All Natural Toners

So, many people have never in there entire life used a toner, but this past year I have used a green tea toner every morning and night, and WOW what a difference! Toners put your skins PH balance back to normal and close up the pores to your skin. You wash your face to clean out the pores, but if you don’t properly close them back up then what exactly is the point in cleaning them out in the first place? Toners also help replenish the vitamins you lost while cleaning your face. The type of toner you choose should go with your skin type. I make mine at home, and keep them in the fridge. But don’t leave out your toners for too long, or they will grow bacteria and you will be putting bacteria on your face that doesn’t belong there!

There are different types of toners, and it’s best to choose one that will go with your skin type.

Green Tea 

This is a gentle toner, with caffeine to stimulate the skin and tighten it up. Great for an ‘everything toner’. And super easy to make too! Just get two tea bags, boil some water, and pour into a bowl or glass or whatever you are using. I let my green tea toner steep for about 2 hours (the longer you let it steep the stronger and better for your skin it’ll be!). Then you just pour into your jar or bottle and keep in the fridge. Apply every time you wash your face or take a shower, just apply it and let it dry on your face and then apply face lotion afterwards. (If you don’t apply face lotion afterwards it can dry out your skin and cause it to overproduce oils and make you break out).

Chamomile Tea 

A very gentle toner, especially beneficial for those who have normal to sensitive skin. Chamomile fights inflammation and promotes overall healthy skin. Using this toner could help wake the muscles in your face up. Simply do the same as you would if you were making green tea toner.

Apple Cider Vinegar

An especially great toner for acne prone skin, it has antibacterial and antiseptic properties and aids in balancing your skins PH level. Simply get a bottle or some sort of container for your toner, fill it halfway with apple cider vinegar and the rest with water. And there you go! Do not rinse off after application, use as you would with the above two toners. Store in the fridge.

Witch Hazel

WARNING. If you are going to use witch hazel as a toner, make sure that it does not contain alcohol. Alcohol dries out your skin and ages it faster, make sure it is pure witch hazel. This toner is a strong astringent, this aids in reducing swelling, cleansing the skin and minimizing pores. It also has disinfectant properties, and when used on the skin can reduce bacteria. Simply purchase pure witch hazel and store in your cabinet and use as you would any other toner, you may diffuse with water if you have more sensitive skin.

Rosewater 

This toner is naturally clarifying and cleansing, and is amazing at balancing out discoloration and redness in the skin. To make,collect about 2 cups of rose petals and place in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover with distilled water (around 2 1/2 cups) and simmer until the liquid has reduced in volume by about half. DON’T BOIL. As the water heats up you will begin to see drops of rose oil forming on the surface of the water. Soon the water will begin to have a rosy color to it and feel thick and oily, this means it is ready. Cool, pour into sterilized jars and store in the refrigerator.

There are many other great toners, but I’ve found these are the best!

The amazing benefits of Dairy for your skin

Yogurt - Pure yogurt face masks, are simply wonderful for your skin. Yogurt has natural anti fungal and antibacterial properties, thus it is said to be good for acne and blemishes, it clarifies the pores and softens the skin. Contains lactic acid, which can help exfoliate and smooth out the skin. It also tightens pores, and overall gives the skin a dewy look.

Milk – Milk is widely known for a glowing complexion, it also tightens pores and skin. It is also anti-aging, and helps prevents wrinkles. Milk contains vitamins and minerals that keep the skin healthy and fight against infections, also known as ACNE! It also contains lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxyl acid; which helps to remove the dead skin cells that block the pores and hamper the skin’s natural renewal process. In general, milk is known for the dewy, fresh, clean, affect it has on your skin when applied.

Sour Cream – Is definitely an anti-aging dairy product. Sour cream, like all fermented milk products, contains lactic acid, which is a key skin-enhancing ingredient, says the Anti Aging Skin Care Guide website. This is because it helps the skin retain moisture, it is a natural exfoliator and it boosts the production of collagen, which forms the connective tissue that supports the skin. WARNING. When using this face mask, it could increase the skins sensitivity to the sun. Sour cream masks are also good for dry skin, as they help the skin lock in moisture. All in all, a very beneficial dairy face mask.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/252955-the-benefits-of-a-sour-cream-facial/#ixzz2787oIuXw

All three of these I have tried on myself and others And I’ve come to learn much about the lovely benefits of dairy on your skin!

The amazing benefits of beta carotene for your skin!

I have recently discovered the amazing world of beta carotene! And lemme tell ya, I love it. I have started using this lotion I found at my local “Marlenes” a natural health store. Its called “Yes to carrots” And its amazing…..and so nourishing. Beta carotene is naturally anti-aging and helps with acne. It is enriched with carrots, and sweet potatoes. And I use it every day, it gives you a healthy natural glow. But not too noticeable. I highly recommend this kind of lotion….just make sure to check the ingredients and make sure it isn’t too high in chemicals, which will age you faster! D:

Super easy DIY pore strips!

So recently I’ve discovered a way to get pore strips without spending money on expensive ones from the store… Its super easy and simple. Something to keep in mind while doing this is that you need to act fast. You need unflavored gelatin, and any kind of milk.

