If you’re a fan of pretty shiny things, you’re going to love our first spring mani of the season. We all know everything looks better dipped in gold, so we thought this should do the trick. I decided to use gold leafing sheets to accent the corners of these turquoise nails. Here’s how you do it:

TOOLS: Turquoise nail polish, gold leafing sheets (available at your local art supply stores or see link below), clear top coat, nail file, q-tip (regular or pointed).

STEPS:

1. Select a good turquoise polish. I used this one, but to be honest you can use any color that you think goes well with gold. (It’s really pretty with white + coral!)
2. Paint all of your nails with the base color you choose.
3. Gold leaf sheets (I used these) are VERY delicate so make sure your hands are clean + dry before handling. They tear so easily! Use scissors to cut small triangle shapes that will fit the corners of your nails. You want to cover about 1/3 of your nail, so make your triangles about that size.
4. Wet a q-tip and use that to pick up your gold triangle. Don’t try to pick them up with your fingers– you’ll crumble them and that’s a bummer!
5. Lay the gold leaf triangle on the corner of the nail. You want to work quickly so the leafing sticks to the polish. The polish should be dry but still slightly tacky. If it’s too dry, put a very thin layer of clear top coat down before laying the leaf on the nail.
6. Smooth over the gold leaf with a clean dry q-tip to remove wrinkles/bubbles. If you mess up and chip off a piece of gold, it’s totally fine! Gold leafing is so thin that you can just lay another piece over the messed up part and it blends right in.
7. Use a nail file to gently file off the excess just like you would with nail stickers!
8. Finish with a quick drying clear coat to lock the gold leafing down!
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Loofa Soap Slices!

Loofa slices have enough soap for a few uses and give you the chance to exfoliate. When the soap is gone, toss the loofa and grab a new slice for a shower thats so fresh, so clean.

Supplies:

• Kirk’s Original Coco Castille Bar Soap, 1 bar
• Fresh herbs (I used calendula flowers and rose petals)
• Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castille Soap (I used Almond scented), 5 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon of water
• Essential Oils (I used lavender and geranium rose)
• Vitamin E (you only need a few drops)
• Shea Butter, 1 tablespoon
• A natural loofa

Tools:

• Grater
• Double boiler
• Bread knife
• Cutting board
• Tart cups (or any clean surface to set your soap on to harden)

All set and ready to be soaped!

Instructions:

• Cut your loofa into one inch slices using your bread knife.
• Shred one bar of Kirk’s Natural into a metal bowl (to be used in your double boiler).
• Add your fresh herbs, liquid castille soap, vitamin E, and shea butter. Heat until the soap starts to melts and becomes malleable, almost like play dough. I didn’t get my soap to melt  completely like Martha’s but it still worked for this project.
• Using clean hands, form your play dough soap around your loofa slices. Be sure to fill the spaces in the loofa! A fork or spoon can help. Set the slices in your tart cups to harden.
• Allow the soap to rest over night and they’ll be ready to use the next day! 

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DIY Almond and Oat Facial Scrub

Knowing what you’re putting on your face when you use cosmetics is incredibly important as a woman. The side effects of toxins found in make up range from skin irritations to cancer (did you know that carcinogens go into some cosmetics?).

In addition to being aware of the cosmetic products I use on my skin, I’ve also become more conscious of the cleansers I chose to use. Commercial facial cleansers use harsh soaps and chemicals to strip your face of their natural oils. This form of “cleansing” can actually do more harm than good. There are many ways to achieve a clear and healthy complexion, avoiding food allergens, drinking lots of water, eating a fresh diet and nourishing your skin with healthy products is a good place to start.

Here’s a recipe for Herbal Facial Scrub (Adapted from Crystal Stelzer) that includes spa quality botanicals and natural, healthy ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons almonds, finely ground
• 1/4 cup oats, coarsely ground
• 1/4 cup clay
• 2 tablespoons herbs, coarsely ground

When starting with whole almonds, oats and herbs, use a coffee grinder to individually grind each ingredient.

