DIY Makeup Remover

Have you ever noticed how expensive makeup remover is? For a small 4 oz bottle, it's usually $4 or more. Crazy! Makeup is expensive as it is, so the means to remove it shouldn't be. Something I have used in the past that works great and is relatively more bang for your buck is baby oil. It works great to remove eye makeup, even the waterproof stuff. I came across this recipe for DIY makeup remover, and decided to give it a shot. I thought, if it works, I will whip up a big batch of it and save some serious money!

If the idea of putting extra virgin olive oil on your skin freaks you out, don't let it. For one thing, it's a very natural substance, and actually closely resembles your skin's natural oils. The aloe vera water, if you choose to use it, has soothing properties, so it is calming and naturally cooling.  You can use this makeup remover before or after washing your face, but if you fear your face may be greasy after using it, you can wash your face after applying. Also, this combo won't burn or irritate your eyes. That's something that I never understood with eye makeup remover. It shouldn't burn if it goes in your eyes, especially if it's made to be near your eyes!

Ingredients:
-Filtered or distilled water (or Aloe vera water, found at health stores)
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-empty container or bottle with a lid

1. Take your empty bottle and fill it up a little more than 1/2 way with filtered water.

2. Add the 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.

3. Fill up the remainder of the bottle with the filtered water.

4. To use, simply cap the bottle, shake well to combine the oil and water, and pour a small amount onto a cotton ball.

Hold the cotton ball on your eyelid for a few seconds, allowing the eyelid to soak up the oil. Then gently swipe outward and upward, away from your eye and toward your ear. Repeat as needed. This can be used for removing all makeup, not just eye makeup. I am quite pleased with the results!

So, how did it work for you?

Perfume

"A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future."
                                                                                 -Coco Chanel

Needless to say, I wear a LOT of perfume (just kidding!) But seriously...

There is nothing more sexy than a guy who knows how to wear his cologne. What I mean by that is, he wears the right amount where it's not overpowering, and the scent suits him. I definitely swoon over a guy who smells good!

Take this fun quiz to find out what perfumes best suit you!

If you are perfume/cologne shopping, here is some great advice I once received. When testing out a new scent, do not smell the bottom from the nozzle like this:

What happens is that you are mostly smelling the alcohol of the perfume, and not the actual scent. Use the perfume tester strips most stores provide. 

Spray a little on the strip, and then wave the strip back and forth a few times to diffuse the scent. Then, bring the strip to your nose and smell. You will notice a HUGE difference if you haven’t been doing this.
Also, just because a perfume or cologne smells good, that doesn’t mean it smells good on you. Believe it or not, different perfumes react differently to different people. Make sure to test out not only how the perfume smells on the tester strip, but also on your wrist.

Keep in mind that your perfume or cologne should be in the same family of scent as your soap/shampoo/conditioner, so that they don’t clash.

When applying perfume, less is more! Seriously, nobody wants to smell you from across the parking lot. Don't spray it and walk through it, as that is just a huge waste of product. A light spritz will do the trick, and the best places to apply for a long-lasting effect are your pulse points, or any place where the blood vessels are closest to the skin: The wrists, neck, behind the ears, in the crease of the elbows, and behind the knees. I usually spritz my wrists, rub them together, and then use them to apply on my neck, near my ears. A little goes a long way. Try to also apply when fresh out of the shower. You want the perfume to be on you, and not your clothes, simply because if you remove those clothes, you will also remove the majority of your perfume. Some fragrances can also stain clothes/jewelry. You can also make perfume last longer by using a body wash or lotion of the same scent.

My signature scent is Vera Wang’s Princess, but I also like Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels in Heavenly, and Aquolina Pink Sugar (it smells like cotton candy). I am not a huge fan of floral scents, and tend to go for sweeter smelling ones. What are your favorites?

Taco Dip

This recipe is one of my all-time faves, because it is sooo ridiculously easy and so good! I have my brother to thank for this recipe!! As a hint, if you are going to a party and are going to be leaving this behind, I recommend going with a disposable pan so that you won't miss it. Also, the order of layers I use in this recipe, you can layer however you would like, but it's a bit difficult to spread something on lettuce or cheese..or even salsa!!

Taco Dip

Serves: 10
Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
-1 bag of shredded cheese
-1 container of sour cream
-1/2 head of lettuce
-1 bag of taco seasoning
-1 medium sized jar of mild salsa (or approx. 3 tomatoes, diced)
-1 bag of tortilla chips

1. Mix the taco seasoning into the sour cream (I literally just pour it right on top of the sour cream in its container and mix it--one less dish to clean!).

2. Spread the taco cream on the bottom of the pan. This is layer one of your dip!

3. Next, pour the salsa on top of the taco cream. Spread it out evenly. This is layer two!

4. Chop up the lettuce into thin strips. Spread it on top of the salsa evenly. Layer three!

 

5. Lastly, sprinkle the shredded cheese all over the lettuce for your final layer. Done!