Hi Friends!
Alright, let's face it. Blogs are freakin' awesome. (No, I'm not talking about MY blog - haha!)
I mean I just love reading other peoples blogs and learning new things like simple little TRICKS or cool products that I would have never known about had I not read it. The great thing is, that when it's written by a blogger, you know it's almost always REAL LIFE not some ad they are trying to promote. (Isn't it so irritating to read a magazine article about an "amazing" product and then realize at the end that it's an AD written by that company!) Now, a lot of times bloggers (including myself) DO get a little kick back (I mean tiny!) when someone clicks through and buys something from a link they put on their site BUT, I just look at that as a great way for bloggers to make a little bit of money for all the hard work they put into writing a post and letting us know about their favorite tried and true products. :-)
So for this post I decided I would compile some of MY favorite products and DIY tips I've gleamed over the past few years. Just maybe it will become YOUR new favorite thing too. :-)
(Many thanks to my 7 year old for taking all the pictures - hee,hee)
The best acne/ facial cleansing solution I have found from reading a blog post.
Oil cleansing method - Post by Crunchy Betty Blog
This completely changed my skin from the first week of using it. That was 3 years ago and I've never used anything else. Funny thing is, I ran into another post titled "Beauty Products That Really Work According to Pinterest" and they had Bobbi Brown cleansing oil. It was 43.00 for a 7 oz bottle. When I looked at the ingredients it was pretty much just great OILS (like the mixture I'm using but mine is a fraction of the price) I'm telling you, I LOVE cleaning my face with oils, it completely dissolves the dirt and other "bad" oils on your face. Just read some of the blog comments on this! It's CRAZY what the oil cleansing method has done for people!
The Oil Cleansing Method post is hands down my most used and appreciated blog tip I've ever found. I use a mixture of half Jojoba Oil and half Castor Oil. One of my friends loves mixing the Castor with the Avocado Oil. You can purchase a bundle pack of the Avocado and Castor oil for around 20.00 off Amazon. They are big bottles (32 oz total) and should last you 8 - 12 months :-)
NOW Foods Organic Jojoba Oil, 4 ounce
NOW Solutions Castor Oil, 100 % Pure, 16 ounce
Bundle: Now Foods Avocado Oil, 16 oz. PLUS Now Foods Castor Oil, 16 oz.
The best self tanner I've found. (and I'm WHITE as a ghost!)
This next beauty tip I got from my hairdresser (hairdressers KNOW!) She had been battling cancer and was not supposed to be in the sun at all. She tried all kinds of self tanners and told me that AmberSun was by far the best self tanner she had ever found. She said it was easy to use with a great color and didn't streak, as an extra plus it was organic and paraben free.
Norvell Amber Sun Sunless Tanning Aerosol Spray with Bronzer 7 Oz
Okay, this stuff is AWESOME!!!!! I've been using it YEAR ROUND for over a year. (even in winter) I've told my friends about it and they have agreed it's fantastic.
You spray it on (it has a very fine mister) and then rub it in. I used to make my teenage daughter spray it on me in the backyard but it got a little old finding time for her to apply it and plus, standing in my backyard in my bikini while she covered myself in a tan mist always made me wonder what the neighbors would think - hee,hee.... So, now I just spray it on in the shower and wipe the shower down after each application. It lasts about a week, so if you want to stay on top of it, apply once a week. One bottle will last 5 full body tans. One of my friends just uses it on her legs as having bright white legs during the summer (or anytime) isn't one of her favorite things - ha! Just be sure to use an exfoliating scrub on your hands after you've applied it!
The best (or just super fun) lip product
My other fun find is E.L.F's lip exfoliator. Actually, after trying this, was when I decided I need to write this blog post! And then I found it on Pinterest and they gal wrote:
ELF Lip Exfoliator! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY MY HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT. #1 PRODUCT OF ALL TIME.
E.l.f. Studio Lip Exfoliator - Clear
Okay, not sure if it's the holy grail, but for 3 bucks (Target,Walmart or Amazon) I was totally impressed! It had things like grape seed oil, avocado oil, shea butter and jojoba seed oil. (Awesome!) It makes them VERY soft and smooth. It's like a little sugar scrub for your lips - I loved it! (I will admit I'm already addicted to using it -
I found this on my iphone.....SIGH :-) Maybe my youngest just used my lip exfoliator and wanted to show people how soft they can get - hee,hee!
Best Spray to Stop or help a Sore Throat!
Since school is back into session and coughs/colds seem to spring up out of no where I thought I would add my TRIED AND TRUE throat spray that I use. Of course, I started using it because a friend swore by it and I'm glad I did! It works wonders if you start using the spray RIGHT away when you feel the sore throat coming on. It's awesome stuff. I just ordered my 4th or 5th bottle. (Read the reviews!)
Herb Pharm Soothing Throat Spray Mineral Supplement
If you get super adventurous (I'm not quite this adventurous!), you could even save your bottle and make your own remedy. The ingredients are:
Echinacea rootPropolisHyssop leaf and flowerSage leafSt Johns Wort flower tops
Fillers are just some alcohol, distilled water and vegetable glycerin.
There you have it my friends! Feel free to pin this for future reference :-)
What are your favorite tips or products you like? Leave us a comment as I know I'D love to hear about it!
ENJOY!
All links are through my amazon affiliate account - see full disclosure policy for details.
