A friend once said to me that only ugly people believe that true beauty comes from the inside, so I must be hideous because nothing is more attractive to me in a person than seeing them do a small act of kindness. And when I find a company or organization that does great things for the world community, I love to send out a personal shout out. That is why I have decided to start a Saturday Shout Out Post. Every weekend, I am going to post about a company or organization that is doing amazing things. Because, I will always believe that natural beauty works its way from the inside out.
This weeks Saturday Shout Out goes to TOMS Shoes. In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a new pair of new shoes for a child in need. As of September 2010, TOMS has given over one million pairs of new shoes to children in need through giving partners around the world.
Now, first I encourage you to visit the TOMS website at www.toms.com. It is just a fun website with some videos to view and good information about their mission. Second, the shoes are really cute! I already have my favorite pair picked out and on my birthday wish list. You may think that the shoes are priced a little high (as I did when I first checked out the site). However, remember what you are getting. Not only are you buying a great pair of shoes, but you are helping to provide a pair of shoes for someone who has had to live their life without shoes.
If you think going shoeless is not an issue in the global society, I challenge you to participate in the One Day Without Shoes event on April 5. Could you go an entire day without putting shoes on your feet? Just the thought of driving barefoot kinda freaks me out!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Banana Facial Mask
When I was younger, my mother used to make banana nut bread and my job was always to smash up the bananas with a fork. I remember always getting a little on my hands as I turned the cut up banana into a lump of yellow mash. Before I could wash my hands, I would feel my skin tighten under the slimy mixture. So, I was not surprised to find out that banana pulp has a skin tightening effect when applied to the face and, you guessed it, the hands!
So, I decided to step out of my comfort zone for this post. As you know from reading my oatmeal wash bag post, I hate the feel of slimy things on my skin. However, I have been noticing some early wrinkelage (no snickering out there!) on my brow and thought I could take one for the team. So as I type, I am sitting here with a banana mask on my face and the timer set to ten minutes.
This is a simple recipe with only three steps:
1. Mash up half a banana. Eat the other half for a good source of your daily fiber!
2. Add a splash of milk or heavy cream.
3. Apply the mixture to your face. Lie back and relax.
Now, of course the down side of this recipe is the fact that you have a slimy coat of banana all over your face, but it only takes a few minutes for the mask to start to dry. I have super sensitive skin and for some reason the mask is causing a slight amount of a burning sensation. I can definitely feel my skin beginning to tighten as the mask dries more. It's almost like what I picture when I see someone on TV that has just had botox injections. My face is not moving with this mask on. The timer has just gone off! Time to wash it off and see the results.
Results:
Washing the mask off was pretty easy. I just used a regular wash cloth and some water. My face was a little red and blotchy after I removed the mask, but it faded within a few minutes. One thing I cannot deny is how soft my skin is now. There is no left over residue (as long as you wash off all the banana) and my face feels completely moisturized. Looking into the mirror, I don't notice a significant difference with my lines after just one application. However, I placed the left over banana mask into the fridge and plan to apply it the next five days. Check back on Monday to see my update!
My overall opinion of this recipe is that I would recommend it as a moisturizing and tightening mask for normal skin. Those of you with sensitive skin might want to do a small skin test before use to make sure it doesn't irritate your skin more than it did mine. I definitely look forward to using this mask the next few days and seeing if my lines start to fade a little!
So, I decided to step out of my comfort zone for this post. As you know from reading my oatmeal wash bag post, I hate the feel of slimy things on my skin. However, I have been noticing some early wrinkelage (no snickering out there!) on my brow and thought I could take one for the team. So as I type, I am sitting here with a banana mask on my face and the timer set to ten minutes.
This is a simple recipe with only three steps:
1. Mash up half a banana. Eat the other half for a good source of your daily fiber!
2. Add a splash of milk or heavy cream.
3. Apply the mixture to your face. Lie back and relax.
Now, of course the down side of this recipe is the fact that you have a slimy coat of banana all over your face, but it only takes a few minutes for the mask to start to dry. I have super sensitive skin and for some reason the mask is causing a slight amount of a burning sensation. I can definitely feel my skin beginning to tighten as the mask dries more. It's almost like what I picture when I see someone on TV that has just had botox injections. My face is not moving with this mask on. The timer has just gone off! Time to wash it off and see the results.
Results:
Washing the mask off was pretty easy. I just used a regular wash cloth and some water. My face was a little red and blotchy after I removed the mask, but it faded within a few minutes. One thing I cannot deny is how soft my skin is now. There is no left over residue (as long as you wash off all the banana) and my face feels completely moisturized. Looking into the mirror, I don't notice a significant difference with my lines after just one application. However, I placed the left over banana mask into the fridge and plan to apply it the next five days. Check back on Monday to see my update!
My overall opinion of this recipe is that I would recommend it as a moisturizing and tightening mask for normal skin. Those of you with sensitive skin might want to do a small skin test before use to make sure it doesn't irritate your skin more than it did mine. I definitely look forward to using this mask the next few days and seeing if my lines start to fade a little!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Oatmeal Wash Bags
I decided to start out super easy for my first recipe. Coming to the end of the winter, my skin is completely beat up. The cold has dried my skin out and it has been irritable and itchy for sometime. I hate the feel of lotion on my skin. (I know, I'm weird.) I love the after effect. It's just the time between putting it on and when it has completely dried that bothers me. I feel all cold and sticky. It weirds me out! So, I was on a mission to find a home recipe to heal the itch.
I decided to go for the all infamous oatmeal bath. I've always heard that it was good for skin rashes like poison ivy, but I had never tried it myself. I can now say that I am a believer! This is what I did:
1. First, I got out my old coffee grinder that I never use anymore (now that I have my Tassimo). I used it to grind up enough oatmeal to measure 1/4 of a cup after grinding. I placed my extra ground oatmeal in a small tin and put it in the refrigerator for future use. The ground oatmeal should resemble course flour.
2. I cut off the toe of an old pair of nylon stockings and placed the 1/4 cup ground oatmeal in the stocking.
3. I had some chamomile herbal tea bags in the cupboard, so I cut one open and added it to the oatmeal.
4. I tied the stocking and viola! I had an easy oatmeal wash bag!
I tied the stocking under the faucet so that the water would run through it as I filled the tub. After I got in, I gave the bag a few squeezes to get more of the oatmeal into the water. This was the most fun! It's like playing with a bag of play dough in the bathtub. I was hoping the herbal tea would give a nice aromatic smell, but the smell of the oatmeal was too overpowering. I used the wash bag to sponge off with (even my face) and then soaked in the water for about 15 minutes.
Now for the results!
I loved this recipe! It was easy to make, fun to use, and I saw instant results. My skin was much softer and the itch was completely gone. I thought the effects might wear off, but the next day my skin was still moisturized and itch free. I'm not sure if the herbal tea had any effect, so it could probably be optional. Overall, I would definitely recommend this recipe for anyone with dry or itchy skin.
If you try out this recipe or have tried something similar, please leave a comment below! I would love to hear your thoughts or suggestions.
I decided to go for the all infamous oatmeal bath. I've always heard that it was good for skin rashes like poison ivy, but I had never tried it myself. I can now say that I am a believer! This is what I did:
1. First, I got out my old coffee grinder that I never use anymore (now that I have my Tassimo). I used it to grind up enough oatmeal to measure 1/4 of a cup after grinding. I placed my extra ground oatmeal in a small tin and put it in the refrigerator for future use. The ground oatmeal should resemble course flour.
2. I cut off the toe of an old pair of nylon stockings and placed the 1/4 cup ground oatmeal in the stocking.
3. I had some chamomile herbal tea bags in the cupboard, so I cut one open and added it to the oatmeal.
4. I tied the stocking and viola! I had an easy oatmeal wash bag!
I tied the stocking under the faucet so that the water would run through it as I filled the tub. After I got in, I gave the bag a few squeezes to get more of the oatmeal into the water. This was the most fun! It's like playing with a bag of play dough in the bathtub. I was hoping the herbal tea would give a nice aromatic smell, but the smell of the oatmeal was too overpowering. I used the wash bag to sponge off with (even my face) and then soaked in the water for about 15 minutes.
Now for the results!
I loved this recipe! It was easy to make, fun to use, and I saw instant results. My skin was much softer and the itch was completely gone. I thought the effects might wear off, but the next day my skin was still moisturized and itch free. I'm not sure if the herbal tea had any effect, so it could probably be optional. Overall, I would definitely recommend this recipe for anyone with dry or itchy skin.
If you try out this recipe or have tried something similar, please leave a comment below! I would love to hear your thoughts or suggestions.
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