If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

Using beauty products that contain rice water is widely popular in several regions in Asia, as many people see it as a beneficial ingredient for maintaining hair health. Rice water is made up of many vitamins and nutrients, such as amino acids, vitamins C, E and B, which can contribute to growth, shine and softness. It also works as a fantastic detangler, making it an optimal ingredient to keep on hand during the winter months. If you’ve never given haircare with rice water a go before, consider beginning with the ProBliva Rice Water Growth Treatment.

The leave-in scalp spray has already begun to make waves amongst Amazon shoppers for its effective results. Beyond rice water, the formula contains other anti-loss additives, such as caffeine, biotin, castor oil and rosemary oil, which help promote stronger hair follicles stimulating the scalp for long-term health benefits. These ingredients are also superior at soothing irritated skin, calming inflammation and encouraging thicker strands for increased volume.

Lucky for you, it’s on sale at Amazon for $20, which is the lowest price it’s had in the past 30 days. Scoop one up while it still has a 20 percent discount!

Amazon

ProBliva Rice Water Spray

The paraben- and cruelty-free spray has earned a 4.3 approval rating from reviewers who claim to have seen a difference in both volume and growth from continued use. One person rejoiced that their “hairline has been growing back” and that it’s now so thick, “it takes 3 times the amount of time to blow dry.” 

“I have been struggling with hair issues due to hormonal imbalances. This spray is a lifesaver,” they continued. “My hair is thicker and feels like a silk ribbon after using this spray. For those sensitive to perfumes, there is no noticeable scent.”

RELATED: This Anti-Thinning Shampoo Addresses Progressive Hair Loss—& Shoppers’ Locks ‘Have More Body Than Ever’ After Use

“Today was the third day and there was practically no shedding in my shower this morning,” raved another fan, who says clumps of hair falling out have “completely stopped” since using this spray. “I had been dealing with excessive dandruff/sebum on the scalp as well and that is also almost all gone. My scalp and hair feel healthy and fresh. I can not describe the relief of not having to pick up gobs of hair out of the shower drain.”

I guess rice water really is all that. 

In this short series of articles for Sixty and Me, we looked at the issue of children moving away from books and also explored 20 ways to get them started – or to help them continue – their reading journey. Whether you have grandchildren or not, these tips still apply.

We have learned that the love of reading is diminishing. Shall we take on the challenge of breathing life back into our next generation’s views about reading?

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.

—Dr. Suess

We can because we care!

How to Choose a Book

Here are a number of good tips for selecting a good book for your grandchild:

• Ask your grandchild what book he/she wants to read.
• Choose a book that a child can relate to.
• Find out what the child’s friends are reading.
• Find out the books that are trending.
• Strong illustrations are important for the younger child.
• Choose a book that is fun to read aloud for the younger child.
• A book that teaches the child important things

Age Appropriate Books

And the #1 Rule when looking for a book for your child is to find one that is age appropriate.

Here is a list of some of Susan’s Clark’s (children’s school librarian) suggested books for all age groups.

Picture Books to Read to Your Grandchild

It’s Mine by Leo Lionni

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

Hello Goodbye Window by Norton Juster

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Alice the Fairy by David Shannon

Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

Book Series

Once your grandchild starts reading on their own, you can introduce them to a book series.

Beginning Readers

Elephant and Piggie by Mo Wilems

Fly Guy by Teddy Arnold

Clifford by Norman Bridwell

Berenstain Bears by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Pete the Cat by James Dean

Curious George by H.A. Rey

If You Give A … by Laura Numeroff

Miss Nelson by Harry Allard

No David by David Shannon

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

Beginning Chapter Books (1st-2nd grade)

Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant

Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Nate The Great by Marjorie Sharmat

Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

Cam Jansen by David Adler

Mighty Robot by Ricky Ricotta

Katie Woo by Fran Manushkin

Chapter Books (3rd-4th grade)

Rainbow Magic by Daisy Meadows

A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

Judy Moody by Meagan McDonald

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

The Littles by John Peterson

Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon

Dragon Masters by Tracey West

Hank the Cowdog by John Erickson

Encyclopedia Brown by Donold Sobol

Secrets of Droon by Barbara Schultz

Advanced Chapter Books (5th grade on)

Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Penderwicks by Jeannie Birdsall

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Warriors by Erin Hunter

Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Use Various Resources

If you are not familiar with titles of current children’s books use the resources available to help you.

