Cruelty Free Drugstore Starter Kit

     When I first decided to go cruelty free with my cosmetics and personal care items, I had to determine whether I was going to just throw away all of my non-cruelty free items and start from scratch or just use up the non-cruelty free items I had and refuse to purchase them anymore.  Due to financial reasons, I decided upon the second option.

   However, while beginning my cruelty free research I realized I could create a pretty great basic cruelty free starter kit from the drugstore for a very reasonable price!

  Here we goooooo…..

Face

Primer

*ELF Studio Blemish Control Primer*

I really love this Elf primer.  It has a bit of a silicone feel and glides on the skin very nicely.  It definitely helps to fill in my pores and provide a smooth surface.  I don't really notice it helping with staying power, but not a lot of primers do help with that for me.

Foundation

*Wet and Wild Coverall Foundation*

This foundation is absolutely amaze balls.  It's very thick, so I would work with it quickly and in small sections, but it provides a beautiful coverage and finish.  To get a near full coverage finish from the drugstore is beyond amazing to me.

Under eye Concealer

*Physician's Formula Nude Wear Touch of Glow Concealer*

Now this is not a full coverage under eye concealer and it's not what I reach for for special events or going out type of looks, but for day to day wear this stuff is perfect!  It conceals while highlighting and blends nicely.

Concealer

*Hard Candy Glamoflauge Light Duo*

This concealer has a yellow concealer (I use it under my eyes prior to applying the product above) and a regular concealer.  I love the convenience of this product and the precise application with the pencil like method.  It blends beautifully and provides amazing coverage without feeling as thick as cakey as the original.

Cheeks

*Bronzer/Blush*

Elf Contouring Blush and Bronzer

This is the only product you need to pack for bronzer and cheek color.  If you are very pale (as I am in the winter) this bronzer may be too dark for you, but for summer time this duo is perfection.  

Eyes

*Eyebrows*

Elf Studio Eyebrow Kit

I don't know how I went so long without using this kit again.  This makes sure my eyebrows are always on fleeeeeek.  It may take a bit longer than an eye pencil, but I think it gives a more defined look and really helps my sparse brows look fuller than they are.

*Eye Primer*

Wet and Wild Fergie Take on the Day Eyeshadow Primer*

I really think you won't feel the need to purchase anymore expensive eye shadow primers after purchasing this one.  It performs just as well as my Urban Decay Primer potion and is literally a fraction of the price.

*Eyeliner*

Milani Easy Eye Retractable Pencil Liner

I really like Milani's liners.  Although they don't always stay put on me (very little does) it actually looks beautiful a bit smudged and goes on so creamy.  If you are looking for a super precise lined look though, I am not sure if this is your best bet.

*Eyeshadow*

Wet and Wild Trios 

I LOVE Wet and Wild's eyeshadow trios.  I also like the quality of the shadows in their 8 pan shadows, but I don't find myself reaching for them as frequently as I do my trios.  This particular one, Sweet as Candy, is a great neutral favorite and creates such a soft and feminine look.

Unfortunately, I can't do a drugstore lip category as I'm just a gloss girl and I have yet to find a cruelty free, drugstore gloss I have gone bananas over.  

Any recommendations? 

As you can see, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to be cruelty free and look like your most gorgeous self! 

Co-Op Chronicles: Ladybug Repellent

      So I've changed the name of my little housewarming series of posts to Co-op Chronicles, simply because I like the name better.

   This post is about an incredibly boring topic: insect repellent.  When I moved in to my place I realized there seemed to be quite a collection of ladybugs on my living room and bedroom windows.  Ladybugs are not necessarily a pest or something for me to be scared of, but I hate bugs, any bugs so these ladybugs had to go.

  I started googling natural ways to repel ladybugs and came across Camphor Oil.  Camphor oil has a multitude of uses and benefits including:
-facilitating digestion and blood circulation
-relieving spasms/cramps
-curing gas trouble
-relieving congestion
-disinfectant
-germicide
-insecticide
-reduces nervous disorders
-boosts libido
-cures erectile dysfunction
……and repels ladybugs!

