1 Make dirty jokes in public. At my gym, all the guys make dirty jokes, but the women
almost never do. No one is really gross or offensive and it is all in good fun. Today I
made a little sideways comment and made one of the trainers blush. First of all, it was
fun to watch him squirm a little. Secondly, it is a fun and subtle way to remind people,
that women, you know, are people.

2 Do at least one push up every day. If you can’t do a complete push up, cheat. Do it
however you can, but do it every day. Become strong, physically. It feels good to be
strong. It feels empowering, because, you know, women can either be strong or not
strong. Somehow it is not surprising when women are not strong, but when we are, it
carries an uplifted message both to ourselves and to those around us.

3 Connect with the other women in the room first. When entering a new social
situation, I like to try to introduce myself to the sisters first. Even if a woman is not super
friendly, connecting with her first, feels like a stand up thing to do. We are in it together.
We can lead the conversation and command respect in this non-aggressive and warm
way. Usually, no one even notices, but I find it sets a certain tone of respect for the
women and for the men as well.

4 Go support women and girls who are doing cool things. There are now so many
movies, woman comedians, plays, speakers, trainers, woman owned business, all of it.
This is normal to my daughters but remember, this is actually kind of new in our culture.
Let’s support them! It’s true that they aren’t all good, choose what you like! Let’s face it,
a funny woman is, you know, really funny.

5 Carry a pocket knife. I like my pocket knife because I am a mom and I like to be able
to cut up apples or cheese or open a box. I also like it because sometimes I notice
people double taking when I use it. It’s surprising for a woman to have a pocket knife.
Not sure why, but I think it may be a little bit feminist.

6 Choose your look. Decide what to wear and how to look based on your preference
and not based on the expectations of others. I’m not sure why this is a feminist thing,
but I think it really is. Shave, don’t shave. Make-up, no make-up. Jeans, fishnets. All
these choices are yours and no one else’s.

7 Be a woman, it’s fun!

Ok, that’s my list of 7 fun ways to be a feminist. It would be fun to add to it! Any more
fun ways to be a feminist? E-mail them to info@orasamazingherbal.com

Thanks and be well,
Ora

The Dirty Little Secret Behind Oil Makeup Removers

Believe it or not, some of the best makeup removers on the market are oils!

After a long day (especially during those summer months), removing your makeup before cleansing your face is crucial.

In fact, we’ll go as far as to say that skincare is the most important part of your makeup routine. Any professional will tell you that keeping your skin clean, soft, and nourished is the first step in maintaining a healthy glow. And oils are the ideal makeup-removing product in more ways than one:

Oils have the power to remove long lasting, waterproof mascara, eye shadows, liners, and foundation because they can break down virtually any ingredient found in makeup. Here’s how: The oils in the makeup remover bind with your skin’s natural oils and any dirt on the surface, which makes it a breeze to wash everything away.

Here are a few tips:

It’s very important to take off your eye makeup with something targeted for that area, as to not clog the rest of your pores. First, you don’t want to risk an eye infection or discoloration by dragging a dirty wipe or cotton ball over your eyes. And second, you don’t want to risk clogged pores by dragging a dirty wipe or cotton ball over your face. It’s typically best to place a cotton ball with an oil-based remover over your eyes first, let the oil dissolve the makeup for a minute or so, and then wipe clean.

The same type of oil can then be used to take off your face makeup! The key is applying it correctly.

First, start with a dry face and dry hands. Water and oils are not known for mixing well based on the principle of polarity. In order for the makeup remover oil to fully break down the makeup, your skin should be dry.

Second, it’s important that you use the correct amount. If you don’t use enough, it will feel like you’re pulling on your skin. Rubbing it in your hands first, thins it out so that it can be spread evenly over your face and then massaging (in small, circular motions) into your pores helps it bind with your natural oils and accumulated dirt.

Third, follow it up with your daily cleanser and a moisturizer. This will prevent your skin from feeling tight and ensure clean pores. You deserve to have the best of both worlds: flawless makeup and beautiful skin. No one says you should have to choose!

If you’re looking to change up your skincare routine in favor of those nourishing oils, we want to provide you with the perfect solution! Our Daily Nourish Face Oil, available here is perfect for maintaining a youthful glow. It can be worn under makeup, instead of makeup, or to remove makeup. Smell the touch of fruity olive oil, our herbal infused Base Oil, rosehip seed, apricot kernel and meadowfoam oils, without any chemical additives. Many of our friends who wear makeup, also use our Touchy Skin Salve for makeup removal. They say it can even remove more stubborn eye makeup and leave their skin feeling soft and nourished.  Ora’s Amazing Herbal provides you with products that are 100% natural and nourishing because herbs are amazing!

