Tag: melt

Make Up Tips for Your Big Day

June is a very popular month for weddings. I love it when brides do minimal makeup and go for the more natural look. It’s so important for you to look like YOU in your wedding pictures. After all, these are going to be pics you’ll look back on for the rest of your life! Your fiancé should at least recognize you when you walk down the aisle. There are tons of ‘wedding looks’ and tips out there on the internet, but I’ve made a list of a few I think are important.

Try it: Don’t be afraid to try a few new looks before you’ve decided on what you’d like to do, and be sure to leave enough time to do this. Once you’ve decided on a look, make sure you have a makeup trial before your big day. You want to feel confident in the look you’ve chosen. I suggest your trial should be done in the morning to see how well your look will last throughout the day. Take a photo in natural daylight with a digital camera (not a camera phone) as soon as you have had a makeup trial. The makeup needs to look good on camera as well as face to face. The camera doesn’t lie! It also doesn’t help to get a close friend’s opinion. Or a sister’s. They never lie either!

Big Close Up: We all want flawless skin on our big day. Whether you choose to do a primer and foundation or go au natural, make sure you set your look with Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation. It will keep your skin looking fresh and even without ever getting cakey.

She Has a Glow: While there are some interesting “shine” products available to give a dewy complexion, I would advise against them. In photographs it will be easy to mistake the “glow” for sweat – not nice. Instead, try our Healthy Glow Mineral Bronzer to give you a natural-looking sun-kissed complexion. Apply this to your forehead, cheeks and chin (also your neck if you’re slightly paler there) and apply a little more on the cheeks as a blush.

Don’t Forget Eyebrows: Have them professionally shaped (and if necessary, tinted) before your big day, and enhance them with a neutral brow pencil such as our JobaColors Eye Liner in Brown Sugar. Eyebrows frame your face and it can make a huge difference if you have them professionally shaped.

Perfect Lipstick: It’s an art and a science. Start with clean lips (seems obvious). Personally I tend to have dry lips, so I apply a thin coat of our Orange Mimosa Lip Balm and allow it to penetrate for about five minutes. Next, use our JobaColors Lip Liner to line your lips AND fill in the entire lip. Having a color base will help your lipstick to last longer. Then apply our Truly Natural Lipstick. Some say that applying your lipstick with a brush helps it to last longer, but I disagree. Use a tissue to blot your lipstick gently. Don’t put it between your lips and press down; you’ll remove too much product. Rather lightly dab the tissue against your lips. Then apply a second coat. Some ladies actually do this a third time (dab, reapply). Make sure you don’t have any lipstick on your teeth. Finish with a light application of Luscious Lip Gloss.

Finally remember on your big day to have the following to hand:

  • Cotton swabs to wipe away any smudges under the eyes
  • Tissues which come in handy for wiping tears and blotting oily spots
  • Your lipstick should you need a touch up
  • Your Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation to blot away any sweaty patches
  • Breath freshener (you will be doing lots of kissing – alcohol breath is not very attractive!)

Lastly remember that the day goes by VERY fast. This is YOUR day. Take the time to do things at your pace, and make sure you’re enjoying yourself.

I’m Having A Meltdown!



Yesterday the temperatures were in the 60s. Today, highs are in the 90s. Welcome to Spring in the Northeast. Having a heat wave in your area? If so, here are some tips to help you deal with the crazy weather.

Don’t keep lipstick/lip balm in car: This one seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many folks forget. Within an hour, the temperature inside a vehicle sitting in the sun can easily reach 120 or 130 degrees. High temperatures can cause liquids to separate and break down. It can affect the active ingredients in make-up. Plus you don’t want hop into your parked car, pop open the lip balm cap to apply and have an oily mess wind up on your lap.

So should I keep my make up in the fridge on a hot day? When it comes to making cosmetics last longer, lower temperatures are generally better. That’s because chemical reactions occur faster at higher temperatures. Makeup is prone to oxidation reactions since they contain oils that can turn rancid. Keeping them in the fridge can slow down that process. However, there can be a few potential problems with storing beauty products in the fridge. For example, you may see beads of “sweat” on your lipstick. These are drops of oil coming out of the wax and rising to the surface of the stick (it’s a phenomena called “syneresis”). If too much of this sweating occurs, the lipstick won’t spread properly on your lips. Also, you can’t let your products freeze, as too cold temperatures can also affect the chemical composition of a product. If it’s crazy hot in your apartment, stick your lipstick in the fridge until temperatures cool down. Otherwise, just be sure to keep your make up in a drawer or another location out of direct sunlight.

