Stressed Or Feeling Tired, Then Try Whipping Up My Aromatherapy Bath Salts!

Life can really take a toll on us as far as stealing our energy or stressing us out.  When that happens, a bit of aromatherapy with some time in the tub can help to benefit mind and body. 

This particular recipe can definitely help you feel more like your old self again because it can be easily adapted to whatever currently ails you.  Just by changing an essential oil to power it up, you can vary the formulation.

For example, if you're anxious and can't relax, lavender essential oil can be the ideal fix. 

Bergamot essential oil is especially helpful when depressed.  Another soothing essential oil that comes in handy when sadness sets in is lemon balm.

On the other hand, rosemary essential oil can stimulate and energize to help when overly tired.

As to the other ingredients, you will need Epsom salt, baking soda, sea salt, and whatever essential oil of your choosing, and a carrier oil.

Remember to use essential oils safely to avoid any adverse effects.  Anyone that has allergies or any health conditions, I suggest checking with your doctor first before experimenting.   

I recommend buying a carrier oil to dilute your essential oil in first such as sweet almond oil, olive oil, jojoba, vitamin E oil, or wheat germ oil, regardless if the essential oil is advertised as neat.

Also, do not make your bath water overly hot because it can reduce the effectiveness of the essential oils.  

Remarkable Aromatherapy Bath Salts

2-1/4 cups of Epsom salt
1 cup of baking soda
1 cup of sea salt
3 to 4 drops of your desired essential oil diluted in 1 teaspoon of your chosen carrier oil (olive oil, almond oil, vitamin E oil, wheat germ oil, jojoba oil)

Combine the salts and soda with the drops of your essential oil that has been mixed with the carrier oil.  You might want to add a bit more essential oil (up to 8 drops) so that it has some scent, but you don't want it strong.  However, if you added too much essential oil, this dilutes when you pour this into your bath.

How to Best Avoid Foundation From Settling Into Facial Lines

If you are starting to notice your foundation settling into your lines, you may be tempted to just use less of the product near the area.  However, you would have better luck if you applied an anti-aging serum first before priming.  Another suggestion is to look for a primer that has anti-aging ingredients built into the formula.  This is the first step to take.

The second thing you need to consider is maybe switching the type of foundation you currently use.  Look for a lightweight liquid formula with light-diffusing particles to best conceal those lines.  The subtle shine from this variety of foundation can work to your advantage because light reflects from the contours of your face.  In the process, those lines are less obvious to the eye.

Just as important to the mission is the method of application.  You might want to try investing in a flat synthetic brush to use with that liquid foundation in place of your fingers.  Synthetic hairs are what you want because they will grab onto that product and glide over the complexion so much better than a natural-haired brush in this instance.

The final step once you finish your foundation is start using a makeup sponge.  Dampen it and press your sponge gently over your face.  This delicate dabbing will help soften the effect as it picks up excess foundation that could land up in the lines.

These tips will not solve any wrinkle problem, but these do help those lines from looking worse!

My Amazing Bourbon Pecan Pie Can Cheer You Back Up As Those Holiday Bills Arrive

The holidays were full of cheer.  However, now the fun part begins when the credit card bills start to arrive.  Instead of letting those amounts  depress you, you might want to make this recipe.  Though my bourbon pecan pie can't repair the damage, it does use dark chocolate to help uplift that mood in a scrumptious toasted pecan base that can definitely put a smile back on your face.  Accented with just a bit of bourbon and a faint kiss of cinnamon, this is a simple and supremely delicious pie that the aroma alone can miraculously cheer a person up.

I hate complicated recipes.  Therefore, you need not worry here because this is just assembling ingredients and pouring into an unbaked pie crust.  

If you read me regularly, you know that I only use one recipe for pie crust, my oil pie crust.  Honestly, it is the easiest pastry crust on the planet to make that is foolproof and turns out flaky every time, despite what you do to it. 

I hope you try this pie sometime because it is a keeper as well as a real crowd-pleaser!

