DIY Body Scrubs: Mother's Day Gifts

Hey, everyone!

Every year is a dilemma for me when it comes to buying gifts for Mother's Day. This year, though, I decided to do something different and creative. Instead of buying gifts, I made them. :D

I had 3 people to give gifts to, so I chose to make body scrubs using ingredients from the kitchen. I decided on body scrubs because these women care for their skin and enjoy pampering themselves. After all, which woman doesn't want her skin to feel and look good? ;)

For many months, I have searched and found loads of interesting and simple recipes online. I made note of the recipes I liked, tested them, then customised them to how I like them. I have been making these homemade specialties along with many other homemade stuff mostly for myself and as gifts. 

They're excellent for your own use and as gifts for many reasons:

1. You control the ingredients in these items (you choose what goes in them).
2. They are incredibly economical (so much cheaper than store-bought products).
3. They contain mostly natural, healthy ingredients (you can literally eat these scrubs).
4. They are so much FUN to make! (some people find shopping therapeutic.. my therapy is making these DIY stuff)

I made 3 types for 3 very special women this Mother's Day:

1. Choco Sugar Scrubalicious
2. Lemon and Thyme Salt Scrubalicious
3. Earthy Honey Scrubalicious

Once I made the body scrubs, I put them into airtight jars that I carefully selected for this occasion.

The ingredients are mostly as listed:

• Sugar (white and brown)
• Salt
• Honey
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Cocoa Powder
• Artificial Food Colouring (they don't stain the skin)
• Artificial Food Flavours

Then, I made labels with their names and a small set of instructions. I tied each jar with a ribbon and label. And they were good to go!! :)

It's easier than it sounds, but making these handmade gifts requires interest/passion, time, and patience. I went through many trial-and-error experiments before coming up with just the right mixes. Some of the scrubs that I've been making last up to 6 months! How awesome is that?! 

A special note of thanks to my partner for being very patient all these months, and for being a great sport allowing me to test them on him! Thank you, baby! :D

I gave these gifts to these wonderful women today. Needless to say, they were very happy that the gifts were personalised, and made with love and care just for them. I gave the Lemon and Thyme Salt Scrubalicious to my aunt this evening. She tried it as soon as she went back home and called me full of excitement to tell me that she used it and was very happy with it! She has dry skin and said that the scrub was easy to use, moisturising, and just as good (if not better) than store-bought ones!! YAYYY!!! :D

It makes me very happy that she was extremely satisfied with my handmade gift for her!

If you have the interest, time, and patience, you could do it too. These homemade body scrubs make excellent gifts for any occasion!

I hope you enjoy this tip as much as I enjoyed making them and sharing them with you.

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To all mothers on Earth and in Heaven, may everyday be a celebration of your endless love, care, and support. We, your children, cannot thank you enough and are eternally grateful for everything you've done (and are still doing). We love you very much.

Until my next update, be good, be safe, and have a wonderful week ahead, my lovelies! :) xoxo

Signing off...

~ Lil' Missy ~

DIY Face Mask: Egg White

Hey everyone!!

I'm b-a-a-a-c-c-c-k!!

I'm sorry for the long silence. Did you miss me? Did ya? Did ya?? :p I'm back in action after the long break and I'm kicking off 2014 with a super simple skin-care tip for you. Check it out! ;)

Here's a really good treatment for your skin regardless of your age and gender: use egg white as a face mask. This is an effective mask that you should try! :D

(Photo Credit: http://7beautytips.com)

Benefits of Using Egg Whites

• Contains a lot of protein.
• High in collagen and vitamin A.
• All natural.
• Inexpensive.

Benefits for Your Skin

• Tightens your skin.
• Removes blackheads and whiteheads.
• Helps to minimise open pores.
• Removes dead skin.
• Helps to prevent wrinkles.
• Reduces fine lines. 
• Reduces acne.

~ Caution ~

Before I get to the steps involved, I need to inform you that if you have an allergy to raw eggs or even find the smell of raw eggs unbearable, then this is NOT the mask for you. The smell of raw egg whites is quite strong and smells bad to some people. Think of.. ammonia.. That's it: ammonia! That's what it smells like to me. I'm not exaggerating - some of you would agree with me. :p

With the words of caution out of the way, let's get right to it!

You'll Need These:

• 1 Egg (if you prefer, you could use an organic egg)
• A Small Bowl
• A Fork
• Clean Fingers or A Brush
• Lemon Juice (optional)

What You'll Need To Do:

Step 1: Cleanse your face with a gentle facial cleanser.

