Michael,Farrah,Ed and Billy

Donna Marie over at the IndieBusiness Blog wrote a very inspirational article about these four. You should definitely check it out:

http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2009/06/28/what-i-learned-from-fawcett-jackson-mcmahon-and-mays

Hair Tips and Tricks

Some helpful hints to keep your hair looking it's best this summer.
**Give your hair a much needed break and let it air dry naturally. Think of it as a vacation for your hair. If you are going to have your hair air dried, it is very important to remember that the hair is at its weakest when it is wet. So, take care not to rub your hair dry with the use of a towel. The friction caused by rubbing the hair with a towel will make your hair brittle and eventually break. Rather than rubbing it, you should instead blot the moisture out of your hair with the towel. Also, be careful not to tug or pull at your hair that much when it is still wet. Once the water is blotted out of the hair, fluff it out with your fingers.

**If you blow dry your hair, make sure that it is not soaking. Blot the water out with a towel first. Do not hold the dryer too close to your head; keep it at least six inches away from your hair and move the dryer constantly around your head. Protect the outer strands of your hair from being over-dried by bending over and blow drying your hair with your hair hanging upside down. Also, try not to dry your hair completely with the blow dryer. Stop while the hair is still slightly damp.

**Boost the shine of your hair--once your hair is completely dry, finish it off with a cool blast of air to seal the cuticle.

**Here are some homemade beauty hair tips. I have not tried these but thought they sounded fun.

*Eggs?!? Lightly beat two eggs mixed with some milk and run throughout your hair. Leave on for 5 minutes, rinse and you'll see a shine instantly.

*Dandruff ? Dissolve 2 aspirins in your dandruff shampoo and watch how it clears up. Use a good moisturizing conditioner afterward.

*Hair Static? This isn't meant to be funny. Use static guard. Use about 7 inches from your hair lightly. Don’t over do!

*Greasy Hair? Use powder. Most come in hundreds of fragrances, brands, and unscented selections. Put a little at the root of your hair. If it is a serious problem, put the power on heavily for 15 minutes wash completely, condition lightly, and style.

*Lemon-Boost Lemon juice mixed with natural sunlight will lighten any hair.

*Sweet Shine Honey in your tea, snack or applied as a small amount in the hair will give you shine.

*Coffee For brunettes/redheads—take 8 cups of warm brewed coffee. After shampooing rinse your hair with the coffee. Do not rinse out. Your hair will be thick and shiny.

Do you have any tried and true tricks for hair you could share with us?

We've been busy blogging and creating!

Gathered From The Garden has been working on some new products--Bath and Massage Oil --Ease away tension and stress with this nourishing blend of oils infused with essential oils.
Sanitizers--: Perfect around the home and for travels, you’re sure to find hundreds of places to put it to use; hotel pillows and furniture, your airplane/train/bus seat, your car, counter tops, pet beds, keyboards, telephones, the list goes on and on. The 2 oz size is under the maximum allowed by the Transportation Security Administration so feel free to keep it handy in your carryon luggage.

Flawless Foundation Application

First off here’s a tip that I wasn’t aware of: if you want liquid foundation to remain usable throughout its lifetime, always shake it well before application. I've been kind of lax about that...

Then the trick is to pick the right foundation color. For a natural look your foundation must match your skin tone. Test foundations along your jawline. Blend the foundation into your skin to see if the color is right. If it's too light, then test the next shade darker. If it's too dark, then go down a shade until the color matches. You will know the best color because it will disappear into your skin. The goal of foundation application is to neutralize any discoloration and imbalance, not to change the tone /color of your skin. (I've heard that you should test the color on your skin and then go outside in natural light before you buy.)

For flawless application start with a clean, moisturized face. A clean face will allow the makeup to smooth and blend easier. Apply the appropriate moisturizer according to your skin type. It will improve your skin quality and act as a protective layer to help trap the moisture in the skin and stop it from evaporation. Apply the moisturizer and let it soak in at least 3 minutes before applying foundation.( Dry skin will soak up the foundation if not given that base. For oily skin use an oil-free moisturizer and powder foundation.)

