Colbie Caillat's "Try" Video

 If you can't view the video click HERE

This video has been making the rounds but I wanted to share it in case you haven't seen it - Colbie Caillat's "Try" has an awesome message about loving yourself and being comfortable in your skin with, or without, a full face of makeup.

How To Keep Your Makeup Looking Cute When It's Hot as Blazes

You guys - that's what it feels like to me when I know I have to walk the 8 minute walk from my house to the subway.  And my makeup can end up in a puddle on the sidewalk.

I made a video with all of my "must have steps" for keeping your makeup looking great all day long in nasty humid weather so watch away and proceed to look cool as a cucumber :) - 

 

If you can't view the video click HERE

One thing I left out, which is kind of annoying to ask of someone, is to walk more slowly - meaning to add about 10 minutes into your travel time.  I know that's obnoxious but when you're in a hurry you naturally get warmer and if it's hot outside that adds to you getting sweaty.

DIY All-Natural All-Purpose Cleaner

There is so much crap in our cleaning supplies you guys and we are breathing all of it in (and paying a LOT for it).  I have been playing with different recipes for cleaners, laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent and have settled on some faves that I'll share with you over the next bit of time.  Today is a breakdown on my favorite All-Purpose Cleanser which works beautifully on everything except granite and marble.  It still smells a bit like vinegar, just better, once you add all the goodies, but the vinegar smells dissipates in seconds.  It is SO much more healthy than the bleach and other chemical laden ingredient and WAY cheaper.  One batch of concentrate is good for 4-5 bottles of cleaner.  I found my recipe at The Yummy Life and she has other recipes you could do instead so check it out!  

You'll need

*4-5 lemons

*3-5 sprigs of herbs (rosemary, sage or mint)

*vanilla

*white vinegar

*airtight jar to put it in

I was juicing so I had a bunch of orange peels, and a couple of orange peels, gathered up so I figured it was a good time to make another batch of the concentrate.  I just leave the stickers on as you can see.

Throw all of of the peels in an airtight jar

I grabbed some rosemary and sage from my garden but you can throw any herbies in there - wash them off first of course

Add the herbs to your jar of citrus peels

Add 1-2 tsp of vanilla

Cover with vinegar

Let it sit for 2-4 weeks (yep, 2-4 WEEKS) and strain it - it'll end up looking like the jar on the right.

Run one of your existing spray bottles (or buy a new one) through the dishwasher to get all of the chemicals out (thank you Method).

Then pour in 2 parts water for 1 part vinegar concentrate.

Start cleaning!

The Day I Bought Mineral Oil or How To Remove Individual Lash Glue

My sweet friend, Liz, and I in our pin up garb (complete with apron!) 

Okay folks, so I had a big helping of humble pie this past Fourth of July weekend - my neighbors put together a lovely holiday shin-dig and our theme was to do "Pin Up" hair/makeup/etc.  I went all in!  I attempted, and failed, victory rolls and did a full beat face complete with lashes which I don maybe once a year - I was feeling festive.

Duo Individual Lash Glue on the left, regular Eyelash Adhesive on the right

While in Los Angeles last month I went to Naimie's, and behaved like a pig in mud thank you very much, and whilst there picked up Duo's Clear Individual Lash Adhesive.  I hadn't seen it before, neither had the salesgirl, and thought it must be good because I love their Eyelash Adhesive for all of the lashes I apply for my wedding/event ladies.   Then a major fail occurred.  I did not read the box.  Nor did I keep it.  Once home I threw it out and put the glue in my kit.  Cue foreboding music.

I applied my Ardell 305 Lashes, thank you Kate Baldwin, used my Duo Individual Lash Adhesive figuring it was fine and went to the party.  One am rolled around and we got home and I went to wash my face.  "Hmmm....this glue is serious.  These lashes feel really solid" I thought as I tried to peel them off my eyes.  They wouldn't budge.  After MUCH perusal online I realized that the lash glue I had used was for 2-4 week lash wear - what?!!!  I had a mild panic attack when I realized these were not going to be slipping off easily.  I also finally found info on how to get it off - um, you can't really but if you want to try "try a q-tip with some mineral oil".  Well, have we met?  I don't use mineral oil because it is a major petrochemical and hardcore badie.  So I cracked out my coconut and olive oils, mixed them together and felt certain they would work to dissolve the cement that was on my eyelids.  Nope.  It was about 2:30 in the morning at this point and was ready to put motor oil on my eyes if it might work.  I asked Daniel, champ that he is, to go to the drugstore and get me, HORRORS!, some baby oil (which is made of mineral oil) so we could get this show wrapped up.

My eyelash is holding on for dear life - it had really bonded with me :)

I took a shower while he went in an effort to dissolve some of the glue - no go.  Daniel got back and I ditched the qtips and switched to dipping full cotton pads into the Mineral Oil and holding it on my lashes.

Carnage from the night - and yes, those are MY lashes in the front bowl of mineral oil.  So sad.  

You guys, it literally took an hour to get them off.  It was 4 am at that point and poor Daniel stayed up rubbing my back while I sat there with my eyes covered in Mineral Oil soaked pads occasionally wincing, as that stuff sucks to get in your eyes, and making little squeaky noises as I slowly was able to pull off a millimeter at a time of the lash.  I was ready to kiss that little bottle of Johnson and Johnson!

4am selfie sans makeup, hair and, gratefully, LASHES!!!  

The ONLY reasons I'm putting this out into the world is I wish someone would have just written somewhere to soak a cotton pad in baby oil and hold it on your eye if you ever do this AND to reiterate that reading your labels is SO IMPORTANT.  And to show the power of makeup/hair because the before and after on this, or rather the after/before, is kind of nuts.