How to make your own bathbombs!!

My never fail recipe for bathbombs is as follows!

1c bicarbonate soda
1/2c citric acid
1/2c cocoa butter
fragrance or essential oils
witch hazel
colour (food colour works here)

Combine dry ingredients in bowl. Using a cheese grater, grate cocoa butter into bowl as well. Combine with hands. Pour 5-10 drops of EO into the mixture, combine again. Combine witch hazel with colour in spray bottle. Generously spritz powder while combining with free hand. Continue until dough holds it's shape when squeezed. Press into moulds. I like to wait an hour or so because I'm pretty much guaranteed the bomb won't crack. Makes roughly 20 baths worth (or 4 stars, each point being a bath).

Farm-Fresh Friday: A Thought.

Yesterday I went to a new farmers' market, which is always a fun experience. This one was on the beach, so we sampled fresh-grown California strawberries while listening to the Pacific crashing nearby. Everything looked delicious, so we took it home and made a nice big feast for dinner:

Marinated London Broil
Arugula-Strawberry Salad with Fried Shallots
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Grilled Asparagus
Lemon Meringue Pie

The pie was left over, and the meat didn't come from the farmers' market, but honestly those were the least enjoyable parts of the meal (incredibly delicious though they were). It was the farm-fresh tasty that rocked my world - the sweet, juicy corn that didn't even need butter, the asparagus all crisp and delicious, and best of all, the salad, with the sharp bitter arugula as a perfect complement to those sweet, succulent strawberries.

It got me thinking (again) that 90% of cooking is in the ingredients you start with. That corn, that asparagus? Just tossed them in a bowl with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and rubbed with a bit of garlic. Then they only took a few minutes on the grill while the meat cooked up. Good veggies don't need much of anything to make them delicious. A lot of people who think they can't cook, because whatever they turn out tastes bad, are just starting out with shitty ingredients that Bourdain himself couldn't do anything with. Start with good, organic, farm-fresh produce and you really would have to try very hard to screw it up.

It Works!!

I just have to give a big endorsement of Lizzie's recipe for baking soda shampoo. Sure, it's cheap and it's all-natural, but why not just use regular shampoo?

Aside from avoiding phthalates, it turns out there's an even better reason. This stuff cures dandruff better than any expensive high-tech dandruff shampoo on the market!

For some reason, most of the guys I know suffer from dandruff issues, and my husband's were getting bad. Head & Shoulders didn't fix it, and he only got moderate results from a very pricey bottle of KMS. He had to use the dandruff shampoo every single day to avoid that festive Christmas-flocking effect.

Then a few days ago, he ran out of shampoo and didn't have time to go out to buy more, so he whipped up some of the baking soda shampoo and vinegar conditioner from Lizzie's blog post. (See, men can read and enjoy our blog too!) Lo and behold, his hair is glossier, silkier, less oily, and there is not one hint of dandruff. We haven't seen any in days!

So, I'm a convert, and I hope y'all don't mind the double post. I just had to share these awesome results and encourage the world to give this a try. Don't you just love it when the best solution also turns out to be the cheapest one?

Tips For Lips

I have never been a particularly fashionable woman. In high school, I was the one in Daria glasses and camoflauge pants, who the popular girls sniggered at because I never wore anything that was currently in style. I do not read fashion magazines, and I cannot stand shopping malls. So don't look at me to tell you what's fashionable or stylish.

I will, however, tell you what never goes out of style, and red lipstick is at the top of that list.

Magazines tell us that red lips come and go, occasionally displaced by "nude" or pink. But they're wrong. Red lips are ALWAYS in, and no one will agree with me more emphatically than your average male. Every woman can wear red lips - if you think you can't, you just haven't found the right shade yet - and they make all the difference between "cute" and "goddess."

We all giggle at period films from the 70's and 80's because of the goofy makeup and hair. But when was the last time you heard anyone snicker at Rita Hayworth?

Here are my Ten Tips For Lips, if you aren't accustomed to rocking the vintage glam...

