Showing posts with label smart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smart. Show all posts

Thursday, March 22, 2012

7 Simple but Unbelievably Effective Homemade Acne Cleansers …

7 Simple but Unbelievably Effective Homemade Acne Cleansers …
Home Acne Treatments not only work well, but they save money. They can also be less abrasive than marketed Cleansers. Let’s be real, fighting Acne is a pain, but these 7 Homemade acne cleansers are safe for your skin, easy on the wallet, and just overall awesome. The good thing about home acne treatments is they often use natural products instead of harsh chemicals found in over-the-counter or prescription acne treatments, making them ideal for sensitive skin. So, if you want to learn to make your own home acne treatments, keep reading!


1. Olive Oil


I know it seems crazy to put oil on your already oily acne prone skin. Olive oil has been used for many years as a cleanser and works wonders as home acne treatment. For best results pour a small amount of olive oil onto your hands and massage deeply into the skin. Allow the oil to sit for at least 3 minutes, then place a steamy towel over the face. The Steam will help pull impurities out of your pores. After the towel cools use it to wipe away the remaining oil.

2. Castor Oil


Castor oil works the same way as olive oil for a home acne cleanser. The reason why these oils work as facial cleansers is because skin naturally contains oil. Many of the cleanser we buy are branded as “oil-free.” water doesn’t dissolve oil, oil dissolves oil. When the oils from the skin are removed, the body creates even more oil creating oily skin, or it may react by not creating any oil and thus leaving your skin dry. It makes sense to use oil to help gently remove the dirt and oil from your face to help clear acne.

3. Baking Soda


Baking soda works two ways as an at home acne treatment. First it exfoliates the skin by buffing away dead skin and opening up clogged pores. Another way is the alkaline substance of baking soda kills off bacteria in the skin that causes acne. To use baking soda, wet your face and then create a paste with baking soda and water in your hand. Massage the paste into your face gently for one minute. Finish by rinsing with cool water and patting dry.

4. Oatmeal


Oatmeal is not only good for your body, it does wonders for you skin too. Oatmeal is naturally high in vitamins which makes it perfect to reduce redness and inflammation caused by acne. Create your own at acne treatment by soaking ? a cup of oatmeal in 1 cup of boiling water. After the oatmeal mixture has cooled, apply it to your face and gently massage the skin. After one to two minutes rinse off the oatmeal.

5. Honey


Honey is another terrific at home acne treatment. Honey contains antibacterial properties and can help hydrate the skin. You can create a Simple honey mask just by massaging natural honey into the skin and allowing it to sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. One way to enjoy this mask is to apply it before soaking in a warm bath after a long day at work for a little rest and relaxation.

6. Steaming


Steam opens the pores and allows the impurities to escape. Boil a pot of water and then let it cool for a few minutes. Hang your face over the cooled pot of water with a towel draped over your head to trap the steam in. After 10 minutes you can remove the towel and dry the steam off your face.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar


Apple cider vinegar has been used as an at home cure for many different things over the years. Because apple cider vinegar is unprocessed and contains many natural properties it works wonders as an at home Acne treatment. To use, mix one part apple cider vinegar with 3 parts water. Dab the mixture onto the face with a cotton ball. Using home acne treatments is so much better for your skin. And as you can see, there are many ways to treat acne naturally at home. Let me know if you tried any of these 7 home acne treatments. Also, do you have recipes for any other home acne treatments you’d like to share?

10 Negative Things You Should Stop Saying …

10 Negative Things You Should Stop Saying …
Negative Things You Should Stop Saying run the gamut between different subjects. It’s no secret that there are negative things you should stop saying. We all have them! Little things we say to ourselves or to others only serve to hinder us rather than help us out. And it’s not because you hate yourself! Most people don’t even realize the effect their negative comments have. So that’s why I’m writing this list of negative things you should stop saying! Instead, replace them with positive, encouraging and uplifting comments. And yes, you can direct them to yourself! Hey, we all need a boost every now and then, right? And who better to give it to you than your own lovely self! So here are 10 negative things you should stop saying!