I saw several different ways to use Camphor Oil to get rid of ladybugs and I decided to soak a few cotton pads with about 20-25 drops of oil and stick them in the corners of my window frames.  I wore gloves to do this, just in case.  I'm just beginning to learn about essential oils and I'm not sure which need to be used with carrier oils or are dangerous to to the touch or whatever.

I have 4 windows where I have spotted a ladybug or 2, and to test this out I put the cotton pads in 3 of my 4 windows.  I knew this weekend would be a great weekend to test this out, as it was going to be very warm, and the warmth attracts ladybugs.

Since I have put my 2 Camphor Oil pads in each window, I have not seen a single ladybug.  In the window where I didn't put the pads, I saw 3 this weekend.  So far, this has been a great success.

Camphor oil is pretty cheap ($3-$6) for a hefty sized jar, so if you have a ladybug problem (or according to my research other pests as well) give Camphor Oil a try.

This oil has completely peaked my interest in essential oils.  I ended up ordering an introductory type kit from Young Living as my friend is always talking about all the different way she uses her oils.  I can't wait to get my kit and try them all out.

Cruelty Free Faves So Far- Lips Edition

   It's been a while since I've posted an installment into my "Cruelty Free Faves So Far".  So far I have done face makeup and eyes.  Today's post focuses on lips!  I found lips one of the easiest beauty categories to find cruelty free favorites in.

Chapstick

*The Honest Co. Organic Lip Balm in Lavender Mint*

I don't even remember when I received this balm, but it was quite a while ago.  It stayed in my collection unused until a few months ago and it's been LOVE ever since.  It's very emollient without being too greasy or sticky.  The scent is nice, yet not overwhelming.  If you are to try any Honest Co product, I would recommend this as the first one.

Lip Gloss

*Silk Naturals Kisser Slicker*

I have only one of these in the color Rare Berry.  It's not your typical lip gloss packaging, but when applied on the lips it does appear quite glossy and lightly pigmented.  I really want to try more of these lip colors from Silk Naturals

*ELF Essential Super Glossy Lip Shine*

I have quite a few of these $1 glosses, but this shade in Goddess is my absolute favorite.  These are a bit on the sticky side and not really pigmented, but they add a beautiful sheen and shimmer to the lips and act as a nice topper to nude or pinky lip looks.  For only $1 how can you resist?

*Younique Lucrative Lip Gloss*

This is the most opaque of my favorite glosses and acts more as an actual lip color than just a lip gloss.  However, this does provide a very glossy finish and is a bit on the sticky side.  This color in Loveable is the perfect milky pink and a great compliment to smokey eyes.

Lip Liner

*Younique Moodstruck Precision Pencil Lip Liner in Pouty*

I must disclose that this is the only lip liner I own, as I am not the biggest fan of liners.  However, with the massive popularity of the Kylie Jenner lip, I had to get my hand on a liner and THIS is the perfect Kylie lip liner.  It's a great 90's inspired color yet is still flattering.  I really love this color and actually want to experiment with more of their lip liners.

Traditional Lipsticks

*Milani Color Statement Lipstick*

I'm not a huge lipstick fan as I usually find them very drying, but this is a great exception.  Milani lipsticks are insanely affordable and also insanely pigmented.  This one in High Voltage is an amazing Marilyn Monroe inspired red.

*Too Faced Le Creme Lipstick in Naughty Nude*

This lipstick I bought after the makeup artist used it on me for my birthday party.  This is a beautiful nude lipstick that is a bit more brown than a typical nude.  It's very creamy, yet long lasting.  Plus, how beautiful is this packaging? 

 * Lipstick Balm/Pencils*

*Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil*

During the Sephora Friends and Family sale I purchased the little tin of Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencils and I am ever glad I did!  This berry color, Rhubarb, is my favorite of the group.  These are super high pigmented and because it applies like a pencil you can get very precise application.