1. Choose a red shade that goes with your skin tone and hair. This makes all the difference between Marilyn Monroe and Ronald McDonald. Dab the sample on your wrist and see how it looks with your skin tone - typically, yellow-based skin tones (which most people have) go well with brown- or orange-based reds, and pinker skin tones go with a blue-based red. Ask the nice ladies at the makeup counter to help you find a red for you. They might even throw in a free makeover.

2. Different reds suit different occasions. A "true" or neutral red is good for daytime, while a deeper "fire engine" red makes for a sexy evening look.

3. Don't overwhelm your face with too much makeup. Red lipstick stands on its own! All you need on your eyes is a little eyeliner and mascara. If you're getting extra dolled-up, go with neutral brown tones on your eyes and a slim black eyeliner on the upper lid only. This is a very classic 1940's look that, again, suits just about everyone.

4. As with a house, a solid foundation is crucial. You don't want your red lips to play up red tones in your skin. Start with a good clear foundation, apply concealer where necessary, and then powder on top of that. This gives you the nice even-complexion look which makes the right canvas for bold lips.

5. If you have a problem with your lipstick bleeding or feathering into the little lines around your lips, apply foundation to your bare lips and then line with a good pencil before you apply your lipstick. It helps to hold your lipstick in place.

6. Try not to line with red liner - very few people can pull this off. I make my lips look a bit more full by lining with white liner in the upper "dip" part, then using a deep pink liner just outside the center of my lower lip. (I don't fill in my lips with liner as I cannot seem to do this evenly, but feel free to try it if you want to.) Then, after my lipstick, I apply a dab of clear or purple-pink gloss to the center of my lower lip and give a smack. This creates a full, wet, very appealing mouth.

7. To keep from getting lipstick all over your teeth: After you've applied your lipstick and gloss, stick your finger in your mouth with your lips on it, as though you'd dipped your finger in cake batter for a taste. Slide your finger out and it'll grab the excess lipstick off your inner lips so that it won't decorate your pretty white teeth.

8. Straws are your friend! Don't drink anything without a straw or you will WRECK your lipstick. A straw makes it much easier to keep that foxy look in place.

9. If you find your lipstick fading out in the center and collecting at the edges, do it in layers. Put on your lipstick, blot it off with toilet paper, then apply it again. The first application will leave a stain and also absorb excess moisture so the second application won't slide.

10. Speaking of moisture... I'm a big advocate of moisturizers and your lips are no exception! Drink plenty of water throughout the day, apply lip balm whenever you don't have lipstick on, and never lick your lips. Find a good lip balm and apply it first thing in the morning, giving it a few minutes to soak in before you put your lipstick on. Cracked and peeling lips never look good, no matter the color! So keep 'em soft!

I personally believe that every woman can be beautiful if she looks like she cares enough to be. This is how the legendary screen stars - some of whom, if you can envision them without makeup, were not actually that exceptional - became the goddesses we know today. So if you find yourself keeping up with modern fashions and still not feeling like a starlet, just remember that modern fashion is mostly designed by men who like boys and get in touch with a more classic womanly look. It might not be trendy, but it's timeless.

And by the way, that's me of the Daria glasses and camos in the pic.

The Spa In Your Kitchen

So your skin is blotchy, dry in patches and oily in others, looks ten years older than you are, and is just generally in need of restoration. You can go pay half a paycheck for a salon facial, or you can whip up this mask in the comfort of your own home, without even getting out of your pajamas.

Even though I'm good about moisturizing every day and taking care of my skin, I'm 30 years old and getting to the point where my face needs a boost every so often. Besides, I like to take a Beauty Day for myself every once in awhile. Sunday was one of those for me, and so I threw together a face mask...

1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp organic yogurt
1 egg white

That is it, ladies, no mas, finite. Whisk it up in a bowl with a fork until it's all evenly blended and that's your fancy-ass spa facial. Try to use raw honey and a free-range, organically grown egg. Save the yolk - you'll use it momentarily!

Hold a hot damp towel over your face to steam it for a minute, then dry it with a fresh towel and use your fingers to apply the face mask as thickly as you can, covering your face and under your chin. If you have a little more than you need, apply it to your neck and decolletage. Let it stay there for 20-30 minutes, or until it feels very dry and tight all over.

