DIY True Luxury Spa at Home
February 19, 2010
Although going to a spa and spending an easy $50 on a face peel while having someone massage your hands and neck and having a “professional” tell you how to remedy the flaws in your skin that used to not bother you or you never knew existed, are we paying for the satisfaction of the face value luxury of going to a spa? Or in all practicality is it just a false sense of luxury?
For example, there could be a spa treatment that sounds like: ‘the wake me up skin facial’ or ‘rejuvenating clarifying vitamin e citrus scrub’ and they claim it promises to even out the skin tone, brighten the complexion, tighten lose skin, eliminate the visibility of blemishes and crows feet, and minimize pores, and gently exfoliates the skin. Results will be seen and felt within the first treatment, but for best results it is recommended you get the treatment every week on top of some other monthly deep moisturizing and exfoliating treatment and topical products from their line for you to purchase for more follow up. All this and the next thing you know it you have a bathroom full of product you may never use, and in the end, it all boils down to a waste of money because they get thrown away.
In a typical 20 minute process with a professional skin consultation and a shoulder and neck mini massage, the facial itself is a premade concoction of essential oils and citrus fruit extracts, “all natural and botanical”-so they say. But what is it really? On the label you will find water on the top of the list of ingredients, and a long word with paraben somewhere in it. In a nutshell this means there is probably more water, fillers and preservative in the product than fresh, natural ingredients to benefit the skin.
While the glycerin, aloe and vitamin e is being lathered on your face so are chemical preservatives and more water. Water is free. When I think of a product with many chemicals like parabens, fragrance, coloring etc, I feel like if I use this product I’d be putting insecticide on my face. Ouch and gross.
As I’m pondering the services spas are offering to benefit the skin, I realize I could have made the same treatment at home with a cup of yogurt and honey, a vitamin e capsule, an avocado and a little bit of lemon juice or something…there are so man options from the kitchen! I won’t have to worry about the painful extraction, someone talking down on my skin or a follow up visit that can cost another $50-80 bucks of my hard earned cash. I may not get the massage, but that’s what husbands and boyfriends are for!
Best Gift Ideas for Any Occasion
February 17, 2010
There is nothing better for the soul than giving gifts to those we love, to those who need help. Whether its Valentine’s day or Christmas, birthdays or anniversaries nothing beats the thought of giving a handmade gift to the ones we love or the ones we want to show some care. Here are some ideas of unique handmade and most thoughtful, personalized gifts.
1. Quilted travel blanket-gather materials from sentimental items like a blanket, old jeans, old t shirts, mixed with super soft chenille squares. You can put a pocket on one or two of the squares and fill it with another gift. Embellish the blanket with embroidery or patches. Use your imagination and the finished product will show thought, sentiment and creativity.
2. For the basic black type of people you can hand make a scarf. You can knit, crochet or sew, there are many variations of available scarf kits on the internet, simple type scarf kit in the search query.
3. I’ve noticed there are numerous websites that will make you a customized teddy bear. It’s like build a bear but less commercial? These handmade custom bears are made of old clothes, memorable pieces of cloth etc. The idea of making a custom bear with your own materials to preserve the cloth is pretty original, but you can always bump it up a notch and make the stuffing filled with lavender for a calming effect every time the bear is hugged.
4. Altered art. Turn basic t-shirts, plain cotton or canvas purses, baskets, into something with personality by adding charms, color, texture, jewels, sequins, sayings and quotes, or cartoon characters, embroidery etc. It’s hand made, wear it proud!
5. Don’t have time but want something unique and handmade? Try etsy, ebay’s world of good, novica, trocadero.com, you’re bound to find something of your taste.
Best Leather In a Bottle
February 9, 2010
I swear by this stuff. Originally, it was used for show cars, like cleaning and polishing high end vehicles like Cadillacs and Porches. This product is worth every penny and then some. It is everything the product description states, I promise. I currently have 2 bottles that I purchased 3 years ago. I barely got done using up the first one. I used it in the interior of my Jaguar to freshen up the leather, I use it on my leather furniture, on our leather jackets and shoes and purses. I hope they never stop making this stuff. And like all good things, a little goes a very very long way, and in this case, it’s 2-3 months of treatment per application.
Scent: It smells like a new car with leather interiors. A little bit heavy and musky and chemically at the same time. The scent will last just as long as any new piece of new leather and its scent will. Rub this on your old bag of briefcase and it may not look new but it will smell new.
Texture and Consistency: The solution is white and creamy but not too thick. It is best applied with a dry, clean, cotton rag. Just make sure the color doesn’t shed or it will shed into your leather. Once applied it doesn’ leave any residue or sticky or oily feel if applied properly. It leaves the leather feeling soft, maybe not like the first time you bought it but like it just got out of the spa.
Application: A bottle of this stuff goes a long way being you don’t have to bathe your leather item in this product. And the recommended time intervals of application is 3-6 months. A little goes a long way.
