6 ways to be kind to yourself

Here is a blog post to remind you that self-care is important. Part of self-care is being kind to yourself. You shouldn't let the small things in life bother you but you should look for the silver lining in the areas of your life that shine hope for better opportunities. I'm not a professional and I don't claim to be, here are just some observations that I have made as I set out on this journey of self-care in my own life/ Hopeuflly I can remind you to do the same.

Don't sweat the small stuff 

Oh no, you forgot to set the alarm and overslept again. Now you're going to be late to class or that meeting for work. What can you do to avoid running in late? Try getting your stuff ready the night before. That way in the morning you don't have to sweat the small stuff. 

Forgive yourself 

It's okay to make mistakes. Sometimes you can put your foot in your mouth or be forgetful. There's nothing wrong with you, you just make mistakes sometimes. Allow yourself to forgive yourself and put those moments behind you. You're not there anymore.

Use positive self talk 

Many times when you're performing a task you might find yourself talking yo yourself.. Sometimes self talk slips out in negativity and you have to catch yourself. Phrases usually beginning with "I am" and end with "stupid" or "not good enough" should be replaced with positive phrases such as "I am capable of learning this." You might feel stupid but you're not stupid. 

Go purse shopping 

Purse shopping isn't just fun but it is also healthy for your shoulders. According to this post, your purse can get heavy and weigh on your shoulders giving you back problems. It's a good idea to change your purse from time to time or try buying yourself a new one. 

Treat yourself with treats 

I'm all for eating healthy and exercise but every now and then you should treat yourself with treats. Don't make yourself feel bad for going a little overboard on the sweets. Just set a time to endulge and you will feel better about your weight and yourself the next time you try on those skinny jeans. 

Go on self care trips 

Sometimes when life gets too busy and you get too stressed it's a good idea to plan a self care trip to get your mind off of things. A self care trip such as to the beach or camping can be a good way to regroup before getting back to the fast pace of life. 

Cheesy Tortillas from el Chonete

If your ever pass through San Carlos Costa Rica you have to go to el Chonete. They have excellent typical Tico food at a good price. But what I especially love is their cheesy filled tortillas. 

There is nothing like it. It is a cheesy tortilla filled with melted cheese in a warm tortilla. When you pull it apart you get a satisfying cheese pull. However, when you bite into it you get a creamy and salty taste that is really hard to find anywhere else. I'm obsessed. I could order two or three of these because they are so big and they will fill you up quickly. 

I love E.L.F. make up

In college, I needed quality make up at an affordable price. It's very hard to find good drug store make up but someone recommended E.L.F. cosmetics to me so I gave it a try. 

Some of my favorite thing about it are it's creamy lipstick, foundation and mascara. I really enjoy them because their application is flawkess. I found a foundation that fits my skin tone, I think I am porcelain and it feels so smooth in my skin when I apply it. I also really enjoy their lipsticks because they smell so good. They smell Kirk coconut oil and the application is so smooth. You can use it with a lip balm and it will leave your lips feeling so soft. Finally, I live their mascara because there is a lot of product on the wand. Whenever I pull out the mascara I get a nice coverage of mascara on my lashes and I feel so roetty afterwards. 

I think I will continue using E.LF. cosmetics even after college. It was there for me when I didn't have much money in my pocket and it still feels like a nice brand that I would use daily. I need to get a Rosy pink shade of lip stick the next time I go shopping for lip stick and I want to get it with E L F. My favorite drug store brand so far. 

Adventures in La Fortuna

If you're seeking adventure La Fortuna, Costa Rica has a lot for you to do. You can do a tour and ride horses, cross the hanging bridges and sip line across the rain forest. That's some if the things I did in my recent trips to Costa Rica and it was a fun time for me and my friends.

Simply do a quick Google search online for bundles and you will find similar tours like these. Or you can go online and seraph la Fortuna in Costa Rica and call the venues onces you're in the country. Many times the tours will pick you up in a bus and take you to your destination. There the guy will explain the ropes to you and hook you up to the ropes, wire literally. 

When we went zip lining we went with a group of people and ride 8 or ten lines until the end. It was an exhilarating experience because I have never done anything like that before. You could see the whole forest in front of you while you're zipping across the tree good hi friends if feet in the air. 

Next, we went rappelling. That's basically scaling the a rock wall near the water. It's very hard to do but you basically just hang yourself back and let your rope confront of you as you rappel down the wall to the bottom. 

