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!