One Step Wonders

To be honest sometimes I’m lazy, and cheap but I think these somewhat negative qualities can often lead to greatness. Health and beauty for example, both can take up a lot of your time and money. I however have a few household items that can work wonders in many areas and I thought I’d share them with you. 

Ginger: Great for digestive health as well as a natural headache remedy. I get headaches often and do not always like to take ibuprofen so I try ginger instead. There are some great ginger teas, I usually go for Yogi’s Ginger tea. It is marketed for digestive health  but can also help soothe headaches. I also have ginger supplements that I take when I feel a headache coming on and don’t have time for tea. These are a nice alternative if you do not like tea or the taste of ginger.

Coconut oil: Everybody’s new favorite oil but it really is amazing. I have a huge jar from Trader Joe’s  that I keep in my medicine cabinet. I most often use it on my hair. It can act as a moisturizing mask or in place of other styling products. I just scoop a little in my hand and warm it up so that it dissolves in to an oil I can then easily rub into my hair. Be sure to wash it within a day however because it can leave your hair looking and feeling greasy after some time.

You can also use it as a moisturizer for your skin. I wouldn’t use it ever day as it my clog your pores but every so often it can be a nice alternative to lotion.  You can also cook with it. Any time you use butter or another oil you can swap in coconut oil for a healthier and usually tastier option!

Honey: I love honey. I add it to my tea and cereal and sometimes I just eat it by itself! That may seem a little overboard but honey is really good for you. I  buy local honey because its nice to support local vendors and it also helps with my seasonal allergies. The bees pick up all the local pollen and by ingesting the pollen it can help soothe your own reaction to it. I would much rather have a little honey than add another chemical or pill to my day.

Honey is also a natural disinfectant and is great for skin that is prone to break outs. I often add it to my face scrub in order to give it a little boost. Check out Ashley and I’s scrub here!

Baking Soda: Another simple wonder baking soda is not just for baking. I keep a little tub in my bathroom and use it both as a face mask and teeth whitener. Just add a little baking soda to your toothbrush or toothpaste and brush as you normally would. It doesn’t taste great but it helps keep your smile nice and bright. When I use it on my face I just add water and make it into a thick paste that I then put on. Be sure not to scrub it into your skin. Just leave on for a minute and rinse.

Baking soda and a little vinegar also work wonders on bathroom clogs!

What are some of your natural or quick and easy remedies!?

-K

Nailed It

I love a good Sunday afternoon of watching Sex and the City and painting my nails! Wine may or may not be included. It’s a good way to relax, have some Ashley time, and get ready for the next week. While waiting for them to dry , a good fashion magazine is always needed. Over the years I have tried many different products and these are by far my favorites.

Boom Boom Room nail polish by Essie is the perfect shade of pink. Not too bright and not too “baby” and you can wear it year round. Essie’s polishes go on smooth and last for a long period of time. Check out all their fun colors each season!

Sally Hansen’s Hard As Wraps is fabulous. I put it on as a based coat and in-between coats or whatever color polish I am putting on. It is a great way to make your polish last.

OPI Top Coat is the perfect way to end any at home manicure. It will seal your polish and will give it a nice shine.

I use Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream before I go to bed at least once a week, it will keep your cuticles nice and soft – and manicure ready!

I also always keep a nail file or two on had. Not only do I use them to shape my nails, but also to smooth them before painting them.

I hope this help! If you have any favorite nail care items please let me know!

-A

Brown Sugar Scrub

This is the easiest, tastiest scrub you will ever scrub yourself with!

Ashley and I made this a few months ago and it was amazing. Smells amazing and makes your skin so soft.  All you have to do is mix brown sugar and olive oil. There are no exact measurements, just add as you please.

We chose to keep it simple using only two ingredients but you can also add honey, lemon or anything else you wish to your scrub.

Let us know what you add and how yours turns out!

Cautionary tale: 

Ashley and I made the scrub and put them in these beautiful glass jars.  I then put this beautiful jar in the shower and one day while I was trying to open the scrub it slipped and broke in the shower. Let me tell you there are few things scarier than broken glass all over the shower while you’re in it! So be careful and perhaps go for plastic!

-A&K

Drugstore Dandies

Great products at great prices!

We all love saving money, right, I mean I do. And we like looking good right? So I think its important to find great products that won’t break the bank. So here is a list (in no particular order) of some of my favorite drugstore finds. All are available at stores like Target or Walgreen’s and priced around $5.

1. Vaseline aloe fresh spf 15 : This lotion is not too heavy, plus it has spf to protect your skin.

2. Clear Total Care Conditioner : Leaves my hair soft and nourished, usually leave it on for a few minutes and no tangles when I brush my hair out.

3. Maybelline Clean Express : I bought this because my usual makeup remover was out of stock, and now it’s my new makeup remover. It is super gentle but effective. The first time I used it I accidentally wiped it all over my eye and it didn’t hurt at all! Not so with other products.

4. Aussie anti-frizz cream : My hair is really thick and almost curly. It can’t quite make up its mind so it very easily becomes a frizzy mess.  This product however keeps it somewhat tame. Works best on damp hair, so that by the time your hair dries it tames the frizz and keeps your style.

5. Maybelline Great Lash mascara : The oldest greatest mascara. I’ve bought others and this is still the everyday champ. It also comes in a ton of varieties now.

6. Yes to Tomatoes acne repairing lotion : Just started using this product this year and so far so happy. Great products, all natural, cruelty free so good skin and good karma.

7. Neutrogena makeup remover cleaninsing towelettes : Started using these within the last month and they are so handy. Especially after a long night when you just wanna come home, wipe off all your makeup and hit the hay. No water or anything else needed. I can’t wait to take them travelling, I think they would be a great addition to any suitcase.

Also everything on this list smells great!

-K

Make up Hack!

For those of you that use powder foundation, blush or shadow you know the frustration of seeing that you have product left and not being able to get to it.  This hack however will allow you to get to everything, needing only a quarter and a little leverage.

Take your product and with your container sealed tight turn it over. Most plastic powders have a ridge in the bottom. Place the quarter in said ridge and pop out the bottom. Easy as pie and will allow you to use all your product!

-K