You can also cross the hanging bridges. Something I find quite terrifying but there are a series of rope bridges that you can cross. You will be above the forest and see the expanse of the scenery in front of you. It is a very rugged and adventurous experience. 

Finally, we went horse back riding. This one is fun because the guide will help everyone get the horses ready and give everyone helmets and equipment to take on the ride. First they will teach your how to walk the horses then you will earn how to run them. You will see the green rolling hills and the mountains in front of you in the country as you take your house out to run. I took my horse to the river to get a drink if water and almost got stuck. However, we managed to make it back with the help of the guide. 

I'm thankful for the experience and would like to do it again one day. If you Kirk adventure and don't mind getting dirty, I suggest doing a bundle like we did that way you can get a full experience while in La Fortuna. 

My experience with PTSD, depression, anxiety and medicationr

When the tragic news reached my family, I didn't know how to cope. I was in and out of rehab seeking help for my mental relapses as I searched for peace in the storm. The doctors at first prescribed me Haldol and Risperadal which left me feeling disoriented most days to say the least. Then I became sober for two years after graduating with my associates degree in mass communication in 2016. However I began to develop a anxiety about what others might think about me and stigmatize me because of the trauma in my family's life. I developed a type of social anxiety that would make me feel the need to avoid public speaking as much as possible. I became depressed  because I couldn't concentrate at school and my support system was so far away from me; communication was terrible. I felt these feelings were affecting my performance at in school, my relationships and my goals because I get so tired so easily. As a result, I felt disadvantaged and and isolated by life's circumstances. Therefore, I took a step of faith by seeking professional help for trauma and anxiety.. 

Near the end of the program for my bachelor's degree in mass communication in 2029, I saught help and began speaking with a therapist assigned by the state of Florida, to tell them about my symptoms. They ended up scheduling teletherapy sessions with a professional and giving me Prozac and Risperadal for PTSD, depression and anxiety. 

My therapist gave me a sheet of paper to read, which talks about negative self talk and how to turn that around into positive self talk. I have to review it often to think about what it says and work on changing my thought patterns. Next, I feel my symptoms diminished to an extent as I'm taking medication but I do not feel dependant on them. I'm sleeping better at night and in having sweeter dreams. 

I realize I'm not the only one going through and recovering from traumatic events in life . I hope that my blog posts reach and inspire other young females to be brave and write their own stories with kife. And really I owe it all to my fait, which is the main reason why I'm still here. It is the reason that drives me to be a writer and it is the reason why I'm seeking help. In my family, we have history of depression and anxiety but we believe in God's love and power through Jesus Christ that we can triumph over all of that. I'm still a work in progress and I hope that one day I won't be dependent on medication and that I will receive closure about those traumatic life experiences while helping others overcome theirs one post at a time. 

Give yourself a girly self care day

I love a little mini girl's day to boost my self-esteem. I will take out my hair straighter, perfumes, and makeup to make myself feel like a princess. What a better way to spend some days inside being a girl as a self-care day to yourself.  I like to spend some of my days this way because afterward I feel better about myself, 

I feel relaxed and I feel more confident. 

Usually, when I start by pulling out my hair straighter, I begin to feel so much better because I know that by the time I'm done curling my hair I will look like a princess  I love to do the curly hair trick that I learned to do here on YouTube. It's a simple way of using the hair straighter to get bouncy curls really quickly. And ever since I cut my hair short, I have been flawlessly blending my hair extensions into my hair to enjoy long princess-like tresses  I enjoy using extensions because they extra volume the hair that you might not already naturally have. And if you blend them incorrectly, you can't even tell they are in your hair in the first place. 

By the time I'm done playing with my hair, I begin to look through all of my perfumes. I only have three perfumes that I like to use right now, midnight Dfantasy by Brittany Spears, Gabrielle by Chanel and wild Blackberry and Vanilla Fine Fragrance Mist from Bath and BodyWorks. Each of these fragrances I got on a discount on previous trips to Costa Rica but I'm sure you can get them on Amazon. Please click on the links to shop for yourself or a loved one.. 

Anyway, I enjoy these fragrances because they smell clean and remind me of the ocean in some way. Except for Gabrielle which has a pop of fruity fragrance like berries when you spray it on yourself. I feel that each of these leaves you feeling and smelling fresh out of the shower. 

