Cleaning the Shower

A great tip for keeping the shower clean from lime and grime is to keep a fill and clean scourer (like the Dishmatic one, pictured) in the area, half filled with white vinegar and half with washing-up liquid.  Just wipe the walls and door of the shower when you're done and rinse!  Saves on buying those fancy - and expensive - cleaners which may or may not work...

Cleaning Make Up Brushes

I've covered make up expiry dates, as well as DIY make up pads but I haven't given a tip on how to easily keep make up brushes clean. Obviously, you can just wash them in a little soap and water but I've found a great combination of products to use to remove make up much more easily and quickly is 1/2 portion of olive oil and 1/2 portion of washing up liquid. Just mix it together, swivel the brushes in the solution, rinse and there you go!

DIY Fabric Make-up Pads

I use a lot of disposable cotton wool pads to remove make-up, nail varnish, put on cleanser and toner and so on which isn't really very environmentally friendly.  So I've made some washable fabric pads which only took a little time, it will save me money and I can stop feeling guilty about not being green!

I used some spare flannel fabric that was in my sewing bag, nothing fancy. It can be cut into any shape you like; I did basic circles. I put a little more of the fabric in between two layers to bulk it up and sewed around the outside by hand - again, nothing fancy but enough to keep it all together snugly and for it to 'look' like a cotton pad.  And there it is - a reusable, washable pad for those particular beauty needs!  Next time though, I may try squares and use the sewing machine.

Expiry Dates on Make Up

Make up should be thrown away after a period of time - just like food, it has an expiry date which, if ignored, could mean there is risk of infection, rashes and so on.  Here's a list of how long items should be kept once opened:

• Mascara - this is first as it expires the fastest and it's the eye area where you really don't want nasty germs and bacteria...  Throw out after 4 months. 
• Concealer - 12 months. 
• Nail Polish - 12 months.
• Foundation - water-based foundation 12 months, oil-based 18 months. 
• Lipstick - 1 - 4 years
• Powder - 2 years.
• Blusher - 2 years.
• Pencil eye liner - 3 years.
• Eyeshadow - 3 years. 
• Lip liner - 3 years. 

Of course, get rid of it if it's looking manky or smells!

DIY Bath Bombs

I must admit, this post is mainly selfish as I plan to make these and don't want to forget where I found them.  But they are genius! They are fragranced bath bombs that you can make yourself, quickly, easily and cheaply.  The full instructions can be found on a website called 'Something Turquoise'.

All you need is to measure out baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), citric acid, witch hazel and whatever fragrance and colourant you like. Mix it all up till clumpy and firm.  Choose a mould - the developer of the bath bombs used a mini muffin tray. Pack in the mixture, leave for 10 minutes or so and then turn out on to wax paper to dry. They can then be used as gifts, wedding favours, or just keep them yourself!

Unclogging a Drain

Firstly, boil some water.  While this is being done, pour a bunch of bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda) into the drain.  I use enough to go in to the plughole and pretty much cover it.

Then pour on some vinegar, an amount a bit less than the baking soda.  Some places suggest white vinegar but I find malt vinegar works just as well.  You'll see it all start to work, with the mixture bubbling up nicely and satisfactorily!  This is the clog breaking down.

Next add some salt on top of the vinegar to make it even more foamy and work even better.

Let it sit for a while to gurgle away - 15 minutes or so, until you're ready to clear it all out by pouring in the boiled water.  This should do the trick easily and naturally.  And look!  Pretty sink with no clogs, environmentally-friendly and naturally.

If necessary, repeat for those more stubborn clogs.

Use Less Toilet Paper

Toilet paper's expensive and it's not great for the environment.  One way to get around this is to buy the cheap stuff and use as little as possible, but it's not always easy.  And, quite frankly, I don't want scratchy, horrible loo roll.

A really simple, quick and easy way to use less toilet paper is to squash the roll before you put it on the holder.  The cardboard tube won't turn as easily, so it's harder to get a massive wodge of it - but easy enough to get what you need!

Cleaning your Hairbrush

You use your hairbrush at least once a day, so just think of all the stuff that collects in it!  Hair, dust, grease, hair product, dirt - yuck!  So you should think about washing your hairbrush fairly regularly to ensure it's nice and clean and all this muck isn't being transferred back into your hair.  This is mine pre-cleaning - a ton of hair and dust.  Blee!!

As ever, it's quick and easy.  All you have to do is remove the excess hair from the brush.  Then fill the sink with warm water and add a little shampoo - I just used one of my free samples from a recent hotel visit.  Leave to soak for a few minutes, assuming it's a plastic brush.  If it's fabric or wood, dip it in the water to just get the bristles.  In addition, if there is a lot of gunk on the brush, use an old toothbrush to remove it - but I've not yet had to do this!

Remove from the sink, give it a little shake to remove excess water and then place on a towel to dry.  Good as new!

What to do with Samples & Hotel Beauty Products

I must confess, I am a serial collector of sample beauty products, including the gorgeous little shampoo and body lotion bottles that are provided by hotels.  If I don't use them, they come home with me.  I find they are really useful for when I go away for a short break, at someone's home or another hotel - but with the latter, I inevitably end up with more products!  So what to do with them?

A really simple and useful idea is to put them in the guest bathroom, meaning that when friends and family come to stay, they can just help themselves.  And this can be done so beautifully.  All that is needed is a lovely jar to store the items in, such as this vintage candy sweet glass jar that's available on Ebay.

Simply put your shampoos, conditioners, body lotions, shower caps and whatever else you've acquired in the jar and leave in the bathroom.  Guests will really appreciate the gesture, it will look lovely and it will stop all those little bottles from cluttering up other parts of the house!

Cleaning Stainless Steel

A great, cheap way to clean stainless steel like your stove or sink tops is to mix one tablespoon of cream of tartar with a few drops of water to make a paste-like substance. Rub it on to the surface, wipe with a damp sponge and then dry clean with paper towels. Voila! Quick, easy, effective and hopefully free with products that you've already got in your home.
A great alternative product is Bar Keeper's Friend. It works exactly the same as the Cream of Tartar and may sometimes work out cheaper if you aren't much of a baker...