Tuesday, January 1, 2013

My beauty products for January!

It's all about natural, simple, and simplicity for me!

This January I am going to focus on natural and simple beauty and health care products. So what will I be using this January?

Pond's Cold Cream. This doesn't work for everyone, but it is by far the best thing I have ever found for my skin! I don't know why I ever stray from it. I am always disappointed with any "new" products I try that promise to combat break outs, shrink pores and reduce wrinkles. They never work for me and if I even think of using a cold cream other than Pond's, I break out! Sure enough going straight back to Pond's clears me right up!


Lemons. Not too long ago I came across a booklet that someone had scanned from the 30s or 40s (I can't remember exactly) all about skin and hair care using lemons. I first tried the lemon ice on my skin and I am very pleased with the results. I try to use the lemon treatment daily, but I am a creature of lazy and most of the time I forget to use this glorious and natural product. So January is all about getting back in the habit. My skin isn't the only thing to enjoy the fresh squeezed juices... my hair is too! Honestly, I have only tried a lemon rinse once, but I love it! I am going to continue with these rinses to see just how well my hair takes to the claims of silky softness and super clean scalp. Last week I used freshly squeezed lemon juice in place of conditioner to strip clean my hair and scalp of all soap scum, build up, and just scalpy debris. I am sure my head is a giant fester being that I bleach my hair. While the booklet suggested diluting the small amount of lemon juice with water as a rinse... I went hardcore using 4 large lemons undiluted. I plan on continuing with this treatment in place of conditioner for January and see if it truly is a benefit to my platinum locks. Please note... lemon juice does sting! If you can handle a couple minutes of itchy sting (not so much painful as itchy) this could be for you! My scalp didn't sting, but my face and back did. Oh and careful NOT TO GET IT IN YOUR EYES! That is a bitch!

Baking Soda. Using the simple and natural lemons as a rinse, it got me to thinking what I could use as a simple and natural cleanser in place of shampoo. You can't get any simpler than baking soda. I haven't tried this yet, but it seems if you mix a tablespoon of baking soda with 2 cups of water, you have a weeks worth of "shampoo". I look forward to trying this out for all of January. If I enjoy the results, I will dabble a bit with the recipe to see if I can add a scent to it.

My Lotions and Potions. I am a want not waste not kind of gal. (Some may say hoarder.) I have a small lot of products that I have accumulated that I just can't seem to toss. So for January I plan on using all these old products up... Most are superficial products like lotions or hair serums, so I am not terrible worried of ill effects (like breakouts). I just want to use these up and get rid of them. No more new products until these are all gone!

January is all about streamlining for me. I look forward to these promising results! I will keep you updated and let you all know how well natural, simple, and simplicity worked for me.

Now how about you out there? Any beauty plans for January and 2013?

10 comments:

  1. Good tips! I've never heard of the lemons. like to go back to simple. I use Noxema, which hazel, essential oils etc. and my clarisonic.

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    1. I really do like the lemons! If you decided to try them, just go easy they are very acidic. :) I always liked the smell of Noxema, but I never used it regularly. I want to look into adding essential oils myself, but that would be adding to my already huge products list. LOL

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  2. Love the new blog look! If ever we have a chance at change, this is it. Natural and simple is always appealing, but I might suggest that you take the plunge and just dump all the odds and ends that you feel obligated to use up. Sort of a clean sweep and full-on commitment to your new you! And thanks for the HVG shout out on your sidebar. ;)

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    1. You're welcome Lady! I wish I could... but the hoarder runs deep in this one... :) There is one bottle I think I will toss here shortly as I never cared for the smell. And maybe another that I know is over 5 years old... ah screw it! I am going to toss those two right now. :)

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  3. Instead of lemons for a rinse I used what my mom poured on my hair after a wash, white vinegar. It balances the ph and smooths the cuticle, I just pour a capful in a litre jug of cold water and use it as my last rinse after washing with conditioner, as I pretty much C/O exclusively.

    I also use a ton of pure organic coconut oil in my hair, saves it from all the bleach I've put on for years, alternate with camellia and emu oil which I also put on my face. Oh yeah, and I use pure African Shea Butter for hair and skin, get it cheap on ebay.
    Nice post - thanks!

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    1. I've been reading about white vinegar was well. I am thinking of alternating it with lemons in February. I want to give the lemons a whole month on their own.

      Your other treatments sound positively luxuriousness! And you actually reminded me that I have coconut oil myself! I want to try all these treatments on my hair, but I only wash it once a week!

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  4. Baking soda is pretty amazing! Haven't tried it for my hair, but tempted to try now. I have baking soda baths - they are very soothing when I'm sore.

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    1. Oh! I should try that for my feet! My feet have been terribly achy lately!

      I used the baking soda on my hair once so far, but if the outcome I had is the outcome always... I will be a convert for sure!

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  5. I love home remedies! I have been using the baking soda instead of shampoo and then following it with cider vinegar and water rinses for the past 2 months and my hair is not nearly as oily as normal. I love it!

    Also in response to your question regarding my fella: I have done a couple of posts one about him retiring from the Navy in Oct. and the other about our coast trip in Nov. Currently I only have one picture of the two of us together and have not posted it yet but I just may do that sometime soon. About weather or not he likes vintage... before he met me he was pretty neutral but now with me his interest has been sparked and he wants a classic car, to decorate the family room upstairs in a vintage style (art deco era) and we are on the look out for a 30s/40s 3 piece suit and vintage fedora for him.

    Here are the links to the two posts I mentioned: http://artdecogirls.blogspot.com/2012/10/navy-retirement.html & http://artdecogirls.blogspot.com/2012/11/birthday-fun-at-coast.html

    Thanks for the comment Lo!

    Brooksie

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    1. Oh the baking soda is a dream! As long as it doesn't take some wicked turn, I think baking soda is going to be my shampoo from now on!

      Ooh a sailor man! Hooray! He looked quite handsome in his retirement photos. :) He will be quite dashing in a 3 piece once you find it for him!

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