Sunday, October 30, 2011

Natural Beauty Recipes Using Everyday Foods






































Our skin care regimen should change with the seasons, so why not have a little fun this fall/winter and try an inexpensive, straight-from-your-fridge, tried-&-true recipe to keep your skin glowing and your hair healthy throughout the next few cold months.  I've tried a few myself and was pleased, so I look forward to trying a few more.


1.) Brown Sugar and Honey Facial Scrub
This is probably my favorite one. Brown sugar exfoliates the skin ridding the pores of all dirt, oil and dead skin cells causing blemishes. Honey is naturally antibacterial, so as the brown sugar scrubs away the things clogging pores, the honey cleans out the sources for this buildup to prevent future breakouts.

2.) Coffee Grounds in Conditioner
This one is really simple. Instead of throwing old coffee grounds away, toss them into your conditioner to make your hair extra shiny. That’s all it takes!

3.) Replace Conditioner with Vinegar
To get rid of the usual problems with hair: build up, dullness and just lackluster, replace your conditioner with vinegar 1-4 times a month, depending on your hair type. Just use it as you need it. And don’t worry about buying the best stuff for the best results, common white vinegar will do the trick as well as any other vinegar.

4.) Olive Oil as Hair Moisturizer
It’s easy to see how oil can moisturize your hair. It’s simple to use it as well. Simply cover your hair in olive oil and leave it in for 30-45 minutes. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it from dripping and some believe it enhances the effect.

5.) Lemon and Egg Facial
Have red splotchiness on your face? Soothe both symptoms away easily by mixing together one egg yolk and the juice of one lemon into a paste. Cover your face with it and leave it on overnight. If this seems like too much work, leave it on your face for an hour. You might not get the optimal results with this time, but you will see a difference.

6.) Replace Conditioner with Baking Soda
Want to be more like a guy and only use one thing to clean your hair? Then just add baking soda to your shampoo. It will remove build up and make hair shinier, and you can use it everyday.

7.) Degrease Oily Hair With Lemons and Aloe
Mix together 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon aloe vera. Mix it together with a normal serving of shampoo. It will get rid of your oiliness in one shower.

8.) Smooth Frizzy Hair With Honey
Add a tablespoon of honey to a litre of water. After shampooing, rinse your hair with this concoction to tame your frizz.

9.) Replace Face Wash With Skim Milk Powder
Switching face wash out with skim milk powder can make your face much softer and give you a smoother complexion. It’s also very gentle, so even the most sensitive can use it.

10.) Moisturize Skin With Honey and Olive Oil
Honey holds moisture extremely well and olive oil hydrates well, too. Mix equal parts of olive oil and honey and add a dash of lemon juice if you’d like to create a pasty lotion. Rub it onto the dry skin and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. Your skin will be hydrated for plenty of time to come afterwards.

11.) Soften Skin With Oatmeal
There are many concoctions and mask recipes that involve oatmeal, but you can use oatmeal by itself to help your skin. Ground up about 1 cup of oatmeal using a blender or coffee grinder, and add it to bath water to soften skin to baby-like quality.

12.) Treat Choline-Damaged Hair
Mix together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 cup of a peeled cucumber. Cover you hair with the mixture and leave on for 10-20 minutes. You’ll see your hair return to normal almost immediately.

13.) Tone and Rebuild Skin With Avocados and Carrots
This recipe can work wonders. Combine 1 avocado, 1 cooked carrot, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 egg and 3 tablespoons of honey. Leave on for 10-20 minutes and then rinse. These ingredients add a multitude of vitamins, antioxidants and calcium to rebuild natural collagen, tone skin and remove age spots. There is plenty to read about the benefits of each of these ingredients, but all you need to know is that each natural element does more than any store-bought item can.

14.) Lemons or Oranges for Fine Hair Hairspray
Use Lemons for dry hair and oranges for a stronger hold. Chop up the entire piece of fruit in a bowl as to not lose any juice. Boil the fruit with 2 cups of water until soupy or when the liquid has been significantly reduced. Strain through a cloth and put into a spray bottle. The citrus will hold the hair and not damage it due to the fact that there is no alcohol.

15.) Apple Cider Vinegar for Cleanser and Toner
This eliminates dead skin cells easily, so you can use in lieu of expensive toner. That’s all
there is to it!

{Source: Inspiring Pretty}

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Monday, October 17, 2011

What's In My Bag?



















