This, by far, was one of my most popular posts, as well as the simplest. Using honey as face wash is exactly that. However, I wanted to go back and update a bit. I have only used honey as a face wash for quite some time I thought as revisit was needed. My skin care routine is so simple nowadays and I have actually stopped using foundation. You are talking to a girl who used full face makeup every day, 365 days a year for her whole life since the age of 15.
Honey has made this happen. I still use makeup ( part is homemade and I will post on that latter) so at night I remove it with coconut oil, then "wash" my face with honey. My original post stated that it really didn't matter what kind of honey you used- as I was using the little bear kind. I have found however, that the higher quality stuff is better. I still have not purchased "true" honey at my little local organic food store, but I do use the brands labeled "pure" and "raw" . I have found these at both my local grocery and Wal-mart. Now, I doubt they are truly raw or even pure, but they do seem a bit better than "generic" honey and since they only cost about 2 dollars more a bottle I will stick with them. In the am, in the shower I simply slather my face with honey, massage it in a bit and rinse. Thats it. I do follow up with my tea toner ( I have posted on that before) and then use coconut oil as my moisturizer then apply my makeup. In the pm I rub a generous amount of coconut oil onto my face. Then I use a fairly hot washcloth to wipe it off. Then with wet fingers (it seems to help spread the honey better) I massage a good amount , a teaspoon at least, of honey onto my face. I take the same washcloth- make it fairly hot but wrung out well, then leave it on my face a few seconds. Wipe. After that I tone and use my "Homemade facial serum" ( I will post on that to) as my pm moisturizer. My skin has never, ever been better. BUT, (yes big but) it will not happen overnight. I noticed a improvement right a way but it took me a good month to truly notice real, able- to- go- foundation- free, results. I had a few blemishes show up a few weekd in and I was considering going back to castille soap or Dove. Now, after a few month in, I will never use anything else on my face to wash it other than honey!!
In recent years face primers seem to have become a must have. I am in my 40's (shhh!) and remember when primers didn't exist. For quite a few years I used to use milk of magnesia as a makeup "primer" to keep my super oily skin ander control and help my foundation stay "fresh" or I just didn't use primer and used a heavy duty foundation (Revlon Colorstay) and alot of powder. However, I have recently found a product (thank you Makeupalley!!) that has become a daily must have for me. Its Lanacane anti- chaffing gel! I have read many a review and post on using anti- chaffing gel as a face primer. After all, anti-chaffing gels are basically silicones and either talc or cornstach, which tend to be the basic ingredients in commercial cosmetic face primers that cost a whole heck of a lot more. Most reviews are for Monistat. Monistat has become harder and harder to find (at least for me) and I have used it in the past. While I liked it, it wasn't "all that". One day, at my local grocery store I spotted Lanacane's anti chaffing gel ( it near all the anti-itch stuff in the first aid aisle), It was a mere $6 bucks and since it was staring me in the face in the bright yellow box I picked it up. If it didn't work on my face I figured I could use it for its intended purpose. I am 100% in love with this stuff. I simply take a half to a whole pea sized amount, no more because if you go overboard it WILL make you oily, negating the whole point of priming. I dab a bit on each cheek, chin and under eye then blend, blend, blend. I let it sit for a minute or two then apply my foundation. This stuff allows me to use less foundation and it has also allowed me to use a cheaper foundation. It helps hold oil at bay all day on my oiy skin along with my cornstarch/cocoa powder face powder. My makeup also looks better. Lanacane anit- chaffing gel is a staple in my makeup routine!
As a beauty junkie, I love to try new things and I love making beauty products too. My newest love is my leave- in spray conditioner.
Its simple. You will need-
1- 8oz. spray bottle. I got mine at Kmart for $1.99 and love it because it has a really strong sprayer but I have seen these as low as a dollar at the Dollar stores and Walmart.
Aloe Vera gel. I got mine at the local grocery store- they only had the green kind and it has alot of other stuff in it like glycerine and panthenol which is fine but I really wanted more "pure" aloe like Fruit of the Earth. But thats ok, as long as it does not contain any medicated ingredients your good. Also, make sure you get one that has real aloe within the first 1-3 ingredients. All aloe gels aren't created equal and they all aren't really aloe.
Coconut oil- or if you prefer, olive . I use coconut as it is lighter but in the winter, since coconut oil is a solid below 74-76 degrees I will have to use olive oil (but probably in a lesser amount- olive seems heavier to me) unless I choose to heat my leave in every morning. You could really use any old oil you have in your pantry, I only recommend coconut or olive due to the fact they are proven to actually penetrate the hair and strengthen it from the inside out.
Cheapy, silicone free conditioner- I co-wash so I avoid silicones due to build up. I love the Vo5 tea conditioners or the sunkissed raspberry but any Vo5 would work, as would Suave Naturals. ( I choose based on what scent I'm in the mood for) Note- if you use a heavy and or silicone based conditioner this recipie may be to heavy, easpecially if you have fine hair but feel free to try it with whatever you like. Everyone's hair is different. Mine tends to be on the thinner side, colortreated, oily at the roots and dry/damaged through out the legnth. It is easily weighed down.
Add 1 tablespoon each of the conditioner, oil and aloe gel to the 8oz. spray bottle than fill it with water, preferably distilled or water that has been boiled to distill it ( I won't pay for water so I boil it) Shake well to mix. Shake well before each use as the ingredients will seperate.
I love this stuff it makes my hair moisturized, soft and it even feels thicker. This is now part of my "must haves" in my beauty routine.
