The brand new Color Toning Drops from plant powered hair care line Bouclème ia a  Black owned brand. Founder Michele Scott-Lynch encourages women to embrace their curls and creates the right products to care for them. Best, Jessica

Color Toning Drops

• Banish brassiness and bring back the vibrance of your natural and dyed color
• The revolutionary, 98.7% natural formula is enriched with deep indigo hues suitable for blondes, silvers, balayage, or dyed brunettes
• Add it to shampoo and conditioner or use with stylers and deep conditioning treatments
• A more concentrated effect is achieved when used with leave-in products
• Works from roots to tips for naturally restored, radiant color
• Dial the amount up or down to create your ultimate in depth and tone
• Featuring an innovative vegan bioactive complex derived from three Australian coastal flowers known for their unique rejuvenating and hydrating properties (Red Spider Flower, Kangaroo Paw, and Banksia) + Blue Spirulina helping with hair growth and overall health
• Packed in a 100% PCR (post consumer regrind) bottle, made reusing single-use plastic that would otherwise end up in landfill

Price: $36

If you are like most people, then you probably feel a bit wiped out from the events of the last year. Having to adapt to new working situations and suddenly a different home life has been a stressful and frustrating ordeal for many. As things start to progress, though, you might be feeling a bit more relaxed and relieved about the future.

It is important to take the time to practice some positive self-care in the new year. Even if it still isn’t quite possible for you to go on your yearly getaway for some rest and relaxation, there are still plenty of ways in which you can treat yourself. Furthermore, you can even look to do so without breaking your budget.

If you are looking for some simple and cost-effective ways to treat yourself without completely breaking the bank, here are a few ideas that you can consider.

Go on a Savvy Shopping Spree

Retail therapy can be one of the most fun ways to boost your mood and treat yourself. Moreover, as winter starts to show signs of winding down, you might be eager to start looking for some sweet spring and summer styles that will help you to ring in the warmer weather ahead.

That being said, it can be a bit dangerous in terms of spending to let yourself go on a full-on shopping spree. Your budget certainly won’t thank you for completely using up all of the savings that you might have accumulated in the last six months or so. 

The best thing you can do is go on a more savvy type of shopping spree. Schedule your shopping around any upcoming sales so that you can score some major deals on the items you want. It is also a good idea to explore the concept of using coupons and coupon codes for your shopping spree. 

You can find yourself walking home with much more for far less when you use coupons. It might even be possible for you to Win Instant Cash in the process.

Make Yourself an Amazing Meal Without Too Much Effort

If you are the sort of person who loves to treat yourself to some quality meals but aren’t looking to pay expensive restaurant prices to do so, you can make yourself a special meal without too much effort on your part. Meal delivery services have really taken off in the last year, giving people the chance to spoil themselves with amazing food without having to go out.Some of your favorite food delivery apps will offer special discounts from time to time that will allow you to afford a great meal when you order in. Other services will deliver pre-packages and pre-measured ingredients for a gourmet meal right to your door. All you have to do is follow the recipe that’s supplied and enjoy some incredible food without all the effort. You can even set your table up nicely to make it feel more like you are eating out.

Hop ‘til you drop with:

Spring Picnic ($13) – mixed design of pastel plaid

Eggs-travaganza ($13) – glittering multi-colored painted egg design

Funny Bunny ($13) – mixed design of rabbits and blue + pink plaid

Color Street’s real nail polish strips:

• Are flexible and can be gently stretched for a perfect fit
• Include a base, color, and top coats of high-quality liquid nail polish in each strip
• Provide results in just minutes with no dry time, smudges, or streaks
• Easily removable with nail polish remover

Covid -19 has changed the lives of just about everyone. Our daily routines have been pounded into the ground. I do miss my family and friends and  zoom and phones have helped very much. I am cooking more than usual, but one of the biggest problems I am having is dealing with my dry skin. With all the hand washing nd hand sanitizing, my hands are especially in need of some tender loving care. My feet could use a little help too!

One remedy I have found is  BeeSpa’s Total Body bundle which line includes a mini Beespa  Hand and Foot Cream and a Luxury Body Cream .  I received this duo over the holidays and I am loving them both.

