Spring Cleaning your Make-Up

This is the time of year where we all start to clean our homes a little bit more.  Perhaps some of us forget about one important thing or things that should be cleaned and purged as well. For those of us that do wear it, make up and all the products and tools that come with it.

The first thing is to take it out of the bag or case that houses all the cosmetic items. Thourogh clean and disinfect it. While that dries I move on to it's contents. I wipe down cosmetic holders ie mascara tubes, eye shadow pallots, blush, etc. At this point, I toss whats old, cracked or expired. Yes, your make up can expire.

Makeup.com by L'Oreal has a great little chart to use when you are cleaning your make up bags out(See image right). If you use your cosmetics past the recommended date of use, you risk bacteria growth and skin or eye infections. And if you have ever had pink eye, trust me, this is a great guideline to follow.

Makeup.com guideline

I would add that some cosmetic items have their own date written on its packaging so you should use that as a guideline for expiration. Here is what that looks like below.

This gives you an idea when you should dispose. When in doubt, get rid of it. Especially if it smells bad or color looks different. This will help avoid unnecessary skin breakouts or worse. 

Last thing to clean are the brushes. Brushes can harbor so much bacteria. I clean my brushes weekly but I know not every one is doing this. So I pray you at least clean your brushes every month to 6 months depending on how often you use them and what part of face they are used on. In my opinion, eye and lip brushes should be cleaned weekly. Facial brushes can be washed every six months but I would say at least monthly. Especially if you already have skin break outs.

So how do I wash my brushes. I use a combination of vinegar, water and two drops of dawn soap. When I don't have vinegar or dawn on hand, I use hair shampoo. Works just as good. Make sure you dry them on a clean towel or hand them with bristles facing down. Let them dry overnight and place them back in a dust free area or container. 

The benefit to purging your cosmetics isn't just healthier skin but you get to go out and buy some new cosmetics. That's my favorite part!

Hope this helps. Happy cleaning and happy shopping. 

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy, Be Beautiful!

Oatmeal...It's not just for your belly

Oats (Avena Sativa) 

We all think about food as a source of sustenance that we intake to survive. We eat because we have to  and because we enjoy it,  some foods more then others. I love food and am willing to try all ethnic types of food at least once. Food keeps us strong from the outside in providing the body with much needed nutrients and vitamins. When done right, your bod can thrive, becoming strong and healthy from inside out. However, did do you know that you can nourish your body, particularly your skin from the outside in with food?

Yes, it is true. Certain foods when placed on the skin can aide in healing, rebuilding and nourishing it. If you have been reading my blog long enough, you know this already. If you're new to the blog, (Welcome!)here you can benefit from some of the DIY remedies and treatments that I have posted for skincare.

Food is an amazing thing and elements of nature can absolutely help the skin from the outside in. Sunburn? Everyone knows that Aloe is great for soothing sunburn. They even use it in hospitals for burn victims. It's that powerful. From inside out, it's great for those dealing with stomach issues among other things. 

Oatmeal is a great way to nourish yourself at breakfast because it fills you with less for a longer period of time, proven to help lower cholesterol and aid in increasing lactation for breastfeeding mothers. However this grain isn't just for eating. It is used in many skin care products, from your soaps to lotions and more. It's scientific name is Avena Sativa or colloidal oatmeal. "Colloidal Oatmeal is finely ground oatmeal. It is often used to relieve minor skin irritation and itching due to poison ivy or insect bites. It can also be used as a soak, compress or wet dressing. When oatmeal is used in cosmetic and personal care products (rather than OTC skin protectant drug products), it may be called Avena Sativa (Oat) " Learn more click here 

Popular brands that use Avena Sativa in their products, Aveeno (Most known for using Oatmeal), Kheils, Dove. JĀSÖN and way more. Why do they use it? What is it that they know about Oatmeal for skin care that more of us are learning or already know?

Well here are some of the top reasons:

it has anti-inflammatory properties, helpful for even the most sensitive skin types

contains saponins, a cleansing agent, and can therefore be used as a mild soap

is moisturizing and helps remove dead skin cells. i.e. skin scrub (exfoliant)

it can help treat acne, eczema, rosacea and rashes

After all this, are you still not convinced? Well here is a DIY recipe that you can try to see just how wonderful oatmeal on your skin can work. 

Oatmeal Olive Oil Mask

2 Tbsp Organic Oatmeal  (Ground into fine powder. I use my coffee grinder.)
1 Tbsp Organic Olive Oil  

Combine into a paste and brush a think coat onto skin in upwards motion
Let dry completely and rinse with Luke warm water. You can use a cloth if having trouble taking mask off. Just rub off with gentle upwards circles.
Follow with your favorite skin toner & moisturizer.

Even before you put your moisturizer on, you will notice your skin softer and brighter. Any redness you had prior should be less noticeable or gone. This mask can be used daily to ease dryness or inflammation on face. This winter has done its best to dry out my skin but I have been combating it with masks like this one. If you are worried about your skin being to greasy from Olive Oil, you can substitute with Plain yogurt. However, I find that the Olive oil works well especially when followed with the skin toner afterwards. 