Step 2: Crack open an egg and separate the yolk from the white. 
            I'd recommend doing this over a bowl, so that the egg white drips into it.

Step 3: Gently beat the egg white until it's a little frothy.
            You could add several drops of lemon juice if you'd like a cleansing effect.

Step 4: Using clean fingers or a brush, apply the beaten egg white onto your face in
            upward motions avoiding your lips and eye area. Remember to apply it on your
            neck as well using the same motions.

Step 5: Leave the egg white to dry on your skin for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Step 6: Gently peel off, or wash off the egg white with lukewarm or cold water.
            I usually wash it off with water followed by my facial cleanser because I don't
            fancy the smell of egg white on my skin.

Step 7: Finish up with your regular skin-care routine (ie. toner > eye cream > moisturiser >
           sunscreen).

Frequency

For oily or combination skin: it's best to use this mask 2 - 3 times a week.
For dry skin: use this mask once a week.

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When I use this mask, I use only egg whites; I don't add lemon juice because, when combined, the unpleasant odour sends me dry heaving in the nearest corner. Needless to say, that's not a pretty sight.

You'll need to use the mask regularly before you see significant results. Although some may see results faster than others, don't worry because each person's skin responds differently and at a different rate.

Try this effective home-made remedy and let me know how you find it. As always, I'd love to hear from you! :)

Signing off...

~ Lil' Missy ~

DIY Face Mask: Banana, Honey and Lemon

Hey everyone!

Hope your weekend's treating you well so far. 

I personally LOVE homemade scrubs and masks simply because they are all natural, effective, and inexpensive. It take only a little time shopping for the items and preparing them, and it's completely worth it!!

Sundays are usually ideal for relaxing - a great day for pampering yourself in the comfort of your home! Here's a homemade mask that you need to try! 

Ingredients

1/4 small, ripe banana
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Steps

01. Cleanse your face and neck with a facial cleanser.

02. Cut or tear the banana into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Then, mash the
      banana pieces with a metal fork until it turns to mush.

03. Add honey and lemon juice to the banana mush.
     (It doesn't matter which goes into the mush first as long as they are both poured in.)

04. Mix the ingredients well until you get a slightly runny consistency.
     (You don't want the mixture very runny or it'll drip down your face; you don't want it
      very thick either because it'll be difficult to spread on your face.)

05. Make sure your face and neck are dry.

06. Apply the mixture onto your face and neck, making sure to avoid the entire eye area
     and hairline. It's best to apply the mask within 10 minutes of mixing it or else it dries
     up and hardens.
     (The closer to the hairline you apply the mask, the more difficult it is to remove
     because some bits will get stuck in your hair.)

*Note: If you like bananas and honey, you'll be tempted to eat this straight from your
          face because it smells yummy. I should know because I did it! *lol*

07. Leave the mask on for about 20 minutes. Once it's completely dry, the mask will
     feel like a thin, satin film on your skin.

*Note: You may experience a slight stinging sensation because of the lemon juice - this is normal. 
          If it feels painful or if the stinging persists and is very uncomfortable, then STOP and
          immediately wash your face. 
          Also, be mindful if you have any cuts or open wounds on your face because it WILL hurt. Best
          to wait until the cut or wound heals.

08. Wash your face with lukewarm/warm/cold water. Then, gently pat your face dry with
      a face towel.

09. Apply your toner (if you use one) and facial moisturiser like you normally would.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Results

My face and neck felt like SATIN immediately after - soft and smooth like a baby's bum! My skin felt hydrated and taut. My face looked clean, bright and radiant. I really like it! I'd definitely recommend this mask! :D

Benefits of Bananas, Honey and Lemon Juice

Bananas contain vitamins that are known to improve complexion and even smooth wrinkles when applied directly to the skin. Eating bananas is also a great way to beautify as vitamins C and B6, manganese and water improve your complexion from the inside out.

While bananas help nourish the skin, honey absorbs and retains moisture, hydrating the skin and enhancing your natural glow. 

Lemon juice is a natural exfoliator, skin lightener, and brightens your skin. It also helps to reduce the appearance of scars and acne. If you have dark spots, scars, acne or would just like to lighten your complexion, try using lemons.

Why This Mask Is GOOD

•  The ingredients can be easily found in your kitchen. Or grocery store.

•  It's home made, which means that NO chemicals and preservatives are used.

