How to Get Summer Ready Skin + Exfoliating Scrub Recipe

Summer is approaching! Did you hear me right? Summer is almost here! Never you mind these intermittent days of snow. We shall merely pretend they don't exist. I can feel the sun right on the cusp of warming my skin each and every day. 

Now that I'm finally in a place where I can get my health under control, and set some goals for myself, I'm adding to the list my super soft skin. Once upon a time I had the softest, shimmeriest (is that a word?) skin. It was perfectly tanned, had a slight glimmer, and I never had to wear foundation. Oh how I miss this! So I've stocked up on the essentials I once used for my own daily DIY exfoliation treatments, and would love to invite you lovelies to have this same delectable skin. It's so easy, too. Just a few all-natural ingredients from the supermarket.

WHAT YOU NEED

1. Loofah
2. Pumice stone
3. Body wash/cleanser
4. DIY Exfoliating scrub
5. Moisturizing lotion (low alcohol content)

GET DOWN TO WORK

1. Use your loofah or a dry cloth to remove any dead skin cells and to open up your pores, before you get in the shower.
2. Starting from the feet and moving up, toward your heart, begin scrubbing your body with your cleanser.  By going upward in a circular motion, you will increase your body's circulation. Be gentle on sensitive areas such as your face and bikini line. 
3. Use your pumice stone to remove any dry or cracked calluses on your feet.
4. Give your body a good once-over with your homemade exfoliating salt scrub.  I'll include my quick and easy recipe at the end of the this post. Rinse well.
5. Once you're out of the shower, towel dry, leaving your skin somewhat damp. Apply a moisturizer all over your freshly exfoliated skin. Give the lotion a minute to dry and really soak into your skin before getting dressed. You don't want your garments absorbing most of the moisture. My favorite moisturizing lotion is Eucerin healing cream. But whatever you're using, be sure one of the first few ingredients is not alcohol. Many scented or otherwise inexpensive lotions contain a lot of alcohol, which dries out your skin. Once my tan has started to set, I love to use Jergens Natural Glow to slowly build upon it.

NOTE: Don't exfoliate on freshly waxed or shaved skin, or on skin that is sunburned or has any open wounds. This can be very painful and will most likely burn. Believe me, learned that the hard way!

DIY SALT SCRUB RECIPE 

• 1 cup almond oil
• 1 cup course sea salt
• 10-12 drops of vanilla scented oil (or preference)
• Mason jar or other container with lid

Mix all ingredients into your chosen container. You can use more and fewer drops of your scented oil, depending on how strong you prefer your scent to be. Each time you use your homemade salt scrub, shake or mix it well first.

Thanks for reading! Steph Sharing with: Craft-O-Maniac || The Girl Creative || C.R.A.F.T. || Still Being Molly || New Nostalgia || Ladybug Blessings || Sugar Bee Crafts || Tip Junkie || Seven Thirty Three || Sew Much Ado || Someday Crafts || Not Just a Housewife || Free Pretty Things For You || Chic On A Shoestring Budget || The Shabby Nest || Peek-a-boo || Be-You-Tiful Party || Glitter Glue & Paint || The Sits Girls || Tatertots & Jello ||

#FundayMonday Link Party CO-HOST

This week I am thrilled to be Co-Hosting Funday Monday with Molly of Still Being Molly and Carly of Lipgloss and Crayons. These are a couple of my fave blogs, so it's quite an honor to be selected  as a co-host this week. And, thank you, ladies for featuring my post on Exceptional Blogging. An honor and a privilege!

