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Very Easy Antiaging DIY Eye Cream for 20’s and Older

diy eye cream

Image under cc license, shared by Tom Merton via Flickr

I’m so excited to share something today! Just a month ago, I mentioned in one of my posts that I started using a diy eye cream in addition to my beauty routines. I believe it’s about time now to share it with you after experimenting a little. 🙂

There are some people who neglect the importance of eye cream, I admit I’m one of them! It’s a shame, I’m a beauty junkie but I don’t pay attention to it before. Well, wrinkles are starting to show up at age 25 (or less?), and my age is older than that! Yes, finally I convinced myself that I really have to do myself a favor! My addiction to computers and the internet is one of the culprits why there’s some fine lines under my eye areas due to lack of sleep almost everyday. And worst, that dull looking appearance around the eyes. I know it’s not helping to make me look younger, it’s one of the basic anti-aging routines that I can’t simply apply to my myself, geez!

I started my diy eye cream (serum) with just one ingredient— vitamin E! Very easy and the best part is it doesn’t hurt my pocket. Actually it’s better be called a “serum”, but I’m just used to the term “cream”, haha~~. You’re probably wondering why did I chose to make my homemade eye cream when I can just buy one. Huh, why would I buy when I can do it myself and keep away from chemicals as much as possible? The results are great, too. 🙂

diy eye cream

After a week or two of using my diy eye cream with just one ingredient, I come across to a shop where I saw an evening primrose capsule. Tingggg— I’ve got a bright idea! I bought a few gel capsules and mixed it with my previous one ingredient eye cream. I don’t whine about my eye areas now, I feel better about it everytime I look at it in the mirror. Experimenting and combining vitamin E and evening primrose on my eye cream started to give me a noticeable and amazing results in just two weeks of regularly using it. I feel younger, I look younger–oh no, I’m praising myself too much here! Forgive me, I was just that ambitious little frog. 🙂

DIY eye cream (serum)

What you will need:

  • 3 gel capsules of vitamin E
  • 2 gel capsules of evening primrose
  • a small clean cosmetic jar/container
  • a safety-pin (to poke holes on the capsules) or you may also use a scissor to cut it a bit
  • a Q-tip

Procedure:

  1. Always start with clean hands.
  2. Gently pop each vitamin E capsule and pour it on your small cosmetic jar. Do it one at a time.diy eye cream
  3. Do the same procedure on evening primrose.
  4. Use a Q-tip to mix them well.diy eye cream
  5. Cover it with its cap and keep it away from light and heat.

This combination is good for one to two weeks use, repeat the same procedure when you fully consumed your cream.

 

Tips on how to use it

  • I recommend to always use a Q-tip when applying it on your eye area. Believe me, it’s better than just dipping your fingers in it. You’ll never know if there’s a tiny dirt on your fingertips/nails, you won’t want some debris into your diy eye cream, right? Aside from that, it’s shelf life will be ruined.
  • Always be aware that eye cream travel into the eyes whether we’re sleeping or awake which may cause irritations or swelling. It’s annoying to always wake up with a different eye size, isn’t it? Don’t apply it too close to your lash line. A half-inch distance from your eyes is where you should start, this is the proper way of applying any eye cream. A very thin amount is enough. Start your application at the inner corner and work on it across the outside corner, then just blend it into your skin. Put some into your forehead and on your laugh line areas.
  • Use it twice a day, morning and evening. Wait for five minutes to let your skin absorb it completely then you can start putting moisturizer on your face and do your makeup. It’s very lightweight, promise!

 

Why I prefer vitamin E oil and evening primrose oil

I really love using vitamin E oil. Why not, it’s such an amazing antioxidant which helps in fighting that annoying wrinkles and it’s rich in fatty acids, our skin loves it! The evening primrose oil also does the same and helps to improve the elasticity of the skin. And oh, there’s an important substance with the highest concentrations that the evening primrose and only a few plants have.

Some people use vitamin E oil and evening primrose oil for their homemade beauty products as preservatives, but no— they’re not a kind of preservatives! They are one of what we call “carrier oils” which means they are the ones that carries nutrients into the skin, the benefits. Adding essential oils in it is a win-win.

