As we begin to enjoy summer activities, we may also get something we don’t enjoy: sunburns. If you have an aloe vera plant, an easy way to relieve your sunburn is to use aloe gel on the burn.
Benefits of Aloe Gel
Aloe gel not only relieves sunburns, but it is also help moisturize skin. Aloe gel can also help with redness and irritated skin. For those of us who really want healthy skin this summer, aloe gel is a must have. It’s really easy to make your own!
All you need is:
A blender
A knife
A cup
A small spoon
Essential oils (optional)
A container to keep your gel in
First, cut the outermost leaf off of your aloe vera plant. Once you cut a leaf on an aloe vera plant, it will stop growing, so it is recommended that you cut the whole leaf off. Next, sit the leaf upright in a cup and leave for 15-20 minutes. This will drain out a yellow substance from the leaf called resin.
After the 15-20 minutes are up, wash the leaf off to make sure there is not any dirt on the leaf. Next, cut the top part of the leaf off with a sharp knife and spoon the gel into the blender. Make sure that none of the green parts of the leaf make it into the mix. Finally blend the gel and move to a container. Mix in essential oils if you choose to do so. If you are not planning on using the gel right away, store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Sweden Invites New York to Experience Midsummer With Live Streams, Midsummer Picnic Baskets for Pickup, and Complimentary Flower Crowns
For the first time in 24 years, the annual Swedish Midsummer Festival in New York City is canceled, due to the coronavirus pandemic. But it is still possible to experience this major Scandinavian holiday, recognizing summer and the summer solstice, through live streams from all over Sweden on Friday, June 19. For New Yorkers who wish to partake in the activities, complimentary Midsummer flower wreath kits will be provided by Visit Sweden in partnership with Morgan+Grand Flowers, and a few restaurants in New York City have announced “Midsummer specials” for pickup.
Photo: Anna Hållams/imagebank.sweden.se
To prevent the spread of the coronavirus-
this year’s Midsummer festivities in Sweden will look a little different. All major Midsummer events in Sweden have been canceled, but Swedes will still celebrate this special day in smaller groups, with family or close friends. In fact, this year’s Midsummer will be even more special because the nationwide celebration – from Skåne in the south to Swedish Lapland in the north – will be shared with everyone through Visit Sweden’s Facebook live streams. Local Swedish hosts will guide the viewer through activities and share their very personal Midsummer traditions: from their take on the infamous frog dance around the Midsummer pole to skiing under the midnight sun.
Visit Sweden Facebook Live Stream Schedule (US/Eastern Time) 5 am Flower-wreath making inSkåne 7 am Midsummer lunch in West Sweden 9 am Dancing around the Midsummer pole in Dalarna 1 pm Flower picking and evening dip in Roslagen 6 pm Midnight sun and skiing in Swedish Lapland
The Consulate General of Sweden, in collaboration with Battery Park City Authority, typically hosts the annual Swedish Midsummer Festival in New York, which is the largest official Midsummer celebration in the world outside of Sweden. This popular event, dating back to 1996 and drawing thousands of visitors every year, has been postponed until 2021. Instead, the Consulate General of Sweden will honor the Swedish tradition on social media during the week of June 15 leading up to Midsummer’s Eve.
New Yorkers wishing to continue the tradition of celebrating Swedish Midsummer can also pick up a Midsummer flower wreath kit from two locations in Manhattan, by Central Park and Union Square, as well as one in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Visit Sweden is offering these kits free of charge (maximum two per person) on a first-come, first-served basis. Check Morgan+Grand Flowers’ Instagram account for updates: instagram.com/morgandgrand/
Michelin-starred Swedish restaurant Aquavit as well as Swedish top chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Harlem eatery Red Rooster are offering contactless pickup of Midsummer baskets featuring traditional smorgasbord favorites. Pricing and information on how to order the baskets will be available on their websites.
Aquavit is offering a Midsummer Picnic Basket for $155 each. I have attached the full menu and a photo below but each basket feeds at least two people including dishes like herring, Gravlax, Deviled Eggs, Sausages, Swedish Meatballs, and strawberries and cream for dessert; beverages include a flight of housemade aquavits and two Carlsberg beers. The baskets are available to pre-order by calling the restaurant at 212-307-7311 or by visiting the website at www.aquavit.org. Guests can pick up the baskets Thursday, June 18th through Saturday, June 20th from 2 pm to 8 pm.
For those who want to cook their own food, grocery lists and recipes will be shared on
Swedish Midsummer – the Origins
In agrarian times, Midsummer celebrations in Sweden were held to welcome summertime and the season of fertility. It was not until the 1900s, however, that this became the most Swedish of all traditional festivities. Midsummer Night, one of the lightest of the year, was considered a magical night, as it was the best time for telling people’s futures. Also that night, it was said, water was turned into wine and ferns into flowers. Many plants acquired healing powers on that one night of the year.
