May 21, 2014

Pink Tinted Mason Jars

I used Martha Stewart Transparent Liquid Fill enamel paint. It smells like hair dye. Here are the first few steps on a clear mason jar and a mason jar that I sprayed with Krylon Looking Glass Paint on the inside.


Stay tuned for the finished product!

May 04, 2014

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap - So. Many. Uses.




I'm kicking myself for not buying this sooner! Following a recent trip to the dermatologist, I decided to take a closer look at my routines and try and reduce or eliminate the use of harsh preservatives and unnecessary ingredients. I have really sensitive skin and I've found it to be less harsh than soaps labeled as for sensitive skin. My derm helped me see that a lot of my sensitivity comes from two particular preservative ingredients- Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate and propylene glycol, so I think I picked this up to try since it didn't have either.
Needless to say, I'm really surprised at how well its worked for me and my sensitive skin. They also have a milder version for babies which has a higher amount of olive oil and no essential oil fragrance.
With any new product though, results vary for everyone and this shouldn't automatically be excluded for us sensitive skinned folk =)
I've been incorporating tea tree oil into my routines and using it to take care of a spot of ringworm on my leg, so I decided to snag a bottle of the Dr. Bronner's Tea Hemp Tree Oil liquid soap from the market. I figure that it could be added to my bath for its cleansing and healing properties. Since I found it to work really well for me, I also bought it in lavender. After a hot bath and before lotion, my skin doesn't feel as dried out or itchy.


Face wash-- a couple of drops in my hand, then washing my face. I can definitely feel a tingle, but not a burn. Since starting my most recent skincare routine, I haven't had many instances of acne, but am confident that the tea tree oil will help keep it at bay.
Shampoo-- a small handful (maybe a tablespoon or so?) into my hair creates a ton of lather and leaves my hair squeaky clean. I think maybe too squeaky clean, so I don't leave it in for long and am sure to use conditioner afterwards. I think it would be great for use as a clarifying shampoo, but I've used it for the last week or so and haven't seen any ill effects.
Body wash-- I probably use the same amount for my body as I do my hair. It is thinner than regular body washes/shampoos, so you have to move fast =) I'm sure using it in a pouf or sponge would work also.


Some other uses I'll be trying here in the near future are going to be:
Homemade baby wipes
Dog wash
Hand soap
Dishwashing liquid
It can also be used as laundry detergent, but I'm not about to use up that much in one shot. It says to use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per load.
Ingredients-- Water, Organic Coconut Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Organic Olive Oil, Tea Tree Extract, Organic fairDeal Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol * CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENT ** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin

Pure Castile Soap Ingredients
You can get it here.

May 03, 2014

Nail Art: Gold Glitter + Watercolor Stripes

Two coats of gold glitter nail polish on my ring finger and thumbs. 

Opaque white polish on all other fingers.

On index fingers, I lightly brushed on three colors of polish.
Blue Denim from Forever 21
Raspberry Ice by Revlon
Minty Green by Savina 

Swarovski accents on pinky and middle fingers

Topcoats used:
Gelous
Seche Vite