*ELF Matte Lip Color*

I got this when I saw a Youtube video where this was used to slightly overdraw the lips for a fuller look.  I haven't yet worked up the guts to exaggerate my lip size, but I do really like this is a base layer for a creamy nude gloss or lipstick.

*Liquid Lipstick*

*Mally Beauty High Shine Liquid Lipstick*

I have a few of these and they are such an interesting texture.  They apply like a gloss and have the sheen of a gloss, but have the pigmentation and lasting power of a lipstick.  I heard these are available at Ulta now so I would go play with these ASAP!

Have you tried any of these lip products?  If so, which one is your favorite?? 

Book Review: Love, Lashes and Lipstick by Mally Roncal

    I don't know about you, but when I can't find anything on tv I automatically turn on QVC or HSN.  I've purchased quite a few things from both networks, but I must say I prefer QVC.  One of the biggest reasons why I prefer QVC is because of Mally and Mally Beauty.  If you have never watched Mally, I urge you to find out when she is on QVC next and sit back and enjoy.

    Mally is adorably happy and confident and gorgeous.  Her makeup line is fantastic and she is the makeup artist to some big stars, including Beyonce.  When I found out that she wrote a book I automatically snatched it up from my library.

   Mally's book, Love, Lashes and Lipstick: My Secrets for a Gorgeous, Happy Life, is part self-help book, part autobiography and part makeup book.  It's a very quick read and a book that I must say actually made me happy reading it.

  Mally, whose real name is Melissa (more of a reason for me to love her), tells her life story including the death of her mother from breast cancer.  She tells how her mother knew she was going to die so squeezed a lifetime full of memories into a few short years.  I must admit, I cried while reading some of this chapter.  Some people can be very bitter about suffering such a loss in their life, but Mally used it to create something beautiful in her life, which is very admirable.

   Mally also shares stories about her start in the makeup industry.  She stresses the fact that no job is too small and to say yes to everything.  You never know when a small opportunity can lead to a big one, or if you can meet someone life changing (she met her husband on a list minute shoot) by just saying yes.

   Dispersed throughout the book are pages with makeup tips and tricks.  There were a few that I really liked.

The first makeup tip I liked (and already started using) is the "starburst" mascara tip.  When I normally put mascara on I bring the wand towards the outer edge of my eye, giving a cat eye like effect to my lashes.  Mally says to bring the lashes towards the bridge of your nose which gives your eyes a more open eyed effect.  I've been doing this and I really like the result!  Especially under my glasses and with tired eyes, this does help my eyes look a bit more awake.

The second tip I really liked is her natural eyeliner tip, which it turns out is a tip I've been using for quite a while.  Mally says to use a darker liner on your top lash line and a lighter shade on your lower lash line.  This gives a more natural look and also helps cut down on such a stark contrast on your under eye.  For my daily use I prefer using an espresso brown on top and a bronze on bottom.

All in all, I must say I really enjoyed this book and I think next time I see Mally on QVC I will enjoy watching her even more.  

Have you ever used any of Mally's products or watched her on QVC? 

Fitness Friday: How to Not Go TOO Crazy Over the Holidays

   The holiday season is officially upon us!  I hope everyone had a beautiful and delicious Thanksgiving Day.

   As someone who has zero willpower, I know how easy it can be to overindulge over the holiday season.  I myself am usually the first to overindulge.  However, a big birthday is looming right after Christmas as well as a hot little dress I have my eye on, so this season will not be an overindulgent one for me.

Here are some tips and tricks that I'm going to make myself follow this holiday season:

*Don't starve yourself prior to an event

I used to subscribe to the idea that if I starve myself before a big event than I would be able to enjoy myself at the event.  Well, this plan usually backfires as I'm SO famished that I end up over doing it.  If you are going to an event where you know you will be eating a lot or drinking a lot, make sure you have a well balanced breakfast or lunch and to include some protein and lots of water.