Swedish Midsummer – the Movie
Last year, many Americans had their first encounter with the tradition in Ari Aster’s horror movie “Midsommar.” The live streams will be a chance to see what Swedish Midsummer really is like – some may recognize the Midsummer pole and dancing, Swedes’ special connection with nature, as well as the light, beautiful nights.
The lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic has been tough on everyone –
Mentally and physically, but as we see restrictions easing in some parts of the country, then it’s natural to have the feeling of coming out of a cocoon! Many of us were neglecting hair and beauty regimes, but now we can go outside again and can be seen by other humans, we deserve to treat ourselves and look our best. If your hair has been looking a bit limp, dry, and boring during the last few months, then here are a few ideas to treat your locks and feel refreshed. Don’t forget you can try something that isn’t a messy bun!
Ease up on the temperatures of your styling products
Many of us love a good curling iron, blow-dryer, or pair of straighteners, as these lovely little devices turn average hair into catwalk-worthy styles, but keep in mind that extreme heat over time leads to dry and brittle hair. If your styling tools have the option to adjust the temperature, then always use middle settings and ideally lessen the use over the course of the week. Heat protectant sprays help a bit, although you’ll have to think long-term if you want great looking hair for your whole life. The same goes for shower temperature, too, as hot water tends to strip away essential oils needed to lubricate our scalps.
Give your hair some highlights
Fabio Doti Salon shot by http://thejasongoodrich.com/ Downtown Magazine
If you’ve already got lighter hair but wish to add a few playful streaks here and there to adjust your look, then highlights for your hair is an absolute must-have. Learn all about doing these yourself so that you can get salon-like results at home and have a final look that you’re proud of displaying. Highlights are a great way to refresh old, tired-looking hair without necessarily having to resort to entire coverage using hair dye. Plus, these are a bit less complicated to achieve than going for the ombre look, as that usually requires a professional to help complete the look.
You’d be surprised what a quality hair mask can do to hair in not-so-great-condition. Packed with restorative and moisturizing ingredients that help to mend the scalp and hair strands, hair masks come in many different types and can be used once a week for a great hair care regime alongside your normal shampoo and conditioner. You can also try these DIY hair mask ideas if you want to use up some household ingredients!
Take care of the hair ends
If you’re trying to grow your hair longer, especially, split ends are your worst enemy. These must be trimmed roughly every three months in order for your hair to flow naturally and look its best. Wearing scarves and hats throughout winter, not to mention the wind and indoor heating, all take a toll on our hair ends and damage them ever so slightly. If you avoid trimming the ends, your hair will only look frizzier and lifeless. Shampoos and conditioners can help to repair split ends somewhat, but it won’t fix the issue completely – only a haircut can do that. Visit your stylist as soon as it becomes possible, as trimming the ends yourself often leads to bad results! Look here for some great hairstyles to try next winter.
Be careful with wet hair
When you get out of the shower or bath, then remember that hair is very prone to damage when it’s wet. Wait until your hair has mostly dried before running a wide-toothed comb or brush through it, and don’t rub at your hair vigorously with a towel to speed up the drying (you’ll only create more frizz and breakage), but instead pat softly to dry. Chlorine from swimming pools isn’t exactly a best friend to our hair, so either, wear a swimming cap or wash and condition as soon as you get out of the pool.
David Cotteblanche shot by Philippe Reynaud Downtown Magazine
16 Handles has been a NYC staple since 2008 and has managed to stay in business even as froyo stores have come and gone and trends have changed. We talked to founder and CEO Solomon Choi about how he got started, how 16 Handles stays innovative, and what the future holds for his company.
Downtown: How has 16 Handles managed to outlast many of the stores that opened as the froyo trend was taking off?
Solomon Choi: Our focus has been around quality products (best tasting, chef-created, curated ingredients), self-expression (Flaunt Your Flavor!), and fun (environment, music, social voice). We also offer tasty options for all dietary needs (non-fat/low fat, no sugar added, non-dairy, tart). These factors helped us create a lifestyle brand in NYC rather than just another froyo shop. We were recognized as the first self serve froyo shop in NYC, and it didn’t hurt that what started with 10 direct frozen dessert competitors in a three block radius from our East Village store is now just one other ice cream shop.
Downtown: Why were you the person to create 16 Handles?
SC: Growing up I always wanted to create my own brand. I studied marketing in college and really enjoyed consumer behavior and branding courses. My background was in hospitality and restaurant management. While living in LA, I was part of a restaurant group, and one of the brands we franchised was a gelato concept from Texas. I was in charge of franchise sales and noticed that a lot of prospects were more interested in frozen yogurt due to Pinkberry’s rising popularity. In doing research, I quickly realized that consumers were treating tart frozen yogurt as a healthier dessert/snack option and even as a post-workout refreshment– something they never did with ice cream. A family friend still operates the very first self serve frozen yogurt shop that he bought in 1990. I apprenticed at his store for a few months to learn the business and told him that I was going to create my own franchise brand using the self serve model. My family provided the seed funding for me to open one location, and I decided on NYC because I wanted to build a global brand thus went to the most global and brand prominent city in the world.