- Combine all of these ingredients in a glass jar, use an airtight container to prevent moisture from getting in.
- To use, place a quarter sized amount in your palm and add enough water to create a malleable paste.
- Use both hands to rub the paste into your skin, avoiding your eyes.
- Alternatively, use less water and create a thicker paste to apply the scrub as a masque. Leave the masque on for 15 minutes, then rinse off.

In my personal formula, I chose to use Rose Petals as an astringent, White Willow to reduce inflammation from breakouts, and Calendula flowers to reduce redness and soothe my skin.

Your herbal blend can be customized per your facial requirements. Here are some suggestions:

Gotu kola aids rebuilding collagen in aging skin
Comfrey leaf is a wonderful moisturizer
Green tea provides antioxidants which guard against free radical damage
Chamomile, rose and lavender can be used for dry skin
Lemon balm works well with normal skin
Rosemary and Sage are ideal for oily skin

The type of clay you use can also be customized for your skin:
White clay is neutral and ideal for normal skin
Blue or Green clay is moderately drying and can be used for combination skin
Red clay is extremely drying and ideal for oily skin

Remember to use high quality ingredients and herbs in your preparation; your skin will thank you!

Sometimes you want to have a short hair day, but without the commitment of actually getting your hair cut! Here’s a fun and cute way to style your long locks into a short bob do. Enjoy!

1. Divide your hair into two sections, from one ear to another.
2. Pin up the top section, just to keep it out of the way.
3. Pull the bottom section into a ponytail.
4. Twist the pony tail into a small bun and pin flat against your head.
5. Now unpin the top section, begin dividing it into small strands.
6. Fold the strands in half and pin them up underneath, try your best to hide the bobby pins!
7. Once you’ve pinned all the strands, carefully use a curling iron to flip the strands out just a little. This will make them look more natural.
8. Add any accessories or pin any loose pieces and you’re done!

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10 One-Ingredient Face Masks

1. Honey: Use a cloth damp with warm water and pat it on your skin. This opens up the pores. Smear honey on your skin and leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse of with warm water and pat your skin dry .
2. Raw egg yolk: Spread on face and neck. Leave for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
3. Raw egg white: Beat egg white till frothy and apply on face. Wait till it dries and wash it off with warm water.
4. Grapes: Cut one grape in half and rub it slightly all over your face. Do this for around 5-10 minutes.
5. Banana: Mash one overripe banana and apply on face. Wash it after 20-30 minutes with warm water.
6. Plain yogurt: Apply it all over your face (preferably when cold) . Leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it with cold water.
7. Avocado:  Mash avocado and leave it on your skin for 20 minutes. Rinse it.
8. Milk: Swab on face with a cotton ball. Leave on till your face seems tight and then rinse it of with cold water.
9. Cucumber: Mash the cucumber .. don’t completely drain of its water. Apply on face. Leave it for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water.
10. Papaya: Mash a papaya. Apply it all over your face and neck. Leave it for around 15-20 minutes and then rinse with cold water.

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Anyhow, this orange face mask is amaaaazing for adding moisture and radiance to your face. You know how winter can be a real jerk, making your skin all dry and flaky and whatnot? Well, consider this mask winter’s worst enemy. All you need are a few ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, too!

Freshly squeezed orange juice is packed full of zinc and antioxidants, which your face loves a whole lot. Oatmeal and dried orange peel are excellent for gently exfoliating the dead skin cells from your face. Honey is naturally antibacterial and is wonderfully cleansing, and also is good for tightening your skin. I’ve been washing my face with it for years!  And yogurt? Yogurt is SO good for your face, guys! It moisturizes, reduces the size of your pores, and even helps with break-outs.

Plus, if some of this mask accidentally drips into your mouth, you can totally just eat it. It’s delish! I speak from experience.