By the time I finish my hair and chosing my fragrance I usually think about the make up I want to wear for the day. I've been using E.L.F. cosmetics lately and I really love it for its quality and affordability. Moreover, most days I try to go for something that accentuates my eyes; other days if I want to wear a red lip I will go softer on the eyes. But I always love to do my eyebrows. They always say that the eyebrows frame the face  When I don't want to do anything else really exciting in my make up I will usually just do my eyebrows to make me feel more confident about myself. 

When I'm done doing my make up, I will put on my favorite pair of skinny jeans and strap on a pair of my favorite high heels. Even if I'm not going to go out for the day I like to get dressed up just because its a fun girly thing to do. Immediately, I feel better about myself to become I took some time out of my day to get dressed and just be myself. Its fun walking away from the vanity looking and smelling amazing first thing in the morning. 

Then when I'm all done, I will sit down and enjoy a glass of Tampico orange juice, which is my favorite drink. Even if I don't have anywhere to go out to show off my hair and makeup I feel better because I even got ready for the day. What better way to lounge around than to curl your hair and wear some high heels around the house just because. 

Be kind to your skin

Sometimes I notice that when I take care of my skin, I am rewarded for my efforts. For example, sometimes when I take the time out if my busy schedule to wash and exfoliate my face, I feel the stress disappear and my outlook on life changes fir the positive. 

I let my stress wash right down the drain with my coffee scrub and hydrating avocado face mask. No more worries as I sit for a moment and soak in the moisturizing benefits of my face wash. Life treats me a little smoother fir just a moment. 

Try this scrub and face mask the next time you want to treat yourself 

Coffee and olive oil or honey 

According to Brit + Co follow these instructions: 

1. Cut 2-3 avocados in half. Discard the pits.

2. Using your hands, pull out the avocado and mash it up. Transfer to a medium bowl.

3. Add 1/4 cup of honey to your avocado mix.

4. Use a muddler or masher to blend the mixture together.

5. Scoop out of a bowl and into a jar to keep in the fridge. (Note: This mask mix has a shelf-life of 3-5 days.)

6. To use, rub onto your face with your hands. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water.

Now before we start mixing, let’s talk about the benefits of each of these two super ingredients.

Reflection of a tranquil evening

It's the end of summer in Florida, and it is still really hot outside. Most days I just stay inside and read or watch movies to escape the hot Florida heat. It gets closer to 100°F most days so the chill air conditioning is a welcome alternative to getting excersize outside. 

Some days it gets so cold inside that I hide under the covers and escape from the world in my bedroom. I just finished knitting a scarf; it's warm fibers warm the goose bumps that chill my skin.

Now it's 7:45 p.m. and the sun is setting. A light patter from a nearby rain shower tingles ASMR to my senses. Immediately I notice the soft light that passes through the windowsill. I had to capture this magical exposure before the sun set behind the horizon leaving me in dark silence near my guitar. 

What a beaufui way to escape the heat, by cozying up under a blanket listening to the light rain showers pass by. Moments like these make me wish I was in Narnia but it's only a fantasy. However I feel more relaxed as I take some moments to soak up this tranquility. 

The new (right) way of eating an Oreo

Do you remember as a kid how you used to eat Oreos? Some people would lick the cream while others were dunkers. I recalled this childhood phenomena as I had a little midnight snack in my kitchen. Could there really be a new way to eat an Oreo?

Well I tried it out. I started by licking the cream and biting half of the cookie with no cream. 

I then proceeded by licking the cookie with cream and pasting it back to it's twin. 

Finally for the grand finale I dunked the whole Oreo into my almond milk and bit into the exposed end of the creme cookie.

 It was delicious. 

So delicious infact I did it twice because I was so distracted by eating the first take that I had to take a picture of the second take for this story. 

What do you think? How do you eat an Oreo? 

By the way: my Oreo is chocolate creme filled. I wonder who milked the chocolate cow to get that creme.

Get organized with a task management app

Task management apps are great for getting organized and stayingnirganized. I used the Google task manager for a time. I still receive updates to this day fsithyduoy reminding me to do each task but there is so much to do in the day that I began to forget to use it. 

I go more by an internal clock. So I guess tasks managers don't work for me. Maybe I should get back on the horse and try again. Here are some reasons why a task manager is good for you.  