I have been on a serious homemade kick. I have been finding that many homemade or "half- homemade" products work better and are far, far cheaper than commercial products ever could be. My newest venture is my tea toner, which has quickly become a must have or me. This is such an easy recipe and so easy to customize to your needs its not even funny and its so dirt cheap I could cry!
Take 2-4 teabags and 1/2 cup water. I usually use a mix of tea, 1 regualar (black) tea bag, 2 green tea bags and 1 herbal/fruit tea bag. I only use this mix because that is what I have in my pantry and I like it. Feel free to use whatever you have, its not rocket science, and teas (black, white, or green) all contain the same basic beneficial anti-aging, antioxident ingredients. I don't buy expensive tea. My regular tea bags are .99 cents for a box of 100 and my green tea is .99 cents for a box of 75 . I did splurge on the herbal tea (Its Lipton blackberry vanilla) and it was a few bucks for only 20 bags.
If you only have black tea use 2 bags, only green tea use 4, and herbal tea should always be used along with the black and green tea because alot of herbal teas have no real tea in them- just herbs. Be careful if using herbal tea blends. I do not use any herbal teas that contains mint, lemon, or orange (not orange pekoe thats a type of black tea that most regular teas are made of) , as those ingredients can be irritating to skin. Some of you may not have a problem and prefer those teas better so just be careful. I love mint tea but don't want mint on my face. All natural doesn't always mean non-irritating. Also if you are allergic to any certain herb obviously do not any tea that contains them either. To make your toner simply boil the half a cup of water, add the teabags, turn off the stove and let the tea steep for at least a half and hour. I often add a teaspoon of dried rosemary to my tea (for more antioxident benefits plus I like the scent) and when I do that I cover the pan and let it steep for about an hour. After steeping transfer your toner to whatever container you prefer. I have a little antique glass bottle with a stopper that I use. This is your basic toner, which you should probably keep in the fridge. I have very oily skin so I add in a few more ingredients and I donot need refrigerate mine. It lasts me about 2 weeks. Use it twice a day after cleansing.
Add ins- these really are helpful for combo to oily skin but dry or overly sensitive skin may do better without these or adjust the amount to your liking -Put 10 uncoated aspirin , for the salicylic acid benefits, (you can get a bottle of 100 for $1 at the Dollar Tree) in your container before pouring in your warm tea. Shake well before evey use. Will be gritty but that also provides exfoliation. -Add one teaspoon of vinegar or witch hazel to your tea after its cooled. Both vinegar and witch hazel can be drying to skin but I think they help my oily skin more than hinder it and its such a little amount I have had no problems with dryness. I add a drop or two of laveneder essential oil to my toner for scent, I adore the blended scent of rosemary, tea and lavender. Again if you use essential oils only literally use a drop or two. Too much essential oil can also cause skin irritation. Have fun, try it and experiment with your own mix!
Its really amazing what you can find surfing the web. I have come across many, many posts about using honey as a face wash. Look, I'm willing to try almost any cheap, makeup, hair or skincare item once so needless to say I was very, very intrigued. Well, I may never go back to anything else now that I have tried honey as a face wash. This is so simple I don't know why I haven't been using this forever. I could kick myself for all the money I have wasted over the years on stuff that either worked but was unimpressive, didn't work or even tortured my poor skin. Go to the store and get yourself a bottle of honey if you don't already have one in your pantry. Now, many posts I have read say you should only buy organic honey, unproccessed dark honey, or honey from local farmers. This seems to be a must for all the "greenies". That's great, and if this is in your budget, or you are totally going "green" go right ahead. However, I find that the cheapest grocery store honey works just fine. ( I have nothing against being "green", fact is I am trying to add that into many parts of my life but I am far from being 100% truly organic and green and I am 100% fine with that at this time.)
To use in the Am. - Simply wet your face with warm water, take a bit of honey, it can be a teaspoon to a tablespoon depending on preference and massage it onto your face. I just squirt a bit onto my fingertips and go to town, adding more if needed. It should feel slipppery and your face should feel coated but not heavy. Mix it around a bit in circular motions a like a massage. Then, simply wipe of with warm wet washcloth or just rinse off if you are in the shower. I keep a bottle (yes, its the little bear kind) of honey in the shower just for this purpose. In the Pm. -Simply repeat the Am method, using a warm wet washcloth, but , if you wear makeup you MUST remove it with oil first . Honey will not remove all your makeup by itself. I generally prefer coconut oil as my makeup remover because I have alot of it and use it for my hair, but really any old oil will work. This includes plain old vegetable oil, even though it does not seem very elegant. I am currently infusing olive oil with rosemary and plan on trying that soon. The makeup removal part I am not picky about, if you like baby oil- go for it it will remove your makeup wonderfully. Since I am trying to be more natural I don't use baby oil anymore. So, oil your face first then wipe it off with the warm, wet wash cloth. Rinse the cloth well with hot water. Apply your honey, massage it around then wipe off with the warm wet cloth ( I prefer microfiber, you can buy them in a pack of 3 at the Dollar Treee store for yes, one dollar.) I have only been using the honey on my face for 2 weeks and really am amazed. My skin is soft and smooth and is becoming more even toned. My skin has always been blotchy and uneven. I do have very oily skin, (though not blemish prone), but it seems to be much more balanced now. My pores look smaller but my skin looks "plumper". I use less foundation. Even though my skin is oily I used to use a moisturizer at night, probably because my previous face wash ( either Dove soap or baby wash, both of which worked good for me but perhaps a tad drying) no need now. I just wash my face use a homemade toner ( I will post that recipe also) and thats it. I cannot believe how well honey is working for me. There may actually be a point where I don't need to cover my skin with a layer of foundation because my skin is that good! We will see, but for now honey is my end all be all face wash! I really think anyone should try honey as a face wash. Its 100% natural and has anti- bacterial and healing properties. Of course, if you are alleric to honey don't try this- thats common sense- but for anyone else give it a go for at least a good 2 weeks to see how you like it. I don't think I will go back to anything else now. Plus there is a whole range of scrubs and masks you can make with honey ( I will post on those at a later date)
