DIY 2 Ingredient Face Scrub

This is something I've actually ive actually been doing for a few years now, and I'm surprised I haven't blogged about it once! Possibly the easiest, and cheapest facial scrub you could do yourself, this wonderful scrub only uses 2 ingredients which you (should) already have at home!

Things you'll need:
- your every day face wash.
- baking soda.
(Yes, that's all!)

So, what I like to do is simply wet my face with warm water. I like to use a wet wash cloth and let it sit on my face for a minute to open my pores and soften the skin a bit, making it easier to slough off those dead skin cells!
Then I take a little bit of baking soda, maybe a teaspoon or so. (Start off with a little in case you have sensitive skin, add more if needed.) to that, add your face wash. I use a basic cleanser for this..nothing too strong or anything with a ton of acne fighting ingredients or anything. Also add a little bit of water. Mix it all up right in the palm of your hand.
Now, simply apply it to your face all over and gently scrub in circular motions around your face. Careful not to rub too hard, the small gritty texture of the baking soda does a great job at exfoliating without the need to really scrub. You can let it sit for a few minutes if you want, but I like to wash it off right away. (Baking soda is a chemical, and for some people it could dry out your skin, so try it in a small spot first if you're worried.) you'll notice as you're rinsing it might feel like you're not able to wash all of the baking soda off. It that bothers you just add a drop of cleanser to help get the little residue off. ;)
Your face will look and feel amazingly polished, smooth, and soft afterwards! I always follow up with a good moisturizer after. And my skin feels amazing all week! My skin can totally handle this once a week, but those of you with sensitive skin might want to do it less often.

What is your favorite facial scrub? Do you like to make your own or is store bought more your style? Let me know! I'm always looking to try new scrubs! ;)

Have a beautiful day!
Stay humble & kind.
<3

DIY Beauty: Brown Sugar Lip Scrub

It's been quite some time since I've done any DIY Beauty posts on here..so today I decided to share with you one of my all time favorite DIY products. A Brown Sugar Lip Scrub.

I found this lip scrub recipe on Pinterest a few years ago, fell in love, and have been using it ever since. There are literally only 3 ingredients and it's the easiest thing to make. You can even double this recipe and make some for gifts for your friends!

What you'll need:

• Pure Coconut Oil
• Honey
• Brown Sugar
• Measuring Spoons
• Small Mixing Bowl
• Clean Empty Jar

The first thing you want to do is make sure your coconut oil is not too hard and not too runny. If it is too hard place (closed) in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes just until it has softened up. If its too runny pop it in your fridge or freezer for a few minutes until it hardens up a bit.
      The benefits of using coconut oil for the skin are almost endless, I found this really cool site that breaks it all down for you, you can check it out here!
Once youve got your oil to the right consistency you're gonna scoop out a tablespoon of the 'solid' in the coconut oil jar, dont be shy..you want a nice big rounded tablespoon.. and put it into your mixing bowl. To that you're going to add a tablespoon of honey.
     Honey also has many amazing benefits, so I found a page that explains more about that too!
Take a spoon or even a tiny whisk if you have one and stir until the two are combined and homogenous. You want to make sure you dont have any chunks or clumps of the coconut oil. Once they are mixed thoroughly add 2 teaspoons of packed brown sugar, light or dark it doesnt really matter, and mix that trough. I like the use of brown sugar in this recipe because it not only tastes amazing, but it has a fine texture that isnt too harsh on your skin, unlike a lot of sugar scrubs that use coarse sugar which can be very harsh.
Lastly you want to add one teaspoon of just the oil from your coconut oil jar and stir that into your mixture. You should be left with a smooth mixture you can then transfer into your jar or sealed container.

This scrub tastes great, so you dont have to be worried about it getting in your mouth. It has the perfect texture for the delicate skin on your lips. And it is all natural and organic (if youre sure to use all natural and organic ingredients, which I highly recommend!) and you know exactly what is going into it. The recipe said it can last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but I think it should last quite a bit longer than that..all 3 ingredients last months or even years alone, so I dont see why mixing them together would make any of them spoil quickly.. Just be sure to check it before you use it to make sure it doesnt have any weird smells or mold growing in it..but if youre like me youll use it all up before it would ever even have the chance to spoil!

When you use the scrub its a good idea to leave it at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up a bit before using it. And you just use it the same way you would any lip scrub, scrub it gently in circular motions on your lips for a minute or two and rinse with warm water. Follow up with your favorite DIY lip balm for extra moisturizing power! ;) Enjoy!


Have a beautiful day.
Believe. Dream. Explore. & Be nice to people.

