Aloe Vera, The Miracle Plant

I've been inspired by the aloe vera plant sitting in the corner of the hotel lobby.  I decided to do my next ingredient feature on Aloe Vera.  This plant is so versatile and so awesome for your skin, so it only makes sense!

I've decided to break this up into 4 parts... the first being on what you can use it for and why its so good for you.  Basically a summary of the next three.  The second will be on planting and harvesting.   The third will be on skin care recipes.  And then the fourth will be on edible recipes.  Are you as excited as I am?  Good.  :)

Onto its background...
Okay, so there are a lot of different species of aloe, but the one that is most commonly used in the western world is Aloe Vera.  Its a succulent plant, which means its similar to cacti, because it's leaves retain moisture.  (Have you ever drank cactus water?  Its yummy!)  This also means that it thrives in arid conditions.  However, it is actually in the lily family...

Aloe Vera is most commonly used to treat burns, because its liquid is very soothing.  The first thing that you probably think of when hearing 'Aloe Vera' is the gel that you buy from the drugstore for sunburns.  Its an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral agent (the last two means that it can help prevent infection, therefore speeding recovery time).  Its the only known non-animal source of the vitamin B12, but is also abundant in amino acids, vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, magnesium, fatty acids, zinc, and germanium.  That is a nice, long list, of nutrients that are good inside and outside the body.

The nutrients are only in the gel and the juice.  The outside leaves have no nutritional value.  

Now, The Gel & The Juice
Like I said, aloe vera is most known for treating burns.  Because it is soothing, this also means that its effective in treating skin conditions, such as psoriasis, and can soothe bug bites.  (A new remedy to those awful mosquito bites I've been getting?  Especially since the toothpaste was a bust!)  And then, above all, its extremely moisturizing.

Internally, aloe vera can relieve arthritis and joint pain, treat gastrointestinal problems, and overall, improve your immune system, because it is anti-bacterial.

Aloe Vera can help everyone with something... whether its a sunburn on a young child, arthritis in an elderly person... everyone.  And in my opinion, its something that every household should possess...  

Keep an eye out for Aloe Vera, Planting & Growing!

Much Love!!  xoxoxo

Sources
HerbWisdom.com, Aloe Vera
eSsortment, The Medicinal Uses of Aloe Vera
Chet Day's Health & Beyond, Aloe Vera for External Use
The Health Benefits of Aloe Vera

Friendly Fridays and My Daily Rambling

Yay! for Reconnecting with People
So earlier, me and a couple of the girls decided we wanted dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings.  (Does anyone else out there call it BDubs or BW3's?  Just wondering).  I've noticed that quite a few people that I know work there, and my friends and I used to go in quite a bit.  Remember, I'm only 22, so this is not surprising.  Well, tonight, my waitress was this girl I went to high school with, and really just didn't get along with.  Once we realized who each other were, she seemed excited to see me and gave me a hug... WHAT?!  I said we didn't get along!  But it was definitely cool, because she said she had changed and matured alot and before I left, she gave me her number so we could get together.  How exciting is that?  Someone whom I didn't like, and hadn't seen in at least 4 years, and I plan on giving her a call to go get coffee or something...   I just wanted to share that little story, because it really warms my heart.

Fresh Aloe
I've been training at work the past couple nights, and I have a lot of downtime (obviously, I'm blogging!).  I've kind of taken over the lobby in the hotel and that way the woman that I'm training and I aren't fighting over the one chair behind the desk.  So I'm sitting out here on the couch and I look over to my right, and there is an Aloe plant.  I don't think you can possibly imagine how excited this naturalist is!  I don't have an aloe plant and imagine all the super cool things I could do with fresh aloe!!  After I get a decent sized pot and some potting soil, I definitely plan on taking a piece of this aloe plant home with me.  I broke a piece off yesterday and rubbed the juice on my arm, just because I wanted to make sure it was aloe and not something else.  But oh boy, am I excited!!!
  
