By Aravind Sivaraj (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I've mentioned coconut oil on my blog countless times, so I'm obviously a huge advocate for it in all things beauty & health. I've included it in masks for skin & hair, but today I wanted to talk about how it can be used as a wonderful replacement for your cleanser and moisturizer.

You might be wondering how coconut oil actually cleans the skin because that's what cleansers are supposed to do, right? It contains natural substances that disinfect the skin, getting rid of bacteria & unclogging pores. This helps protect the skin from the harsh conditions of everyday life. Coconut oil also contains anti-aging ingredients that retain the skins elasticity.

I typically use unrefined coconut oil as a replacement for a nighttime cleanser/moisturizer. Put a few drops on your hands, rubbing them together to create warmth, so it absorbs better. Massage the face & neck just like a regular cleanser. Use a towel to wipe off the remaining coconut oil because it is tricky to rinse off. It won't completely wash off, so a thin layer of oil will remain, making moisturizing unnecessary. Using it in the morning is great too, but it may make the skin feel oily throughout the day, which is why I prefer it in my nighttime routine.

You're probably worried coconut oil will cause you to break out, which is initially what I thought. Fortunately, for me it has caused less breakouts & is helping eliminate my acne scars. Remember all skin is different, but it is totally worth trying.

Switch to coconut oil as a way of avoiding the harsh cancer-causing chemicals in normal cleansers or because you wanna save money & simplify your lifestyle. Either way, hope you all get a chance to try it out. That's all for now!

Mars ~~

Hello everyone! For a while now I've had a pretty strong obsession with lipstick. I just think it's so fun & classic to wear out & about. In just an instant, it can add tons of style to a look. I tend to go for lipsticks that look vintage or have an old fashioned feel. Sometimes this style lipstick can be tricky to find in the drugstore, so I wanted to talk about a brand that has it all when it comes to lipstick & that's Revlon!

For a lipstick addict like myself the most important thing I look for is price & let me tell you, Revlon has one of the most affordable lipstick lines I've seen on the market. The important thing to note is you won't be trading quality for a good price because their lipsticks are incredible, but I'll get more into that later.



Over the years, I've collected a ton of Revlon lipstick, I'm surprised I don't have them all. Fortunately, it did not break the bank too much. I saw them on sale at my local grocery store the other day for around 3 dollars & they generally go for around 4 to 5 dollars, where other lipsticks can go for 8 to 10 dollars. How amazing is that? Oh, & they have dozens of shades to choose from.

Each lipstick is put into a category to better describe the shade: creme, matte, pearl & shine. I've found myself picking the creme & matte more than the other shades, although they're all wonderful. Each lipstick goes on smooth & lasts for a while without fading. The colors are generally very pigmented & moisturizing, for better application.

The packaging is also very sleek, which is probably another reason I end up purchasing them so much. In order to get a little peek at the shade, the top of the lipstick tube is clear. This way, you don't have to break the seal & take a peek. I think the black & gold is a lot classier than other lipsticks, as well.

Here are a few of my favorite shades:


The shade Really Red happens to be my favorite red lipstick ever. It has just enough depth to appear blood red on the lips. This is coming from a girl who struggles so hard to find truly red lipsticks, so trust me on this.


Searching for the perfect lipstick for summer? Look no further because Coralberry has just what you need. It has a lovely pink undertone that is flattering on anyone. Definitely my top choice for a coral lipstick.


Toast of New York takes the cake for my favorite lipstick of all time. I get asked about this lipstick the most, so it must be doing something right. It's a very deep red with a brownish undertone that makes the lips look fabulous. I definitely can't leave the house without this baby.

Hope you enjoyed learning about my unhealthy obsession with lipstick! If you, too, have this obsession let me know & we can talk about it. #LipstickLoversAnonymous

-Mars

Hello everyone! The past few weeks, I've been stuck inside most of the time due to the nonstop rain that has been effecting central Texas. Even as I write this, there is a major downpour accompanied by severe flooding. Hopefully this rain spell will stop sooner than later so I won't be stuck inside for the rest of summer.

I wanted to talk about a product that I've been using lately & have been loving; oatmeal! Most people have easy access to it & it's super affordable. For the past month or so, I've found dozens of uses for oatmeal & I wanted to share some with you.

This summer is all about saving money for future expenses, so make sure to add oatmeal to your grocery list, if you haven't done so already! I can't stress enough how much money can be saved by using this product in your daily routine.

Incorporate it into your morning routine.

Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day & sometimes it can be challenging trying to balance this particular meal, due to lack of time for preparation or downright pickiness (like me.) Either way, I highly recommend adding oatmeal to your breakfast because it'll give you loads of energy & it's super healthy. It's just an additional five minutes of your time to add it to your breakfast, which is quite reasonable. It's perfect for adding any kind of fruit, along with a dash of brown sugar. If you need more ideas, here's a few other recipes you can make using oatmeal. Ever thought of adding mango to oatmeal? Yum!

Add oatmeal to your smoothies.

Oatmeal is my favorite ingredient to add to smoothies. It gives the smoothie a perfect texture & adds a sweeter taste, which I love. I add about a half cup to a cup (64 to 128 grams) to attain the perfect blend. Adding this to your smoothie can make it go a long way. It fills your stomach, so you'll be less hungry throughout the day. You'll end up consuming less calories & more protein. (1 cup of oatmeal is around 10 grams of protein.)

Add oatmeal to facial & hair masks.

If you suffer from breakouts or noticeable pores, I highly suggest adding oatmeal to your skincare routine in some capacity. Every few days I like to make my own simple oatmeal scrub using honey, oatmeal & sometimes coconut oil. After applying it to my face, I wait about 10 minutes and scrub whatever is left on my skin. It removes dirt & oil, reducing pore size & preventing acne. Oatmeal also protects your skin from harsh chemicals & keeps it moisturized if you suffer from dry skin. Here's an amazing mask that incorporates oatmeal.

If you struggle with thinning hair or just need a boost, use oatmeal for deep conditioning. Oatmeal replaces many vitamins & nutrients in the scalp, giving life to your strands. If you want more information on deep conditioning using oil, you can find it here. All you have to do is add a few tablespoons of oatmeal to do the trick.

Hope you enjoyed all these wonderful uses for oatmeal. I'm eager to find more ways I can incorporate oatmeal in my life. That's all for now!

-Mars

Hello everyone! Hope you are all having a fantastic month of September! So I guess it's officially Fall? My month has been super busy & I love it, although I've got a lot of work to catch up on. Anyway, today I wanted to share with you a mask that will help reduce those annoying pores that prevent a flawless finish.

Maybe you don't suffer from noticeable pores, in which case you're very lucky. Keep in mind that doesn't exclude you from having to exfoliate regularly. Exfoliation not only reduces the size of pores, it rids the skin of pesky blackheads & dirt/chemicals hiding underneath the skin.

I personally have oily skin, so my pores happen to be pretty noticeable. I exfoliate a few times a week, making sure I'm not too abrasive. First things first, before you start this mask, make sure you wash your face before, so you have a fresh canvas to work with.


The three ingredients for this mask are baking soda, lemon & clay. Since clay is rather hard to come by, I'm using a mask that contains clay called Mint Julep Masque by Queen Helene. It's okay to make a substitution if you're lacking an ingredient. I like this clay mask because it's super cheap & contains spearmint, which also helps shrink pores.

Baking soda, along with clay & lemon help draw out impurities in the skin & eliminate ba. All three work to tighten the skin, replacing the dirt/chemicals with vitamins to improve the complexion. I like the texture that clay produces because it helps with an smooth coating. Baking soda & lemon also help prevent acne, which is a major bonus for this mask.

Hello everyone! Today I wanted to share a few of my tips on how I maintain strong nails. Before I get into it, here's a little background on my nail history.

Hello everyone! The past couple days I've been registering for the fall semester & getting ready to go back to school. I can't believe summer is almost over. The past week has been terribly hot, as high as the 100's. Can't wait for it to cool down!

A recent trip to whole foods prompted a repurchase of a shampoo bar. Instead of buying the same one I've been using for the past few months, I opted for a new one & I wanted to share my experiences with it.

Hello everyone! I'll be leaving for vacation in a few days & I don't want to have to deal with a face full of blemishes on my trip. I'm doing a kale & honey mask that will help clear my face & prepare it for the dryness of the plane & stress from traveling.

Kale & I have a love-hate relationship. Basically, I hate that I don't love it or even like it because I'm missing out on its rich nutrients.

I really wish I was one of those people who actually enjoyed eating kale. I have a hard time eating bitter foods because, well, I just don't like them. My sweet tooth is out of control, which makes me crave sweets all the time.

Hello everyone! Just wanted to share a few of my favorite lippies for summertime! I never leave the house without carrying some of these babies around. It's just not natural to travel without a pop of color for the lips.

