epsom salt or a light carrier oil , then add to your warm bath water, and enjoy! These are just a few ideas on how to utilize aromatherapy on a daily basis. ConclusionWe often take our sense of smell for granted, but studies show that scents are closely linked to memory and can even affect moods and emotions. Depending on the season and your location there are ways in which you can enjoy some “smell therapy”. Visiting a botanical garden, floral shop, farmers market, perfume shop, or even enjoying essential oils, which are derived from the oils of many of your favorite flowers. What are some of your favorite floral scents? Here’s to the nose! Share your comments below. References https://www.alliance-aromatherapists.org/history-basics https://naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/about-aromatherapy/what-is-aromatherapy Disclaimer
I (Nailah’s Shea) am not a doctor, and I am not here to give you direct medical advice. I may explain health and well-being benefits in blog post topics or individual email inquiries on occasion. None of these health benefits have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. They should not be used in place of personal judgment or medical treatment, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Only your doctor can diagnose and treat disease.  Image of Douna Ge, Makeup Artist SudanFrom as long as I can remember I have always been intrigued with learning about other cultures, their natural remedies, and their beauty secrets. I am thankful to be able to have friends and family originally from countries all over the world. We all have so much to learn from one another. This is why I chose to create a blog series I call, Ancient Beauty Secrets from Around the World. Our first stop, Sudan. Let us get started!  Location of Sudan on a globe Brief History Sudan in Arabic means, “Land of the Black”. It was the home of the great kingdoms of Kush and Nubia. Located in the northeast region of Africa, it was once one of the largest countries in Africa. After politics and war ravaged in the land of Sudan the southern half of Sudan decided to split from the north. South Sudan was officially formed in July of 2011; it became the youngest nation in the world. In this blog, we will refer to North and South Sudan as simply “Sudan”.  Smoke Dukhan – Smoking Out What is it? Dukhan, which means smoke, is one of the most popular beauty treatments done in Sudan. This traditional beauty treatment is usually given to a bride-to-be before marriage. The woman is first massaged with several types of aromatic oils; she then sits in a chair with a hole in it or just a stool, underneath a clay pot of burning acacia (talih) wood and sandalwood. The woman is covered only with a thick blanket, usually made out of wool. This treatment is sometimes performed twice a day for 40 days for a bride-to-be. The woman does not bathe during this period. During this time, a thick sooty layer is formed on the skin. On day 40, this layer is peeled and removed revealing beautiful glowing skin. The woman will have a lingering scent on her skin that stays on her for days. After the marriage, women continue to get the dukhan treatment to detoxify their skin, keep their skin smooth, for the sweet musk smell, and to tighten the private area of a woman (especially after giving birth). Dukhan may also be used as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis or any joint pain you may have.  Dilka dough Dilka – Exfoliating Body Scrub Dilka is a Sudanese body scrub that leaves the body soft and perfumed. It is made by mixing whole-wheat flour, tea made of cloves and mahleb cherry seed, and occasionally orange peel, into soft dough. Women may also add finely ground sandalwood powder or acacia wood powder. Traditionally the dilka dough is wrapped in a cloth and smoked with the dukhan treatment, this gives a nice fragrant scent and it preserves the dilka dough. Women typically use this body scrub at least twice a week. This scrub helps to remove dead skin, promotes blood circulation, and nourishes and re-hydrates the skin. Sounds exciting, right? Well, I hope you enjoyed this quick and intriguing read. If you plan to use some of these beauty regimens, remember to do more research and be careful. Are you from Sudan or have friends and family from there? Have you ever visited Sudan and performed any of these beauty regimens? We would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below. Sources BBC World Africa. “South Sudan Country Profile.” (Accessed 1/30/19) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14069082 Wikipedia. “Dukhan (traditional medicine).” (Accessed 1/29/19) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukhan_(traditional_medicine) Diab, Ola. “The Art of Beauty for Sudanese Women.” (Accessed 1/27/19) https://oladiab.com/2014/08/02/the-art-of-beauty-for-sudanese-women/ African Aromatics. “Sudan’s Aromatic Culture.” (Accessed 1/27/19) http://africanaromatics.com/sudans-aromatic-culture/  Have you noticed that your skin changes according to the season? From hot sticky summer days to extremely cold winter days and the in between weather conditions, it’s not just our wardrobe that changes. Here in North Carolina we are in the midst of winter, so I thought what better time to share a few Winter skincare tips with you.  1. Hydrate from the inside – Dry skin can cause all sorts of discomfort, including peeling, flaking, cracking, redness and itching. Yes, lathering on emollient rich body butter will help soothe your skin temporarily, but, did you know that when you are consistent with drinking water multiple times a day you are hydrating yourself from the inside out. If you don’t care for plain water try adding some lemon or lime slices to your water or even warming your water up and adding some other fruits or herbs to your cup.  2. Eating Clean – I’m sure you’ve heard of the phrase, “you are what you eat”. Well, this statement is so true. One key to having healthy nourished glowing skin is to eat healthy. Eat more fruits and veggies daily as often as you can. Some fruits that are typically in season during the winter months that have high amounts of antioxidants and vitamin C are: apples, oranges, cranberries, pomegranates and kiwis.  3. Wear breathable clothing – Growing up, my mother would always tell us to make sure we wear clothes that are 100 % cotton as often as possible. I had no idea how important this was until I had children of my own. They suffered from eczema and extremely dry skin so I did a little research of my own. According to the National Eczema Society, cotton clothing and bedding keeps the skin cool and allows it to breathe, whereas synthetic fabrics and wool can irritate.  4. Don’t Use Harsh Soap - Use natural soap as much as possible. Without any deodorants or synthetic fragrances – these ingredients tend to be very harsh and drying to your skin. You can find our all natural and organic moisture rich Shea Butter soap here.  5. Moisturize Immediately - Moisturize your skin immediately after showering or bathing, this is crucial. Pat your skin dry with a towel and then apply your moisturizer directly afterwards while your skin is still damp. The dampness of your body will help seal in the moisture from the moisturizer you choose to use. Oil-based rather than water-based retains moisture in the winter. I hope this information was helpful. Do you have any winter skincare tips you would like to share with our readers? We'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and make sure to share this blog with friends! Sources
Cade, Matteson. “How to Moisturize From the Inside Out.” (Accessed 1/17/19) https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/moisturizing/basics/moisturize-from-the-inside-out3.htm National Eczema Society. “Itching and Scratching.” (Accessed 1/17/19) http://www.eczema.org/itching-scratching  I want healthy glowing skin! Many of you have said this. Well one easy step to take is to exfoliate. What is exfoliation you ask? We will get into more details about exfoliation later but real quick, exfoliation refers to the removal of the dead skin cells on the skin’s surface. Exfoliation can be performed mechanically, by using slightly abrasive scrubs on the skin or chemically, by using scrubs that contain special kinds of acids that dissolve and remove the dead skin cells without scrubbing. Now that we know what exfoliation is, let’s discuss the differences and benefits of using sugar or salt to exfoliate, why should you exfoliate, how to exfoliate using a scrub, and how often should you exfoliate. The main difference is the size of the exfoliating granules. Sugar: Sugar granules tend to be smaller and finer, making sugar scrubs less abrasive than salt scrubs and excellent for sensitive skin and delicate areas of the body. Sugar has naturally occurring Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) or glycolic acid. According to research from Naturopathica, AHAs were found to promote softer, smoother skin, faded wrinkles, lightened age spots, and decreased blemishes. Generally, sugar scrubs can be used all over your body, literally from head to toe. Salt: Salt, has antiseptic properties and is more "detoxifying" to the skin, making it a great option for foot and body soaks. Salt granules can be a little larger and coarse, excellent for extremely thick calluses, feet, elbow, and knees. Some salt scrubs that are made of Himalayan or Dead Sea salt are full of naturally occurring beneficial minerals. Why should you exfoliate? Cell regeneration slows down as we age and our body is slow to shed new skin cells and generate new ones. Our old skin cells then start to pile up, and can often