• Ask a librarian.
• Ask a bookstore employee.
• Check out children’s book websites.
• Ask the child.

And here’s a website for finding other great books for children: http://childrensbooks.about.com/

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What book did you recently purchase for a grandchild? Have you read any books together? Do you ask questions when reading a book with children? What do you like most about this type of relationship?

Let’s start with the care and feeding of flowers. By gaining this knowledge, you can save a life, one stem at a time, which goes some way toward making a beautiful lasting arrangement.

It is remarkable how delicate flowers can appear. But they are also remarkably hardy when you think about what they must go through to get to you.

Flowers Travel Long-Distance

Commercial flowers for the American market are primarily grown in Central America, Costa Rica, Chile, and El Salvador; the orient provides most tropical flowers. Holland is the best source of specialty flowers for weddings, out-of-season needs, and European access.

A tidbit: Much like the French wine grape crops had a fatal disease in the 19^th century, destroying much of the wine grapes, the Dutch had a similar experience with their tulips. The tulips grown in the Skagit Valley of Washington State went a long way in helping the Dutch reignite their world-famous industry.

Commercial growers use multiple growing controls, from seedling production to soils and fertilizers, temperature, and light regulation, to improve the quality and durability of their products. Not all, but some have adopted earth-friendly methods. It is a consciousness that is growing.

Once harvested in the morning, the flowers are cleaned of all root stems and dirt, then are bunched and put in plastic sleeves, boxed with padding and ice packs, wood braces, and plastic strapping, then shipped out of the country, overnight, if without delay, to Customs in Florida or LA, etc.

Once cleared through Customs, the flowers are sent to wholesalers nationwide. They are re-packed with gel ice packs, wood braces, cushioning, and strapping, then shipped to retail establishments that sell to you. Wholesalers process flowers (details to follow) in plastic sleeves and store them in coolers until shops’ and designers’ orders are pulled.

The Life of a Flower Depends Mainly on Time

How much time has passed since the flowers was harvested until you brought them home?

It can often be as little as 12 -24 hours when all goes as scheduled; more often, it is a 36-hour journey. When things don’t go as planned, some floral orders can sit in a warehouse in the summer heat for three days, but that is a story for another time.

A suggestion: This journey is why it is well worth asking the floral department employee what days the flowers generally arrive at the store and how long the store keeps them if they don’t sell within a day or 2 or 3.

On to Processing

To me, processing evokes images of meat markets, which seems distasteful when used in parallel with the beauty flowers offer us and the feelings they produce. But it is an industry word and will help establish your floral designer street cred if used.

The steps become necessarily more complex the farther down the timeline from when the stems were harvested. They are now in your hands, awaiting the lifesaving methods you have learned to commence. I use the same steps for flowers and greenery.

Processing involves the steps we need to take to resuscitate and energize the flowers we bought.

Controlling the Environment

Flowers need energy and bacterial protection to live. Floral food and antibacterial elements are in those little packets that come with every purchase. Flowers need to be able to uptake those two elements, from stem to head, to be revived from the effects of their arduous journey.

Flowers need clean containers, clean water, and to be free of debris to better manage bacteria. If your packets were lost along the way, a small cap full of bleach and a couple of tablespoons of 7-up (I pick 7-up because it is clear) would achieve a similar end.

Free of debris also means the removal of any leaves and petals that would touch or go below the water line, including thorns on roses. They are on the stem to protect and feed them when they grow, but when cut and submerged in water, the container becomes a nursery where bacteria happily grow.

The amount of water varies to the stem length. Much of the leaves on the stem will be removed when designing, but if you are not sure and should choose to use less water, checking back once the processing is completed will be necessary to ensure enough water is in the container. Some of these guys are exceptionally thirsty, so make sure you pay attention to their needs.

Not Done Yet

Flowers will not be able to drink the magic elixir you made and in which you have placed them without prior preparation. Flower stems begin to harden at the base after they are harvested which is a protection mechanism.

Therefore it is essential to cut the stem tips off at least a half inch just before you put them in a clean bucket or container with clean water, food, and bacteria control. Hard, bark-like stems should be split at the bottom, do the banging thing. You have the cleaning thing firmly embedded.