1. “I’m Such a Failure.”

Telling yourself that you are a failure will result in you believing this and causing you to fail when you may have actually had a chance of success. Maybe you haven’t necessarily succeeded at everything in your life, but that doesn’t make you a complete failure. So tell yourself that you can do it and then believe it! You will be surprised at your rate of success when you believe in yourself.

2. “Look How Fat I Am.”

One of the negative things you should stop saying centers around your weight. Many times, women perceive themselves to be fatter than they really are. Don’t dwell on it! Instead, make healthy eating choices and get active. Men are more attracted to confident girls who feel comfortable in their own skin so stop saying how fat you are and instead mention the progress that you’ve made toward your ideal weight goal!

3. “You Never……”

When you find yourself in the middle of a disagreement with someone you love, refrain from starting sentences with these two accusing words. That’s a something negative you should stop saying! When you point fingers at someone, they are more likely to get defensive. Instead of saying “You never take out the trash when I ask you to,” say “I feel like you don’t care to help me out with the chores.” This puts the accusatory light completely in the middle of you both instead of right on one of you.

4. “It’s too Stressful to Handle.”

Yes, things may be stressful, but that doesn’t mean you can’t handle it. Telling yourself it’s too stressful to handle is one of the negative things you should stop saying. Instead, tell yourself that you are feeling challenged, but you will find a way out of it. This way you are admitting that it’s overwhelming, but you aren’t giving up!

5. “I’m Soooo Very Sorry.”

Yes, when you step on someone’s toe you should apologize, but there’s no need to OVER-apologize! Many women find themselves doing this and it’s not necessary. You decrease your self-worth by continuing to feel bad for some little flub. Go easy on yourself and let it go!

6. “I’m Such a Pig.”

One of the negative things you should stop saying is calling yourself a little piggy. So what if you had two brownies, a milkshake and a piece of pizza? It’s the weekend! You deserve to indulge, so do it! And even if you eat what you want every time, there’s no need to beat yourself up. Instead, tell yourself that the treat was yummy and let it go.

7. “It’s too Expensive.”

There are many families out there on a budget. I’ll admit to being on one myself! It’s good to be on a budget, it helps to save money you might otherwise spend on unnecessary things. Instead of feeling sorry that you can’t buy it, tell yourself that you are CHOOSING not to buy it. Then step back and work extra hard to save enough money or re-work your budget to afford it!

8. “I’ll Never Make It.”

Admitting defeat before the finish line guarantees you won’t make it. This is one of the negative things you should stop saying! Tell yourself that you CAN do it and you WILL make it! The more you believe in yourself, the more you will accomplish. And it will feel so good in the end!

9. “Why Can’t You Just Understand?”

When you say this to a friend or relative in the middle of a heated conversation, it doesn’t do you any good. It just prompts your debate partner to shoot the same question right back at you! Instead, try this approach. In a gentle tone, state your case and then say, “I hope you can understand things from my point of view. I realize we have different opinions, but maybe we can agree to disagree on this one.” Your friend will realize you have the upper hand!

10. “Leave Me Alone.”

This is one of the negative things you should stop saying! By using this phrase, you end up pushing away those who love you and are trying to help you. Then you are stuck keeping feelings and emotions bottled up. It’s best to talk it out so next time try and be open and talk through the situation.
This list of 10 negative things you should stop saying will help you if you will heed it! I’m sure we are all guilty of saying these phrases at one time or another, but it’s a habit we all need to strive to kick! By paying heed to these negative things you should stop saying, you increase your chances of success tenfold. Do you agree with my list of 10 negative things you should stop saying? Please comment below and let me know!

10 Things Women Do That Men Don’t Understand …

10 Things Women Do That Men Don’t Understand …
There are tons of things women do that men just don’t get right? I mean, we’re unique and different creatures and for a guy, it can be super confusing! Well guys, don’t worry, I’ve got the guide to the top 10 things women do that you just don’t understand. Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll understand some of the things women do a little better!