*Have one "good thing" for every one "bad thing"

Finger foods are my absolute weakness.  At a party I usually skip the veggie platter and go right for the cheeses and fun stuff.  No more of that.  For every finger food I take, I'm stocking up on a veggie.  This way even if I'm eating a lot of crap, I can still know that I got a good dose of vitamins and minerals.

*Try a little bit of everything, instead of a lot of one thing

I can sit and have a meal of pasta anytime I want, but this is the time to try a little bit of everything that a party has to offer.  Trying a little bit of everything turns into a meal and you won't be overindulging on one fatty meal.

*Drink a large glass of water for every alcoholic drink

I'm queen of the hangover, which is not a title that I want to have.  If I have more than one drink I am almost guaranteed at least a headache the next day.  If I really go for it, I wake up the next day sick as a dog and with a raging fever.  Do I think a drink of water between boozy drinks will keep my hangover at bay? No, but it may help!

*Know when to say no

While my taste buds have matured quite a bit over the last few years, I am still incredibly picky.  If there's something I know I don't like or have no interest in trying, I am just going to politely say no.

*Throw in some active dates

It's the season to get together with friends and loved ones, but who says these get togethers have to involve dinner and drinks?  Why not get together and try a fitness class?  Or walk around the mall and get some steps and shopping in?  Even getting together and wrapping gifts or going for a wintery walk is better and healthier than the typical drinks and dinner.

*Don't forget your exercise routine

Things may be a bit more active for you this time of year, but it's not the time to forget about your exercise routine.  Everyone can squeeze in a minimum of 20 minutes of physical activity a day.  If you find yourself too swamped in the evening, make time for it by waking up a bit earlier.  I know it's a pain in the ass, but it will help you in the long run.

*Try some healthy swaps

I know it's definitely the time for baking, so check out some of these healthier substitutions to use in your baking.  It won't make your cookies healthy, but any little difference in something you are going to eat anyway can definitely help.

Here are just SOME of the healthy holiday tips that I will be forcing myself to follow this year.

Do you have any tips or tricks on how to avoid the dreaded holiday weight gain? 

Please comment below!

 ***

Quick Tip: Preserve that Blowout

   I like to wash my hair as little as possible.  Before you think that sounds gross, it's not.  My hair could absorb half of the Atlantic Ocean and still be fine.  The best tip I found on preserving a blowout or maintaining any style longer, is to KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF!  The oils from your hands and your fingers transfer to your hair creating a big ol' mess.  This may be difficult for those of you nervous hair twirlers or flirtatious hair flippers (like myself), but the more you keep your hands off your hair, the longer your style will last!

Style Sunday: Warby Parker Review

    I am blind as a bat.  My vision has always been horrible and is continually getting worse.  When I go to buy glasses I usually can't spend less than a couple hundred due to the severity of my prescription.  When I started seeing all of these glasses websites pop up on the web advertising super cheap prices, I had to jump on the bandwagon.
 
      I've already done a review on one of these sites, called Firmoo.com, here.  However, I kept hearing raves about Warby Parker.  What I liked about Warby Parker was that you could pick out five frames to be sent to you to try on at home.  This is a brilliant idea as you can really play around with the different frames and get family and friends opinion.  Oh, did I also mention a complete pair of prescription glasses is $95??!!!

   I was so excited when I got my frames and couldn't wait to photograph them to see how they truly looked.

                                                                  Wilkie Greystone

Nedwin Summer Green

Langston Whiskey

Ramsay Jet Silver

Welty Plum Marblewood

    I was super impressed with the quality of all of these glasses.  Even the rimless glasses had some heft to them and were not flimsy by any means.  I also love the try on at home option.  It was fun to take pictures in them, try them on with different hair and makeup styles and got the input of my family and friends.  I also love that Warby Parker donates a pair of glasses to someone in need- what an amazing thing!

So, which pair did I pick?

