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Best Beauty Tips & Secrets on Facia Tissues by Charene Beauty Salon

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It is connective tissue fibers, primarily collagen, that form sheets or bands beneath the skin to attach, stabilize, enclose, and separates muscles and other internal organs. Fasciae are classified according to their distinct layers, their functions, and their anatomical location: superficial fascia, deep (or muscle) fascia, and visceral (or parietal) fascia.

Fascia is critical because it actually helps to create the shape of our bodies. Basically, fascia is like a very thin wet suit just under the skin that wraps around each individual muscle and keeps everything in place (including our organs). It’s that thin white stringy layer that you see on a chicken breast when you’re cooking.

When it’s healthy, it’s like clear saran wrap. But injuries, stress, bad posture, emotional behavioral patterns, and poor body maintenance can cause the fascia to get tight, dense, short, and plasticized. This further restricts movement and the alignment and efficiency of the body can be compromised, trapping toxins in the fascia and leading to thicker ‘pockets’ throughout the body—such as those that often form around the waist.

Like ligaments, aponeuroses, and tendons, fasciae are dense regular connective tissues, containing closely packed bundles of collagen fibers oriented in a wavy pattern parallel to the direction of pull. Fasciae are consequently flexible structures able to resist great unidirectional tension forces until the wavy pattern of fibers has been straightened out by the pulling force. These collagen fibers are produced by the fibroblasts located within the fascia.

Fasciae are similar to ligaments and tendons as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, tendons join muscle to bone and fasciae surround muscles or other structures.

The good news is that fascia is malleable and can be repaired—and foam rolling and bodywork are both fantastic ways of releasing all those unhealthy toxins from the fascia and helping to reduce thickness in the body.

Fasciae are normally thought of as passive structures that transmit mechanical tension generated by muscular activities or external forces throughout the body.

The function of muscle fasciae is to reduce friction to minimize the reduction of muscular force. In doing so, fasciae:

Reduces friction between muscles, allowing sliding.[citation needed]
Suspend organs in their cavities.[citation needed]
Transmit movement from muscles to bones.[citation needed]
Provide a supportive and movable wrapping for nerves and blood vessels as they pass through and between muscles.[5][need quotation to verify]

How to Make Rice Water Toner by Charene Beauty Salon

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In some parts of the world ‘to eat’ literally means ‘to eat rice’. One of the most important food grains, rice is a staple food for almost half of the world’s population, supplying as much as half of the daily calories.

But, rice is also an important beautifying ingredient. For centuries, Asian women have used rice water to beautify their face, body, and hair. Traditionally, female rice farmers in China, Japan, and other southeast Asian countries used to bathe and wash in the water used for cleaning rice.

The Yao ethnic women from the village of Huangluo in China are testament to this tradition. With their average hair length of about 6 feet, these women made it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the “world’s longest hair village” (Read more here). Plus these women do not have grey hair till the late 80s. The Yao women believe that the fermented rice water, which they use to cleanse their hair, is what helps to keep their hair long, dark, and clean. Rice water enables these women to de-tangle and manages their long hair, which they wrap around their heads in an elaborate high bun that is often described with names such as ‘gazing god’s bun’ or the ‘cloud bun’.

Rice Water For Hair & Skin: Evidence & Benefits

Rice water has amazing hair and skin benefits. Recent research has shown that rice water exhibits hair care effects, such as decreasing surface friction and improving hair elasticity. Rice water has inositol, a carbohydrate, that can repair damaged hair, as well as protect it from damage. Specialized imaging technique shows that inositol stays inside the hair even after rinsing, offering continuing hair protection and beautifying effects.

So, Rinsing or washing your hair with rice water will improve manageability and protect it from future damage. In addition, the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals in the rice water strengthen the hair roots, add volume and sheen and make hair feel thicker, silky, and smooth. These awesome benefits explain the 6 feet, healthy, long, and beautiful hair of the Yao women.

Not limited to hair, rice water also has many skin benefits. Due to its cooling and soothing effects on the skin, rice water is often prescribed by ayurvedic practitioners as an effective ointment to cool off inflamed skin.

Rice water also has moisturizing, antioxidant, and healing properties that help to improve circulation, prevent or fade age-related spots, and ease inflammation to give you healthy, better moisturized, and clear skin. As long as it’s left on the skin, rice water is even believed to offer mild protection from the sun.

Fermented Rice Water

The effects of rice water are further enhanced if it is left to ferment. Fermented rice water is rice water that is left to ferment and has gone slightly sour. It is rich in antioxidants, minerals, B vitamins, vitamin E, and traces of pitera, a substance produced during the fermentation process. ‘Pitera’ has grown in popularity recently, and is touted as the anti-aging elixir due to its ability to promote cell regeneration, and help skin stay young and beautiful.

This ferment rice water can be used as a face cleanser, skin toner as well as a hair rinse. The nutrients in the fermented rice water are believed to shrink pores, reduce fine lines, and tighten and brighten your skin – this is a perfect recipe to look radiant and youthful.