If you put them in the water but pull them out again for some reason, it would be best to recut the stems; an air pocket may have formed and will block the uptake.

The processed flowers need to rest and drink. They should now be placed in the coolest environment, but not your refrigerator; they are good down on the floor unless your four-legged family member has a healthy curiosity streak. The floor is generally cooler than up on a table, but needs must, and they should always avoid direct light and heat.

Once you have processed your flowers in this way, you can leave them for about an hour before you start creating any special flower arrangement.

By the way, you do not put flowers in the fridge because of the off-gassing that comes with food, which is harmful to most flowers.

At this point flower processing is complete. Well done!

Next up, we will begin to create!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How often do you buy flowers to arrange around your home? What flowers are your favorite? Do you know where they are grown? Do you take special steps to prepare them for life in your home?

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

Using beauty products that contain rice water is widely popular in several regions in Asia, as many people see it as a beneficial ingredient for maintaining hair health. Rice water is made up of many vitamins and nutrients, such as amino acids, vitamins C, E and B, which can contribute to growth, shine and softness. It also works as a fantastic detangler, making it an optimal ingredient to keep on hand during the winter months. If you’ve never given haircare with rice water a go before, consider beginning with the ProBliva Rice Water Growth Treatment.

The leave-in scalp spray has already begun to make waves amongst Amazon shoppers for its effective results. Beyond rice water, the formula contains other anti-loss additives, such as caffeine, biotin, castor oil and rosemary oil, which help promote stronger hair follicles stimulating the scalp for long-term health benefits. These ingredients are also superior at soothing irritated skin, calming inflammation and encouraging thicker strands for increased volume.

Lucky for you, it’s on sale at Amazon for $20, which is the lowest price it’s had in the past 30 days. Scoop one up while it still has a 20 percent discount!

Amazon

ProBliva Rice Water Spray

The paraben- and cruelty-free spray has earned a 4.3 approval rating from reviewers who claim to have seen a difference in both volume and growth from continued use. One person rejoiced that their “hairline has been growing back” and that it’s now so thick, “it takes 3 times the amount of time to blow dry.” 

“I have been struggling with hair issues due to hormonal imbalances. This spray is a lifesaver,” they continued. “My hair is thicker and feels like a silk ribbon after using this spray. For those sensitive to perfumes, there is no noticeable scent.”

RELATED: This Anti-Thinning Shampoo Addresses Progressive Hair Loss—& Shoppers’ Locks ‘Have More Body Than Ever’ After Use

“Today was the third day and there was practically no shedding in my shower this morning,” raved another fan, who says clumps of hair falling out have “completely stopped” since using this spray. “I had been dealing with excessive dandruff/sebum on the scalp as well and that is also almost all gone. My scalp and hair feel healthy and fresh. I can not describe the relief of not having to pick up gobs of hair out of the shower drain.”

I guess rice water really is all that. 

Summer House Season 7 Episode 8 Fashion

Episode 8 is lookin’ great for the Summer House crew. I believe this will be Kyle’s 40th birthday party, but I could be wrong. As you know Bravo sometimes likes to keep us hanging when it comes to the big drama-filled events. But one thing we are for sure celebrating here is the fashion finds! Because as you know the only thing we like to have kept hanging are some new cute clothes.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Additional Looks Will Be Added

Ciara Miller’s White Satin Corset Bodysuit

Click Here to Shop Her PrettyLittleThing Bodysuit

Shop Style Stealers:

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Lindsay Hubbard’s Swirl Print Dress

Click Here to See Her Asos Dress

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Sam Feher’s Butterfly Pajama Set

Click Here to Shop Her Show Me Your Mumu Pajamas

Shop Style Stealers:

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Paige DeSorbo’s White Denim Romper

Click Here to Shop Her Zara Romper

Shop Style Stealers:

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if(!d.getElementById(id))
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + ‘://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js’;
d.body.appendChild(e);

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Gabby Prescod’s Pink Off The Shoulder Confessional Dress

Click Here to Shop Her Valentino Dress

Shop Style Stealers: 

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if(!d.getElementById(id))
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + ‘://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js’;
d.body.appendChild(e);

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Originally posted at: Summer House Season 7 Episode 8 Fashion