Apple and Honey Acne Facial Mask

Fight acne with this delicious acne facial mask!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium apple
• 5 tbsp. honey

Directions:

• Grate the apple; combine with honey and mix well
• Apply the mixture to a clean face (avoid the eye area)
• Let sit for 5-10 minutes
• Rinse with cold water

Melon Anti-Aging Facial Mask

 

Fight signs of aging with vitamins A, B & C with this melon anti-aging facial mask!

Ingredients:

• 5-6 very thin slices of melon (watermelon, honeydew, etc.)

Directions:

• Cut 5-6 very thin slices of melon (whichever melon type you decide to use)
• Lay down and apply the slices to a clean face
• Let sit for 15-20 minutes
• Remove melon slices and rinse face with cool water

D.I.Y. Minty Toothpaste

Create your own mint flavored toothpaste with this d.i.y. recipe!

 

Ingredients:

• 6 tsp. baking soda
• 1/3 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. glycerin
• 16 drops peppermint or wintergreen extract (you can always add less to start and add more later if not minty enough)

 

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients; mix well till it forms a paste consistency that resembles toothpaste
• Transfer mixture to a container for storage

Hangover Smoothie Cure for the Morning After

We’ve all been there-had a little too much fun and a little too much to drink the night before leaving you with a massive hangover the next morning.  Say buh-bye to your hangover with this delicious kiwi smoothie!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiled water
• 3 tbsp. feverfew flowers
• 3 peeled kiwi fruits
• 3 tbsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

• In a bowl, pour the boiling water over the feverfew flowers; let steep for 8-10 minutes
• Place this mixture, along with the remaining ingredients in a blender
• Blend until smooth
• Drink up!

Sun, Sea & Sand…..Beach Beauty Essentials & Tips for Hair

It’s not news that the sun and salt water of the ocean causes damage to hair and skin….yet we still love it so much!  I refuse to give up my trip to the beach each summer in the name of keeping my locks from drying out (and I am sure a lot of you out there feel the same way!) so I’ve decided to share some of my favorite beach beauty products as well as beach beauty tips that I follow and have found.

Hair

Yes, the beach is the absolute perfect place to get sexy tousled beach wavy hair but it’s also the place that can leave hair ending up super dry and knotty (especially for those that swim!).

I’ve learned the hard way (unfortunately on more than one occasion) that the way you wear your hair when swimming in the waves makes all the difference between coming out of the ocean with manageable locks and coming out of the ocean with knotty disastrous locks.

I’m a big fan of the lazy messy bun on top of the head look but have found that this is absolutely NOT a winner for swimming in the ocean.  This has personally caused me the biggest and knottiest mess out of all the ways I’ve ever warn my hair while swimming.  The beating of the waves and the drying salt water just wreak havoc on my hair when I wear it like this and I always end up with a big knotty mess (and that’s after fighting to get my hair tie out).  I will never wear my hair like this to swim ever again….ever.

There’s always the option of wearing your hair down too.   This one isn’t my favorite but it is certainly doable.  The only downside for this one for me is that I find you can still end up with knotty/tangled hair if you have longer hair (especially nearer to the bottom of my hair).  I can usually remedy this problem though by applying detangling conditioner to my hair after getting out of the ocean.

My favorite way to wear my hair when swimming and the one that causes the least disastrous results is the braid.  I’ve worn my hair in one big braid down my back or in two side braids (the more childish/cute look of the two) and have always been able to swim without exiting the ocean with a big rat’s nest coming out of my head.

Recipe for Fool Proof Ocean Braid/Braids

• Prior to hitting the beach, brush your hair
• Apply a generous coating of conditioner or leave in conditioner to your hair (wet or dry) (my favorite is the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner)
• Braid your hair as desired and hit the beach and swim
• Upon exiting the ocean, gently squeeze excess water from your braid/braids
• Remove the hair tie(s) and gently separate hair from the your braid(s)
• Apply more conditioner or leave in conditioner and gently finger comb through your hair which should be tangle and knot free!

*I normally tote a little spray bottle of either leave in conditioner or a little bottle with some Aussie conditioner in it that I use for my hair after swimming in my beach bag.  I swear by the Aussie conditioner for after swimming because if there is any bit of tangle in my hair it instantly banishes it.  I also always shower after a day on the beach so between swimming and sitting on the beach and actually making my way to the shower it gives the conditioner plenty of time to soak into my hair leaving it super soft and smooth when I wash it out in the shower.

*If you don’t plan on showering right after the beach, apply less conditioner so your hair doesn’t look dull and overly weighed down when it dries.  I apply a lot but that’s because I wash it out before going out.

Here are some more tips for caring for your hair after spending a day (or two, or three or four, or more) at the beach:

• Apply olive oil to the tips of hair (which gets the driest) and sleep in it – wash it out the next morning (or the next time you take a dip in the ocean) and you’ll have lusciously soft locks (this also helps to prevent split ends)
• Apply a mashed avocado for a nourishing hair treatment, leave on for 15-20 minutes, rinse
• Always wash hair (with shampoo, not just a rinse) after swimming in the ocean before you go to bed (the longer you leave the salt water on your hair the more it dries it out)
• Whipped Shea butter acts as a natural sunscreen for hair….apply it to the ends or all over while sitting on the beach
• NEVER blow dry hair after swimming (this just adds to the damage and causes it to dry out even more)
• Hot Oil treatments are a great treat for hair after a day at the beach

My Favorite Beach Hair Products

Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner

Alterna Bamboo Color Care UV+ Fade-Proof Fluide

 

 

Tarte Clean Slate Deluxe Primer Trio

I’m a huge fan of this little set….and most Tarte products in general!

