Coconut Oil

I'm not going to tell you that coconut oil is going to cure everything that's wrong with you, but there are a few great uses for coconut oil that I have found to be easy and beneficial and thought that I would share.

1) Deep conditioner for your hair -- melt a few tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave and comb it through dry hair. Pull your hair up in a clip and let it sit for an hour. Go ahead and slather a thin layer of oil on your face, too. Take a shower, and shampoo (twice, for good measure) and condition as normal. Much less expensive than commercial conditioner, too. Saturday morning at the coconut spa.

2) Make up remover. It's natural and very moisturizing.

3) In place of oil for making popcorn. That's right...I know this is going to totally blow your mind, but I make popcorn on the stove. The old fashioned way. Microwave popcorn tastes horrible and chemical to me. Try it. You'll never go back.

4) In place of oils when baking. It's supposed to be healthier. Can't hurt.


Please share any uses of coconut oil that you have found!

Instant Manicure. Beauty Problem Solved!

THE PROBLEM: I got rid of my acrylic nails because I was tired of the maintenance and cost. I still love to get manicures and pedicures, but have cut down on that drastically in a random attempt to save money. I don't mind painting my own nails and in fact, prefer my nails short and polished with a natural/pale pinky color in the summer. I think it looks neat and classy and works well with my sexy savage tan :). But...(here's the problem) Polish chips off my fingernails at an alarmingly rapid rate (like the next day!) and I don't have the patience to wait for polish to dry. THE SOLUTION: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. About $9 at your local Ulta store. This stuff really works!!! It now takes me about five minutes to paint my nails, top them with this stuff and they are DRY. I mean dry. It also protects the polish and is much longer wearing than other top coats that I've tried. With a pale (read, forgiving of small chips) polish, I can go for four or five days between polishes. PLUS, with an investment of five minutes, I don't mind doing it! Love, love, love this stuff!!!

Head-to-Toe Winter Skin Makeover~ Under $70...

This is a very easy, month long regimen that you do at home and it will transform your dull, dry, flaky, itchy Winter skin into smoother, softer, clearer beautiful skin - head to toe! All for under $70. That's hardly more than a good facial plus tip. Here are the things you will need: A QUALITY LIP BALM - Look at the ingredients. You don't want something that is a petroleum based product. The C.O.Bigelow Mentha Lip Balm Stick pictured here is made with Hydrogenized Coconut Oil and Shea Butter. It isn't glossy, and we all know how I love my gloss,so just apply under your gloss or lipstick. Apply generously at night, as well. You will need to exfoliate your lips, too, so either do that with a toothbrush or the body scrub that you will see down the list. Cost: $7.50. Available at Bath and Body Works. Soft smooth lips? Your husband or boyfriend will thank me. Maybe they both will. PHILOSOPHY INSTANT SKIN MAKEOVER KIT- This wonderful kit contains a daily Microdelivery Exfoliating Face Wash (I use each morning in the shower) and a two step exfoliating mask that consists of Microdelivery Peel Resurfacing Crystals and Microdelivery Peel Activating Gel. It also has a generous sample of their Purity Face Wash. I use the two step mask once a week and it really has improved my skin's texture and brightness. A little goes a long way. I've used it three times and am not even halfway through the product. Be sure to follow the Mask with a moisturizing serum (if you have one) and a good face moisturizer. (Philosophy 'Hope in a Jar' is da bomb). Use before bed because your skin is going to feel so clean and pure you aren't going to want to put makeup on after you do this. I have dry, rather sensitive skin and this works great! Cost: $32. Available at Sephora.com or your local Sephora store. HOMEMADE SUGAR SCRUB - This is easy, cheap and if you make extra, it keeps beautifully in the freezer. Use once or twice a week all over, even on your lips. Mojito Body Scrub (leave out the mint and lime for unscented) 2 Cups White Sugar 1 Cup Safflower OR Sunflower Oil (yep, cooking oil) 2 Tbsp fresh Lime Zest (finely chopped) 2 Tbsp fresh Mint Leaves (finely chopped) Juice of 1/2 lime Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Store covered, in a plastic food container or purchase pretty glass jars at a hobby/craft store. Make sure it is sealed well so as not to attract ants. QUALITY LOTION- This Neutrogena Moisture Wrap Lotion is unscented and it really gets the job done. Put on at night before bed. Cost: $12.00. Available at Walgreen's or your local drug store. BODY OIL- When you turn off the shower, don't dry off. Instead, liberally apply a body oil and rub in before you gently towel off. This really locks in the moisture and will leave your skin smooth. Most drugstores have their own knockoff of the Neutrogena brand. Make sure it's unscented and don't get baby oil. Petroleum. Ick. Cost: $7.00 - $13.00. Available at Walgreen's or your local drug store. This has worked wonders for me. Let me know if it works for you!

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do?

They say that breaking up is hard to do. I disagree. Don't worry!!! I'm not talking about Mr. Wonderful! I'm talking about my acrylic nails. I was tired of them and I dumped them. 'Jana...why?', you ask. 'Don't you want to look well groomed and polished and well...isn't it the law in Texas, along with big hair?' Well, yes and no. Let me explain. I found someone new (or something). That better fits my needs. It's a nail polish that is like gel nails. There is no dremmel tool or filing of your natural nails at all. It's just brushed on in coats, like regular polish, but in between coats your hands go into the little blue light box that sets the gel. What you get is a very tough, durable coat of polish on your natural nails that won't chip. It has to be redone every 2-3 weeks (I'm betting I can go 3) and the nail salon has to use some sort of special remover to take it off, but there's no committment, no drilling. YAY!!!! My old nail salon didn't offer this, so I switched salons and I'm very happy. My nails look fabulous! And they are strong. Even after removing the acrylic nails, which you probably know, leaves your nails paper thin, my nails feel stronger than normal people's nails. And the cost is about the same as it is for acrylics. AND you actually get the nice relaxing manicure, with massage and all instead of the drill! It comes in all different colors - naturals, reds, pinks, darks...it's OPI! Here's a link for further research: http://www.opi.com/ choose 'hands/feet' on the tabs and drop down to 'Axxium' ** UPDATE: One week later, my nails still look fabulous! (And I've been making jewelry and painting shrines!) They haven't chipped or broken and I'm going to have to file them off a little because they are getting too long!!

Long Eyelashes - almost free!

You've seen the ads for prescriptions eyelash serums and eyelash extensions. I just haven't had the inclination to go there. One day, right before Christmas, I was loitering at Macy's (waiting around to pick up Chloe from something) and I wandered over to the Benefit cosmetics counter. I needed something, I don't remember what. The Benefit girls must have been bored because they started trying cosmetics on me and the discussion turned to mascara. "I like waterproof mascara because I don't end up with raccoon eyes", I said. (What I didn't add was that I use the cheap stuff, Maybellene-gasp) The Benefit girls then informed me that waterproof mascara ruins your eyelashes, makes them brittle and they break off and, one of them added "If you stop using it and use regular mascara for a few months, I guarantee you that your lashes will be much, much longer". Well, guess what?? It worked. I also rub a tiny amount of moisturizer into them at night along with moisturizing my face. Check it out: (yes I have on mascara here, but they are much longer. Should've done a before pic)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lip Gloss, But Were Afraid to Ask

To what can I compare my love of lip gloss? Pooh and honey, Courtney Love and booze, my friend Dale and glitter? At all times I have no less than eight different kinds of lip gloss in my purse (seriously) and I admit that I am an addict, I mean expert. Here is a peek at what is stashed in my purse right now: 1) Calvin Klein Gloss - nice colors (I have the red color), a touch of sparkle and pretty sticky. The only thing I don't like is the cherry candy smell/taste. Available at Sephora for about $13. I won't buy this one again. SCORE: 3 OUT OF 5 SMOOCHES 2) Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine. Fabulously yummy and a good price. All natural minty smell/taste and not too sticky. Moisturizing and comes in clear gloss or colors. The colors tend to look like blood to me, so I'd say stick with the clear. Available at Bath and Body Works for about $6. SCORE: 4 OUT 5 SMOOCHES (the product squishes out a little of the tube when you put the cap on, hence the bloody look of the colors) 3) Wet n Wild Jumbo Juicy - A staple. I have these stashed around my house in all different flavors. I like raspberry and orange best. Reminiscent of the giant Bonne Belle Lip Smackers that I carried around everywhere I went in Jr. High School that kept my cheerleader smile glossy, these are the bomb! The perfect combination of extreme moisture and some clear gloss and cheap cheap cheap. Available at Walgreens drugstore for about $3. SCORE: 4 out of 5 SMOOCHES (lost one SMOOCH due to no color or shimmer) 4) Origins Shimmer Gloss - My true love. A minty flavor/scent, moisture, pretty colors and a hint of shimmer! Be still my heart. These come in gorgeous colors from a dark mauve for winter to a light pinky coral for summer and yes, I have several! Available at Origins www.origins.com for about $13 Worth every penny. SCORE: 5 OUT OF 5 SMOOCHES 5) Jane Iredale Sugar and Butter. Oh, Honey, these are some POSH LIPS! I was cajoled into buying this at my fancy schmancy salon after being hypnotized by a two hour ultimate pedicure. I was like Patty Hearst and would have done anything at this point. One side is a lip exfoliater made from brown sugar, so you exfoliate and then LICK IT OFF YOUR LIPS (it's a snack, too)!!! The other side is a lip balm/plumper with mint and ginger that makes your lips tingle. The balm is a faint peachy color and you can put lipstick over it. Available at my Foo Foo Salon for $24 or I'm sure you can google it and buy it online. I hate to say it, but it's worth it if you want to really pamper your lips. SCORE : 5 OUT OF 5 SMOOCHES