Availability: It seems this stuff isn’t hard to get a hold of despite there are only a handful of retailers out there. Just type it in the search query and you get a list of competent trustworthy sites that can sell you this stuff. The problem is not many people know about it and resort to overpriced leather treatments like what Coach has to offer or the leather protector in an aerosol can by Wilson’s.
How to eat Jicama
February 9, 2010
Jicama is rich in potassium and Vitamin C, iron and calcium, which is why filing up on this will help boost your immune system, not to mention it is also a natural diuretic.
The simplest way to eat jicama is to simply peel it and eat it. But if you chill the jicama it’s more thirst quenching because of its crunchy texture and juiciness. Jicama eaten place hardly has any flavor but a slight sweetness.
Eat it with sea salt. You can rub the sea salt on the slices prior to serving or you can just dip the jicama on the sea salt as you go. You can use regular table salt; I suggest sea salt just because it’s healthier and doesn’t do as much damage as regular table salt will to people with conditions that they have to stay away from salt.
Eat it with shrimp paste (bagoong). Shrimp paste or bagoong is a sauce that Orientals particularly Filipinos use. In the Philippines jicama is peels and poked in a barbecue stick and smothered with a layer of shrimp paste as a local snack sold in small canteens and on street vendors’ carts on the street. Here in the States you can find this sauce in most Oriental grocery stores and super markets for about $3 for a 16 ounce jar You can get it raw or fully cooked and ready to eat. They come in the flavors: sweet, spicy or even adobo.
Acne Regimen That Works
January 6, 2010
Ok, so As I was talking about acne, rosacea and blemishes, I did mention I used some products and I swear by these. I am about to share each product I do use ritually. I can’t say my face is flawless, but I can put my face forward and go out without makeup confidently. Keep in mind what works for me might not work for you due to allergies or certain medical conditions, environment and circumstance. I am not a doctor, I am a consumer sharing my experiences, hoping to share information to help you put together your own skin care regimen to solve your skin problems. Another thing, a healthy diet = healthy skin. When I am breaking out I do avoid sugary, oily and fatty foods. I drink plenty of water and snack fresh fruits and vegetables instead of french fries, potato chips, candy bars.
Ivory Bar Soap is readily available at your local drugstores like Walgreens, Wal-Mart, CVS, Sav-on, Target.
Mario Badescu Cream Soap is available at Ulta and online at mariobadescu.com
Mario Badescu Calma Mask is also available at Ulta and online at mariobadescu.com
Johnson’s Clean and Clear Spot Treatment is available at your local drugstores like Walgreens, Wal-Mart, CVS, Sav-on, Target or online at drugstore.com, walgreens.com.
Mario Badescu Control Cream available at Ulta and online at mariobadescu.com
Chanel Correcteur Prefection Long Lasting Concealer is available at fine department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Dillard’s, Macy’s. Be sure to check for product availability both when ordering in the store and online. Personally, I have encountered problems with Chanel not being available in certain Dillard’s or Macy’s retail stores but available online or vise versa. Just double check so you don’t waste time and effort.
My Face is Breaking Out Help!
January 6, 2010
There are many reasons for skin to break out, especially on the face. It’s also the worst place for blemishes and break outs and blemishes because it’s virtually impossible to hide these flaws. Women hide by caking on the concealer and makeup but in doing so, this irritates the problem further making either spread or multiply instead of heal.
Problem skin can be caused by hormonal changes such as pregnancy, pms; it can be caused by sun damage, aging, and poor hygiene and diet.
Sometimes when we try new skin care products, that seem promising, in the end it does more damage. I’ve read about people trying ‘rice water’ on their face but instead of getting beneficial results, it causes their skin to break out. I myself have tried changing facial soap, going from plain Ivory soap to some Bath and Body Seaweed face cleanser and that caused me to break out.
So to cure the blemishes I thought about trying Burt’s Bee’s, but the healing process just took soo long. Eventually, I made my way back to what I always have used as a teenager for my breakouts: Johnson’s Salicylic Acid (spot treatment). The pros about this product is it definitely works, and you see healing and a reduction in a day. You don’t need the other products, if your acne is mild, it works well with whatever mild soap you are using to clean your face. Cons, is application is painful as the acid feels like it is burning your skin, but hey, ‘no pain, no gain’, right. It is also drying to the skin, so make sure you only apply it on the problem areas, avoid the delicate eye areas and around the mouth.
Mario Badescu which is available online and at Ulta, is a new discovery I live by. It’s perfect for my more mature 30 year old skin as their products do contain collagen. It is mild, good for sensitive skin, non drying. I do recommend their products for rosacea which in a nutshell is a form of acne. Their product works, slowly but surely, without irritating, discomfort or drying the skin.
Happy Holidays!
December 24, 2009
I will be taking a break during Christmas and New Years. See you all after New Years!
Simple Skin Care for Men
December 16, 2009
You ever wonder what to gift you dad, brother or spouse? Often I find it a challenge to shop for men, they just do not seem to need as many beauty’ products as us female species do. But I came to realize and discover that they too could use the pampering on tie skin. And as the weather gets cold they suffer the same dry skin and chapped lips we do, the sunburn, they have bad hair days, and they also get razor burn. The hardest part is the men in my life are not picky and are ‘cowboys’ that they do not seem to mind if their skin get damaged, neither can they hold up to a ‘beauty’ regimen. And machoism that my husband has makes it hard for him to even consider a professional spa facial, better yet having to apply moisturizer nightly or exfoliate once a week.