1. Wear Stilettos

Yes, they kill our feet, yes we complain about them a lot, but really – they are fashionable! This is definitely one of the top things women do that men don’t understand. It’s all about the fashion guys, that’s the only reason we wear shoes that kill our feet!

2. Bathroom Packs

Okay, I know it might seem weird to want to go to the bathroom together, but it’s actually fun! We talk to each other all throughout our bathroom experience and we can even point out makeup flaws that we might not have seen. Women like to go to the bathroom together, it’s probably something you’ll never understand!

3. Why It Takes Us So Long to Get Ready

Women are people that like to look good all of the time. Even when we’re just getting up, where is the first place that we head to: the bathroom to look in the mirror. If we say that we’re gonna be ready by 8:00pm, count on about 8:30pm. It takes a while to become the beautiful girls that you see all of the time, give us a break!

4. Shopping

A girl and shopping is like a guy and tools. Shopping is one of the things women do that men don’t understand but truthfully, it’s similar to a guy loving his tools. We go shopping for clothes, for shoes, for hair accessories to make ourselves look good – guys, why do you need so many tools?

5. Bath Time

So I am one of the lucky girls that has clawfoot tub, so you can understand why I love soaking it up in my tub right? Guys, a girl and her bath time is like a guy and his football time. We use the bath time to rejuvenate ourselves and to come out feeling super refreshed and squeaky clean!

6. Girl Talk

I’m sorry guys, this is totally one of the things that women do that you’ll never understand. You won’t get why we share all of our secrets with our girlfriends rather than our boyfriend or why we need to talk on the phone for hours. It’s just a girl thing, that’s all I’m gonna say!

7. Waxing

Yes, we as girls put ourselves through quite a lot for beauty don’t we? Waxing is one of them. Personally, I hate getting my eyebrows waxed, but I’d rather do that than have a uni-brow. Maybe you guys should take a lesson out of our book and see about getting your eyebrows waxed, it could be an improvement!

8. Over Thinking

This is absolutely one of the things women do that is just natural. We over think everything. You say that you are fine, we are trying to find the meaning of what ‘fine’ is and why you are ‘just’ fine and not great. It’s not a flaw we have, but it’s just something that comes naturally!

9. The Need to Plan

We, as women, like to be organized. We like to know what we are doing from one hour to the next. Right now, I know that I am going to go shopping later and already, I am making my list. It’s a compulsion that most women have, so just play along okay?

10. Makeup

Finally, the last thing women do that men just don’t get is makeup. Makeup is – well, it’s in our nature! We constantly feel like we have a lot to live up to and makeup is a way we cope with it. Plus, I couldn’t live without my eyeliner bringing out my beautiful green eyes!
So guys, there you have it! The top 10 list of things women do that might make you crazy, but at least you understand them a little better right? Don’t worry, there are tons of other things women do that might make you insane, but just know, there is reasoning behind it! So guys, what other things women do that you don’t understand? Leave a comment below!

9 Tips on How to Become Smarter …

9 Tips on How to Become Smarter …
Many people wonder how to become smart. They want to increase their brain power to impress people, like the cute guy they see at the coffee shop, or their boss in hopes of a promotion. That’s great; I fully support anyone that wants to become Smarter. It’s really not that hard once you know where to start. Fortunately, there are lots of great ways to get smarter.

1. Watch Less Television

Television is the quickest way to let your brain turn to absolute mush. While there can be a wealth of knowledge available on television, there are other ways to get that information. Now please don’t misunderstand, I am not saying you have to completely get rid of TV to become smart, just cut down on the amount of time you spend watching mindlessly.

2. Exercise

As if you really needed another reason to exercise, right? Seriously, besides all the other health and beauty benefits of exercise it will also help you get smarter. You see, working out makes you more productive and alert. You will have better concentration and energy.