The WILKIE GREYSTONE!

    I am absolutely in love with these glasses!  They fit perfectly and give me just enough of the nerdy/chic look.  

   The process of ordering them was quite easy as well.  I didn't have an exact copy of my prescription so I provided Warby Parker with my eye doctor's information and they called him to get my information.  I would say it took about 11 days from the time I ordered until the time I got my glasses.  I think mine took a bit longer than usual due to the fact that they had trouble contacting my eye doctor.  They come packaged beautifully with a hard case and soft pouch as well as a cleaning cloth.  You also have 30 days to return them in case you aren't in love with them.

    I will only be purchasing my glasses from Warby Parker from now on.  My one and only complaint? My prescription is SO bad that they can't do it for sunglasses.  I don't understand the science behind it, but they are unable to do it with the glass that they use.  So I will still have to spend hundreds on my prescription sunnies. :(

   Have you ever ordered glasses online?  Do you agree with my frames decision? 

Book Review: The Everygirl's Guide to Life

   One of the books on my summer reading list was, The EveryGirl's Guide to Life, by Maria Menounos.  I ended up borrowing it from my library because I tend to like non-fiction books to be real books as opposed to ebooks.

       I've never really watched a whole lot of Maria Menounos on tv, but I like her personality and I'm really a sucker for any girly self-helpy type of book.  This book was a fun read and actually was full of great tips and tricks.

Here are some of my favorite tidbits from the book:

*Maria stresses the importance of having a regular cleaning schedule.  This way when guests are coming over you won't have to do a deep cleaning, things will already be spic and span.

*She recommends setting up a "black book" otherwise known as a home management binder.  As I begin condo shopping I think this will be very helpful, and I'll be setting it up more or less like this.

*Every New Year's Eve she writes out her resolutions and the steps to get them.  She then posts the goals and steps to obtain them in a very visible place.  I know we all have resolutions, but seeing the steps to get them everyday may act as a gentle reminder.

*This is a great tip for when dressing for a night out or when you know you are going to have your picture taken: take a flash photo of your outfit to make sure nothing shows up sheer or see through on camera!

*Maria emphasizes the importance of meditation in her life.  I have never once given thought to meditation, but as a frequent sufferer of anxiety and migraines, I will be looking into this.  I didn't know meditation has been proven to lessen severity of migraines.

*A tip I've never heard to help with a minor panic/anxiety attack is to use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel placed on your chest.  The weight and the warmth of the bottle is supposed to be soothing.

*In a world where the economy still sucks, making connections is super important.  Maria recommends keeping a little notebook to collect business cards.  Glue the business card in and jot down a few notes as to how you know the person and what you may have chatted about.  It's a great resource to have.



All in all, I have to say I really enjoyed this book.  It had quite a few makeup and hair tips that were new to me, great advice on how to design your dream home on a budget, some lazy girl workouts and great recipes.  This is a book that I wouldn't mind having on my bookshelf to take out every now and then for inspiration or to use as a reference.

Are you a Maria Menounous fan?  Would you read this book?

Quick Tip: Sanitizing Eyeliners

    The quickest and easiest way to sanitize your pencil liners? Sharpen them!  Sharpening the pencil removes the last used layer and reveals a brand new one.  You don't have to do this every time, because you'll be using up tons of product.  However, I would sharpen your pencil prior to every use in the waterline to bay off any nasty infections.

Quick Tip: Polish Remover Double Duty

  This is a tip that will most likely seem pretty obvious, but it's a tip I use on the regular so I thought I would share.

    I love using the nail polish remover jars with the sponges in them, however sometimes they dry out so quickly.  Instead of buying a new one, just add a decent amount of your favorite bottled nail polish remover to the jar and let sit for a bit.  It's like new and removes your polish super easily!

Quick Tip : What do I apply when?