Frizzy hair on a hot day: My long straight hair starts to find its natural curl when the heat rises. Unfortunately along with the subtle waves comes unsightly frizz. So how do you control your hair if you know you’re going to be out in the heat? There are a few things you can do.

A. Put your hair up. Braids are HUGELY popular right now. Log on to our Pinterest board for some really cute up-do looks.
B. Moisturize. Condition your hair at least twice a week to help control its tendency to frizz. Just don’t overdo it, or you’ll wind up with limp locks.
C. Flat iron. Don’t even let your hair think about frizzing. Flat iron it in the morning and seal with our vegan Herbal Mint Hair Spray. I haven’t used any other hair spray (natural or not) that handles humidity as well as this product.
D. Be proactive. If your hair goes lank halfway through the day, apply a bit of hairspray to the roots. Hold hair up straight with a brush while the spray dries. Then gently brush off your face and slip on a headband.
E. Keep your head on straight. Don’t flip your head upside down to dry your hair. Sure it will add volume, but will also increase your chances of getting frizzy. Instead use a warm (not hot) setting and a large round brush to gently dry hair. Finish with a cool setting to seal the hair shaft.

Control the sweat: We’ve had some customers use our Deodorant Powder as a dry shampoo. Say you’ve been outside in the morning and now have an afternoon meeting, and no time to shower in between. Flip your head upside down (it’s okay in this instance) and sprinkle the powder over the top of your head, especially in the areas that tend to get oily, like your bangs and part. Use your fingers to distribute it. If you wish, brush your hair so the powder is distributed down the length of the hair shafts. Focus mostly on the roots, but if the rest of your hair needs freshening up, add a little more to the tips. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the powder to absorb the oil from your hair. If you have particularly oily hair, it may take a little longer. Turn your head upside down and brush out all of the powder. You can use a hair dryer to help the process along.

What is your hot weather make-up tip? Email me to share: melissa@honeybeegardens.com.

Oil Pulling – Huh?



When I first heard about this, I had to look into it because it sounded so weird. And I’m all about weird stuff.

What is Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is a traditional Indian folk remedy that involves swishing oil in the mouth. To be more specific, you take approximately one tablespoon of oil (coconut, sesame and sunflower oils are the most recommended) and put it in your mouth, swish it around back and forth through your teeth for 15–20 minutes on an empty stomach (before eating/drinking), and then spit it out. NEVER swallow the oil, since it supposedly pulls the toxins and bacteria from your mouth – yuck. Follow by rinsing your mouth with warm water, and brushing if you choose. It can be done up to three times a day, but it is typically done first thing in the morning, before eating.

So what does it do? Well some sites claim it does everything from whitening your teeth to healing eczema. Oilpulling.com suggests it cures the following:

•Acne
•Allergies
•Arthritis
•Asthma
•Back and Neck Pain
•Bad Breath
•Bronchitis
•Chronic Fatigue
•Colitis
•Crohn’s Disease
•Constipation
•Dental Cavities
•Dermatitis
•Diabetes
•Eczema
•Hemorrhoids
•Hypertension
•Insomnia
•Migraine Headaches
•Mucous Congestion
•Peptic Ulcers
•PMS
•Periodontal Disease
•Bleeding Gums
•Sinusitis
•Tooth Abscess

Several scientific studies have verified that oil pulling is helpful for oral health. I think other claims would be very hard to measure.

Okay, I thought I’d give it a whirl. I chose extra virgin coconut oil because I use it for everything else and thought I could tolerate the taste. I read comments from others who have tried oil pulling who couldn’t make it through the first few minutes without gagging. Great, I already have a weak stomach. I figured I’d stay in the bathroom the first time I tried it, just in case. So I scooped some coconut oil into my mouth (no, I didn’t measure) and allowed it to melt under my tongue. I think that’s the most difficult part. I might try melting it first from now on. Anyway, once it melted, I started swishing. After about two minutes my cheeks got tired and I had to take a break. Then back to swishing. I had no idea how I would last 20 minutes since I have the patience of a gnat, so I started getting ready for work. I took a shower, started putting on my make-up, all while still swishing. Finally at 20 minutes I spat out the oil into the toilet (I didn’t want the coconut oil clogging up the plumbing in my sink). Then I rinsed with warm water several times and brushed my teeth. They felt clean. But not much more than that. Of course I shouldn’t expect much after only one try. So I’ll keep doing it for a week or so and see if my teeth get any whiter. Others claim they’ve seen results after only a week. We shall see.

