Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Taking my own Hiatus

This will be my last post until mid March.  I'm going to Cancun for a little and going to soak up some sun.  I will be taking some of my peppermint moisturizing lotion just in case I get a burn.  I'll be keeping my eyes and ears open for any new tips that might be of interest to you.  Until that time I hope you find the time to slow down and take a little hiatus of your own!

Monday, February 21, 2011

The beauty power of the POTATO!

Very few people look at a potato as anything other than a food product.  But, the potato can be used in many ways in your beauty routine. 


 -  For puffy and swollen eyes, make a wet compress of 4Tbsp. freshly grated raw potato. Place on the eyes for about 15 minutes, then rinse with cold water.

 -  Raw potato slices laid on sore eyes reduces heat and redness.

 -  To lighten dark circles under your eyes, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.  

 -  To reduce sunburn or frostbite: apply potato or potato juice to the affected area.

 -  To whiten your face or even out the tone: apply blend a raw potato and apply as a mask.  Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse with warm water.  This will reduce any swelling as well.  **This will slowly remove any tan and/or pigment from your face**  

 -  To reduce swelling: apply a slice of potato to any affected area for 15 minutes. 

 -  Make a facial cleanser: Blend 1/4 cucumber and a small potato for 20 seconds.  Add 1 tsp baking soda, 1 egg  and 1/2 pint yogurt.  Blend until smooth.  Apply to a damp face and rinse with warm water. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

 -  To darken grey hair: boil potato peels in water, strain the water and discard the peels.  After you shampoo use the potato water as a rinse.

Potatoes do have a skin lightening property that will take effect over time.  This is great for reducing redness and dark circles but if you don't want to lighten your skin don't make this part of your regular routine. 

Friday, February 18, 2011

Dandruff Remover

Dandruff is not always easy to deal with.  You buy all these products that 'guarantee' to rid you of your dandruff and it never goes away.  Next time give this a try:


1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar


Mix together the water and vinegar.  Apply to your hair before you shampoo.  Use the mixture twice a week.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Exfoliating Chocolate Mask

A common theme of Valentines day is chocolate.  Most women love the stuff and can't get enough of it.  I am one of those women.  I love this chocolate mask!  It feels luxurious, it's easy and it's EDIBLE.  So, if some just happens to get on your lips when you put it on, go ahead and lick it off. 

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs heavy cream
3 tsp oatmeal powder

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Massage the mask onto your face and rinse with warm water after 20 minutes.

If you don't have oatmeal powder that's ok.  Take regular oatmeal and put it in a coffee grinder or food processor until it becomes a powder.  The oatmeal will gently exfoliate your skin.  The honey is a wonderful anti-bacterial agent.  It will work to clean and open your pores.  Your face will feel so soft and clean after using this mask.

You will have leftover mask so put it into a airtight container and store it in the fridge. 

Friday, February 11, 2011

Basil treatment for ACNE

Basil can be used for more than just great dishes!  It is also known for soothing and toning skin.  Keeping this in mind, it is possible to harness those properties for the treatment of your acne.

Here's how:

2 to 3 teaspoons dried basil leaves or a large handful of fresh leaves
1 cup boiling water

Steep the basil leaves in the water for 10-20 minutes. Allow it to cool and apply to your face with a cotton ball.   Store the basil water in the refrigerator.  

Recommended shelf life: 90 days.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Soften those rough dry patches!

Lemon is a powerful beauty aid!  One of it's properties is to soften those dry patches of skin, either on your knees, elbows or anywhere else.  But, those patches will often turn your skin a darker shade than the rest of your body.  This can be a major problem.  Well...lemon can take care of that too.  Gently rub a slice of lemon on your problem spot and let the lemon do its magic.  Remember though, as with many things you may have to repeat this over a period short period of time.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Red, Red Wine...

Here's a recipe that really caught my eye!  It's courtesy of  The Spa at Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in
Asheville, N.C.   It is used to clarify and moisten your skin.

Red Wine and Honey Bath

4 cups of the cheapest red wine you can find
1 cup Honey

Add these to your bath and enjoy!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Tip for Today!

Since it's so cold outside many people have problems with dry, chapped skin.  I'm sure you'd like to warm up your skin a little, so try this: while you're in the shower put your moisturizer on top of your radiator or close to your fireplace.  When you get out the lotion will be nice and warm.  If you have purchased some moisturizer from my store it is possible to put the jar into the microwave for a few seconds to get the same effect.  Be aware though, that this will cause any lotion to become more runny. 

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Give you face a little lift with PEACHES

If you're wanting to tighten the skin on your face and give yourself a refreshing glow try this peach mask:

Ingredients:
1 ripe peach
1 egg white
1 tsp full-fat yogurt

Puree all ingredients in a blender. Clean your face and apply the mask. After 15-30 minutes, rinse off the mask with cool water and pat dry.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Revitalize your Dry, Damaged Hair

Our hair takes a lot of abuse.  We go into the hot sun, color it, blow dry it and put numerous products on it.  All of this puts a lot of strain on our hair, which leaves it dry and damaged.
There are products that guarantee that they will restore the luster an shine to your hair.  These products are often expensive too.  There are homemade options that work just as well, if not better than what you can buy at the store or salon.   I thought I'd share one of those options with you today.