Friday's Blog Hops!!!
I think of all the daily blog hops that are dedicated just for finding friends out there in BlogWorld, Fridays are my favorites.  Visit the blog hops below and find some super cool new blogs!!

Wednesday Bloghops and My Daily Ramblings

I Have an Awesome Blog!
So yesterday, I posted that think to Never Growing Up's blog on the natural hair lightener, and I have now been added to her Awesome Blogs list!!  Head on over there to check out my button and to look around her blog!  I think you'll really enjoy your time there!!


I'm going out this weekend, for the first time in forever...
...And I need help on my outfit.  
Awhile ago, our local Deb's store was going out of business, so I stopped by.  I picked up this super cute Royal Blue top with sequins all over it.  It was only like $2, so why not buy it?  I liked it and who knew if I would ever have an excuse to wear it.  
Well, I think this weekend would be a good reason to wear it!  Except, what do I wear with it?  Any suggestions?  What accessories do I wear?  How do I do my makeup?  I never thought I would be this overwhelmed by picking out an outfit!  Especially because I've always been pretty good at this.  HELP!  :'( 

I'm crocheting my friend a blanket :)
I worked the morning shift yesterday and it had been forever since I had seen some of the housekeepers at the hotel (I left for awhile to get a job at another hotel.. for about 6 months.  And then I've been working 3rd shift since I have come back).  My favorite, Connie, was talking to me.  I was drinking my coffee and she's all "You drink coffee now?!" and then I was working on this blanket and she's all "You crochet?!", and I was just like "Yeah, I think I managed to age 50 years in the matter of a day".  Hahaha...

Anyways, I'm making this blanket for my friend.  I think her intention is to put it on her bed.  I taught myself how to crochet, and I've done a couple hats, some scarves, and a baby blanket.  But I need help with this blanket.  How wide do I make it?  And what is the best stitch to use, so that it doesn't take me 3 years to make it?  I know on the baby blanket, I did a border around the edges.. is it a good idea to do one on this blanket too?     

Tuesday Bloghops! 






Much Love!!!  xoxoxo

CSI: Natural Beauty Edition. Episode 1 of 10-Acne

It's here!  It's here!!

CSI:  Natural Beauty Edition
Episode 1 of 10- Acne

This is me at one point when my acne had
gotten particularly bad.  

I think that acne is the thing that troubles most of our population when it comes to their looks.  No matter how high or low maintenance we are, I don't know anyone who's ever said "I appreciate these ugly oozing bumps on my face".  (Ewww....)  Not only are they ugly, but a lot of times they're painful, and sometimes they are filled with puss and blood, or they get really dry and flaky, and they just draw more attention!  Acne is usually associated with teenagers... "It's hormones, your skin will clear up in a couple years".  But unfortunately, that's not the case for everyone.  Take me for example:  I had decently clear skin when I was in high school.. The occassional breakout that got worse around "that time of the month", but nothing that really made me self conscious.  But then about 3 years ago, when I was 20, it hit... Acne.  Horrible acne that just won't go away for the life of me!  And if that's not the worse part, but now, my face is speckled with scars... Oh, and its reoccuring (it settles down for awhile and then comes back in the exact same spot.  From what I've read about, this is hormonal acne, which is hard to treat without a prescription.)  What's the point of this story?  ACNE SUCKS!

...moving on...

There are a ton of companies that specialize in acne treatment.  In fact, while I'm typing this up, I'm watching a commercial with Hayden Panetierre for Clean & Clear.  People spend tons of money trying to achieve clear skin!  I know that I'll try something, it won't work, and then I'll try something else... just wasting my money.  So, if we're willing to spend all this money on commercial products that may or may not work, then why not try something things around the house and see if it works? 

Okay, so before I move on, let me just say this. 