First, mix up 1 tablespoon of the unflavored gelatin and 1-2 tablespoons of the milk, do this quickly and until you get a chunky consistency. Microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds. Stir and start applying IMMEDIATELY to wherever you want/need. It hardens fast. Leave it on to dry completely, so about 15-20 minutes. Peel off and enjoy the nasty goodness that shows up!!

 

 

Certain ingredients in lotions actually age you FASTER?

Yep. Its true. Very true. So you thought applying lotion everyday would slow the aging process? Well it does. If you don’t apply chemically infused, fragrance infused lotions. Those age you faster. The best lotions out there, are the ones you make yourself. Your skin is like a sponge it soaks in everything it comes into contact with. So when you put those terrible for you lotions on everyday, your skin loses its elasticity, becomes dried out, and quite honestly gets wrinkly faster. I know many people who make there own lotion and have for a very long time…And I admit they have some glorious looking skin. There is also an amazing brand called Lush; 100% organic, handmade without chemicals or preservatives. Completely worth every dime. Who knew you could smell so great while wearing products so good for you and the environment…

I am guilty of buying chemical filled lotion, especially the really good smelling kind. But recently I discovered how terrible  lotions like that are for your health and your skin. So I’m sharing my knowledge with all of you. But if you’re like me, and love smelling and feeling luxurious after applying lotion fresh out of the shower, then have no fear! If you are familiar with essential oils, (Edens Garden is an amazing brand) you can use those to scent your skin. They also have benefits AS WELL as smelling good. Like my personal favorite Geranium, is proven to be amazing when used daily in lotions. It helps keep the skin tight, supple, and wrinkle free. I may not be at an age to worry about wrinkles…I mean really I’m not. But I do plan oh taking good care of my skin seeing as you only get one body!

I’ll be making my own lotions soon And I’ll make sure to let you know how it goes and to post the ingredients and process in a new post!

If you believe your beautiful, people will too

You can cake makeup on your face, and you can dress like a slut. But you will never be seen as truly beautiful unless you believe it yourself. My amazing boyfriend has been opening my eyes ever since we first started dating. You aren’t vain if you love yourself, and your aren’t conceited if you like what you see in the mirror, you’re confident. And confident really is sexy everyone.

The way you walk, talk, and carry yourself impacts the way people see you. If you hold your head up high, and strut then people notice. Let your face show in a subtle way that you “Really just don’t give a shit what people think”. And people will still judge you, they always will. But only those who lack confidence themselves will try to put you down. You get pushed around more when your body language portrays a weak low self esteem person. People know there words affect you, and they take advantage of it.

You gotta look those slutty, makeup caked girls in the eyes, lift your chin, and refuse to care. They may look you up and down and give you dirty looks, but who cares? You shouldn’t let people who are so desperate and sad that they cover there faces in makeup and show more skin than they should because they don’t love who they are, because the only reason they judge you is because they don’t wanna be judged themselves. So don’t play the game. Just don’t even care. You wanna be and feel beautiful? Then love and accept yourself, AND STOP CARING IF OTHERS DON’T TOO.

DIY Amazing anti-aging, acne fighting, facial.

So I’ve been doing this facial every week for awhile now…and I realized how greedy I’ve been not sharing it with the world! This is it step what to do. I recommend doing this facial  once a week.

1.) Wash your face with warm water and soap! This opens your pores and helps any thing you apply do its job better.

2.) Steam your face with Green Tea. Green tea is amazing for your skin, and the steam helps penetrate your pores and open them up and let dirt and excess oils get out, helps unclog pores.

3.) Scrub the heck out of your face with Oatmeal. Yep, just get some oatmeal (preferably not kind in little packets with all that added sugar and crap) and wet it a little bit and scrub the HECK out of your face with it. Then rinse all that off.

4.) Apply a simple carrot mask Get a carrot, cut it up and put it in the blender till you have a chunky paste. Apply that liberally to your entire face, even underneath your eyes if you have problems with dark under circles. Carrots are absolutely amazing for your skin. Vitamins and carotene galore! Leave that one for 20 to 30 minutes.

4.) Wash carrot mask off with soap This mask needs to be washed off with soap because it will give you faint orange spots otherwise.

5.) Rinse face with cold water and apply Green Tea toner I recommend using a green tea toner daily whenever u wash your face. It is a natural mild astringent packed full with vitamins and antioxidants, it evens out the skin tone and helps prevent breakouts. And again if you have problems with under eye circles and/or puffiness you can apply it there too. Because it is a mild astringent and also has caffeine in it. Its very simple, just brew a good sized coffee cup of green tea, and put two green tea packs in there (or however u brew your tea). And let it steep for 30 minutes to an hour and then squeeze out the juice left in the tea bags, put it in a bottle or something or other to keep in the fridge.

6.) Apply lotion!!! Depending on your skin type, when you wash your face at all it is forced to produce more oils to make up for the lacking (often giving you acne) so if you use lotion it helps balance that out.