Google task manager comes with suggestions. If you have a hobby, time to spend with friends and family or an essay due, Google task manager will have preser suggestions in its system to help you choose when you want to do these things. It is helpful because down of the suggestions in Google's takes manager are things that I have never thought of before. 

Trying an electronic task manager like the one from Google is good because it includes dates. You can long in an appointment you have to go to and Google will remind you at a certain time complete it. You will never have to miss an appointment or an important task again when Google manager chimes in to tell you not to forget a special date. 

Google task manager can let you set the time and place of your trip. Say for example you have a flight and you want to meet up with a colleague. Google takes manager will let you input this information and remind you when it's time. 

I like using Google tasks manager but with all the things that I have to do in the day I have created an internal clock where I just remember important things. Of course I will write down anything that is important. However for moments when I am in a cycle period I will log into Google task manager or use my alarm clock to remind me to do an important task for someone. However it is not something I will rely on definitely. 

What works for you? Do you faithfully use a task manager Kirk the one from Google? Do you use something else? How is your memory? If you Have any suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments. 

Get organized: my routine

There are lots of different methods out there for how to get organized and stay organized. When I think about these methods, whether it be minimalism, or writing things down or creating a schedule I find it hard to keep. It's not that I don't like to keep a routine I just find it hard to keep up with one. 

That is why I only get organized when I have to. If you haven't already red my boost post about how to clean your room, you can check it out here. 

But when I decide to clean my room it's like an internal clock that tells me it's time to clean. I might feel groggy or annoyed as I feel papers, books and laundry begin to accumulate around me. When I lose my pens as I find myself taking notes or others in the house begin to complain. I know it's time to clean my room. 

So I will take my time and get organized in pieces. I will tackle the surfaces then that move on the that chair of the room. You know that chair. It's the chair that always ends up holding your laundry and knick knacks and my bed. Most of the time I just have papers lying around but it gets pretty bad being a writer. When you have papers and notes accumulating around you you always have to make time to reorganize. These things don't get done on their own. 

Therefore I will make a mental note as I feel my internal clock tell me it is time. 

Getting organized: decorating my space

As I think about of of how to clean my room, I think about what I want to do with my space. 

Currently I do not have a big space. I just love at home with my parents. It's just my room a queen sized bed, a chair and a guitar. When I think about how I would decorate my room and want it to be open. For example, when someone comes walking into my room I want there to be a clear walkway. It feels more inviting that way. And as they look around they will see clean spaces. An inviting place to sit in my chair and play the guitar or the keyboard if they want to. 

I have one friend who told me. "It doesn't matter how long you're in a space because when you decorate it you can move on the the next space and make it your own."

In a way she is right. I have recently decorated my room with a graphic cover for my bed, white curtains and picture frames that I made myself and flowers. I feel the nice color makes the room a little more inviting for anyone who comes in to see it. 

How do you feel when you recently decorated a new space? What is your favorite color scheme? I really enjoy teal and cream. Those would be my go to colors for a fresh look. 

organize your life: cleaning your room

My room is something personal. When I go into my room I like to read, get a lot of work done, play music and veg out sometimes. I find that at times my studying gets so cluttered that I have papers and clothes all over the bed and on the chair that sits at the corner of the room. You know that one chair. It's the chair where you dump all of your laundry and knick knacks after a hard lived in week. 

Anyway, when I clean my room I don't like to make it too much of a task because I know I can tackle it in pieces. I will breifly explain to you how I get organized and clean room to make it a little more  study friendly. 

I like to start organizing my room in quadrants. I will first start by cleaning off the surface next to my bed or the bureau. Once I clean off one surface I will move to the next. Then I will wipe them down to get the dust off of them. Then I'll move over to the chair and decide what is lived in and throw things away that are of no longer use. I will find a home for those knick knacks as they are likely pens, notebooks or boxes that find their way to the chair when I'm taking notes. 

Then I will move to the corner of my room where I keep all of my papers. Since I'm always reading and writing I will have to reorganize papers that I pull out for studying. Somehow that pile always because overly visible that I have to decide what papers are really important and what is worth throwing away. I will restack everything and out it nearly in its place then I will clean off the surface of my bed as I always have some extra clothes lying around. May it be a sweater or two that I use to keep me warm in the AC. Luckily I have a nice system for when the clutter gets too much that I just fold it up and put it it's in place before it gets too unruly. 