Prep Time: 3 minutes

ingredients:

directions:

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This look makes reference to the sixties but in a more wearable fashion. Less matte, more natural but still as striking.

For me, Spring means ‘fresh’ so begin by using a base that provides good coverage but lets your skin be seen. A particular favourite of mine is Invisible Radiance Foundation by Daniel Sandler. Inside the lid is a concealer which can be mixed with the foundation to provide extra coverage only where needed. Blend using a foundation brush starting at the centre of your face and working outwards. Go back in with the concealer under the eye, gently patting with your finger. This will brighten up the whole eye area. Next tidy up the eyebrows by using a brow gel for a natural effect. I used Anastasia brow gel in Brunette which comes in 5 shades.

• To ensure the eye makeup stays put, use your fingers to apply a base coat of cream eyeshadow in a light colour. The mac paint pots are ideal for this and a particular favourite of mine is the shade ‘Painterly’. Use a finger to blend it all over your lid up to the crease.
• Next, take a light shade of powder eyeshadow and use a brush to press the powder into the cream base. In the sixties, the finish of the eyeshadow was very matte but for a modern take I have used a satin eye shadow with some subtle sheen. Here I used ‘Naked Lunch’ by Mac.

• To create the ‘Twiggy’ vibe just build up colour through the socket keeping the eye lid bare. Use a small brush to do this for precision and flick the colour out slightly at the outer corner of the socket.
• To soften the line, take a small fluffy brush and gently blend upwards to soften the line. Be careful not to over buff as this look relies on the line remaining quite strong but with a diffused finish
• To create the trade mark top line, take a gel eyeliner and a slanted brush. Use your non dominant hand to pull the skin on your eyelid taut and then your dominant hand to hold the brush. It is best to draw the line in segments instead of attempting one continuous line. Begin where your eyebrow arch starts and sweep along the lash line until you reach the outer corner of the eye. Then take the brush further towards the corner of the eye and again sweep along the lash line until you reach the beginning of the previous segment. You can then go over the line and taper it out so it is thicker towards the outer corner and add the all important flick to the outer corner. A fantastic eyeliner is Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner.

• Curl the lashes and add a couple of generous coats of mascara. I decided to keep the lower lashes bare to keep the focus on the lid and top line. After applying mascara add some fluttery eyelashes to complete the eyes. For the sixties feel I used Eyelure Naturalites Volume Plus Lashes ( 101 ).
• To add a gorgeous natural sheen of colour to the apples of the cheeks I used a cream blusher to provide a healthy flush without adding powder to the skin keeping the look sheer. Here I used Daniel Sandler’s Watercolour Creme Rouge blusher in ‘Soft Peach’. This is best applied to the apples of the cheeks while smiling! Pat onto the skin, in a circular pattern building up the colour gradually.
• Lastly finish the makeup look by adding a lightly coloured gloss to the lips. The look for the lips is bare to ensure the eyes take centre stage. I used Lancome Colour Fever Gloss in Tangerine Petal.

• To complete the overall look, a high messy bun is perfect. Spray the hair with dry shampoo to thicken and backcomb your hair at the roots. Use a natural bristled brush to smooth into a high pony tail and secure with a hair band.
• Backcomb the pony tail further until extremely ‘full’ then smooth out the top section with a natural bristled brush. Next wrap the hair around the base of the pony tail to create a ‘messy’ bun and secure with hair pins.

