Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt contains a lot of protein twice as much as a regular yogurt. Proteins help repair skin tissues and make you skin more radiant and youthful. It also contains lactic acid, an organic compound that aids in diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by tightening and shrinking pores. It also has exfoliating properties that transform your skin from being dry and dull to lighter and softer. There is also a lot of vitamin B in greek yogurt. It is packed with 20 to 30% of the daily-recommended value of riboflavin that keeps skin hydrated and aids in cell-growth and regeneration. The zinc content in greek yogurt also regulates oil production.

Blueberries

Blueberries contain compounds called anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that shield the skin against harmful free radicals that can damage the collagen that keeps your skin firm. They are also exploding with vitamin C, another antioxidant crucial for collagen production. Blueberries are bursting with antioxidants, which helps with a youthful glow as well. Phytonutrients in blueberries (organic plant compounds that are thought to aid in human health) can also help curb skin cancer.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is full of lipids, minerals, and vitamins that add moisture to benefit the condition of one’s skin. It also contains both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This is ideal for sensitive skin and to treat a variety of skin disorders like eczema. Oatmeal also contains saponins, which are characterized by their intense cleansing properties. Oatmeal is also used in a lot of baths, because it can remove excess dirt and debris from your body, which is also why it works wonders on your face.

Honey

Honey is naturally antibacterial, which helps balance the bacteria on your skin. This is good for acne. Honey has a very low pH, so a lot of bacterias cannot survive in honey. It’s about a 3.5 on average on the pH scale, and a lot of bacteria needs to thrive in closer to a 7 on the scale. Honey also helps speed up the skin cells’ healing process. In fact, manuka honey is so effective at healing wounds quickly that it’s now used by doctors in clinical settings. This ingredient is also full of antioxidants, which is great for slowing down aging. Another benefit is that it has exfoliating properties, so using it on your face can eliminate dead skin cells that make your skin look dull. Since honey is a super-saturated solution, meaning the bees mix a lot of sugars into a little bit of water, it is moisture-grabbing. It is always trying to grab water from the air to balance out the sugar. (This information can be found on my last blog post of my Shea Butter Face Mask.)

The human rights/global issue I feel compelled to learn more about is equal education available to men and women, because I have always heard of little facts and stories about how children in other lower developed countries do not have access to education or boys have more access to it than girls. I feel passionate towards this issue because it sets women back in this fight for equal opportunity globally. Young girls need to have access to education to be able to make a difference in this world. Who said that educating boys over girls is more beneficial? I feel that although major strides have been made in today’s day in age, I still see an in balance in the workforce. Men are still the dominant force within business. Women can’t fight this force without being educated. I want to be able to one day travel to a lower developed country and teach girls for free and maybe even help start a program to increase access of education for girls. I could document this experience and tell their story through this documentary to spread awareness globally.

Shea Butter:

Shea butter contains fats that have been extracted from shea tree nuts, which gives the creamy thick consistency. High concentrations of fatty acids and vitamin K allows for the softening effect and helps your body to heal faster when your skin barrier has been compromised. Vitamin K also protects your skin from UV sun rays. The rich tree nut oils in shea butter can soak into your skin, creating a smooth and soft barrier that seals in the moisture. Shea butter also contains high levels of oleic, linoleic and stearic acids, which combat oxidative stress, which is the effect the environmental toxins have on your skin cells.

Almond Milk:

Almond milk contains a lot of zinc, which helps keep skin clear and free of blemishes. It is also extremely rich in vitamin E, which protects the skin from harsh rays of the sun. Vitamin E also deeply nourishes skin cells and keeps them supple. Almond milk also contains flavonoids: catechin, kaempferol and epicatechin, which are powerful antoxidants. They protect skin cells from oxidizing and dying off by fighting off free radicals that cause anti-aging. Collagen and elastin are important substances in almond milk that give the skin its elasticity and firmness.

Honey:

Honey is naturally antibacterial, which helps balance the bacteria on your skin. This is good for acne. Honey has a very low pH, so a lot of bacterias cannot survive in honey. It’s about a 3.5 on average on the pH scale, and a lot of bacteria needs to thrive in closer to a 7 on the scale. Honey also helps speed up the skin cells’ healing process. In fact, manuka honey is so effective at healing wounds quickly that it’s now used by doctors in clinical settings. This ingredient is also full of antioxidants, which is great for slowing down aging. Another benefit is that it has exfoliating properties, so using it on your face can eliminate dead skin cells that make your skin look dull. Since honey is a super-saturated solution, meaning the bees mix a lot of sugars into a little bit of water, it is moisture-grabbing. It is always trying to grab water from the air to balance out the sugar.