leave our skin looking dull, rough, and dry. In turn, the build-up of dead skin cells can result in excess oil and clogged pores, leading to blemishes and acne. Exfoliation removes the barrier of dead skin cells clogging the skin and uncovers fresh new cells below. This opens the way for moisturizing products to penetrate more deeply into the skin, which makes them more effective. How do you exfoliate using a scrub? When using Nailah’s Shea’s Exfoliating Sugar Scrubs, we recommend to first wash and rinse with our organic handcrafted Shea Butter soap. After cleansing; take a small scoop of the scrub and gently rub in a circular motion on damp skin. Rinse off when done. Then pat yourself dry. To seal in the moisture from the oils in the sugar scrub choose your favorite moisturizer like our organic whipped Shea Body Butter. How often should you exfoliate? Yes, exfoliating your skin is one key to achieving that healthy natural glow but you don’t want to over exfoliate your skin. Over exfoliating your skin can leave your skin dry, irritated, and damaged. Exfoliate at least 1-2 times a week. I hope you found this blog helpful. Now let’s continue our journey to healthy, naturally glowing skin! Please share this blog on your social media pages or email it to a friend.   Welcome back! Let’s recap, in Part 1 of Combating Winter Skin – “Show your skin some love”, we discussed 4 tips. First we discussed how it was important not to turn your heat up in your home to more than 71 degrees Fahrenheit because it will dry your skin out. Next, we suggested using a humidifier for added moisture in your home. We advised taking short lukewarm showers and finally, not using harsh soaps which can be drying because of the synthetic chemical make up.  5. Moisturize Immediately Moisturize your skin immediately after showering or bathing, this is crucial. Pat your skin dry with a towel and then apply your moisturizer directly afterwards while your skin is still damp. The dampness of your body will help seal in the moisture from the moisturizer you choose to use. Oil-based rather than water-based is more likely to retain moisture in the winter.  6. Drink plenty of water Even I have been prone to want to drink more warm beverages like teas and coffee during the colder winter months. But don’t forget, glowing skin comes from being hydrated from the inside out. Because I don’t like to drink cold drinks, I sometimes drink warm water with a bit of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar when I feel like grabbing more than one cup of coffee a day.  7. Do eat plenty of fruits and veggies Eat more fruits and veggies daily as often as you can. Some fruits that are typically in season during the winter months that have high amounts of antioxidants and vitamin C are: apples, oranges, cranberries, pomegranates and kiwis. I hope this blog was helpful. If so, please share it with your friends or on your social media pages. I would love to hear your feedback and learn more about your winter skincare routine.
 Living in North Carolina, I have learned that the weather here can be somewhat unpredictable. From 30 degrees Fahrenheit one day and the very next day 60 degrees. What to do, what to do? Shaking my head. Imagine how our skin may be even more shocked by the change of weather. Here are a few tips on keeping your skin moisturized, hydrated and glowing all winter long. 1. Don’t turn up the heat With the bitterly cold weather outside and cold winter breezes we can be tempted to turn our heating systems up too high. This in turn causes our skin to become even drier than before the winter season. Keep your thermostat at a comfortable temperature around 68-71 degrees. Your skin will thank you and in addition you’ll cut down the energy cost in your home. 2. Use a humidifier Try setting up a humidifier in your home. Set one up in the main sitting room or your bedroom – both if you can. Using a humidifier will keep moisture in the air and will also help your skin from drying out during the winter. You can even purchase humidifiers that give you the ability to put essential oils in or around them and the steam that it blows out is aromatherapy for your home. 3. Short Lukewarm Showers You may be tempted to take long hot showers during the cooler winter months – don’t’ do it! The hot water will dry your skin out even more. Try taking warm showers and limit your time in the shower to less than 15 minutes.  4. Don’ t use harsh soap Use natural soap as much as possible. Without any deodorants or synthetic fragrances, these ingredients tend to be very harsh and drying to your skin. You can find our all natural and organic moisture rich Shea Butter soaps here.  Stay tuned in for Part 2 of Combating Winter Skin – “Show your skin some love”, where we’ll share more tips on how to keep your skin soft and glowing all winter long.