The beeswax ingredient is magical as it helps to keep your skin fully moisturized. I especially like that Beespa is unisex.  The Hand and Foot Cream can be used in multiple ways, after a manicure or to help moisturize and shape men’s beards.  It’s especially soothing after using hand sanitizer.

I have been using the Foot Cream before bed. The Essential oils, beeswax and shea butter  moisturizes while anti-aging vitamins and antioxidants nourish Soothe and repair dry, cracked feet.

The Hand and foot cream features:

• a Refillable container and Perfect for purse or travel!
• Repairs and smoothes dry, cracked feet and hands
• Hydrates and softens with shea butter, essential oils and beeswax
• Helps maintain skins elasticity by enabling skin to retain moisture and removing dry skin.
• Contains Vitamins E, A and D; Rich in antioxidants
• No harsh ingredients, no artificial fragrances. Never tested on animals.

The secret ingredient is BEESWAX

“Beeswax has been shown to carry antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties essential in fighting chapped skin and bacterial infections that tend to affect us most in the dry, winter months. It forms a protective wall by sealing in our skin moisture without smothering and clogging up the pores. Plus, beeswax contains vitamin A proven in multiple studies to reduce wrinkles and age spots while re-hydrating and reconstructing damaged skin cells.”

In response to a growing demand for wholesome, clean, and fun personal care products for kids, Raw Sugar Living has just launched ‘Raw Sugar Kids‘ in all Target stores nationwide. Raw Sugar’s Bath Bunch disrupts the marketplace with a fresh and creative way to tap into imaginative play and make bath time a more enjoyable experience—for both kids and parents alike. Gentle and affordable, the Raw Sugar Kids 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, and the 2-in-1 Bubble Bath & Body Wash deliver nature-inspired fun-filled scents, wholesome clean ingredients, and a signature aspirational vibe. Raw Sugar Living is known for their innovative clean personal care lines and for swiftly expanding into best-in-class retailers across the country.

“Raw Sugar Kids is where good and clean meet fun and lovable,” said Donda Mullis, Co-Founder & CMO, Raw Sugar Living. “Imaginative play is so important in the formative years, and we noticed an opportunity in the kid’s category to engage in a clean, fun and affordable way. Little ones will enjoy the outside of the products while their parents will appreciate all the goodness inside.”

Each collectable character is inspired by cold-pressed fruits and is brought to life with a playful tactile bottle that captures the expressive “monsta-friendly” faces that play to kids’ imaginations, turning a routine bath time ritual into a fun-filled play adventure.

Adds Mullis: “Each of these loveable characters has its own personality in the same way each kid has their own loveable traits that make them unique and truly special. Every bath time buddy is inscribed with an aspirational Sugar Note affirming the message of self-value and worth — our way of reminding kids how much each of them matters.”

The Raw Sugar Kids collection is made with plant-derived ingredients and cold-pressed extracts, is clinically and allergy tested, and cruelty free and vegan.

“Our patent pending disruptive packaging brings kids’ imaginations to life on the retailer shelves along with ingredients that are gentle and free of sulfates and parabens,” said Ronnie Shugar, Co-Founder & CEO, Raw Sugar Living.

Learn more about Raw Sugar Kids at Rawsugarliving.com/shop/raw-sugar-kids/

About Raw Sugar Living

Based in Sarasota, Florida, Raw Sugar Living is an aspirational lifestyle personal care brand that makes clean, premium and healthy living products affordably. Since 2014, the company mainstreams premium-quality and vegan-friendly personal care products, recognized by their signature ‘Bamboo Tops & White Bottles’ message and ‘Living Purely Unfiltered’ tagline. Through their social give-back program, the Raw Sugar Initiative, the company has donated millions of bars of soap and hand sanitizers (and counting!) and has received various industry honors in product innovation, leadership, business growth and impact. Learn more: RawSugarLiving.com

Farming,  which was once an activity carried out solely for subsistence, is now a profitable venture. The opportunity inherent in farming not only creates an immense source of wealth for farmers but, also opens up numerous avenues for skilled and unskilled personnel looking for Labouring Jobs. 

