Viva Woman

It seems that skincare is not only going natural, but DIY too!  I’ve come across a couple of DIY skin savers which many ladies seem to swear by to rejuvenate their face and keep it blemish-free.

Aspirin mask
Aspirin is a form of Beta Hydroxy Acids or BHA’s which is known to help with cleaning pores from inside out and exfoliating the dull, dead layers of skin.  When used over time, BHA’s can help clarify skin tone and contribute to keeping our skin blemish-free.

While I like using mineral makeup, I don’t like washing my kabuki brushes.  I know that I should wash them frequently, like at least twice a month to keep them clean as well as to prevent dead skin and facial oil from building up on the brushes which might make my mineral foundation powder look pasty.   But I’m lazy and all in all, I’ve only washed my kabuki brushes a few times.  

Instead of using a special makeup brush cleaner, I’ve always washed my kabuki brushes with my son’s old Kodomo baby shampoo and once, even with Kiehl’s Brightening Botanical Facial Cream.  While my Lumiere kabuki brush remained soft, I noticed that the bristles on my Erth chrome kabuki brush was getting dry and stiff.  And this was one of the reasons I don’t use this brush that often.

The answer appears to be yes, going by this table compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency featuring chemical and physical sunscreen ingredients as well as the type and amount of ray protection that they provide and their class.

Burt’s Bees is a brand of affordable natural personal care products that I loved until last year when the local distributor shared with me some bits of information about the line.  The information, along with news that the company was acquired by the bleach producing company Clorox,  created some unease for me and sort of killed my interest in their products.  I still use some of their lip balms and body lotion but I stopped buying anything new from them.   

But today, I gave them a look-over again, after learning that they’ve introduced the new Burt’s Bees Chemical-Free Sunscreen SPF 30, described as a 100% natural, non-whitening formula that provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection using titanium dioxide.  

Vintage has lots of appeal in today’s fashion scene.  The word denotes timeless classic, eclectic style and unique individuality.  But let’s face it.  Some designs are downright tacky and not everyone looks good in vintage wear too.  So what can you do if you just want a touch of the old? 

Carry a vintage bag or purse! 

Like this 1960s Pop Pink Bag with Bakelite Handle from Dustbunny Vintage which you can carry both day and night.   The hot pink is definitely bold enough to make an outstanding arm candy!

In fact, Dustbunny offers quite a good selection of designs - play purses, mod bags and  evening slings - so you shouldn’t have trouble finding something that suits your fancy.