Often I'll come across blog posts highlighting what's in someone's bag, so I decided to post my own.  As you may know, us women are known to tote the world around in our bags, even at the cost of causing ourselves harm (I've developed tendinitis in my elbow...ouch!). But, nonetheless, we love out bags and we love our "stuff."

Here's what's in my Marc by Marc Jacobs tote:
  • Patent leather wallet from Target
  • iPad 2 (in a Steve Madden case)
  • LeSportsac makeup case
  • Small writing pad that eliminates my need for multiple post-it notes
  • Blackberry 8320 (it's old but I love it, when it works)
  • iPad Nano (2nd generation)
  • Coach coin purse
  • Compact mirror
  • Purse hanger (so I'll never have to sit my purse on the floor or hang it on the back of a chair again)
  • Flash drive
  • Clean Well all-natural alcohol-free hand sanitizer in orange vanilla scent 
  • Bliss hand cream in blood orange & white pepper scent
  • Essie nail polish in Material Girl (I'm toting it around in hopes that I can make it to the salon soon)
  • Altoids smalls in wintergreen
  • Spearmint gum
  • Folding "flamenco-esque" fan a dear friend sent me for those "it's hot in here" moments (lol)

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Fall Trend: Leopard


































I never thought I'd love leopard as much as I do now. I remember when I couldn't stand it. My-oh-my how times have changed because now....I'm all over it.  If you're wondering just how to wear fall's hottest & boldest pattern, hopefully this will provide some inspiration.

Whether you're very comfortable wearing it or tip-toeing into it, remember to have fun, but keep it simple and to a minimum.


{Images via Pinterest}

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Fish Tacos



















I've been eating lots of fish tacos lately and now that's all I want.  They are soooo good!


{Image via food network}

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Statement Piece.....

























"Know First Who You Are; & Then Adorn Yourself.......Accordingly."


~Epictetus


{Image via tumblr}

Monday, October 10, 2011

Happy Monday!

















If you are lucky enough to have the day off today in observance of Columbus Day, I hope your day is both relaxing and well-spent. 


{Image via mariannan.indiedays.com}

Saturday, October 8, 2011

FELA!



















Today I went and saw "Fela" for the second time and thoroughly enjoyed it, again. The African musical is a must see and I'd see it again if given the opportunity. It's everything: The energy, the costumes, the music, the dancing, the story behind the man himself (Fela).....you name it; it's amazing!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Fall Trend: Leather Skirts








































































I'm very happy leather has become front page news again, not that its ever really gone out of style. It's, in deed, a strong transition from candy-colored brights; but it's easy to love and very easily jumps right to the top of your fall rotation. Leather is an edgy, bold, rough-around-the-edges fabric that when mixed with soft, flowy, lady-like tops turns any woman into a sexy, assertive, feminine badass.


{Images via Pinterest}

Thursday, October 6, 2011

THX THX THX: A THANK-YOU NOTE A DAY



















Leah Dieterich's mother always told her to write thank-you notes and on her website called "thxthxthx," she does just that. Her short-n-sweet thank-you notes for anything and everything under the sun is just what you need to get through that final hour of work (or school) with a chuckle.



{Image via thxthxthx}

Monday, October 3, 2011

I Spy: Mini Cross-Body Bags


Cross-body bags were on high alert last year--yes!  But this year they're back sleeker and smaller and giving us more reason to leave those big, heavy, filled-to-the-top pieces of luggage we call handbags at home. 

Three words: bright and suede

{Image via whowhatwear}

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Autumn



















It's here!  Seasonal changes always put me in a good mood. And now that autumn is here I'm looking forward to those all too familiar sights, sounds and smells that usher us into "nippy season." I'm still a spring/summer baby at heart, but right now I'm comfort food, heavily scented candle, wool fedora ready!




{Images via Pinterest}

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Breakfast Pizza

























There are times when you just don't want to cook your usual menu on a Saturday morning.  You really want to see and taste something different. Well, I had that feeling recently and instantly thought of a blog post I saw about breakfast pizza. Sooooo, I decided to give it a try....my way.  

















I think my pictures look quite yummy.  I simplified it a bit by using a pre-made crust and then I added.......
  • Mozzarella cheese (I allowed myself this for the sake of the recipe)
  • Roasted tomatoes
  • Sauteed spinach
  • Veggie sausage (crumbled)
  • Fried eggs
  • Salt & pepper
It was quick, tasty, filling and perfect for breakfast (or lunch).  The idea to try this came from here.
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