1. I'm not a doctor.  These are only suggestions and if they work, great!  And if they don't, then try something else.  Everyone is different.  But if you are seeing a doctor for your skin, definitely take his/her advice above mine, because (s)he is the professional. 
2. Just like I just mentioned... Everyone's skin is different and what may work for one person, may not work for you.  Use your best judgement, based upon your personal experience.

First thing first... in order to treat your acne, you need to learn about it.  It's not going to do any good for you to use one treatment, if it wasn't the right one! 
Here are the different types of acne according to who else, but acne.com

Acne Vulgars in mild/moderate form
This type is the most common and will probably be the most beneficial for you to read.  There are 4 forms of acne vulgaris: whiteheads, blackheads, papules, and pustules.  Sound familiar, right?  Let's learn more.

Whiteheads occur when a pore is blocked, therefore trapping oil, bacteria, and skin cells inside of it.  (Hey!  Now there's a proactive commercial on tv!)  So, to treat these, you definitely want to clean the skin and get rid of the clogging agent (your skin oil).  Then you would want to use an anti bacterial to kill the bacteria being trapped in the pore.  Now acne.com recommends benzoyl peroxide, but this is a very harsh chemical that will likely dry out your skin, and from what I hear, leave a ton of free radicals in it's path.  Salicylic Acid is a gentler option, but later on, we're going to explore even more natural anti-bacterial agents.

Blackheads are similar to whiteheads, except they are only partially blocked.  The black that you see is not dirt, but your own melanin (so its not use trying to dig out that black stuff!)  Because whiteheads and blackheads are so similar, the skin clearing regimin would be the same.

Papules are red painful bumps with no head.  Don't squeeze these, since there's no head, you're doing nothing but irritating it (which can result in scarring).  And according the acne.com, the suggested regimine would be the same as the first two.

Pastules are inflamed bumps with a white/yellow head.  These are the one's people typically pop that ooze who-knows-what.  I had always thought these were whiteheads, but apparently not!  Anyways... the regimine is the same.


Acne Vulgaris in severe form
This type would be the above four with the addition of nodules and cysts.
Nodules are large, painful, hard bumps under the skin and they can last for months. 
Cysts are similiar to the above, but are filled with pus. 
(They are painful... because I get both of these.)

Other types of acne includes rosacea, conglobata, fulminans, gram-negative folliculitis, and pyoderma faciale (or rosacea fulminans).  If you have any of these conditions, I would definitely advice that you seek a doctor for treatment.  The suggestions that I will be giving will be for Acne Vulgaris only.
Check out Acne.com for further detailed descriptions and pictures of everything mentioned above.

Ingredients That are Supposed to Help Acne
Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil that I've been seeing all over in the natural beauty world.  I know The Body Shop has an entire acne line that is made with tea tree oil.  This would be my suggestion to replace those harsh chemicals, like benzoyl perxide, because it is an anti-bacterial.  I'm reading an article on about.com (I love that website, don't you?) and they're talking about a study that was done awhile ago, comparing benzoylabout.com recommends 5 parts oil to 95 parts water.

Some other ingredients that are anti-bacterial include:  Mint, Garlic, Olive Leaf Extract, and Honey.  The good thing about honey is that its both anti-bacterial and also moisturizing, so it will also heal your skin. 
There are also some ingredients that act as an anti-inflamatory.  This would include: Green Tea, Licorice Root Extract, and Aloe Vera.  Your anti-bacterials are best used for the mild/moderate forms of acne, but if your's is more severe (like mine), you'll want to introduce these anti-inflammatories.  From my understanding, these are most effective toward the nodules and cysts.

There's one ingredient, that I think has been well hidden until recently, that from my understanding is your miracle remedy for acne, and it is Sea Buckthorn Oil.  Sea Buckthorn oil is so amazing because it has properties to heal all causes of acne, even the hormonal ones.  It's also your anti-inflammatory and consists of a lot of nutrients that have proven to be beneficial in treating acne.  But this isn't all!  Its also a mild analgesic (pain-killer) and is anti-microbial.  (While an anti-bacterial inhibits the growth of bacteria, anti-microbials also inhibit the growth of viruses and fungi, so its better!)