#SOHOBeautySquad

A few months ago I got to become part of the SOHO Beauty Squad. As a welcome gift they sent me a couple little goodies!
I'm the kind of person who loves bags. I literally have bags inside bags inside bags. I love using different size bags to help keep my stuff better organized. In my purse I always have at least 2 smaller bags, and that way I always know exactly where what I'm looking for is and I just have to pull out whichever bag I need. So, when they sent me 2 of their cute little makeup bags, I was super excited!

They sent me the Bloom Service Round Top bag, which you can find at Harmon and Bed Bath & Beyond. This bag is super cute and little. But its shape makes it much more spacious than you'd expect. I put it to the test by taking one of my similar sized bags and seeing if I could fit all of its contents into the SOHO bag.

In this bag I keep some of my quick grab, on-the-go makeup, including:

• a mirror
• primer
• liquid foundation
• cream foundation
• powder foundation
• eyeshadow trio
• single Mac eyeshadow
• small eyeshadow palette
• travel eyeliner
• mascara
• 4 full size/travel brushes
• 5 broken brushes
• eyeliner sharpener

This bag did fit all items shown in the photo except for the 2 taller brushes. I probably could have shoved them in, but I didn't want to damage my brushes! It was a snug fit but technically did work. The only problem was it would most likely be a little annoying trying to dig through this bag to find what I need because of its size and how full I had it. So, when I use this I'll be sure to put less items in it! Other than that I really like this bag. It's cute, small and compact..but it holds a lot for its size. Also, the deep zipper and fabric flaps inside allow you to open it nice and wide without (hopefully) anything falling out. The zipper is thick and plastic which makes it easier to zip and much less likely to break!
I will probably use this as my new "female emergency kit" which I keep in my purse at all times and fill it with anything a girl might need in case of an emergency. Pads and tampons, stain remover pens, hand sanitizer, hair ties and bobby pins, makeup remover wipes, blotting papers, moisturizer samples, nail clippers and files, etc. The bag I currently have in my purse is about half the size and is packed full, so this might have to replace it!

I was also sent the Angle Management Organizer with Detachable Brush Holder, which you can find at Target. This bag is a little bit bigger, but it is pretty slim compared to most makeup bags I tend to use. I also put this one to the test, comparing it to a similar sized bags and seeing if I could fit all of its contents into the SOHO bag.

The bag I was using for comparison was only about half full, but the bag looked to be almost twice the size, so I thought it would be an alright comparison.

In this bag I had some of my every day products I put into a bag for a weekend stay at my besties, including:

• primer
• liquid/foam foundation
• concealer
• 2 powder foundations
• bronzer/blush combo
• Naked Basics palette
• lipgloss
• mascara
• beauty sponge
• 3 full size brushes

I didn't realize how little I had in here. I think it was actually less products than I had in the smaller bag, but I kept going with the comparison. The great thing about this bag is its tall enough to stand up my liquid products like the primer and foundation. Then I could stack sideways the round compacts, and squeeze in the rest of the products wherever they fit. This bag also has a pocket on the inside and a detachable brush holder on the front. I'm not really a fan of the detachable brush holder, I think it makes the bag less cute, and it is too small for 98% of my brushes. I only had a couple brushes that weren't too tall.. But I managed to fit the brushes I had into the pocket inside the bag for safe keeping. I was really surprised with how much room was left in the bag after I filled it with the products I had out.. I probably could have put almost twice as much in there. This bag also has deep, thick plastic zippers, so it too opens nice and wide. I did notice, though, if it's too full some products slip out when its open because the little side fabric things (what are they even called?!) only go up about half way, so be careful with how you load it up!

Altogether I love the new additions to my bag collection, and I will get so much use out of them! Huge thanks to SOHO for inviting me to join their Beauty Squad!

Are you a bag lady like me? What are your favorite ways to use makeup/storage bags?

Have a beautiful day.
Believe. Dream. Explore. & Be nice to people.

DIY Hair and Skin Treatments

Ever see someone and wonder "how the hell does she get her hair so shiny and perfect?!"
Well with this amazingly easy hair treatment, made from something you probably already have in your fridge, youll have people wondering that about you!

There are many benefits from eating eggs, but something that a lot of people dont know is that eggs are also amazing for your hair and skin.
The yolks are rich in fats and proteins, and are naturally moisturizing. The whites contain bacteria eating enzymes which soaks up oils.
That means theyre good for skin, and hair.

HAIR
If you have oily hair, use the whites. For dry, brittle hair, use the yolks. And for normal hair use the whole egg.

