Howie sitting in bed, his safe haven!
Nick is gone for a week in Ireland…a smoke alarm keeps beeping in the condo, yet we can’t figure out which one. Another long night…at least I have a bag of peach rings and Howie is chewing on his foot!
Most of us have heard of lavender oil, and are familiar with the smell. Up until recently, I thought of it more as a relaxing scent…in perfumes, or bubble baths…
However, after my boyfriend (Nick) was in an accident at work, I read up on the other health benefits of lavender oil. Nick’s back was very sore and we were looking for ways to relieve the pain without using additional medications. We read that lavender oil is used to treat muscle aches and sprains.
It was suggested that we use pure lavender essential oil for it to work most effectively. So, we went to Whole Foods. One of the sales people there was very helpful and suggested we mix the pure lavender essential oil with a topical pain relief cream called, Arnicare which contains Arnica Montana, a homeopathic medicine used for centuries as a pain reliever.
We mixed 2 drops of the lavender oil with the Arnicare Cream and massaged onto the sprained areas. Massaging the cream/oil was relaxing in itself, and because the pure essential oil has a stronger concentration of the lavender, it also served as an aromatherapy treatment. Nick has been using this combination regularly and has found some relief! We like this homeopathic alternative…and would recommend it to anyone looking for a natural way to treat muscle aches/sprains.
There are other known benefits of lavender oil – see below:
My final thoughts:
Do you already use lavender oil? For what? please share!
Source/Read more: Lavendar Oil Benefits | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7195014_lavendar-oil-benefits.html#ixzz1S02kMaMs
In my post about cellulite treatments (see link below!) – I mentioned the technique of using a body brush to massage ‘trouble’ areas while in the shower or bath. Working the brush in a circular motion over the skin is supposed to bring blood flow/improve circulation to the area, and therefore, help (more so temporarily) diminish the appearance of cellulite.
I have been testing out this technique and have noticed some improvement. Also, my skin is extra soft, not surprisingly as the bristles are exfoliating as well. I like the brush technique because it is quick, easily fits into my daily shower routine, and low-cost.
Initially, I was using a plastic bristled brush I found at CVS – but it felt harsh on my skin. I found a nicer/more gentle brush at The Body Shop – I thought I would share:
The Body Shop Cactus Body Brush
It’s a $15 brush, but per the product reviews, it is durable and should last years. Keep in mind, you can also find these brushes at Homegoods or Marshalls for cheap – but if you want a definitive place to find one – The Body Shop is the way to go.
As follow-up to the ‘splurge: eyelash extensions‘ post, I wanted to post about a less expensive way to get a similar look.
While you can get false eyelashes applied at your local beauty counter (i.e. the Benefit counter @ Macy’s) for less, the below is a more cost-effective, do-it-yourself alternative.
It is now a tried & adopted part of one of my good friend, Kristi’s ‘going out’ beauty routine. Kristi’s lashes always look great when we go out at night. She uses the individual/clump false lashes vs. the strips. She said, she’s had a hard time keeping the edges of the strips down, they often pop/peel up during the night, eek! Also, with the individual ones, you can decide what amount of ‘vavoom’ you want. They are easier to put on too.
She swears by the Ardell brand false lashes and adhesive (info below).
Apparently, she tried Revlon lashes but they didn’t do the trick…so now she sticks with Ardell which specializes in false lashes. And the great thing is, you can easily find these FOR CHEAP at your local pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens).
Kristi showed me how to apply these over 4th of July weekend, and I was impressed. She put only a few on the outer corner of my eyes and they came out great. My eyes did not get irritated.
Below is the ‘recipe’ and instructions for these at-home, do-it-yourself false eyelashes.
What you need:
Instructions (remember, practice makes perfect, it can take some time to get the hang of false eyelash self-application):
Removal:
NOTE: Typically, these false lashes are recommended for special occasions and suggested not to be worn regularly…to avoid infection or irritation from the adhesive
These false lashes are a cheaper alternative because most ladies have the majority of these materials on hand. The false lashes and adhesive will cost you <$10!
Good luck, and let me know if you try this / how it goes!
Ardell Lashes and Adhesive Found here:
(sources: http://www.ehow.com/how_6836026_apply-individual-fake-eyelashes.html & http://www.celebrity-beauty-tip-goldmine.com/how-to-apply-false-eyelashes.html)
Let me start by saying, I’m not an expert on these or really any beauty treatments/services. But I’ve tried eyelash extensions and recently got a solid review from a trusted friend and beauty resource.
What are eyelash extensions?
I first tried eyelash extensions a few months ago. I went to a salon on Newbury St. (in Boston) and was offered ‘weekend’ lash extensions for $50. Weekend lashes are a few lashes placed on the outer corner of the eyes. Normally, the cost for weekend lashes is $100. A full set at this salon, which is considered a more ‘dramatic’ enhancement is $350, yowza. Half set lashes are also available for $250. Touch-up applications are offered for full/half sets for $50. I was offered the discount as one of the aestheticians was recently trained and wanted to show me how they work/would look. Application took about 45 minutes. For a full set it takes ~180 mins. It’s a tedious process, definitely takes skill! They are supposed to last 3-4 weeks.
The application was completely painless and quite relaxing as I laid on one of the massage tables with tranquil music playing in the background. I was so excited to see the results. I have thicker lashes naturally, so I was hoping this would be an added bonus, making me look more awake or detract from my dark circles. To be honest, I was not astounded with the results. The lashes were pretty, and I noticed them slightly, as a few were longer and stood taller than my natural lashes. After leaving the salon I was kind of bummed but I realized I didn’t get the full set, and I got to try them for pretty cheap (considering). Within the next few days I lost a couple lashes. I ended up going back to the salon because I felt like, discount or not, these babies were not lasting. The aesthetician gladly re-did the lashes. She was super nice and apologetic and she said she used a stronger adhesive this time around. The re-done lashes stayed on longer (~1.5 weeks). But after this experience, it didn’t feel like something I could keep up with or justify as an expense.
Now, that was my experience. I recently talked to my friend Kaitlyn about her experience, and I got to see the handy work. She loves her ‘new’ lashes…and I must say, they look amazing. They were done by Blink out of Hanover MA. Her application took 2 hours – she got a full set. The cost is $195 which includes a one week touch up. Kaitlyn has really long lashes naturally, so she wasn’t sure how they’d look. But…see for yourself:
She loves them because she doesn’t have to wear mascara. In the pictures she literally had one stroke of mascara on.
So gorgeous! Thank you, Kaitlyn for glamming up my blog! sorry boys, she’s spoken for 😉
So, the end scoop:
I’ll be reporting back on a less expensive (and more temporary) approach to lash extensions…’steal: fake eyelashes done by YOU’ stay tuned!
Have you had eyelash extensions? If so, please share your experience / referrals here!
CREDITS:
@BethOnBeauty 