Apply foundation by dabbing a small amount on your face. Start by applying the foundation in little dots on your forehead, down your nose and on your chin and cheeks. Blend the foundation with a brush, sponge or your fingertips. Blend it off on the jaw line and hair line. Make sure it's blended completely to create a natural, flawless look. Using fingertips will give the heaviest application, but a sponge gives a thinner application. Be extra careful in the area around your eyes where the skin is super thin. Don't forget to apply foundation on your eyelids and lips. (I’ve never done that!)To avoid a foundation line around the jaw apply foundation as usual then use a little moisturizer in your hand and blend it down your neck.

On the under-eye area, apply facial makeup with a finger or with a small synthetic brush or applicator. These tools are particularly useful for accessing the inner corners of your eyes. Pat with your fingertips to blend, using your ring finger or pinkie to minimize the pressure.

On blemishes, apply concealer in small spots with a finger then blend the edges with your fingertips. To cover imperfections apply foundation first and then go back and dot on a concealer that neutralizes red. For noticeable imperfections like very dark circles and birthmarks use a yellow concealer. Don't use too much powder in problem areas because it will draw attention to it.

The worst mistake you can make is to follow liquid foundation with powder foundation (heavy powder pressed into a compact with oil). This will merely look artificial when first applied, and will have slid down your face by the end of the day. (Not a good look!)

To finish, and for retouching during the day, use loose or pressed powder that is light-textured and contains no oil. Setting foundation with a powder is a must for oily skin; however, if your skin is dry or if you use solid foundation, your foundation will stay in place without powder.

Liquid foundation should never be applied over your makeup for retouching purposes, because it is impossible to blend well on top of powder, dust, or sebum. To diminish unwanted shine, use finishing powder instead.

The smoother your skin, the more natural the foundation will look. So do exfoliate twice a week to get rid of dead skin.

Simple Slimming Tip

Since my sister and daughter are both chiropractors we hear a lot about healthy backs and posture. Here's a tip about good posture while sitting to make you look thinner. (supposedly it can also help you slim down...) Keep your waist long by imagining there is a vertical toothpick in the space between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips. Not slumping in a chair will help to not crowd your internal organs. Simple is sometimes the best!

Let's Get Intimate!

A subject we don’t usually discuss with our friends but one that is important. Here are some tips for wearing and caring for your bra.

So, how often should you wash a bra? As a general rule, you should wash it after every second wearing. Now there are obvious exceptions to this rule. If you just finished running five miles, you really need to wash that sports bra before wearing it again. If you wear a particular bra only every so often, that should probably be washed after each wearing as well. Perfumes, lotions, and perspiration can mark fine fabrics. Body chemistry can cause straps and bands to lose elasticity.

Hand washing is always the best bet but you can throw them in the washer. Make sure the hooks are closed and put them in a mesh lingerie bag. Use warm water and the gentle cycle. Most bras contain a fair amount of elastic, which can deteriorate due to heat. Elastic bras should never be placed in the clothes dryer or left out in direct sunlight to dry.

The most important time to get fitted for a bra is after a significant weight gain or loss. Otherwise get fitted yearly. (To be honest, I have never done this. Anyone else ever gone into a store and gotten professionally fitted? How was that experience?) Here’s a way to do it yourself…

It's best to measure when you are wearing your most comfortable bra - one that has no padding and is not a minimizer.

Step 1:Band Size
Measure under your arms, high on your back, across the top of your chest. If this measurement is an even number, this is your band size. If an odd number, add 1" to determine your band size

Step 2: Cup Size
Measure loosely around the fullest part of your bust. Next, subtract your band measurement from your bust measurement; each inch represents a cup size. For example: if your band measurement is 34" and your bust measurement is 36", the difference between these measurements is two inches, and you'd wear a B-cup.

A great fitting bra shouldn't dig, pull, poke or otherwise cause discomfort. If it does, it's not the right bra (or size) for you. Make sure it feels comfortable when you sit down and move around.

Always try your bras on wearing a t-shirt – it's the best way to see what it's doing for you. A great fitting bra can make you look taller, will define your waist, and even make you look slimmer!

Take a look at the front of the bra. There shouldn't be any breast tissue spillage, puddling, or falling out of the bottom of the cups. If there is, your cup size is too small. Try sizing up for a flattering, more natural looking fit.

Underwires should lie flat at the front of your bra, against your ribcage. If you feel your underwire digging into any breast tissue, you should try a larger cup size or a different style.

If you wear a white or light-colored top, choose a bra that blends with your skin tone. Don’t wear white under white or the lines will show through.

