skin care & beauty routine, for a little spender

   One's beauty/skin care routine is very personal. Not personal in a way that it is private, but personal in a way that not many see inside of all of those products/recipes they use daily. I share make-up and diy skin care secrets with my friends, talk about what color of lipstick we are lusting over this season, and what kind of perfume is their go-to scent.. but I don't actually know any of their beauty/skin care routines and all the products being involve in that. But the thing is, I love learning what other's use in their beauty routines, which is one of the reasons why I am sharing mine here. 

   I have had a handle of people, over the past few months, ask me to share my diy beauty secrets and my make-up products. I was a little hesitant to share this post, because not all of my products are completely natural/diy and most of which are purchased from a drug store, but I decided to share this with those who are also college students/budget-grounded as I am. Much of my skin care products are items you would find right in your kitchen, which is mostly for the reason of using more natural products, but also because.. well, it's completely in my price range. Being a student means you are always on a budget, so I have been working with what is given to me. And honestly, most of it seems to work better than the brands I used when I was younger. 

Skin 

a. Coffee Beans: I use the beans that I grind in the morning for my coffee for a body scrub when I shower in the mornings. Simply take the grinds out of your french press or coffee machine and mix with some olive oil (or use my scrub recipe here). b. Raw Sugar: I am constantly making simple scrubs with sugar, nutmeg, and oils. I use these daily when I shower or on my face. c. Honey:. I mix honey in with whatever scrub I am using for the day, I also make sure to use this in my facial scrubs to make my skin extremely smooth. d.  Oats: I like to use oats for a bath soak at least a couple times a week, because they make your skin so soft and remove any itches or redness in your skin. I grind up my oats in a blender, then mix with some bath salts or tea tree oil for the soak. e. Japanese Cherry Blossom Shower Gel and Lotion: This is my favorite scent and has been for body washes for many years. I use this after I use a scrub, and I also use the lotion throughout the day. f. Coconut Oil: I use this after I shower or bathe for a moisturizer for my skin, I try to use it while I am still damp from getting out of the water.

Hair

a. Rice Vinegar: I use Vinegar to wash my hair, usually after a bit of baking soda with some warm water. I mix a couple tablespoons of vinegar with some warm water and massage it through.  b. Suave Hairspray: I like to lightly spray my hair with hairspray before I'm off for my day, I have found this to work quite well and be an extremely reasonable cost. I hardly do extravagant things with my hair, so I light spray works best for me. c. Suave Dry Shampoo: I hardly wash my hair, so I am constantly using dry shampoo to keep my hair from becoming oily and still maintain volume. d. Murray's Hair Pomade: My boyfriend and I actually share this item, because nothing works the way Murray's does! I use a small amount of this when my hair is damp, and crunch/sculpt waves with my fingers. I also use this for any styling I do with my bangs. e. Sea Salt: I have been using sea salt in my hair to create "beach waves" since I was 17, when I read an interview with Mary-Kate Olsen about how she got her beachy hair. I simply pour some sea salt into my palm, along with a drop of coconut oil, and mess my hair around with it while it's damp. f. Coconut oil: I use coconut oil for a leave in conditioner before I shower, in which I put some on the ends of my hair for about an hour before I shower. I then use it as a conditioner after I wash my hair.

Makeup

a. Almay Eye Make-up Remover: I have been using this for years, and this is by far the best make-up remover I have found. b. Sally's Lip Inflation: I have also been using this for years, and it is my favorite lip gloss. I used "Nude" and I like to add a coat over my lipstick. c. Mosh Brushes:   d. Elf Eye Shadows: I adore Elf products, not just for the price, but also because they are a quality product. I have many of these pallets and use them everyday. e. MegaVolume Wet & Wild Mascara: I have recently switched to this product, after finding it on sale at Walgreens, and it honestly works as well as any other drug store mascara.  f. Rimmel London Foundation and Powder: This brand has wonderful pricing on their powder and their foundation (which drew me to them at first, not going to lie), but I actually really have grown fond of this brand. There foundation doesn't have that "make-up" smell to it, and their powder creates a completely matte effect on the face. g. Covergirl Blush: I wear the "Rose Silk", and I have recently switched to a lighter shade from my normal darker tint.    h. NYX Matte Lip Color: NYX is one of my favorite make-up brands, and I love using matte lipsticks. The one I use is "Nude" and works as well as Mac lipsticks, in my opinion. i. Nail Color: OPI is my all time favorite brand, in which I am constantly wearing Black Onyx and A-Piers to be Tan. I also love my new Essie Cute as a Button, and I always use a matte top coat from Salon Basics. j. Catbird Tarot Deck Solid Perfume: My boyfriend gifted me this for my birthday, and I am beyond in love with this sent. I feel like it was made for me. Also, wearing a solid perfume is probably the best way to wear a scent, in my opinion.