This was another purchase I made on a whim while browsing the pages of Sephora.  Even though I really start to like certain products, I am always up for trying new ones and thinking that I may just like them more.  I also love these smaller travel sized sets because they are great for trying out the product before shelling out all the money for the full sized product, they fit perfectly in a makeup bag or purse for touchups and of course for they are great for travel!

The set includes three pieces for $9.00:

Clean Slate Creaseless 12-hr Smoothing Eye Primer 0.09 oz.

Clean Slate Poreless 12-hr Perfecting Primer 0.25 oz.

Clean Slate Flawless 12-hr Brightening Primer 0.25 oz.

I was skeptical of the Poreless Primer when I first tried it only because I never used a primer with a consistency like this.  It’s a thick translucent primer with a waxy-like texture.  Initially, I put way too much on the first time I applied it and was having quite the time trying to get it blended on my face.  I was also put off by the waxy-like feeling as I was blending it (I was used to creamier textured primers) and was concerned that none of my makeup following this was going to apply smoothly or evenly.

I was wrong.  After applying the primer I applied the rest of my makeup and LOVED the final results!  My face was definitely poreless!  I don’t naturally have very large pores but I do have some and this concealed them perfectly.  My makeup went on overtop of this smoothly and evenly and gave me a very airbrushed looking finish.  This is definitely a favorite of mine.

The brightening primer is great too but not my favorite when compared to the poreless primer.  This one has a creamy consistency (one that I was more familiar with) so putting this on was a lot easier for me.  This definitely gave my skin a bright and fresh glow.  My other makeup went on overtop of this primer easily and smoothly.  The results were a very smooth and glowing finish.  (However this one doesn’t have the same airbrushed finish as the poreless one).

The eye primer is great as well!  I put this on before applying shadow and liner (obviously) and it seems to really hold everything in place.  Now I do find that near the end of the day the eye makeup may start to shift a little.  I wouldn’t really say it makes the 12 hour mark like they say it does.  My eye makeup definitely isn’t worn off but it starts to move a little….which I can’t stand.

Overall, I would recommend this product.  If you’ve never tried Tarte or are debating on whether you want to buy any of these products in the full size version (but haven’t tried them yet) I would suggest buying this little trio.  These are small sizes but the product in them lasts a long time and a little definitely goes a long way with these.  (I believe Sephora is all sold out but I’ve seen them elsewhere online.)

 

Pros:

• Affordable
• Great to try before buying the full sized versions
• Great for travel or touchups on the go
• A little goes a long way
• Poreless primer really does leave skin looking poreless and flawless
• Brightening primer really does leave skin looking bright and fresh
• Eye primer extends the length of eye makeup wear

Cons:

• Doesn’t ever seem to actually last 12 hours

 

Chic Week Beauty Haul from Sephora

To say that I am not a sucker for a sale would be an understatement and to say that I made a couple purchases during Sephora’s Chic Week 15% off sale would be an ever bigger understatement.  (To say that my credit card isn’t hurting because of it would be one of the biggest understatements I could currently make at the moment.)

So…I shopped (again and again and again) and this is what I ended up with (reviews to follow as I try these goodies out):

Sephora Nano Lip Liner (02 – Cute Caramel): $4.25

(Orig. $5.00)

Dr. Jart+ The Original BB Cream Set: $28.90

(Orig. $34.00)

Tarte Beauty & The Box and SmolderEYES Duo: $17.85

(Orig. $29.00…on sale for $21.00)

Sephora Collection Nourishing Hand Cream: $2.55

(Orig. $3.00)

Sephora Collection Double-Ended Waterproof Smudge Liner: $2.55

(Orig. $9.00…on sale for $3.00)

Sephora Collection Moisturizing Bronzing Body Lotion: $4.25

(Orig. $16.00…on sale for $5.00)

Sephora Collection Professional Clear Natural Mascara: $4.25

(Orig. $10.00…on sale for $5.00)

Sephora Collection Silk Shadow Quad (Ballroom Romance): $5.95

(Orig. $25.00…on sale for $7.00)

Sephora Collection Urban Luxe All Over Powder Palette: $5.95

(Orig. $14.00…on sale for $7.00)

Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer: $8.50

(Orig. $29.00…on sale for $10.00)

Korres Butter to Go Body & Lip Butter Duo: $8.50

(Orig. $15.00…on sale for $10.00)

REN the Fab 4 Kit: $28.90

(Orig. $34.00)

Sephora Collection Perfecting Ultra-Smoothing Primer: $12.75

(Orig. $15.00)

Sephora Favorites In the Glow Set: $38.25

(Orig. $45.00)

Sephora Favorites Glitz and Glam Party Sampler: $38.25

(Orig. $45.00)

Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Powder Foundation SPF 20: $28.90

(Orig. $34.00)

Jennifer Aniston Perfume (1 oz.): $22.95

(Orig. $39.00…on sale for $27.00)

Make Up Forever Mist & Fix (0.84 oz.) $8.50

(Orig. $10.00)

Sephora Collection Instant Airbrush Foundation: $7.65

(Orig. $20.00…on sale for $9.00)

Too Faced Hot Cocoa Collection: $8.50

(Orig. $10.00)

Make Up Forever Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation: $30.60

(Orig. $36.00)

Too Faced Primed, Poreless & Perfected To Go Duo: $12.75

(Orig. $15.00)