Finally, my favorite part is sweeping my room. My parents taught me to always sweep my room last because if I end up dragging dust from another quadrant I just have to start all over again. Therefore I feel satisfaction from sweeping my room when it's all done because every last bit is cleanwd up. 

Get organized with an electronic password saver

I am a forgetful person. Many times I forget names to faces, I forget what I wore last week, and I forget my passwords. Therefore, I need a password saver and I downloaded a free one from the Google play store. It saved my life. I have at least 20 passwords and I obviously can't remember everyone of them. I love using an electronic password savor and here are reasons why you should use it too. 

One of the reasons I like using a password saver is because it keeps you organized. If you have twenty passwords like I do it's a good idea to download one from the Google play store. I use a free version, "My passwords". It's really easy to use  you just download, create your own pass word and log in your username and password for a chosen password that you want to save and voilà. You get at alphabetized password saver. 

I also like that the password saver is private. When I search for a password saver on Google play I like to make sure it is password protected. You can choose any password you like just be sure it is something you can easily remember or else you will be locked out. That way you don't have to worry about anyone getting into your password saver without you knowing. 

Lastly, I like this password saver that I use because it generates passwords for you. If I can't think of something on the spot and I need a string password you can toggle the shuffle button to let it generates unique passwords for you. These are so hard for anyone to guess because they come with an assortment of capital and lower case letters with numbers and symbols. Moreover, you can also copy and paste the password from your password saver onto your loggin page so you never have to worry about having to remember your password. It's all right there for you. Just copy from the password saver and paste it into your Facebook loggin for example and you're in. 

Many times I have found myself forgetting my password to multiple accounts. It's not that in completely forgetful, it's just that I have so many accounts that I can't remember them all. I also don't want to write them down for fear of losing my notepad. I know that I always have my phone in me and a password saver works great because everything I need is already there. I'd you're forgetful Kirk me, have you tried the password saver? What do you think about it? How many times has it saved your life?

Feel free to leave an open discussion in the cimmebtens. 

How to set up labels in Blogger

In a previous post, I showed you how to set up pages in Blogger. If you haven't already, check out the Label, "how to set up a blog" where you will learn how to aesthetically make a blog on blogger. For this post, I'm going to touch on something important because I don't know if it is just me but blogger does not have sister links like WordPress does. That is the part of the blog where when you set up a page at the top cross column and you get cascading links to that main tab. 

Well, blogger has something similar and that is labels. I have been making use of the labels in blogger for some time now and I just learned that you can set up something similar to sister links. I want to show you hot to get it up and started so you can do the same thing too. I like labels because Blogger sets it up like a cloud or lists. If you want something more general you can set up a general cloud to store all of your similar blog posts. The more blog posts that you write with that label then the bigger and bolder the font becomes with the number of posts labeled next to it. So the more posts you write with the label say, "How to start a blog" the more obvious it becomes in my label cloud on my blog. That way it becomes all the more easier for you to find all of my blog posts with the same labels. Of course you don't have to use a cloud, you can use the list version for multiple label groups (like I have it on my blog) if you so desire but it is a good alternative to the sister links that I was talking about before. 

Now lets get started. 

To add a label to your blog post all you need to do is add it to the existing blog post that you are making. To do that head over to the right side menu within your blog post. 

1. Click add label. 

2. Type the label you want and 

3. Click the checkbox next to it to activate it. 

Now go to Layout. 

1. click add widget

2. add Labels

3. A box will come up for you to use the preferences that you want. 

• You can show selected labels. Chose the icon for selected labels and click edit. From there you can choose the labels you want to show. 
• You can show the labels in alphabetical order or by frequency. 
• You can also have them show the number of posts next to each label.

When you are done click save. 

Adjust the widget wherever you want it to be. I keep mine in the sidebar because it looks fancy enough to stand on its own and neat enough to show off like sister links.

And you're done!

How to start a blog

So you want to start a blog.

This page will help you get started with your blog.

There are a few things you can do to help you do that. All it takes is just a little patience and know-how. After reading up on all the information I can give you you you will have a better understanding about how to start your own blog on blogger. While others prefer to use WordPress or blogger I will later talk about why I chose to use Blogger as my website platform for this blog instead of others. Moreover, as I get started in explaining how to start a blog, I just want to tell you all that I am not an expert in blogging but I have done a lot of research and have experience getting a website up and running. This very blog is made with my own experience with trial and error. I have followed similar methods that other bloggers have taken/ I have even read up with other bloggers to see what they have done to create successful blogs and taken a few courses to help me better understand what they do as well when it comes to gaining traffic and building an audience.I am just still in the process of learning how to put these techniques to use to gather my own blog traffic and that is a journey of its own.  