Meanwhile if you want to treat your hair too, take that egg yolk and whisk it with a tablespoon or two of coconut oil or olive oil. Apply that to the ends of your dry hair (ends only! no roots!) and comb through your ends with your fingers so that it gets evenly distributed. Let that sit for a bit as your face does - I like to spend this time soaking in a bubble bath with a good book.

When that face mask gets so tight you can't stand it anymore, now's when you wash it off very gently with warm clean water. Use an exfoliating scrub too, if you like. Shave, if you do, and massage your whole body neck to toes with coconut oil or olive oil to keep it soft and supple. Now wash and condition your hair as usual, but before you get out of the shower, dilute a little white vinegar with an equal amount of warm water. Pour that over your head for a rinse that will leave your hair super-shiny - don't worry, it won't make you smell like vinegar, I promise!

Now step out of the tub, apply your favorite facial moisturizer, and fix yourself up. Relax and enjoy feeling extra pretty!

Coconut Oil!

Continuing off Lizzie's beauty treatments of yesterday, here's a little plug for one of nature's greatest gifts: coconut oil!

Now personally, I am not a fan of coconut as a culinary ingredient. I don't like the flavor, I hate the texture, and something about coconut milk is just off-putting to me. The oil, on the other hand, is a miracle worker. It has numerous health benefits - both inside and outside your body. It may even help you lose weight!

To cook with it, use just a spoonful of it when sauteeing (just as you would any oil), or substitute it for butter when making a grilled cheese. It melts very quickly and easily, and doesn't have a coconut flavor so don't worry about it affecting your foods.

My favorite use for it, however, is for skin care. Since I began using coconut oil a couple years ago, my skin has become more soft and supple than it's ever been, and I never need to use lotion anymore. When I moisturized with lotion, I always found my legs drying out by midday, but with coconut oil I haven't had any dry skin problems at all.

Just take the jar of coconut oil into the bath with you, and drop the jar (tightly sealed) into the tub so that the oil melts to liquid. After you shave, massage the oil into your legs, and keep going until you've massaged it into your whole body from the neck down. Don't use it on your face, and (ahem) feel free to bring in someone to oil your back for you if you can't reach it by your lonesome!

If you feel a little oily when you get out of the tub, that's okay; it'll absorb into your skin as you dry off. For maximum benefit, hang out naked for a few minutes and air-dry. You'll help the moisturizing along because you won't be able to stop checking out how smooth and silky you feel.

For even more benefit, apply coconut oil to your dry hair (Ends only! Not your scalp!) when you first get into the tub and let it sit there for awhile. You can read a book, sip wine, shave your legs, or just doze a bit in that hot steamy bath and the coconut oil will soak in and make your hair super-glossy and soft. Once it's sat for a bit, shampoo and condition your hair as normal and then style it however you usually do. You'll notice a difference right away!

Beauty Masks from The Kitchen

Like every other woman seeking the fountain of youth, or the fountain of staying youthful without ever getting old, I've tried every cream in the book. Expensive creams. Cheap creams. De La Mer to Jurlique to Sally Johansen to Johnson & Johnson, I've tried it. Things like collagen in creams are just pointless, because the body only absorbs collagen intestinally, so you're just smearing it on your face for no reason. However, those expensive creams all have one major thing in common - they use natural ingredients. Nature is the fountain of youth, y'all, gotta break it to you. While you're not going to be eating your collagen-filled cream anytime soon, you can however use things you eat to make the same creams!! Or at least, have the same effect as those creams.



Here, I bring you my current favourite scrub... crystalized honey. In my opinion, this is like the holy grail of beauty supplies and it's not possible to find at a shop. Ever. You're going to need to know someone to get this. It's like an illegal drug - only not illegal. What you need to do is find a bee farmer and ask him to get your honey BEFORE the bees have capped it. If they do, it turns into this untreated perfect crystalized form of honey, which is JUST as useable in cooking as regular honey, better for you and AMAZING on your skin. Just apply directly and let dry for half an hour and scrub off with itself... you'll feel a million dollars.