•  It's totally inexpensive, people. Seriously!

•  It's effective. But you must be patient because you'll see long-term results only over the
    course of weeks.

Skin Type

This mask is suitable for all skin types, especially combination or oily skin types because lemon can be a little drying when applied to the skin. 

If you have dry skin, try reducing the amount of lemon or simply make the mask without it. 

Preparation Time

5 minutes

Frequency

Best to use this mask 2 - 3 times a week. The more frequently you use it, the more apparent you'll see and feel the results.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Have a go and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you! :)

Signing off...

~ Lil' Missy ~

Lemon and Sugar Facial Scrub

Hey everyone!

When life gives you lemons, make facial scrub!

I've watched many different YouTube videos and read many different articles about this home-made scrub, and thought I'd try it out. 

Firstly, there was no particular video I watched or article I read to be able to cite sources. Secondly, well... there is no secondly! ;)

Here's how you do it: 

Ingredients

Lemon

Sugar (brown or white - your preference)

Facial Cotton

Steps

01. Cleanse your face with a facial cleanser.

02. Cut a slice of lemon and squeeze the juice into a bowl, making sure there are no seeds
      in the bowl.

03. Take the facial cotton and dip it into the lemon juice. Make sure that it soaks up the
      juice.

04. Take a little sugar and put it on the already-soaked-with-lemon-juice facial cotton.

     (I used half a small teaspoon of white sugar. You can use either white or brown sugar.)

05. Make sure your face is dry.

06. Rub your face and neck in gentle, circular motions. Make sure you avoid the entire eye
     area.

     (I would suggest leaning over a sink when you're doing this so that the sugar falls into the
     sink, and not all over the floor.)

*Note: You may experience a slight stinging sensation because of the lemon juice - this is normal. 
          If it feels painful or if the stinging persists and is very uncomfortable, then STOP and
          immediately wash your face. 
          Also, be mindful if you have any cuts or open wounds on your face because it WILL hurt. Best
          to wait until the cut or wound heals.

07. Wash your face with lukewarm/warm/cold water, then gently pat your face dry with a
      face towel.

08. Apply your toner (if you use one) and facial moisturiser like your normally would.

Results?

My skin looked immediately brighter and cleaner. And it felt fresh! (I'm a happy camper!)

Why use lemon?

Lemons are a natural skin lightener. If you have dark spots or would just like to lighten your complexion, try using lemons.

What's the sugar for?

Sugar acts as a natural exfoliator (bet you didn't know that):

•  does not clog pores

•  helps eliminate blemishes

•  restores balance to skin’s oils. 

First, sugar is a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the environment into the skin. So when you apply products with sugar or sugar derivatives, they’ll actually help hydrate your skin and keep moisture within.

Secondly, sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that penetrates the skin and breaks down the “glue” that bonds skin cells, encouraging cell turnover and generating fresher, younger-looking skin. Glycolic acid is typically used to treat sun-damaged and aging skin. Because it can be irritating to certain skin types, over-the-counter products typically contain less than a 10 percent concentration of glycolic acid in their formulas.

Finally, sugar’s small particles make an excellent topical exfoliant, and are used in a number of body scrubs to exfoliate dead surface skin cells and reveal the glowing, healthy-looking skin underneath.

Why this scrub is GOOD?

•  The ingredients can be easily found in your kitchen. Or grocery store.

•  It's home made, which means that NO chemicals and preservatives are used.

•  It's cheap, people. It's cheap!

•  It's effective. But you must be patient because you'll see long-term results only over the
    course of weeks.

This scrub is suitable for combination or oily skin types because lemon can be a little drying when applied to the skin. Best to use this 2 - 3 times a week.

Give it a go and let me know what you think! :)

Tea For Your Eyes, Anyone?

Some people like coffee. I like coffee and tea. And scones! And pastries! That's besides the point, though.

Today's post is all about tea. Not for drinking, but for using on your face. That's right. With the Eid Mubarak festivity and long weekend already started, now's not the time for your eyes to be puffy. Or any other time for that matter.

I'm going to share with you how using tea bags can reduce puffiness around your eyes.

Ingredient

2 unflavoured tea bags

Steps

01. Make tea like you normally would. Whether you boil the water in a pot/kettle or microwave it in
     a cup doesn't matter. What you need is warm/hot water in a cup.

02. Take the tea bags and soak them in the cup.
     (Do not add milk/cream/sugar. Remember, you're not making the tea to drink. 
      Not unless you'd like to drink the tea after Step 4. For real.)

03. Leave the tea bags in the cup with warm/hot water for about 1 - 2 minutes.

04. Remove the tea bags and leave them to cool.

05. Once the tea bags are cool (it could take anywhere between 5 - 10 minutes), put them on a saucer
     and leave them in the fridge. 

06. When the tea bags are nice and cold from chilling in the fridge, remove them. 
     (They usually cool in mine for about 15 - 25 minutes. 
      I cut off the handy string that are attached to the bags because I don't need them.)

07. Dampen the tea bags with cold/lukewarm water and "flatten" them, so that the bags have an even
     surface of tea leaves. 
     You want to do this so that the tea leaves are spread out over your entire eye area and not just
     on some parts.

08. Lie down, get comfy, and close your eyes (stop your mind from straying and stay with me).

09. Place each tea bag on each of your eye, making sure that each bag covers each entire eye area
     and under eye area.
     (You can position the bags to cover your eyes vertically or horizontically - this is your
      preference. It doesn't matter as long as they cover your eye area.) 

*Note: If you think your eye area will be stained with tea, simply wrap a piece of tissue around each
          bag before placing them on your eyes.

10. Remain lying down and rest for 10 - 15 minutes.

You'll find that the puffiness has reduced a little. Now you can get ready and head out the door without worrying too much about your puffy eyes!

Each time I do this, I find that I can reuse the tea bags at least once more. This is why I store them in a covered container/jar in the fridge (so they don't dry out too quickly).

Also, I usually use unflavoured tea bags because I don't like the scent of flavoured tea on my face. If any of you have tried using flavoured tea, let me know how it works. 

Have a wonderful time and happy holidays! :)

Quick Way To Plump Your Skin And Minimise Pores

Here’s a really quick tip for you.

My mum taught me this when I was in school and I didn't listen to her (Sorry, mummy! And yes, you were right all along.)

Use ice cubes to temporarily plump your skin and minimise pores. It’s super cheap, easy, and it takes ONLY 15 - 30 seconds of your time. How quick is that?

Ingredients

Ice cube (make sure it’s a large cube and it doesn’t have any jagged edges or it may cut your skin)

Face towel

Steps

1.  Take the ice cube and gently rub it all over your face in circular motions.

     (I usually close my eyes when I’m doing this because I’ve this thought that the cube

      may explode and some tiny bits of it may get into my eyes. Some call it paranoia, I

      call it taking precaution.)

2.  Do not rub the ice cube around your eye area as the skin here is very thin and sensitive.

3.  Continue with Step 1 for about 15 – 30 seconds 

     (you may take a shorter time if you can’t stand the cold on your face).

*Note: Your face may be a little numb from the cold. Don't worry, this is temporary.

4.  Take your face towel and gently dab your face dry, and you’re done!

You can do this anytime after you cleanse/scrub/remove whiteheads and blackheads.

If you want to feel refreshed, especially on a warm day, rub the ice cube all over your neck and back of the neck. It’ll feel cold, but it’ll also feel oh-so-good!

This is only temporary, people. So don’t be expecting your skin to stay plump throughout the day or your pores to be closed forever.

Stay cool, folks! :)

Use Your Toner To Clean The Back Of Your Neck

Have you ever worn a light-coloured blouse with a collar throughout the day, only to find the inside of the collar "dirty" (yellow-ish/black-ish)? 

I have. So have my friends. It looks dirty because it IS dirty - it's dirt from the back of your neck.

I'm not talking about the sides of the collar, people. Not the sides that sometimes have traces of powder/foundation from our jawlines and necks. I'm talking about the back - the part of the collar that has direct contact with the back of your neck.

I accidentally came across this particular tip during one of my daily cleansing-toning-
moisturing skin care routines. After I applied the toner on my face and front of my neck, I 
also applied it on the back of my neck. 

I've doing this for months now and not only is the back of my neck cleaner, the insides of my collared blouses are also cleaner! If you haven't done this before, then you should. 
TRY IT!

Here's what you do:

*Note: you can do this anytime; not just during your daily beauty rituals.

1. Put a little toner on a facial cotton.

2. Apply the toner on the BACK of your neck 
(like you usually would on your face and front of the neck).

3. That's it - there's no step 3. :p

It's a really simple, cheap and easy tip. Ever since I tried it, it's become part of my daily skin care routine because it really works. I've told my friends about it and they see the difference too. Trust me! Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Happy weekend, beauty lovers! :)