Beards have fallen in and out of popularity throughout the 2000s. Some years they’re “in” and some years they’re “out”; it’s honestly hard to keep track! Regardless, we’ve broken the stereotype that beards are unprofessional. A well-kept, soft beard certainly has its place in the workplace, but keeping it that way is easier said than done. We’ve all seen beards across the tameness spectrum, ranging from ridiculously unkempt to meticulously neat and for the later we may have even asked ourselves, what is their secret?

Beard care and maintenance certainly differs from man to man, but we have a few suggestions on keeping your scruff soft:

1. Be Patient: Growing a beard is hard work and you’re not going to wake up one day with perfect facial hair. But we all know that we have to work hard for what we want. Growing a nice beard takes stamina; you have to resist the urge to trim and shave (especially during the beginning stages), despite the itchiness. However, it’s never too early to start moisturizing. Our line of Beard Oils isn’t tough on skin and actually works to maintain and strengthen its natural moisture barrier. Moisturizing during the growth process makes everything a little bit less scruffy and a lot easier to manage.

2. Evaluate your face shape and beard limitations: First, just like with haircuts, different shaped beards look best with different shaped faces. While every man has the right to bear whatever shaped beard, here are a few general suggestions:

Square Face:         Keep hair fuller on the chin, shorter on the sides

Round Face:         Grow hair longer on the bottom, shorter on the sides

Rectangular Face:     Keep the sides fuller, and the bottom shorter

Oval Face:         Most styles work well

Second, it’s important to accept your beard’s strengths and weaknesses and then embrace them. If the patchiness is real, work around it. Choose the areas you want to keep and improve and touch up the rest with a razor. Just because you have a patchy section doesn’t mean you’re doomed (especially if you keep it soft).

3. Maximize the transition phase: If there’s a time to take the most care of your beard, it’s during this phase. Just as your beard starts to take shape, you should be focused on keeping it clean and moisturized. It’s almost like laying down a strong foundation before you begin construction on a home. If those pioneer hairs aren’t happy, the next generation won’t be either. Definitely invest in a beard wash and beard oil.

4. Get to shaping: Once you have something substantial to work with, you can begin crafting. Since by now you’ve already familiarized yourself with the best shape beard for your face, the transition to style should be smooth. At this point, feel free to hand over the reins to a professional barber. It will just be up to you to maintain, trim, and soften. A poorly trimmed beard is a one-way ticket to unprofessional city, so remember the value of neatness.

At Ora’s Amazing Herbal, we know that growing a beard is hard work and we’re here to support you along the way! Our Beard Oil Set makes a great gift for that hard to buy for, rustic kind of bearded guy. Beautifully and simply packaged in our 100% recycled kraft gift box. Try a little variety with this 3 pack including Revive, Refresh and Unscented. Each is one ounce for convenient travel and ideal for conditioning, and softening. By adding a few drops to your beard and face, the properties of Argan, Rosehips and Jojoba oils will help you keep it kissable.

How can a made bed possibly bring so many emotions?
Deep breath, smile. Ok,.. as promised..

Getting Kids Ready For Sleepaway Camp For The First Time

1 Do not start 2 days before they leave for camp.
2 Unless you function best under ridiculous pressure, do not start a week and a half before you launch 8 new products on your herbal skincare line.
3 Do not do the laundry and pack their stuff on a really beautiful day when you would rather have everyone outside.
4 Do not think about all the little things the camp doesn’t know about your kid like how he forgets to drink water and will never put on a jacket unless you tell him to. It doesn’t mean he isn’t cold, it just means he is busy with more interesting thoughts.
5 Do not let them see you cry, it is good, they are blessed to have such a wonderful place to go to. Be grateful and let go.

1 Well, it pulls humidity out of the air. In soupy New Jersey in the summer, that means your dehumidifier is your best friend.

2 Dehumidifiers smell bad because the bucket holds stagnant moisture pulled from the air. I keep a bottle of leftover essential oils from experimental recipes, and fill a dropper of it into my dehumidifier every time I think of it (a few times a week) to keep it from molding. I just started this genius practice this summer, so far so good.

3 A portable dehumidifier, handy as it may be is also a pain in the butt. Ok, so you can hook it up to a drain in the basement, that’s smart and you never have to really think about it. But in our house in summer, we need the thing upstairs, and there is no good place to hook it up just for summer, so it sits in the hallway. In a house with 4 kids, another thing in the hallway is a pain in the butt.

4 I don’t know where you live, but here in the garden state we have to empty it every day. Another thing to do. I’m not kvetching but, wait no I am kvetching. Get over it. 🙂

5 A dehumidifier is meant to pull moisture out of the air in summer but it blows out warm air. It’s 2015 people, we couldn’t find a way to make it blow cool air?

There you have it. My relationship with my dehumidifier. Complex and baffling.
What paradoxical feelings do you have about your various home appliances? Be in touch below or on your favorite social media, please let me know I am not alone it this struggle!