TIP TUESDAY #4

WANT TO MAKE YOUR EYESHADOW MORE VIBRANT AND LAST LONGER???  YOU CAN ALWAYS GET YOUR APPLICATOR WET BEFORE PUTTING IT ON!  


I ALSO DO THIS WITH MY PRESSED FOUNDATION POWDER I HAVE.  IF MY FOUNDATION HAS STARTED COMING OFF BUT ITS NOT BAD ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY REAPPLY, I'LL WET THE POWDER SPONGE TO PUT THE POWDER ON JUST A LITTLE THICKER THAN DRY POWDER ALONE.

Much Love!!  Xoxo

My Weekly Ramblings...

I decided I want to go ahead an do a "rambling" post today... I think I'm going to start doing this once a week, that may be a good idea.  I want Sundays to be my new day of relaxation and reflection, so I think Sunday evening is a good time to just kind of talk... and empty my mind before the new week starts.  We'll see how this goes...

Class Started This Week
This week, like many, was my first week of classes.  The way my college does it, is that classes start Wednesday, and then everyone gets one day of class that first week.  So I started, and so far so well... However, I completely rearranged my schedule, so it will be entirely different next week.  I noticed that two of the classes I registered for were 8-week online classes, which almost spells disaster for me... especially when one is Human Resources Management.  Tomorrow morning starts my 8am Business Law class... oh good god!  Lol.  I must've lost my mind when I registered for that one.... Needless to say, I'm not ready for the week to start and having to wake up super early on a Monday morning, and then going back to work.  I'm enjoying this weekend off thing.

Pear Picking!
My boyfriend's grandparents have two pear trees, and they had so many frozen and canned last year, that they didn't want any this year.  Needless to say, I got to go pick some, and I picked quite a few.  I didn't do much of the picking because we only had one ladder, so my boyfriend climbed up and got most of them... but I did have fun!  By the time we were done, I had to paper grocery bags full.  I had no idea what I was going to do with this many pears!  I know I wanted to make something super delicious.. and maybe find some skincare uses for some.. I planned on giving some away.  But lets just say, my mother had an entirely different plan.  Ugh...

She's freezing all of them.  Thanks, mom... (with lots of sarcasm).  These were my pears and you have decided what shall be done with them.  And not only that, she's freezing them in a sugar pack.  I feel like this is completely ruining the joy of fresh fruit!  By the time I get to use these pears, they're going to be full of sugar!!  I do have a right to be upset, right?  I mean, I told her she could freeze some (not all...) and I assumed it would've been a dry pack, not a sugar pack!!  Maybe I'm wrong about the sugar pack, but I don't feel like I am...

Call Me A Dork...
...But I actually google'd "how to take a bath".  If you remember back a few posts, I definitely posted that I don't know how to relax.  One of the classic ways you hear of relaxing is by taking a bath, right?  So I googled it!!  

On my mission to find the process for the perfect bath, I stumbled upon an etsy shop (not quite sure how that happened...) but I think I'm in love.  My only wish as of right now, would be that they had a bigger inventory.  

La Bella Beauty Bar 

I almost put in a purchase, but I decided to wait and see if I had the money.  But they are full of moisturizing bath bombs, so that was definitely going to be one of my purchases.  They also have a solid lotion bar, that reminds me of the massage bars from Lush.  And the prices are so much cheaper than at Lush, at about $2-$3 a product.  

So then, I decided to start looking at more of those types of products on etsy, and it has me worried.  Since I am thinking of starting my own business and selling on etsy, however am I going to stand out?  Does anyone have any ideas for this?  I don't want to be another product in a mass of products.  I understood this when I first began thinking of making my own products, but then when I actually looked at what all they have... and saw how impressive everything is... Ugh!! 

    

It's Friday!!!

I Need To Know What You Think

I need everyone's opinion...

I've been thinking of starting my own company.  Making Soap & Bath Fizzies & Lotion, etc.  

Pretty much, your basic cosmetic store.  Someday, I hope to have an entire line of different things, and maybe even make-up!!