I have discretely been able to slip in skin care in my husband regimens by: leaving a mild exfoliating mask in the shower with his soap, and placing an odorless light water based face moisturizer by his shaver. I make sure there’s moisturizer with a light sunscreen and chap stick in his glove box.
For his weekly exfoliating mask, I recently discovered Gatsby Black Mega Scrub. This is available in tube form online and on ebay for roughly $8. The thing I really love about this scrub is that it doesn’t have a heavy scent, very very little goes a long long way and most importantly it gets the job done. After washing with this weekly scrub, it leaves te skin fresh and squeeky clean but never drying. I tend to cheat and use this product for myself every now and then.
For face moisturizer I do trust Mario Badescu Aloe Moisturizer with SPF 15. It is especially made for sensitive skin, it has a very light clean scent and it’s not sticky or heavy on the skin. It costs about $22 for a 2 ounce jar of product in the Mario Badescu website, but keep in mind when using this you just applying a very thin layer on the skin of your face. Indeed, less is more when it comes to this. This product does not clog the pores therefore, it doesn’t cause breakouts.
And lastly, for $2 a stick of chap stick in classic strawberry (that’s my favorite flavor) available almost everywhere, from grocery stores, to gas stations to drugstores, and now you can even get spf on your chap stick!
So remember the three things, chapstick, a weekly scrub and we chose Gatsby Black Mega Scrub and a practical moisturizer, in this case we are using Mario Badescu Aloe Moisturizer with SPF.
I know the Mario Badescu moisturizer is a little bit on the expensive side but keep in mind, men do not use many different products, they only need one product that works that they can stick to, pretty much for life. And it is hard to find a moisturizer you trust that won’t clog your pores, make you look oily and even worse cause skin damage and blemishes.
Easy Winter Hair Care
December 15, 2009
As much as the cold dry weather during winter can cause dryness and roughness to our skin, so can it do damage to our hair as well, both male and female. Here are some quick and easy regimens for winter hair care.
During the winter we tend to take hot showers or baths, but as drying as this is to our skin it also has the same effect on our hair. Avoid washing your hair every day. If you must wash your hair everyday, skip out on the shampoo and just use conditioner.
For the days that you do not wash your hair, to re freshen your hair or prep it for styling use a leave in conditioner. To avoid weighing down the hair by leave in products you can do a couple of things to fix that. One, water the leave in conditioner down, a 50/50 ratio will do just fine. Or make your own leave in conditioner by combining a few drops of essential oils, chamomile tea, coconut oil or aloe vera oil, and vitamin E.
it is recommended to do a deep conditioning or hot oil treatment once or every other week. VO5 will do just fine for an over the counter hot oil treatment. Or you can use quite a number of things to reset and rejuvenate your hair. There’s amla powder or oil, coconut oil, aloe vera extract.
Also, shielding your hair from the blistering cold air by wearing a hat or what not can help protect your hair too.
For leave in hair conditioner and deep conditioning recipes go to Sudsational.wordpress.com.
Perfume That Hydrates The Skin
December 13, 2009
Growing older and experimenting with different body and skin products, I have stopped buying department store perfumes.
Often commercial colognes and perfumes found in retail and department stores are overpriced and just come in a pretty bottle. They are endorsed by popular celebrities but its scent is made mostly of water and alcohol. And the worst part is putting it on and after a few minutes realizing the scent does more harm than good by making you smell bad.
Perfume or cologne shouldn’t reek the old cliche ‘baby prostitute.’ Like the proper application of make up it should not be over done but it should be there to accent and enhance.
It’s common knowledge to always try on perfume before buying to make sure it mixes well with your own scent.
It was a couple of years ago that I discovered hand made linen spray and hand made face misters, rosewater and lavender calming skin sprays. This is where the inspiration came about for a scented skin mister.
It’s definitely better to make your own perfume out of raw, organic, hand picked, natural botanical materials. This way you can personalize it yourself to match your own essence, and you know there isn’t anything in it that can irritate your skin or mess up your clothes.
You will need a small spray bottle, there are 1,2 and 4 ounce bottles available at Wal-Mart or Target. You will also need distilled water and the essential oil of your scent of choice. For this one we are going to make my favorite combination of scents, lavender, freesia and bergamot. We are making 2 ounces of spray.
Pour 1.5 ounces of distilled water in the bottle, add 5 drops of lavender, 3 drops of bergamot and 2 drops of freesia, shake the bottle and enjoy. I use this as car freshener, linen spray, pillow spray and on my skin.
Create a face mist spray by adding 5 drops of aloe, 2 drops of lavender and 2 drops of tangerine into 1.5 ounces of distilled water, rose water or a mix of the two, refrigerate or use room temperature, use it after the gym or anytime you want to freshen or hydrate your face or skin.
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