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!

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!

Coconut Moisturising Oil for Hair

First, slather the coconut oil on your hair and cover your hair with a shower cap - bonus top tip, stock up when you treat yourself to a hotel break!  It's up to you whether you wish to applying heat, but doing so will open the cuticle of each strand so the coconut oil can penetrate the core faster- so you'd only need to keep the oil on for 15 minutes rather than at least 30 without heat.  You can use a hair dryer to apply heat over the shower cap as per the picture below from 'How does She?'and relax with a book or something, if you can.  Or keep the cap on, don't warm it up, and get on with household chores.  Or watch telly or play with the kids!

Good places to buy coconut oil at the moment:

 

There's 40% off at the Body Shop till Monday with code 14395 or take adantage of the 25% off for new customers!

Lots of coconut oil options at Amazon!


Gorgeous, gorgeous from Neal's Yard Remedies and quite good value (in my opinion) to!

Once  time is up wash and condition your hair as you normally would although you may need to wash your hair twice to rinse away all of the oil. I usually try two shampoos before conditioning it which mostly works - it may need another go though if you've put loads on!  I haven't done this, but the author of  'How does She? says to really focus on the roots and try to shampoo the ends as little as needed.

This treatment should produce soft, silky, smooth, sleek hair that looks fantastic!  It can be done as often as you feel is necessary but the more you do it, the less you will need to.

Courtesy of 'How Does She?'