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Light, Lovely Smelling Hair Rejuvenating Oil: Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil

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It can be difficult to find just one hair care product that you can go to reliably for consistently lovely results. This light hair oil, with strengthening properties, is one of those products. It adds shine, makes your hair smell great, and is infused with biotin to benefit even the most dry and difficult hair.

If you’re trying to grow your hair, make it feel a bit softer, or want to keep it moisturized, Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil is a good pick. You only need a bit of it, about the size of a nickel or quarter (depending on your hair length). Work it through from the scalp to the ends and put on a heat cap if you’d like. Use it consistently to see the results.

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Help for Dry, Crackly Feet – Dr. Scholl’s Ultra Hydrating Foot Peel Mask

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Hydrating Foot Peel Mask for Dry, Crackly Feet

During the pandemic, I think many of us have started to neglect certain matters of… hygiene. One in particular for me is not getting regular pedicures because of concerns about spending a long time indoors at a public business. So my feet have been struggling a bit, become flaky, dry and crackly.

I decided to try these hydrating foot peel masks, and I’m so glad I did. I followed the directions, leaving the masks wrapped around my feet for a bit longer than suggested. Meanwhile, I kicked my feet up and relaxed, watching something on streaming. When I took them off, I had layers of old skin literally peeling off of my feet. It was kind of disgusted but very satisfying at the same time. The result was the very smooth, supple feet I had in the past. I will purchase them again in the future, 5 stars!

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Easy Home Life Hacks

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Managing your life is multi-faceted. There are so many things you have to take care of in the course of a day. On top of that, you also have to keep your home in order, so any tips for how to keep things simple will help. Here are a few easy home life hacks that will help you keep things in order, clean, organized, and well maintained.

Kitchen Stuff

Bowl Covers

You can find simple bowl covers at your local dollar store that will help preserve your food and leftovers more efficiently than trying to cover it up with a piece of plastic or Reynolds wrap. They are usually divided up in different sizes.

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How to Make Gel Press On Nails Last Longer

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Pretty Metallic Nails

I used to spend upwards of $50 per appointment to have my nails done with damaging acrylics. More for a gel nail treatment. An expensive but necessary step if I wanted to have pretty, strong, painted nails that lasted for at least a few weeks. A couple of years ago, I started to use gel press on nail kits as an alternative. They only cost about $10 per box, they’re easy to install (just add adhesive, press, and file), and they look almost exactly like a gel treatment at the nail salon. Here’s a recent installation of gel press on nails that I did:

 

I got compliments on my nails from everyone who saw them. They couldn’t believe that they weren’t done at the salon (you don’t have to tell them!). The only problem with gel press on nails is that they don’t last very long. You’re lucky to get the nails to stay on for a weekend. Here are a few tips I used to extend the wear to two weeks.

Apply Both the Glue and the Adhesive Strip

This is the exact gel nail kit that I used (you might be able to find it in stores). Kiss has a lot of very attractive styles (see more here). The directions tell you to choose between using the glue provided and the adhesive strips. I decided to use both and it made all the difference. I placed the adhesive on the inside of the nail, then placed glue on my nail. I pressed them together and waited about five seconds. The whole installation took about 15 minutes. FYI, I tried putting just the adhesive strip on one nail and it popped off after just a few hours. So use both the glue and the adhesive strip.

Cover Your Hands with Gloves When Washing Dishes

When you’re wearing gel press on nails, they come loose fast because of constant contact with water. The more your hands come into contact with water, the more the glue loses its grip. So when you do everyday tasks at home you have to try to protect the nails from water. One tip is to wear rubber gloves when you wash your dishes or clean up around the house. In fact, you might even want to wear those gloves when you’re showering to limit contact with water.

Use Hand Sanitizer Instead of Hand Washing

Of course you can’t go throughout the day without washing your hands for sanitary reasons. And if you’re like me, you wash your hands pretty frequently. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer near the sink and on your person to keep your hands clean. Even if you do wash your hands a few times during the day, which I do, the hand sanitizer will reduce your contact with water.

Avoid Opening Cans With These Nails

Gel press on nails are not strong enough to use to open cans of soda or similar items. Use the side of your finger or a fork instead. Avoid using your nails for anything besides looking good.

These tips should allow you to enjoy your pretty gel press on nails for up to two weeks–maybe longer. One or two might come off during that time, but you can just add a bit more glue and reattach. Get ready for a lot of compliments while you’re wearing them!