• Take 1/2 cup of whichever mixture you need. (if you have long hair and need more, go ahead and use what you need.)
• Apply egg mixture to clean, dry hair. (not freshly washed, if you showered the day before thats perfect).
• Coat scalp and hair. (healthy hair starts at the scalp, so be sure to get it all over the hair and scalp.)
• Leave on for 20-30 minutes.
• Rinse with cool water. (you dont want to cook the egg in your hair with hot water)
• Follow up by shampooing as usual.

Whole egg or yolk treatments can be applied once a month, white treatment can be applied every two weeks.

SKIN
Like I said above, egg yolks remove oils, so they can be a great treatment for oily, acne prone skin; and yolks are a natural moisturizer, so they can be a great treatment for dry skin. This will also firm your skin!
Its really just as simple as the hair treatment. 

• Separate the eggs. (youll probably only need one for your face)
• (for dry skin skip the egg whites part)
• Beat the whites until theyre lightly frothy.
• Take a warm towel and press it against your face to open your pores.
• Apply whites to your skin, apply in an upward circular motion.
• Let sit for 30 min, or until completely dry.
• Wipe off with warm cloth.
• Then apply the yolks the same way as the whites.
• Let sit on your face for another 15-30 min.
• Rinse with warm water, then splash with cool water to close pores. (again be careful waters not too warm, you dont want to cook the eggs)
• (if you feel like they left a weird feeling or if it creeps you out rinse your face with a mild soap after)

NOTE
Eggs that are not organically produced may contain traces of hormones, pesticides, or herbicides that are present in chicken yards and in the egg production line. In order to ensure that you are not also applying these substances to your skin, be sure to use eggs that are organically produced. (which I recommend you eat also)
Since I have my own chickens, I know exactly what goes in, so I know my eggs are the cleanest and purest possible. 
And obviously, if you have an egg allergy, do not apply eggs to your skin or hair!

Beach Feet

Summer is here! yay :) And everyone is making their way to the beach.
Keeping your feet in, sometimes, tight shoes all winter can do some damage.
Calluses, corns, dry, cracked feet. No one wants that. So heres what you can do to prepare your feet for those sandals.

One of my favorite things to do is sit back on a comfy chair with a massaging cushion, and soak my feet. Its amazingly relaxing.
If you dont have a foot bath, you can find some really good ones for cheap on Amazon.com, or just soak them in your tub or some sort of pan big enough. You can add oils or salts to the water to soften your skin.

After soaking, another great way to get rid of dry skin and calluses is using a pumice stone.
Theyre cheap, and super easy. You can find them at almost any drug store, beauty supply store, and even some grocery stores. You can get them for anywhere from $.99-$5.
To use:

• Soak feet for about 5 minutes, to soften skin.
• Wet pumice stone.
• Rub stone on dry spots on your foot for around 30 seconds to remove dry skin.
• Rinse foot and stone, to remove excess skin cells.
• Repeat until smooth.
• And dont forget the other foot.

Be careful not to scrub too hard, you can scratch or cut your foot, leaving it prone to infection.
And always make sure to clean the stone once youre done, and leave it out to dry.
As with most things, youre not gonna see a drastic change in one use, so you might want to do this 2-3 times a week before seeing baby soft feet. And you can keep doing it once a week to keep feet soft.

After soaking its always good to moisturize, make sure feet are clean and dry, then apply your favorite foot cream. You can find some really good ones at Ulta for under $10.

To prevent calluses from coming back, make sure youre wearing the right show size, and avoid shoes that are uncomfortable or squeezing anywhere. Calluses are your skins natural way of protected itself, so if your shoes are pressing against your toes, your skin will build up to prevent injury. So make sure your shoes fit. :)

Dont forget to pretty up them toes nails :) And have a wonderful summer!

Busy Summer Days

*None of the companies mentioned are paying me and all opinions are my own.*

So, with summer here, everyone seems to be going on a lot of trips/vacations. I know Ive been pretty busy lately, and havent had much time to be typing blogs. (And have a LOT to write)
So heres three quick tips for a fast summer look.

First tip to quick easy summer makeup:
A lot of drug store brands make great eye shadow trios, theyre perfect for keeping in your purse/travel bag, because you have all the colors youll need in one little package. Almay also makes a really cool little mascara, which you can change the fullness, so you can achieve any look with just one product. (And its small so its good for travel)

Second tip: Keep it simple.

Use colors that dont need a whole lot of blending and arent too dramatic.

If you use simple nude shades you wont have to spend a bunch of time blending, so you can just 'throw' it on and go.

And lastly: Make your lips pop.
If you have a simple eye, you wanna play up the lips. Use a coral or hot pink. (And vise versa, if you want a nude lip, make the eyes pop) With any neutral look you need something to draw attention to, or you could look kinda pale and sick, which is not a cute look.

Hope this helps with your busy summer days.
<3