If you're interested in following me on this journey and want information about how to get your blog up and running you can subscribe to this blog at the top right-hand corner of the home page screen. Click on the label "How to Start a Blog" in the label cloud to follow along. Also, you can subscribe to receive newsletters to your inbox in the top right-hand corner for step by step guides to help you understand how to get a blog up and running. In these posts, I will help give you tips that I have learned from other bloggers. like whatmommydoes and mommyonpurpose and Billionareblogclub blogs who help others get their blogs up and give advice about how to keep blogs up and running. It is a nice adventure as one decides to embark on their blogging journey, and if you're interested in joining in with me we can both learn and succeed together. 

Feel free to leave questions and comments in the comment section of this page. I will respond as soon as possible.

For now just read on to get your blog up and running on blogger. 

1. Sign into blogger and click on the title arrow above New Post. 

2. Click on New blog

3. Type in a title

4. Create a blog address. This is the URL that will show up on your blog when people search for you.

5. go to Theme in the menu. Choose from the 12 Theme options available. Each theme has an assortment of themes and colors you can choose from. You can edit them accordingly to your preferences. 

Choose Contempo Light for example. Click apply.

6.  Go to layout. Here you can edit the widgets you want to show on your blog. In another post, I can show you how to add pages and external link pages to your blog to take users to social media and other pages within your blog. For now, just click on add widget. Search the widget for pages.

7. Click add external links

8. Write a title for your page 

9. Include the link to your social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter for example. 

10. Repeat until you are done. 

You're done for now!

 If you want to learn more about how to get your blog up and running you can follow and subscribe at the top right corner of this blog for more blog posts and email newsletters. 

How to set up Pages in Blogger

So you've come here today because you want to set up your pages on blogger. Even though it sounds complicated it is very easy. No need to worry. Follow along here and you will have your pages set up in no time. 

Before we get started it is important for you to know that blogger has two types of pages. The pages you make from the left panel on your menu and the pages you will assign from the widgets. If you want to see future posts about how to start your blog you can like and subscribe to this blog here at the top right-hand corner for new blog posts and newsletters.

Now to get started.

It's very easy for you to head over to the left panel menu and click on pages. Find the button that lets you create a new page. Fill it up with your text and click save. Done. 

But you're not done yet. 

1. Go over to layout.

2. Click on add widget. 

3. Choose pages. 

4. Click external link.

5. Add The title of the page and then add the URL of the page you want to send the user to. 

I like to use this feature when I want to add my social media or a link to my portfolio website. It will take the user directly to my website. 

Now you will see a list of internal pages, such as your about me and any other pages you make directly in blogger. You will also have a list of external links such as your social media. 

6. To get the internal links to show up on your blog all you need to do is click the checkmark in the box next to them. You can adjust the order in the slide under the check marked boxes to put the tabs where you want them to go.

7. Click Save. 

8. You can adjust the widgets in your layout anywhere you want them. I like to adjust mine in the cross column at the top where everyone can quickly see them. 

Enjoy!

6 face wash masks to smooth your skin

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With all the different types o skin problems out there it can get hard choosing the right mask for you. In this blog, we will cover a few different DIY face masks that will especially soothe and cleanse your skin. After following some of these tips your skin will feel so soft and clean. It's definitely worth a try.

1. Excema

Oatmeal and honey make a killer duo team for nourishing and fighting inflammation on the skin. You can try these ingredients to treat the excema on your face. According to Cosmopolitan, this recipe is even gentle enough to treat for your whole body. You can click on the link to follow along for the recipe. But all you really have to do is mix the ingredients into a bowl. Crush them up and slather it onto your clean skin and leave it on for 10 minutes. 

According to Cosmopolitan, Oatmeal is great because it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help calm dry skin while coupled with honey's nourishing affects will surely calm your skin.

