Dry Brushing

So, I just found out about this great skin exfoliating technique called dry brushing. I did some research on it, as I always do, because I don't tend to take beauty and health tips for truth based off of one source or what one person says.

It is supposedly really good for circulation, as well as exfoliation of the skin. Some claim it is even good for getting rid of cellulite. I am not sure how true that last point is, but I could definitely understand the circulation bit because you are increasing your blood flow by stimulating your skin, which in turn boosts your immune system and helps to detoxify. I can also understand the exfoliation bit because you are sloughing off dead skin cells at the surface so that your skin is softer and can absorb nutrients more easily.

The best time to do this is right before you shower, in the shower with the water off, so then after you are done, you can then rinse off all of those dead skin cells (yuck!). It is recommended to do this at least 1-2 times per week. Also, avoid brushing your face (you have very delicate skin there), and do not attempt this if you have existing skin problems like eczema, acne, a rash, cuts or lacerations, etc. I got the majority of my information from this site.

Materials:
-a brush with natural bristles and a detachable handle (I got mine at Target for pretty cheap in the skincare aisle)

1. Remove the handle of the brush. Get naked! (HA! I have waited so long to be able to say that for a step 1 in a post! Sorry to say you will NOT see a picture of me naked--this is not THAT kind of a site!)

2. Start with your feet, moving in circular motions, always moving towards the heart. Do the bottom of your feet first, and then the top. You are going to want to brush gently on areas in which the skin is thinner (like the top of the foot) and a little harder in areas where the skin is thick (like the bottom of your feet).

3. Work up each leg, one at a time, first at the back of the leg, using the same soft, circular motions towards the heart. Move up through the buttocks, and then to the front of the leg. Avoid any delicate skin, like the insides of the thighs.

4. After you are finished with the lower half, start at the fingertips of one arm, and move up the arm and towards the heart. Repeat on the other arm.

5. Move to the back (this is where you will need to reattach the handle to the brush--I've got long arms, but not THAT long!), working your movements towards your stomach. Start with one side of the back, and then repeat on the other.

6. When you get to your stomach, start at your lower abdomen and work your way up. Avoid delicate areas (like the nipples). End at your chest in an upward stroke.

7. Rinse off and shower as usual.

After doing this, my skin does feel softer. It's kind of a weird feeling to get used to though. Also, I enjoyed the massage that the brush gives! I will keep this up at least once per week, when I have the time. :)

Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups

I love lasagna. I swear, Garfield and I are related. Part of the reason why I probably love it so much is because my mom didn't make it very often, so when she did, it was a real treat. It's time consuming, but well worth the result. So naturally, when I found a way to speed up the time, I was all in. I also plan to try crock pot lasagna at some point. I decided to go meatless for these ones. Here is the original recipe.

Serves: 10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
-1 egg
-10 lasagna noodles
-salt and pepper, to taste
-pinch of dried basil leaves
-pinch of oregano
-10 oz spinach, chopped (I bought a 9oz bag not chopped, and just tore it up, but didn't even use half)
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-15 oz ricotta cheese
-32 oz tomato sauce
-1 bag shredded mozzarella

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and spinach in a bowl. When adding the spinach, I added a handful, mixed, added another handful, and mixed.

3. Ladle about 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish. Set aside.

4. Cook the lasagna noodles as directed on the package.

5. Once noodles are cooked, drain the water and lay each noodle out on a piece of wax paper or foil (I used tongs to grab them gently when they were too hot to touch). Allow the noodles to cool and dry for about 5 minutes.

6. Take 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture and scoop it onto each noodle. Spread the mixture out across the noodle.

7. Roll each noodle up, making sure that the seam is on the bottom.

 8. Place into the baking pan.

9. Spoon tomato sauce over each roll.

10. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over each roll.

11. Cover the dish with foil and place in oven for 40 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

12. Remove dish from oven. Place a spoonful of sauce on your plate, heat in the microwave for 12 seconds, and then place lasagna roll on top of the sauce on the plate and serve.

Nail Strips

I am pretty boring when it comes to doing my nails, but for good reason. If I was to do nail art of any kind, it would just look BAD. So that being said, I would rather not do it and have nice looking nails than have it look like I had a monkey do my manicure. I decided to give the Sally Hansen Salon Nail Effects a whirl. It seemed easy enough! They now apparently have a gel one too, but the only reason I chose this one over that (other than the fact this one is $2.00 cheaper) is because you have to own a UV light to help with drying, which I do not have.

Materials:
-1 box of Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips (I chose the lace one)
-nail clipper
-clear nail polish

1. Remove any nail polish you may be wearing. Trim and file your nails, as needed.

2. Wash your hands and nails thoroughly with warm water and soap. You don't want any residue or anything on them. Dry them thoroughly.

The kit comes with a nail file and a stick, in addition to the nail strips.

4. Using the flat edge of the stick, push down all of your cuticles. If necessary, trim them with a nail clipper.

5. If you flip the provided nail file over, it is white. Use the white side to gently buffer each nail until it is shiny.

6. See which strips fit which nails best. Some are skinny, some are wider, but the good news is, if you screw up, you have extras!

7. Peel the plastic layer off of the nail strip.Whew--those things smell just like nail polish!

8. Next, peel the nail strip away from the paper backing, tearing it off at the part where the tab is.

 9. Line the nail strip up with your cuticle, and firmly press it onto your nail.

10. Use the flat side of the stick to gently press down all around the bottom and side edges of the nail. Smooth out any bubbles.

11. For the top, gently bend the nail strip, creating a crease in the nail strip. When I did this, the strip actually ripped on it's own.

12. Using the light pink part of the nail file, gently file the remaining edges off of the nail strip.

13. Repeat for all of your nails. You can optionally finish the look with a coat of clear nail polish to help prevent peeling or chipping. Here is the finished product:

Not bad, eh? This is supposed to last for up to 10 days--and you can easily remove them with nail polish remover. However, one thing about my nails is that they are not perfectly flat. They actually have ridges in them, which causes a problem for the nail strip being able to stick to them well. So by the next day, the tops were already peeling off a bit. I don't know that I will buy these again because of that, but it was a good experiment nonetheless. Hopefully you will have better luck!