Miscellaneous 

a. Revlon Colorsilk in Black: I have been dying my hair black for the last couple of years (my hair is naturally a medium brown), and this has been my go-to hair coloring kit for that time. b. Vitamin B-12 and C-250: Since I do not eat meat, taking a B-12 vitamin daily is no option for me. I also take a Vitamin C everyday. c. Handsanitizer, Japanese Cherry Blossom: I always carry a small bottle of this with me. d. Green Tea: This is not just for drinking, but also for soaking them in your bath and placing them over your eyes (instead of a cucumber) during a facial) e. Dove ReBalance Deodorant: I have tried my fair share of organic and making deodorant in the past, but my go-to has always been this scent/brand. 

made at home: rosemary oatmeal bath soak

Rosemary Oatmeal Bath Soak

• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1/2 cup of oatmeal
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt 
• 2 tablespoons of rosemary 

   Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized jar (or bowl). Run a warm bath and pour the ingredients in the tub while the water is running. For less of a clean-up, combine the ingredients in a large tea bag or sock, and squeeze throughout soaking. 

   Kansas City had record-breaking lows today. This below zero degree weather is frighteningly cold, so I preferred to stay indoors as much as I could today. As most normal people do on chilly days, I decided to take a warm bath after spending some time outside this afternoon. I decided to mix together a simple bath soak, which couldn't be more relaxing. Rosemary is great for cleansing the skin without over-drying, oatmeal reduces inflammation and is good for dry skin, and honey keeps the skin smooth. I will defiantly be using this soak more often. What are your favorite bath soaks? 

made at home: coffee grounds scrub

Coffee Grounds Body Scrub

• about 1/2 cup of ground coffee beans 
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of sea salt 
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 

  Use your left over coffee grounds from the morning brew, or simply grind fresh beans for the mixture. Add all ingredients together and store in an air tight container. Make and use frequently. Use once a day on face and body. 

  After making my own scrubs and masks for quite awhile, I will never go back to store bought ones. Using this scrub made my skin feel amazingly soft, along with the feeling of being awaken from the coffee beans. Everything in this scrub is wonderful for your skin, which is why making your own scrubs is the best. And you get to use coffee grounds, which normally end up in the trash! 

made at home: yarn pom-pom headband (& better kc segment)

Yarn Pom-Pom Headband

• Fluffy yarn
• 3 inch piece of cardboard
• scissors 
• a thick-width headband 

   To make the pom-poms, start by cutting a piece of cardboard into about a 3 inch wide piece long enough for you to hold while wrapping the yarn. Begin wrapping the yarn around the 3 inch side of the cardboard piece, and stop when the wrapped yarn is thick to your desired size. Pull off the wrapped yarn carefully all together, and then cut about a 6 inch piece of yard to place under the group of wrapped yarn. Tie a knot around the yarn, then cut around the outside of the tied yarn bundle. Fluff the pom-pom, cut the pieces of yarn to an even size except the yarn used to tie the knot. 

   Take the headband, then use the two longer pieces of yarn to tie the pom-pom onto the headband. Repeat making/tying pom-poms until the headband is full to the desired amount. 

KCTV 5
   As some of you know, this is my second time being on television (first time) and doing a segment for Better KC on KCTV5, and I've had so much fun sharing my projects with others. Although being in front of a camera is quite nerve-racking for me, I decided to accept their invitation again to share a little diy with the viewers. I posted the video clip, up above, from the segment shown live on Tuesday October 1st. Watch if you would like, and happy crafting! 

made at home: natural dyes

Ginger Root & Bay Leaf Dye Items:

• Ginger Root and Bay leaves
• Vinegar
• Two large pots

   Soak desired clothing in a vinegar bath (4 parts of water to 1 part vinegar  to soak before the dyeing process. Chop up desired amount of ginger (I used about 3 cups) and gather the bay leaves. Bring 7 cups of water in two separate pots to a boil and add the ginger and the bay leaves into their pots. Allow this to simmer for about an hour. 

   After letting the mixtures cool after simmering  I placed the items of clothing into the pots and let them soak for about 8 hours. Occasionally rotating the clothing inside of the pots. Try and set the pots in the sun if possible. After a desired tint is achieved, wash the dyed fabrics in cold water alone and hang to dry. 

   Creating my own dyes has always been a little project I've wanted to make. I did a bit of research before conducting this dye adventure and decided to make a few changes in the process. I have been making simple tea dyes for my clothing for some time now, and I always leave those to soak overnight instead of boil. I took that concept here for the natural dyes and set them on my porch for the rest of the day in the sun.