I am always on the lookout for cheap yet good ways to keep up with my beauty needs -I am a beauty junkie, and I am totally crazed about hair care. I am really not "green" per say but I am always surfing the web for "the best" or "alternative" hair care. I have done the whole co-wash thing, and been through everything from the cheap-o ( Suave ,VO5, Dollar store) stuff, to the heavy silicone laden ( Pantene, Herbal Essences) stuff, to silicone free ( Suave Naturals) stuff . I have decided to go to the more natural homemade route for many of my beauty needs. Honestly, nothing has ever worked better for me than this simple homemade hair rinse recipe- best part its CHEAP! I have seen many posts using a honey rinse to add shine and help condition hair and I have also seen many posts using coconut milk as a conditioning treatment. Well, I got to thinking, (bad thing when I do that), and came up with a conditioning rinse that honestly I love so much I doubt I will ever go back to store bought conditioner. Here's the recipe- ( It makes 12 or so cups- a gallon is 16 cups so this is quite a bit) -4 cups coconut milk ( if using canned and not homemade- just get 2 cans it will suffice, its thicker than homemade - I prefer Goya brand if your going with the canned- I will tell you how to make homemade coconut milk at the end of this post) -8 cups water (boiled then cooled a bit- so its basically distilled- this is important for preservation sake) -1/3 cup honey ( I use the plain old honey from the grocery store, no need for organic) -containers to store it (I use a re-purposed squirt bottle for in the shower and empty glass jars - like from pasta sauce or mason jars for storage in the fridge) -Large container to mix it in ( old milk gallon jugs work good) Pour your 1/3 cup honey into your large container- add your water, but make sure its still warm to hot as to melt the honey. Let that cool a bit then add your coconut milk. Stir very, very, very well, even shake it if your container has a lid, then pour into your smaller containers. I use an old plastic squirt bottle (it was a ketchup container ) in the shower for my mix and store the rest in glass jars in the fridge for latter use. Since this is a rinse and not a traditional conditioner it is very thin and I use alot since I have rather long hair that I wash daily. I have a 25 oz. bottle in the shower that lasts about 3-4 days, depending on how heavy handed I get.. You need to shake well before each use as it does seperate. I really have no idea how long this would last out in the open but personally I wouldn't push it past 4 days in the heat, maybe a week in the winter. This is, after all, all natural with no preservatives other than whats in the coconut milk and the honey. The milk will spoil. When I need to refill my shower container I make sure I pull it out of the fridge the night before so it sets to room temp. You can tell when it goes bad, it will not smell light and conutty any more. For me, homemade coconut milk seems to stay fresher a bit longer than the canned. The 12 cup batch only lasts me about a week or so, with daily use. I do not know how long it will keep in the fridge, I have not had it go bad in the fridge for up to 10 ten days so far. You may be better off making smaller batches more often if you are worried about freshness or do not wash your hair daily.
This mix leaves my hair so, so soft and shiny. Plus it feels moisturized to the very ends and it NEVER builds up. Now, it is NOT detanging by any right. Honestly, I had to take an ungodly amount of time to untangle my hair after first using this. It was so bad nad I pulled out so much hair, that I thought I was going to throw out the whole batch and go back to store bought. However, it was worth it in the end and the more I use it the better it seems to be plus I have found a semi- homemade detangler recipe that helps with the tangle issues. I will post on that later. I have to say I will never go back to a store bought conditioner after using this ( unless I go back to co-washing). My hair is finally perfect ,as perfect as it will get, every day, it has no build up and I swear is starting to grow. I also use straight coconut oil as as leave or an overnight conditioner with this mix so it may be the coconut oil that is actually helping, regardless, this coconut milk/ honey rinse is my holy grail hair conditioner. To make homemade coconut milk (easy way)- put 1/2 cup of packed coconut flakes into a blender- I can only find sweetened coconut flakes in my area (they are in the baking aisle) They do contain propelene glycol as a preservative. Propelene glycol is found in tradition conditioners as a humectant so I have no problem using sweetened coconut flakes. Besides I think the propelene glycol helps my homemade coconut milk last longer than the canned. add 2 cups boiled and cooled, but still hot, water blend till flakes are pulverized- just a few minutes Strain very well with strainer or cloth, reserve coconut milk, throw out flakes, and repeat with fresh boiled water and flakes till you get your desired amount of milk. This makes the best coconut milk in my opinion. If you want richer milk add more coconut (like 1 cup per 2 cup water), thinner milk, use 1/2 cup coconut to 4 cup water. You can also add all kinds of stuff to this rinse if you so like. I have infused rosemary ( 1 tablespoon per cup water) and green tea ( 2 tea bags per cup) in the water I use to make my rinse. It smells lovely, works great, but has an ugly brownish shade to it. You can also add essential oils if thats your thing ( I love lavender) . If you have really dry, thick, coarse hair add some lighter oil like safflower or sunflower oil to the mix. Make sure to shake extra well if you add additional oils beacause the oil will settle on the top of the rinse. This really is a basic recipe, and I am only posting about what works for me. Please feel free to experiment and have fun. After all thats what beauty should be about.