Products:
Foundation: Daniel Sandler Invisible radiance foundation and concealer
Brow gel: Anastasia
Mac paint pot: Painterly
Light powder eyeshadow: MAC Naked Lunch
Gel eyeliner: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner
False Lashes: Eylure
Blusher: Daniel Sandler Watercolour Creme Rouge

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Beauty-Tip #9 : HOME MADE BATHS

Here is an article for you about different sorts of home-made baths that you can make at home. Theses recipes will help you, your skin, your body… just choose the most appropriate one for yourself :)

1. Bath with sea salt
   Stir in water 350 gr. of natural sea salt and lay in this “sea” for about 15-20 minutes. This procedure stimulates your metabolism. A whole course (to really straighten your metabolism) consists of 10-12 baths that you take every two days. You skin becomes much smoother and more elastic. The temperature of your “sea” should not exceed 36-37C°.
2. Cleopatra Bath
   Take 1 litre of natural cow milk, add 200-300 grams of honey. Stir and pour into your bath. Now you can feel like a Cleopatra, your skin will become very smooth and silky.
3. Bath with henna and tea
   In a 3-litre jar put three tablespoons of black tea and 2 1/3 tablespoons of henna. Pour in boiling water. Infuse for 15 minutes. Strain this mix in order to eliminate the bits. After this, you can pour this brownish-green liquid in your bath. Your bath might be a little dirty afterwards, but it washes away easily with bathroom-detergent.
4. Bath with oil and orange oil against cellulite
   Dilute a few drops of orange oil in olive oil and pour it all into the tub. This mixture of oils gradually diminishes cellulite. While bathing, you will feel your skill pinch from time to time and this is good. However, you should stop the process if you feel pain or strong discomfort.
5. Bath with bay leaves
   Pour boiling water over 10-12 bay leaves and let in infuse for 20-30 minutes. Add this infusion to your bath. This will show a very calming effect not only on the state of mind, but also on your skin
6. Relaxing bath, muscle tension and muscle pain relief
   8 glasses of water, 1 cup of berries and pins of Juniper, a handful of eucalyptus leaves, 1/2 cup of lavender flowers and leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks, peel of 1 orange. Bring the resulting mixture to boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. The strain and pour into a warm bath.
7. Bath “Mandarin Caprice”
   5 drops of essential oil of tangerine, 3 drops of lavender oil, 1 drop of pine oil, a handful of fresh tangerine peels, 1/2 tablespoon of jojoba oil (it’s fine if you don’t have any). Add this mixture to your bath. The smell of citrus lifts your spirits, refreshes and relieves fatigue. Tangerine oil is ideal to prevent acne, helps to heal scars and stretch marks
8. Body bath and steam bath for face on herbs
   Normal Skin : chamomile, geranium, lavender, yiang-yiang. Sensitive skin : camomile, lavender, rose, orange blossom, scented violet. Dry Skin : clary sage, sandalwood, marshmallow, rose. Oily Skin : calendula, lemon, basil, juniper and sage. Out of these herbs, you can make an infusion by brewing them in advance and then let infuse for 20-30 minute. Pour the infusion in your bath afterwards. To make a steam bath for the face, you need to pour boiling water over 1/4 cup dry herb mixture, cover your head with a towel and inhale the team of this infusion for 10 min
9. Bath for soft and silky skin
   For the skin to be soft and silky you need to take a shower in the evening and, on a clean and dry body (from feet to neck), rub in olive oil or any other vegetable oil. While rubbing in the oil, start preparing a bath with nice warm water. When your body is oily and your bath is ready, lay there for at least 15-20 minutes, massaging your skin and rubbing in the oil more and more. After the bath, you can wash off the oil with soap and water, but you can also simply use a wet towel. After this bath, it’s better to go straight to bed. Overnight, your skin will absorb the oil that you rubbed in and it will be baby smooth in the morning!
10. Starch Bath to smoothen skin
    Take 0.5 kg of potato starch or a litter of thick oatmeal broth. Mix it with 1 tablespoon of pine extract. After the bath, treat your body with some moisturising cream
11. Vinegar bag to smoothen skin
    Simply add 2-3 cups of apple vinegar to your bath
12. Bath for dry skin
    Add a glass of glycerol into your bath. Soak your body in this bath for 10 minutes maximum. Do not take this bath if you have a sunburn, as well as right after sunbathing!

(Source: wishing-4-perfection, via tangledupinlace)