I was thinking of adding some essential oil on my diy eye cream for great results but I haven’t found one in my area yet. I’m sure it’s going to boost it really great! Will do some more experiments and once I did it, I’ll surely share it here in my blog too. 🙂

I’d love to hear from you

Whether it’s a question or suggestion, please feel free to share your thoughts about this in the comments below.

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How To Whiten Yellow Nails

yellow nails

Image under cc license, shared by Lydia Pintscher via Flickr

If you love wearing nail polish, getting yellow nails is probably not new to you. It’s annoying to see staining like this on your nails, right? You can relate to what I’m saying if you’re using dark polishes more often as some dyes leaves stain on the nail plate. Don’t worry, the following solutions will help you fix your yellow nail problem.

If some topcoats are applied directly into bare nails, it might cause that brown or yellow stains in it. So to prevent getting nail discolorations like this, always make sure to apply base coats before your desired polish. Keep in mind— ALWAYS. Why? Because base coats help in sealing and protecting the nail plate against staining.

Solutions for yellow nails

 

  • Toothpaste

Use a whitening toothpaste and gently scrub it against your nails with a nail brush. This should do the trick, but if you still have yellow nails, consider coating them again with a whitening toothpaste and let it set 5-10 minutes before scrubbing them once again. It is best to use this method right after removing the polish on your nails. What I mean is like this, you removed your polish and you see some discolorations, then use this method as it will not work on long term stains.

  • Lemon

Soak that yellow nails in lemon juice for 10-15 minutes to get rid of stains. You’ll get a noticeable result after doing this method because lemon is a natural astringent which helps in removing stains or discolorations. Repeat doing this for the following days until you’re happy with the results. After rinsing your nails with water don’t forget to apply cuticle oil or a moisturizing hand lotion because lemon can cause dryness to your skin and nails.

Making a paste is another method of using lemon for yellow nails. You may combine one tablespoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of lemon to make a paste-like mixture. Use a Q-tip and coat your fingernails with the paste and let it stay for 5-10 minutes before rinsing it.

  • Peroxide + baking soda

Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl to make a paste. If the mixture is a bit watery, gradually add some more baking soda. Use a Q-tip and coat your fingernails with the paste, don’t forget to also put some under the tips of your nails. Let it stay for 3 minutes before rinsing. Do this nail bleaching every six to eight weeks. This method is a recommendation from Beautiful Hands and Nails Naturally by Fran Manos, a nail expert.

  • Denture tablets

I haven’t tried it yet, but some people claims that soaking their nails for 15 minutes in a warm water with four denture cleanser tablets gives them great results.

  • Buffing

This is a least recommended method, but I still include it in the list. By buffing, you’ll get rid of yellow nails and some stains from the top layer, sure you will. But don’t just buff~~ buff~~ buff, you should not overdo it because it can weaken your nails. If you’re going to use this method whenever your nails are stained, there is a possibility that it will make your nails weak and brittle because you’re sanding off some of the layers of keratin in your nails.

I used to always use this method before whenever I’m doing a diy manicure, I just stopped using it when I realized and found out that it’s the culprit why my nails become weaker. Honestly, I enjoyed looking at my nails after buffing because it looks shiny as if it’s a laminated one.. Hehe 🙂

Here’s more..

Periodically, we also need to let our nails to breath. Leaving them unpolished for some time won’t hurt, in fact, it can help to maintain a healthy nail color because you’re allowing oxygen to reach your nail plate. Let them breath and whiten them at least once or twice a week.

Some may wonder why you have to whiten your stained / yellow nails when you can just re-paint them, oh sure, you can! But think about of the days when you want to go with just bare nails or polish-free, clear polish and how about French manicure? It will be a big deal, so prevention is the key.