   If you're anything like me, you have a cabinet or drawer full of skin care products.  Skin care products aren't cheap, so why wouldn't you want to get the biggest bang for your buck?  Did you know the order that you apply your products can add or take away from their effectiveness?  Based on skin a lot of information compiled by a lot of skin care experts here is the order we should all be following:

Google Images

1.  Serums first.  These are the lightest and sink into the skin the deepest.  Hylauronic acid and Retinol's would also be the first step.

2.  Seal in that serum with a moisturizer.

3.  If you are using a face oil it can go after a moisturizer, or in place of.

4.  Eye cream next.

5.  If it's day time, SPF is last.

Have you been applying your skincare products properly?

Quick Tip: No More Greasies!

   I'm normally a dry skinned gal.  However, once the summer months roll around and the New York City humidity kicks in, I turn into a grease ball!  I usually carry around a pack of oil blotting sheets in my bag.  That is until my friend Serafina told me a brilliant tip.

   Did you know Starbucks napkins make the BEST oil blotting sheets?  Yup!  She brought me a whole stack of Starbucks napkins and they work as well as those oil blotting sheets.  Save yourself the few bucks and pick up some extra napkins next time you're picking up your latte!

Quick Tip: Boot Storage Tip #2

    A while back I posted this cheap tip to help keep the shapes of your boots.  Well, here's another one!

Throw a wine bottle inside your boot!  A wine bottle is the perfect shape and thickness to help maintain the shape of your boot when storing it for the off-season!  If you're anything like me, you'll have quite a few bottles lying around to help you in this project. :)

Tips for Making Your Makeup Last

    As this is a blog for my fabulous budget minded beauties, I was contacts by HSN about a recent blog post they did on saving makeup, saving money.  I decided to share some of their great tips and add a few of my own!

1. Build a Better Makeup Bag

At times, I look through my stash and find no fewer than a dozen variations of the exact same lip shade. None of these products get used consistently and they mostly end up expiring before I can even scratch the surface. I've learned that by better editing my purchase decisions, I can make sure that I have a variety of products that I use more frequently – and I’m more likely to use them to the very last drop.

*Fabulously Thrifty Tip- Keep a list on your phone or planner of colors, finishes, products that you want or feel your collection lacks.  Hopefully this will keep you from purchasing 5 of the same shades of coral.

2. Clean your Brushes

Not only are makeup brushes expensive, but they also touch all of your makeup. By keeping them clean, not only are you extending their life, but also the life of your products. Keeping powders and blushes free and clear of oils and bacteria that tend to break them down will help them live a longer life.

*Fabulously Thrifty Tip- Washing is super important, but just as important is the way you dry them!  Try to dry them with the brush head facing downwards so water can't enter the ferule and eat away at the glue.

3. Keep it Pretty

You will never find my hard earned makeup knocking around in a vanity drawer or at the bottom of my purse. Oh, the horror! I’m careful to keep my beauty treasures tucked inside of pouches when I’m on the go or on a tray sitting on my vanity at home. This way, there’s far less chance that they will crack or explode, wasting precious product.

*Fabulously Thrifty- Traveling with a palette?  I tend to keep my palettes separate when traveling and wrapping them in towels or wash cloths to keep them safe.

4. Scrape the Bottom

I recently discovered these little spatulas that you can use to actually scrape the bottom of your makeup bottles to get to the very end of them. I’ve also been known to use them after cutting open tubes of concealer and lip glossto collect one final application. Brilliant!

5. Portion Control

It may go without saying, but using only what you need can really make your makeup last. I found that I was always left with unneeded foundation or extra moisturizer after applying, so I downsized my dose and I’m wasting less. Making other small changes like not spraying my fragrance into the air and walking through it has also helped!

*Fabulously Thrifty- Apply concealer after foundation.  A lot of foundation application methods will just wipe away concealer, which means you will need to apply more.  

How do you guys make your makeup last longer?  