Hair Soak
1 Cucumber
1 Egg
Olive Oil

Slice the cucumber.  Place it in a blender with the egg.  Fill half of your eggshell with olive oil and put that into the blender.  Blend all of the ingredients together until smooth and place evenly on your hair.  Allow it to soak for 10 minutes and rinse thoroughly .  For best results do this treatment monthly.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Brighten your nails!

If you have dingy, or discolored nails.  Here is an recipe for your home that is simply amazing!

All you need is:
1 denture tablet
1 cup warm water
1-2 drops essential oil (optional)

If you're using essential oil you want to add this first.  Just place the oil on the tablet.  Put the warm water into small bowl and the denture tablet.  Soak your fingers for 10 minutes.  When you're done discard the solution.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

*** 15% OFF SALE ***

I'm proud to offer a Valentine's Day sale!.  Effective immediately until Valentine's Day take 15% when you enter the coupon code "Love15" at checkout.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Bruises and what to do about them

We all get bruises but there are some natural things we can do to shorten the length of time they stay on our skin.
It's happened, you've hurt yourself and you know you're going to get a bruise. First put a cold compress on the location.  A bag of frozen peas can work in a pinch.  If you can, elevate the area.  This is to reduce the amount of swelling.  From this point you have a few options.  You can rub some margarine, butter or crumble a boiled egg and rub onto the spot.  Vitamins E and K are also known to reduce the visibility of bruises.

If you frequently get bruises you may have a vitamin C deficiency and you need to examine your diet to ensure you're getting the recommended 60 mg per day.  If you are getting your daily value, it might be wise to speak with your doctor, as the bruising may be a sign of an immune system disorder.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

A tip for today!

Here's a tip! If you're nervous and need to be in front of people, place a little petroleum jelly on the front of your teeth. This will keep your lips and lipstick from sticking.

Monday, January 24, 2011

What causes Sweaty, Smelly Feet?


What causes smelly feet?

We all know how smelly feet can clear out a room. Those with this problem are embarrassed by it and those who smell it are disgusted by it. So where does all that stink come from?! It all starts with sweat. If you don't sweat all the time your sweating is likely caused by wearing synthetic socks or shoes that are made with synthetic materials. If, however, you sweat all the time, it's believed that your problem originates from genetics.

Those who suffer can likely point out other members in their family who have the same problem. The inherited gene causes over stimulation in the sympathetic nervous system in the lumbar region. The scientific name for this is plantar hyperhidrosis.

Excessive sweating can also be signs of stress, anemia, overactive thyroid, leukemia, lymphoma, menopause, heart attack, or an infectious disease. If your feet started to sweat more when you began a new medication that is likely the cause and you can speak with your doctor about it.

Alright, so we know that the smell comes from sweat and we know what some major causes of sweating. So how does all that sweat make feet stink? The answer is that bacteria LOVES SWEAT! When we put our feet into our socks and shoes we create a dark moist environment. Everyone sweats on their feet but usually not enough to generate a problem. People who sweat excessively feed that bacteria with their sweat causing them to reproduce en mass. This bacteria is the actual manufacturer of that odor.

Fact: 

You have more than 250,000 sweat glands on your feet, and each foot is capable of producing more than a pint of sweat!!!


What can you do? 

If excessive sweating and odor has not been a part of most of your life then you should examine what is causing this now phenomenon. If it's stress, then you should do what you can to reduce that stress. If, however you're not under stress and this is something new you should speak with your doctor.

For those of you who've had to deal with this for as long as you remember, I'm sad to report that currently there is no cure. All that you can do is manage the symptoms. So I've compiled a list of things to help you reduce the smell and bacteria.

Wash: Yep, as simple as it sounds simply cleaning those feet can be a tremendous help. You can wash 2-3 times a day with a antibacterial soap. Make sure you wash them after any strenuous activity. Be sure to avoid over washing though. If your feet become dry, cracked or scaly reduce the amount of time you wash them.

Keep them dry: Use powder on your feet. The powder will not only absorb the moisture but will also block some of the sweat glands, reducing the amount of sweat. This will starve out the bacteria and reduce their numbers. You can also use a foot scrub containing salt, or simply use salt water. Soak your feet for 5-10 minutes and rinse them with plain water. Be sure that you dry your feet completely with a towel. If you'd like follow this up by adding an oil free moisturizer to your feet. It also works to use an antiperspirant on your feet.

Shoes: Your shoes play a major role in how much bacteria is on your feet, as well as how much they smell. If you can wear sandals or open sided shoes as much as possible. Don't wear the same shoes more than one day at a time. Give your shoes at least 24 hours to breathe and dry out. If you need to wear socks make sure they are made from natural fibers such as cotton or wool and change them several times a day. Any closed shoe should be well ventilated. Invest in some good odor eater inserts.

