Homemade Bath Bombs

Good Morning, friends! I hope all of you are well ;)

The past few days have been pretty great! Lots of relaxing, a little learning, and a little crafting. There's no better way to spend time!

In the spirit of trying to eat cleaner and to be more conscious of what's in my foods, I thought that I should be more aware of what's in my beauty products as well. What I put on my body should be just as important as what I put in my body, right??

These Homemade Bath Bombs are a much better alternative to many store-bought bath fizzies. No crazy chemicals or funky dyes here! They're so easy to make and can be so easily customized for any occasion or taste. Use any shape of silicone mold and use any scent or essential oil. The possibilities are truly endless.

Homemade Bath Bombs

Recipe from Dixie Crystals

What you need:

1/2 cup citric acid
1 cup baking soda
1/ 4 cup extra fine granulated sugar
Witch hazel (in a squirt bottle)
Fragrance/essential oil
Silicone mold

How to make them:

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Break apart any clumps with a spoon. Add the essential oil/fragrance, just a few drops at a time. FYI: a few drops go a long way. Mix up the mixture evenly. Squirt in the witch hazel, a little at a time, stirring to combine. Only add a few drops at a time so that the mixture to start the fizzing process. Once the mixture seems moist enough to pack together like damp sand, distribute the mixture evenly between your molds, but only fill the molds about 1/2 full. Press the mixture firmly into the mold. The more compacted the mixture is, the better the bath bomb will hold up. Let the bath bombs set up and dry for at least 2 hours to overnight, depending on how wet your mixture is.

Tips & Tricks:

To be on the safe side, I let mine sit for well over 24 hours to dry. They just seemed too damp after a few hours! And they turned out pretty great! I also halved the recipe because I didn't have enough baking soda. I ended up with four bath bombs, so if you follow the recipe as-is, you will get at least 8. I used Now Foods Lemongrass Essential Oil that I picked up at Whole Foods, but it's available on Amazon too.

So go make these, take a bath, and relax :)
Does anyone else wish they enjoyed baths more than they actually do?? Ha!

Tips for an Acne-less Face

Hello, hello. I hope you are all having a wonderful day. I am SO glad that voting day has come and gone. I was getting so sick of all those commercials and ads. I can't even imagine all of the good things we could do with the money spent on elections #worldhungersolved

Anyway... Life in Wilmington is still an adventure. Even after three months of living here, we’re discovering more and more about our new city and it’s been great. The city is full of art and music, and there’s always something to do. So much fun!

Today I wanted to talk about something that’s not-so-fun… acne. Acne was never a problem for me until the last four or so years. It comes and goes, sometimes it’s hormonal, sometimes it has to do with what I’m eating, and sometimes it’s related to my stress level. 

Regardless of why I’m breaking out or how much I’m breaking out, it’s uncomfortable and it affects my self-esteem. I've tried just about every over-the-counter product out there (Proactiv, Relogy, Neutrogena, and the list goes on), but nothing ever really worked. I was only left with dry, irritated skin and bleached out clothes and sheets from harsh chemicals.

Even though I still get light acne, I've discovered a few tips that have greatly reduced my breakouts.

Having a clean pillowcase is probably the most important step in preventing acne. I have super thick curly hair that requires leave-in conditioner. That conditioner leaves residue on my pillow, which travels to my face and causes me to break-out. It’s probably best to have my hair in a pony-tail or a loose bun to keep it away from my face, but I just can’t get comfortable sleeping like that. Changing my pillowcase every few days ensures that bacteria, dirt, and grime don’t get transferred to my face. While I’m on the topic of clean, it’s also important to only touch your face with clean hands. It’s also important to clean everything that comes in contact with your face (phone, sunglasses, make-up brushes, etc.)

I don’t wear make-up often, but when I do, I use a gentle cleanser to remove it. Otherwise, I use a clean soft washcloth and water and follow up with a good moisturizer. That’s it! I always used some sort of cleanser or scrub in the past and I've found that it’s not always necessary. I still use an exfoliating scrub on occasion, but it’s not a daily thing whatsoever. While on the topic of make-up, don't go to sleep with it on. Just take the extra 2-minutes and remove it.

Every face is different, but I've found a positive correlation between my dairy intake and my acne. Read: the more ice cream I eat, the more I break out. Personally, I’m less likely to break out if I’m drinking soy or almond milk. Some people find that they tend to break out more if they consume sugary processed foods. Sugar only seems to affect my waistline. Ha!

Finally, the more water I drink, the less severe my breakouts are. I try to aim for at least 96 ounces of water each day. When I reach my goal water intake, my skin looks cleaner and brighter and I feel better overall. Water does a body good!

What are your tried and true tips for clear skin? 

Have you tried an acne product that works?