Sore and Achy?

Try Blue Goo! I love this product! Though it is not blue, and not exactly gooey (which I could do without anyways), it does stay true to its "Maximum Strength" claim. Every time I feel sore and my neck or shoulders ache, I smooth some on and within seconds it starts warming. I love putting some on before heading out for a walk!

Purchased from: Wal-Mart near the Pharmacy
Cost: Inexpensive (don't remember how much exactly), there are two kinds.
Warning: Do not apply within 15 minutes from getting in or out of shower. Because your pores are wide open while showering and soon after showering, the heating element can lead to intense burning sensation (I did it!)
Added Perk: To me, it smells like Sweetheart Conversation Hearts, but maybe that's just me ;)

Clean, Clean, Clean Your Ears! (to the tune of Row Row Row Your boat)

One of the very things I neglect to clean often is my ears. Before I started my new ear cleaning routine I use to clean my ears using a Q-tip. I've never been a fan of soap on a washcloth, so a Q-tip seemed best for me, only not safest as sometimes I would hurt the inside of my ears!

Nowadays, this is how I clean my ears:

First I use a dry Q-tip and run it throughout my outer ear, being careful not to enter the ear canal. The head of the Q-tip should never be out-of-site. What this means is, when cleaning your ear, as a rule of thumb, the cotton head should always be in site. If you can't see the cotton, you've got too far into the canal. What is in your ear canal needs to stay there unless a doctor removes it.

Did you know that the outer part of your ears have pores? These pores can get clogged, leaving you with a pimple-like sore. Yuck! Try using an astringent to clean your ears:

-Wet a Q-tip with an astringent like my favorite, Sea Breeze for Sensitive Skin*.

-Run the saturated, but not dripping Q-tip around in the nooks and crannies in your ears. (Sounds funny doesn't it). Astringent will help get rid of the dirt and grime that you can't ready see.

-Next clean the backside of your ear using a saturated cotton swab.

That's it! Now you have refreshed ears, hehe! Seriously, try it! Let me know how it works!

***I seriously love using Sea Breeze for my face too. I love being able to see all the dirt I removed afterwards. And you can't bet that tingling, refreshing feel!

Venus Vibrance: Is it Worth the Slurge?

YES! Or at least if it's given as a present.....

I can't believe that I'm even writing a post about the Venus Vibrance Razor. But here's how it all began......A year ago I was given the razor as a free gift from a softball sponsorship. All of the girls on my sister's team received one, along with their families. Not wanting to get myself hooked on a razor that cost more than I would pay for a shirt (tis true, I shop sales), I threw it in my "extra bath stuff" box with the original Venus razor my parents had given me 2 Christmas' ago.

I had decided to not use the razors until all my disposables were used up and I had no other choice. That faithful day arrived. I reluctantly tore open the package and hopped in the shower. After a quick shave, I was in love with my new razor. When I say quick, I mean quick, and not even one nick.

Venus gave me the closest shave ever! My legs were left feeling smooth and silky. Apparently, the vibrations coming off of the razor head wisp away dry skin that can leave your legs feeling rough.

So, next time you're in the market for a new razor, try Venus Vibrance! Perhaps replacement blades might make it on my Christmas list!

Heather's Smooth Hands Recipe

Heather at "A Quiet Place to Rest" posted a recipe on her blog for soft hands and feet. This morning I tried it myself!

Heather's Smooth Hands

sweet almond oil ( or some other pure oil)

sugar

liquid hand soap

thick hand lotion

"Remove jewelery. Line up all your 'ingredients' and set aside 5 minutes for your self. Place a few drops of oil on each hand and rub all over. Place 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in the palm of one hand and rub all over both hands - this can be messy so I do it over the sink. Don't rub too hard - you'll want some skin left! Squeeze a few drops of liquid hand soap into your palm and rub all over - again - be gentle! Rinse your hands in warm water - pat dry. Apply lotion to your baby smooth hands. I do this Saturday night when I know I'll be shaking hands at church Sunday Morning and don't want to rub folks the wrong way!

If you have a helpful husband, like I do, you can probably request his help with your feet - strong hands seem to make a great difference in removing the rough dry skin on my feet, and it just feels so good to relax while he pampers my piggies!"

How it worked for me: I chose to use extra virgin olive oil, as it was the only oil I had available in my home. It was quick and easy to use. What I LOVE about this recipe is that it works just as well as any commercial scrub, but it's cheaper! Not only that, but it contains ingredients that I already have in my home so there's no need to waste money or space on a whole new product.

I'm wondering, can I bottle this recipe and use in the shower for all over exfoliation? I think I'll TRY IT!

Thank you, Heather for you WONDERFUL Contribution!

My Favorite Beauty Aid!

When it comes to make-up and moisturizer, my moisturizer wins hands down, every time! If I had to choose between the two, move over make-up! Not every lady that reads this blog will be a make-up wearer, but every lady should be a moisturizer user! If you don't have a facial moisturizer of some kind, shame shame!

Here's my favorite:


Not only is it cheaper than the L'Oreal (which contains the same ingredients), but it works just as well! I love the smell of cleanliness this container holds....ahh!

I started using moisturizer on my face after washings at the age of 13. I've been using this brand since I was about 16 (now 22) and haven't switched! Because it's "firming", I do hope that it helps keep wrinkles at bay for as long as possible!

Using anti-wrinkle cream is an excellent idea at any age (it's amazing what consistency can do).

What is your favorite face cream? How long have you been using your current?

Don't have a moisturizer? Try Equate Firming Face and Neck Cream! I HIGHLY recommend it (and it comes from Wal-Mart)!

Call Me a Quitter, Nah! Conditioner Only Results

The most important thing is that I tried! Yes, for the past 11 days, I did not wash my hair with shampoo, but conditioner only. I know that you are all dying to know the results! Here's what happened:

-I realized that my hair doesn't have to be shampooed every day.

-My scalp produces too much oil, because I make it. By shampooing my hair daily I strip the natural oils from my hair causing my scalp to over-produce.

-On Sunday I realized that my hair really was lacking body.

-This morning after a misty walk (which was called off by rain), I threw in the towel and shampooed my hair.

I do believe with more "practice" my hair could do MOSTLY without shampoo. I decided last night that I must start shampooing my hair every once-in-a-while because my hair needs every bit of body that it can get from shampoo, conditioner wasn't cutting it.

Here's my new plan:

-Limit Shampooing to three times, or twice a week.
-Find conditioner with EXTRA BODY!
-ALWAYS leave in conditioner as long as possible before rinsing
-ALWAYS rinse with the coolest water possible. It seals up the healthy shine in my hair.
What do I recommend?!?!

TRY IT! Don't be afraid. If you get scared and panic, just shampoo like normal. Take baby steps by skipping one day here and one day there. I truly believe it's worth trying!
For future reference, this is my hair, hehe! I probably should have shown you these first. These two were taken on Sunday, I started on Friday. Check out New Mom at Growing Up Gracefully, she took pictures after the first day! Let's watch her blog as she experiments with CO!