I am so exicted. While browsing the web I have come across alot of posts for homemade face powder. I'm so impressed! It actually works- like really, really good! Now, I have long used baby powder as my setting powder. I used to use the talc based powder as the cornstarch based one can cause blemishes. However, I have recently changed to the cornstarch based powder as it seems to give me a better (softer) finish and its more absorbent (at least for me) than talc. I have oily skin (like the desert of Kuwait) but its not really blemish prone and I haven't had any problems with the cornstarch. But don't say I didn't warn you in case you try it and break out a week later. The only issue I have ever had with baby powder is that it can be too white, especially in the summer months when bronzer is better. I remedy this by applying it very lightly and wearing a slightly darker foundation. Now, I have found an even better solution. Pure cornstarch (in the baking aisle) and
unsweetened cocoa powder (yes, like Hersheys- also in the baking aisle) I was amazed. Pure cornstarch is actually finer milled and more absorbent than the baby powder version and its cheaper but its really, really white. Cocoa powder has natural antioxidant properties and isn't a skin irritant plus it has that lovely neutral, natural, soft brown color. Mix them together and Ta-da ! Perfect oil absorbing loose face powder. I am light so I started with 1/2 cup cornstarch to 1 teaspoon cocoa powder. Yes, thats alot to start with but for some reason I can't do anything in small batches. This mix is perfect for me. I mix it up then put it in a old glass jar. I sprinkle some on the lid, use a big fluffy brush, swirl and tap, then buff onto skin over my foundation. I am perfectly matte and shine free all day. I love it. Now, you need to custom mix this for your skin tone. Perhaps start out with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and a 1/8 teaspoon or a sprinkle of cocoa, adding more cocoa to deepen the shade. To much cocoa, add more cornstarch. Record your efforts so you have the correct measurments. It really is trail and error. Once you have your perfect blend you will never go back to regular powder. Since I am light I can actually get away with no cocoa powder in my cornstarch, especially in the winter, so for me the small amount of cocoa to large amount of cornstarch was fine, I didn't have to try too hard. A couple of tips- -This is really messy to make so beware, you are working with 2 finely ground powders. -You can also make this with baby powder, not just pure cornstarch, and if you are blemish prone you may want to use talc based baby powder ( there is alot of information on talc out there about how bad it is, supposedly, so do your own research. I personally don't have a problem with talc, but to each his own.) - This may be to drying for dry skin, it is very absorbent. - This can double as a sheer powder foundation for those who have great skin or just want a very natural look. The cocoa seems to give enough color along with the mattifying cornstarch to just even out your skin tone. It won't cover anything but it will even it out. I use this and am matte and touch up free all day. I usually have my makeup on 12 or more hours so this really is a remarkable feat. I am waiting for the real test to come in th dead of summer so I will update then but so far I have never ever found a better face powder.
I was reading how you could use tea or coffee to dye dark hair. Its supposed to be a natural replacement for commercial hair dye. I have naturally dark brown hair that I dye black. Every 4-6 weeks I need a root touch up. I don't want to have to dye my hair that often (even if its only the roots with a 2-3 times a year full head dye job) as it is damaging so I decided to give this a go.
The recipe is simple. Basically the stronger the brew of the tea the stronger the dye. You need to use plain old tea bags- not green tea, as green tea is to light. Look for tea that contains orange pekoe and/or black. Orange pekoe is a black tea. I use a no-name brand I get at my local grocery. Its .99 cent for 100 bags and its the same tea I make iced tea with. I boiled 2 cups of water and added 6 tea bags. I put it (including the tea bags) in a glass jar and let it sit overnight. The next morning I poured it over my brushed yet unwashed hair. I worked it into my scalp, wrapped my hair up in a plastic bag and then a towel and let it sit for one hour. I squeezed out the leftover teabags into a small cup with a squirt or two of my shampoo. Use whatever amount of shampoo you would normally use. After the hour I shampooed, with the teabag/shampoo mix and conditioned my hair ( I use my semi-homemade coconut milk shampoo, which I previously posted on, and my coconout milk honey conditioning rinse, which I will post on later.) I was shocked that it actually worked. Now there is not a major difference in color like you would get with commercial hair dye but my roots were noticably darker. If you are going from, lets say blond to dark hair, this isn't going to cut it. However, to freshen up already dark natural or dyed hair this is great. I need to see how long this will last but I am thinking this may really help me stretch some serious time between colorings. If I have to to this every week ( or even twice a week) it will be worth it to me. I wont do it daily a it is way to time consuming so I am hoping it will hold up through at least a few shampoos. I shampoo daily. I am also planning on making a stronger "dye" next time. I will use 1 cup water to the 6 tea bags. I felt like the 2 cups was way to much to just do my roots. It drips everywhere and I felt I wasted half the mix and made a mess. You will make a mess anyway since this is only "tea water" and has no thickness whatsoever. It drips everywhere. That is why I wrapped my head in a plastic bag and then a towel, it really helped. Im impresed, really, who wuld have thought little old tea bags could dye your hair!
