what the…?

…

i have no words.

snip snip diaries: beauty and make-up.

this is a continuation of my first snip snip diaries post.

as for make-up, i prefer to play up my eyes more than anything else. i love almay’s one-coat triple effect mascara, along with their intense i-color purple eyeliner (for brown eyes). i usually line the bottom eyelid, and soften the line with a charcoal shade of rimmel eye pencil and/or revlon eyeshadow. i also love using green or gold shades on the bottom corner of my eyelids (near the nose). i will also apply a dark shade (like dark brown or black) on the crease of my eyelids, and highlight underneath my eyebrows with some gold.

more importantly, i think healthy, glowing skin should be sought after. i wash my face with nasabb’s black soap, and follow with witch hazel and aloe vera gel twice a day. since my skin is oily and acne-prone, i also make sure to scrub once or twice a week with st. ives apricot scrub. consuming flaxseeds and taking biotin and zinc supplements are also great for the skin. and as always, be sure to drink a lot of water. i usually have a huge 1-liter bottle of fiji water that i refill regularly.

some of my other favorite products are:
-burt’s bees beeswax lip balm
-l’oreal voluminous mascara
-neutrogena mineral sheers powder foundation, bronzer
-bobbi brown foundation stick, warm almond
-almay pure blends lip gloss, fig
-biore self-heating mask

baking soda, brown sugar, and salt: natural, cheap exfoliators

i recently tried out a couple of natural ingredients for my skin, namely baking soda with some salt (on my face), and brown sugar with olive oil (on my body). i got fantastic results, so i thought i’d share how i went about using these ingredients. not only are these ingredients much cheaper than your average scrubs and skin care products, but they are also pure and naturally-derived. most importantly, they work ten times better than those pricey products with the ingredients that you can’t pronounce.

baking soda & salt facial scrub: you can do this with or without the salt, but i chose to use salt so as to get rid of dead skin and roughness. baking soda by itself is a great antiseptic and does a great job clearing dirt, blackheads, oil, etc. salt smooths everything out by getting rid of dead skin.
i added some baking soda on my palm, and mixed in some salt too. then, i added water, and mixed everything in the palm of my hand. i applied the scrub to my face, and gently massaged thoroughly. my skin is very oily and acne-prone, so i was pleased to feel smooth, clear skin once i rinsed out the scrub! i will probably do this treatment every week, or so. i wouldn’t recommend doing it too frequently. also, don’t forget to moisturize your skin after exfoliating.

brown sugar body scrub: i had some brown sugar in my pantry that hadn’t been used in a while, and figured i’d use it as a body scrub. after taking a shower, i mixed a handful of the brown sugar with some olive oil (just enough to moisten the sugar; don’t add too much). i scrubbed the mixture on my legs, knees, arms, and elbows. after i rinsed the scrub, my skin felt incredibly soft. this is especially great if you plan on showing your legs and want them to be extra smooth and soft after shaving!

olive oil is also a great moisturizer for the body. i’ve noticed that my skin is much more even-toned, soft, and healthy-looking when i use olive oil regularly on my skin.

olive oil as a body oil: for the past few months, i’ve been using olive oil as a skin moisturizer, rather than regular lotion. after showering/bathing, i apply a thin layer of olive oil all over my body. i do this before i’m out of the shower, when my skin is still extremely wet. that way, the oil will seal in the moisture from the water, instead of just sitting on top of my dry skin. i take a quarter sized amount of olive oil, rub it between both hands, and smooth it onto my skin. repeat until the entire body is moisturized. after applying the olive oil, i pat my skin dry with a towel, so as to get rid of any excess oil and water. once my skin is dry, it feels soft and looks incredibly healthy. i have yet to find a better moisturizer for my skin!
if you plan on using olive oil, remember to apply it on damp/soaking wet skin. if it’s applied on dry skin, it will only sit and make you look greasy. also: a little goes a long way.

~~~

side dish: i also plan on using baking soda as a clarifying treatment for my hair. i’ll be sure to let you guys know how that turns out!