Mix Your Own Lipstick Palette

Hate to throw away old lipsticks you don't wear anymore, but aren't sure what else to do with them? Try mixing them together to create new shades. After all, what have you got to lose?

My sister and I did this when we were teenagers, and for years afterward I always wore a color she mixed for me for any dress-up occasion. It was a perfect bright red, with slightly orangey tones. She blended a tiny bit of lip balm into it, as well, which helped the color stay in place and keep lips moist. She melted it into a little metal lip gloss tin that was perfect for slipping into one of those tiny formal bags.

Domino magazine has created a how-to video for creating your own lipstick palettes. They mostly show you how to get the lipsticks into the palette. I recommend that you use the microwave option they suggest if you are doing any multiple color or ingredient blending, as this will help you fully blend the colors and ingredients together. That way, all you have to do to wear your new creations is apply it.

Oil Balancing Face Mask

Spring and summer call for lighter makeup and natural good looks. You want a beautiful, radiant face free of all of that heavy winter makeup. But shiny, oily skin can really spoil the day. Banish oily skin with this simple, home-made mask:

Oil Balancing Face Mask
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp honey

Mix together to form a paste, and spread over face. Let it sit for ten minutes and rinse. The parsley and honey have antiseptic properties to minimize breakouts, the milk removes impurities, and the milk and honey moisturize and reduce redness.

Repeat once or twice per week, or as often as you like.

Combine with Dessert Beauty "Sweet Cheeks" blush in "Light Pink Shimmer" for a fantastic summer glow:

Benefit Cosmetics Promo Codes

Time to restock on your favorite Benefit cosmetics and skin care products? Use one of these promo codes to get free products with your purchase!

Show off your spring colors! April 1 to April 12, get one FREE show off!, our sheer, loose, shimmer powders, in any shade with any $50 purchase. Enter promo code SPRING08 at checkout. Not valid with any other offer.

For a limited time only, get a custom Hanky Panky thrrrob-inspired thong as a free gift with any $65 purchase. Enter promo code HANKYPAN at checkout. Available to customers with US addresses only. Limited one per customer, while supplies last. Not valid with any other offer.

Face Scrub Recipe

I can't wait to try this! This face scrub requires only three ingredients that you probably already have sitting around: lemon juice, yogurt, and salt. From the look of her skin, it seems to work great!



Enjoy!



Don't have time to make your own scrub? Try this on for size!

Lip Gloss Recipes!

Spring is here, and that means it's time to lighten up your makeup. Natural lip glosses are a great way to let your natural colors shine through, while still keeping lips moist and supple. Here is a great honey lip gloss recipe:

Honey Lip Gloss
3 oz. Almond Oil
2 Teaspoons Honey
1/2 oz. Beeswax or Beeswax Pellets
1 Vitamin E Capsule (as a preservative)
1-4 Drops Essential Oil

Mix the ingredients in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Other lip gloss recipes featuring low-cost ingredients available here.

The Best Advice for Curly Hair - EVER

For years, I hated my curly hair. I brushed it out, overdosed on products, and killed it with heated styling tools. Then, I read this article and learned to love and nurture my hair. It is by far the best advice for caring for curly hair I've ever seen, hands down. Thanks to Lorraine Massey's advice, my hair is curly, shiny, and frizz-free.

Here's the condensed version:

Buy a high-quality conditioner and SKIP THE SHAMPOO! Shampoo strips the natural oils from your hair and dries it out. Since curly hair is naturally dry, shampooing is absolutely unnecessary. I've gone without shampoo for months and I haven't missed it one bit!

Instead of shampooing, rinse your hair in warm water and apply the conditioner (I use Pantene Pro V Always Smooth Conditioner). Let it sit while you take the rest of your shower. Rinse in hair in cold water and pat dry using a cotton cloth (like an old t-shirt, etc.).

Allow hair to air dry, separating portions with clips if your hair is thick or long. Don't brush, use styling products, or heated styling tools. And, most importantly, don't touch it too much! Just let it be.

My own personal secret is to wash my hair at night and let it dry overnight - the curls are bouncier since they weren't weighed down by gravity while drying. I massage a dime-sized amount of conditioner over the top of my hair in the morning to smooth frizzies. This really simplifies the morning routine, and ensures that my hair will be picture-perfect the next day.