2018 is here! Have you found yourself year after year making resolutions that are half fulfilled? I know I have. My goal this year is to enjoy being ME and embracing all of me. Starting with Self-Care The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of self-care is “the purpose of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health”. We can dig a little deeper and break self-care into the 4 key elements – physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and how to incorporate them into our daily lives for overall wellness for you and your family. 1. Physical Self-care involves taking care of you physical health and incorporating a healthy lifestyle. From walks in the park, going to the gym, eating healthy and drinking lots of water. Also, unplug from time to time. Step away from the computer, phone, television, etc. 2. Emotional Emotional self-care may include surrounding yourself with positive people. People you care about and people who care about you. Setting clear boundaries for yourself when it comes to your time and energy. Try not to harbor any ill feelings or emotions inside but take time to express how you feel in a positive and receiving way. 3. Psychological Psychological self-care may include giving attention to things that are in your control. Doing things to stimulate your creativity, professionally or just for fun. This may include reading, journaling, meditating, perfecting your craft, or even turning what you are passionate about into a business. Take time for self-awareness, to learn, to think, and grow. 4. Spiritual Spiritual self-care may include prayer or meditation. You may want to take time to reflect and practice mindfulness and gratitude. There it is guys, the 4 key elements of self-care. You may be saying that you are already incorporating these elements in your daily lives. If so, sit back and reflect on how to improve them and make sure to involve your family in them as well. If you feel it’s too much for you to incorporate in one day then choose a one day out of the week to practice self-care. I would love to hear how you plan to incorporate self-care in to your life this coming year. Feel free to leave a comment below. Wishing you all the best! Can you believe it’s been a little over a month since the National Folk Festival (NFF) was here in Greensboro? It’s amazing how time flies. Well, as promised I wanted to share with you the experience I had meeting with all of you at the NFF and I also wanted to share an experience of meeting little ones fascinated by the art of soap making. From the process, to the herbs and then the smells, oh what fun we had. At the NFF I saw some familiar faces from around Greensboro as well as many new faces. Among these faces were families that were traveling from all across the US to spend the weekend in town enjoying the festivities that the NFF had to offer. Greensboro, being home to several colleges and universities, meant many college students visited our booth at the NFF. One young lady in particular that stopped by was a student originally from New Zealand. She was very interested in working in rural Uganda with needy children and families and I’ll always remember her determination and selflessness. Wishing her all the best! Check out the picture below of a familiar face you may have seen around town too.  This is off topic a bit but I just have to tell you. Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to share the art of soap making with some elementary school kids (500 of them). The school celebrated their own "State Fair" and I was asked to be an exhibitor. Of course I couldn't make soap for all of them. However, I shared the process of soap making with them. The children were ecstatic! They enjoyed hearing about the process and smelling the herbs that I brought with me (rosemary, mint leaves, lemongrass, and lavender). They learned about Shea Butter and where the Shea nut comes from. The children had the opportunity to touch and use the Shea Butter. They held a real coconut! They also left with a piece of soap from a soap maker. LOL :-) I couldn't stop smiling after I was given “Thank You” cards from the students. Just reading them made me feel so happy that I had the opportunity to spend the day with them and share with them my passion. Scroll down to see the cards that they created for me.  What's your passion? Share your thoughts below.
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Camilia Z. Majette, MHSACamilia, Founder and CEO of Nailah's Shea, LLC is a mom, wife, global traveler, humanitarian, and entrepreneur. She loves to share her knowledge and passion about natural living and wellness with everyone she meets. Archives
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