Tea Tree Essential Oil:

Tea tree oils have antiseptic properties that contributes to its abilities to combat oily skin. It also contains antiflammatory properties, which relieve discomfort of itchy skin. This also helps to reduce redness and swelling. Another property tea tree oil contains is antibacterial. This is effective in wound healing and reducing acne scars.

Just 4 ingredients!

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of shea butter and add it into a small bowl.
2. Next add a few drops of tea tree essential oils.
3. Now add 1/2 a teaspoon of honey to the mix.
4. Finally add 1 tablespoon of almond milk. Now mix it all together!

Technology has transformed our culture for the good and bad. I do believe technology increases our ability to connect with each other and makes everything much more convenient and social. For example, rather than having to drive over to your friends house to talk to them about something, you could just call or text them. Yet I do not believe that it makes us more human. I feel as if technology makes us less human in ways. We take advantage of this connectivity and do not utilize it in ways that is human. For example, when you are out with your friends getting dinner, teenagers tend to go on their phones the whole time and not say a word. Not only teens, but I even find my family dinners consumed with technology and with no conversation. Technology gives us a convenient way to connect with each other, but I believe two people cannot truly connect unless they are face to face. If we did not have technology it would force us to go physically talk to someone about something and you may stray on to another conversation. If I were to send out a text to inform someone about something, it is much less conversational and more of a reminder. I also feel as if technology drains everything real about life experiences. Because it is so convenient to just communicate through our phones, nobody wants to experience life for it’s many gifts. For example, when going to concerts everyone is always on their phone trying to record the whole concert to show proof they were there. People could be savoring the moments and the real experience that is happening in front of them rather than staring at it through a phone. They are missing out on truly experiencing the concert. The world was not created for us to be obsessed with small rectangular objects. The world was created for us to savor the real-life things that life has to offer. So next time your out at a family dinner, ask your parents how their day was instead of playing with your phone. Something so little could make a huge change in your life.

How might we increase confidence for people insecure about their skin by designing a face mask with benefits fit to them.

Design thinking includes to empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. My product empathizes with people who struggle being comfortable in their own skin. This allowed me to define my problem: creating face masks fit for people of all skin types. This is where I ideated that I want to be able to create a survey on my website that will figure out which face mask is fit for them. The survey will be a series of questions that narrows down the face masks to what the customer needs. I also want to find the perfect recipes for face masks that will help people feel more confident in their skin. I will create prototypes by testing different ingredients to create the best face masks. I am going to have to make different face masks to come to the perfect face masks. While creating prototypes, I am going to have to go through the process of test. Here I will be testing my different prototypes and adjusting them. This process is the thorough creative process that will help me improve upon my face masks.

One idea I have for a project is the science behind make-up. I want to know what goes into creating a make-up product and what makes certain products a certain consistency and work a certain way. For example, I want to know how some foundations are dewier than others. I would make a blog for my findings and share what I learn to the world.

Another project idea I have is to learn more about astrology signs and horoscopes. I want to understand how horoscopes work and the science behind it all. I would create a website and share what I learn with the world. I also want to do a survey in the school and see how many people believe in horoscopes.

Lastly, I want to do a project on what goes into creating a business. Everyone has a basic idea of how businesses work, but I want to learn the specifics in creating a successful business. I would make an easy-guide for starting a business on a website.

I think the astrology project speaks to me most. I like to read my monthly horoscopes and I have always wondered how they work, I just never had the time to research it. This project will expand my knowledge in something I have always found interesting and something that I have always used but known little about, which is how it will impact my personal development. This will add to my technical skill set because it will expand my knowledge in astronomy, which is something I do not have currently. It will impact others because I will create a website that shares this knowledge that I learn. I will also get to see what other people think of horoscopes with the survey.

With all the money in the world, I would spend my time running a business. I would first use the money to go to a college, and then use my money to buy a fashion magazine company. Throughout high school, I have developed an interest in fashion, journalism, and business. Therefore, working for a fashion magazine company has been my dream job. After college, I would also use my money to move out to Los Angeles, California and buy a house there. Then I would integrate myself within the business and find a position for myself within it. I would also definitely spend lots of time shopping for clothes, but I want to spend most of my time working at a company and running the operations side of it. With all the money in the world, I feel as if I would not be happy without a purpose, which is why I would invest my money into something that I can do to fulfill my goals. I have always been a generally productive person. I always need something to do every day to feel satisfied. A lot of money can lead people to feel purposeless because people would spend it all on superficial things. I want to use my money to give myself purpose every day.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton