Wednesday, April 8, 2009

DIY Strawberry Blush




Here's a very simple cream blush recipe that you can do at home.


Ingredients:

1/4 cup beet powder
1/4 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 teaspoon olive oil



Combine all three ingredients in a blender. Afterward pour into small container and store in fridge. This recipe is great it glides onto the shine easily and gives you a natural glow. Just remeber that since this is made out of strawberries it will have a short shelf life of a week or two.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Soy Candles

As I was surfing the internet I came upon a soy candle website and began to question if soy candles are really better than regular candles or is it just another useless natural product hoax. Well actually there is a big difference and here's what I found:

-Soy candles are an cheaper all-natural alternative to beeswax candles.
- They produce no CO2 levels in the atmosphere unlike paraffin candles (which are petroleum-based).
-They last 50% longer than paraffin candles.
-Soy wax cleans up easily with soap and water.
-Soy candles have better scent dispersion.
-Soy produces 90% less soot than paraffin candles that can coat furniture and walls and it's bad for your health.

So here is a simple soy candle container project. All the supplies listed can be brought online or in at local hobby store.

Materials
- 1 pound of soy wax (can be found in block or flake form, the latter is easier to use)
- 1 mason jar
- 1 ounce of fragrance oil ( 1 fl oz. of fragrance oil to 16 oz. of soy wax)
- wax dye (whether dye chips, concentrated liquid, or dye blocks form)
-1 cotton wick, for example HTP -105
Directions
1. Place the soy wax in a pan and slowly turn the heat to medium range until the wax is completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Then add the fragrance oil and stir until it is completely absorbed into the wax.
3. Adding dye is optional but if added follow the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Pour the wax into the jar and position the wick at the center. A clothespin or pencil can make this process easier. 
5. When the wax has turned solid trim the wick to 1/2 an inch and enjoy your candle!

Blush according to face shape








 During my spring cleaning I became distracted with my old issues of Glamour magazine and I noticed a article that intrigued me.  There in Glamour's January 2009 issue was an article called "Blush: Tips for Doing It Right" which was about how you can apply brush according to your face shape as well as other tips that will help anyone properly apply blush. 


(According to Glamour Magazine)

Oval: "Sweep color up towards your temples, like a Nike swoosh."

Round:  "Add definition by applying blush at a 45 degree angle, basically, follow your cheekbones."

Square: "To soften your jaw line, put on blush in small circles, focusing on the apples of your cheeks."

Long: "Balance out length with the more horizontal strokes of blush. Keep wide to avoid the war- pain look."



Blush Tips

Blush Brush: According to the Glamour magazine article it said that your blush brush should be dome-shaped with bristles that ripple when blown on.  If a brush is too stiff it will be hard to distribute any color and if the blush brush is too soft too much blush will be distributed. The best blush brush will have a 2  1/2   inch circumference. Natural hair bristles are best even if their pricey because they are able to blend color very well.  And if the brush is of good quality and is well taken care of it could very well last forever.  Good quality brushes should be washed every day, while all blush brushes should be washed at least every month if not weekly.  As for the mini brush that comes with blushes that should be only used for emergencies because it distributes color very crudely. 

Color Choices: Color choice depends on skin color. Fair skin tones do well with pinks, medium  skin uses corals and cinnamon color choices, and dark skin does well with plum and merlot colors.  The type of blush and amount also depends on the rest of your makeup.  If you're wearing bold shadow or lipstick choices tone down the blush. However, if the rest of your makeup is shimmery use a blush that also contains the same texture.  And let's not forget that there are other choices besides just plain powder blush, it can be in a form of a cream or gel. Cream blush it can be a bit hard to get used to but the results are well worth it because it looks so natural and youthful.  When using a gel blush their is a certain technique. Begin by dabbing a bit on your cheek and blending with the middle finger slowly in small circles, edges outward. 

Fading: The oilier the skin is the faster blush will fade, cell phone and face touching also can contribute to fading. But this can be remedied with a translucent powder then blush application. If you really want to control fading a method of layering can be done which is done by applying sheer cream blush then a powder blush of the same color. 

Blush overload: It's important to remember to step back from the mirror to prevent blush overload.  If gone too far with a powder blush you can sweep off the excess with a clean brush or even a translucent powder. When overdosing on cream or gel blushes use a damp sponge or cotton pad. 

Broken Blush: No need to discard your favorite blush if dropped and cracked. All you have to do is dump it in an empty face cream or travel jar and crush it with a spoon and you have a loose powder version of it.  Or you can mix it with vaseline (which I don't recommend because of the chemicals) for a sheer cheek or lip gloss. 

Find your Face Shape


It is important to determine your face shape in order to find the perfect hairstyle, eyewear and even blush. So in order to make it easy for you I found out a few simple steps to help you figure that out. All you need is a a tape measure or ruler and something to write on and with.

1. Measure across the top of your cheekbones and record that measurement.
2. Now measure the widest point to the widest point on your jawline and write that down. 
3. Measure across your forehead at the widest point. That usually is like halfway between your eyebrows and hairline. Write that down.
4. Measure from the tip of your hairline to the bottom of your chin and record that. 

Oval Face: You have perfect proportions with length equal to one and half times the width.

Round Face: The face is about as wide as it's length.

Oblong: The length is longer than width. 

Heart: Cheekbones and forehead are wide, while the jawline is narrow.

Square: The face is about equally as wide as it is long. 

Diamond: With narrow forehead and jawline at about equal widths the widest is at the cheekbones. 

Monday, April 6, 2009

Green Tea

Green tea is so great for the body. It is rich in catechin polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that is a powerful antioxidant. EGCG is known for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells without harming healthy cells. It also lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and promotes good cholesterol (HDL). And it is about twice as strong as reservol that is found in red wine that is responsible for the french and their fatty diet yet everyone in france has a significantly lower rate of heart disease. 

Not only that it also inhibits abnormal blood clots.  Which prevents thrombosis which prevents heart attacks and stroke. Japanese men  have about less of a chance to develop these heart health risks even though 75% of them are smokers because of their green tea drinking habits.  The only downside of drinking tea would be insomnia, however 30-60 mg of caffine in 8 oz of tea to 100mg in the same amount in coffee. 

Here are a number of other benefits that green tea possibly have:
- detoxicating
-stamina and endurance
-boosting of immunity
-aids digestion
-slows the aging process and promotes skin health
-bowel regularity
-stabilizes diabetes
- weight loss
-kills bacteria that forms dental plaque

How to Properly Brew Green Tea
If green tea is not brewed properly the beneficial polyphenols can ruin the flavor of the tea, making the tea taste bitter. 

1. Fill a teakettle with cold water and heat into a boil.
2. After that let it sit for minutes. Then pour the heated water into a cup filled with one tea bag or about 2-4 grams of tea (that is usually one to two teaspoons depending on the tea you're brewing or according to the manufacturer's instructions).
3. Let that sit for about 3 minutes before removing the tea bag or loose tea.
4. Allow that that cup then to sit for another 3 minutes for it to cool.

I don't remember where I read this but I read that the antioxidants in green tea are really fragile so it's best to not add anything (even honey) and just drink it raw. Because anything added to green tea would neutralize the beneficial effects of green tea. But please do your own research on that. 

An Introduction to Egyptian Makeup


Egyptian makeup was much more than just for vanity it was thought to have spiritual and medicinal properties. Their cosmetic cream concoctions consisted of beeswax, oils, or other fatty substances, even fly dung!  While their powders contained powdered ores and finely ground gems such as lapiz lazuli. 

Eyes: Laurinite, phosgenite, crushed gems, minerals, burnt almonds, and even expensive spices like yellow- colored saffron was combined with water or animal fat to make unguent (a creamy paste) for eyeshadow before the egyptian well-known eyeliner made of green melachite or Galena otherwise known as kohl (the blue-grey natural mineral form of lead sulfide a very dangerous toxic substance!) It was also used as a form of mascara.

Lips: red ochre (hydrated iron oxide) or dregs from wine were combined with gum or resin for a lip color or face paint. 

Face: Chalk was used as a cleansing cream or foundation. 

Perfume: Egyptian perfumes were very expensive and famous for their good quality throughout the Mediterranean. Popular scents were: lily, cinnamon, orange, myrrh, frankincense, lime and sandalwood. They contained from various flowers, woods, leaves, and spices combined with purified animal fat or wax.  And not only were they were very fragrant but long-lasting as well, records show that a one egyptian perfume was able smell like new even after eight years! Egyptian perfumes were made in the following three ways: by soaking flowers in layers of fats to make it into a cream or pomade, the ingredients were dipped into fats or oils that were heated 65  celsius then allowed to cool and shaped into balls or cones, or expressed into an essence from flowers or seeds in a way a wine maker makes from fruit.

Breath: To promote good breath egyptians chewed parsley or other herbs.

Hair+ Nails: Henna was used as a natural hair-coloring agent and as a natural nail polish.



Kohl
You can buy kohl online, just make sure it is lead-free!  Real kohl comes in a box with a stick applicator. And a proper kohl stick is slightly rounded at the end.

Proper way to apply Kohl
1. Wet the application stick.
2. Dip the stick into the bottle and shake slightly so the makeup is able to attach to the applicator. 
3. Apply the stick onto the inner corner of the eye.
4. Lightly close your eyes and slowly draw the stick outwards between your closed eye and the kohl will leave a smudgy line onto both your top and bottom eyelids.


Henna Hair color
This healthy alternative to commercial dyes was used by the egyptians for hundreds of years and it also has the ability to relax coarse curls. The color added from the dye depends on the previous existing color. For blondes the result will be a brilliant bright red, brunettes will have a auburn effect, and dark brown and black hair will have reddish highlights.  And the more often you use henna in your hair the deeper the henna shade you will obtain.

1. Mix henna powder and add lemon juice or water into a paste. Do not add essential oils!
2. Cover it with plastic wrap and leave it for overnight. You can tell the dye is releasing color when you push back with a spoon to see that the paste is a little bit darker on top then the bottom layer.
3. Wear gloves so that your hands don't stain and apply a thick layer on hair (short hair uses 100g and hair medium/long needs about 300-400g).
4. Wrap in the hair  with plastic and leave it on for 2-4 hours or even longer if needed. 
5. Rinse hair until water is clear.
6. The color will develop in a few days  (3-4 days to be exact) being very bright at first then darken as time goes by.

Henna Nails
Henna dyes your nails a brilliant orange that will last until the nail grows out. However, the tips of the nails will lighten from wear over time. To avoid the "half-moon look" apply henna every 3-4 weeks.

1. The same henna paste used to make henna tattoos could be used on your nails. The best way to apply to your nails is to use a Jacquard bottle or mylar cone. 
2. Apply a thick amount of henna to your nails carefully and avoiding the skin around your nails. Let dry for 30-60 minutes. 
3. Leave the paste on for at least 3 hours or even overnight since the color will be darker the longer henna stays on.  You can even apply a coat of liquid latex that is sold through costume or theatrical makeup retailers after the paste dries. The paste will re-wet the underneath henna layer for maximum staining results and prevent the paste to come on the skin. 
For overnight henna nail staining apply henna then the liquid latex after the henna dries and wrap fingers with toilet paper before going to bed, unwrapping and removing the paste in the morning.
4. Remove the paste with lemon juice and keep water off nails for at least 12 hours if that is possible. The color will develop from bright orange to darker colors overtime (a couple of days). 

Geisha Lipstick


Want an all-natural lip color that lasts look no further then to the beautiful Geisha.  Beni the traditional Geisha lipstick and rouge is made from the Safflower plant that is harvested before sunrise (because of its ability to lose its color after sunrise) in July at Japan's Yamagata Mountains. It is then painstakingly crushed, soaked, and steamed into a paste. Afterwards it can be applied with a brush and depending on how much water is used the color ranges from pale pink to very bright red. One application can last a couple cups of coffee and multiple licking of the lips.  