The Role of Exfoliation for Acne
Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin.  (And there are many different ways you can achieve this)  Now, if you can think back all the way to my description of whiteheads, one of the things that clogs your pores are these dead skin cells.  For whatever reason, they're not falling away from your skin like they should are getting caught in the pore.  By exfoliating the skin, we're manually removing these, therefore, preventing the pores from being clogged in the first place.  Its not recommended to exfoliate everyday, because you could irritate the skin.

Onto the Fun Stuff.... The Recipes & Remedies!

• One popular remedy is using the anti-bacterial properties of mint.  What's the mintiest thing that you use everyday?  Toothpaste!  Take a paste (not gel) toothpaste, and you can use it as a spot treatment for your breakouts.  You can put this one before going to bed, and then just wash your face upon waking up! 
• You can use Tea Tree Oil as a spot treatment.  Just apply oil directly to your breakout.  Depending on how sensitive your skin is, depends on whether or not the oil should be diluted.  You can use undiluted oil, but if you have any negative reactions, then try diluting it with distilled water.
• In an earlier post, I talked about using garlic as a spot treatment.  Just cut the clove of garlic in half and then rub the juice over your breakout!
• I've used an egg white mask to remove the excess oils.  These oils could potentially clog up my pores.  the mask is as simple as breaking open an egg, removing the yolk, and applying the whites to your face.  And then rinse after about 20 minutes.  You can also add a teaspoon of lemon juice, for its exfoliation and skin whitening properties.
• Mashed strawberries are good reducing the swelling of breakouts.  Just mash a couple up with a fork, and apply, and then rinse off about a half hour later. 
• Tomato pulp is another effective treatment, and its even simpler than the above remedies.  You can cut the tomato in half and rub over your skin, and then rinse after an hour.  Use the other half for a sandwich!  (preferably veggie!)
• Mix 3 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.  This will create a nightly spot treatment that you apply before going to bed and rinsing off in the morning upon waking up.
• Mix equal parts lemon juice and rose water (which you can make at home with rose petals from your garden).  Apply to face and rinse after 30 minutes. 
• You can create a paste with baking soda and water, leave on for 10 minutes and then rinse.  The baking soda is good for whitening skin (reducing redness) and drying up the breakouts.  You can adjust how often you do this by how sensitive your skin is, but I don't recommend it for sensitive skin at all.
• You can put aloe vera gel on your face after cleansing, to help with redness and inflammation.  This has been found to work well for many people.
• You can also rub your face with a wet green tea bag.  I wouldn't recommend steeping it, just enough to get it wet, so you can get the most of the nutrients from the green tea.

Preventative Measures for Acne

• First and foremost... DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE!  Your hands pick up large amounts of bacteria, and when you touch your face, this bacteria can clog up your pores (& Yes, I know.  It's easier said than done.  I'm horrible about touching my face!)
• Wash your make-up off every night, so you skin can breath.   
• Eating a diet high in raw foods can do wonders for your skin.  Other foods that are good for your skin include green tea, wheatgrass, and yogurt (with live cultures).
• Some sources will tell you not to wear make-up, but I think that it's okay to continue wearing make-up, as long as you're smart about your make-up choices... Choose Oil-Free, Hypo-allergenic, and non-comedogenic.
• I've heard that drinking small amounts of apple cider vinegar diluted with water, everyday, will do wonders for your skin.  I would recommend a tablespoon to 16 ounces of water, to start.
• Try to drink at least 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day to flush toxins out of your system.

