Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Steam Cleaning


Hi Folks,


Since we have company coming into town, we had to steam clean the two carpeted rooms in the house.  I just wanted to share how we get this done quickly and easily.

Investing in a steam cleaner is a plus when you have pets.  Most grocery stores will rent these out but it's often super convenient to have one around the house.  Also the cleaners they sell with it often smell harsh and I'm not convinced they are very pet-friendly, even the ones that are meant for this purpose.  We have a Bissell Quick Steamer and it works out great.  



 The only down side is frequent refilling and emptying out the tanks but it works great. 

First thing we do is spot clean any scuff marks from the shoes in high traffic areas with Dreft stain remover in the spray bottle.  Very mild smelling but it actually works.  Then I run over the spots with a solution of OxyClean dissolved in water.  After that, I mix up a solution of Mrs. Meyers super concentrated Lavender laundry detergent.  Just a little goes a long way, you don't even need to fill up to the little indicator line for the solution on the tank.   I usually mix all the solutions with scalding hot water and work my way around the room. 
  

What I like about this isn't just the fact that the solution is easy enough on the carpet fibers but it actually leaves the room smelling awesome for days after.  Mrs. Meyers has tons of other scents for the laundry detergent and other than lavender, the lime verbena scent is also nice during the spring and summer.  After you are finished with the cleaning make sure you let it all dry for several hours, but you don't have to do anything beyond this step.

Hope this helps with your fall cleaning!


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Skin Care Crush: La Pharmacie Francaise

Bonjour!

I have been taking a peek at some French lifestyle, fashion, and beauty blogs and je suis tres tres jalouse of their skin care options.  Below are a few items from several different lines I have seen mentioned on the sites and my wish list for products, not necessarily all of them but at least one from each category!  One in particular is Nuxe which is touted as a natural line and I have seen mentioned the most on all the blogs.

Cleansers:
Aroma - Perfection Purifying Cleansing Gel
 
Rêve de Miel® Facial Cleansing and Make-Up Removing Gel
 

Toners/Waters:
Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Petals  


 











Avene Mineral Water



Bioderma Crealine H2O Micelle Solution


Moisteurizers:
Rêve de Miel® Ultra-Comfortable Face Cream, Day

 

Avene  Rich Compensating Cream


Eye Creme:
Avene Soothing Eye Contour Cream





Imperfection Treatment:
Avene Cicalfate Repair Cream




The best place I have found to purchase these is either Amazon.com or Birchbox.  As I used up my current products, I'll replace them with some of these and write up some reviews.  The price of these products is more than your average drugstore brand but if you have ever been to a French Pharmacie you know it is like Disneyland for folks who take their skin care seriously.   If you have never been to a Pharmacie, I highly suggest that you put it on your to-do list if you are ever in France!

Monday, September 2, 2013

DIY Beauty Tip: Turn Your Daily Cleanser Into An Exfoliating Scrub

Hi Everyone

Hope everyone is having a wonderful relaxing Labor Day Weekend!  Just wanted to share a little DIY kitchen beauty tip that I picked up on.  If you have already seen my posted on pared down beauty products you'll notice there is no exfoliating scrub.  I don't like the idea of having multiple bottles of cleansers sitting around.  So here is a little tip that can help you convert your daily cleanser to a gentle exfoliating scrub:

Take 4-5 aspirin tablets and crush with a clean metal spoon in a clean bowl.    This should make a fine powder but leave a little grit to it.  Mix in 1 teaspoon of your cleanser and work the powder into a paste and voila!  You now have a cleanser that is both antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and gentle enough for sensitive skin.  Scrub (avoiding eyes and eye areas) and wash clean as your normally would!

Hope you found this helpful.  Mostly this post will be useful to the ladies but honestly gentlemen, not enough of your are regularly exfoliating.  If you boys would just exfoliate regularly (2-3x a week) I guarantee your shaves will be closer and less irritating.  Ladies, you already know why we exfoliate, so suffice to say with the summer sun and heat using a scrub will help remove any dead skin to help keep it clear and healthy!

Have a great weekend!