My Amazing Bourbon Pecan Pie

1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
3/4 cup of light corn syrup
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips or grate a dark chocolate bar
1/2 cup of chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup of melted butter or margarine (not spread)
2-1/2 tablespoons of bourbon
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Preheat your oven to 375-degrees.

Then prepare a nine-inch pie crust.

Combine all the ingredients together in your mixing bowl thoroughly till well blended.

Pour into that unbaked pie crust and bake for about 40-50 minutes until golden and the filling is set.

You need to cool this pie for about two hours before cutting.

ENJOY!

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream for Reliable Coverage That Lasts! (Review)

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream.

Although I don't personally have rosacea, I know how hard it can be to cover that uneven redness because my mother has it.  Then I remembered Jamie Kern, founder of IT Cosmetics, suffered from the condition as well.  In fact, one of the company's first products was Bye Bye Redness to address that discoloration problem.  Therefore, I wanted to see how well this product would work on her.

Bye Bye Redness is a one color for all skin tones neutralizing cream.  What I love about IT Cosmetics is how their beauty experts take technology and infuse anti-aging into all their formulas so it can do more for your skin than cover or color.  This product rewards skin as well as conceal the redness with anti-aging peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, soothing colloidal oatmeal, aloe, and avocado.

This is the color of IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream.

Fortunately, rosacea is not a major issue for my mother, but I do know how many different products she has already tried to make the red area on her nose less noticeable.  None had given her the satisfaction until Bye Bye Redness arrived with dependable, lasting coverage on that uneven section of her skin.  This product didn't cake up even though that area was peeling from a prescription cream. 

My mother is not one that wears a lot of makeup.  But this product is definitely one she happily intends to keep wearing from now on.  If you have some heavy duty imperfections and concealer isn't up to the task, I sincerely hope you try Bye Bye Redness.   

Bye Bye Redness retails for $32 on IT Cosmetics website.  You can also find these at QVC and QVC.com, Ulta Beauty, and the Shopping Channel and shoppingchannel.com.  

*Disclaimer:  This is my own honest opinion.  A free product was provided solely to facilitate this review.*

Save Time Repairing Eye Shadow Mishaps With This Easy Fix!

Don't you hate when you have nearly all your makeup on and then you find eye shadow powder also landed under your eye?  

Of course, you can attempt to work at it with a tissue or your finger and that can sometimes be enough to save you the trouble of removing everything.  Then again, there is a simpler solution to repair that damage with a cotton swab and a concealer.

All you do is dip your cotton swab into the concealer and then retrace over the area where the shadow fell.  This loaded swab will pick up that eye shadow like a magnet and keep you from smudging!

How to Boost Your Body's Metabolism After Holiday Feasting!

If you have been a bit naughty over the holidays from excessive feasting, you are not alone.  This is the time of year many of us will pack on a few extra pounds from overindulging on all those tempting treats.  Instead of letting your scale continue to depress you, you can learn which foods can boost your metabolism to get your body back.

Top on your list should be protein such as skinless chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, fish, and low-fat dairy.  You want those foods in your diet because these take more energy for your body to digest than pasta, potatoes, breads, and other carbohydrates.  

Try to acquire a taste for hot red peppers and add them to your recipes.  These have a compound, capsaicin, that has been proven to fire up the metabolism.  Shaking on red pepper flakes in place of salt can spice up taste, help your body burn more fat, and also help you retain less water weight.

You might want to add green and oolong teas to your diet since they have metabolism boosting, catechins.  

Another helpful way is to jumpstart your metabolism through ice-cold foods and beverages, which trick the body into burning more energy to offset that cold shock to the system.  For every glass of ice water you drink, you can burn off ten calories without trying.  Drink multiple glasses and that number can add up!

These suggestions are a good place to start.  I hope you try them because they do work, if taken to heart.

Love Your Winter Cap, But Hate Flat, Frizzy Hair?

