Eyebrow Threading

Category : Beauty

Eyebrow Threading

Eyebrow Threading

I started getting my eyebrows threaded several years ago to avoid the break-outs I’d get from waxing.  The wax made me so red and caused me to immediately break out – it wouldn’t be until I was due for another brow clean-up before my skin would clear up, so the cycle would begin again.  Threading is fantastic and barely turns my skin even just a light pink.

Taken from www.eyebrowthreading.com:

  • Threading is an ancient method of hair removal which originated in parts of India, the Middle and Far East, and is now gaining popularity in Western countries.
  • Threading is a hair removal technique that uses 100% cotton thread. The cotton thread is twisted and rolled along the surface of the skin entwining the hairs in the thread, which are then lifted quickly from the follicle. It is more precise than waxing and allows for better lines.
  • The technique is rather inexpensive because it does not require costly chemical ingredients. Messy waxes and creams are avoided altogether. For women who would like to pursue a more natural beauty regimen, hair threading is a good choice, since it does not use harmful products.
  • As opposed to waxing, the top layers of skin are not peeled or traumatized in the process making threading gentler on the skin.
  • Threading is highly recommended and an excellent option for those who use Retin-A, Accutane, or similar products.
  • Eyebrow threading is a practice of shaping the eyebrows.
  • It is a preferred hair removal technique for a number of reasons. Unlike tweezing or plucking, eyebrow threading removes one clean line of hair all at once, making it much quicker and easier to shape the brows.
  • It is important to find an esthetician who is experienced at eyebrow threading. Inexperience can result in uneven brows, hair breakage, ingrown hairs, or unnecessary pain.
Thread Away

Thread Away

If you’re in Chicago, I recommend you go to Thread Away.  They now have two convenient locations in the city.  I always have a fabulous experience with them.  Eyebrows alone are $15.

Thread Away
500 North Wells St (between Grand Ave & Illinois St)
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 670-2513
OR
46 E Superior St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 255-8150

Support the PAWS Chicago Marathon Team

Category : Animals

Marathon Banner

My friend Lisa will be running and has set a goal to raise $1000 for PAWS Chicago.  Please click here to support her!

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Make You Own Cleaning Products

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Category : Household

We’re all pinching pennies right now and what better way to save money and be earth friendly than to make your own cleaning products!  These are all super simple and only require 4 basic ingredients along with a nice new spray bottle such as the one below or even better – reuse an old bottle!

Contour Spray Bottle with 3 Microfiber Cloths

Contour Spray Bottle with 3 Microfiber Cloths

Soft Scrub
Great for the shower, bathtub, stainless steel appliances and more
1/2 cup baking soda
Enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like consistency
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree oil, or rosemary (optional)
Pour the baking soda in a bowl; slowly pour in the liquid soap or detergent, stirring all the while, until the consistency reaches that of frosting. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, and rinse.
Window Cleaner
Doubles as a great de-greaser – especially handy in the kitchen
1/4 cup vinegar (distilled, white, 5%)
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups of water
Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend.
All-Purpose Cleaner
1/2 teaspoon washing soda (commonly found in the laundry section of the supermarket)
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.
Deodorizer, Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Vinegar is astonishing as an acidic cleaning powerhouse. Heinz references studies that say vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs.
5 percent straight white distilled vinegar
Pour the vinegar into a spray bottle, and spray directly onto areas to be cleaned or deodorized. Don’t rinse!

Traveling By Plane? Check This Out!

Category : Travel

Seat Guru Logo

I recently stumbled upon SeatGuru, a wonderful site where you can search by airline then by aircraft to get reviews to help you select your seat.  Find out which seats are good or not so good – avoid those without under seat storage & be sure to grab one with DC power!  This site pretty much contains everything you’d need to know about nearly every airline around the world.  They’ve got each airline’s general info along with their policies on check-in, baggage, infants, pets, etc., all in once place.  I find this much easier than navigating an individual airline’s website.

Flight Amenities

Flight Amenities

Hundreds of Dogs Rescued in N.C.

Category : Animals

Please take a moment to watch these sweet little dogs being rescued from a puppy mill and spread the word on these AWFUL conditions!!  NEVER purchase a pet online or from a pet store.  No matter what the pet store tells you their animals are most always from a puppy mill.  Opt to adopt or at the least go to a reputable breeder and see the conditions in which they’re raising their animals.

Use That Salt!

Category : Beauty, Garden/Patio, Household

There are so many uses for salt other than just in food!

Salt is formed when acidic and alkaline materials combine and are neutralized. The resulting neutral pH is unique and offers many uses.
Because of its neutral pH, salt is also used purposely to kill off vegetation, and does a better or worse job at this depending on how sensitive the vegetation is to shifts in pH.
Salt also is a good non-abrasive scrubber and provides many uses in the home and for the body for this reason.
KITCHEN USES
• Brass, Silver, and Copper Cleaner: Make a paste of salt and vinegar, scoop it onto a soft cloth, rub the metal, rinse, and buff dry.
• Drain Deodorizer: Mix ½ cup of salt with ½ cup of hot water, and pour it down the drain periodically to eliminate odors and cut through grease buildup.
• White Marks on Furniture: Combine a teaspoon of salt with enough olive oil to make a dry paste. Scoop some of the paste onto a soft cloth, and then rub into the white marks until they are gone.
• Grease Cutter: Scrub greasy pans first with salt before washing with a detergent.
• Deodorize Cutting Boards: Dip a damp cloth in salt and rub it into the cutting board.
• Prevent Food from Sticking: Rub the pan with salt. This will also prevent smoking.
• Refresh Coffee Percolators and Pots: Add 4-5 tablespoons of salt to and processing as if there was coffee in the pot.
• Clean Sponges: Soak in cold saltwater after you have washed them.
HOUSEHOLD HINTS
• Deodorize Shoes: Sprinkle salt into the shoes at night; brush out in the morning.
• Drive Away Moths and Ants: Sprinkle areas the pests travel with salt.
• Brighten Colors: Add ½ a cup of salt to colored wash loads to enhance the colors. Note that salt is used to set dyes, so it works as a fixative.
• Eliminate Mold and Mildew Stains: Scrub with salt and lemon juice, then set in the sun. Wash, rinse, and dry.
• Put out Grease Fires: Cover the fire with salt. (Don’t use water on grease fires.)
ANTISEPTIC AND PERSONAL CARE USES
• Sore Throat Gargle: Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water. Gargle.
• Teeth and Gum Cleaner: Pulverize salt with baking soda (1:2 ratio).
• Mouthwash: Combine equal parts of baking soda and salt. Add 1 teaspoon to a glass of water, rinse out mouth.
• Bathe Your Eyes: Make a salt solution of ½ teaspoon of salt to 1 pint of water. Soak a soft washcloth in the mixture and lay it on closed eyes.
• Puffy Eye Help: Use the mixture, above, on puffy eyes, but soak longer.
• Foot Soak: Fill a pail of warm water to just the right temperature. Add ½ cup or so of salt. Soak your feet for as long as it feels good, rinse.
• Dry Salt Scrub: Exfoliate dead, dry skin, by giving yourself a massage with dry salt.
• Removing dry skin: After bathing and while still wet give yourself a massage with dry salt. It removes dead skin particles and aids the circulation.
GARDEN USES
• Weed Killer: Sprinkle salt along the cracks of patios where weeds are, sprinkle with water, then pull out the dead weeds and dead grass.
• Poison Ivy Killer: Dissolve 1 cup of salt in 1 gallon of hot water. Pour onto the poison ivy. Note that fresh bright green shiny, poison ivy leaves are the most vulnerable to this solution.

Recycle Your Electronics

Category : Household

Only 21% of U.S. consumers recycle their old electronics – which creates an even more depressing fact in that only 12% of electronics are getting recycled.  I will be the first to agree that recycling electronics can be a HUGE pain!  In the past when I’ve gotten rid of something that still works I’ve donated it to Goodwill.  When we ripped out our kitchen we put our old, semi-working appliances in the alley and by morning they were gone.   Whether they were taken to be used in a kitchen or even just for parts that is fine by me – better than going to the dump! ( I did call Goodwill to donate them but they only pick-up between 8am and 5pm and for two working people, those hours aren’t do-able.)

Small items seem to be rather easy to recycle.  Cell phone recycle boxes are popping up not only in wireless phone retail stores but in other places like grocery stores.  In select U.S. Post Offices, customers can get free prepaid mail-back envelopes for recycling inkjet cartridges, cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras and other small electronics.  I’ve personally done this with an old, broken camera and found it to be super EASY!

The difficulties come when you want to get rid of non-working things such as a dvd player.   I have yet to try out any of the sites below but I plan to when the opportunity arises.  Just click through these to find which one best suites your needs.  Some charge you a nominal fee which is seriously worth it if you consider that these things are just piling up in our landfills, however some will actually GIVE you money for your old junk!  If you’re looking to get rid of a computer try contacting the manufacturer first as many are willing to take them off your hands.

Craigs List is a perfect way to buy and sell used items – maybe you can even find someone willing to take a broken gadget – they may want the parts!

Gazelle will even send you cash for your items!

My Green Electronics

Free Cycle

Earth 911

Free Geek

Green Disk

E-cycling Central

eRecycle

If you live in Chicago there is a recycling drop off at 1150 N. North Branch.  I do recall that they have limited hours and are only open one Saturday a month so be sure to call 311 to schedule your trip out there!

They accept the following items:

antifreeze
unused/expired medications
used motor oil
old gasoline
oil-based paints
paint thinners
aerosol paints and pesticides
herbicides
insecticides
propane tanks
lead acid batteries
pesticides
lawn chemicals
solvents
drain cleaners
cleaning products
pool chemicals
hobby chemicals
mercury
compact Fluorescent lamp and light bulbs
computers
old or unused prescription and over the counter medications
cell phones

Coco Eco Magazine & Josie Maran

Category : Beauty, Fashion

I just found a fabulous new eco fashion magazine called Coco Eco Magazine.  This month they’re featuring Josie Maran (from Josie Maran Cosmetics)on the cover!  I just emailed them to find out how to subscribe but for now you can see all of the issues online.

COCO ECO Magazine

COCO ECO Magazine

Get A Reusable Water Bottle!

Category : Food & Beverages, Household

2.5 million disposable water bottles are thrown away in the US every hour.

Sigg Butterfly Dreams

Sigg Butterfly Dreams

One of the easiest things you can do to make a difference is to get a reusable water bottle and refill it at home from you tap or water filter.  Stainless steel bottles are best as plastic is so controversial right now – besides, they’re virtually indestructible!

  • Plastic Recycling Facts(from Earth 911):
    In 2006, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each but only recycled an average of 23 percent. That leaves 38 billion water bottles in landfills.
  • Bottled water costs between $1 and $4 per gallon, and 90 percent of the cost is in the bottle, lid and label.
    According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006 that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.
  • It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.
  • Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste.
  • In 2007 we spent $16 billion on bottled water. That’s more than we spent on iPods or movie tickets.
  • Plastic bottles can take up to 1000 years before they begin to decompose once buried.
  • If everyone in NYC gave up water bottles for one week, they would save 24 million bottles from being land-filled. One month on the same plan would save 112 million bottles, and one year would save 1.328 billion bottles from going into the landfill.

Check out these great reusable water bottles:

Sigg is my favorite as they have so many fun designs. They’re currently offering free shipping on orders of $50 or more!  I bought the one shown above for my sister as a birthday gift…a fun designed bottle does make a great gift!
Eco Canteen- you may have seen their advertisement on t.v. recently. They have a mouth wide enough to drop in ice cubes and they are dishwasher safe. They point out that their bottles are about 1/2 the price of others, but once you add in the shipping its only slightly less so if you’re looking for a bottle with a unique design it may be worth to pay $5 more and go for Sigg.
GreenFeet carries Klean Kanteen and are currently offering shipping on orders over $50.  These too have a wide mouth and are dishwasher safe.  They even have a cool Wine Karafe!  But you’ll have to go directly to their website for that as GreenFeet doesn’t carry it.

Polenta & Pesto Appetizers

Category : Food & Beverages, Recipes

Saturday night we celebrated Easter early with a group of friends.  I needed a quick and easy appetizer and came up with the following:

Ingredients:
1 tube pre-cooked polenta (you’ll find it in the Italian section at the market – I used Trader Joe’s brand)
1 container pre-made pesto (I found it in a small tub at Trader Joe’s)

Of course you could do this from scratch and make your own polenta and pesto.  In the summer I ALWAYS make my own pesto with fresh basil but this time of year it is just easier to purchase it.

Directions:
Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil
Slice the polenta into 1/8 inch pieces
Top with pesto
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes

I had left overs and threw them back in the oven the next day and they tasted just as good the second time around!  (I always like to see of photo of what I’m making – sorry I didn’t snap one for you – next time I make them I’ll update this post with a photo)

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