What are your ideas on this?  

Would you be interested in purchasing, if I did start up?  

Does anyone have any ideas on marketing (Like places to sell, etc. to begin)?  

So far, I've been thinking Etsy.com, Ebay.com, Farmer's Markets, and stuff like that.  Maybe visit some of the local shops in the area and see if they would be interested in selling...

What about ideas for the name?   

I was trying to find a way to connect it to my blog, so like Discover Goose or something (You wouldn't forget it!)  

Does anyone know about soap making or, better yet, preservatives?  

I've founds some websites, but its really hard to find information on preservatives!  What kind to use, what the healthiest are, when to use them...  What do I do?!  I also wanted to make sure I could use super fresh ingredients too... Maybe that hair mask could be a signature piece?

Or what about the business aspects?  

I may be a business major in school, but I'm definitely worried about getting sued or breaking laws, or something!

I need your help!!

CSI Natural Beauty Episode 3: Wrinkles **Sorry its a tad bit late!**

Don't you hate how sometimes, life just catches up with you?  That's what happened this week.  Which means that I had completely forgotten about this post!  I'm sorry... I suck, I know.  Okay, well here it goes...

Wrinkles: A Little Background...
Wrinkles are a result of the aging process.  Everyone is going to get some degree of wrinkles, regardless of their lifestyle or genetics.  Wrinkles are caused from the wear and tear on your skin.  As you age, your skin becomes less elastic, thin, and dry.  Some things that can influence wrinkles are habitual facial expressions, sun exposure, smoking, and dehydration.   Sun exposure seems to be the number one contributor though, because sun damage actually speeds the aging process. 

What Works for Treating Wrinkles
Vitamin C is probably your best when searching for an at-home remedy for wrinkles.  Vitamin C is used when producing collagen.  Vitamin C is also an antioxidant.  The reason sun damage is so bad for your skin is that it the free radicals from the sun are causing damage, and the anti oxidants can stabilize them.  So, when treating wrinkles, you'll definitely want to utilize Vitamin C plus ingredients that are extremely moisturizing.

Remedies & Recipes

• 3 vitamin E capsules (poke with a needles and empty the capsule.  Or use approximately the same amount if you have a bottle of vitamin E),  2 teaspoons yogurt (plain), 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice.  Mix in a bowl and apply to skin.  Rinse after 10 minutes.
•  Rub coconut oil onto skin before sleeping.
• Either use the center of a pineapple to rub against your skin, or apply pineapple juice.   
• Make an egg white mask to tighten this skin.  I add a little lemon juice to mine.   Just mix together, rub on your face, and rinse off after about 20 minutes.
•  Rub pure castor oil on your skin.

 
Sources
Ayushveda: Wrinkles 
Mayo Clinic: Wrinkles 
Natural Cures for Wrinkles 
Vitamin C for Wrinkles & Skin Aging 
Wikipedia: Wrinkle (skin) 

Tip Tuesday #3

Use contracting colors when using concealers.  This means, yellow works really well for under-eye circles and dark spots.  Use green for zits/pimples/redness.  And then just apply your make-up like you normally would.  It's pretty easy to find different colored concealers now, one of the best companies, is probably Physician's Formula.

Much Love!!  Xoxoxo

I am Soooo Very Sorry...

... I don't know where I have been for the past week.  Seriously, why have I not posted anything that I have needed to post?!

I need to type up CSI: Wrinkles real quick (hopefully that'll be up tonight).
And then Tip Tuesday should be up here, right after this...
And I missed friday's blog hops. :(
And in general, a lot of the other articles I've promised you!  I still have 2 posts on Aloe Vera that I need to get for you!!

Please forgive me... <3

Much Love!  Xoxoxo times 10,000

TIP TUESDAY!!!! #2

Want to whiten your teeth without using expensive commercial products?  Baking Soda & Hydrogen Peroxide will do the job!  Just mix together so you have a paste and dip your toothbrush in it and use after brushing your teeth!

A New PreConditioner!