I came across a few post that claim using a honey hair rinse as a cheap, homemade replacement for conditioner. Intrigued I just had to try it. It is quite simple to do all you need is 1 tablespoon of honey 4 cups very warm/hot water What I did was add the honey to a large, easy pourable container of hot water and stirred until the honey melted. After shampooing ( I used my semi- homemade coconut milk shampoo - my previous post) You simply squeeze the excess water out of hair and dump the whole 4 cups of honey water over your head ( I avoided the front and top of my head as my roots are oily) and work it through hair. Let it sit while you do other shower things and rinse well. After air drying ( I do not blow dry) I was quite impressed. With just honey and water my hair was soft and pretty shiny BUT, and thats a bit BUT, there were some issues. First of after rinsing my hair was a bear to untangle. I had so many tangles I had to go very slow as not to pull out my hair. Second, while my hair was soft and shiny my ends still were a bit dry and looked dull. I know thats weird to have both soft yet dry hair but that is exactly what happened. I applied my coconut oil as a leave in to remedy the dryness, which worked fine, but had to use a bit more than usual. Third. I felt the whole 4 cup water thing was way to much. I have long hair (bra strap legnth) but its normal to thin in thickeness. I really could have just used a cup and been fine with that "rinse". While I think this honey rinse is a decent conditoner alternative I think my hair needs a bit more on a daily basis, which is why I used this as a base for my coconut milk honey conditoning rinse that I will post on later as I need to perfect it.
While fishing around the web one day I came across a few recipes for homemade coconut milk shampoo. Most call for liquid castille soap which I don't use and won't buy so I experimented a bit and came up with the PERFECT shampoo for me. I generally co-wash with a weekly shampoo but it never fails every 2-3 months or so I go back to a "normal" shampoo/ conditioner routine because I miss the feel of shampoo sudsing, then after a week I hate it, so I go back to co- wash, then back to shampoo, etc.. Finally I found the answer- Coconut milk shampoo. The recipe is so so simple- 1/3 cup baby wash (not baby shampoo, I will explain why) 1/4 cup coconut milk (homemade- how-to to follow) Stir gently together and pour in any old shampoo or squirt bottle. Shake before each use. HOMEMADE COCONUT MILK- 1/2 cup shredded coconut 2-4 cup very hot water Put coconut in blender, add 1 cup hot water, blend for 30 second to a minute ( I actually have a liquify button on my blender so thats the button I hit) Strain through cheesecloth if you have it, if not a small holed strainer or even a coffee filter would work. I have flour sack towels so that is what I use. Squeeze the pulp to get it to release more milk Put the pulp back in the blender, add another cup water and repeat the process. Can repeat up to 4 times I usually only do 2 "rounds" total because I blend the coconut so much by round 2 I'm left with basically coconut flour. If you blend gently, you can get 4 cups of coconut milk out of the original 1/2 cup coconut flakes. Most recipes call for unsweetend coconut flakes but I only have sweetened coconut flakes at my local stores. Now they contain sugar (of course) but they also contain propylene glycol, which is a perservative in this case. Many regular shampoos and conditoiners contain propylene glycol as a humectant. So I have no problem using the sweetened coconut. I am hoping the propylene glycol actually will keep my milk fresher longer. This homemade coconut milk is thin, much like regular milk. I like it. You could use canned coconut milk (I have never) but I think that is probably much richer and thicker than the homemade so your results may be different. Plus the homemade is fun and cheaper. Also, the reason I use baby wash instead of baby shampoo is that baby shampoo simply doesn't work for me. I have tried. It doesn't produce a lather I like and it seems hard to work through my hair. Plus I feel like I need to shampoo twice which is something I have long since gotten away from. Good baby shampoo (like Johnson's) only has very gentle cleansers which don't cut it for me. I want gentle but I still want clean. Baby wash on the other hand, while still gentle, has more cleaning ability and produces a more bubbly lather. Most baby washes use sodium laureth sulfate somewhere on the ingredient list ( so do some cheap baby shampoos but if you don't want to scan all the labels just buy whatever baby wash you grab) If sodium laureth sulfate is first on the ingredient list its a stronger wash- I tend to purchase those that have it third on the list. Sodium laureth sulfate the only sulfate my hair likes. If you are anti-sulfate or sulfate free go ahead and try the baby shampoo but I feel the results are far, far (like 100 times) better with baby wash. Using the shampoo my hair is soo soft, managable and moisturized. Plus its clean and I get my suds that I like so much. I use it along with my homemade coconut milk and honey conditioning rinse that I will post about later (I am still perfecting that recipie a bit) and my coconut oil as a leave in. This combo is giving me perfect hair, well, as perfect as my hair will get. Its soft, shiny, moisturized, feels thicker and looks better. The only downfall is my hair is very tangly after rinsing. There is no detangling agents in this homemade mix. So, I just take more time detangling. The results are worth it. I am on day four and I swear my hair keeps getting better daily which is something I can never ever say after day four. Usually by then I need a clarifier or I need to alternate my co-washing conditioner beacause my hair is greasy or flat or just plain "not right". Im sure I will need to clarify eventually (maybe a week maybe two) because the oils will eventually build up but so far I am one happy camper. One last note- I have no idea how long this will stay fresh for. Coconut milk will eventually sour. This is why I make it such a small batch . I do double my recipie beacause it is watery and I use alot shampooing daily. I have no problem after four days but I don't know how far I can push it. Will update on that one later. So, your best bet is to do small batches more frequently. The homemade coconut milk itself will keep in the fridge at least a week . Since I use it both in my shampoo and conditioner I don't have much leftover anyway. This recipe is just what works for me. I have normal to thin hair with oily roots and dry legnth and ends. My hair is long and has a slight wave. I do color it. There are many variations you could try. You could even use your own favorite shampoo and just use the coconut milk as an added moisturizing agent. You could lessen the shampoo, add more coconut milk, less coconut milk, mix 50/50 etc. This may work great with Suave coconut shampoo as a double coconut whammy. Whatever, try it, have fun and your hair will thank you.