Here are some lingerie sites to check out: http://www.isaacsultan.com/ www.herroom.com and http://www.fantasie.com/

Who Doesn't Love Freebies?

Freebies! In the July issue of Ladies Home Journal there is a fun article about a gal who tried not to buy any beauty products for a month. Instead, she went online to find freebies. She listed two good sites--Eveorganics.com (who was so bombarded after the article that they have suspended their freebies until next month) and bionic-beauty.com. This last site has some fun places to go for freebies and she also reviews products. There is a link from this site to Walmart.com where I signed up for some freebies as well. The good thing is you don't have to give any info except for your name and address. I'm never crazy about filling out surveys, or giving my phone or email.

For more tips on scoring freebies read the article "The Beauty Experiment" in Ladies Home Journal.

Have any of you found other good sources of freebies?

A Perfect Tan?

One way to be sun safe is to avoid tanning and use a self-tanner. After seeing a co-worker with streaks down her legs, I thought I’d offer some tips for getting the perfect “tan”.

**Take a quick shower or bath (don't soak) and exfoliate your skin, either with a washcloth or body scrub. Don't over scrub, but do pay extra attention to your knees, ankles, feet, elbows, and neck. This will help achieve a uniform appearance since self-tanners grab on to dry surface skin cells. Your tan will look more even and will last longer. Now is the time to shave your legs if you have to, because you shouldn’t shave or wax your legs for a few days after the application of a self-tanner.

** Your skin must be completely dry to get the best results. Do not apply self-tanner in a steamy, hot bathroom or on a humid, hot day. The heat and moisture in the bathroom can cause you to start to sweat and the self tanner can melt and drip which will cause streaks. Also,wait until your body has cooled down after your shower. Hot skin will have the same affect.

**Apply a thin layer of lightweight moisturizer over the areas where you will be applying self-tanner. This will help the self-tanner glide on without clinging to dry patches.

**To avoid streaks on your legs when using a self-tanner , rub on tanner in a horizontal motion, rather than a vertical one.

**Wait AT LEAST 15 minutes before getting dressed. Remember that self-tanner can stain clothes. Color will show up after approximately 2 hours, not immediately.

**For a realistic-looking tan, skip body parts that wouldn’t tan in the sun, like your inner arms.

**Dilute by half on the areas prone to dark spots. Your knees, ankles and elbows are usually first to show if you don’t apply correctly. Mix half self tanner and half moisturizer for a more natural look.

**Never apply body self-tanner, tanning lotion or body bronzer to your face. Buy a special facial self-tanner. After tanning your face, take a wet cotton swab to eyebrows and rub out any tanner residue. Also, rub a moistened cotton ball across your hairline where tanners tend to build up during application. This will ensure a no-tell perfectly tanned face. Never wear foundation, face powder, eyeshadows or lipstick when applying self-tanner.

**To maintain your new tan and to make it last longer reapply the tanning product every week or every three to four days.

** To keep self-tanning color from staining nails, cuticles and palms, coat your hands with petroleum jelly.

WHEW, that’s a lot of information. Hopefully, you’ll be able to get a tan that looks like you just stepped off the plane from a vacation in Hawaii! Do you have a favorite self-tanner? Cream, Spray,Gel...?

One Lovely Blog Award

Thanks to Heather Scent Aromatherapy (http://www.heatherscent.com/) for giving me this award. Now it is my turn to find 15 new blogs that I would like to give the award to. It's always fun to find new interesting blogs to follow. If you have a lovely blog that deserves the award, leave a comment for me and I'll check out your blog. If you know of others that deserve the award let me know that too, and I'll check those out. I'll leave a comment on your loveliest post and you can come here to grab the award. Lovely idea, isn't it?

Quick Summer Tips and Tricks

Here are some good little tips to keep you going this summer:


*How to check if your nails are dry? Apply a cold drop of water to one nail. If the drop glides off, your nails are dry. If it settles, shake it off and wait.


*Apply sunblock before you dress. When your clothes shift, your skin won't burn along the edges of your outfit.


*Protect your hair. Avoid damaging your hair while spending time at the pool. Wet it down first with fresh water before diving in.


*Another hair trick. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts of sunscreen lotion, hair conditioner and water. Shake well. Spritz on hair before you go outside. Reapply after getting your hair wet.