3. Read

Reading is key to learning. Instead of just reading trashy romance novels and gossip rags, also spend a little time reading more challenging information. Choose a classic novel, an old Shakespearean play or a book on a subject you are interested in.

4. Get More Sleep

We all need more sleep. Unfortunately this doesn’t mean that to become smarter, we need to hit the snooze 3 or 4 times every morning. It’s better to get more sleep by heading to bed a little earlier. Getting more sleep will help you concentrate and take in more information throughout the day.

5. Reflect

We all need time to process the events of our day, week, or month. Taking that time regularly to really ponder over the recent events in your life will give you a deeper perceptive on things. It may also help clear your conscious. Naturally, it can also help you get Smarter.

6. Back to School

One obvious way to become smart is to head back to school. Whether you need to start on your bachelor’s degree or finish up your master’s degree, going to college gives you so much knowledge.

7. Current Events

Keeping up with current events and understand the things going on around the world and in your own country gives you something to talk about with other people. Really understand the subject, even if you don’t agree with others on the topic shows people just how smart you are.

8. Build Vocabulary

Words are fun. The Oxford English Dictionary has over 200,000 words. However, most of our vocabularies are far more limited. To build your vocabulary and learn new words you can look words in the dictionary or start using a vocabulary calendar that gives you a new word each day. Learn the word and its meaning and try to use it correctly in conversation.

9. Healthy Food

Healthy foods boost brain function. Eating a good balanced diet, not skipping meals, and making the right food choice will help you become smarter and healthier.
As you can see, many of the things we need to do to become psychically health will also help us become smarter. Becoming smart isn’t just about cramming your brain with a bunch of trivia facts it’s about increasing brain power and concentration. What are some of the things you have done to become smart?

Saturday, February 25, 2012

8 Super Effective Organizing Tips You Will Love …

8 Super Effective Organizing Tips You Will Love …
Organizing Tips for keeping your home, desk, car, and life in order are just what you need to start this year out right! I Love organizing tips because they inspire me to continue to work at staying neat and clean. I’m actually a very organized person by nature, but we can all use encouragement, right? That’s what I’m going to do for you today! Keep on reading this article for some of the very best organizing tips to keep your things in their place and make your life go that much smoother!

1. Start Small

Organization doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t try and force it. Start out small and take your time. Instead of tackling your whole house in one day, or even a whole room, choose one small area. It could be a desk, a closet, a shelf or a cabinet. You’d be surprised at how big of an impact the little things can have!

2. Put Things Away

One of my favorite organizing tips of all time is to have a place for everything and everything in its place. And not only that, but putting things away as you use them. Instead of kicking off your shoes in the hall, put them in the closet. Don’t leave your bowl on the coffee table, put it in the dishwasher. Toss your towel into the hamper instead of leaving it on the floor. It’s organizing tips like this that will help you stay on top of your game!

3. De-clutter

If you want an organizing tip that will really make a dent in the clutter you have laying around, here it is: Toss it out! I’m serious, grab yourself a few trash bags and go through your home. If it doesn’t fit anymore, you don’t use it, Love it, or need it, then it goes in the bag. Then toss out the bag without looking inside of it for second thoughts. You will be creating a more organized and much cleaner atmosphere to live in!

4. Use Containers

I love this organizing tip! It has worked for me since I was a freshman in high school. Use containers to organize everything. Little caddy’s underneath the bathroom sink will hold your hairspray, deodorant and toothpaste. Baskets in the hall closet will sort your pillowcases, towels, and sheets. Tupperware containers in drawers can organize your tape, glue, stamps and other office supplies. A dish on the front table will give your keys, wallet and phone a home.

5. Use a Pin-board

Our family uses this organizing tip to keep our schedules in order. A pin board in the kitchen holds a calendar with all our scheduled events, post-it notes to remind us of things we need to do and lists of stuff to pick up. You should try this system, it really helps to make sure you don’t miss appointments and meetings!