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Product review - M.A.C. Russian Red lipstick Well, this review is a bit off the beaten path. Russian Red is not by any means "Champagne Beauty on a Beer Budget" Its champagne beauty alright, but with a $15 price tag its not beer budget, at least not for me. This lipstick costs only a buck or two less than my whole makeup regime combined. Is it worth it? Well, I would be here doing this review if it wasn't. Russian Red is a very iconic lipstick, and for good reason. This lipstick is a beautiful true, blue based, classic, elegant red. It could work on many skin tones, as I feel it does lean a bit torward neutral. Its not a bright red, which I do tend to prefer a bit more, but its not a deep brownish , or blood red either. Its creamy and very pigmented. It applies like a dream, so smooth and easy. It feels very light and even though its matte its not drying. On me it last all day. If I am having a long evening I may touch up after dinner or before going out but for the most part, for me, its really not needed. The color stays true - all day, never fading out or turning fushia, cherry or orange. If you do need to reapply it never feels heavy. This is one of those red lipsticks that go with a cute little colorful sundress, jeans and a tee, or your most elegant evening gown. It also looks good with either a cat eye, neutral eyes or even a very soft smokey eye. I do red lips every single day and I can wear Russian Red every day if I wanted. I have found this has a faint sweet vanilla scent but no "lipsticky" taste. I have read many many posts about drugstore dupes for Russian red. Sorry, the ones I have tried will NOT replace Russian Red. I will address some of them. Please note, all of these lipsticks are not bad lipsticks, I actually like, even own and wear them, but they are NOT Russian Red N.Y.C. Retro Red .99 cents - Much, much more orange than Russian Red, different texture- its a bit creamier. However, the color payoff just as good and it stay true. NOTE- if your willing to experiment you can mix Retro red with NYC Sheer Red and get a damn close color match for Russian red for $2.00, of course wear time and texture will be nowhere as close. Covergirl Hot- This has been my go to lipstick since I've been on my red kick. I really like this lipstick. However its far from perfect. Compared to Russian Red the staying power is the same, maybe even better. ( I demand long wearing lipstick, I HATE to have to touch up all the time) The texture is close but Hot is heavier and thicker feeeling. Hot has a comparable but much stronger scent. Also my biggest problem with Hot is that it does not stay true. It goes on a poppy red and as the day wears on it turns more cherry red. If you touch up it can feel a bit heavy. In terms of actual shade Hot is still blue based but its brighter and while still fairly neutral it pulls coral/poppy red. The shade is NOT a classic red like Russian red. Wet-n-Wild Stoplight red- Now this is always mentioned as an exact dupe for MAC Ruby Woo (Russian Reds sister which now I am itching to buy - argghhh!)). However, if I had to pick out of all of them, I think this the closest to Russian Red, its not an exact clor match (none are) but it is a blue based red, just a brighter and truer classic red. Swatched on skin Russian red looks browner than both this and Hot. However, Stoplight Red feels the same and stays true. Its nowhere near as stay put as Russian Red but its only 2 dollars and its a great little lipstick. I have to give mention to Revlon. I do not own any Revlon lipsticks so cannot make a true call but I have seen so many posts that claim Revlons matte Really Red and the super lusturous Certainly Red are good dupes for Russian Red, so they may be worth checking out. All in all I am glad I splurged and bought Russian Red. I ordered directly from MAC and it was free shipping and I got it in 3 days. Not bad. Now $15 bucks, in my opinion, a bit overpriced, but it is a fantastic lipstick and I will reorder when I have a bit of extra money to treat myself. Its worth it to have in your red lipstick collection.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Finding the perfect red lipstick - Part 3
Well , we have come to part three of finding the perfect red lipstick. Unfortunately , my super cheapy finds have not worked perfectly for me. Oh, some could work, but when it comes to lipstick (especially red lipstick) I am very, very picky. Therefore, I have moved on to more expensive, yet still reasonable drugstore lipstick finds. My two favorite are L'oreal's "British Red " and Covergirls "Hot." Now, both run about $6.00 to $8.00 at most places. Walmart is the cheapest. These lipsticks are much more expensive than what I would normally look at. I got "Hot" for around $3.00 because its about $6.00 at Walmart and I had a $3.00 off coupon."British Red" still cost me $7.00 with a $1.00 off coupon at Rite-Aid. Both of these lipsticks are easily found at most mass market retailers or drugstores. Many drugstores like Rite-aid or Walgreens offer a b.o.g.o 50% off often. Quite often I have found Hot sold out at many places . "British Red" from L'oreal is a gorgeous, creamy, lightweight, non-drying, shiny, satin finish corally red. I LOVE THIS SHADE. It makes me feel "rich" and sophisticated. However, it can pull orangey and is not a true red (in my opinion). Also, it is not long wearing enough for me. You need to apply this multipe times and touch up often to maintain its richness. Since I am used to wearing matte lipsticks