DIY Body Products

After looking at the DIY masks that Tip Junkie has on her site, I found a few more that sounded  fun to try. I thought I would share them with you. For more fun bath and body recipes go to www.craftbits.com 

Fruit Salad Facial 
1 Ripe banana 

1 pineapple ring 

3 strawberries 
Mash the fruit together in a bowl or use a food processor. Take the fruit paste and apply it to your face and allow it to soak in for 20-30mins for a soft, refreshed, revived and cleansed facial. This mix will last 2-3 days in the fridge. 

Apple Hair Rinse 
2 cups of water 

2 tbs of apple cider 

1 red apple 
Place all the ingredients into a blender and process, pour the mix into a bottle and apply it to your hair after you shampoo. Allow it to sit a few minutes and then rinse well. Do not apply conditioner. 

This will give your hair a lovely shine!! 

 Monkey Banana Hair Mask 

1 ripe banana 

3 tbs of whole egg mayonaise 

1 tbs of olive oil 
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and apply to the hair, place a shower cap on and leave for 20-30 mins. 
This hair mask will store for around 1-2 days. Your hair is going to love this Monkey hair mask, the banana soothes your hair and fills it back with potassium and loads of shine. 

 

Red Wine Sugar Scrub 
5 tbsp raw sugar 

5 tbsp mascavado sugar/ brown sugar 

3-4 tsp honey 

2 tbsp red wine 
 Mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl until sugar turns like a sticky paste form. Mixture is ready to use and can be stored in the fridge for 2 days. The measurement above is enough for a one time usage.




 

The Only Pumpkin Not Chosen For Halloween

This is what happens when there are no live models to shoot. You end up fooling around with paper and a macro lens.

Time to Pamper Your Face

   

 If you’ve never pampered yourself with a facial mask, now is the time! What a great way to cleanse and purify your face. Regular cleansing will remove surface dirt and grime, but only a facial mask will actually draw out impurities from beneath the top layers of the epidermis. Masking helps exfoliate dead skin cells and unclog pores so your toning and moisturizing products work more effectively. Masks also help stimulate blood circulation and leave your skin feeling smoother and softer. 

How to Apply a Mask


This outlines the ideal process for applying a mask. Unfortunately, many of us lead such busy lives that we find it difficult to devote this much time to ourselves. Aim to find that time at least once a week. If you still don’t have that much time, use the steps that you can. (I use Saturday mornings as “My Time” to pamper myself with a mask!)



1. Find a quiet, calm time and place. Allow yourself the space to slow down and enjoy the simple processes of preparing, applying, and removing a mask 

2. Put on a headband to protect your hair, and remove any makeup. 

3. Relax your facial muscles in any way that suits you. It might be by using massage or by making hideous faces at yourself in the mirror. ☺



4. Apply the mask evenly, avoiding the area around the eyes, using your fingers or cotton pads as appropriate.



5. Try not to talk, laugh, or move any facial muscles until it is time to remove the mask. Take this time to relax.



6. Remove the mask slowly and carefully. Work from the forehead downward, making sure that none of the material removed comes into contact with the eyes, and avoid dragging the skin. Clay masks can be softened with water before removing. Rinse face with tepid water to be sure all of the mask material is removed.



7. Apply toner to close the pores and tone the skin. 

I also like to moisturize my face after this step. Feels so good!

(If you'd like to make your own masks, Tip Junkie has 15 recipes for you to try.)

Face Washing Mistakes

Simple solutions to five common problems.

Leading dermatologists give these tips to uncover the top five face-washing problems and how to fix them. Taken from an article at health.com 

Mistake 1: Not using water.
 Many people just moisten their hands, put cleanser on their fingers, and apply it to dry skin. Water is what cleans skin, and the cleanser and soap just enhance its effects. Be sure your face is dripping wet before you start to wash. 

Mistake 2: Scrubbing too aggressively.
 Abrasive cleansing sponges or puffs can irritate your skin as well as cause broken blood vessels. This is also true for facial scrubs made from nutshells, pits from fruits like apricots, or other irregularly shaped particles. These should be used twice a week at most (or not at all if you have dry skin or rosacea). The best way to buff is to put a gentle exfoliant on a cotton pad or your fingers, and massage it into your skin.

 Mistake 3: Rinsing too fast.
 If you don't rinse well, you may leave irritants on the skin. Splash your face several to ensure a clean finish. 

Mistake 4: Treating your face the way you'd treat your body.
 Don’t use a drying deodorant body bar or a liquid hand soap on your face. These soaps contain detergents and chemicals that strip oils, and aren't meant for delicate facial skin. 

Mistake 5: Spending too much time washing up.
 Cleansing more than twice a day and for more than 2 minutes at a time is not recommended. Too-frequent washing can dry and irritate your skin or stimulate oil production, which can result in clogged pores and breakouts. Even if you hit the gym at midday, just rinse your skin with water, and save your cleanser for morning and night.


When you think about it, your face is often what helps people form first impressions about you. Shouldn't you do your best to give your face some extra TLC?

Wordless Wednesday

    It's our 42nd wedding anniversary.

Tis the Season for...Pumpkins!

A little pumpkin trivia and fun beauty recipes using pumpkin.

*In 2010 the membership of the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers (in Ohio) baked a 20-foot diameter pumpkin pie weighing in at 3,699 pounds -setting the new world record for the Largest Pumpkin Pie.

*Surprise! The pumpkin is actually a fruit, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family of plants with trailing vines.

*Six of the seven continents can grow pumpkins.  Antarctica is the only continent that they won't grow on.

*Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.

*Pumpkins are 90 percent water. Pumpkins have zero cholesterol.  They’re also low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber.

*Pumpkins contain enzymes that when applied to skin, loosen the bonds that keep dull outer skin cells clinging to the surface. Pumpkin also delivers a burst of nourishing and hydrating botanicals, leaving skin as smooth and glowing as a jack-o'-lantern.  So here are “beauty recipes” for you-- using some pumpkin!

                             Pumpkin Face and Body Mask

Mix together: ½ cup canned pumpkin

                       1/4 cup white clay

                       1T. honey

                       2 T. water

                       1 T. almond oil 

                       2 tsp. cinnamon

Apply evenly to your face or anywhere else that you’d like to smooth. Leave on 10 minutes before rinsing. Almond oil moisturizes, clay draws out impurities, honey replenishes collagen and cinnamon improves circulation.                                                                              

                               

                            Pumpkin Face Scrub

• 1 T canned or fresh pureed Pumpkin  
• 1 T cut oats 
• 1 T water 
• 1 t Corn meal

 Directions:    In a small bowl, mix oats with warm (not hot) water. Let it sit for a minute or so to

soak. Mix in the Pumpkin puree, blending well. Add the Corn meal and stir well.

 Apply a small amount at a time to a clean face while scrubbing in circular movements gently. After scrubbing the entire face, leave on for about 5 minutes longer or just until it is almost dry, but not entirely. Gently remove with a warm wash cloth. Moisturize like usual. This amount is enough for the face, neck, chest area and shoulders. Leaves skin silky soft!

From the P. Allen Smith Newsletter:   Score the inside  rind of your Jack-o-lantern and then sprinkle with ground cinnamon, nutmeg or other spices so that as the rind heats it will emit a pleasant fragrance.