Summer should make you wanna feel like going bolder than usual. At least that's how I feel. Wearing these gives me confidence & puts me in the summer spirit! Just don't get any lipstick on your teeth because that's not cute!

Much to nobody's surprise, most of these are Revlon since I love me some Revlon lipsticks. Not sure if they're just compatible to my lips or everyone else's, as well. Regardless, they're cheap & come in all types of fun & natural colors.


1. Loreal Lipstick in Volcanic

I love this color for summer because it stays true to its name. It will give you volcano lips & the pigment lasts for a while. This is one of the more electrifying coral lipsticks. The rest are a bit more subtle, yet still amazing.

2. Revlon Creme Lipstick in Coralberry

Another coral lipstick, but with a more pinkish hue. I don't normally gravitate toward pink lipsticks, but this I feel is the right balance between coral & peach.

3. Revlon Creme Lipstick in Kiss Me Coral

When I'm opting for a color that is between the boldness of Volcanic & subtlety of Coralberry, I go for this one. I'm not gonna lie, I mainly added this to the mix because I couldn't choose between Coralberry & Kiss Me Coral on which one's my favorite!

4. Revlon Matte Lipstick in Really Red

Listen up! If you're struggling to find a drugstore lipstick that gives you that perfect matte red lip, look no further. This has been the only red lipstick that works perfectly for me. It doesn't have any pink undertone to it.

One of the most frustrating things about looking for a perfect red lipstick is they all look too pink. This lipstick is very, very red. Not pink. Not orange. Nothing but glorious redness!

5. NYX Lipstick in Indian Pink

Like I said, I don't often wear pink on my lips, but I love this shade. It has a gold hue & makes the lips look a lot fuller. I remember it first caught my eye because it's name, Indian Pink. Can't pass up anything to do with India!

6. Revlon Creme Lipstick in Sandalwood Beige

This one is a lot different from the rest because it's very natural & will go with almost any look. This is my current favorite MLBB (My Lips But Better) lipstick. Instead of adding a pop of color, it highlights the natural shade of the lips, hence MLBB. It makes them fuller & deepens the color with its slightly brown hue.

Well those are my fave summer lipsticks! I'm sure there are many more out there, so let me know what your faves are for this season!

-Mars

Hello everyone! I wanted to let you all in on one of my not-so-secret, multipurpose weapons; castor oil! I know, right? When I first heard through the grapevine about this amazing substance, my first thought was "isn't that a laxative?"

Needless to say, I was unaware of all its magical powers. So, here are a few ways I use castor oil & why it's one of my necessities. One of the main reasons for castor oil's effectiveness is it's ability to penetrate deeper than other natural oils. The benefits seep deep into the skin, which is why it's been used for many centuries to cure dozens of ailments.


For Hair:: Castor oil is one of the most important natural oils that I use to deep condition my hair. Here's my post about how I use natural oils, including castor oil. Basically, castor oil helps stimulate hair growth & contains tons of goodness that contributes to the strengthening of strands.

Makeup Remover:: Waterproof eye makeup can be a total pain to remove. & it almost never comes completely off (at least in my experience). Castor oil works miracles at removing even the toughest of waterproof eyeliners/mascaras.

Moisturizer:: Sometimes I use castor oil on my face & lips because it is extremely beneficial for the skin. It improves the elasticity, which delays the occurrence of wrinkles. It doesn't make me breakout at all, which is awesome because everything tends to make me breakout. It's actually supposed to prevent acne, as well. Since it is rather thick, I rinse it off after I've rubbed it into my skin.
Tip: Warm it up in between your fingers before application. The skin always absorbs better through warmth.

Longer lashes:: Part of my nightly routine is rubbing a bit of castor oil on my lashes. Not only does this remove all my eye makeup, leaving the castor oil on overnight will stimulate lash growth. It also helps with getting rid of dark circles!

Thicker Brows:: Add a little to the brows overnight & overtime they'll end up growing thicker. The castor oil penetrates deep into the follicles, allowing them to grow faster. This is perfect since bushy brows are a huge thing on the runway lately.

Nail growth:: It's always important to make sure the nail beds are hydrated. I like to add a bit of castor oil to help each nail grow faster (even the toenails). It's extremely moisturizing & able to penetrate deep within the nail bed to be extra effective. Just a tiny bit around the cuticle & you're good to go!

I hope I'm not leaving anything out. Make sure the castor oil is cold-pressed, otherwise it won't have the same benefits. I purchase mine at the grocery store or health food store. Get It Here


-Mars