6. Tackle Projects Early on

When people ask me for advice on getting started, here is the organizing tip I give them. Get started on your projects early on in the day. The longer you put it off, the harder it will be to complete it. As the day drags on, so will you. Get your Organizing done as early on as you can, then use the rest of the day doing stuff that you actually WANT to do!

7. Do Things Ahead of Time

When it comes to things that I have committed to or stuff I know I have to do the next day, I like to have as much of it done ahead of time as possible. I lay out my clothes for work the night before, I prepare lunches for the next day the night before, and I take care of any other small task I can get out of the way before I need to walk out the door. This system instills discipline and also keeps me sane, on time, and of course, organized!

8. Use a Rotational System

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much you organize, de-clutter and clean up, those closets still stay in disarray. When that happens, here is an organizing tip you can pull out of the hat. Use a rotational system! You put your seasonal clothes in storage during alternate months! Winter and fall clothes can be stored during summer and spring, and vice versa. This little system will give you a lot more space and freedom!
There you have it, 8 Organizing Tips that will keep you on your toes and your home expertly clean! Organizing tips don’t have to be long and drawn out, and neither does the process of Organizing. You just have to start out small and go from there! What are some of your top organizing tips?

Monday, January 3, 2011

7 Closet Organizing Tips …

loset Organizing Tips …

7 Closet Organizing Tips …
Closet organizing tips are helpful any time, but especially if you’re thinking about doing some spring cleaning. If your closets look like mine you are probably in need of some closet organization Tips for sure. If you get nervous that something is going to come crashing down on your head whenever you open up the doors to your closet or afraid you are going to walk into your large closet and never make it out again, then don’t worry. I’ve put together a list of tips for closet organization to get us all back on track and out of mayhem.

1. Let It Go

One of the first closet organizing tips is also the most painful for many people. Let’s be real, if you haven’t worn it or it hasn’t fit since mischa barton left the O.C., it’s time to let it go. If it has holes, weird strains, or just don’t like it, move on. There is no need to hold onto things you don’t absolutely love and enjoy wearing. Get rid of that old stuff and make room for new fabulous things you will actually wear.

2. Sort Clothes

I noticed whenever I see fancy organized closets on television or in magazines everything is neatly sorted. It makes finding your things so much easier. You want your shirts, pants, dresses, and skirts all hung together, but that’s not all. Take it a step further and hang all everything together by color. This way when you are looking for your red button up blouse you know exactly where to find it.

3. Keep to The Season

Here’s one of the best Tips for closet organization. Save room and help organize your closet by putting seasonal things away. Buy vacuum suction bags and store winter items in the top of your closet on a shelf, under the bed or in the attic. When the weather cools off you can pull out your scarfs and sweaters and put away your shorts and tanks.

4. Use All Space

Look at your closet. Once you have the rack filled with our color coded and sorted clothes you will see you still have a bit of empty space. Use bins to store extra items on the shelf above the clothes rack. Install shelves on the floor to use up that empty space as well. These are perfect areas to store your accessories and shoes. Most of all don’t forget the back of the door. Use a shoe organizer or hooks.

5. Labels

This is a fantastic closet organization tip. If you are going to use bins and boxes be sure to label each one. It saves time when you know exactly what shoes or item is in each box. Use sticky notes for your boxes. If you are keeping shoes in boxes you can use a polaroid camera to take pictures of the shoes and place the picture outside the box. Another option is to use clear boxes so you can see in without having to open it.

6. Right Hangers

There are so many different hanger types out there. This is one of the closet organizing tips lots of experts suggest: try using the same type of hangers. You should really avoid the metal hangers from the dry-cleaners. They can misshape clothes and ruin them.

7. Keep It Clean

Once your closet is organized and clean, keep it up. Put things back where they belong. Hang things up that you try on and decide not to wear and get rid of things as they become old and worn. Once you have an organized closet keeping it clean should be easy.
I hope these closet organizing tips will help you get your closet out of disarray and back in order. I can’t wait to get mine straightened up. Do you have any closet organization tips to help us all out?