So this was my crash course on Acne.  I hope your learned all that you needed and more.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Sources:
Acne.com: Types of Acne
About.com:  Alternative Medicine; Tea Tree Oil for Acne
Natural Acne Treatment
Sea Buckthorn: Treating Acne Naturally

Natural Hair Lightener & Tuesday Blog Hops

Boy, I really need to get some stuff done and give you guys some real things to read!  I have just felt super busy the past couple days, and especially working third shift, it feels like it sucks your day away!  But I'm working a morning shift today, and I'm sitting here at work in between getting things done.  But then at least I have the evening to finish up my acne article (It's almost done!... I hope!)  But anyways... as I was checking out my recent blogs, I found this...

Natural Hair Lightener
posted by:  Never Growing Old

She has posted some cool information on hair lightening, that I hadn't heard of before!  From using lemons, to flowers, to olive oil, to tea, to coffee!  Most people, women especially, love to get that sun-bleached look in the summer, so this has some really great tips on how to do that!  I hope you check it out!





Tuesday Blog Hops



The one blog hop that I joined, the button is not showing up.  :(  So I went ahead and left it in the post, in case it decides to work, but I wanted to go ahead and add the link, as to not be rude.  It was for Bree Bree's Talkin' Tuesday Link Up.

Monday Blog Hops

Hey Everyone!! Just joined the Monday Blog Hops! If you're new to the site, Its a site that is totally dedicated to Natural Beauty... homemade and commercial. And I'm working on some really great things right now... including an awesome 10-week special that I call CSI: Natural Beauty Edition. The first one is going to be on Acne and from what I have written so far, I think that if you have acne, you will really enjoy this.

I hope you enjoy my blog!!




 Questions:

1. What one food could you eat every single day?
2. Do you wear glasses or contacts?
3. What kind of cell phone do you have?
4. What did you have for dinner last night?
5. What is your favorite candy?
---------------------------------------
1.  Pizza!!  Specifially, I would say, Tomato & Mushroom.  Yummmyyy!
2.  Nope, neither.  But that does remind me that I need to go get my eyes checked.  I think I need reading glasses...
3.  I have an EnV3 from LG.  Its such a pain.  Very disappointing because I had wanted it for so long, and its really been nothing but problems since I've gotten it.
4.  Coleslaw and Potato Chips.  Haha.  I went to a cookout for my boyfriend's friend's birthday.  It was my first time meeting her, and she didn't know I was a vegetarian, so most of the food has meat in it.  I made do with what I have though!
5.  Reese's all the way!  Actually... I just found a recipe for huge homemade Reese's.  I can't wait tot try it!!

Much Love! xoxoxo

New Look & Top 10 Preview!!

Hey Everyone!  Notice anything different?  I hope so... its a pretty big change!!

I have a new look!!  New background, new header, new colors!  All around... new everything!  
I think its pretty exciting, myself.  
Did you see my geese?  I chose them for two reasons... well, the first is the main one:  I already had the pictures of them on my computer.  But the second is that, I'm reading up on goose symbolism.. apparently they are known for their loyalty and their communication.  I love it!  And I think I need both to have a successful blog for all of you to enjoy!


Sunday Hops!

Click on the button below, to join!  I am on the twitter hop, #24.  Or to go straight to my twitter page, click here.  Come to my page for updates on everything from the blog to my life!  Because my twitter page serves both...

 I also joined 3am Cloth Diapers, No Pins Needed Blog Hop.  For whatever reason,t he button wasn't working, so I just posted the link.  Go & Check it out!!  & See the other blogs listed, below!



Oh!  ...Before I forget.  I need help from all my crafter's out there.
A couple weeks ago, I gave my grandmother a call... I wanted to know if she had an extra sewing machine.  In an effort to save money to become more unique and more green, I wanted to start making some of my own stuff.  ...And I've found a ton of cute tutorials that I just can't wait to try.  So anyways, this is what she brought me.  It was more awesome than I could have even imagined!  But, I can't find any information on it... Does anyone out there know anything about this sewing machine?