Brush Your Way To Better Skin


A few months ago, I became interested in “dry brushing”. Now that I’m in my 40s (*gads!*) it takes more effort to make my skin look its best. This means eating clean, drinking lots of water, NOT tanning, moisturizing regularly, etc. Dry brushing is purported to promote healthier skin by removing dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, allowing it to breathe and absorb more nutrients. It also stimulates and increases skin cell production, stimulates the lymphatic and circulatory systems, and boosts your immune system. The gentle pressure and brushing sensations are said to have a calming effect; increasing your blood flow reduces stressed areas of the body and stimulates nerve endings in your skin which in turn rejuvenates your nervous system. Last but not least, dry brushing supposedly reduces cellulite by increasing blood circulation to the skin, helping to break down and release toxins that cause cellulite in legs and hips.

This I had to try.

I went on line (amazon.com) and purchased a Yerba Prima Tampico Skin Brush. If you’re going to try dry brushing, you want a natural bristle brush or loofah. Look for bristles that are made from plant fibers. Synthetic bristles can be too harsh and cause irritation. The brush I chose has a removable handle so you can use it in the palm of your hand, or use it with the handle for harder to reach areas like your back.

So how do you do it? It’s best to dry brush when you first wake up in the morning, before you jump in the shower. Here is the recommended dry brushing process:

1. Start with your feet, moving in soft circular movements (always moving towards the heart) first on the bottom of the feet, and then on the top.
2. Work up each leg, one at a time, first the back of the leg (using the same soft circular, always towards the heart, movements) up through the buttock and then the front of the leg. Avoid any delicate skin, like the skin on the insides of the thighs.
3. After you are finished with the lower half, start at the fingertips of one arm; move up the arm (palms of hands, back of hands, forearm, bicep) and towards the heart. Repeat on other arm.
4. Move to the back working your movements towards your stomach, starting and finishing with one side of the back and then the other.
5. When you get to your stomach, start at your lower abdomen and work your way up (make sure to steer clear of delicate areas like the nipples) and end at your chest in an upward stroke.
6. Rinse off and shower as normal.

Skin brushing Tips:
1. Avoid the face! While dry brushing is excellent for exfoliating skin, this body brush will be too rough for the delicate skin on your face.
2. It’s sometimes best to dry brush in the shower (with the water off) since there may be a lot of dead skin brushed off.

How often should you dry brush? For best results dry brush at least two times a week.

I started looking into some of the grand claims of dry brushing. It DOES get rid of dead skin cells, increase circulation (as a brisk walk would) and help the lymphatic system work better, and decrease bloating (as a massage would). However, the grander claims are more suspect. Even if done religiously over time, will dry brushing reduce the appearance of cellulite? Experts like Dr. Carolyn Jacob, a dermatologist in Chicago, feel probably not. Why? Cellulite is a complex problem that involves thin skin and the kind of fibrous bands holding in women’s fat. Dry brushing “won’t change fibrous bands at all,” Dr. Jacob said — a dagger to the hearts of women with cottage-cheese thighs. Twisting the dagger, Dr. Jacob cautioned that avid dry brushers put their skin at risk for inflammation, redness and an eczema-like itchy rash.

So is dry brushing for you? As long as you don’t have any severe skin irritation (acne, rash, eczema, open sore/cut, etc.), I say yes. It is an invigorating way to start the day, and it really does make your skin feel smooth and healthy.

My New Big Thing



I’ve been reading a lot about coconut oil recently, and how it’s good for everything from healing acne to losing weight. Naturally, I had to try it.

Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It is very heat-stable, which makes it suited to methods of cooking at high temperatures like frying. Because of its stability, it is slow to oxidize and, thus, resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content. Multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60 percent of their total caloric intake from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent rates of cardiovascular disease.

But how can that be if coconut oil is so high in saturated fat? The fact is all saturated fats are not created equal. The fat in coconut oil is largely made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Unlike other saturated fats, MCFA doesn’t heighten cholesterol and it can help to protect against heart disease.

You may have heard that coconut oil has antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties. This is because of coconut oil’s high percentage of lauric acid, a “miracle” compound because of its unique health promoting properties. On absorption, the body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

If that wasn’t enough to spark interest, Victoria’s Secret supermodel Miranda Kerr says she has been using coconut oil since she was 14, consuming up to 4 teaspoons a day. Have you SEEN what this woman looks like?!

I went to the health food store and bought organic extra virgin coconut oil. If I was going to do this, why not work with the good stuff? It was about $15 for a decent sized jar. I didn’t know if that was reasonable or not, because I didn’t know how much product I was going to have to use for my experiments.

