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.

PetGiftBox.com Review!

Anyone who knows anything about me knows my obsession with dogs. (and goats, but thats another story..) They should also know that I have 2 fur babies, who I love to spoil. So, naturally, when I heard of Pet Gift Box, the subscription box for dogs, I knew I had to check it out!

Pet Gift Box is a monthly subscription service that delivers Eco Friendly gifts for your dog or cat. You get to customize your box by selecting cat or dog, and for dog they have 3 size options to ensure your pet is getting size appropriate toys and treats! When signing up you also enter your pets name instead of yours, so when it arrives its addressed right to them. (I think that is such a cute little touch!)

Each box, no matter what size, is only $17.99. And the great thing is plans automatically renew, but you can cancel at any time. And they say they believe in being unleashed, meaning no long term comittment or huge bills every year. You will be charged monthly and if at any time you wish to cancel your services you're free to do so.

This months box for small dogs was full of great things! The total value of the box was over $45 including shipping, saving me almost $28. You really can't beat it!
Some of the products in this box included:
PetLou Naturally Twisted Critters - an adorable little squeaky toy my Darla loves! made with premium all natural fabrics and fillers, and include multiple squeakers, crinkle sounds, and/or sisal rope tail or legs.
Pet Greens Jerky Style Treats - all natural, grain-free treats made with 90% real meat and organic wheat grass. This stuff smelled almost exactly like the jerky my dad makes, and my dogs love it!
Earth Rated Leash Dispenser w/ 15 bags - the bags are lavender scented, which is nice when your dog is like my Rascal who likes to go as soon as possible on our walks, leaving you to carry a stinky bag for the rest of our 30 min walk!
Bubba Rose Biscuit Company Earth Day Cookie - gourmet, organic treats made from local fresh ingredients. I havent opened this yet to let my dogs try, but it is the cutest little earth shaped treat, and reading more about them on their site, I am in love with this company!
K9Granola Factory Oven Fresh Quacks - these treats are so cute, theyre shaped like little ducks which I love, and theyre blueberry and vanilla flavored, which my dogs love! I've never seen dog treats those flavors, but apparently dogs enjoy it! This is another company with your dogs health in mind, they are also all natural and heart healthy. I also love that they are small, bite-sized treats, making it easy to control how much we give our little Rascal (who is becoming slightly overweight in his elder years)
Absolutely Clean Pet Stain & Odor Remover - this all-natural, plant based cleaner safely and effectively removes stains and odors without any harsh chemicals or toxins. Lets face it, accidents happen, and with dogs..they happen more often than we'd like. So finding a great, pet friendly and chemical free product that works well is a godsend!

All together, I think this box is absolutely perfect. It is full of great products both me and my dogs love! It is super affordable and much cheaper than having to buy all of the products yourself, plus it cuts out the hassle of having to research and find the eco-friendly, all-natural products you want for your pets, And its all sent right to your doorstep!

Even if you don't personally own any dogs or cats, if you know someone else who does this makes a perfect gift! And they make it very easy to gift to a friend!

The one thing I do wish for though is a few more options when ordering, like maybe the option to receive a box every other month or even quarterly. This months box came with 2 decent sized bags of treats, plus one single treat, so that alone could get my 2 small dogs through a couple of months. Other products like toys could also last long enough to wait more than a month for the next box.. So rather than having to cancel after every month and rejoining when youre ready for another box, it would be nice to see more spread out shipping options.

To order your Pet Gift Box or learn more, visit PetGiftBox.com!


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

MunchPak Review

If you're someone who loves to try new foods or foods from around the world, Munch Pak is the perfect subscription box for you! They offer three different box sizes, all filled with new and popular snacks from around the world. I got to sample to MunchPak Mini, which includes 5-6 snacks. The snacks in my box included:

Eiffel Bon Bons Blue Raspberry - Chewy Fruity and deliciously tasty ball shaped candies in blue raspberry flavor. Country: France

This stuff smells so good! I opened the bag and took a whiff and my head filled with memories of fairs and carnavals as a child as my nose filled with the scent of blue cotton candy.  I was kind of expecting these to be hard solid sugar balls, but when I put it in my mouth I was pleasantly surprised. These candies have more of a taffy-like texture. They taste pretty good, pretty much the flavor I expected when the package said blue raspberry. I enjoyed them and would definitely eat them again.

Amsterdam Good Cookies - This incredibly delightful Stroopwafel comes straight from Amsterdam with a delectable and rich caramel center that is sandwiched between to thin and crunchy waffle cookies. Country: The Netherlands

Ive heard a lot about stroopwafels but never knew where I could get one to try it, so when I saw this cookie in my MunchPak I was so excited! I thought the cookie was going to be hard and crunchy, but when I bit into it it was soft and kind of chewy. The cookie tastes a bit like a graham cracker, and the gooey sweet caramel filling made this cookie so perfect. I need to find out how to make these so I can have them at home! This was my favorite item from the box! I will definitely be finding out where to get them again!