Downtown: Can you even eat your own product on the Keto diet?!
SC: Sparingly. I started the Keto diet in December so I had to eliminate sugar/carbs almost entirely which has made my snacking options limited. That said, I taste and sign off on all flavors that make it to the handles. Our culinary team is actually working on keto friendly flavors so don’t be surprised if we’re the first brand with those offerings. Flavor innovation is extremely important for us, and our customers look to us to lead the way in soft serve like we’re doing now with our vegan cashew milk based flavors.
Downtown: What did you learn about yourself by starting this company?
SC: I learned that sticking with my gut is often times the best thing to do as the founder and leader of the organization. While I often make mistakes, I’ve found that overall the brand has been carried by my vision and that can’t be bought or taught. I also learned that it’s paramount to get talented people around you who are excited about the vision. I used to think it was about hiring the smartest or most experienced but I’ve seen over the last decade that those aren’t enough without the right attitude and heart. Lastly, I’ve come to realize that I’m in love with the process of building a brand moreso than managing one. An entrepreneur lives for the love of creating.
Downtown: How fun is R&D?
SC: R&D allows me to tap into my innermost child and be creative. Each year I personally visit our creamery in Michigan and work with the culinary team to develop new flavors for the following year. It’s two to three days of non-stop soft serve tasting. While that may sound like a dream job, it’s actually quite taxing on your body and taste buds. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it, and I have enough data points now to know with a high degree of certainty which flavors will work better than others. This past year I was able to bring along Haerin Ma, our product manager. Haerin is classically trained in pastry and dessert so it was great to get her involved and contribute with her expertise.
Downtown: How do you keep things interesting?
SC: We love to look at trends both in our space as well as outside to try to understand our customers and their behavior. I would say that it’s this obsession that separates us from our competitors. This business was built for the guest and their experience so it keeps myself and the team on our toes and looking at the everchanging world that we live in, especially because of technology. We’ve been at the forefront of utilizing digital and technological tools to be where our customers communicate and congregate. In addition to food and franchise conventions and shows, I participate in digital retail and technology summits to stay on top of the latest trends and developments. I then bring back my learnings and present it to our team to see how we can apply those insights into our business. The vibe is more of a tech startup than a traditional foodservice franchise. We also stay very lean so that we’re working closely on all projects.
Downtown: How do partnerships come about?
SC: Some of the partnerships come inbound and others from outbound communications. As NYC’s largest frozen dessert brand, we have leverage in reaching an audience that other brands or advertisers want to reach. We do a fantastic job in reaching our audience both in store and on our social channels. When we look for a partner, we make sure that the values and perception of the brand work well with ours so that it doesn’t send a weird message to all of our guests. Our latest partnership with Cookie Do NYC was a no brainer because we have a similar vibe and service the same customers with our dessert offerings. It’s great to work with best in class brands to amplify our engagement.
Downtown: What is the future for 16 Handles?
SC: 2019 is about re-committing to lifestyle values. The health and diet trends of today are very different than in 2008. We started this year by offering more plant-based, non-dairy offerings as this has been something that our guests have been asking for. I see our soft serve wall in the near future with monikers like “keto, paleo, vegan, gluten-free” among others that are more relevant now as to how people choose to eat and snack. We exist so that we can continue to create moments of happiness by sharing the world’s best tasting desserts and snacks centered around quality, self-expression, and fun.
Liza Lash for L'Oréal Paris. (PRNewsfoto/L'Oreal Paris)
Don’t be scared to get creative with your Halloween makeup look. Stand out from every witch and cat in the crowd with three of-the-moment makeup ideas – unicorn, mermaid, and galaxy girl. No (Halloween) tricks here – only treats in the form of simple, DIY makeup tricks for easily recreating the looks.
STEP 2: Create the mermaid statement eye. Use blue shade from the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Paints Eye Shadow in BRB Blue to paint your lid. Then fill in the crease with the darker green shade followed by the gray side to highlight the brown bone and inner corner of the eye. Use the light green shade to add dimension to the under-eye along the lower lash line.
STEP 1: Highlight, highlight, highlight. Swipe the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Galaxy Stick in Astro Blue anywhere that light would naturally hit. Think: your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, the center of your chin, and a touch along your collarbones.
Finish With a Pop of Hair Color: Add a pop of temporary color to hair using the new L’Oréal Paris Colorista Sprays. From rose gold and pastel blue to hot pink, the sprays offer instant hair color transformation to complement any Halloween look. Just spray and wash out once the night ends.
All products used for these Halloween makeup looks are available on their website, and mass, food and drug retailers nationwide.