Washing or rinsing your hair with fermented rice water is certainly better than rinsing with unfermented or plain rice water. Fermentation lowers the pH of the liquid, and this is similar to our hair’s pH, which is also on the lower side (slightly acidic). So, this slightly acidic pH plus the added nutrients through the fermentation process help restore hair’s pH balance, stimulate blood flow to the scalp, nourish hair follicles to promote healthy hair growth, and improve the overall condition of hair.

Making Rice Water: Plain & Fermented

To enjoy these wonderful beauty benefits of rice water, all you have to do is just collect the water that you use to rinse your rice. And if you don’t want to cook the rice then just grind the leftover rice to make a body scrub or face mask.

To make rice water, you will need:

  • 1/2 cup uncooked rice (brown, white long grain, white short grain, jasmine, or whatever you have)
  • 2 cups water

To make:

  • To make rice water, first, rinse the rice with about a cup of water to remove any dirt or impurities.
  • Then, place 1/2 cup of uncooked rice in a bowl and cover with water. Let the rice soak for about an hour or so. Swirl it around and lightly knead it until the water turns cloudy. This will help the vitamins and minerals seep into the water, creating a nourishing rinse for your hair and skin.
  • Plain Rice Water: Now strain out the rice water into a clean bowl. Your rice water is ready to use.
  • You can either use this water for your hair or face or let it ferment for enhanced benefit.
  • To Ferment: Once you have collected your rice water, leave it at room temperature for a day or until it turns slightly sour, implying that it has started to ferment. It can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, depending on how warm it is. So warmer the room temperature faster the fermentation process.
  • To decrease the fermentation time, you can leave the rice sitting in the water and strain it once it has fermented.
  • Your fermented rice water is ready.
  • Store it in the refrigerator and it will last 4 to 5 days. Remember to shake the refrigerated rice water container before using it.
  • Boiling Method: You can also boil the rice to extract rice water. For this, boil the rice using more water than you would normally do. Once it starts boiling take out the excess water and use it; or you can also let the rice fully cook, strain, and use that excess water. Let the rice water cool down and it’s ready to use. You can store the remaining amount in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
vetiver essential oil

Vetiver Essential Oil of the Month by Charene Beauty Services

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Chrysopogon zizanioides, commonly known as vetiver (derived from the Tamil: வெட்டிவேர் věţţivēr) is a perennial bunchgrass of the Poaceae family, native to India. In western and northern India, it is popularly known as khus.

Vetiver is most closely related to Sorghum but shares many morphological characteristics with other fragrant grasses, such as lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), citronella (Cymbopogon nardus, C. winterianus), and palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii).

Vetiver is mainly cultivated for the fragrant essential oil distilled from its roots. In perfumery, the older French spelling, vetyver, is often used. Worldwide production is estimated at about 250 tons per annum.[12] Due to its excellent fixative properties, vetiver is used widely in perfumes. It is contained in 90% of all western perfumes. Vetiver is a more common ingredient in fragrances for men; some notable examples include Dior’s Eau Sauvage, Guerlain Vetiver, Mr. Vetiver by Une Nuit a Bali, Zizan by Ormonde Jayne and Vetiver by L’Occitane.

Indonesia, China, Haiti are major producers.[12] Vetiver processing was introduced to Haiti in the 1940s by Frenchman Lucien Ganot.[13] In 1958, Franck Léger established a plant on the grounds of his father Demetrius Léger’s alcohol distillery. The plant was taken over in 1984 by Franck’s son, Pierre Léger, who expanded the size of the plant to 44 atmospheric stills, each built to handle one metric ton of vetiver roots. Total production increased in ten years from 20 to 60 tonnes annually, making it the largest producer in the world.[14] The plant extracts vetiver oil by steam distillation. Another major operation in the field is the one owned by the Boucard family. Réunion is considered to produce the highest quality vetiver oil called “bourbon vetiver” with the next favorable being Haiti and then Java.[citation needed]
The United States, Europe, India, and Japan are the main consumers.

The oil is amber brown and rather thick. Its odor is described as deep, sweet, woody, smoky, earthy, amber, and balsam. The best quality oil is obtained from 18- to 24-month-old roots. The roots are dug up, cleaned, and then dried. Before the distillation, the roots are chopped and soaked in water. The distillation process can take up to 24 hours. After the distillate separates into the essential oil and hydrosol, the oil is skimmed off and allowed to age for a few months to allow some undesirable notes forming during the distillation to dissipate. Like patchouli and sandalwood essential oils, the odor of vetiver develops and improves with aging. The characteristics of the oil can vary significantly depending on where the grass is grown and the climate and soil conditions. The oil distilled in Haiti and Réunion has a more floral quality and is considered of higher quality than the oil from Java, which has a smokier scent. In the north of India, oil is distilled from wild-growing vetiver. This oil is known as khus or khas, and in India is considered superior to the oil obtained from the cultivated variety. It is rarely found in commerce outside of India, as most of it is consumed within the country.[15]


Medicinal use Edit

Vetiver has been used in traditional medicine in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia(Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand), and West Africa.[16]
Old Tamil literature mentions the use of vetiver for medical purposes.