DIY Facials Mini Series

In this economy do-it-yourself projects are more than just saving a buck. Those bucks add up, those bucks pay bills and those bucks puts groceries on the table. So I don't mind DIY projects because I need to eat and look pretty while I eat. What better way to get pretty than getting a facial? I love getting facials but who can afford it. Some spas charge upwards to $300 a treatment or more. That's ridiculous! So why pay when you can raid your refrigerators and give yourself a facial for a lot less. I figure once a week I would educate you girls and guys on a variety of skin care items you can find right at home. First in the installment is a mask thats great for all skin types.

Oatmeal Yogurt Mask
1 Tablespoon of Oatmeal (finely grounded)
1 Tablespoon of Plain Yogurt
A few drops of honey
Mix together, apply to face and leave on for 10 minutes then rinse off thoroughly. Make sure the yogurt contains no fruit and ideally try to use organic.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal has been used for years for the treatment of dry skin. Oatmeal contains (big word alert) polysaccharides, a complex carbohydrate when mixed with water becomes a gel. This gel softens and nourishes the skin protecting it from drying out. Oatmeal also contains fat which acts like a moisturizer for the skin. Lastly oatmeal provides gentle exfoliation while absorbing dirt and impurities leaving your skin with a glow. All in all oatmeal is great for all skin types.

Yogurt

We all know that eating yogurt is great for your insides, but did you know the active good bacteria in yogurt is also good for your skin? The anti-bacterial properties in yogurt make it ideal for acne prone skin. The enzymes in yogurt kills the bad bacteria. Yogurt also contains lactic acid, which is a very mild but super effective exfloliator. Lactic acids aid in softening the skin, tightening pores and giving skin that over all natural glow, all while leaving the skin feeling moisturized. Yogurt too is great for all skin types.

Honey

Honey is an all natural humectant. A humectant draws in moisture to the skin keeping it moisturized. Honey also works as a natural antiseptic and can be used to treat minor cuts and burns. In addition to its antiseptic properties, honey is rich in antioxidants which help protect the skin against free radicals. Free radicals are one of main culprits in the premature aging of the skin. So again honey too is great for all skin types.

So try it out and let me know how you like ;-)



MAC Pink Friday

For those who aren't makeup enthusiasts like myself, you may not have known that Nicki Minaj did a collaboration with MAC to promote her new album Pink Friday. The lipstick was only available online for a short period of time last month and I was fortunate to gets my hands on one. Pink Friday is a bright, cool tone, opaque Barbie doll pink. If you are darker skin tone like myself  Pink Friday can not be wore alone but with lip liner and gloss, it's the perfect pink. It has become of one my new favorite lipstick to wear. But why write a blog about a color that's not longer available? Well there are plenty colors on the market that MAC and other brands have that are very similar to Pink Friday. MAC has Snob, Chatterbox and Viva Glam Lady Gaga that are similar. MAKE UP FOR EVER and Illamasqua both have bright Barbie doll like pinks in their collections. We are coming into Spring Summer 2011 where brights were huge on the runways. So ladies if you are tired of wearing those hoilday reds, try a pink.

Birchbox

Birchbox is a website were you pay ten bucks a month to receive 4 to 5 deluxe samples of makeup, skincare, haircare and some miscellaneous products. They carry mostly high-end labels like Nars, Laura Mercier and Phyto that are beautifully packaged and delivered to your home. I know what you're thinking, "why pay money for samples"? Well being able to try the latest products, that are hand delivered to you home is worth it for me. Plus they're high-end deluxe sample. Sephora has a customer loyalty program where each dollar you spend equals a point and points are redeemed for samples. Its takes 100 points to receive one deluxe sample. That's a hundred dollars people. Don't get me wrong I love Sephora and free stuff is free stuff but Birchbox is just a different avenue and in a world of many avenues, streets, roads and boulevards what's one more? So check it out....Birchbox.com.