Diet: No I'm not telling you that you have to loose weight to make your feet to smelling. What I am saying is that certain foods are known to increase sweating and foot odor. If you discover a food that makes you sweat, simply reduce how much you eat of that thing. There are some foods you wouldn't suspect of causing foot odor. Here are a few: garlic, scallions, peppers and onions. The pigments that give these foods their strong flavors get absorbed into the blood stream and from there are removed from the body in the form of sweat.

Go to your Doctor: If you have an extreme case of sweating and nothing you've tried works you can talk to your doctor about it. There are several options and he/she can help you decide what is right for you. A doctor can prescribe an aluminum chloride solution, tap-water ionthophoresis (where a mild electrical current passes through your skin), injections similar to botox, or surgery.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Bath Tea Recipe

Place 1/2cup of your favorite herbs in an old nylon or cheesecloth and tie the end.  Boil 2 cups of water (on the stove) remove the water from the heat and place your herb bag into the water.  Cover the pan and allow the herbs to steep for 15-20 minutes.  Remove the herb bag from the water and drain the water remaining in the herbs into the infusion being careful not to burn yourself.  Throw away the herbs or place them in a compost.  Allow your 'tea' to cool.  You may use immediately or store in a decorative glass jar.  The shelf life will be 2-6 months when dry herbs are used.  To use simply add desired amount to your bath water.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Freshen your hair with Lemon!

Did you use too much hairspray?  Is your hair dull?  Try using lemon as your hairspray instead!

  • 1 lemon slice
  • 2 cups water
Put the lemon in the water and blend.  Filter out all of the lemon pieces and place water into a spray bottle.  Store in the refrigerator.

Use whenever you need to style or freshen your hair.  To lengthen shelf life add a little alcohol or rum.  If you don't like the smell of the lemon try using an orange instead. If you use the lemon spray continuously it will cause your hair to lighten.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

All Natural Decongestant Remedy

I hate using those medicines from the store that have ingredients that are impossible to even pronounce.  Well, if like me, you want something different, This is for you!  All you need is one onion and some honey.

Finely chop one onion.  Place the onion in a small bowl and cover with honey.  Cover the bowl with a tight seal.  Let it ferment 8 hours.  Remove and discard the onion and store the honey in a bottle or jar.  Use 1 Tbs in hot tea or water 3 times a day.

It's so wonderful you don't even realize you're treating your cold!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Alternative Fever Blister Treatments

While nothing can make a cold sore virus go away completely, here are some items to treat it's appearance.

Using a Q-tip dab on:

  •  Aloe vera gel
  •  Tooth Paste:  apply in a thin layer over the spot and alternate the treatment with rubbing alcohol.
  •  Listerine
  •  Garlic:  every 10 minutes rub half a clove over the spot
  •  Nail Polish Remover:  While this does give good results, do not overuse it.  Too much can cause skin damage


Make sure to keep your lips moisturized.  Never pick at the scab.  And, while it's not pretty, once you see blood on the spot the virus is again going into recession.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Exfoliating Tomato and Lemon Facial Mask

This recipe is great for gently exfoliating your face with items already have around you house!

Ingredients:
1 overripe tomato
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp instant oatmeal

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Apply to face,  after 20 minutes, rinse with warm water.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Valentine's Day is fast approching!

Love is in the air and peoples mind is turning towards romance and you're not sure what to get your sweetheart.  Well, I'll definitely try to ensure you have everything you need to wow your special someone for Valentine's day with a few new products from my store.

Decadent Chocolate Lover's Moisturizer is magnificent for any chocolate lover in your life.  It is intensely moisturizing and smells good enough to eat!

Rose Bath Salts are perfect for showing how much you care.  I encourage you to share the bath for this one.  The bath salts have the light floral scent of rose and an added bonus of having organic rose petals too.

So snuggle up to your sweetie, and tell them of your love!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Our beginning

There are main two reasons that I began Hiatus Bath & Body.  The first is that my youngest son and I have very sensitive skin.  It can be difficult to find products that can be used on our skin without causing a rash on one of us.  The things we were able to use cost a little more than I was wanting to pay.  I decided to try making our own.  I started with moisturizer.  After a little trial and error I was able to find a recipe that worked for us.  I found that I enjoyed making that so why not try other things.  Bath salts soon followed along with foot and body scrubs.   I'm constantly looking at the items I use around the house and wondering if I could make that item myself.  Sometimes the answer has been yes, sometimes a resounding no.  But I've enjoyed every minute.

The second reason is that I enjoy helping others to relax.  So many people go so fast in their daily lives that they get tired and burnt out.  It doesn't matter how old or young you are we all have things that come at us. Everyone needs to be able to take a break, but they often don't know how to do that.  My solution is a simple one, pamper yourself.  I've designed all of my products to aid in relaxation and relief of muscle tension.  I want to provide items that make a person feel as though they've taken a little vacation from all of those pressures and demands around them.

It's time to slow down a little before the pressure buries you.  Look for things that make you smile.  But above all, relax!



If you'd like to check out my store, you can find me at www.hiatusbathandbody.etsy.com