Homemade Exfoliant

We all know exfoliating is an important part of a well rounded skin care routine but if you're like me many store bought exfoliants dry your skin out and can leave your face feeling tight.  That is exactly why I have started making my own natural exfoliant at home!  Now, before I walk you through how I exfoliate my skin I would like to stress that I am not a dermatologist and everyone's skin is different, this is just what has worked for me and my extremely dry skin.  Also, remember not to exfoliate anymore than once or twice a week.  It is not something you should be doing to your skin daily, it will probably get irritated and/or dry out.

What You'll Need:

• Honey
• Brown Sugar (I have heard people with more sensitive skin prefer to use oats.)
• Water
• Bowl

1.  Put some of the brown sugar in a bowl.  If you are exfoliating by yourself (not that it should be a group event but sometimes my sister and I exfoliate together. BONDING!) you do not need that much. Maybe just one to one and a half small spoonfuls.

2.  Squirt some honey on top of the brown sugar.  I do not exactly measure it but it is about 1 teaspoon.  Your brown sugar and honey will then look like this...

3.  Next you will want to add some water to your brown sugar honey mixture.  It is very important not to add too much water because your exfoliant will become soupy and the sugar will start to dissolve.  I usually just put some water on my fingertips and sprinkle it over the brown sugar and honey.  Do this a couple times then mix the exfoliant with a spoon until it looks like this...

The mixture should still be a bit thick although I'm sure you cannot tell from the picture.  You can add more brown sugar if it gets too watery.

4.  Splash you face with warm water (not too hot) then start scrubbing your face with the exfoliant.  Massage the mixture around your entire face gently.  Let me say that again, GENTLY.  Way too many people abuse exfoliants by scrubbing them roughly on their face thinking that will scrub away all their dry skin.  If you are not gentle it will dry out or irritate your skin.  I do this around my entire face for a couple minutes.

5.  Rinse face with warm water, make sure to get all of the exfoliant off of your face because no one wants to find sugar behind your ear later.  You will probably get it in your mouth at one point but hey it's just sugar and honey! And yes, it does kind of taste like baby food but you won't die.  Finish by splashing some cold water on you face to snap pores shut and don't for get to moisturize right after!  I use Cetaphil because it's amazing.

When you are done your skin will be happy and thank you!  Like this...

Let's Catch Up: An Update

I would like to apologize ahead of time for being a bit MIA within the next couple of weeks.  I'm sure I have said in previous posts that I have a very busy August ahead of me.  A week from today I will be at a beach house in Washington frolicking with the seals and birds.  When I get home I have a week to pack before I move to San Diego.  Hopefully I can find a job and once school gets started I'll fall into more of a regular routine.

This week I have spent most of my time thinking and then complaining about packing for both Washington and the move.  I also grabbed a coffee and a cannoli with my friend Violet which was pretty much the highlight of my week.

I also got to hang out with my friend Melina from high school this week, finally.  As you get older it really does get harder and harder to see people...and things.  I have finally come to terms with the fact that I just do not have the money right now to see The Dark Night Rises in theaters, I guess I'll have to wait to rent it.  Apparently growing up means not seeing movies anymore, I never go to the movies anymore.  The only movie I saw this entire year was Titanic in 3D (I'm kind of okay with that because Titanic is the best movie ever.) 

Today though, I am proud to report I finally put the complaining and procrastinating aside and packed some of my desk stuff, books, and movies in boxes and I have started throwing things in my suitcase for Washington.  PROGRESS! However, every time I look at my closet I cry.  Cleaning that thing out is going to be the task of the century.

I will try my best to keep my blog up to date during my trip to Washington but I'm not sure if I'll have constant internet access so my posts may be minimal.  Just know that I am probably gathering sea shells,  playing with my sea friends at the local aquarium and watching the Olympics.  I do have quite a few DIY projects and baking recipes I have yet to put up so know those are coming as soon as things calm down.  Hope you are all having a lovely end of July!

Flashback Tuesday

Jen from whyyjen asked me to join her new link up, "Flashback Tuesdays."  Here are some photos from my flashback to the last time I was at our beach house in Washington state.

I'll be going back to Washington in just eight days and I couldn't be more excited!

Be sure and check our Jen's blog and link up for flashback Tuesday!

High Five for Friday!

Hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend!

Oh How Pinteresting

Happy Wednesday blog land!  Today I'm linking up for "Oh How Pinteresting" to show you all my favorite pins of lately.

Can make this wall art with an old map, a pallet and some Mod Podge.

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Can you say dream hair?

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This post has caused me to crave pancakes all week long.

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If you saw my last current crush post you know how obsessed I am with birds. I NEED this bird blazer!

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I can totally make this calendar bulletin board myself. Cute and creative way to stay organized.

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LOVE these floral bowls. I've been looking everywhere for some affordable ones similar to these.

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What to follow me on Pinterest? Click here!

Me Myself and I #1

Today I'm linking up for the first "Me Myself and I" link up party. I think it's a pretty awesome idea especially because I'm pretty sure my about me page is bare.  Read along to know a little more about me...

1. What is your biggest phobia?
SPIDERS. I realize that just about everyone is scared of spiders but I'm convinced my fear is not normal.  I am constantly afraid that I am going to be home alone and a huge spider will appear on my wall and I will die. Yes, die.  I also have a fear of being strangled or having my neck cut.  I hate people touching my neck, I automatically freak out.  I watch a lot of Law and Order: SVU because it's the best show ever, but anytime there's some neck injury I have to look away.