Over the weekend I met up with Heather Thacker Photography for a fun photo shoot through Downtown Boone. We had such a great time! Here's a little sneak preview:

Image © Heather Thacker Photography

 

Welcome to Funday Monday! Here are a few of our favorites posts from last week’s link-up:

Layers & Distressed Denim || Best Beauty DIY of 2013 || Robot Cake || Five Steps to an Exceptional Blog

The Rules for #FundayMonday Link-Ups:

1. Follow your hosts Molly @ still being [molly] & Carly @ Lipgloss & Crayons! And, be sure to follow and check out this week’s guest hosts: Whitney @ Whitney 'Nic' James and Stephanie @ Newly Mynted.
2. Grab a button and / or post a link back here in your BLOG POST (NOT your blog’s main page) so your readers know what all the #fundaymonday-ness is about. We love you guys linking up and we do go through and read all your posts… so if you do not give credit, we will have to remove your link. That’s no fun, right? Right. So be nice and share a link! Pretty please?
3. Link your blog post up using the linky tool below! It can be ANYTHING! An outfit post, a giveaway, a story, a recipe, whatever. Why? Cause it’s #fundaymonday!
4. Visit a blog or four that you’ve never been to before and leave a #fundaymonday comment – you never know, you might “meet” someone new that you will lurve!
5. Have fun! Cause it’s Monday!

Want to cohost #FundayMonday? We are currently accepting weekly cohosts! Please email us at mollystillman@gmail.com for more info!

God made the sun

What a beautiful start to my morning! 

Coming back from the bus stop, my youngest daughter Olivia stopped and pointed to the hill behind our home and said, "Mom, look, God's making the sun!"

I cannot tell you how this warmed my heart, to hear her delight in God's creation. It developed into a conversation of why God made the sun and the moon, one to rule the day and one to rule the night, separating light from darkness. God touched my heart more as I turned to these verses in my bible, reminding me that at the end, He "saw that it was good."

You may also be interested to know that my mother-in-law has a blog where she has been doing a bible study on the Eternal message in the stars. Her notes are beautiful!

What are you delighting in today?

Much delight from me to you!

Steph

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Color Crush: Cobalt

For almost the past year I have had the biggest crush on blue handbags. Bright, striking blue handbags! Cobalt blue. Electric blue. Although I have yet to find one I absolutely adore with a price tag that's within my budget, I have not relented my swooning. My fascination has expanded to nail polish, jewelry and clothing, and a desire to expand my blue joy around my home.

This is what I like to call growth! For most of my adult life I have avoided blue like the plague. Navy blue is a terrible color on me, and because I couldn't wear navy, I just avoided blue altogether. My bigotry caused me to lose out on all this cobalt blue richness. No more though. This fall I plan to embrace blue as much as I can!

What are your color crushes?

Oodles of love today!

Steph

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Style Elixir

Bedtime routine for more beautiful skin

As I get older I notice my body aging more and more, and I am realizing how important all the regimes for keeping my body healthy are.

Younger looking skin is all about preventative maintenance!

I am an avid coffee and Dr. Pepper drinker, but all that caffeine and acid is slowly but surely wrinkling up my little bod. My honey has been kindly encouraging me to drink more water. I have been trying my best to adapt certain routines into my evenings after the kids go to bed, the only time I really have for myself. Here are few bedtime routine tips I have been practicing:

1:Warm Showers

A warm shower before bed eases the body. You don't want it too hot, just warm, to bring down your body temperature. A decrease in your temperature slows your metabolism and signals to your body that it's time to rest. It's also one less task in the morning, and you can set your hair before bed for some no-heat curls. Kind of a win/win!

2:Drink Water

I know we've said this already. But I'm learning just how important it is. When I get ready for bed, whether I had some already or not, I drink a tall glass first. Drinking plenty of water hydrates your skin, also making it plump and filling in lines and wrinkles. It flushes out toxins and dirt that clogs pores. It's the ultimate cleanser and energy booster!

3:Brush and Floss

If you want to keep your teeth, take care of them. Without a doubt, brush and floss. In fact, I've learned to go as far as using a gum stimulator to get beneath the gums where floss doesn't reach. I suffered from painful gums for months. I finally got into a dentist, only to learn I had gum disease. Worst cleaning I've ever had. It was so painful. This new dentist introduced me to a gum stimulator and I was astonished how much yuckiness came out from under my gums, even after regular brushing and flossing.