So why aren't more people aware of this marvelous product? Well, it might actually be the world's most expensive lipstick.  Isehan-Honten, the only company that sells Beni, prices a pot containing less than 1/3 of an ounce at 335-1,440 British pounds.  The product comes in a beautiful lacquered case designed by Japanese artists along with a mirror, makeup brush, and pillow.

Homemade Sugar Scrub and Lip Exfoliation Tips

Everyone wants gorgeous kissable lips so how can we prevent them from looking dark, dull, and flaky? By exfoliating of course! Exfoliating the lips is incredibly easy anyone can do it by either using a very soft children's toothbrush or washcloth, or you can use a simple sugar scrub.  Using the first method a person needs to do this several nights in a row. First, by applying a moisturizing lip balm at night and again reapplying it in the morning and then taking the wet toothbrush or wet washcloth begin to gently rub your lips in both directions.  

In the second method you spread the homemade sugar scrub (see below) all over your lips and let it sit for about a minute. Then gently rub it with your finger or washcloth and rinse with water. At the end of either of these two methods make sure to apply a moisturizing lip balm or lipstick afterwards.   

Incredibly Simple Sugar Scrub Recipe
Add olive oil to a pinch of brown sugar. 

Steam your Face at Home

Steam is a great way to get rid of the skin's impurities on the surface and unclog the pores. Steam can be used with or without herbs and oils. It is recommended that people with dry skin use it once a week while the rest of us use it 2-3 times a week depending how oily their skin is. Adding herbs can also help by having softening and anti-bacterial or anti-inflammatory properties.  Calendula, Chamomile, or comfrey is good for people with sensitive skin, while mint, lavender, rose or witch hazel is used for oily skin.

Licorice root is a popular herb to use in facial steams because it opens the pores while cleansing and lubricating the face (just break a piece of the root off and put it into your steam pot). 

Directions 

1. Place a handful of herbs in your cooking pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
3.  After securing your hair wash and exfoliate your face.
4. Pour the contents in a bowl on a secure flat surface and drape a towel over your head while standing over the bowel for 10-20 minutes. (Make sure you stand over the bowl at a comfortable distance, you don't want to burn yourself with the steam.)
5.  Afterwards splash your face with cold water to tighten and wake up the skin. Then you can put on a facial mask or continue with your toner or moisturizing routine. 

* If you choose not to use herbs in your steam facial all you have to do is use a tea kettle to boil the water. You can also buy an Electrical Facial steamer.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

DIY Customized Lip Palette


It seems to me that every time I try to find a lipstick or concealer I end up with either the near perfect color or a lack of flattering colors which I find that I have a problem with most organic lip products. Making me jealously eye the great selection of nonnatural cosmetics. I know having a natural product is a lot better because lipstick is not only absorbed into the skin but it can be ingested as well yet I can't help but envy the non-natural products in their array of colors and pretty packages!  So I found new way to get the colors I want by mixing my own lip and concealer colors like the makeup pros and putting it all in a cute and convenient lip palette. 

You can do this by slicing off the tops of lip and concealer sticks and smashing them in or melting them over a candle with a spoon or a microwave at ten second intervals (the product should be soft enough to settle in not in the state of boil over). Pour the mixture into a empty lip palette that can be bought online (Japonesque has great lip palettes that come 6, 16, and 36  slots and E.L.F. has palettes that are prices at just $1) or you can  use a cute pillbox. Not only is this a great way to save room in your purse because you'll have a wide range of lip and concealer colors at your finger tips  but it's a great way to organize all of your makeup if you lack the space. And with your new personalized makeup palette you can even arrange separate palettes that contain neutral colors to use for the day or unexpected and bold colors for night. They can even be given out as gifts. 


