Grocery Shrink

Martha Stewart’s All Natural Lip Balm

Homemade Mineral Foundation (Who Knew?)

Making homemade cosmetics is a hobby that can turn into a business.  Mary Kay launched her business in her kitchen.  You can find a variety of ingredients at makingcosmetics.com.  And find support and recipes at Kirt’s Homemade Cosmetic Recipes, Kitchen Crafts and More, and My DIY Beauty Brand.

In summer, it’s refreshing to let our feet breathe in some airy sandals, but wearing sockless shoes for very long can create an odor problem.  The foul smell is caused by natural sloughing off of dead skin cells while we walk, which attach to our shoes and rot.  Not pleasant at all.  To keep your shoes smelling sweet, choose shoes that do not have cloth foot beds.  Look for something smooth (like crocs) or a smooth leather or vinyl.  After wearing before putting them away at night, wipe the foot beds with a damp cloth (baby wipes work well.)  Then spritz with an alcohol based  body spray.  The alcohol will kill any lingering bacteria and have your shoes fresh and ready for wearing next time.

A little tip:  I bought an inexpensive pack of white wash cloths.  I use a clean one each evening to wash my face (Reusing a face cloth without washing can cause acne by reintroducing  bacteria to the skin.)  Right after washing my face, I rinse the cloth and wash off my feet.  Then I can go to bed clean and still shower in the morning for better hair during the day.

Though not pleasant to talk about, foot fungus can also grab hold in summer.  There’s nothing like tea tree oil for killing foot fungus, even on the nail.  To use, place 2 drops of tea tree oil on a moistened cotton pad and apply to the affected area.  There are also commercial products out there with tea tree oil, labeled for specific purposes.  A good alternative is wild oregano oil–as a bonus, you’ll smell like pizza :).

On a different note, you can strengthen the arches of your feet by being conscious of putting weight on your little toes instead of your big toe.  Try not to let your feet roll towards the center.  When you have a chance to sit, practice pointing your toes hard (like a ballerina) and flexing them back.  Keeping your feet flexible can stop foot pain and give you more endurance on your feet.

Fresh fruits are chock full of nutrients that can absorb through the skin!  I’ve used fresh fruit masks off and on since my teens and am always amazed at how well they work.  To use, cut a small piece of fruit and rub it on clean skin.  Let it dry completely then wash with warm water and a cloth. Follow with a good moisturizer (which may just be a few drops of almond or olive oil.) Remember if you are allergic to eating a food, you shouldn’t rub it on your skin either.

Strawberries:  Great for acne prone skin.

Watermelon:  Nourishes older skin and helps reduce signs of aging

Avocado:  Perfect for dry skin–lovely in winter too

Yogurt:  Helps even skin tone–perfect for soothing sunburns too.  Full fat yogurt is moisturizing

Two things contribute to our skin looking older than it needs to:  a build up of dead skin cells, and dryness.  As we age our body slows the process of natural exfoliation.  The dead skin cells build up on our face and body and make our skin look dull and pale.  By using natural exfoliators, we can help bring this process back to the speed of youth and give a smoothness and healthy glow to our complexions.  Choose 3 types of ingredients for your mixture:

1.  Oil:  Choose a plant based oil (not mineral or baby oil).  The best is almond oil, but you could also use olive oil, coconut oil etc.

2.  Mild scrubber:  Choose one of the following.  The harshest (most effective) are listed first and the gentlest last:  Salt, Sugar, cornmeal, or instant oats

3.  Acid based ingredient:  lemon juice (or other citrus), vinegar (This brings the mixture to the proper pH for your skin and helps aid the exfoliator.  Lemon juice over time will help fade brown spots and smells the best of the options.)

To use pour a little oil into your hand, sprinkle with exfoliator of choice and squirt a few drops of the acid ingredient.  Mix with your finger tips and apply to clean skin with a circular motion for several minutes.  Rinse with warm water (no soap) and pat dry.  I have acne prone skin and use this everywhere, even my face.  Since the oil is not petroleum based, it will not clog pores or contribute to acne.  My favorite mixture is olive oil, sugar, and lemon juice.   It leaves skin smooth and moisturized, but not greasy since the oil absorbs in quickly.

Use this twice a week, up to every other day.  If you use a mild exfoliator such as cornmeal or oats, you can do it every day.

This post brought to you by:

Not too long ago I believed making an effort in the beauty area was frivolous.  After all God looks on the heart.  But after several years of marriage I realized that how I look makes a difference to my husband.  He loves me no matter what, but knowing he has a beautiful flower to come home to at night makes him a better man.  The other half to that scripture is “Man looks on the outside.”  And I want my outside to reflect the beautiful person that I’m striving for on the inside.  I found out in the process that when I feel good about how I look, it’s easier to be beautiful on the inside.  My beauty regiment has 6 focus areas:

1.  Personal Character and Cheerfulness

2.  Nutrition

3.  Exercise

4.  Skincare and makeup

5.  Haircare and styling

6.  Wardrobe

I’ve yet to meet a woman who with proper care in each of these 6 areas, couldn’t be beautiful.  Tomorrow I’ll start with some simple homemade skincare solutions.