New Year, New You: Easy At Home Beauty Treatments!

Everyone is working on self improvement for the new year! My resolutions included: Toning Up, Be & Eat Healthier, Save Money, and Finish Decorating My House!

First off I wanted to cut harmful things out of my life. By harmful I mean the consumption of productions with an excess about of processing, preservatives, dyes, hormones and additives. Not only does this count food but cosmetics fall into this category too!

I feel that so many products that I use on a daily basis contain SO MANY chemicals. The fact that I use them EVERY SINGLE day really freaks me out. Therefore I have began to search for health conscious ways to purchase my cosmetics. Also a few months ago I began looking into the use of PARABENS in cosmetics.

para·ben

/ˈpar-ə-ben/

n

er either of two anti-fungal agents used as preservatives in
foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals pharmaceuticals:
a : METHYLPARABEN
b : PROPYLPARABEN

Long story short: Parabens are used as a preservative (extend shelf life & kill bacteria & the cheapest most available preservative) in cosmetics. A UK study in 2004 found that 18 out of 20 breast cancer patients had parabens present in their breast tissue. The presence of parabens does not directly link to the cause of cancer HOWEVER the fact that parabens can penetrate the skin and be found present in the bloodstream in a matter of minutes. Also they are known to disrupt hormone function by mimicking estrogen. They also increase the expression of genes usually regulated by estradiol (a form of estrogen); these genes cause human breast tumor cells to grow and multiply in cellular studies (SafeCometics.org). ALSO it has been linked to abnormal fetal development in pregnant women... AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.

Now, you can take this information how you want to. You can believe it or not, but as for me, I don't see the harm in reducing my use of cosmetics (or beauty products) high in chemicals and opting for a more natural alternative. I'm not saying to just go out and dump all of you MAC make up in the trash because they contain parabens and other chemicals, I just want you to be more aware of whats in the products your purchasing

ANYWAYS here are some quick easy recipes for at home beauty!

Avocado Cucumber Facial
Soften up your dry winter skin with this refreshing facial! You will need:

2-3 tbs Avocado
1 /4 of a large Cucumber
2-3 tbs Honey
1 Egg Yolk
Blender




Throw all the ingredients into the blender



Blend until it looks like this!



Spread evenly onto face and let it sit for 15 mins like me... hahah

Wash off with cool water.

Sweet Sugar Lip Scrub



For ultra soft lips you will need:
2 tbs white or brown sugar
1-2 tsp Honey (until it reaches a thick consistency)
3-4 drops of Olive Oil

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Apply a small amount of mixture to lips & gently rub to exfoliate. Rinse with cool water and apply your favorite lip balm.


Virgin Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner

I first fell in love with using Virgin Coconut Oil as hair treatment (PLUS MORE!) when my friend Denise (DenovaBeauty) told me about the natural benefits of coconut oil. Coconut oil can be used as a pre condition (especially for those of you who dye your hair often), detangler/softener after the shower, lip balm and moisturizing body lotion. This stuff is only $5 at Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sun Flower, or any other health food store. You can use Virgin or Extra Virgin it works the same.

Here are step by step instructions on how to deep condition your hair provided by HealthyOilPlanet:

Shampoo your hair and let dry until slightly damp.

Apply a quarter-sized amount of virgin coconut oil to your palms and rub hands together. The heat from your hands will instantly melt the coconut oil, coating your palms and fingers with the oil. If you have longer hair, you'll probably need to use more oil.

Run your fingers through your hair. Concentrate on coating your hair with the oil. Your hair will look slick and shiny from the oil. Using too much oil will take longer to rinse out.

Take the plastic shower cap and cover your hair. This keeps your hair in place. It also helps retain heat to increase absorption.

Leave on for about one hour, then remove the plastic shower cap and rinse your hair (or very lightly shampoo). Your hair will feel thick and full right after this 60 minute treatment.

So basically I mostly use coconut oil for conditioner, body lotion, and lip balm! It smells so amazing and it makes everything soft! Plus one medium sized jar will last you a very long time.

I hope you enjoyed all these beauty tips! Happy New Year!

Ombré Hair: The Broke Girls Dye Job

om·bré (äm′brā′, äm brā′)

adjective

shaded or graduated in tone: said of a color

So its obvious that one of 2010's biggest hair trends was the ombré dye job. The look is basically a fade from a darker color to a light one or vicesa versa. Its a versatile dye job that you can adjust for all four seasons. ALSO it's great if you can't afford constant touch ups and or don't have the time to do so. This was a popular dye job during the Spring and Summer time of this year but it seems to be making its way into the Fall and Winter months.

I've NEVER EVER dyed my hair before! My friend offered to give me a free dye job for a hair show so I totally took the offer! I was scared because I didn't want to have to deal with roots and all that stuff. Plus, I'm the ULTIMATE procrastinator. So I knew I would have horrible roots if I went with highlights or a lighter color.

I settled with the ombré dye job because it fits me perfectly! No constant touch ups, cheap to maintain, and TRENDY!? I'm there. Ha.

This is how it turned out:




I really like it. I admit at first I was FREAKED OUT. I did cry a little bit... but now it's all good! Its looks best with a relaxed curl or wavy. I'm thinking of possibly going a little bit lighter like in the 4th picture on top of the post.


Gorgeous ways to wear ombré hair...
(thanks to Angel Vee)

Brunettes:
Chestnut brown roots with golden brown ends
Dark brown roots with yellow gold ends
Deep red brown roots with apricot ends
Chocolate brown roots with flame red ends

Blonde:
Dark golden blonde with pale ends
Pale blonde roots with blue/black/brown bottom
Ash blone with lavender
Yellow blonde with pink


Have you tried the ombré dye job yet?