*To avoid streaks on your legs when using a self-tanner,rub on tanner in a horizontal motion, rather than a vertical one. (St.Tropez has upgraded its lotion to an odorless variety, called Self Tan Bronzing Lotion.)


* To keep self-tanning color from staining nails, cuticles and palms, coat your hands with petroleum jelly.



What's your favorite summer tip to stay cool and collected?

Can't Get Enough Of This Soap

I make lots of fabulous bath and body products but I haven't tried soap. (Well, actually I've tried a little Melt and Pour Soap.) So when I'm in gift shops I always like to check out the soaps others have made.

This past weekend my sister and I visited some shops in a little town near her cabin. We came across two that we splurged on. I just have to share these with you. We saw some incredibly awesome glycerin soaps made by Primal Elements. http://www.primalelementsonline.com/These soaps were so pretty. I especially liked the one that had a "lilac" flower in it.

The other soap is made by Lepi de Provence http://www.lepideprovence.com/soap.html(French!). I guess since we went to Paris last summer I'm a little biased but you won't find another grapefruit soap that smells this good! My sister and I each bought some and we just can't quit smelling it! I actually cut the bar in half so I could use half in my shower and the other half I have setting out just for the fragrance! I just LOVE it!

Any great soaps you'd like to share with us? Always fun to find news ways to pamper ourselves!

Make Your Own Healthy Snack

Pamper yourself with this easy and healthy snack. Making your own natural granola bars is fun and easy. Here's one recipe that will take you about half an hour from start to finish.

Happy Hippie Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 cup dried fruit (any kind)

1 tbsp butter

1 cup wheat germ

Toast the oats and wheat germ on a cookie sheet for ten minutes (until lightly browned). Then melt honey, butter, and brown sugar. Once it is melted, remove from heat and add oats, wheat germ, and dried fruits. Put into a square glass pan and let cool. Once cooled, cut into squares. You can store your granola bars in the refrigerator for about a week.

Have your own healthy/pampering recipe to share? Please post one to my blog.

Extra Special Skin Care For Anti-Aging Skin

"Every wrinkle on your face is where a smile has been."

Fine lines and wrinkles are inevitable as we age, but with a little special skin care and these tips, you can help minimize wrinkles.

1. Sun protection The single biggest cause of skin aging is sunlight. You should use a sunscreen every single day of the year. This will help skin from premature aging, as well as guard against burning.
2. Don't smoke Cigarette smoke speeds up the aging process because it strips your skin of oxygen and slows the rate of new skin cell regeneration. It's responsible for giving the skin a gray, sluggish look and can cause fine lines around the mouth.
3. Deep cleanse Many older women don't cleanse their skin as well as they should believing this can lead to dryness and lines. Cleansing your skin properly is essential to ensure your skin is cleared of dead skin cells, dirt and makeup, and gives your skin a fresh, healthy glow. Massage a good creamy cleanser into your skin and rinse off with warm water. Always pat your skin dry with a soft towel.
4. Deep moisturize As well as using a daily moisturizer you can give your skin an extra boost by using a weekly nourishing face mask. Apply to damp skin for extra effect.
5. Boost your circulation Choose a gentle facial scrub or exfoliator and use once a week to gently remove dead skin cells and keep the top layers of your skin glowing with good health.
6. Eat Healthy Foods that are high in antioxidants, such as berries, are great for your skin. Eat blueberries and strawberries as a nutritious snack, or add them to your breakfast cereal or yogurt. It's also vital to eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids can help regenerate your skin at the cellular level. High omega-3 foods also reduce inflammation, help prevent cancer and offer many other health benefits. Foods high in omega-3s include salmon, halibut, sardines, albacore tuna, flaxseed and walnuts.
7. Stay hydrated Water is important for your overall health. Drinking eight glasses of water a day will help you lose weight, aid digestion, improve your energy and concentration, remove toxins from your body and keep your skin glowing and healthy.
8. Be gentle Always be as gentle as you can when applying skin care products and don't drag your skin, particularly around the delicate eye area. A heavy touch can cause your skin to stretch and appear "crepey". Always use a light touch and stroke upwards, rather than drag the skin down. Avoid any products that make your skin feel irritated or itchy and switch to a more gentle formula.

You're never too young to be thinking about caring for your skin. Good habits now will pay off later!