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6 Amazing Uses of Ice To Level Up Your Beauty Everyday

Ice cubes for beauty use

Image under cc license, shared by liz west via Flickr

It’s time to ice, ice, baby! Lalalalah~~ Level up your beauty with the amazing benefits of ice. I’m not a big fan of cold drinks, but when it comes to using the cold effects of ice cubes for beauty benefits, I definitely will say no to that! I don’t know about you, lovely girl, but you might be someone who really loves it on your drinks to quench your thirst, give you relief during hot weather, or you just can’t enjoy without it. But did you know that ice has something more to offer other than that? Let’s discover how you can enjoy more about the most of it!

Beauty uses of ice

 

  • Minimize large pores

Now you won’t need to worry much about the appearance of large pores. Ice cubes will be your new BFF to make them smaller. And good news to those beauties with oily skin, it will do the work to help you prevent your skin from producing excess oil. You’ll simply need two cubes and use a clean soft cloth to wrap the ice, then gently massage it on your face in a circular motion. You’re done when it completely melts and voila— the result is instant!

 

  • Shrink a pimple

It won’t take too much of your time if you hold an ice over an annoying pimple for some minutes. It’ll leave good results on your skin than pricking it. You know the risk of pricking is getting acne scars, though it’s very tempting, don’t do that and use ice instead. It works wonders in decreasing the inflammation and can give you relief from pain caused by acne. Wrap a piece of the cube with a soft, clean cloth ( you may also use a clean ziplock bag ), just always make sure you’re using a clean one. Hold it over the affected area for ten minutes. And as a result, you’ll notice that the swelling and redness have been reduced.

 

  • Puffy eyes begone..

Whether you’re lack of sleep because you party all night or you just have a rough night, the first thing you’ll notice early in the morning when you look in the mirror is the appearance of dark circles around your orbs. This scenario won’t make you feel good because it’ll make you look tired and unwell. Despite of not having a good sleep, you still can keep yourself looking fresh by heading over to the fridge and grab two ice cubes. Wrap them in a soft, clean washcloth and hold them over your eyes. Just a piece of recommendation for beauties who always stay up late every night just like me ( I’m a night owl ), you can prepare a caffeinated black tea and freeze them in an ice tray so you’ll have a more improvised solution for the puffiness next time. Freezing a cucumber juice will also do the trick.

 

  • Prime it!

If you love makeup, this is a must try! Gently swipe an ice cube all over your face in a couple of minutes and keep your focus on areas with enlarged pores. As a result, the appearance of pores will be reduced in size and minimized under makeup. Doing this trick will make your makeup last longer and you’ll get that extra smooth feeling and looks.

 

  • Sunburn

People who love staying and playing under the sun are the ones who usually get sunburn compare to those who keep themselves under the shade ( of course :). To give a relief and a cooling effect to the irritation, you’ll simply need to wrap some ice cubes in a clean washcloth and place them over the affected areas.

 

  • Chewing gum remover

Once in your life, you’ll find a chewing gum stuck on your hair or clothes. Geez, it already happened to me– on my hair! Honestly, I can’t tell how many times, but I’m sure it’s more than twice! In situations like this, ice it, girl! Holding an ice cube over the affected hair or clothes will harden the sticky gum, right after that, you can easily pull it out without leaving much damage on your end.

A simple reminder

It’s fun to do all these tricks, but using it excessively on your skin may lead to skin problems so don’t use more than a couple of cubes, okay? If you noticed, I always mentioned to wrap it in a soft, clean cloth or ziplock bag instead of using it directly onto your skin. Curious? Well, it’s simply because it can cause breakage to the delicate nerves under your facial skin. Although many people claim that it vanishes wrinkles away and improves blood circulation, it’s always a good habit to use it moderately, therefore you’ll always get a very satisfactory result without troubles.

Let’s talk..

Which one do you think you’ll be doing more often? For your eyes? .. Pores? .. For pimples or what? I’m so excited to hear what you’ll love doing with any of these ice cube tricks! And if you have other beauty hacks regarding this topic, or questions, don’t hesitate to leave it in the comments below. 🙂

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5 Natural Treatments To Remove Acne Marks / Dark Spots

Getting rid of acne after a long time of struggling from this condition was a relief. But no — the journey isn’t over yet! You’ll then have to deal with the skin discolorations caused by the healed acne lesions. Luckily, these discolorations or marks are not true scars and will eventually fade naturally but it may take 3 to 24 months, or it may take longer in some cases. Don’t get discouraged because there’s a solution to help you get rid of these acne marks or dark spots faster.