I'm So Sad That Halloween is Over!

Poop, I'm disappointed that Halloween weekend has finally come to an end! My favorite part about this "holiday" is dressing up and making my own costumes. Not being a "slutty" version of something (i.e. Nun? or Clown?) Anyways...

I really wanted to be Hello Kitty since she is a classic cutesy kitty that everyone adores!


I started off by hitting the thrift stores to find a cute red dress I could cut up. I found a perfect knee length red dress that had a neckline up to my collar bone for $4.99! I then decided I need circle lenses to really give my make up a pop so I purchased XCK-105 for $19 (free shipping) from a wonderful US-based circle lens supplier (Vivid-Beauty) who got it to me 4 days after purchase!

So I had to purchase additional accessories:
White Fur Material (ears): $1.25
Red Silk Material (bow):$1.20
Morbid White Face Powder: $7.99
I Love My Face light foundation: $3
Yellow Face Paint (nose): $3
Long Lashes: $4
Ankle Socks: $2.99
Large White Buttons: $1.19 (x2)
Fixing My Chewed Up Mary Jane Shoes: $7
_______________________________
TOTAL: $56.80

So I guess it wasn't the "cheapest" costume ever. But DAMN it was fun to make and wear! I even wore it out shopping and dinner all weekend because I enjoyed it so much haha! I think my favorite part was little girls coming up to me and telling me I was pretty and they loved my costume. The best compliments are ALWAYS from kids! ^^

I'll update this blog later with the Before & After pictures of the dress. Also, I will post the patterns I used to make the ears and the bow so you guys can make your own Hello Kitty looks. I mean a girl always needs more "unnecessary" Hello Kitty stuff right??

This is how my costume turned out :







What were you guys for Halloween?? I hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend!

Belated Fashion: Fall 2010

Sorry for the delayed "fall" fashion post! It just NOW started cooling down out here in New Mexico. Sporting fall fashion in 80 degree weather is pretty difficult. Unfortunately I can't cover EVERYTHING that's trendy this fall, but here are some of my personal favorites:


1. I LOVE the military trend. Militant style coats are my favorites especially when they compliment your shape! I really enjoyed the jackets with some leather boots last fall.


2. I love this leather look. The leather dress and minis are my personal favorite! I have the mini but all I need is the dress and I'll be set!

3. Chunky knits & Ponchos! This look is so comfy and warm since its starting to cool down. The ponchos are nice to throw on with cute jeans and boots for sleepy mornings at school or a day at the pumpkin patch.

4. Leopard print accessories. Cardigans, purses, shoes, bracelets and more. A perfect way to accent your outfit. I want a leopard print cardigan right meow! Keep it classy not trashy!

5. Polish trends! Polishing my nails is how I unwind and relax. These polish trends are absolutely adorable. Purples hues, shiny metallics, soft neutrals, and vibrant gem tones a super popular this fall. These lovely shades are perfect ways to make your hands pop.

6. SHOES!!! Masculine oxfords, chunky clogs, pointy toed flats, cutout shoes, lace up and knee high boots are on top this fall. The oxfords have to be my favorite: super classy and casual.


Keep in mind most of these items can be found at Forever 21 and H&M. I can't wait to go shopping ahhh! What is everyone wearing this fall? Hmmmm?

Also just to throw in, here are some of my favorite recent finds!

My $7.99 leopard print stretch pants I found at Forever 21 last week.


Heart Suspender Style Tights ordered from ASOS. They're a super cute twist on the tradition printed tight!


For more trendy trends check out H&M's fashion press release!
ALSO for tons & tons of inspiration check out the lovely Ladies and Gents at Lookbook.nu!

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Show Your Support

“There are brands no one should wear. Domestic violence is a crime." -APAV

Image from www.theinspirationroom.com

FACT: 40% of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 say they know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

This is an issue that is very close to me... in case you didn't know October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence isn't something that only happens to middle aged married or a "red neck" couples, it's something that can happen to anyone. What many people don't realize is domestic violence does happen frequently, especially among teens.

The media skims over the fact that teen relationships don't only consist of partying, sex, and high school. Teenage relationships are deeply rooted in strong emotions like a first love. However, these strong emotions can mask the fact that the relationship is unhealthy and even sometimes abusive. Domestic violence can be looked over by the friends and family as "drama" or "personal problems" when in reality there is real abuse going on (wither it is verbal or physical).

It is up to close friends and family to step in and stop the abuse. The victim may not realize that what is happening to them is considered abuse or they might even think it is the consequences of their actions that is leading to the abuse.

It is embarrassing and hurtful to admit that you are being abused. You don't want to admit it to yourself or to your friends and family. Its also hard to wrap your head around the concept that someone you're in love with would ever do something like this to you. Also, I have seen many of my friends go through extremely abusive relationships, some ending by the choice of the victim and others ending by the force of the law. It hurts my heart that there are young victims of domestic violence looking for someone to reach out to but they don't know how.

If you suspect that one of your friends or family members is being abused PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE talk to them. Be there for them and help them take steps to end the abuse. Show your support this month by wearing a purple ribbon.


For more information on how to get help or how to get involved, please check out these links:

Love is respect – National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

Stop Violence Against Women Campaign

Love is Not Abuse

The Domestic Violence Awareness Project

The Body Shop: Break The Silence Against Domestic Violence - Talk to a Friend