From beauty secrets used by Geishas to superfruit hydration solutions from Central America, they discovered a range of unconventional ingredients, inspired by cultures and traditions around the world.

New Natural Essentials^® Strengthening Dry Oil & Healing Dry Oil and Nourishing Shampoo & Nourishing Conditioner contain a unique combination of these ingredients to address targeted hair care needs.

Free of sulfates, parabens, drying alcohol, phthalates, gluten and artificial colors, Natural Essentials^® hair care products are designed to strengthen, heal and nourish hair – without any harsh chemicals.

Not just for your kitchen juicer or your decorative vase, these natural ingredients actually get to the root of hair care concerns.  Here are a few anecdotes you may not have known:

Bambou:  A symbol of friendship in India, of the soul in Vietnam, and of longevity and luck in its native China, bambou is a rich source of silica, beneficial at keeping the hair ducts clear and in removing built-up pollutants and chemicals from the hair shaft.  Loaded with mineral and organic proteins, bambou extract also helps strengthen, moisturize, and encourage shine.

Avocado:  Sure, they’re delicious to eat, but did you know that the ancient Aztecs considered avocados a powerful beauty aid and aphrodisiac?  There is even evidence that the ancient

Egyptians used this Mexican-native fruit—so rich in vitamins, potassium and monosaturated fats—to moisturize and condition dry and damaged hair.  Today home beauty experts swear by avocado’s deep penetrating oil—not just to repair damaged hair, but also to smooth and tame unruly tresses, while adding moisture and body.

Maracujá:  Cold-pressed from the seeds of the passion fruit flower deep in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, Maracujá oil has been used as a medicinal aid in South America for centuries. In more recent years, natural beauty enthusiasts have found that not only is it beneficial for internal health, but maracuja’s high content of vitamins A and C can also help to strengthen and nourish hair, making it soft and supple, while its antioxidants help protect hair and scalp from being dry and flaky.

Monoï:  For thousands of years, Polynesian people have been using Monoï—pure coconut oil infused with the fragrance of Tahitian gardenias.  Ancient priests used the oil to anoint newborn babies and sacred objects, and to purify offerings, while women used (and still use!) monoï to enhance and protect their hair from the harsh effects of sun, wind and sea. Passed down from generation to generation, this remarkably silky, fast-absorbing oil revives and repairs, leaving hair soft, easy to manage, shiny and fragrant.

Dragonfruit:  Native to Central and South America, the pitahaya fruit—more commonly known as dragonfruit—is also cultivated in Australia, New Zealand, and the Far East, where it was introduced by French explorers thought to have brought it over from either Nicaragua or Columbia.  A Chinese legend says that the fruit was created thousands of years ago by fire-breathing dragons.  During battle, when a soldier pierced a dragon’s heart and the creature breathed its last fire, it would leave behind the rare and exotic “dragon fruit,” which the victorious soldier would then present to the Emperor as a coveted treasure. The strange and beautiful fruit has been a well-kept beauty secret both in China and the Americas for centuries, prized as a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, protein, and essential fatty acids, it helps to repair and nourish hair for lustrous, healthy-looking locks.

Camélia:  Derived from the seeds of the Japanese Camélia flower, Camélia oil is an ancient and  revered beauty secret of the Geishas, who used it to help achieve the flawless hairstyles for which they are renowned. Rich in vitamins A, B and E, this light, non-greasy emollient has been used for centuries to add moisture, elasticity and high-powered shine to hair.

Coconut:  Thought to have been first cultivated somewhere in the Indian Ocean, and used for thousands of years in several tropical cultures, virtually every part of the coconut palm can—and has—been used by humans in some form or another. In Sanskrit it is called kalpa vriksha, “the tree which provides all the necessities of life,” and in Malay it is pokok seribu guna, “the tree of a thousand uses.” Coconut oil, in particular, is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamin E and antioxidants that are easily absorbed by hair to hydrate, help reduce damage and breakage, and tame frizz.

Mango:  Considered by cultures in many parts of the world as “the king of all fruits” because of its rich flavor, aroma, and nutrient content, the sweet, succulent mango has been prized and celebrated in its native India for thousands of years. Buddhist monks cultivated the fruit, and legends tell of the Buddha himself meditating beneath the mango tree. Today, the fruit—rich in vitamins A, C and D—is used to nourish and condition hair, leaving it moisturized and shiny.