HOWEVER, there is hope! I have tried a many other at home beauty treatment and I have decided to post my favourites, all of which I have had good results with.

#1 Mango Mud Mask - uses only 1/4 a mango, so the rest is yours to eat!

1/4 mango
1 tablespoon oats
1 tablespoon spelt flakes (the original recipe called for 2 tbsp oats but for some reason I only had a tablespoon hanging around and did this instead and it was much richer than normal, but you can just use 2 tablespoons of oats)
2 tablespoons almonds
2 tablespoons whole milk

Blitz in blender. Apply to face. Try not to eat. I swear every time I make this, the area around my lips never gets moisturized. I lick it off.

Oatmeal honey mask: Use crystalized if you can. If not, this works nearly as well.

3 tablespoons oats
2 tablespoons honey

Combine. Apply to face.


Avocado Mask: The fats in this are super good for your skin. Especially if ingested. Just don't go applying your guacamole to your face and eating chips off it that way; it scratches. .... what?

1/2 avocado, mashed
1 egg
1 tablespoon avocado oil (only if you have dry skin)
1 quick squeeze lemon juice (only if you have oily skin)

Combine as above. Apply to face.

And just because this post didn't have enough photos. Here's my breakfast being super naughty.

The Five-Minute Face

So you're a busy woman. I know. I am too, believe me!

These days everyone's running around on the go. It always amazes me, though, when I go out to run errands and there are so many women who look like they don't have a mirror at home. I remember when I was in college just over a decade ago, and so many of my classmates would come to class in their pajamas! PAJAMAS! With ratty, unbrushed hair swooped back in a scrunchie and last night's mascara raccooned under their eyes.

"But I don't have TIME to get fixed up before I go out," I'd hear.

Bullpockey. Of course you do.

It only takes five minutes to make yourself presentable, and you may be amazed at how much better you feel. Even if you're just running out to the grocery store or the post office, it's worth taking five minutes to look in a mirror and give yourself a little once-over. And before you accuse me of sexism - guys, this wouldn't hurt you either. It takes you even less time to splash a little water on your face and comb your hair. (And to the twentysomething boys I see strolling around so often these days: For the love of G-d, please change into a clean shirt! You might not complain about not getting women if the women could stand to be within five feet of your clothing!)

Anyway, ladies, this is a little routine I call the Five-Minute Face. Start with whatever you just rolled out of bed with, and splash it clean with only water. Dry with a towel. If you have old makeup under your eyes (I almost always do!), apply a little baby oil gel with your fingertip and wipe it off with a cotton ball or a clean rag. Follow this up with moisturizer - a really good one. I swear by Lush's Dream Cream. It's pricey, but the tub lasts forever.

The five-minute clock pauses here while you brush your teeth and hair and get dressed. Go on, I'll wait.

Hi! Welcome back. Now dab on just a little bit of a good foundation - I'm a big fan of Almay Smart Shade, which adjusts itself to your skin tone and goes on smoothly without a caked-on makeup look. Top that off with a light dusting of powder. Then smile and suck in your cheekbones at the same time, dab on a little bit of blush in the shade your skin turns when you're drunk or embarrassed, and then use a soft fluffy brush to dab a bit of bronzer in the hollows of your sucked-in cheeks. Hello! Did you even know you had those lovely high cheekbones, glamour-lady?

Now give your eyes a quick line with a soft pencil - shade can vary, but brown looks good on almost everyone, especially the blue-eyed, and it's subtle - and a coat of mascara on the top lashes only. A quick coat of a tinted lip gloss, and you're done - unless, like me, you have blonde scraggy eyebrows. In this case you need to take an extra thirty seconds and go over those brows with a soft, light pencil. I know, nobody pencils their eyebrows anymore. But just try it once and see what a difference it makes to your whole face.

There! All pretty and in only five minutes. I doubt you had to wake up earlier to do this, but if you did, isn't it worth it? I always find myself so much more productive and in a much better mood when I feel like I look nice. Pretty does as pretty is - isn't that how it goes? (Oh well, close enough.)