It's been awhile since I have provided you with an actual beauty remedy, and I performed one this morning... so I would like to share it!

I am finding that I really enjoy Hair Pre-Conditioning.  You still get that deep conditioning without weighing it down, like can happen with a commercial deep conditioner.

In the past, I have performed 2 different, really simple remedies for you...  The first was when I slathered Mayo all over my hair.  & I didn't like that because, while it gave my hair TONS of shine, it also made it look dirty.  So, next I tried pure Olive Oil.  I liked that one a lot better, but it did weigh my hair down a bit.  I have found a really nice middle.  :D

Perfect Pre-Conditioner
I didn't measure any of my ingredients out, so here are some approximations.. feel free to adjust as you need.

• 1 1/2 egg yolks (Egg yolks are great for dry hair/skin.  If you're not on the dry side, use 1 egg or if you're really oily, use an egg white.  Mine egg yolks were what I didn't use from my morning breakfast!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil  (Olive Oil is verrryyy conditioning.  Use more or less depending on how dry your hair is)
• 1 teaspoon honey (Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts moisture to your hair.)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (I used Lemon Juice for two reasons.  The first was because I'm trying to lighten my hair some, and lemon juice works for blondes.  It also adds shine to your hair.  If you're not blonde, I would suggest using Apple Cider Vinegar for darker hair.)

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Mix all ingredients in a small container and then apply to your hair, concentrating on the ends.  Because the mixture is a little on the runny side from the oil, I used a hair color brush. Once I was done, I ended up just tying my hair back, but I think using a warm towel (maybe one that's a little damp) is a good suggestion.  This will open the cuticle and further deepen the conditioning.  The reason why I said to use a damp towel is because this will dry in your hair (and it kind of makes it hard to get out) ... so I just feel if it was kept a little wet, it'll keep the mixture damp.  You'll then want to leave it on for about 30-40 minutes and then you can rinse.  Anyways, after rinsing your hair, you just wash and condition as normal.

I noticed right away that my hair felt more moisturized than it did before going in the shower, even while it was wet.  Once I dried my hair, it felt super soft without feeling heavy.  And the shine is incredible!

I really think that no matter your hair type, you could enjoy a remedy like this... just adjust the ingredients as needed!

Much Love!!  Xoxoxo

Fantabulous Fridays!!

Hey everyone!  Its the best blog hopping day of the week!!  & I bet most of you will be coming from iFiH, because I was featured!  Yayy!  


For those of you who don't know about me or my blog...
I am 22 years old, and I work in a hotel... Holiday Inn Express, to be exact.  (And work is where I conveniently have the most downtime, therefore do the most blogging!  So you'll here me talk about it quite a bit).  I'm also a college student, where I'm getting my Associates for Business Management and hope to get my Bachelor's in Hospitality Management.  I have a wonderful boyfriend, his name is Alex.  I talk about him a lot also.

So I have this love for all things "green" and natural.  And I love love love beauty products, so I am entirely dedicated to green beauty here.  I do home recipes & remedies, as well as product reviews.  Sometimes I add some extra stuff in there, like how to grow Aloe Vera.  Even if you aren't into natural beauty, I still think there is a little something for everyone here.

I hope you enjoy!!

& Now for the Blog Hops!

Don't Forget To Check Me Out!!

Hey Everyone!  Just wanted to remind you that tomorrow, I will be the #2 featured blog on It's Friday I'm Hopping Bloghop! Don't forget to head over there and check out some of the great blogs listed and give thanks to Christy at Home❤Mom.  I Love you all!!!

I Haven't "Rambled" In Awhile...

...So I thought "why not?"  I'm sure I could figure out something to say!

Poison Ivy for the 1st time ever!
I used to play in this stuff as a kid and never had a problem with it.  But for whatever reason, I has a small patch of it on my knee.  Its not unbearable... kind of itchy though.  But I could understand how it would suck if you were covered in it!  It's slowly spreading though, so who knows how much worse it will get.  I'm sitting at work and decided to look up home remedies for poison ivy, and it just so happens, Aloe Vera helps with that also!  I definitely cut of a leave and rubbed the leaf on my knee, and it did help to soothe the itching.  Hopefully it won't last very long!