Quick Tip Thursday: Repurposing Candles….Again

    I love my crappy little tarte burner that I bought at Costco years ago.  It's ugly, filthy and a not my style, but I don't know what about it, it helps scents travel further than candle does.  Sometimes though, I don't love the scentsy like cubes that Walmart and Target sell and want something more along the lines of my Bath and Body Works scents.

     Well, when a candle won't burn down anymore and you're left with that little bit of wax in the bottom, pop the candle in the freezer for a few hours, use a butter knife to take out the wax and plop it in your burner!  It's like a free tarte!

Right now I have my favorite, Marshmallow Fireside!!

My Beauty Emergency Car Kit

     As a suburbanite I spend a lot of time in my car.  Unless I'm going into the city, I'm traveling by car. I decided to put together a little beauty emergency kit to keep in my car so I don't have to haul around all of this stuff in my purse!
    If you don't want to keep this in your car (due to temperatures maybe?) than it would be a great thing to stash in your desk for impromptu happy hours.

I got this cute Coach makeup bag for Christmas from my dad.  It's a nice material and easy to clean in case something spills on or in it.

*Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Dry Shampoo- I feel like every beauty emergency kit should contain a dry shampoo!  This dry shampoo not only sops up oil, but provides great volume!  It also gives your hair a bit of texture in case you want to throw it up into some sort of undo.

*Mini Hairbrush- I don't know about you, but this constant change of cold weather into heated buildings and constant hair crushing  by jackets makes my hair turn into a rat's nest!  A baby brush is a must!

*Victoria's Secret Lotion and Body Spray- I normally have a hand lotion and body spray in my purse, but in case I have a clutch for some reason or want something a bit more girly I go for this combo of Victoria's Secret Such a Flirt Lotion and Aqua Kiss Body Spray.

*The Body Shop Coconut Oil Hair Shine- This pomade is great in TINY doses for providing hair with shine and for taming frizzies.  It also smells AMAZING!

*Secret Deodorant- No one likes a stanky gal!

*Hair Tie and Bobby Pins- I usually have a hair tie around my wrist or in my purse, but again it's nice to have an extra just in case.  I also have a lot more bobby pins in my emergency bag, but didn't need to show you all of them.  I need to get a cute little container of some sort to store my bobby pins in.

*Pointed Q-Tips- I was going to keep a sample size bottle of eye makeup remover in my bag, but no matter where I take remover and what kind I take, it always seems to leak!  This q-tips will have to do until I get to Target to get that ELF Eye Makeup Remover Stick.

Does anyone else keep a beauty emergency kit in their car, desk or purse?  I'd love to know what else to add to mine!!


**The Not Your Mother's Dry Shampoo was sent to me by Influenster in a Voxbox.  I am not affiliated with Not Your Mother's or Influenster in anyway.  All other items were purchased by me or gifted by friends and family.

DIY Yoga Mat Cleanser

   I work out at home in my carpeted living room typically so I rarely use a yoga mat.   However, I realized that my palms and knees were starting to get carpet burn so I purchased a cheap yoga mat at Tj Maxx.  After a couple of uses it began to smell and feel a bit funky.  I didn't want to spray it down with some general cleanser because I roll all over that thing so I began looking up natural alternatives.  I found a simple recipe and made up my own natural and cheap yoga mat cleanser!

Supplies Needed:
*Empty spray bottle (I used an old Lush bottle I had laying around)
*Water
*White Vinegar
*Tea Tree Oil
*Essential/Scented Oil (optional)

Directions

Step 1: Thoroughly clean out spray bottle
Step 2: Fill 2/3 of the way up with tap water
Step 3: Fill close to 1/3 (leave a little bit for the oil) with the vinegar
Step 4: Add about 7-8 drops of tea tree oil
Step 5: Add a scented or essential oil since the combo of the vinegar and tea tree oil isn't the best scent. I had only one scented oil around which was Pearberry so I added a few drops (add however little or many you want depending on the strength of scent)
Step 6: Shake, Shake, Shake

Voila! You have a super natural and super effective yoga mat cleanser.  After each use spray the mat and wipe down and it'll be nice and fresh for the next sweat session!

