Okay, now I know some of you are wondering, “Huh!?! What kind of title is that!?!” Well, I have to say that I personally find that stress makes me frown. It makes me grimace. It makes me glare. It makes me cry. And all of that is pretty horrible for my face. I get huge, heavy dark bags under my eyes. Of course the frown lines – if allowed to persist – linger for minutes and not just seconds, and I guess if I allow myself to run amuck for days at a time – get pissed and troubled all befo who knows frown lines may become my permanent lines. And, crazy as this may sound, I think my complexion gets a little grey – ashen I think is what some people call it. Eventually, stress leads to overeating chocolate and with that come’s pimples.

Oh yeah – stress sucks for my face. Anyone’s face.

Okay, I will admit I cherish being a female therefore programmed to slap on some make up to hide the evidence. But at some point the make-up has to come off, and I have to brush my teeth infront of a mirror , get glimpses of the post stress face, and…turn away. Are you in the same boat?

Well, enough with the stress. Let’s Om for our face. I love the sound of the word “om”. I love the feel of it as it reverberates through my throat, and makes my teeth feel like they are vibrating in my mouth. It’s like my personal buddist gong, no metal required. When I sit in a comfortable position, or lie down then close my eyes and om – an incredible peace washes of me. Soothing minutes of “om” have help me fall asleep. Healing seconds of om have brought me back to my center. Days of “om’ing” have soften the tension in my chest, and loosened the ball of pain that drag my facial muscles down into a frown. Months of om’ing have taught me how to redirect my attention to my quiet core out of my noisey, riled up head. The relaxation induced by a good “om” session has loosened my grip on my ice-cream and candy stash, allowing them to drop to the lower rung of my “must have to live” ladder.

Try it. Yes, it may feel strange at first, but don’t stop. You can be driving to work and some great driver cuts you off. “Om.” Going through a pile of bills you can’t imagine paying – “Om.” Remembering the argument you had with a loved one where you came out on the short-end and you want to crush someone. “Om.” Notice how your hints of frown lines become distant memories.

Since last Thanksgiving, in addition to dieting, and exercising – I have been giving myself “God and me” time and “om’ing” until I felt giddy. I look much younger than I did last month.

Try it and get back to me with your results.

Okay, so as you know, my company Gahlou Wellness, LLC, is all about beautiful, healthy skin. Our line, Ah!Romatic Soothers, is a shea butter based line that is fabulous and I am always researching new ways to help existing and new clients to maintain and renew their skin.

Today, I am going to talk about neem oil.

Oh my goodness, it’s a wonderful oil. I mixed it with the Ah!Romatic Soothers base blend and used it to heal a few nasty scratches I got this summer. Now, I am the type of person who normally gets a scratch and keeps the scar for years. Not this time. The research that I did about neem oil prompted me to try it out. I’ve seen it listed as an ingredient in many Indian skin care products. I had to find out it’s benefits for myself.

Now, I have to admit the first thing that struck me was the strong herbal smell. I could almost call it smelly, stinky, really odorous. So if you are the type of person who only like flowery smells – you have two choices: don’t buy neem oil, or use it sparingly and mix it with a carrier oil and/or an essential oil that overpowers neems penetrating smell. The great thing about neem is that it is an essential oil, so the smell doesn’t last too long. But it’s healing benefits – wow.

Like I said, it healed my scratches and the scars are almost completely faded. I also use it for it’s antifungal, antibacterial properties. Will I use it in my products? I am definitely formulating a blend.

FYI…if you are trying to conceive…DO NOT USE NEEM OIL.

Review information I gathered on line:
Neem seed oil has also been found to prevent implantation and may even have an abortifacient effect similar to pennyroyal, juniper berries, wild ginger, myrrh and angelica. The effects were seen as many as ten viagra after fertilization in rats though it was most effective at no more than three days. (Sinha, et al., 1984); (Lal et al., 1985). In a study on rats, neem oil was given orally eight to ten days after implantation of the fetus on the uterine wall. In all cases, by day 15, the embryos were all completely resorbed by the body. The animals regained fertility on the next cycle showing no physical problems. Detailed study of the rats revealed increased levels of gamma interferon in the uterus. The neem oil enhanced the local immune response in the uterus.(Mukherjee, 1996) Post coital use of neem oil as birth control does not appear to work by hormonal changes but produces changes in the organs that make pregnancy no longer viable (Tewari, 1989) (Bardham, 1991).

Thanks for your feedback on my last article about the benefits of tumeric.

Now, for those of you who have never tried Bikram yoga because you figure, “No way! Too Hot!” Consider this – it’s great for your skin.

Okay, it’s great of everything – your spirit, you body, your health overall. But, I’ve done Bikram for three consecutive days, and I have to say – I am glowing.

It could be because I sweat so much I look like I’ve just come out of a swimming pool after every class. And everyone knows that bikram is a great detoxifier. But I think that the bottle of coconut water that I guzzle after class is also directly related to my smooth skin.

So, if you have never done bikram yoga and you are looking for a quick way to reclaim your glow – try it.

If you have done bikram but never drank coconut water during, before, and/or after your practice – Try it. I have been drinking a whole liter of Zico pure cocunut water from Trader Jos. For weight watchers folks – it’s only 4 points for the whole thing.

Afterwards, I rub some AH!Romatic Soothers AH!Lift on my feet. It alleviates my concerns about catching fungus or bacteria from the rug and/or the floor in the studio when I walk around barefooted.

Try it for three consecutive days, and share what you think.