But as with all business, the world of farming faces challenges that dwindle crop yield expectation, which can deter people from exploring and exploiting the abundance in agriculture. 

Consequently, agro scientists, in conjunction with several experts within the agricultural sector, have created and are still creating more methods and strategies to reduce crop disease,  increase crop yields, and minimize wastage. 

Read on to find out seven practices that can cause a significant increase in farming productivity. 

Proper Water Management 

Simply spraying crops with water may seem conventional. However, much thought isn’t given to how much water is wasted during the process that could be conserved and used to water more crops. 

Using the knowledge of precision farming, farmers can know how much water each plant needs and apply it in the right proportions. For example, a piece of watering equipment called a drip line can supply water in drops that will only touch a plant’s root. 

The practice of this helps to save more water hence, reducing the cost of running water. 

• Improved Seed Varieties 

There’s no denying that the output of a hybrid is always better than local seed varieties. For many years, agro scientists continue to combine different seed traits to create varieties resistant to disease and heat.

Generally, plants grown from improved seed varieties tend to grow faster, attract fewer pests, and require less attention than local seeds. 

• Good Storage Facilities

The wastage in crop produce begins from the harvesting stage when farmers use local equipment to harvest their crops. For example, snipping vegetables and fruits off stalks with unsterilized blades will induce an infection. 

Furthermore, due to a lack of proper storage systems, the promises of a bountiful harvest can quickly turn sour in a matter of weeks.  

Farm establishments with little or no storage facilities can still store their produce by joining cooperative farming societies.

• Co-operative Farming Societies

An organized, registered group of farm establishments has powerful advantages that ordinary farm setups may lack. 

First, such a coalition is recognized by the government and can demand better facilities and favorable farming policies. Also, group members can access loans, discounts on implements, machines, etc, that would otherwise be difficult and expensive to acquire from loan sharks and financial institutions. 

Second, farmers in a cooperative body can educate one another and share ideas on efficient farming practices. 

Third, because of the mutually beneficial nature of such groups, farmers benefit from a network that makes it easy to source seeds during planting and market produce when it’s harvest time. 

• Appropriate Preventive Measures 

More often than not, factors that cause crop productivity to plummet are foreseeable and preventable. For instance, farmers can lower the chances of a disease outbreak by using improved varieties. Also, farmers can employ the prophylactic strategy of spraying pesticides at intervals during the plants’ life cycle. 

Another preventive step that can reduce crop loss and boost agricultural output is the use of selective herbicides.  

Using selective herbicides will help kill off weeds that compete with plants for nutrients and attract pests that are dangerous to crops like grasshoppers and aphids.

Other preventive practices may include soil disinfection before planting, embankments and tunnel construction for channeling water in flood-prone areas, and the installation of irrigation facilities for watering during drought episodes. 

• Nitrogen Application

Three essential components that must be present in the soil for optimum plant growth are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Of all three, plants need nitrogen the most and in higher proportions. 

Plants use nitrogen to create chlorophyll molecules that help in photosynthesis. Also, the formation of a semi-liquid fluid called protoplasm that powers plant cells come from nitrogen. 

Leguminous crops can help fix nitrogen in the soil through a natural process call nitrification. Conversely, farmers bump up soil nitrogen levels through the application if 

fertilizers.  

Summarily, knowing whether a farm’s soil needs nitrogen and which method to use in applying it is crucial in the overall outcome of plant produce during harvest.  

• Farm Monitoring Software

Farm monitoring or management software came to be during the inception of the agri-tech era. The software collects and analyzes data from sensors mounted on the farm. The sensors can monitor changes in plant growth, weed density and also detect pest presence. 

Moe sophisticated sensors can forecast the weather and alert farmers on impending dangers.  Some can even combine such data to predict crops’ availability and market analysis.  

Conclusion

Agriculture has evolved with the improvement in technology. More than ever, experts are finding new ways to increase crop quality and quantity to increase food availability and reduce world hunger.  

Several smart agriculture practices, when implemented, can ensure maximum crop productivity, increase job availability, and catapult agricultural revenues. 

Initially, some of these practices may require expensive installation costs, the resulting crop productivity percentage more than what makes up for the upfront expenses.