   The dyes turned out more as a tint, which I actually really liked. The socks and tights were my favorite, and the pillow sheets and shirt were my least (because the tint was so light!). If I was to re-due this process, I would create a stronger dye, but this project is perfect for giving that "vintage feel" to a fully white item.

made at home: washi tape decorated vase

Items you will need:

• Washi Tape
• Vase (or other glass container) 
• * Optional ribbon and hot glue gun

   In this DIY, I used a dollar store vase that was an extremely plain style. Take the washi tape and make designs along the vase, leaving a small amount of extra at the top and the bottom. Cut the ends of the tape and use an optional amount of hot glue to secure the ends. 

*Out of washi tape, or don't have other colors? Use a hot glue gun to add a few pieces onto the vase design. 

   I know what you are thinking, "Lindsey, this is so simple, a child would do this!", and that is exactly what happened during this. Being a nanny, thinking up simple and creative ideas for the children to do is always on my mind. Today, for "arts and craft time", we used dollar store vases and decorated them with washi tape and ribbon. After seeing pretty much everything being decorated with washi tape, it was time I did more than just hang items with this one my wall. As simple as this approach is, doing this with multiple vases around the house is a great decor idea. 

made at home: terrariums

   Terrariums are a great way to add some greenery around any space. For the ones I created, I planted one plant in each, but there are usually many in each (that is all that would fit in the vases I used). I love the feel of a "table-top garden" and they are extremely reasonable and easy to make. 

Items you will need:

• A glass jar/vase (or whichever you have on hand)
• Cactus soil, or regular potting soil mixed with a little sand
• Spanish moss
• Rocks/pebbles, or recycled glass pieces
• A small succulent plant (or a various amount of them, I used one) 
• A gardening shovel

First, add a thin layer of rocks on the bottom of the container and add an even smaller layer of moss surrounding the rocks. Then, with the gardening shovel, add the soil to about half-full in the container. Take the plant and loosen the roots, then shake off extra soil.  

   This is my first season to actually have plants of my own. Before I moved into my house, my cats were kittens (in which they would either destroy or eat the plants... I tried)  and there was no "outside area" for me to plant or have pots. I decided to create little terrariums for myself, and also as a gift for my Dad's birthday (which is today! happy birthday!). Mine looks perfect on my kitchen table, and they are my favorite because I do not need to remember to water them daily. I hope everyone enjoyed this tutorial! 

turn on the news: diy segment for better kc

   So, I can count off "being on television  on my to-do list! I was contacted a little bit ago for do a "DIY" segment for Better KC on KCTV5 (a local news channel in Kansas City), so I devised a little project for dying and designing tights with bleach. Today, I skipped my morning classes (yes, I felt that was okay this once!) and headed over to their studio to record. My segment will air next Tuesday on KCTV5, between 9am-10am. If you are a local reader, just tune into the channel! If not, I will be providing a link after the show has aired on television if you would like to watch! 

   Being recorded for television, even though it wasn't live (which I was actually glad it wasn't.. nerves!), was completely a brand new thing for me. I had a few mishaps; one of my rubber bands broke and I mispronounced a few words from being nervous, but I suppose practice makes perfect.. and I have no practice so I can't be perfect! But, this was defiantly a great experience and something I would never guessed I would be doing on a typical Wednesday rainy morning. 

KCTV 5

made at home: apple stamped skirt

   Stamping with fruits and veggies is hands down my favorite easy crafting thing. I love being able to pull out things from my kitchen and use them fabric, paper,  or anything else. The skirt that I stamped on was a very basic, and bland piece I got from a clothing swap, that I thought I needed to "jazz" up for spring. 

(I used the potato for another stamping project for myself!) 

Items you will need:

• an apple, sliced in half
• fabric paint (I used Speedball)
• a thick paintbrush (or two)
• newspaper/cardboard 

   I would strongly advise creating this on a non-carpet flooring (I dropped on paint on the carpet.. you get the picture!) I would also recommend to place cardboard in between the layers of clothing (as I only did on the second layer, mistakes make me learn for next time though!) I also let the first side of the skirt I stamped on dry overnight, then stamped the other side. Then, after all of the fabric paint is dry, iron on low heat!

   I hope everyone enjoyed this diy, and it has inspired you to create something of your own this weekend! Even the most simplest of projects can be the most fun. I am rather excited to wear this skirt more in the spring.

   Another announcement I decided I am going to do a "question and answer" video blog post during the upcoming week! My question for you, is what questions do you have for me? Feel free to leave your questions below in comments or send me an email: hellomrrabbitblog (at) gmail (dot) com.