Tired of drinking plain water?

We all get told that we need to drink more water. It's good for our complexion, health, helps you lose weight, yadda yadda yadda. But let's face it: water gets boring! There are a lot of things out there to add to your drink to make it taste better. Some add caffeine with their flavor, others vitamins, and yet others just a couple calories. I'll use the vitamin ones if I feel a cold coming on, but other then that I avoid them. What do I do instead, you ask? I make tea.

Now, to most people, tea is something you drink hot, or you make iced tea in summer. I've found that I actually enjoy making a pot of tea, putting it in my aluminum water bottle (no more plastic ones, gotta stay green!) and throwing it in the fridge overnight. If you're thinking of doing this however, there are a couple of things you should consider.

1) What will taste good cold? I, for one, do not like black tea, not even warm. Blasphemous, I know. Plain green tea can also get rather bitter some times, so I have a tendency to mix it with a different kind of tea, a fruitier one, perhaps. Many water bottles can hold more than one cup of liquid, so don't be afraid to make cups of different kinds of tea and mix them.

2) How much time do you have? If you're the kind that makes your beverage in the morning, feel free to put your water bottle in the freezer for a quick zap of cold. Don't do this overnight, however. If you have the lid on and do this, your bottle will crack and explode (I learned this the hard way).

3) Are you looking for a boost? If you're replacing your usual water with tea, this might not be a concern. If you're looking, however, to maybe start replacing some of that coffee or soda, consider a tea with caffeine in it, such as black or green. Looking for something with anti-oxidants? Try oolong, or one of many fruit flavors.

4) What kind of tea are you using? While for many people, tea in a packet works just fine, most tea drinkers prefer using loose-leaf teas. The packets you buy at the local grocery store use a lesser product than loose-leaf. One downside of loose-leaf teas is that it's harder to make on the go. If I'm going to travel, or for a day at the office, I take a good-quality tea bag with me, but make my loose-leaf that morning.

Just some thoughts to consider!

Help others and get a new look!

Next time you're looking for a new 'do, think about this. There are a lot of kids out there who are going through chemotherapy for cancer, or have other diseases that cause them to lose all of their hair. I try to donate my hair as often as I can, about every two years (my hair grows really fast though). One of the best known sites for doing this is Locks of Love. Recycle that hair!

I've got another site!

So, since I have a few different interests, I started another site. Everyone can use an extra bit of cash now and again, and I've been looking at ways to make it online, using different sites. To see what sites I'm using and how I like them, check this out! I should be posting here more often, as well.

My new money-making blog here!

Washing Greener

Lots of posts about the bathroom, I know. But it's such a big area where we can cut back! Today's tips are about hand soap, although some of these tips you could use for body wash too!

• Dilute it: No matter what we use to wash with, green or not, it certainly can't hurt to cut back a little. Diluting it into a foaming pump (ratio about 1 part soap to 3 parts water works for me) makes a small amount go a long way.
• Buy refills: When your pump runs out of soap, you don't need to buy another cute little pump with your soap! Purchasing a refill container saves the environment as well as your pocket.
• Use dishsoap: Although some people find it drying on the hands, others don't. If you find that it is, try one of the foaming dispensers. The dilution makes it much less potent. Also, dishsoap is much less expensive than hand soaps, and I find has less scent.
• Use bar soap: I find that old hotel soaps work quite well for hand soap. Or, instead of body wash, use a bar such as Dial or Dove. If you do this though, try to let the bar sit in open air for about a week before you use it. The bar will last much longer this way.

Conditioning Greener

Following up on yesterday's post on shampoos, I thought today I'd talk about conditioners. There are so many types! Wash-out, leave-in, hair masks, etc. It never ends.

What's the difference?: I use a wash-out conditioner as a leave in, and it works fine for me! Jump out of the shower, rub some all over my hair, towel dry, and comb. No need for two conditioners! The actual difference is that wash out conditioners are made of heavier components that don't wash out completely, while leave ins are thinner and don't sit as heavy on the hair. Think of it like fats and oils.

For an every day conditioner, there are a few recipes that work wonders.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: After washing your hair, rinse it with apple cider vinegar. There are varying recipes of adding water, 1tbsp vinegar to 1 cup water. If you want to add essential oils to it to make your hair smell less like a salad (don't worry though, the vinegar smell goes away as your hair dries) you can make a larger batch and add a few drops of oil to your vinegar and water. More info on that here if youd like.
• Dilute it: Almost anything can be diluted. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm thinking of trying this recipe: 1/4 cup water, 3/4 cup conditioner. If you've tried it, please let me know how it worked out! I'm incredibly curious.
• For a once-a-month treatment, try some olive oil! Warm up some olive oil (the amount you need depends on how much hair you have and how thick it is) and massage it through your hair and scalp. Wrap your hair in an old towel, or if you want to go all out, saran wrap and then a towel. Sit for about 30 minutes, then wash your hair. Twice. One wash won't get all out. If you have particularly long hair, you may need to wash it three times. Basically, your aim is to get all the residue out of your hair. Now towel dry your hair, and you're ready to go!
• There are a LOT of recipes out there. Check out this page for some really good ones. Make sure you know what kind of hair you have, and be careful. Some recipes will lighten hair, which you might not want if your hair is colored.

Green Hair

Hair things cost a lot these days. And with all the chemicals in them, I thought I would try to find a greener, and possibly healthier way, to clean my hair. Here's what I found!

1. Don't wash twice: Just because the bottle says "Repeat" doesn't mean it's necessary. While some people think that its common sense, many people out there wash their hair twice every day. Shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils, and washing it twice is REALLY overdoing it.
2. Dilute your shampoo: Some just add a bit of water to the last little bit in the bottom of the container, others dilute it completely. I just finished trying a 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup shampoo mixture in a foaming Dial container. Didn't like it. It's still a bit too watery for me. After this batch is gone I'm going to try a half-and-half mixture in the same container and see if that's any better. I'll let you all know how it goes!
3. Don't wash every day: I can't get away with this. I have naturally oily hair, and although its gotten a lot better since I don't put a lot of hairspray in it anymore, by the middle of day 2 I can't stand it. But some can get away with only washing their hair every other day. Try it and see if it works for you!
4. Don't blow-dry your hair: I know ladies, its hard. But at least try to give your hair a break whenever you can. Blow-drying your hair will damage your hair and you'll end up with a lot of split ends and breakage. Not worth it. Weekends are a great time to give your hair a break. If you know you're going out, take a shower early. Or try #5!
5. Try a dry shampoo: You're friends call you and wake you up from a nap; they'll be by to pick you up in 5. No time to wash your hair and dry it again. What do you reach for? Cornstarch. Mmhm! Put a little bit of cornstarch (less is more) on your fingertips and fluff by the oily parts of your scalp. Brush the rest out and go! For substitutions, take a look.
6. Use Baking Soda: Yeah, you read right. Baking soda is useful just about everywhere. Mix in enough water to make it into a paste, and massage it into your hair. A few drops of your favorite essential oil (Peppermint and Lemon are my faves) will have you smelling a bit less like a salad and feeling fresher. Baking soda won't strip your hair of natural oils like most shampoos, and theres no chemicals. Good for you and the environment!

Hope it helps!