Açaí:  Nicknamed in Brazil as the “beauty berry,” the açaí berry is famous for being rich in antioxidants, amino acids and omega fatty acids which help nourish and encourage healthy hair. Known in history and legend to have sustained indigenous Amazonian tribes during times of famine, this amazing little superfruit has been shown to help improve the look and texture of hair.

All Natural Essentials^® products are free of sulfates, parabens, drying alcohol, phthalates, gluten, and artificial colors. You can find All Natural Essentials^® on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest! Natural Essentials is sold at select Walgreens, Harmon Discount and Bed Bath & Beyond stores.

Products were graciously provided by All Natural Essentials^® .

Photos: Chic Galleria Publications, LLC

TEAS’ TEA half & HALF provides the ultimate green tea and fruit mixture – an antioxidant-rich beverage with a healthy twist. half&HALF serves up green tea blends in a fun, guilt-free, and naturally sweetened way for thirst-quenching refreshment.

Green Tea is heralded for it’s many potential health benefits from cancer prevention, heart health prevention, blood oxidation, immune system booster, weight loss aid and more. This article from Huffington Post provides a good and easy to understand overview of all the green tea health benefits. Tea Health Benefits: 8 Ways It Could Benefit Our Bodies

Interesting Fact: After water tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. On any given day, over 160 million Americans are drinking tea. (Source: The Tea Association of the USA).

Enter to win Teas’ Tea “GET #TEAFRESHED” Summer Promotion! Register now for your chance to win an amazing trip to AUSTRALIA (lots of other prizes will be awarded daily). Just register and share your #teafreshing pics on Facebook.

SUMMER CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS OR ADD A LITTLE FIZZ …

Mix chilled champagne with a splash of half & HALF Green Tea Lemon or half & HALF Green Tea Apple for a delicious Summer cocktail
- perhaps for a wedding shower, ladies night or Summer party entertaining.

Pour TEAS’ TEA half & HALF into your favorite icecube trays to make ice cube shapes of our half & HALF green tea with peach.

Mix TEAS’ TEA half & HALF green tea lemon with Seltzer or Tonic water to give it a fizz. Add slices of lemon for added Summer entertaining.

You find TEAS’ Tea on their website: http://www.teastea.com You can check out this handy store locator to find the products near you!

Products were graciously provided by TEAS’ TEA.

Photos: Chic Galleria Publications, LLC

More Chic Products:

Pick 6: Mary Kay Products I Use

Pick 6: A Few Necessities

Top 5 Ways to Use Heal Everything Balm

Meet Juil, a premium leather footwear company that can give you this perfect concoction of style and comfort. The shoes feature copper conductors to keep you grounded or connected to the earth.

One of their sandals, the Bali, scream “island getaway”. Maybe all you need is a little shoe inspiration to take a well-deserved vacation. Juil’s shoes, including the Bali sandals, contain copper conductors directly through the footbed and outsole of the sandals, offering a direct conduit between your body and the earth’s surface. The earth’s electrons give you that extra boost to get through the day in comfort and health.

These Bali sandals allow you to feel bare foot with the added bonus of a cute sandal. The wear-resistant, non-slip polyurethane and rubber soles can also ensure you can go about your days stumble-free. For klutzy people like me, this could not be more ideal; these shoes could have saved me from quite a few tumbles and embarrassments. I pair them with shorts, capris or a maxi/sundress.

Average retail value $125/Available {HERE}

Find Juil:

Beth Anderson, CEO of Chic Galleria Publications, LLC, is a member of STYLE COALITION, an elite group of beauty and fashion publishers for HEARST DIGITAL GROUP. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest.

Products were graciously provided by Juil. Opinions expressed here are my own.

Photos: Chic Galleria Publications, LLC

Recently I discovered a new place to add to by Bucket List.  Yes, I have a Bucket List because turning 50 forced me to realize that I truly need one!  I have added a darling place in Aurora, New York to my List.  MacKenzie-Childs is a world-renowned tableware and gift business on a tranquil Victorian farm overlooking Cayuga Lake.  I’ve already planned my trip! I figure I can make a stop in NYC and then head upstate. Not only am I excited to see this picturesque part of New York, I’m crazy in love with all their enamelware.  I have their catalog sitting on my desk here at work and have multiple pages dogeared.