Keeping warm is important, but so keeping your style intact instead of flat.

The only solution for keeping warmer in frigid temperatures is to cover your head.  Even though a cute woolen cap can be the perfect outdoor accessory, it can crush your hairstyle and leave you with a head of static electricity once you take it off.  So what is a girl to do to keep hair beautiful without giving up her fashionable collection of caps, scarves, and other winter hats that press hair down?  

One of the most important things is to keep hair regularly trimmed at least every eight weeks.  By doing so, you will help hair bounce back into shape once removing that cap. 

Without adequate moisture, winter hair can frizz and become full of static.  Make it a habit to give your hair a deep conditioning treatment once a week to keep it hydrated.  Healthier hair looks better and can be more resilent to keep that style intact. 

You might want to try applying styling creams and serums only on the ends of your hair when wearing that cap for a length of travel time to best avoid a flat, greasy look.  

When in a rush to blow-dry hair, you need to dry it completely to make sure that hair behaves.  Any missed section of damp hair can cause it to later bump up and create a funny hump on your head once you take your hat off.  

As you apply your hand lotion or body lotion, you might want to rub a tiny bit of what was left over your hair.  This little trick does help combat static electricity.  

In fact, you will never need to worry about static cling again if you rub some lotion on your pantyhose and slip in the winter before dressing.  Keep some lotion at work and reapply later when you start to cling again will stop it.

Believe it or not, a sheet of a fabric softener rubbed over your hair works to smooth that static problem as well. 

If all else fails and you are not satisfied and need more volume, try this little trick.  Turn your head upside and spray with a volumizing hair spray. Then shake out the hair as it begins to dry before flipping it back in shape. 

Here's to staying warm and keeping your hair amazing with just a few tweaks to your normal routine!

Knowing When to Apply Under Eye Concealer Makes a Big Difference!

One of the best ways to camouflage under eye darkness besides a great concealer is knowing when to apply it while doing your makeup. 

If you have been in the habit of starting with concealer first and then finishing with foundation, you dilute the masking capabilities of the product by blending. This order of application will only hamper your efforts.

Therefore, never start working on your eyes with concealer until your foundation is on first.  This will definitely improve your under eye lightening results.  

Get the New Year Off to the Right Start Serving My Delicious Salami Stuffed Mushroom Appetizers!

Mushrooms are so tasty as well as packed with nutritional benefits that you can't help but love them.  In fact, I use them in a lot of cooking for all that extra goodness they bring to dishes like with this recipe that I want to share today for my stuffed salami mushroom appetizers.  

These incredible mushroom caps are bursting with flavor and packed with savory salami-herb filling that will have your family and guests salivating once that aroma of them baking escapes from your oven.

Making this recipe is not overly complicated, but you will need to clean and use fresh mushrooms, do a little chopping, frying, and then assembling before baking.  After that, you and your family and friends will go wild with pleasure once you pop one in your mouth.

Medium size mushrooms are your best bets for stuffing purposes.  You will need about thirty of them for this recipe.

If you're also a big fan of mushrooms like I am, you need to try this recipe or my favorite meatless stuffed mushrooms--and soon!

My Delicious Stuffed Mushroom Appetizers

1-1/2 pounds of fresh mushrooms (about 30 of medium-sized)
1/4 cup of olive oil + 2 teaspoons for brushing the caps
1/2 cup of finely chopped salami
2 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fine soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tablespoons of ketchup
1/2 teaspoon of basil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Preheat your oven to 425-degrees.

After you clean your mushrooms, cut the stems from the caps and chop them.

Next, heat your olive oil in your skillet before adding your chopped stems, salami, and the garlic, browning for about five minutes.

Cool the cooked mixture a bit first before stirring in the rest of the ingredients.

Grease your baking pan and then line it with the reserved mushroom caps.

Stuff each cavity with some of the bread crumb mixture.

Brush the caps with the remaining two teaspoons of olive oil.

Bake for about six or eight minutes and then serve immediately.


ENJOY!