A simple facial cleanser that you may already have in your fridge

Posted on May 27, 2010 | Leave a comment

I have a great skin care cleanser for all those with sensitive skin (like me). This tip is from one of my all time favorite books, “Naturally Beautiful”. The secret is to wash your face in the morning with plain whole milk yogurt. That’s right, plain whole milk yogurt. It sounds silly but the good bacteria in yogurt that is good for your belly is also good for your skin. This is my morning cleanser when I’m not washing off makeup. Its all natural, cool and refreshing and won’t leave any chemical residues on your face. Bonus, if you already buy this for eating, you don’t need to spend extra money. You can also add vitamin e oil if you have dry skin or salt to exfoliate. It also makes a great base for facial masks but we’ll leave that for another post. Enjoy!

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The secret to simple and delicious iced coffee

Posted on May 20, 2010 | Leave a comment

Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts are not going to like this blog post of mine. You see I was addicted to their iced coffee until I found the secret to making my own that was just as smooth and delicious (and of course costs less). Its a great timesaver since one batch makes several servings. You can even double or triple the recipe if you are really lazy like me. The eco-friendly girl in me likes that there is no waste since you use every drop of coffee. The flavor is so smooth since this brewing method produces coffee that is less acidic.

And…here is the recipe (from your favorite blogging barista):

In a jar, stir together 1/3 cup ground coffee
(Medium-coarse grind is best) with 1 1/2 cups water.
Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or
for 12 hours.
Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine mesh
sleeve or a cheesecloth. Pour into a tall glass
filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee mixture and
water. If desired add milk.

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How to make an amazing cup of coffee

Posted on May 14, 2010 | 2 Comments

In the past, coffeemakers have not been my friend. For one reason or another they stop working or the carafes break easily and I am paying more to replace the carafe than the cost of the appliance. That is, until I discovered a nifty gadget called the coffee press. Making coffee does not get any simpler than this. You just put the grounds in, pour boiling water over them, let it all sit for 5 min, then press. Presto! No electricity needed, no more filters to buy and it may free up some counter space. The most important part, you get an amazingly rich cup of coffee that is much more flavorful than any automatic drip one would make. I bought mine at Ikea and we will be friends forever!

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A Hard Habit to Break

Posted on May 5, 2010 | Leave a comment

We all have bad habits we need to break. Mine was the constant use of the paper towel. I have a holder conveniently placed on my kitchen wall where I can always grab my next piece when I need it. I was in denial until I went to a Live Green, Save Green talk given by a woman that calls herself  The Green Mama. I am always interested in saving money so I took her advice and put 2 pretty baskets under my sink, filling one with clean washcloths and the other with clean dishrags. The next time I needed to clean off my messy toddler’s face, I used a washcloth. When I needed to clean up spills on the kitchen counter, I used a dishrag.

The result? No more Costco package of Bounty for me. I have a couple rolls that should last me the whole year. My wallet and the earth are thankful for it.

Now if I could just think of what to do with the holes in my wall left from the paper towel holder.

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Lightening my travel load

Posted on April 29, 2010 | Leave a comment

While preparing for a recent road trip I reviewed everything in my usual toiletry travel bag and challenged myself to simplify it. I decided to take some Dr. Bronners castille soap to see if I could eliminate some items. First out came the shampoo, then the soap, then the Johnson and Johnson baby wash, then the face wash, then the toothpaste. It was so freeing to be able to take one item instead of all these other specific items. I even found myself using it as dishsoap to clean Conrad’s sippy cup at the hotel.

Happy to say I will be making no more trips to walgreens for travel size shampoo, soap, etc. But…I do have to admit that in the end I filled that travel bag up with makeup. Come on people…I’m still a female afterall :)

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An idea to simplify your beauty routine

Posted on April 1, 2010 | Leave a comment

So here’s my latest beauty obsession…JOJOBA OIL. I have simplified my beauty routine by using it as a facial moisturizer, hair conditioner, eye makeup remover and all over body moisturizer. It is all natural and feels like a luxurious treat. Its been such a win win for me. I have saved money by spending less at Aveda (still love their products but buy less of them), it has given me a speedier beauty routine and best of all…more bathroom counter space (woohoo!). Its especially wonderful on my dry sensitive skin and color treated hair. Ah…sometimes being a woman is so much fun.

P.S.
I must give props for this tip to my all time favorite and dearest book titled “Naturally Beautiful”. Don’t know how or why I stumbled upon this book many years ago but it constantly inspires me to look beyond the normal beauty product section of the store.

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Posted on March 28, 2010 | Leave a comment

My Library at LibraryThing

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My new fabric softener

Posted on March 14, 2010 | 2 Comments

I have a confession to make. Its Saturday night and I’m going to blog about laundry. I definitely never pictured myself doing that. But, oh well, we all do things we never thought we’d do.

So…I made a simple discovery that I want to share. I ran out of my usual liquid fabric softener and immediately thought of a tip someone once gave me which was to use vinegar instead. Since I happen to have a Costco size bottle of vinegar on hand I poured 1/4 cup into my downy ball and threw it in with my usual wash. Amazing results that I never expected. My clothes were soft and fluffy and there was no artificial smell. And no vinegar scent either. Just clean, fresh laundry.

I’m sold. I officially will never buy expensive Downy again.

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New uses for ice cube trays

Posted on February 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

Here are a handful of ideas to get some use out of those ice cube trays you have in storage:

Freeze leftover tomato paste when you don’t need to use the whole can for a recipe. Spoon leftover paste into an ice cube tray in 1 tablespoon measurements. Once frozen put into a freezer safe ziploc bag and label. They are ready to use in your next recipe. (No more wasted food).

At the end of the summer I make pesto and marinara sauce and freeze it in trays. When I want a serving of sauce I just heat up a cube in a pot to defrost. I haven’t had to buy jarred sauce in years.

Squeeze lemon and lime juice in 1 tablespoon measurements into a tray. When frozen they make great additions to a glass of water, a pitcher of iced tea, or other countless recipes. Or better yet, make lemonade/limeade. I buy the Costco size bag of lemons and have fresh lemon juice for months upon months.

Enjoy! :)

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Get the healthiest skin ever!

Posted on February 10, 2010 | Leave a comment

I stole this time and money saving beauty tip from Alicia Silverstone’s “The Kind Life Diet” book and decided to try it since I think she is sooooo naturally beautiful. This will leave your skin feeling like you just got a professional facial without the price tag or time at the spa.

Fill your sink with hot water (as hot as you can get it without burning yourself). Dip a washcloth in, wring it out gently and massage onto every part of your face and neck. Don’t forget your eyes (feels awesome). Pat dry and apply your normal moisturizer.

If its the end of the day and I need to wash off makeup I use Dr. Bronners castille soap before the above.

I have been doing this for a month now and my skin has never felt softer and healthier.

You can do this anywhere and all you need is water and a washcloth. Doesn’t get any simpler. Love it!

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