Springtime nails featuring Essie's Figi

I don't know about you ladies, but I am just about ready for spring! I'm ready to to trade in my winter boots for sun dresses, shorts and cute strappy sandals. Unfortunately we still have a couple of months before the springtime shines it's lovely light upon us, but that doesn't mean we can't bring the springtime early- on our nails.

The fall and winter are all about the deep, dark and rich tones (which I love), but around this time of year, when I'm starting to really feel the winter blues, I like to lighten things up on my nails. Today I opted for Essie's Figi. It is a very light and opaque pink shade and is perfect for Easter and almost reminds me of a delicious Cadbury mini egg (YUM!!). It may not be everyone's taste because it can almost appear white-ish if two or three coats are applied.

Before I apply any nail polish I like to moisturize my skin and cuticles. I often use olive oil, but today I opted for OPI's Avoplex moisturizer, which I received in an OPI set a couple Christmases ago. After applying two coats of Figi I finished it off with a clear top coat to give it extra shine and lasting protection from chipping.

What's your favourite nail colour to help welcome spring? Comment below!

Lots of love,

Jess

Recent *natural* beauty fav: NOW Solutions European Clay Powder

Over the past year or so I have been on a constant hunt for more natural products. This goes for everything. From the food I eat to the lotions and potions I slather on my face. I have become more and more cognizant of the long-term harm and harshness a myriad of of ingredients can cause.This is especially true with troubled skin. If you are constantly slathering on products with a laundry list of impossible to pronounce ingredients, it's often very difficult to determine the culprit if the product causes irritation. So, that being said, my newest motto is: simplicity is key.

Last week I was in my local health food store on the hunt for some new beauty products and I came across NOW Solutions European Clay Powder. It is a dry clay powder made of 100% montmorillonite clay, that can be mixed with water (or an liquid base of your choice) to make a facial clay mask. I am a huge fan of DIY facial treatments, so naturally, this product was right up my alley. And the best part... it was only $6.49! 

After using this product for the last week or so, I have to say, it is definitely a new holy grail product that I will continue to use forever. I have used it a few different ways and I am very impressed.

Mixed with water
This is the simplest way to use the product. Simply mix with water to create a clay mask and apply to the face. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes and rinse off with water. The mask is excellent at pulling out impurities to the surface of the skin and absorbing excess oil without over drying.

Mixed with water and jojoba oil
If your skin is a little bit on the drier side, it is suggested that you add a few drops of your favourite oil. For this I used jojoba oil and it worked great.

As a spot treatment
This is one of my favourite way to use this product. I take a very small amount of powder and mix it with a little water to make a thicker consistency and use it as a spot treatment on acne spots. I sleep with the treatment on and rinse off in the morning and the spot is majorly reduced. I love it!

I am still experimenting with this product and researching different combinations for DIY treatments. I have read some reviews suggesting using green tea instead of water and I think this is what I will try next.

Tell me, what are some of your natural beauty products. I love learning about new things to try!

Lots of love,

Jess

100 Days of Pinterest Day #3: Sharpie Mug

Sharpie decorated mugs and plates seem to have been all the rage lately on Pinterest. This is for two simple reasons: it's dead simple and crazy inexpensive! The only difficult part to this project is deciding on what to actually put on your mug!

 

What you need:

• White mug or plate (I purchased mine at the dollar store for $1.25 each!)
• permanent markers, any colours you like
• Oven
• Creativity

What to do:

1. First, it's important to clean your mug. Make sure it is free from dust, fingerprints and naughty little specks.  Wash with your favourite dish detergent and make sure it is bone dry before you move on to the next step.

 2. Get creative! Decide on how you would like to design your mug. Look up some of your favourite quotes, designs, patterns... anything. One cute idea that would be great for your special valentine is to make a mug or a plate that says everything you love about them. That way every morning with their cup of coffee and tea, they will be reminded of these little things.

One piece of advice for this step is to practice first. Write or draw out what you plan on putting on your item. Although (lucky for me) if you do make a mistake, the marker will easily wipe away with some nail polish remover.

For my mug I wanted to write something that would inspire me every morning. I chose one of my favourite Dr. Seuss quotes:

"Today you are you,
that is truer than true.
There is no one alive
who is youer than you."

Then, on the other side I Googled an image of the iconic Dr. Seuss hat and I drew it on the other side of the mug, and I have to say, I impressed myself lol.

3. Bake it. Place your mug onto a cookie sheet and place it in the oven at 350 degrees and set the timer for 30 minutes.

The only thing I did notice after I baked my mug was that the red sharpie colour I had used seemed to fade a little bit and came out looking more orange. This didn't bother me too much, but if this would be a concern to you, you might want to stick with the darker colours.

Let me know if you have tried this popular pin and how you decorated it!

Lots of love,

Jess