If anyone knows some good poison ivy remedies though, I would love to hear them!  Even though its not bad, I would still like to get rid of it as soon as possible.  Maybe I'll do an entire post for poison ivy, and in particular, your remedies... because I know there are a lot of different home remedies out there!

Relaxation...
I want to learn how to relax.  That's kind of a weird thing to say, isn't it?  But I have come to the realization that I don't know how to just relax.  I always have to have some sort of stimulation.  Even when I do try to take a bath, I need to have my itunes on and my phone right next to me.  I can never just escape.  

The other day, one of my boyfriend's friends were massaging my shoulders for me, and I realized just how tense my shoulder's were.  It was horrible, but the sad thing is that they're always like that.  I was in pain because it felt like he was digging his thumbs into me, but he really wasn't pushing down that hard.  & He even asked me why I'm so tense?  I have no idea why.  Is it because I don't know how to relax?  

Please, someone, anyone... what are your suggestions on how to relax?  I know the whole get away, take a relaxing bath, or whatever.  But I'm more looking for, How do I empty my mind to truly relax?  Meditation maybe?  But I don't know if I could just do that!  Helppp!
 
I've about had it with car batteries!
Okay, so what was it, a couple weeks ago?  When I had that allergic reaction on my eye?  Well, yesterday, the battery in my car decided it was going to stop keeping a charge.  And its not just that, but it could have at least picked a better time.  First, it decides to die right as I was needed to leave for an appointment (that was 20 minutes away, by the way)... and then I texted my boyfriend once I got it started, and told him that he shouldn't be surprised if I call him from my appointment because it won't start again.  Sure enough, I get done with the appointment and it doesn't start.  So, I need to buy a new car battery.

Well then today, my mom's car battery decided to go out also.  What is up with that?  Not only that, but it was pouring down rain and it was just one thing after another.  Needless to say, it took us 2 hours to change the battery in her vehicle. 

Please, Keep Me Company
I need you all to keep me company and keep me busy.  The boyfriend is on a family vacation up in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan and he doesn't even get cell phone service.  What am I going to do without him until Sunday evening?  I know its not that long, but its hard to not even be able to talk to him.  :(

 & Now on a Happier Note, I've been FEATURED!

I'll make another reminder later on, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I'll be getting the #2 spot in the It's Friday I'm Hopping Blog Hop!  Even more, she thinks it'll be her last time featuring.  But as of right now, she has written an entire post about my blog and then, like I said, I get the #2 spot in the hop.  Super Exciting.  Go check her out and thank her for featuring me!

What's To Come:
You know how much I like to keep everyone updated on what's coming up.  If you haven't noticed, I posted this weeks CSI Beauty, which was dedicated to Dry Skin.  And then I also posted my review of some new LUSH products I purchased.  Its been kind of slow for me to get everything up, because I've felt so busy lately.  And I'm scared that once classes start, it'll get even slower, but I don't want you to forget about me!  Anyways, here's what you can look forward to...  

1. Aloe Vera: Beauty Uses
2. Aloe Vera: Medicinal/Internal Uses
3. CSI: Beauty- Dry Skin
4. Origins Eyeliner Review
5. Yoga for Weightloss DVD Review
6. Neutrogena Makeup & Venus Bliss Review
7. Arbonne
8. Women's Natural Health
9. Poison Ivy (Maybeee....)

Any opinions?  What are your thoughts?  What do you want to see?  Tell me!  :D  I love to hear what you have to say!

Much Love!!  Xoxoxo  

Lush Review: Trichomania, Herbalism, Tea Tree Water, and Vanishing Cream

So, about a week and a half ago, I made my first ever visit to Lush.  I really hadn't even heard of Lush until recently, which seems odd to someone who's all "natural" and such, and Lush is probably one of the most popular of those companies.