this is a bit to "sheer" and glossy for me, even though I love the lightweight non-drying feeling of it. If this was a .99 cent to a $2.00 lipstick I might deal with the downfalls but not for $7.00. Sorry. I am way cheap and really, really hard to please. I want RED but am not willing to be high mainteance to look high maintenace. HAA!! (and it is possible)! Covergirl's "Hot". Well, this baby is my (so far) all time winner for cheap red lipsticks. Why? well, its rich, creamy, dries to a long lo-o-ong lasting matte, yet non-drying finish. I can literally apply this in the morning an never touch up. I mean never (14 hrs). The color is great. Pat Mcgrath, the makeup artist for Covergirl, used this on 40+ different models in a spring 2013 fashion show. (sorry, I don't remember which one). I figured if 40+ models of all different skin tones could wear it so could I. Taylor Swift also uses this color. Plus, I have read its a close dupe to the famous MAC Russian Red. Now, "Hot " does have a few downfalls. First, it doesn't seem true to shade all the time. Let me explain. On me it applies a vibrant poppy, yet still neutral, red. ( Its a blue red with a hint of coral). However, sometimes it can set up as a more cherry red (more truly cool blue based). Its sort off odd, but I still think it can work for alot of skin tones. If I apply it very heavy it seems to stay true to the poppy shade (which I prefer). But, applied heavily it can bleed (badly)and get on teeth. This lipstick is creamy but very heavy. It also stains. I mean it stains badly. I have to scrub, scrub , scrub my lips to remove it all and sometimes I wake up in the morning and my husband says "You forgot to take off your lipstick last night". I love longlasting lipsticks and have gotten used to the stain other than the fact it can be drying and if you don't remove it before the next application the next application won't go on evenly or true. All in all, Covergirl's "Hot" is my go to drugstore red lipstick. I own 3 tubes (so far), wear it every single day, and only stock up when its on sale and with coupons. Despite its downfalls it is a fix it and forget it high impact lipstick, which is what I want. Someday I may really splurge and buy the famous MAC Russian Red or Ruby -Woo ( That wouldn't be very beer budget of me now would it) but for now Hot is my perfect red lipstick.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Homemade deoderant! Say what?! Give it a try!
This is not a subject I would generally dive into. However, I really feel like I must. For most people, I would assume , applying deoderant is a daily function , just like showering, brushing your teeth, doing your makeup, etc... You don't really think about it , you just do it, its part of your daily routine. Well for me, and I don't think I am alone, deoderant is somewhat of a preoccupation. Face it, no one wants to stink, and well, some of us may feel we smell more than others. I, for one, think I am one of those "smelly" people, weather it is actually true, or just a perception of mine, it bothers me. I, in the past 30 years, have tried every deoderant on the grocery store shelves at one time or another and still am not happy. ( The exception is Certian Dry. It works, but its it's expensive and gives me a rash). I have resigned myself to using Suave. Now, there is nothing wrong with Suave, with coupons I get it for like 40 cents. You can't beat that. It works as good as the rest. However, I still have to apply it twice a day not to be stinky, ( even more in the hot summer ) , and deal with the heavy scent (though Suave's scents are nice) . It's frustrating and sort of gives me a complex. After reading hundreds of posts and articles I have come to realize that baking soda and cornstarch deoderant has a huge following. It has almost a 100% satisfaction rate. Honestly, I thought it was unbelievable and just for those "crazy green, modern day hippies", until I tried it myself. I mixed 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. This should last me least a week ( I am way-y-y heavy handed), and I did it at such a small amount as a trial basis because I honestly didn't think it would work. I mixed it well and put in in a ornate antique ceramic makeup jar that was my grandmothers because, A. I wanted to disguise it and, B. It looked pretty on my vanity. You can put it in anything you want , a jar, a tupperware container, as long as its sealed. After showering and while I was in my towel and my armpits were damp, but not soaking wet, I dusted quite a large amount on using an old fluffy makeup brush. I applied it just like I was powdering my face. You could use your fingers to apply if you don't have a brush, I just thought the brush was quicker, more sanitary, and more uniform in application. Now, this IS messy. Its like any other powder, it kind of goes everywhere if your not slow and presise in application (which I am not). Being skeptical I put a ton on and had quite a bit of transfer on my shirt when I got dressed. (Again, apply it directly after showering, before you get dressed). I was shocked that I could remove the residue on my shirt with a damp cloth. Normally, if I would have gotten regular deoderant stains on my clothes I would have had to change. I AM AMAZED. Its 10+ hours and I have zero sweat and ZERO odor. I am 100% "stink" free. I smell NOTHING. And I mean 100% NOTHING. When I use traditional deoderant I smell something at at least hour 4 (if I am lucky- most of the time its hour 2). Usually its a combination of the deoderant and "stink". Never, ever, ever have I been able to go this long an smell nothing. Truly, my mind is blown, and that is the only reason I am doing this post. I have found most comercial deoderants are heavily scented to mask the "stink" smell. The unscented versions, even those for men, simply don't mask b.o. . I don't want to smell -period and I really don't want to smell my deodrant. If I want to smell I use my perfume, (thats why I have perfume ) not my deoderant. The only draw back to this deoderant recipe is that the baking soda may cause a rash on some people. That is why I made such a small batch. Most posts I have read that complain of a rash is after a week or so. If you try this and experience any rash, itchyness or discomfort, up the cornstarch by one, whatever- your- equal -measurement, is to the baking soda, until you find the perfect recipe for you. I personally do not see myself going back to commercial deoderant - ever, and this is only after one day. Trust me I am such a skeptic! This cost me pennies, does not stain my clothes, leaves me 100% dry, and is truly unscented. What is not to like ? If you don't like it no harm, no foul - go to the store and buy a stick of Secret or Suave or Dove or whatever.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
