Lotion Bar

These lotion bars are absolutely amazing and one of my favorite things to make. The shea butter and coconut oil moisturizes while the beeswax protects the skin and seals in the moisture. They work so well that you'll be able to moisturize less often even if you typically have dry skin. If you don't have a food scale, just measure out equal amounts of each ingredient, such as a quarter cup.

• 20 grams beeswax pellets
• 25 grams shea butter
• 25 grams coconut oil

Melt together in a small saucepan over low heat then pour into mould of your choice (cupcake pan, dixie cups, silicone muffin liners... etc)

Homemade Sunscreen

With more people becoming health-conscious, natural options of just about everything seem to be increasing in popularity. The downside to this is that these healthier alternatives tend to cost up to ten times as much as their chemical-ridden relatives. For example, the popular Badger brand of sunscreen costs $15 for a small tube containing less than 3 ounces of sunscreen. That's a whopping $5 per ounce! This expensive sunscreen contains all the same ingredients as my homemade version (beeswax, natural oils, and zinc oxide) and for the cost of about 3 tubes, you can purchase all the ingredients and make it yourself for a measily 66 cents per ounce.

A single batch ends up costing $3.62, makes about 5 1/2 ounces, and takes about 5 minutes to make. You should be able to find shea butter and coconut oil at a natural health store. Beeswax pellets can sometimes be hard to find so you're probably better off ordering that along with the zinc oxide powder from an online store such as Amazon.

Here's a breakdown of the costs of ingredients. Please keep in mind that while prices can vary quite dramatically, you shouldn't have any issue finding the ingredients at the following price points.

beeswax: $12 per pound (37 cents per batch)
shea butter: $10 per 16 oz ($1.25 per batch)
coconut oil: $10 per 16 oz ($1.25 per batch)
zinc oxide powder: $12 per pound (75 cents per batch)

This sunscreen is waterproof, protects against the entire spectrum of UVA and UVB rays, and has an SPF of 30 (SPF can be increased by adding more zinc oxide). It is natural, safe, and a great choice for kids and adults alike. Like all sunscreens, it should be reapplied every hour, especially after swimming or sweating.

• 1/2 oz (1/8 cup) beeswax pellets
• 2 oz (1/4 cup) shea butter
• 2 oz (1/4 cup) coconut oil
• 1 oz (2 tablespoons) zinc oxide powder

In a small saucepan, melt beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil over low heat. Pour liquid into a bowl along with the zinc oxide and whisk until combined and lump-free. Pour into a small, wide-mouthed jar and allow to cool until using.

rubs in easily!

Homemade Eyeshadow Primer

Eyeshadow primer not only makes your eyeshadow 'stick' more and crease less, but it also allows you to use less eyeshadow as it turns your eyelid into a nice even surface.

This recipe requires three ingredients: moisturizer/lotion of your choice, liquid foundation, and arrowroot powder. 

In a small bowl, combine equal parts moisturizer and liquid foundation. Stir in arrowroot powder 1/4 teaspoon at a time until you reach a frosting-like consistency. Place finished makeup in a small jar. Apply with either your finger or a small foundation brush. 

Homemade Shine-Free Powdered Foundation

One of my must haves is loose powder (thanks to the great state of Texas, without it I'd look like a complete grease ball). So needless to say, I love what it does for my skin but I definitely don't love the price. For six dollars, I get 0.7 ounces of product. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the majority of my money is going towards marketing and not the actual product. Recently I came across a recipe to make my own loose powdered makeup. The recipe was lengthy and included several exotic ingredients (most of which were used in such small quantities that I honestly didn't see the point). I spent the next several minutes skimming the comments section and found out that many people simply used the three main ingredients and didn't bother with the rest. They reported good results and the main ingredients were familiar to me so I decided to go ahead and try it. Let me just say this: the resulting product is AMAZING. It is light and provides nice shine-free coverage just like my beloved Maybelline loose face powder. Oh, and let's not forget it costs a fraction of the price. For $10 worth of ingredients, I'm going to be able to make at least 40 batches of this stuff (each batch being enough to refill my old Maybelline container).

Like I said, all you need are three ingredients. Arrowroot powder, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. I recommend you splurge for the good cocoa powder and all natural arrowroot as this stuff is going on your face. If you aren't familiar with arrowroot powder, just know that it is similar to cornstarch except that it is gluten free. You can find it in the baking goods aisle along side other flours. It is available at all health food stores. 

In a bowl, combine the three ingredients until you get your desired shade. Arrowroot powder is going to be the base, so start with that and very slowly add in tiny amounts of the cinnamon and cocoa powder. I can't tell you how much because your skin color isn't the same as mine. Just know that the cocoa powder will darken the makeup but leave it a slight grey tone while the cinnamon will darken the makeup while adding in warm tones. Keep some of your existing loose powder makeup nearby to compare colors. Once you've found your shade, transfer into an old makeup container or any container that's short and wide and enjoy your awesome cheap makeup that smells absolutely delicious!

How to fix broken pressed powdered makeup

This easy trick may not result in the prettiest looking makeup, but it works great, it's cheap, and it works with any pressed powder such as compact powder, eyeshadow and blush. All you need is rubbing alcohol, a clean bowl and a small spoon.

The culprit: An eyeshadow that shattered after being dropped. 

How to trim and layer your own hair

I've been cutting my own hair since 2006. It's something that I have gotten better at over the years as I've learned different (and easier) techniques. This may not be the proper way of cutting hair, but it is completely free and fairly fool-proof. What you'll need is: long hair in need of trimming and layering, a sharp scissors, a hair tie, a hair clip, a brush, a comb and a hand mirror (or some sort of way to see the back of your head). Let's Begin...