Alternative mask check out past post Oatmeal Fig and Papaya Mask

Hope you try it out and let me know what you think. Have an issue with your skin? Drop me a line with your question. I am happy to help solve your skin care issue. 

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Until my next post,...

Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

It's the most wonderful time to PEEL!

The holidays maybe the most wonderful time for kids but to us adults, it can be frustrating and time consuming. With all the planning, decorating and shopping one can get overwhelmed. So why not take the focus of the major To Do Lists and give yourself a pampering treat. The holidays are fine but I don't want to look broken down and aged. Who does, right?

With that said, I have taken sometime to give myself a gentle peel, twice in the past two weeks and am recruiting others in my circle. I peeled my husband for the first time ever. For the longest time, I told him "You are like my personal billboard. If you walk around with wrinkled, marked and pimpled skin, what will people think of my skills as an aesthetician?" Nag, Nag, he always refused, but I finally got him to do it. To start him off, I did a very gentle Salicylic peel with one pass. Not sure he could handle anything else. He has oily skin and enlarged pores so to start I thought this would be a great fit. It's still a struggle for him to wear sunscreen so I went easy to start.. He seriously doesn't get the importance of sunscreen. Trust me when I say, he won't leave the house without his Aveda Pomade in his hair, but sunscreen, always forgets. 

In any case, I am in peel mode. Planning to peel my sister in the next coming days. Already gave her a peel at the start of the season. She is brave and a seasoned pro to peels, so I am going full force on her. She will look like a twenty something soon enough. LoL! She looks younger then she is already so shouldn't be to hard. Maybe they will start carding us again M. (Small inside joke. HAHA!)

Now not everyone can afford to go out and get peels every month. If you have minor skin issues, for example small dark spots, fine lines starting to show, you can use items right out your fridge to give you gradual but effective results. 

Prefered brand for me.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR PEEL

Ingredients:

1Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic is best)

1Tbsp Lemon Juice (Fresh is best)

Tools:

Small Clean bowl

Gauze, fan brush or cotton round (Either will do)

Mix and apply with gauze, fan brush or cotton round, starting from the neck up in a gentle upward and out motion. Avoid getting to close to eyes or using on open cuts, abscessed/ recently popped pimples. It WILL burn. 

Leave on for about 10 minutes. You will feel a tingle on your skin. If you feel pain, remove at once with warm water. If your face still has a "burning" sensation you can use water and baking soda to stop the acid effects. (1 TBSP baking soda to 1 cup Water. Stir and apply.)

It is the holidays, why not drink a cup of Hot Apple Cider while you wait for those ten minutes to pass. The aromas of the Cider will help you forget how stinky the vinegar is too. Always follow with a serum or moisturizer. Do I have to remind you to wear your sunscreen? Wear your sunscreen unless your going to bed of course. 

This should leave skin tight, glowing and will gradually shed within the next few days. You can repeat ever two weeks or until you have achieved the results you are seeking.

However, if you a results now kind of person see your dermatologist or Aesthetician and see what kind of peel they recommend for you.

Happy Peeling and happy holiday prepping.

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As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Post Thanksgiving Mask

My inspiration for mask.

Manuka (Raw) Honey

So I hope we all survived Thanksgiving better then most turkeys did. As I enjoyed a slice of pumpkin pie, it was more like I scarfed it down because I had to rush home with kids. 2/3 were crying because they were so tired. In any case, I thought of a relaxing Pumpkin Mask that would be wonderful for the skin.

Nutmeg - Anti-inflammatory/Acne reducer

Pumpkin Puree

Try 2 tablespoons of Pumpkin Puree mix with 1 tablespoon of raw honey(I love Manuka Honey) and a pinch of Nutmeg.  After washing your face, use this as a dual scrub/mask for about 10 minutes. Gently scrub skin in a circular motion from neck up to forehead. Try not to lick it off your face until then. You will be tempted but don't do it. Then wash off with Lukewarm water and pat dry with clean cloth. Follow with toner, serums, moisturizer and SPF for daytime. 

It's a great mask to moisturize skin, reduce inflammation from perhaps to many eggnog's and heals acne inflammation or pain. You could add a bit more nutmeg to left over mask and you can use as a body scrub. Waste not, want not. 

Please take a moment to comment, Like, Share and Subscribe. Thanks so much for coming by.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Father's Day discount on Freeman beauty lines.

Recommending Freeman products is easy because they have products that work really well and have a reasonable price point. Take advantage of this weeks discount and buy some of their paper masks or try the charcoal scrub to detox skin. They have a large option of things you can try as small samplers or the full size product. This way you are bound to find something that suites your skin care needs and beyond.

 Enter DADROCKS code for 20%off. 

https://freeman.mail.zingstudios.com/mail/click.php?314160188270937701