The Many Uses of Jojoba Oil

  A few weeks ago I ordered jojoba oil from Vitacost.com.  I ordered it mainly to use as a carrier oil for tea tree oil to use as an acne treatment.  After buying such a decent size though I decided to do some research on the other uses of Jojoba oil.  Here are some of the suggestions I came across:

*Eye and face makeup remover- Apply a few drops to a cotton pad and use to remove face or eye makeup.  Rinse off with water and follow up with your regular cleanser.

*Use as a facial moisturizer- Now this is one that I see a lot of raves about, but also a lot of rants about. People either say this gives you the most smooth and plump skin ever or breaks you out like crazy.  As my skin has been misbehaving lately I'm not going to be trying this.

*Body Moisturizer- Apply right after you get out of bath or shower to lock in moisture.

*Add a few drops to a bath for a moisturizing soak.

*Apply oil to hands or feet, wrap in cellophane and add some socks and gloves for an hour or so for a super luxe treatment.

*Add a few drops to your scalp and gently massage.  Make sure to double shampoo out.

*Use a quarter size drop to apply to damp hair (concentrating on ends) and leave in for 10-15 minutes for a deep conditioning treatment.

*Use as a cuticle oil

*Apply to lips in place of lip balm

*Use a carrier oil for stronger essential oils

*Apply to wet hair prior to swimming to seal hair shaft

*Massage into stretchmarks to use as a lightening treatment

*Apply a teensy tiny amount to dry hair to use as a shine serum



As you can see one super affordable product has TONS of uses!

 Do you use jojoba oil?

Quick Tip Thursday: File Your Clothes

   First, I want to apologize for being such a sucky blogger lately.  I don't know why I haven't been able to get into a groove or to feel inspired lately.  I've been getting myself more organized though and oddly enough the holiday season brings on a surge of creativity for me, so I'm hoping to become more my "blogger" self soon.

   Today's quick tip pertains to organizing your clothes.  I just switched from an armoire to a dresser and I was googling tips on how to organize my drawers.  I came across a post from Apartment Therapy that stated that you should "file" some of your clothes to see everything better.

   I did end up filing my tank tops, tee shirts and long sleeved tee shirts and I love it! I fold the shirts and place them in piles as I would normally and just turn them to the side when putting them in the drawer.  The site also states to do this with jeans, but I couldn't fold them nicely enough to do so.

Fitspiration: The Real Skinny Book Review

    I love heading to my local library to check out the newest health, diet and fitness books.  It's a great way to look into a lot of different nutrition plans and fitness routines without having to pay for the book.
   A few weeks I picked up, The Real Skinny: 101 Fat Habits & Slim Solutions.

I began reading this book as soon as I got home from the library and I really enjoyed it.  I really liked the formatting of this book.  It was written by stating 101 of the most popular "excuses" against losing weight.  Things like: I'm big boned, Healthy cooking doesn't taste as good, I'm too busy.  After the excuses, the book provides simple (albeit common sense) tips on how to fight those excuses.  

Some of the excuses and tips that I took notes on were:

* I can't live without my diet coke

*I'm always hungry

*Happy Hour is my favorite hour

At the end of the book a nutrition plan was included, along with some really great recipes.  The nutrition plan consists of 1,600 calories a day and:

-6 servings of grains (mainly whole grains)

-2 servings of fruit

- at least 4 servings of vegetables

- 2 servings of nonfat or low-fat dairy

- 7 servings of lean protein

-5 servings of healthy fats

A lot of the information in the book was common sense or commonly known if you read any fitness magazines or fitblogs regularly, but it is a good book to have on your bookshelf when you need inspiration.  I can't tell you how many times I've used at least 5-6 of the excuses in the book.  If I never use one of those excuses, I could just flip to that page and get the advice on how to break that excuse.

Any diet books you guys can recommend that are written in more of a "quick tip" format?  I really enjoy those!