4:Clean and Moisturize

Always remove all of your makeup before bed. Sleeping in makeup is so bad for your skin. After removing, clean your face with a deep cleansing scrub. I like St. Ives apricot scrub. Once my skin has been rid of all germs, I treat and moisturize with H2O Waterwhite Advanced Brightening Cleanser and Cream . This stuff is honest to goodness amazing. I have always suffered from a dry t-zone. Since I started using the H2O cleanser, I have not noticed my face drying out at all. To end my cleaning ritual, I dab a spot of anti-wrinkle cream around my eyes and mouth, where lines have begun forming.

5:Get a Good Nights Sleep
Your beauty rest is so important to your health. But did you know how you sleep can effect your skin too? I did a little research, and even asked you ladies on Facebook how you slept. Most of you are side sleepers like me. But according to an article on CNN Health side sleeping is bad for your skin and breasts. It causes the skin in your face to get smashed, forming wrinkles over time. It also causes your breasts to sag. However, according to the article, sleeping on your back makes for perkier breasts and a reduction in wrinkles. Perkier breasts when I'm 40 sounds rather appealing!

What are your beauty routines?

Love dearly,
Steph

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Image © Thandra | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Style Guide: Fall 2013 Trends & Makeup tips

Photo Image: Vogue (Spain) 1: Wet & dry shadow // 2: Too Faced bronzer // 3: Tom Ford lip color // 4: Peplum blouse // 5: Chandelier earrings // 6: Cocktail ring

Browns, blues and greens are going to be the trend colors for Fall this year. I am ecstatic! I, myself, am a little coral-ed out. As much as I love coral, I feel I wear it every year. I need a change.

I loved this image from Vogue and how they stepped out of the traditional black smokey eye and went with a rich, chocolate smokey eye instead. The dark-eyed look is kept fresh by being paired with a crisp white blouse, and accented with accessories from this years Fall color trends.

Makeup tips:

Be sure to use a nude lipstick or other soft color. Either play up the eyes or play up the lips. Don't do both. Remember, less is more. You don't want to look like you're wearing too much makeup.

Get yourself a set of falsies. Really play up your smokey eye this year with lush false lashes.

For more makeup tips follow along with your favorite beauty bloggers. 

So much love from me to you today!!!
Steph

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Beauty bloggers you'll love

My dreams are big! Besides dreaming of becoming a published author, another of my goals is to study makeup artistry. The North Carolina School of Arts has an astounding wig and makeup design program and it is on my bucket list to attend. I know I'm almost 30, but that doesn't mean it's too late for me to go back to school, right?

In the meantime I live vicariously, learning from those who are skilled in this trade and are awesome enough to share it with the world. Here are a few of my favorites:

Images © Kandee J

This little beauty (blogger) is Kandee Johnson. This is one woman I would LOVE to share a seat beside. And when I say LOVE, I mean it, too, is on my bucket list. What an honor it would be! Yes, it's far fetched and not likely to happen, but it's on my list anyway. A girl can dream, right?! And I dream BIG!

The past couple of years I have pondered the idea of a 1920's party, a way to celebrate leaving my twenties. (That day creeps closer and closer, but it doesn't look like my party will happen. *sigh*) Anyway, a year or so ago I looked up some tutorials on flapper style makeup and happened upon Kandee's Youtube video. Her humor killed me! I was sold. I've been a blog stalker of hers since. I cannot tell you how I longed for Kandee during the days I stopped blogging and no longer existed within the community. Besides being a phenomenal makeup artist, this lady has the most beautiful heart of any blogger I have ever happened upon. I cannot put her love of life into words. She doesn't merely instill confidence through beauty and makeup, but rather through a persons heart. There was a day I was not doing as well as I would have liked (the day she went blonde above) and her video exhorted her readers to feel beautiful no matter what, from the inside out. I cried that day. I honestly believe God had her words for me. If you don't already follow her, do it. I promise you won't regret it for a moment.