Experiment #1: Sugar scrub. One of our Facebook friends mentioned she used coconut oil to make a sugar scrub, which sounded yummy. Now this time of year, I have alligator legs. My skin is SO dry. I can moisturize over and over, but within hours, my skin looks reptilian. I’ve used salt scrubs that had some nice oils in them and kept my skin smooth for a bit longer, but never more than 12 hours. Anyway, I decided to melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave. Since coconut oil melts at about 76 degrees F, this took only a few seconds. I had some regular cane sugar that had been sitting in my pantry forever, so I decided to add 2 tablespoons of it to my now clear liquid. I mixed it up, but felt like I needed more sugar. I wound up adding about 2 additional tablespoons of organic brown sugar, and stirred thoroughly. Coconut oil remains liquid for a pretty long time (a few hours maybe?) so it’s not like you have to work fast. I poured the sweet smelling concoction into a plastic container and took it upstairs to use in the shower the next day.

Morning came, and after feeding my hoard of cats (because Lord knows you can’t do ANYTHING upon waking before you feed them), I stepped into my shower. After washing with my natural bar soap, I tried the now hardened sugar scrub. I scraped out about a teaspoon full and massaged it into my legs. The sugar melts quickly and rinses away. I did the same with my arms. As I was drying off, I noticed how smooth my skin felt. Not oily, not sticky, but protected. Needless to say, I expected to see dry flaky legs when I got home from work that night. But to my surprise, my skin still looked great. Not as perfect as they did after I had just stepped out of the shower, but WAY better than they normally do. Now it’s been several days of this cookie-scented sugar routine, and I see a big difference in my skin. I don’t have to moisturize at all. And the texture of my skin is softer and smoother than it’s been in a long time. I’m going to keep doing this AT LEAST through the winter months.

Experiment #2: Face wash. When I was a teen, I had acne. Not just a few pimples, but nasty patches of cystic acne. The dermatologist put me through years of chemical treatments including (progressively) antibiotics, Cleocin, Retin A and finally Accutane (which was new drug at the time, and I remember having to sign release forms). God knows what damage it did to my body, but I was a kid and didn’t know better. But since then, I have always kept anything containing oil far away from my face. Contrastingly, for years I would dry out my skin with alcohol and harsh soaps, trying to make the acne ‘go away’. So the concept of using a greasy substance to wash my skin was a tough pill to swallow. I always wash my face with natural bar soap and water before going to bed every night. Reluctantly one evening, I used a dollop of coconut oil instead of my soap. It felt like I was smearing Crisco on my face. The only redeeming quality about the experience is that the stuff just smells so darned good. Anyway, I rubbed the oil into my skin, and rinsed with warm water…for about 10 minutes! I felt like I had to get that oiliness off my skin. And water wasn’t going to take that away. I dried off, and went to bed, fearing a breakout to rival all breakouts the next morning. Well, I can tell you that after having done this for a few days now, not only have I not gotten one single blemish, but those dry blotchy patches I’ve been battling on my skin are going away too. AND my make-up stays on better throughout the day because my skin is actually moisturized. This is almost too good to be true.

Experiment#3: Body lotion/Massage oil. Having had such luck with its other uses, I decided to use coconut oil as a body lotion. It’s hard when you first scoop it out of the jar, but begins to melt instantly from the warmth of your skin. I allowed some to melt in my hands, and massaged the oil into my legs and feet. I don’t feel it has enough of a long term ‘slip’ to make a great massage oil, unless you’re giving a very short massage. But it rubs into skin nicely, making it an effective body lotion alternative. AND it keeps my skin moisturized longer than anything else I’ve tried thus far.

Last Experiment (for now): Hair conditioner. I’ve read about people massaging gobs of coconut oil into their hair, starting at the scalp and working all the way to the ends. Some even do this and then sleep with a shower cap on. While I’m sure it makes a great deep conditioning treatment, I haven’t had the guts to try that yet. But what I have done is massaged the oil into the ends of my hair (about the last two inches) and kept it on my hair for several hours before shampooing out. My hair is notorious for having fly away ends and looking frizzy. I’ve only done this experiment about three times so far, but I can tell you that each time, my hair does look better on the ends, and behaves better throughout the day.

I guess next will be cooking with coconut oil. If I ever get a chance to cook again (this time of year is so busy). Or maybe I’ll come up with a NEW use for it. How do YOU use coconut oil? Let us know. And if you haven’t tried this miracle product, by all means give it a shot. I’m sure you’ll be delighted by the results.