INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Don't be afraid to mix various natural oils, pigments, and thickening agents. You don't need to use commercial moisturizers and synthetic chemical products. Research the effects and interactions of the various ingredients before you put them onto your skin! Poke around a local apothecary, drugstore, or health-food store for good candidates. Consider adding vitamins and supplements for added effect. Vitamin E, for instance, can help the skin heal more quickly.  Rosehip oil and sea buckthorn oil are supposed to help fight acne.  Argan oil can help heal your skin and prevent signs of aging.

SUMMARY: Get creative. Choose your oils.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: To begin your speech for student council president, you need to begin with a strong, attention-grabbing opening. You'll likely be giving this speech during school hours, so your classmates' attention spans might be a bit strained.  Do not merely start by saying, "My name is ___ and I'm running for student council." Your classmates will already know as much and this is not really a unique statement. There will be time to state the basic information after you've got the class's attention.  You can open with a question. Something like, "If there was one thing you could change about this school, what would it be?" Or a question that adds some humour, like, "I know what you're thinking. Why should I listen to this person?" and then proceed to lay out your credentials. Quotes on leadership, power, and guidance would also make good openings. However, make sure to double-check your sources and especially if you're finding quotes online. Many online quote databases, like Quote Garden or Brainy Quote, sometimes attribute quotes to the wrong sources.  If you're stuck, look up and read famous speeches. You can find many speeches from presidents, world leaders, civil rights activists, and others online. Pay attention to how they opened their speeches and ask yourself, "Was this interesting? Do I want to keep reading/listening? Why?" Once you've gotten your audience's attention, you should state the basics. Talk briefly about who you are and why you're running.  State your name and your place or grade in school. This may feel somewhat unnecessary if you go to a small school, but it's considered a formality. If you're missing this part of the speech, you may end up looking sloppy in comparison to other students.  State what you want. That is, what you're running for. Do you want to be the president, vice president, treasurer, secretary? Even if you think most students are aware of what position you're running for, make sure you state it here to remind them.  Try to keep this section brief as it's not as important as your qualifications and plans to improve the school. Even one sentence would suffice. For example, "My name is Ramona Hart, I'm in the 11th grade, and I'm running for treasurer of the student council." Perhaps the most important part of your intro is listing your qualifications. Students need to know what they have to gain by voting for you.  Any accomplishments relevant to the position warrant mentioning here. If you're running for secretary, for example, talk about your summer job filing papers in your uncle's law firm. If you're running for student council president, talk about your leadership experience being captain of the swim team.  While this section is important, try to keep it minimal. A couple of sentences laying out your qualifications is enough as the body of your speech is where you should spend the most time. For example, let's go back to the above example. From there, we could say, "I am currently enrolled in advanced placement algebra and I have been an honor roll student for three years. This knowledge of numbers and diligence qualifies me to have responsibility for finances for our student council."

SUMMARY: Find an attention-grabbing opening statement. State the basics. List your qualifications.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Many people fail to set personal boundaries because they feel guilty about it or think their needs don’t matter. However, your needs are just as important as anyone else’s, and you have to be in good mental and emotional health to be able to help others and fulfill your own responsibilities. Setting boundaries you’re comfortable with isn’t selfishness – it’s your right. In the long run, healthy boundaries don’t only benefit you. They also benefit your loved one with BPD by creating a clear sense of structure and predictability in the relationship. Determine ahead of time which limits you are going to establish with your loved one and why. One good way to define your boundaries is to think about your values. Good boundaries are a way of protecting the things that matter to you most and ensuring you aren’t pressured into activities or situations that go against the way you want to live. For instance, if your friend wants to talk on the phone with you every night, but you value spending evenings with your family, you might decide not to take your friend’s calls after five o’clock. It's important to think about what action you will take if your loved one does not respect your boundaries. If you don’t specify what your reactions will be and follow through with them, your loved one will probably not take your boundaries seriously. A good follow-up step should be something that follows naturally from the other person’s actions. For instance, you might decide that if your partner shouts at you again, you will leave the house for a few hours until they can calm down. The other person may be angry, hurt, or embarrassed when you tell them you need them to behave differently. They may take the change personally, accuse you of not loving them, or act out against the boundaries. Decide how you will handle various reactions so you aren’t caught off guard when it happens.

SUMMARY: Make your own well-being a priority. Define your boundaries. Decide on follow-up steps when your boundaries are crossed. Prepare yourself for your loved one’s reactions to your boundaries.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: This method works especially well on dark hair. You can find cinnamon in most grocery stores, and you may already have some in your kitchen! The conditioner will help the cinnamon stick to your hair, and it will spread the highlights throughout your hair. The amount that you use will depend on how much hair you have. Start with several tablespoons of cinnamon, and gradually add water until the mixture is thick but spreadable. Make sure to spread it evenly from root to tip, and spread it deeply--beyond just the outer layers of hair.  Rub your hair together between your hands. This will help spread the cinnamon. Consider using a brush to help spread the cinnamon throughout your hair. If you do, make sure that the brush is wet so that the cinnamon will glide through your hair more smoothly. If possible, leave the mixture in your hair overnight.  The longer that you keep the cinnamon in your hair, the lighter the end result will be. Four hours will make a slight impact, but you may need to continue the treatment for eight hours or more to achieve the shade that you want. Err on the side of caution. Remember: you can always try the treatment again! Cover your cinnamon-hair with a shower cap or a plastic bag so that the cinnamon does not rub off. You may feel a slight heat and tingling on your scalp--but this is normal, and it will pass. When dry, your hair will smell amazing!  If you have curly hair, use shampoo to get the cinnamon out. If the resulting shade is not light enough for you, remember that you can always try again!

SUMMARY:
Cinnamon, like honey, contains trace amounts of peroxide and will not dry out your hair. Wet your hair (in the shower, the sink, or using a spray bottle) and work in conditioner. In a bowl, mix cinnamon and water into a paste. Spread the cinnamon-and-water paste into your hair. Leave the cinnamon mixture in your hair for 4-8 hours, depending on the shade of your hair. When you are ready, rinse the cinnamon out of your hair.