Image © Whippy Cake

Do you know beauty and style blogger Becki, owner of Whippy Cake? I met Becki in high school, although we went to different schools. Well, technically I was in high school, she was in middle school. I am exactly one year to the day older than her. I was a freshman and she was in eighth grade. But we clicked! Did you know even at 14 she loved making pretty things and styling hair? Yes, this is how we spent our weekends together. She had a terrible habit of needing to sneak off to the restroom to fix/reapply her mascara. She would give me such a hard time because I didn't wear mascara on my bottom lashes back then. If she wasn't painting red lips on her purple comforter, she was styling her hair. Back then her spider web hairstyle was quite a hit with the church group.

I remember when she first launched Whippy Cake. MySpace was still the "it" online social media outlet. I was so excited when I got her email and saw her all cute holding a hot pink cupcake! I have followed her blog since she started it. I own many, many Whippy Cake jewelry and hair accessories. I am so proud of everything she has established for herself and her company. I miss her terribly, and she is most certainly one of the first people I contact on the rare occasion I go back to Phoenix.

Image(s) © MaskCara

First, can we take a moment to grin and applaud politely at Cara's creative wordplay? As a writer, I was quite tickled with this! MaskCara is my go-to blog for beauty tips. I found her via Pinterest, actually, when I stumbled upon her Baggage Post. My grandfather cursed me with this atrocity, and the older I get, the more defiant my eyes become. I tried Cara's tip on applying concealer and was hooked. I'm always eager to learn, so I peek in on her in my spare time to see what's new.

******

I want to extend a caution to any beauty tips you find and use across the internet. Be sure the people offering these tips are licensed and knowledgeable in the trade. Any honest beauty blogger will not share some of their techniques, as they know the dangers that can occur if you aren't skilled with certain chemicals. A simple eye shadow application is one thing, but I would hate to see someone with chemical burns because they tried applying rhinestones to their eyes and used the wrong adhesive. My heart fell once when I saw a video of a girl sharing hair styling tips and she burned her hair right off with the styling wand. So please be careful!

****** 

Love dearly,

Steph

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Rainy day blues and gold makeup

Image via Snobka

Pinned

Last week the lovely Maria @ Agape Love Designs prompted her readers to re-create a Pinterest inspired look. I knew these blue and gold hues done by Polish blogger, Snobka, were just what I needed. If you head over to her blog, she has the complete start-to-finish tutorial for you.

My end result ...

Coat: thrifted // Sweater: H&M // Necklace: Maurices

Makeup eye pallet: POP Beauty Cosmetics // Lip pallet: Clinique & Covergirl

The weather here in Boone has been abysmal. It has been overcast and rainy for over a week. Flooding has begun, as well. At 6:01 AM I was awoken by an automated phone call from my sons school informing me that class is on a two-hour delay due to the closing of some streets.

I fear I've forgotten what sunshine is like.

I needed a perk -- and makeup was it. I stepped out of my sweats, donned my fur coat and applied some airy and delicate makeup, with just a dash of glitter eyeliner. I even incorporated The Beauty Departments 3D Lip Illusion into my pink lipstick. Then I made my honey suck up the rain with me and take pictures. (More on him later!)

Of course after only a few minutes, the hem of my skirt soaked through and I was shivering from the cold. So I bolted back inside and got reacquainted with my sweatpants again. But the makeup remained. That's all that counts in my book.

I'm hoping all these April May showers will bring colorful flowers. I've been told spring comes a little later here. There are huge trees outside my living room window I am anxiously awaiting to sprout. When they do, you can count on me sharing them. Who knows, maybe it will inspire some  green hued makeup.

Till next time, friends!

Love dearly,

Steph

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