Beauty Tips // Getting the most out of your makeup

I’m an avid reader of beauty blogs – whether it’s DIY masks for healthier skin, reviews of new makeup products,  or the best protective styles for my curly hair, I love reading and pinning ideas that get me thinking about ways to improve my own beauty routine.  In fact, one of the most popular post on my blog to date is my post on how to clean your makeup brushes and I hope to begin sharing more beauty-related and hair-care posts here in the future.

Since we’re experiencing another snowstorm (ugh!) here in the northeast today, it’s a perfect day for me to catch up on some blog posts! I was recently turned onto this post, by Lana Ramos, about how to get the most out of your makeup products and save money at the same time.

Naturally, my favorite of her 5 tips is #3, about cleaning your brushes. Brushes are an investment, and you should take care of them not only to prevent bacteria from building up and getting on your face, but also to prevent you from spending more money on replacement brushes in the long run. The other take-aways from the post, though, include not wasting foundation by dispensing more than you actually need (same goes for things like lotions or other liquid products), storing your products appropriately, and making sure you purchase products that you’re actually going to use.

You can find the Save Makeup Save Money: Tips for Making your Beauty Products Last post, by clicking this link!

To pick up or re-stock your own beauty and makeup favorites (lipsticks, blushes, brushes, hair tools, etc.), visit HSN’s beauty section, or their makeup page.

Enjoy your weekend, lovies!

DIY Lip Scrub with Coconut Oil, Brown Sugar and Vitamin E

Even as the winter weather has disappeared and we are experiencing some 70 degree days here in the Northeast, my lips still get a bit dry and chapped. Thankfully, I found that it’s pretty easy to make your own lip scrub at home, to help slough off any dead or dry skin and reveal softer smoother lips underneath. Hallelujah! I used a mixture of brown sugar (to exfoliate) and coconut oil and vitamin E oil (to moisturize and provide some antioxidants and extra lip protection!)

 Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil (substitute olive oil if you don’t have vitamin E oil)

To Make:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the coconut oil softens and all ingredients are well blended. Store your scrub in a small jar and keep it in the refrigerator. Should last a few weeks.

I basically played with the proportions until I got a consistency that I liked. So, play around and see what you like best! I only had a tiny jar to fill, but if you want to make more, just increase the amounts of each ingredient. You could also include some essential oils or other vitamins.

To Use:

Take a dab of the scrub on your finger and rub it on your lips in a circular motion to exfoliate. Scrub, scrub, scrub. Then, remove any excess with a damp cloth (…or you could just lick it off…). Then, apply a moisturizing lip balm or some Vaseline to your lips to lock in moisture.  Then, enjoy your softer, smoother lips!