amariebeauty: August 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

Beauty Uses for Sea Salt | $1 Beauty Buy

Sea salt has been used for centuries in a variety of ways. My favorite uses are in the department of personal care. It is the ultimate economic beauty buy. Here is why...

Purchasable for $1 at the Dollar Tree.
Add a 1/2 cup to running bath water for a softening soak. Add scented oil for Aromatherapy.
Dissolve 1 tsp sea salt in a pint of hot water, soak cosmetic pads. Apply pads on eyes to reduce puffiness.
Make an exfoliant for dry winter hands or summer feet. ½ cup sea salt and ¼ cup oil.

Baby oil, massage oil or body wash will do to mix your sea salt scrub. Vitamin E oil, known for its positive effects in skin care, is an inexpensive luxury that can be found for around $2 dollars at discount stores..

In addition to the above beauty resources I am loving sea salt in the following ways...

cleaning the coffee pot
scouring greasy cast iron and stone ware
as an antiseptic mouth rinse
keeping flowers fresh
flavoring food deliciously

Gotta love a multipurpose product. How are you using sea salt?

Friday, August 26, 2011

MoD MaNiCuRe

Now more than ever manicures are more of an accessory then a simple polish job. One of my favorite trends is color blocking. I love era fashion and this is so reminiscent of the mod sixties style.

For pro manicures always...

moisturize hands and cuticles before polishing wipe with polish remover so polish will adhere
trim or file nails neatly
apply a base coat
wait a couple minutes between coats of color
finish off with a shiny top coat

To dry your manicure instantly stick freshly polished nails into a bowl of ice water for 45 seconds, completely free and a time saver!

Pricey polish does produce some great manicures but many savvy brands can do just the same with proper technique and reliable base and top coats. Read my post on DIY manicures for more tips.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Serve Summer Favorites with Fresh Fall Staples

Serve Summer Favorites with Fresh Fall Staples by amariebeauty

Transition from summer to fall without busting the budget. Pair some summer faves with a few new pieces instead of rushing out and racking up the bill with an entire new wardrobe. Grab a summer dress from your closet, add tights and a blazer to keep warm and move into the fall season.

Make the most of your transitional items. Pair tights with shorts or mini's and wear with flats, over the knee boots or casual sneakers. The blazer is a staple piece for all seasons and pulls outfits together effortlessly. Dress up casual wear or dress down something glitz in your blazer.