I have a long journey battling with acne before, my face was like a farm of zits. Yuck, yuck! But thanks, Baby Jesus, I have a clear skin now by using homemade acne remedies! However, before I get back to my skin’s former clarity, acne marks or dark spots was another challenge that I have to deal with. I know it will naturally fade away, but I just can’t wait while I can do something to get rid of it faster. I have listed the most of 5 home remedies that I used to resolve these issues.

Natural acne marks or dark spots remover

  • Baking soda

Baking soda for acne marks and dark spots

Image: Bigstock

Aside from using baking soda as acne remedy, this not-so-coarse powder works wonders when used to remove acne marks or dark spots. It lightens the skin while sloughing off dead skin cells.

Procedure:

  1. Prepare a teaspoon of baking soda and mix it with a small amount of water (enough to make a paste mixture). You may also use lemon juice to substitute water.
  2. Wash your skin and dry excessive water to leave it slightly damp.
  3. Apply while massaging it on the affected areas where acne marks are. Leave it for a minute or two. Always keep in mind not to leave it on your skin for a longer time as it may cause dryness.
  4. Rinse your face with lukewarm water, then dry it with a clean towel. Don’t forget to apply moisturizer afterwards because baking soda can be very drying in some cases. You can use your favorite moisturizer, but in my case, I love using a very small amount of olive oil onto my face and give it a loving massage in a circular motion which leaves my skin well moisturized.

Repeat this method 2-3 times a week.

 

  • Lemon Juice

Fresh lemon juice for treating acne marks

Image: Bigstock

Lemon juice is no doubt can help to lighten the acne marks or some certain dark spots. It contains citric acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid which belongs to Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA). This improves the production of collagen that sums up into more healing of the infected skin. It also removes dead skin cells and making the skin healthy.

Unfortunately, I have a very sensitive skin but I must admit that it works and have made my acne marks become “somehow” lighter, so I included it here in my post. As far as I can remember, I have only used it for around 4-5 times, then I stopped using it on my acne marks because I can’t stand the stinging effect anymore and the redness that it’s causing on my skin. I bear those effects for all those times because I was hoping my skin will eventually get used to it, but I was wrong and just gave up on it. *Sigh. Just use it with caution, and if your skin isn’t sensitive as mine, this could work effectively with you.

Procedure:

  1. Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a clean small bowl.
  2. Clean your face as you regularly do and dry it with a clean towel.
  3. Dab a cotton ball into the lemon juice and start swiping it onto the affected areas.
  4. Leave it on your face for a few minutes then rinse it off with cool water.

Do this every 2 to 3 days.

 

  • Aloe vera gel / juice

Aloe vera for acne marks treatment

Image: Bigstock

Aloe vera gel / juice is a wonderful way to remove acne marks, too! It soothes the inflamed skin while regenerating the damaged tissue and moisturizing the skin which lets acne marks to fade. The cooling effect whenever I have it applied on my face is very soothing.

Procedure:

  1. Start this method by washing your face, then pat it dry.
  2. Break off a small part of aloe vera and squeeze off the pulp into your clean hands.
  3. Apply the gel-like pulp directly onto your face, focusing on the acne marks.
  4. You can wash it with cool water after 40 minutes or you may just leave it on your face overnight as your night cream to have that youthful glow in addition to removing your dark spots. 🙂

 

  • Honey

honey for treating acne marks

Image under cc license, shared by Andreas Levers via Flickr

Aside from being an effective anti-aging moisturizer, honey has antibacterial properties which help in clearing acne or pimples and reducing the dark spots they leave on the skin. If you have a sensitive skin like mine, this could be the great option for you without drying your skin. I always prefer using raw honey. And if you’re not allergic to lemon juice, you can combine a few drops of it with honey to make it more effective.

Procedure:

  1. Apply a thin amount of honey onto the acne marks, it will also be perfect if you’re going to apply it all over your face.
  2. Massage it in a circular motion.
  3. Leave it for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it with lukewarm water.