2. Greek yogurt + Oatmeal + honey

When you think about all the calming benefits that oatmeal and honey have, you would bless your skin by adding greek yogurt to the mix. To treat dull dry skin, you can turn to Greek yogurt because it has great properties like lactic acid, which helps soften your skin and probiotics, which helps soothe inflammation. All you have to do is mix it together in a bowl with oatmeal and honey. Leave it on your clean skin for 10 minutes and rinse it off with warm water. Click here for the full recipe.

3. Aloe Vera + matcha powder

Another amazing anti-inflammatory treatment to leave your skin feeling calm is Aloe Vera and matcha. If you already didn't know Aloe vera is used to help calm and lightly moisturize the skin. While matcha is believed to have redness-reducing and anti-inflammatory properties, according to Cosmopolitan. For this mask to work on your face you can mix up the ingredients into a bowl, slather them onto your face and leave on for 15 minutes. When you're done rinse it off and moisturize. 

4. Apple cider Vinegar

Apple Cider vinegar is one of those ingredients you can easily find in your pantry. Little did you know that the acidic properties in ACV help to cleanse the skin. To use as a toner and face mask all you have to do is mix 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of ACV. Gently apply the solution to your face and let it dry. Click here for other ACV recipes.

5. Mayonnaise

 If you didn't already raid your pantry you will sure to find that mayo is another solution to smooth your skin. Whole egg mayo will surely leave your skin feeling clean after you use it since the properties in egg have cleansing powers. Gently slather the mayo on your face and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Then wipe it off and rinse with cool water.

6. Lemon.

Lemons are great for the face because they contain AHAs and BHAs, two types of hydroxy acid that remove dead skin cells and help clear up blackheads, acne, and discoloration, according to the Healthy. To create your mask all you need is the juice from a lemon with 1/4 cup olive oil or sweet almond oil. Put it on your face, and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

4 moisturizing DIY lip balms

Previously I wrote a blog post about how to make lip scrubs DIY. Here is a great addition to add to those lip scrubs by learning how to make lip balm at home with natural ingredients. These are great for your personal self-care or even giving them away as a gift. Some of these recipes make a lot so if you want you can give some away to your friends and family.

1. 10 minute lip balm

This lip balm will only take you ten minutes to make. A great recipe especially for all of you lip balm lovers out there. You will be making your favorite lip balms in all different flavors. To begin we can cover the ingredients:

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. Beeswax Pellets
• 2 Tbsp. Shea Butter
• 4 Tbsp. Coconut Oil or other liquid oil such as Almond Oil, Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil
• Essential Oil (10-20 drops) or Flavor Oil (1/2 dram)

Instructions

You will need a microwave save container and a pyrex measuring cup to melt the beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil in 30-second increments; stir well after each one.

Then you will need to stir in the essential oil or flavor oil

Finally, you can carefully pour into a pot or tube of your choice and allow to cool before using.

2. Lime lip balm

For a summery splash of citrus on your lips, you can try a lime lip balm. This lip balm is quick and easy to make. After learning how to make this lip balm at home with natural ingredients you will have so much leftover you can even share them with your friends and family.

According to Simply Stacie, the ingredients are: 

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tsp cocoa butter
• 2 tsp beeswax
• 2 tsp almond oil
• 10 to 15 drops of lime essential oil

Instructions

Simply Stacie says, 

1. Add coconut oil, cocoa butter, beeswax and almond oil to a double boiler over medium heat. Stir frequently until melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add lime essential oil and stir. Pour into jars and let cool for one hour before putting on the lid. Use within 3 months.

3. Raspberry lip balm 

This raspberry lip balm is also a fruity addition to your lip care routine. Raspberries come loaded with vitamin C which help protect the skin from the sun and premature aging. Raspberries also come with vitamin E which gives off lots of brain-boosting power according to Hello Glow.

Instructions

First, melt your coconut oil and beeswax over low heat in a Pyrex if you so desire. 

 Next, finely ground the raspberries and stir them in.  As the balm cools and solidifies, the grounds will start to settle at the bottom. That’s when you want to turn the container upside down (with the lid on) or on its side to help keep it evenly distributed. 

Then you are ready to set your mix into a pot or tube and let cool before use.

4. Coconut rose lip balm

Try this aesthetically pleasing lip balm for a night out on the town or with the girls. It is a pretty DIY alternative that you can quickly make at home and take with you on the go. All you need is some rose petals from the garden (or any flower that you like)

All the ingredients:

• Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Shea Butter, Coconut or Vanilla Extract, Rose Petals (fresh or dried), feel free to substitute a different flower or herb here and Sweet Almond Oil all available online or in your local craft store

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients into a small saucepan or pyrex container. Put on low heat. Or if you put it in the microwave set it for 30-second intervals each. 