Vita-Mix - These incredibly tasty vitamin fortified candies come in all your favorite fruit flavors and filled with exceptionally delicious fruit filling. Country: Poland

This bag comes with a few different flavors: lemon, strawberry, blueberry, green apple and orange. My favorite flavor out of them all is orange, and I was a little sad to see I unluckily only got one orange! But with 4 lemon I might be okay. ;) The picture on the bag shows a hard candy shell with a soft center, so I bit the candy in half to check it out. The middle inst as runny as the picture would make you believe, It was more of just a soft sticky texture like an old lollipop that got hot during summer or something. The flavor is really good though (I only tried the orange), and the fact that these are fortifies with vitamins is really cool! I wouldn't turn them down if offered one again.

Ease Taste Onion Pie Crackers - Ease Taste Onion Pie Crackers are a delicious, crunchy and wholesome onion flavored snack. Country: Taiwan

I was a little scared to try these, just the words "onion pie" make me cringe a little.. But onion crackers sounds great. Maybe there was just some problems with translating the name? I hope. The smell is a bit reminiscent of Funyons, which I loooove..but the flavor is much much sweeter. It was kind of strange to me, because I was not expecting sweet at all. Other than the sweetness, they're not horrible..but I would prefer it if they weren't sweet..I just cant get past it lol. The texture is a little softer than I would have liked too. I like my crackers really crunchy, but these are a little on the softer side, almost as if they'd gone stale. They might be better crushed up in a salad or over soup..but I probably won't be trying that..I'll most likely just toss the rest of the bag. 

Pei Tien Corn Roll - Pei Tien Corn Roll (French Thick Corn Soup) - Crunchy and Delicious Snack that tastes like buttered corn.  Country: Taiwan

This one sounded most bizzarre to me. A corn roll..what does that even mean? But I am a huge fan of fresh corn in the summer time, so I was very hopeful that this would taste good! When I opened the package the roll part became less confusing to me, Its kind of tube shaped, so I assume thats where they got roll from. It doesnt smell as buttery or corn-y as I expected, but you could see the yellow "buttery"-ness on the outside. The texture is almost just like a cheeto, but a little softer and less of a harsh crunch, if that makes sense.. When I bit into it I was literally so surprised at how much it tasted like corn. I kind of expected it to taste more like popcorn, but it tasted like I was eating corn on the cob. Probably the weirdest thing Ive ever experienced food wise.. It was by no means bad, but I don't see myself seeking them out to get my Corn Roll fix. 

Memories Dates Teashop - These treats are made from Dates. Delicious and wholesome. County: Turkey

I wasn't very excited for this one..because dates just seem so unappealing to me. (even though I love Lara Bars, which are date and nut bars) I broke a piece off the see what the filing looked like, and was pretty turned off about the whole thing. The filling looks pretty gross, so I dont suggest you break yours and look at it lol. I took a very small bite. (Ever see the episode of Spongebob when Squidward tries a craby patty for the first time? I took one of those bites..) The cookie part on the outside wasnt bad. It was a kind of dry crumbly cookie, but the inside was not my favorite thing in the world. I probably wont be finishing this cookie..but if you like dates I'm sure you'd love it! Just not my thing.. :P

The Munch Pak Mini, like I said, comes with 5-6 full size snacks and costs $9.95 per month. 

They also offer the Munch Pak Original, which comes with 10+ full size snacks for $19.95 per month.

You can also get the Family Sized Munch Pak which comes with 20+ full sized snacks for $39.95 per month.

You can also customize your munch pak by selecting options like nuts, spicy, chewy, meat, seafood, candy, american or foreign snacks & more for an addition $1 each per delivery. Or you can add a coffee or tea addition for another $5 per box. So there are many customizable options for you to choose from to get exactly what you want!

I just think it's really cool to be able to try different snacks from all around the world without having to leave you home (or dorm or office, which they will deliver to!) I will definitely have to give this box another try in the future, even though I didn't like half of my snacks, it is still a really cool thing to enjoy with the family. We had a little tasting "party" at my house when my box arrived, and it was really fun! 

You can learn more about MunchPak or order your box here!

Thanks to Mike and everyone at MunchPak for supplying me with the MunchPak Mini to review! 

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

Love you Grandpop!

Due to the passing of my grandfather earlier this week, I will be taking some time off from blogging to spend with family. I will be back Wednesday, April 8.

"Life is good." <3