Saturday, April 4, 2009

Yogurt Facial Mask


Using yogurt as a facial mask? Actually, yogurt makes a wonderful facial mask because it contains such wonderful properties like zinc that helps clear up the skin, rich enzymes and oils that act like natural moisturizers, lactic acid that promotes overall color tone by whitening the skin, while improving the skin's texture by tightening and shrinking the pores.  Plain yogurt also has the ability to restores the skin's normal ph balance. And you have to do is either apply yogurt to your face overnight or for about 15-20 minutes then rinse off out with warm water. 

(Just please before using make sure that you are not allergic to it)

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmers




I'm kind of on the fence with this lip product. On one hand it is such a great product because it is 100% natural (to the point that you can actually eat it), comes in cute packaging that is made out of partial recycled materials, and is not tested on animals (like all Burt's Bees products). I also like the temporary tingly mint feeling when the product is applied.  Now, on the other hand, it tends to streak and  bleed if applied in a large quantity straight from the tube to the point where I end up looking like a drunken drag queen that was raised by clowns. However, this can be easily remedied (thank god)! 

One way would be to use a lip brush and carefully paint it on and the other would be to gently pat it on with your finger to create a lip stain look. Another con with this lip product is the color choices, I personally don't really like the colors, they just look so cheap and wrong on me (again, the drunken drag queen look) but I find that if you  mix the lip colors together and melt it into a convenient lip palette or cosmetic jar anyone regardless of skin tone would be able to enjoy a truly pure product with their very own custom shade.

Ingredients: Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, ricinus communis (caster) seed oil, beeswax, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, lanolin, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, copernica certifera (carnauba) wax, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil. May contain: iron oxide, mica, carmine, titanium dioxide

Queen Helene Mint Julep Natural Facial Scrub


Although not a completely organic product I find that this is a good natural scrub that I can use when I do not feel like making my own scrubs. It comes in a convenient squeeze tube and does a great job sloughing away dead skin and making my skin look really polished, even-colored, and feeling overall clean.  The texture of this scrub is between a gentle everyday scrub and a really harsh once- a- week scrub.  So I like to use this  scrub bi-weekly before steaming my face as well as once a week when I exfoliate the my body before shaving to prevent ingrown hairs and promote overall skin health. 

6 oz. - $3.29

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Kaolin, Isopropyl Myristate, Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer 940, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Proplyparaben.


Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque


This is a great minty mask to use in order to get rid of blackheads because it tends to suck out all of the toxins from the pores. However, I do not recommend using this product more than 2-3 times a week since besides bringing out all of the skin's impurities to the surface it also gets rid of the skins natural oils and with too frequent use it can dry out the skin. As a person with really, really oily acne-prone skin I use this product twice a week after a facial steam for about 20 minutes (or as soon as the mask completely dries).  You can also use the mask as an overnight spot treatment in order to dry out blemishes and reduce redness just remember to put a towel on your pillow because the mask is mint green colored! And did I mention that this mask is dirt cheap! It's about $2.99 for the 3 oz tub or $5.29 for the 12 0z tub at Sally Beauty Supply. And since you don't need to slather the mask too thick (or it won't dry) the product should last you awhile.

Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Sulfur, Chromium Oxide Greens, Fragrance (parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Methylyparaben.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme


I'm a big fan of Burt's Bees products in general but I feel that the lemon butter cuticle creme is among my favorites. It's amazing, my cuticles are awful since I tend to occasionally bite my nails, especially during midterm season, but by using the creme it instantly improves my cuticles and after applying the product twice a day for a week my cuticles look amazing! The only downside of the product is that it can get a little messy since the cuticle creme is kind of greasy yet I still feel it is a great product overall.  And since I choose to use hand lotions afterwards it doesn't bother me. Another plus is that it has a great citrus smell and the .60 oz tin lasts a very looooong time. I have been using my tin for like a couple of months now and there is still some product left.

Ingredients: Sweet almond oil, beeswax, lemon oil, cocoa butter, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), candelilla wax, sunflower oil,  rosemary leaf oil, tocopherol (vitamin E), beta caratene, vegetable oil.  (95.00% Natural)
$6.00