This is everything I bought... and I only spent about $23, I believe.  They're store is really handy because a good handful of their products are sold by weight (unless you buy online).  So I just told her that I would like to spend about this amount of this product, and she went ahead and cut it for me.

Trichomania
I didn't intend on going in there to buy shampoo, but while she was measuring out one of my other products, I was looking around and found it... and I needed some anyways.  The woman working suggested two to me, one was Godiva (which is a 2-in-1, but she said people usually just use it as shampoo) and the other was Trichomania.  

Most of their shampoo come in little round "puck" shapes, but Trichomania and a few others come in a large block and then the associate cuts off your desired amount.   

Trichomania is one of their moisturizing shampoos, and this particular one uses coconut creme.  Unfortunately, the very first ingredient listed, is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.  While, they have been starting to switch over to a more gentle lathering substance, a lot of their block shampoos still contain SLS.  I already know that before punching all the ingredients into Cosmetic Database, it's not going to receive a very good rating because it also has "perfume" listed as an ingredient.  But I do like the fact that I didn't have to enter very many ingredients, 9 to be exact.  Anyways, Trichomania received a rating of 4 (which had quiet a bit to do with that fragrance).

Okay, so if you've never used used a solid shampoo before, its definitely different.  I will admit, I don't think I liked it the first time (but a lot of it had to do with the squeaky clean feeling the SLS gave it).  But what you do is take a piece of the bar and rub it between your hands, and then you can rub it through your hair.  If you want the lather and you feel like you're not getting enough, you can do this again.  And then you just rinse it out.  Be careful with actually pressing to the bar though, because it will squish.

After using it a couple times, I've really started to like it more than that first time.  I don't really think this particular shampoo is something I will want to use for the rest of my life, but it does have some moisturizing properties to it.  I just really think I could enjoy it more without the SLS because that strips the oils from your hair and can dry it out.  I do want to try another solid shampoo that they make, called The Blonde, because its specially formulated to lighten blonde hair.

Herbalism, Tea Tree Water, & Vanishing Cream
Herbalism
My main reason for stopping into Lush was to look for a facial cleanser.  As you know, I have pretty bad acne and I tried the Honey thing, but it wasn't doing any harm but it wasn't doing any good either, and then I tried this Aveeno Foaming Wash, and it was the same thing.  So while I won't stop using something that is just keeping my skin, I'm always on the lookout for something that will help my skin.  

The girl working immediately wanted to show my Herbalism.   When you go into the store, there are bowls filled with water to try all the products.  So she wanted to walk me through a new skincare routine...   To use this product, you wet your hands and put a small amount of water in your palm.  You then break off a small piece (about 3/4 of a dime size) and rub it into your palm to create a paste.  And then you can apply the cleanser to your face.  

First thing first, its green.  This is kind of intimidating.  Oh, and its obviously a solid.  (Another one of the those products that is priced by weight).  Once you start making your paste, you'll notice all these little chunks.  The purpose of these chunks is for exfoliation.  They don't have the rough exfoliation that I like, but it's still there.

Ingredient wise, the only thing in this cleanser that I recognize as being harmful is that fragrance.  The word fragrance in an ingredient list is somewhat misleading, because you don't really know what the fragrance source is.... It could be natural or synthetic, and you don't know what the synthetic fragrance is made from.  Anyways, after checking this out in cosmetic database, its rated a 3 (And this is even so high because of that dumb fragrance).

Tea Tree Water
The next product that I purchased was Tea Tree Water.  I really had no intention of purchasing a toner, but for some reason, I really enjoyed this.  If you read my CSI: Beauty article on Acne, you'll see that I talked about how Tea Tree Oil was just as effective of Benzoyl Peroxide.  Because it is is acne fighting, I prefer tea tree products that will actually sit on my skin.  


Okay, so this product comes with a spritzer.  I've never used a toner like this before.  You can either spray the toner on a cotton pad (like I do) and spray it directly on your face.  The associate recommeded putting this in the fridge because its great for spraying on yourself in summer.  Also, this product is obviously prepackaged.  This means, you can buy 1 of 2 sizes:  3.3 fl. oz for $8.95 or 8.4 fl. oz. for $18.95.  I'm pretty comfortable with the smaller sized bottle and feel like it will last me awhile.


