coconut craze | 15 uses for coconut oil

hi there, i'm julian, lover of all things healthy
and good for you. snapped a shot with
my coconut hair mask on. 

I have to confess .. I recently jumped on the coconut craze bandwagon. I’m always somewhat reluctant to hop on bandwagons, but if it works, why not? Right? So on a day I didn’t have much going on, I opened up my cabinet and pulled out the jar of coconut oil. 

A hair mask and lip scrub later, I was ‘obsessed’ to say the least. If you’re like me and have to try everything once, I took the liberty of jotting down my top 15 uses for coconut oil.

Coconut Oil Uses 

1. Hair Repair Mask - check out my video tutorial:  

www.instagram.com/ijulian_ 

www.youtube.com/juliangabrielhernandez

2. Hair Conditioner (helps treat dandruff) 

3. Face + Body Moisturizer 

4. Sunburn Soother

5. Teeth Whitener (mix with Baking Soda)

6. Lip Balm/Lip Scrub (mix with Honey + Brown Sugar)

7. Makeup Remover 

8. Chafe Prevention

9. Insect Repellant (mix with Peppermint Oil)

10. Clears Acne (apply on acne and wait an hour)

11. Face Scrub/Mask (mix with Baking Soda)

12. Body Wash (mix with Honey)

13. Shaving Cream

14. Stretch Mark Reducer 

15. Hair De-Tangler 

Carrot Mask: Un-Clog Your Pores Naturally

This is by far one of my favorite masks to do around the house when I have some down time, but keep in mind that things can get a little messy!

Ingredients:

• Carrots   
• Honey
• Lemon

Directions:

• Steam Carrots
• Mash Carrots and Add Honey & Lemon
• Apply for 10-15 Minutes
• Rinse Off with Warm Water

Benefits:

• Glowing Skin
• Acne Scarring/Blemishes
• Anti-Ageing 
• Sun Protection
• Soothes Dry Skin
• oh yea ... and Unclogged Pores

Thats It! Quick, Simple, and All Natural.

*Extra Knowledge: Carrots are extremely rich in vitamin A along with beta-carotene. So what does this mean? Carrots are antioxidants that naturally unclog your pores and increase cell turnover. This mask is ideal for any skin type and even helps reduce acne scarring! Benefits also include 

Ultimate Healthy Chili

The title doesn't even do this dish justice ... but either way, this chili is so good and for the most part pretty healthy.  Last night Rob (my fiancé) and I were in the mood for something warm and hearty and this chili totally hit the spot!

Hope you guys enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs of Extra Lean Ground Turkey 
• 1 Yellow Onion (chopped)
• Olive Oil
• 3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
• 2 (15oz) cans of Dark Red Kidney Beans (rinsed & drained)
• 1 (15oz) can of Sweet Corn (rinsed & drained)
• 1 (28oz) can Diced Tomatoes 
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
• 1 cup of Chicken Broth
• 3 tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp Chipotle Powder
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• Salt & Pepper to taste (I use 1 tsp of Salt and 1/2 tsp of Pepper)
• Guacamole (topping) 

Directions:

• Heat skillet/pan on Medium High Heat and add Olive Oil and chopped Yellow Onion, stir until Onion's are soft (around 5-6 minutes) and then add the Extra Lean Ground Turkey and break apart until fully cooked. 
• Once Ground Turkey is cooked transfer to crockpot (slow cooker). Add the rest of the ingredients into your crockpot and cook for 7 hours on low or 3 hours on high. 
• After your chili is cooked, serve & top with Guacamole! 

I Struggle*d With Acne - This Is How I Fought back!

Mostly everyone I know has dealt with some sort of acne in their life, whether as a teenager, twenty something, or even in late adulthood. However, most people only get the occasional breakout, I however, had it BAD! I'm talking cystic acne (not cute). Which is the reason I wanted to create this blog, to teach and share my experience and hopefully help a couple people along the way. Below are my daily TOP FIVE that help me beat my acne once and for all! 

 1. Put down the DAIRY! 

• I know ... I know ... but I can't begin to tell you the difference it made! 

 2. VEGGIES VEGGIES VEGGIES! (I Can't say it enough)

• This is the one thing I hated! Had I known certain veggies would kill my acne from the inside out I would've been stuffing them down my throat a long time ago. Veggies that help with my skin are: Broccoli, Spinach, Kale, Yellow Peppers, Garlic. 

3. Stay away from the JUNK FOOD!

• You know what I'm talking about .. stop eating junky processed foods, just stop! Stick to a clean diet! I LOVE ice cream, so I substituted my ice cream for frozen blueberries and made a sorbet. Do whatever works for you but just make sure to spend loads of time reading ingredients at your grocery store. 

4. Don't go crazy with a MILLION different skin products!

• I went on every type of cleanser, topical solution, lotion ... you name it, I tried it! The funny thing is, is that the minute I backed away from all the harsh products the better my skin got (I'm talking texture too!). I recommend using a gentle face wash and apply a lotion that will not clog your pores (I use Cetaphil foaming face wash & Skinceuticals (hydrating B5 gel) as my go-to everyday). 

5. Keep a BALANCED Lifestyle!

• I'm talking to the party animals and workaholics. It's like that quote from Death Becomes Her "You and your body are going to be together for a very long time, take care of it" Literally so true! Remember you have to find time to exercise and rest your body. I try and exercise every single day (even if its just a 30 minute workout in my bedroom) and usually will begin unwinding around 9 or 10 PM. 

Keep in mind that these are just suggestions and tips that worked for ME and MY skin. We all have different skin types BUT I do think most of these tips will help if not eliminate your acne. 

Follow me on Instagram:  _https://www.instagram.com/ijulian_/
Follow me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClraaxEZYPq6w_dtkv4irLA