 

  • Castor oil

Castor oil for acne marks and dark spots

Image under cc license, shared by Pete Markham via Flickr

Castor oil is one of my favorite oil, and if you noticed, this has been my word of mouth. 🙂 I trusted this oil for so many effective ways it did on my part. From making my hair grow faster, having a moisturized skin, getting rid of acne which also includes removing my acne marks and dark spots and many more! While you’re using it to remove discolorations caused by previous breakouts, at the same time, this will help you prevent them from coming back and you will also get an even skin tone.

Procedure:

  1. Wash your face with a lukewarm water, or steam for about 10 minutes to open the pores. Pat your face dry with a clean towel.
  2. Take a small drop of castor oil onto your fingertips and start applying it gently onto your face.
  3. Give your face a massage in a circular motion, but the acne marks and dark spots should be your focus areas.

Do this twice a day. Once is okay, but twice is better. 🙂

Patience is the key

Whatever method of treatment you choose, please understand that the visibility of the results will take time but there are two things I am sure of: one, it will fade those discolorations faster than fading itself; two, it will definitely save you some bucks. 🙂 Additionally, the length of time that it will take for the acne marks and dark spots to fade will be depend on how dark it is compared to your skin tone. Patience~~ patience, okay?

So now, let me ask you

Have you decided which of these methods you’re going to try to remove your acne marks or dark spots? And if you have experienced with one of these treatments, can you share how was the result? Whether it works or not, I am open to hearing your thoughts. 🙂

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Get Rid of Acne and Blemishes Instantly With Aspirin Mask

aspirin mask for acne and blemishes

Image: Bigstock

Did you know that being sick is not the only reason to use aspirin? You probably think that it only works for fever and flu, and for relieving some minor aches and pains. But the truth is, it can also do more other than that! The salicylic acid in aspirin makes it a very effective beauty saving tool, too! The solution is easy– aspirin mask! So, if you suddenly have that stubborn pimples, it can help you reduce the inflammations and redness, at the same time, it also dries up pimples instantly! Even Dr. Oz loves the aspirin mask, too and brought his version of this mask on his show!

The first time I heard about this aspirin mask, I never let second thoughts discourage me from trying it! That was when my face was decorated and fully occupied with breakouts, pimples, acne…whatever you want to call it. I was that too desperate to get rid of those unwanted things in my face, because the more it populates, the more I’m losing self confidence!

How to make an Aspirin Mask

You will need:

  • 1-2 tablets of aspirin
  • drops of water
  • spoon
  • small bowl

Steps:

  1. Wash and clean your hands with anti-bacterial hand soap.
  2. Use a spoon to evenly crush the aspirin tablets until it turns like a powder and put it in a bowl.
  3. You can now gradually add drops of water in a small bowl where your powdered aspirin is. Make sure you’re not making it too watery.
  4. Use spoon to mix it all together to make a paste.
  5. Now you may start dipping your forefinger in your aspirin mask and put it over your blemishes.
  6. Let it stay to work on your blemishes or pimples for about 15 minutes.
  7. Rinse it, and you’re done! You’ll feel and see the difference!

The first time I tried this aspirin mask, I really had bad acne all over my face. So I decided to just crush and powdered 2 tablets of aspirin and instead of making a paste-like mixture, I decided to add more water to make it somehow watery by tapping the mixture all over my face. Covering it one by one won’t be that easy because my face looks like an acne-farm that time! 🙂 It gives a tingling feeling, but that’s bearable. I even leave it on my face overnight! And when I woke up, checked my face in the mirror and I was amazed– “Omg, they’re gone!!!!”.. Its majority has vanished and dries up overnight! Though there’s still some pimples left, they’re not as bad as how it looks like the night before I used this acne mask. The redness on my face was also gone, and that’s expected because aspirin mask helps in reducing redness. All I know is that it works! It’s not only me, but many people also shared their aspirin mask review on acne.org and this mask got a high positive ratings.

But please be aware that if you’re allergic to aspirin, this aspirin mask is not for you.

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