2.  If you could relive any day in your life what would it be and why?
This is an extremely tough question.  I don't think I could pick just one day, I would have to say the two weeks I was in Europe in high school.  When I was 16 there were about 30 of us from my high school who went on a trip to Europe.  We visited Rome, Assisi, Florence, Pairs, and London.  That was when I really discovered my love for traveling and new places.  It wasn't until my second year of college I changed my major to art history, so now that I know a little bit more about the art there I'm dying to go back and study.  I truly believe traveling aboard is something everyone should do while they are young, it helps to give a completely new outlook on life.  It could be for school or just for your personal enjoyment.  In America it's unfortunate that we do not hold art or culture to be very important and we also do not teach our children about other world views.  To me, you're an adult when you finally realize that your way of doing things is not better than anyone else's just different and traveling helps you realize that.

Here are a couple pictures I took on my trip if you are interested...

3.  If you could choose a certain age to stay forever what would it be?

When I was younger I always wanted to be 22 for whatever reason.  When my sister and I played Barbies, my Barbie was always 22. It seemed like the perfect age at the time.  I thought, "Wow, 22 is so old. I bet by the time I'm 22 I'll be in love and have the perfect job and my whole life will be figured out!" I turn 22 in three and a half months and I can tell you none of that is true.  I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that I will never have as good of a life as I gave my Barbies.  Now that I'm older and so much wiser I realize your 20's are the time in your life when you have to figure everything out.  When I think about my 20's now I sing the Friends theme song in my head, "your jobs a joke, your broke, your love life's DOA."  Anyhow, 22 seems like as good as of an age as any. I can drink and buy my own spray paint. 

4.  What celebrity do you get mistaken for?

I can honestly say no one. I have yet to find my celebrity doppelganger. If anyone sees a similarity between me and a celebrity you know of, let me know.

5. What songs are included on the soundtrack of your life?

California-Phantom Planet 

Blackbird-The Beatles 

When You Were Young-The Killers

Blowin in the Wind-Bob Dylan

Love is a Battlefield-Pat Benatar

That's just off the top of my head. In reality there are too many great songs to choose from.  How about all of the songs on my ipod?

Hope you guys enjoyed learning a little bit more about me!

Bedroom Inspiration

I've been thinking a lot about bedroom inspiration lately and it's been making me excited to decorate my own bedroom when I move.  I'm sure at this point in my life my place will not look like a page out of Better Homes and Gardens but it's fun to think about anyway.  Here is some bedroom inspiration I have been loving.

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What would your dream bedroom look like?

High Five for Friday!

Once again linking up with Lauren at From my Grey Desk for H54F!  Here's what's been going on this week.

How has your week been?

Current Crush: Birds. Birds. Birds.

An exciting part of being a new blogger is there are a ton of firsts, today is my first link up for current crush Thursdays!  What am I crushing on lately you ask? Birds.  Yes, birds.  I don't know what sparked this love of all things bird but lately I just have to have anything avian.  Here are some of my top picks.

1.  Lamp- Target

2.  Dress- Sheinside.com

3.  Ring- republic.co.uk

4.  Purse- matlan.co.uk

5.  Necklace- etsy.com

6.  Earrings- modcloth.com

7.  Hummingbird Shirt- bestseller.com 

8.  Zipper Clutch- Marc Jacobs

9.  Mirror- shopterrain.com

10. Pillow- yliving.com

So what about everyone else?  Am I the only one with the avian flu or is anyone else loving our feathered friends as much as I am?  

Let's Catch Up: Sandwiches, Antiques, Cupcakes

Yesterday I went for an afternoon date with my BFF Violet.  We went to our favorite downtown spots for sandwiches, window shopping, and of course cupcakes.  All the best things in life!

Introducing the BEST chicken sandwich ever; Simple Simon's chicken tarragon with avocado on fresh sourdough and a side of fruit salad.  They also have a bakery so their bread is to die for.

Next we went to a small local store that sells all sorts of little trinkets and vintage things.  I love this sign they had there.  I'm a big believer in "you make your own happiness."  If you're miserable and bitter about life, it's probably because you want to be miserable and bitter.  When I was younger, and by younger I mean like a year ago, I hadn't figured out the whole "happiness is a choice" thing but I think part of growing up and maturing is realizing you have to make the best out of every situation because life is never gonna be fair but there sure are a lot of pretty awesome things in life.  Like sandwiches with avocado, puppies, and sparkly things! 

Something I didn't like about yesterday were these extremely creepy pillows of half human, half bunny ladies dancing.  WHY?!

Then we went to a GIANT antique store downtown that I love looking around periodically.  Some things are over prices but on a good day you can find some good deals.  These are some examples of awesome things in life; all kinds of pretty things!  Also, I need a mirrored vanity tray like this one but I have yet to find one in my price range.

LOVE this picture, LOVE ancient architecture, LOVE being an art history major no matter how useless people keep telling me it is.  Life's too short not to major in something you love!

Example number two of awesome things in life; finding a random picture of Meg Ryan.  As you can tell Violet was throughly confused.

Does this even need a caption?  Giant hot dog's are put on this earth so you can take pictures with them.

Next we went to Casey's Cupcakes winner of cupcake wars!  Casey's is actually not my favorite cupcake place, nothing will ever beat Sprinkles.  But it's close and some of their flavors are pretty good.

How cute are the "Beach Boy" blue, red, and green cupcakes for summer?!  And to the left of them are the cupcakes of the month, smore!

I got a cupcake with a Reese's on top.  To be honest with you I have no clue what the cake and frosting was, I just saw a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup on top of it so I got it.  Not my favorite, the Reese's was probably the best part.  They do have pretty good dark chocolate cupcakes though, and their German chocolate is also yummy.  Maybe I should stick with those.

Creepy dancing bunny pillows and satisfactory cupcakes aside, it was a pretty good day.  Aren't days with your BFF always good though?