You can strain the flowers if you wish. 

Pour into a container of your choice and let cool before use.

That's it.

I hope you enjoyed reading about these four unique DIY lip balms. These are great for nourishing and moisturizing your lips during any season. Especially during those cold winter months or those parched summer days. Its a great idea to always carry around lip balm that leaves your lips silky smooth. What better way to do that than cary around DIY lip balm that you made at home. 

7 DIY lip scrubs so good you can eat

After spending so much time inside during this quarantine, there are still ways to self care and love your skin. Following are a few recipies for delicious lip scrubs that will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. These lip scrubs taste so good you could eat them and they are so easy to make. These are great for your own vanity or to even give as a DIY lip scrub gift.

 1. Grapefruit lemonade lip scrub

 For the first diy lip scrub we have grapefruit lemonade. This is a refreshing lip scrub especially for the summer time when your lips are especially parched for moisture. Some of the ingredients you will find in this lip scrub are glass jars, which you can get from amazon, coconut oil, caster sugar, honey, lemon and grapefruit essential oils. We all know the great benefits of using coconut oil. It is a moisturizer so you can use it to hydrate your skin. Honey is also a moisturizer and it will nourish and cleanse your skin. You can click here for the recipe.

2. Chocolate butter lip scrub 

For the second diy lip scrub we have chocolate butter. This chocolately treat is quick and easy to make. It is so good you can eat it. The ingredients for this recipe are brown sugar,  Shea butter,  oil – you can use olive oil or coconut oil -- any oil that you want; cocoapowder. 

You will want to add your sugar and shea butter into a mixing bowl and mix with a spoon. Then you will want to add oil, you can use olive oil or any oil that you like. Finally you will add your cocoa powder to the mix. Here is the recipe for your lip scrub diy.

3. Bubble gum lip scrub

Here is a fun treat your pout. Bubble gum lip scrub diy is an easy one to make. All you really need is sugar, olive oil, bubblegum flavoring and pink food coloring if you like. As we all know sugar is a natural exfoliant and olive oil is a cleanser.This recipe is really easy to make. All you have to do is toss the ingredients into a bowl and mix them together. You're done. According to the blog Hairspray and Highheels, this recipe will last for two months as you store it in room temperature. Really easy.

4. Honey-sugar lip scrub 

A fouth and common DIY lip scrub with honey is sure to moisturize your mouth. As we know, sugar is a naturual exfoliator and honey is a great moisturizer. Combining the two, you will get a refreshing lip scrub that will leave your lips soft and supple in no time. According to Nivea, you will want to use one teaspoon of honey with two teaspoons of sugar. Then you will massage the mixture into your lips and leave for 10 minutes. You can wash it off your face with a damp washcloth and you're done. 

5. Green tea lip scrub 

I'm sure you haven't heard the of green tea lip scrub diy. This is one natural and nourishing lip scrub you can use to pamper your skin at home. According to live simply, you will need green tea, sugar, olive oil and honey. Olive oil has good antioxidants that will keep the skin from aging prematurely. It is also a good cleanser. Honey is also great for nourishing the skin while cleansing it. And it even helps to fight acne. You can click here for the full recipe.

6. Tangarine lip scrub

Try this citrusy tangerine lip scrub diy for a moisturizing affect. Its easy to make and all you need is a few ingredients: granulated sugar, almond oil, tangerine essential oil, tangerine juice and Vitamin E oil All you need to do is mix the ingredients into a bowl and then you can transfer them into an air tight container. Click here for the recipe. 

7. Ginger snap lip scrub

Add a nice taste of giner to your lips to moisturize them during cold months. This is a fun recipe you can try to keep your lips soft and supple for applying your favorite lipstick. All you need is brown sugar, cornmeal, maple syrup, virgin coconut oil, melted, ground ginger and ground cinnamon. Just add all these ingredients to a bowl and mix them together before you store it in an air tight container. When you go to use it. make sure your lips are wet with warm water. Apply the mix to your lips with just a teaspoon and massage it on your mouth in small circular motions. Once you have finished you can rinse off with warm water and pat dry before applying your favorite lipstick. Click here for the full recipe.

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