Natural Beauty

Yikes! It's been a while since I've posted anything! Anyway, I thought I'd make a post highlighting some of the best natural, vegan beauty tips & tricks. Enjoy!

Clear Skin

• Dip a cotton swab into some lemon juice and apply on an affected areas of your face, wait ten minutes, then rinse your entire face will cool water.
• Depending on how bad your acne is, mix apple cider vinegar with water (if your skin is really bad, go 90% ACV and 10% water, if it's kind of bad, go 50% ACV and 50% water, and if it's okay, go 30% ACV and 70% water) and apply with a cotton swab to affected areas.
• Massage pure aloe vera on your face before going to sleep.

Smooth Skin

• Moisturize your skin with coconut oil before going to sleep. It works wonders!

Makeup Remover

• Melt some coconut oil by rubbing some between your hands then rub on your face to remove any makeup. When done, wipe a warm wash cloth over your face to remove any excess.

Shaving Cream

• Just use coconut oil!

Pretty Hair

• Instead of using shampoo (which strips your hair of its natural, healthy oils), massage baking soda into your hair (the more baking soda you use, the less oily it becomes), let sit five minutes, then rinse.
• For a natural conditioner, combine apple cider vinegar and a little bit of water in a spray bottle. Spritz on your hair, avoiding your roots, and let sit for five minutes, then rinse.

Pretty Eyes

• For bags under eyes, soak 2 tea bags in warm water for about 15 minutes, then place one on each of your eyes for 5-10 minutes.
• This DIY natural mascara recipe for one tube of mascara is from Body Unburdened. Mix together 2 teaspoons of pure aloe vera gel, 10 capsules of activated charcoal (opened and emptied), and less than 1/4 teaspoon of bentonite clay or cosmetic clay until smooth and consistent. Using an oral syringe, transfer the mixture into an empty mascara tube. Apply three coats, letting dry after each application and using an eyelash comb or an old mascara brush, comb out any clumps.
• This DIY natural gel eyeliner recipe is from The Coconut Mama.Throughly mix together 2 teaspoons of coconut oil, 4 teaspoons of aloe vera gel, and 1-2 capsules of activated charcoal (for black) or 1/2 teaspoon of cocoa powder (for brown). Store in an airtight container in a dark, cool place.

Dry Shampoo

•  Also can be used as baby powder, this dry shampoo recipe is from b. organic.Mix together 1/2 cup of corn starch and 1/2 cup of arrowroot starch with about 12 drops of lavender essential oil. Pour into a shaker, such a repurposed glass spice jar.

Pesto

Thanks to VegWeb.com for this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh basil, tightly packed 
• 1/4 cup cashews, macadamia or pine nuts
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon shoyu, or to taste (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• pinch cayenne pepper
• black pepper, ground to taste

Directions: Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day Twenty-Five

"A character who you can relate to the most"
 
Julie from Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Although I prefered the 1960s movie setting over the modern-day book setting, this book is also a fantastic read. I can relate most to Julie, who, although I'm not much of one anymore, is a social outcast. She loves her chickens and cares for them with all her heart (like me) and she's a young advocate for the environment (like me). There's this great scene when she climbs a tree just to prevent it from being cut down... I've always wanted to do that!