  
Top 10 Preview!!
Here it is!  The Line Up for my 10 Week Special!  Look forward to the first one in the next day or so...

1.  Acne
2.  Skin Whitening/Hyper-pigmentation/Acne Scars
3.  Dry Skin
4.  Wrinkles
5.  Skin Brightening
6.  Dark Eyes/Eye Circles
7.  Sensitive Skin
8. Large Pores
9. Puffy Eyes & Skin
10. Cellulite & Stretch Marks

 Are you as excited as I am??

Ohio Caverns in West Liberty, OH

A week ago, My family took a mini trip to Ohio Caverns in West Liberty, OH, which isn't too far north of Columbus.  The drive to the caverns took about 3 hours from Toledo, though.  It was absolutely amazing, and I loved it.  I really wanted to share these with you, because this is the true definition of natural beauty.  I definitely underestimated how it was going to look inside...  I hope you enjoy my pictures!

This is a picture of the Crystal Sea, which is a water retention area that naturally formed.  The rock (which was limestone, I believe) helps to soak up moisture from the ground above and then it drips into the inside of the caverns.  (Pretty much every surface in the caverns is wet..)  But through all of the purification from going through the wall, this water is absolutely cure.  You can't see it in the picture, but there was an almost perfect reflection from the ceiling. 

This is a special crystal formation, called a Drinking Straw Formation. Basically, water drips and creates a hollow formation.  At some point, the formation turns, and this one just happens to resemble a water pump.  I think its really cool!

Omg.... so this one is totally creepy.  It looks like there is a face in the picture!  Can you see it?  I wonder if the caverns have any history of being haunted?

This is a special dual formation.  The top one is a rust stalactite and then connected to it, is a crystal stalactite.  You normally think that rust would make a weak formation and wouldn't be able to hold onto the crystal formation, but it does.  They're still not really sure how or why these form, either.  But, Ohio Caverns is the only caverns in North America to have these.

This is the largest formation in Ohio Caverns at about 5 feet.  (Mind you, these take thousands, upon thousands of years to form!)  It's called the Crystal King.  I kind of wish it was a stalagmite, that way I could have stood next to it for a picture, because I'm 5 foot tall!!

But anyways, I hope you enjoyed my pictures.  I want think thank everyone for their wonderful comments that they have been leaving, and for their suggestions. 

I'm still looking for suggestions for my top 10 list on your biggest beauty concerns.  I've gotten a few so far, but if you haven't commented yet, I would love to hear what yours is!  I hope to start working on my little project soon!!!

Much Love!  xoxoxo

Check Out My New Button!

I originally had no intention in posting again until tonight... butttt....
I just got off of work not too long ago, and I'm sitting here waiting for my boyfriend to call me.  Him and his dad are working on my car today, so I plan on just sleeping there, so that when they're ready to work on my car, it will be available.  Normally he wakes up pretty early, but I don't know what his deal is today.  Maybe it's just because I'm getting that tired.  A little over a week, and I'll no longer be working nights, and I can't wait!

My New Button!!
I got bored last night at work, so I decided to make a button!  :) 

What do you think?  The goose is from a picture I took at the Toledo Botanical Gardens.  And then I edited the colors (obviously) and added the text (even more obvious)... so its 100% me, baby!  Over to the right, I have posted the button, as well as provided the html link for posting it on your blog.  I would love it if you decided to share my button for your viewer's to see, and if you do, just leave me a comment so I can see! 

Okay, so I'm still looking for some responses.  

• First, I want to know what your biggest beauty concerns are.  Do you have stinky feet?  Yellow Nails?  Oily Hair?  Insane Hair Growth?  (Wow, I'm getting weird... I think I do need sleep!)  If you didn't read my last post, I want to do a weekly special on the biggest beauty concerns that women have, and I want to make this as personal as possible.  So, I would like to know what you would want to change or manage about yourself. 
• Secondly, What do you want me to write about?  Do you have any good ideas for articles?  I obviously want to write about what my readers want to read about.  (DUH!  I think that bed is calling my name!)  I already have a few ideas, Such as:  Petroleum in beauty care products, alternative hair removal methods, What's in my makeup bag, and Summer Garden Beauty Remedies.  What do you think?  Any Opinions?  I would love to hear them!!