HOMEMADE RED LIP TINT
I happen to love red lips, however, red lipstick can be high maintenance and look, well, high maintenance and made up . I have been on a homemade kick lately. With that said, I have been researching online for homemade makeup alternatives and have seen plenty of posts about using kool-aid as a lip stain. Honestly, I was like "What, no way! A perfect red lip for less than 25 cents that lasts all day! Your crazy!" It's to good to be true. Well, sort of . Let me explain. Most posts call for you to simply open a pack of red kool-aid (I use the Tropical Punch flavor as it gives me the best red color), wet a q-tip or your finger (beware it will stain your finger if you do this) and rub it on your lips, let dry, dust off leftover crystals and go. Simple, right. Well, yes, but there is a terrible downside. First, unsweetened kool-aid in the little packs taste not so good, its bitter, and it BURNS, yes, it burns your lips. Well, at least it burns mine, and it burns something awful. Sorry, I don't like burning lips. On top of that, its so messy. So being as stubborn as I am, I was determined to make this work, and save me a small fortune in red lipstick (although I do love my red lipstick and have no problem spending a few dollars on it). There are plenty other posts online about making a kool-aid lip balm by using a pack of kool-aid added to a tub of melted vaseline and viola! Lip balm. Hmmmm, I'm thinking about combining this idea, Ohhhh yeah, this may just work. Here we go, 1 tablespoon of vaseline (petroleum jelly) I get the generic at the dollar store for a dollar, its all the same for this. 1 full packet of tropical punch kool-aid ( I use tropical punch because it gives me the best true red, you can try whatever you like. Mind you, the finished product is not the same shade as what it turns out as on your lips. To know the true color of the kool-aid "lipstick" , add a drop of water to a bit of the plain kool-aid. When the kool-aid meshes with the water, that gives you the true shade.) ( 1 packet of unsweetened kool-aid equals 1 1/4 teaspoons just in case you were wondering. Yes, I actually measured. Sorry , I am kind of O.C.D.) 1/2 teaspoon of sugar (this is optional but trust me, kool-aid unsweetened tastes awful and again, it BURNS! The bit of sugar is more than worth it) tooth picks small glass bowl little container for finished tint- I used old Smiths Rosebud Salve tin I had saved because I liked the tin, but any old lipgloss pot, lipstick tube, chapstick tube, or old eye cream pot would work. If you don't have one of these go to the dollar store, any tiny container would work. Fact is, I may make lip balm for my nieces next Christmas and the dollar store has a 10 pack of small "tupperware" containers for a dollar. They have both round and square. They are slightly bigger than a standard lipgloss pot but for the price I don't care. Lets get to it!
Melt vaseline in a glass container, in the microwave, for 2 minutes. It will not look melted. Stir with a toothpick (trust me, tooth picks make much eaiser clean up because you just throw the tooth pick away) the vaseline will melt when stirred. Next, add the sugar slowly and stir, stir, stir. Again, optional, but I won't make it without it. Then, VERY SLOWY add the kool-aid and stir, stir, stir. If you add the kool-aid too quickly you will get "clumps" that WILL NOT MELT and you have to throw it all away. Slow is the key. If the vaseline starts to set back up, put back in microwave for 20 seconds. Pull out and stir, stir, stir. Put back in for another 20 seconds if needed and----- Stir, stir, stir. Then stir some more and more and more. Pour into your container of choice and put in fridge for about an hour or let set up at room temp. over night. To use- apply to DAMP lips with a BRUSH. If your lips are bone dry you won't get any color (the kool-aid needs "water" to form color) and if you use your fingers it will stain- badly, again, this is a stain. I actually use a $1 E.L.F. essentials concealer brush, that I got at Kmart as my lipbrush. I was shocked by the color I got. It was a bright, yet natural red, but still red, realy red shade that actually looked as good as my red lipstick, just more "real". I am trying to perfect this recipe because it came out very, very gritty. (that is why I am enforcing the whole stir, stir, stir thing.) I have to lick and rub my lips together to melt the grit and give it full color. However, it is much, much more gentle and user friendly than using straight kool-aid as a stain. I don't think I stirred enough during my " I-got-it- almost-right" batch because I got impatient. I wasted 7 packs of kool-aid and a half a tub of vaseline trying to get this recipe down. Its still not perfect but if you want a cheap, yet, better alternative to the plain kool-aid lip tint seen on Pinterest or other posts try this. I will use this daily all summer long. ( I wear red lipstick every single day) Its great for my less formal functions , like B-B-Q's, boating or motorcyle rides, when my full on red lipstick looks a little out of place. To be honest, I don't know yet if this is going to be a permanent replacement for my regular red lipstick and some of you may say "Oh girl, your nuts!! I'm just gonna spend the $ for my lipstick cuz' this ain't worth the trouble". But, if you want something long lasting, a bit more natural, and dirt cheap (com'on its pennies compared to at least $2.00- $5.00 for a decent cheap drugstore red lipstick), it may be worth the try. It can be a bit messy and the kool aid can stain everything. I recomend putting newspaper or a plastic bag down on your work area. Plus to wash the vaseline out of your glass container is a greasy mess. Nevertheless, I am very pleased with the finished product when it 's all said and done.