My biggest complaint with the ingredients in this product is that it contains parabens.  :(  But it also has a pretty small ingredient list.  For some reason, I thought it would have more.  Oh... and it also has fragrance.  It received a rating of 4... which is still pretty good.


Vanishing Cream
The last product that I'm reviewing is Vanishing Cream.  It's the lightest moisturizer they carry, which is great for oily skin.  (Remember, even us Oily Skin people, need a good moisturizer!)  The moisturizers are prepackaged as well, and she only gave me a small sample because that's the one thing I wasn't even thinking of purchasing that day.  You can only buy this in one size of 1.7 fl. oz. for $37.95.  The sample she gave me was about the size of small lip gloss pot and I'm still using it after a week and a half.  
 
This moisturizer has a light but heavy feeling to it... its hard to explain.  Like, your skin absorbs it really fast, but it feels super moisturzied after.  That's the best way for me to explain it.  I don't dislike how it feels though.  I would definitely be interested in going back and purchasing this at some point.  

This has the most ingredients of all these products.  It's feature ingredient is Jojoba Oil.  Unfortunately it has 2 different parabens plus that perfume.   Although, its rating still isn't two terribly high but it is the highest of all these products.  It received a 5.  

Summary of all 3
Overall, I've really enjoyed these products.  My acne was in pretty bad condition when I started using these prodcuts and its actually clearing up.  I'm noticing a few more breakouts, but I feel like they're more the toxins coming to the surface of my skin, as opposed to newly clogged pores.  I will say though, since starting with these, I have gotten two cystic acne spots, but none since.  Because I started all three products at the same time, I can't really pinpoint which product is making the hugest difference, but I feel as though its the Tea Tree Water.  There are a couple of other cleansers that are meant for oily skin, Coalface and Dark Angels, that I would like to try.

I think if you haven't tried Lush yet, its definitely worth a shot.  While they do use a few shady ingredients, most of their ingredients are truly natural.  Some of them even have chunks of ingredients in them.  Like The Blonde shampoo I mentioned, has Chammomile Flowers and chunks of lemon.  Delicious! 

TIP TUESDAY!! #1

I wanted to try something new.  Every Tuesday, I would like to post a tip for you guys.  I've noticed that while I'm getting ready and what not, a lot of things come to mind that I would like to tell you, but they don't really fit in any "category".  This is going to be something short and most likely, pretty random, and just to the point.  I hope you enjoy & I want your opinions!

Tip #1

Apply your eye cream with your ring finger.  This finger has the lightest touch and will result in less pulling (which could result in more wrinkles, with time)!

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CSI Beauty: Episode 3- Dry Skin

The topic of this week's discussion is Dry Skin.

Causes of Dry Skin
Dry skin is horrible.  It's itchy, red, flaky, and overall, just dry!  According to WebMD dry skin is usually caused by the environment and not by an internal condition, but there are usually 7 causes of dry skin.

1.  Misusing Moisturizer:  Applying moisturizer when your skin is already dry means that it will just sit on the surface of the skin as opposed to soaking it in.  Also, people with dry skin should use thick moisturizers.
2. Dry Air: This is the primary cause of winter dry skin.  In that case, it's usually the heaters we use for our homes.  But you can also find dry skin outside the home.
3. Hot Showers & Baths:  Hot water rinses away more of your skin's natural oils than cool water does.  At least when showering, this water is always moving around you, as opposed to bathing, when you're soaking in it.  
4. Soap: We have become a culture that is terrified of germs, and this has caused us to use way too much soap, which is stripping all our skin's oils.  Bubbles are your enemy.  I won't lie... I hate washing my hands and I try to avoid it as much as possible because it causes my hands to get super dry.  
5. Itchy Clothing:  Dry skin is itchy enough, let alone clothing that is further irritating our skin.
6. Medications & Drugs:  More commonly... diuretics, antihistamines, and retinoids.