 Much love!!!  xoxoxo

Wrapping things up and Get ready for the future!

Wow! This Friday Friend's thing was awesome! I made so many new friends and I just can't wait to learn new things from them! I also want to thank all the people who checked out my blog and all my new followers! This is so awesome and I almost can't wait until next friday!! But until then...

HOKAY!

I think I just want to use this post to kind of sum things up and clean my slate.  I have a couple remedies that I've tried that I haven't reviewed for you yet, and I would really like to do so.  Plus, I have a lot of things that I would like to preview for you for future posts!  Its just so exciting!

I got bored at work.  My computer was acting all funky, so I did a system restore.  What better way to spend your time while you computer fixes itself, than to take pictures of yourself!  Actually, I wanted to show you guys my hair.  I hadn't done this with my hair yet, although I've been wanting to for awhile.  My bangs are just now long enough (before, I'd have little pieces sticking out).  Does it look okay though?  I'm still not positive that I like it... and I didn't feel like doing anything with the rest of my hair.  Haha.

Moving on...
Let's go to the Reviews

Olive Oil Make-Up Remover
Awhile ago, I wrote this awesome post on the wonders of Olive Oil (I've gotten a little lazy ever since).  One of the things that I said you can do with Olive Oil is remove your makeup. (I was going to put the link, but blogger and I aren't getting along right now and it wanted to make everything I typed afterwards, a link.. so to check it out, just go to the right of this article and under "homemade product remedies" is a link that says Olive Oil).  

So today, I woke up (I work 3rd shift so it was about 4pm when I woke up), and my super adorable boyfriend was stopping by after work, which would have been soon!  Overall, I wasn't too scary, except for the eyeliner and mascara that smeared (I was a bad girl and slept with my makeup, tsk tsk!).  I'm out of my wonderful Josie Maran Cleansing Wipes, so I decided to give this Olive Oil thing a try.

I put a little on my cotton pad, not much.  And proceeded to wipe around my eye area.  I had to be careful though, the Olive Oil did a good job of smearing my eye makeup and not just removing.  But overall, this did get the job done and I was happy with my results.  Plus, the Olive Oil is super moisturizing, so it has to be good for the skin around your eyes, right?  What kind of eye makeup remover has that kind of moisturizing properties?

Cucumber-Mint Mask
Just like before, to get this and more cucumber recipes, go to the right and click on the link under "homemade product recipes" that says "cucumbers". 

So first off, let me just say that I didn't do this recipe just as the instructions say.  I wanted to use my cucumber and just didn't have all the ingredients.  (The beauty of homemade recipes!!)  I did have the mint leaves or the lime essential oil.  But let me just say, I wasn't too entirely thrilled with this product, and I don't think it all had to do with the fact that I didn't have those products.  I think my first mistake was that my blender was in storage, so I used the food processor instead.  This wouldn't have been an issue but the cucumber was in chunks instead of being pureed entirely.  The second was that I just didn't like the watery consistency of this mask, although it would have helped if I had a facial mask brush and not just my fingers.  

This mask had the cooling results that's nice for summer, because of the cucumber.  But the skin tightening wasn't the greatest, and that's what I was really looking forward to.  I think I'll just stick with the egg white and lemon juice mask.   

I thought I had the Egg White & Lemon Juice mask on my blog, but apparently not, because I couldn't find it.  So, I didn't plan on posting any remedies, but the opportunity presented itself.  