 

Posted by Kristina
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3 Natural Soaps: Oatmeal, Goat’s Milk & Shea Soap

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Oatmeal Soap

Having dry unhealthy skin is so unpleasant. Next to your smile, your skin is the first thing that people see when they meet you. One can spend a mini fortune buying expensive name brand skin items that don’t even work as well as natural solutions. I decided to give three natural soaps a try: oatmeal, goat’s milk and shea butter soap. Here is what I learned about each type of soap and my personal experience with each.

Oatmeal Soap

Benefits:  
– helps with poison ivy and bug bites
– moisturising effect on skin
– helps clean skin by exfoliation
– can help both dry and oily skin
– helps with sunburn, rashes or pain
– helps reduce signs of aging

My personal experience with oatmeal soap: I only use this soap when I have a skin breakout (it’s good for eczema symptoms) or a bug bite. It does a great job of soothing the area and reducing itching.

Goat’s Milk Soap

Benefits:
– high content of alpha-hydroxy acids like lactic acid which breaks down dead skin cells and leaves new cells behind
– excellent moisturizer- soothes dry skin
– contains vitamin D, C, B1, B12 & E
– treats acne because of anti bacterial properties

My personal experience with goat’s milk soap: I was giving this soap by someone I love and trust who swears by it. It’s extremely smooth, silky and milky as the name suggests. I’ve found it to be a good moisturizing soap that makes your skin smooth to the touch, and of course there are no harsh dyes or scents. I love the way it smells.

Shea Soap (raw)

Benefits:
– does not strip essential oils from skin
– disinfecting skin properties
– contains unsaponifiable compounds
– contains vitamins A, C & E
– fights germs & bacteria
– added bonus: shea butter also acts as a sunscreen

My personal experience: while I haven’t used raw shea soap just yet, I use shea butter in its natural form almost every day. This stuff is a great skin protectant and makes your skin supple (like butter). It can also help ease the irritation of rashes and eczema symptoms.

So Are Natural Soaps Right for You?

I really feel a difference in my skin when I use natural soaps. I hardly require any moisturizer on my skin after using them because they already have moisturizing properties built-in. If you’re a person who struggles with very dry skin and other skin ailments, oatmeal soap, goat’s milk soap or shea butter soap just might work better than your usual product. They may help ease your symptoms (just make sure that you’re not allergic to the ingredients) and give you the soft, supple, clear, glowing skin you’ve always wanted.

Compiled and Posted by Lorraine and Louise

Images courtesy of Amazon.com

 
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Avon Skin So Soft – One of the Best Mosquito Repellents

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Avon Skin So Soft Mosquito Repellent
This stuff works.

I’m convinced now. Avon Skin So Soft is one of the best mosquito repellents.

After hearing about the recent mosquito concerns, I knew that it was even more important to protect myself and family from potential mosquito bites. Products advertised in stores don’t always work. In fact, if you go to some regions, like the South USA, bugs look at common mosquito repellent sprays like seasoning on their “meal.” So I decided to go back to an old-school, throw back solution for keeping mosquitoes off of you: Avon Skin So Soft bath oil. This has been the most effective solution for me this summer — especially since I do a lot of gardening.

Benefits
– effective mosquito and gnat repellent (I guess they don’t like the smell)
– makes skin feel soft and conditions skin
– gives off a clean refreshing smell
– often safe to use on or around animals
– less harmful than other products on the market; more natural

I used this product as a teen and now will continue to use it as an adult every summer. After using it I began to notice that when I came back into the house after a long day, little to no bites. Just smooth skin. I definitely feel more protected when out in the yard working. It’s important to slather the oil on liberally on every area of your body–including under your shorts. Spray or rub some on top of your pants or shorts as well because sometimes mosquitoes can bite through the fabric. Skin So Soft might not be 100% effective, but I’ve found it to be more effective than other brand name repellents.

When visiting an aunt who lives in the deep south where temperatures sometimes reach over 110 degrees, she confirmed that she uses Avon Skin So Soft for protection from mosquitoes. I’ve now passed this suggestion to my family and friends so that they can also be protected.

I totally recommend using Avon Skin So Soft to manage concerns about the Zika virus and also just to enjoy the summer bug and bite-free. It comes either in a large 24 ounce bottle or in a smaller spray bottle (I prefer the oil you can rub on). I give this product 4.5 stars out of five.

Posted by Louise

 
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