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7. Medical Conditions:  Such as skin conditions, Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, and malnutrition. 

Dry Skin Symptoms

• A feeling of tightness
• Rough skin
• Itching
• Flaking, Scaling, and/or Peeling
• Redness
• Fine Lines/Cracks

Home Recipes & Remedies

• There are a few ingredients that are great for dry skin and can be applied right to your skin after showering.  These can include almond oil, olive oil, and aloe vera
• Lactic acid is also effective.   You can take a milk bath by adding powdered milk to your bath water.  You can also add a small amount of your favorite oil for further moisturization.
• You can make an exfoliating face mask that is also hydrating.  Combine equal parts green clay and honey, apply to your face/body for 15 minutes and rinse in lukewarm water.
• Egg Yolks and Oatmeal are also good for dry skin.  You can mix the two (you can use powdered oatmeal, like the Aveeno Bath packs) and apply to your skin.  After 15 minutes, rinse off in lukewarm water.
• A similar treatment to the last one involves yogurt, which is high in lactic acid.  Combine some yogurt with honey and an egg yolk for another moisturizing mask.  Rinse it off when it's dry.  Add some oatmeal for its soothing properties. 
•  Avocado Oil is high in fatty acids, which can help to repair your skin's protective layer.  And using an avocado is really as simple as rubbing the inside of an avocado skin on your face.
• Another avocado treatment also involves lemon juice and egg yolk.  Mash 1 ripe avocado, and mix with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and an egg yolk.  Apply to the skin and rinse after 20 minutes.

Prevention 
There are a few things you can do to combat the environmental causes of dry skin.  Like previously mentioned, dry skin is usually caused by dry air, so using a humidifier will really help, especially during the winter.  You can also take cooler baths, and more showers, and you can make them shorter.  Use cleansers as opposed to soap, because cleansers will clean the skin but soap will strip the skin.  You can also wash less.  The typical adult doesn't really get too dirty, so its only essential to wash your hands, feet, face, groin, and underarms.  You can also avoid things that will further irritate your dry skin, because dry skin tends to be on the more sensitive side.   And finally, use the thickest moisturizers you can find.  If you put some on your hand and then turn your hand upside down and it runs, then its too thin.  You can also eat foods that are high in fatty acids, which will restore your skins fatty acid layer.

Sources
WebMD: 11 Causes of Dry Skin Problems 
Mayo Clinic: Dry Skin
Natural Home Remedies: Dry Skin
Holistic Online: Dry Skin
Dry Skin Care

Head Organics Hair Care Products

So, I get really excited when I'm reviewing recent blog posts that have been made by people I follow, and I find something that is not only "green" but also about beauty!  As I was scanning, I came across this one..

Turning the Clock Back

Review:  Head Organics Hair Care Products

I had never heard of this brand before, but I definitely plan on looking into it!  Head on over to Turning the Clock Back to check out her review!

The Busiest Blog Hopping Day of the Week!

For those of you who don't know me,
My name is Anestazia and I'm a 22 year old girl from boring Northwest Ohio.  I currently work in at the front desk of a Holiday Inn Express, and because its in a small town, I usually have quite a bit of free time while I'm there.  This means, I usually blog from work.  :D 

Although I'm going to school for business, I also have a great interest in all things beautiful and all things natural, botanical, and organic.  I decided that for my blog, I wanted to combine the two for a natural beauty blog!  And that is exactly what you have here.  I write about home remedies, individual ingredients, product reviews, and pretty much whatever comes to mind. 

Right now, I'm doing two features. 
The first is my 10 week feature called CSI: Natural Beauty Edition.  We're only 2 weeks in, and on tuesday, we'll be talking about dry skin. 
The second is a feature on Aloe Vera.  Because there's so much about Aloe Vera, I decided to break it into 4 parts, with two being left... using aloe vera externally and then using aloe vera internally. 
I also have some really cool product reviews coming up, including some for Lush and some for Origins. 
A lot of cool things that I"m really excited about!

Blog Hoppity-Hop!