Egg White & Lemon Juice Face Mask
This mask is pretty easy to make... all you need is 

• 1 Egg White, beaten
• Juice from half a lemon (about 1-1.5 tablespoons) 

Mix these two ingredients together and apply to face.  Leave on for about 20 minutes and then rinse.  Use this after cleansing & toning, and you'll get one application from this mask.  You don't want to save extras because of the raw egg.  This mask will help with any clogged pores and really just tighten up your skin and your pores.  You'll feel the egg whites dry on your skin and everything will just feel tight.

What's coming in the future...

New Weekly Special!!!!
Lately, I've been doing a lot of product reviews and not so many home remedies and I really want to get back to the diy stuff.  So, in helping myself to do this, I want to do a 10-week special on Women's Top 10 Beauty Complaints.

We all have them... What do I do about my acne?  Or my oily hair?  Or my dry, cracked feet?  Or my brittle nails?  That's the point of beauty regimes right?  To enhance what's already good and fix what's bad (so you can enhance it!)

The point of this special is for me to find out what YOU want to fix and then I want to provide natural and holistic ways to do so... no beauty products.  I want you to be able to do this straight out of your garden or kitchen.

I'm going to do a little research on what these are before I start posting, but I would love to hear what you would like to manage about yourself (Do you have dry hair?).  So please, in my comment box, leave your suggestions.

A Little More of What's to Come
I also have a few ideas on other posts that I want to write in the near future.  What are your opinions?

• Mineral Oil & Petroleum in Skincare Products  
• What's in My Make-up Bag
• Good or bad?  Commercial Natural Beauty Brands (The Body Shop, Aveda, Arbonne, etc.)
• Summer Beauty from the Garden
• "Green" Hair Removal

To Finish this very long post, I found an article that I thought was kind of funny & informative at the same time... Check it out!!
Top 10 Beauty Mistakes Made by Women 

Okay, so leave me your comments.. I want to know:

1. Does my hair look okay?  Do I look like a Lauren Conrad Wannabe? (I'm only kidding... you don't need to tell me what my hair looks like. :P )
2. What is your top beauty complaint about yourself?  If you could change one thing, what would it be?  (Ex.  Mine would be that I would clear up my acne)
3. Are the possible future articles something you would be interested in reading?  What are your ideas for articles I should write?  What do you want to know?

 xoxoxo!

Who Knew that Fridays Were For Making Friends?! ;)

UPDATE:  So, I have a question... does anyone know, if in the Blogger Dashboard, I can categorize the blogs that I'm following.  I'm really starting to find a lot of really neat blogs and would like to separate them, so its easier to find things.  Just curious!!

So, I'm still trying to figure out all this blog hop business... But I think I'm getting it!

Just a little introduction to my little blog... Its focuses mostly on Natural Beauty.  Home Remedies, Awesome Products, and what you should really avoid!  Although, That's not all of it.  It's still fairly new, so I'm trying to figure out my little place in the blog world!

Before I realized, that Fridays were for all this friend-making... I wrote this long lengthy, somewhat annoying entry.  Feel free to ignore it, and check out some of the cool remedies that I have listed on the side.



Anyways, I'm at work right now, and so that means, I should probably go do some work. Fold some laundry or something. (Who works at 4am, really? I should find a hotel that closes at night!) I hope you all have a good day and that you enjoy my little blog!! I look forward to making some new bloggy friends!

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Okay, so I decided to just update this post as opposed to writing an entirely new post.  I was blog hop-hoppin' around and I stumbled upon SAPsMaMa's blog, about natural & green parenting.  She had a post on a carbon neutral blog.  What?  Carbon Neutral Blog?  You're probably asking what this is all about... & I shall explain it to you.

There is this website that is based out of Germany.  What they are doing is, that for every blog with their logo, they are planting a tree in the Plumas National Forest in California.  The Plumas were devestated in 2007 by wildfires.  So not only is it JUST a tree (if there is such a thing), it's restoring a beautiful forest and ecosystem.

I recommend you all to do the same and we can make our world cleaner, one blog at a time!