To give me a temporary fix until I can actually make my way to the MacKenzie-Childs gardens, visitors center, farmhouse and shop, I found this gorgeous iPad cover in their signature Parchment Check. The teal blue is my go-to color this year and I’m currently redoing my office in this color.  How perfect is this tablet cover??  I just fold it back and tuck the flap under to prop it on my desk.

The little magnet closer keeps it secure when I have to throw it into my bag for traveling.

It has handy elastic straps to keep my iPad secure.

I didn’t add my iPad to this photo because the reflection of me kept showing up!  I was wearing red and it looked wacky in the photo.  But you can see here where the iPad goes when it’s propped on my desk at work.

Upstate New York and MacKenzie-Childs….you’re on my Bucket List!

Established in 1983 and based in Aurora, New York, MacKenzie-Childs is a designer, manufacturer, and multi-channel merchant of high quality, handcrafted ceramics, enamel tableware, furniture, home décor, garden furniture, decorative and personal accessories. The brand is best known for distinctive designs which combine vibrant colors and pattern-on-pattern surface decoration to create a fresh, original aesthetic best described as “tradition with a twist.” In addition to the New York City flagship, MacKenzie-Childs has retail locations in Aurora, New York; Southampton, New York; and Palm Beach, Florida. For more information, visit www.mackenzie-childs.com.

You can find MacKenzie-Childs on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Beth Anderson, CEO of Chic Galleria Publications, LLC, is a member of STYLE COALITION, an elite group of beauty and fashion publishers for HEARST DIGITAL GROUP. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest.

Financial compensation was not received for this post. Products were graciously provided by MacKenzie-Childs. Opinions expressed here are my own.

Photos: Chic Galleria Publications, LLC

We Oklahomans are strong!

Donate, Cry, Pray, Then Read

Written by Nicole Hill, www.nicolehill.com.

Do you know what it takes to be an Oklahoman? You probably don’t because to be an Oklahoman is to be nuts, balls-to-the-wall crazy, off-the-charts insane. You have to be.

In Oklahoma, when you pop out of your mama, the doctors give you the once over. They check your eyes, because they know you’re going to have to stare down EF4 tornadoes and not flinch. They check the gravel in your guts, because true grit’s making a living from hard, dry land — molding a life from red clay. And they check your heart, because to be an Oklahoman is to be the smack-dab center of the Heartland.

Then you grow up in Oklahoma with your “Yes, ma’ams” and “No, sirs” and “Ranch, pleases,” and you learn how to drive in a place where you reserve one hand for waving to the neighbors you know and the neighbors you don’t know just quite yet. Your sentences are peppered with words like “hook echo,” “vortex,” “Pushmataha,” “biscuitsngravy” and “might could.”

You go to school and you learn the history of your state, from the Trail of Tears to the land run to the Dust Bowl to the Tulsa Race Riot to April 19, 1995 to May 3, 1999. You understand that you come from misfits and mistakes and pain. A lot of pain. You realize you come from underdog stock. You listen to a lot of Woody Guthrie, and you really get what it means.

At some point, life punches you in the gut for the first time. You watch the hand of God come down, and an entire town disappears off the map.

You fall to your knees and you cry and you spit and you cuss the day and night. And then you get up.

You don’t waste your time asking the heavens why. There’s work to be done.

You see someone else shaking their fists at the sky, so you reach your hand down. And then they get up.

That’s what being an Oklahoman is. Being so goddamned resilient and perseverant that ain’t nothing or nobody can keep you down. I’ve been a lot of places, lived in a few of them, and met many great people. Without minimizing anyone else, Oklahomans are a different breed. When you’re a little guy used to getting kicked, you not only learn to pop back up but you become the first one to reach out to others.

Oklahoma isn’t a place. It’s something in your blood. It’s something that you do. It’s the shirt off your back and a tear in your eye and the giddyup in your soul.

As we watched the wreckage from this latest prizefight with nature, several people asked me if I had people there — in Moore, in Shawnee. The answer is unequivocally yes. Every ever-loving, bless-your-heart mumbler in that grand land is My People. And God help us, My People don’t give up and don’t give in.

I love you, Oklahoma, and I thank my lucky stars that I’m one of yours. And if you don’t start installing storm shelters in every public building, I’m fixin’ to raise some hell.

People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations help provide food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by disasters.

Beth Anderson, CEO of Chic Galleria Publications, LLC, is a member of STYLE COALITION, an elite group of beauty and fashion publishers for HEARST DIGITAL GROUP. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest.