Bless and Release

Bless and Release.

Not exactly a "beauty" related post... but inspiration enough to make a beautifully organized closet!

This is not something new to me. I have always had too many clothes. I love clothes. My problem is that I don’t know when to let go and get rid of old clothes. My mother used to always say “Bless and release” to all my old toys/clothes/anything growing up, because I would always try to think of a way I could keep it and keep not using it.

Since being with my fella, I’ve definitely downsized my wardrobe. It’s definitely liberating, but I can have my little bouts of retail therapy when I forget I have some perfectly good pieces at home with the sale tag still on them. We live a simple life in a 400 square foot studio apartment with our three kids. We have Rowdy (my 2 ½ year old Pembroke Corgi), Kimber (his 1 year old German Shepherd/Husky mix) and Danni (our 3 year old rescue kitty). Most of the time, it feels like we live in a little shoebox, but we’re happy. Things can be pretty crammed, pretty quick. So I have decided to be responsible and get rid of a ton of pieces in my closet I truly don’t wear or use.

Look at all this jewelry I've collected over the years and haven't gotten rid of! Most of it never worn! Bless and release!

This can be a daunting task for anyone. First, collect some large bags. Start small, I went to the dresser and went one drawer at a time. Does it have a tear or stain? In the bag. Have I neglected to wear it in the last 6 months (seasons permitting)? In the bag. Have I only worn it once and can’t come to wear it again? In the bag, woman!  Drawer by drawer… until we reach the closet.

He's such a good helper.

Take breaks, have some fun and try on some pieces to see if they are worth up-cycling or actually wearing. If not, in the bag. It took me darn near 3 hours to successfully go through my drawers, my closet, my jewelry, and my shoes. I wound up with 4 very large bags of perfectly usable clothes that I didn’t need or never wore!

Spring cleaning: Rowdy approved.

I am a huge fan on selling old clothes to recycled clothing shops; I used to do it all the time.  I am also a huge fan of donating my clothes, which is my course of action with this cleaning frenzy. Only throw away your clothing if it is ripped or stained, or are old undergarments. Everything else can be donated or sold. I feel so much better getting it all out of my place! There is so much more room and my clothes can actually breathe in my closet now!

XOXO Kayla Rae

                       

The Eyelash Experiment.

The Eyelash Experiment.

I’ve seen the products out there for us to lengthen, strengthen, and overall boost our lashes. There are plenty of products at the beauty supply store that you apply to your lash line at night and wait for the effects. Upon looking at many, some have water as the main ingredient (big whoop) as well as herbal extracts that are great ideas. Here’s the kicker, most have denatured alcohol in them (listed as alcohol denat.). Denatured alcohol is basically added so the concoction isn’t drinkable and smells bad. Also it is used as a fuel source for your camping stoves. Yes, it is basically a fuel source. How about we just be smart and not think to drink our beauty products? So gross. You really want that so close to your eyes? No thank you.

There is also prescription based products for sparse or thinning eyelashes. Really this is only for those in extreme cases. This is not meant to be something for the average person. The theory behind it is to lengthen and darken your lashes by swiping one drop of the prescription on the lash line daily. As with most prescriptions, the side effects and adverse effects outweigh the benefits. One is liquid filled cysts on the eye area, one would be pigmentation that is not removable in the eye area, and one is even allergic reaction to your precious eye area. I’d rather get good mascara and call it a day, thank you!

Being in LA, I have also seen a plethora of salons offering eyelash extensions nowadays (I’m sorry ladies; most of you cannot pull them off… especially the fair skinned blondes and redheads). I know you want big, beautiful lashes, I want them too! But I am not about to let someone use a glue with lord-knows what chemicals and bonding to stick them on me.

As I noted in an update with my Oil Cleansing Method post, my eyelashes started holding their own about two weeks into my oil cleansing. I did a little research, and it turns out some oils are very beneficial for your lashes! Take Castor oil; aside from its healing properties on your skin, it has plumping properties for your hair. Coconut oil is great for softening and penetrating the hair, making it stronger. Jojoba oil is the most universal of oils because it is lightweight and is safe for all hair types and skin types.  I decided to combine the three in an old mascara tube and begin my experiment for really taking my lashes to the next level.

Here is the fun part… getting all the gook out of an old mascara tube. I know we all have one lying around, the mascara is pretty much useless, but what if there is some sort of national mascara shortage and you need it!  I consulted my fella about how I could get all the crap out of the tube. We decided that putting the tube back and forth from boiling to cool water would be effective. I’m pretty sure we did all the wrong things, but it was fun. I added coconut oil to the boiling water (as it is great for removing makeup from your  face) to help loosen up the goop. Then took tongs and went back and forth, pouring out old mascara and rinsing… it took forever. I really recommend buying an empty tube (I can only find them online) or getting a wand from your local beauty supply store and a sealed jar to keep your mix in.

Once I got my tube empty, I added equal parts of the coconut, castor, and jojoba oils and stirred it up. I apply the mix to my lashes at night before bed (usually about 2 coats) and then I’ll do a coat before I apply my daily mascara. It’s not easy to tell if things are working, mostly because you see your face all day every day. I take pictures; it helps me compare side-by-side.  I decided this one is best compared weekly. By week 2, I already noticed a difference in the pictures. Ben already decided he wanted in on the action too. Who says men don’t want to feel pretty too?!

Here is a week by week rundown of the eyelash experiment:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Sorry for the creepy, up close and personal eye shots... but I really noticed my lower lashes started coming together very nicely! They've always been a little sparse... but they're doing well! None of these shots are my eyes with any mascara! I'm definitely going to keep this one up.

XOXO Kayla Rae

DIY Lip and Cheek Stain (think “Benetint”)

Bears. Beets. Beauty Products.

I love Benetint from Benefit Cosmetics. It’s amazing. However, being on a budget doesn’t allow me such luxuries anymore. You know what though? I don’t miss it too much. After all, isn’t it great to know it can be made in the comfort of home for a fraction- seriously a small fraction- of the cost? I find some peace in that.

This one is super easy! I tried two different recipes; I like both fine… but have some amazing testers so I will let you know what one they liked best.

Option 1:

Beets

Vegetable Glycerin

Vodka

Grab a double boiler (or my fav, a bowl inside a pot). Chop beets into small chunks and place in bowl with a small amount of vegetable glycerin. Start boiling the water.  Let the beet’s color run in the glycerin, while stirring, for 15-20 minutes. Drain the beets, keeping the liquid. Put a splash of vodka in the mix and let it continue to cook for a few more minutes (this will kill the alcohol part, letting it absorb on your skin better). Then place in your container and put in fridge. This should stay stable for a while, but keep it in the fridge for best results.

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Option 2:

Beet

Water

Vodka

Chop beets into small chunks and place in pot of water. Start boiling and let the color of the beets get all up in the water. Drain the beets, keeping the red water in the pot. Add a splash of vodka and boil a few more minutes. Place in container and pop it in the fridge.  

Look at that glorious color!!! (The tube is the Benetint)

There's no difference in color! This is one of the finished products.

I made sure to date it, in case I lose track of time.

*Side note:  I added a teeny bit of peppermint essential oil in it to kill that beet smell, totally up to you.

Now, I would highly recommend you practice a little common sense and don’t try to wear it when you just made it… it will be hot so wait until it cools. Trust me, it’s not going anywhere. You should have just made yourself more than enough, so you don’t have to be so judicious with your stains anymore!  You’ll know it is going bad when the smell changes, it is a food product after all, it’ll go bad. Many places I read said up to 90 days of use. So I’ll let you know when mine goes bad.

I might recommend finding an empty nail polish tube from the beauty supply store to keep this in, very portable (there will be more than enough for a few jars, easy gifts!) as well as easy application with the wand. I used some cobalt glass droppers and I use a cotton swab to apply.

There are other variations I’m going to try in the future, such as berries for a darker color.

I’m already a huge fan! It doesn’t absorb as quickly as my Benetint, but for the price, I’m not complaining. It goes on a much lighter color too, so you don’t have to risk going too drastic at first try. Use it on your cheeks for a subtle rosy tint, or put directly on your lips for a “just bitten” look.

XOXO Kayla Rae