i did WHAT with milk?

My Dad gave me two cartons of milk the other day, saying he noticed I like drinking it.  I actually prefer almond milk, or sometimes low-fat milk when I need to stretch the budget - but I just received two liters of the full-fat variety.

I'm not exactly willing to drink full-fat milk, but I decided to accept the gift because it was a sweet gesture (minus my Dad's story about how he can't properly digest the stuff anymore, hee hee).  So I did a web search for recipes I could use milk in.  Just then I remembered a snippette I read in a teen magazine several years ago, about using milk as a homemade hair mask.  I remembering trying it out back then and that I was very happy with the result.

Image from yahoo.lifestyle.co.nz

So this is one of the things I did with the milk:

milk as a hair treatment

• After shampooing, apply milk to hair.  A spray bottle makes it easier.
• Work it into your hair.  Leave it on for a few minutes. For even better results, leave it on for thirty.  A shower cap is a good idea.
• Rinse well.

The result:  soft, silky tresses.  I find it more effective in taming my hair than store-bought straightening conditioners.

I was surprised to find a lot of beauty blogs discussing  the wonders that milk does for hair. I've read that it helps to remove product residue accumulated through the years, and it provides nourishment.  I also learned that the creamy beverage was used as a hair and skin treatment way before commercial shampoos were available.  This practice goes back all the way to Cleopatra, who bathed in milk because she believed in its healing and beautifying properties.

A lot of women are opting for traditional hair treatments nowadays, and milk is one of the ingredients in some homemade shampoo recipes.  This method of washing hair in milk is an all-natural, sulfate-free alternative to conditioner.

girls talk: style icons

I was a bit excited about this week's Girls Talk topic because I think it's cute and easy enough to answer, but then I found myself stymied -- I don't really have a style icon pala, haha.   '.'   I can appreciate other ladies' fashion sense, but I don't really have someone that I look up to or emulate in terms of style.

I'm not much of a fan of sleek-and-streamlined garb that makes people appear like they're trying too hard to be celebrity-like.  I like how these gals dress (sometimes): 

Rachel Bilson often gets it right. Even when she's not dressed up for a shoot, she looks so effortlessly well-composed. She manages to look laid-back but still feminine and pretty.  The way she layers her clothes makes me wish it wasn't so hot here in the Philippines. 

Unlike Rachel, Victoria Beckham is more on the edgy side, but I like that too.  I love most of her hairstyles.  She often wears stuff that would only look good on her though.


And that's my contribution for this week's GT. :)

still crazy over coconut oil ^_^

It wasn't very long ago when I discovered the many good things about coconut oil, but it's now one of my favorite things ever. It's very affordable (especially here in the Philippines), all-natural and loaded with benefits.

I've been using virgin coconut oil as make-up remover and as skin moisturizer, and I quite prefer it over chemical-laden products (My skin is super dooper sensitive and it often breaks out when I use certain lab-concocted substances). Since I started using coco oil there's been a visible improvement on my skin.

I've also been making an all-natural body scrub with it. Previously shared the recipes here.

Speaking on homemade beauty products, someone recently tweeted this link to a recipe for body butter using coconut oil. I think I'll be trying that sometime.

It is said its subtle scent has a calming effect. Using it thus doubles into an aromatherapy session. ^_^

I've already tried cooking with it - it not only smells better than the usual store-bought cooking oils, but it also lowers the bad cholesterol. And it tastes yummy too.

The other day, I stumbled upon this lady's blog entry on 80 Uses for Coconut Oil. Intriguing. I'm a bit cynical about some of the claims, but I'm willing to test a few. ^_^

Photo from here.

girls talk; what's in my bag

Another fun topic for Girls Talk this Thursday. ^_^


This is my bag. It's a relatively cheap but durable locally-made thing that I bought as a birthday gift to myself two years ago. It's not that big but I can magically squeeze a whole lot of stuff in it.

The secret: I use a bag organizer.


I absolutely recommend every lady to have a bag organizer. It not only keeps your things neat, but it makes it easier for you to switch bags - all you have to do is transfer your organizer.

I have my vanity kit and my wallet of course, which I already shared about in previous posts.


And then I have everything else:


First Row:
Hand sanitizer.
A small pouch.
A travel toothbrush and a toothpaste.
Nivea Caregloss and lip balm (I love Nivea!).
A flask of cologne.
A small tube of lotion.

Second Row:
A bag hook - another practical thing for every lady to have. It's so you don't have to put your bag on the floor or on the back of your seat whenever you go out.
Tissue.
Wet wipes.
Oil control film.
Mirror.
A small case where I keep my allergy pills, Advil and dust mask (because the nasty allergic rhinitis acts up sometimes), and my keys.

Third Row:
A small notebook and pencil.
A book. I am currently reading JRR Tolkien's Unfinished Tales.
A small, compact Bible.
A handy instamatic Camera. I always bring a camera so I can snap photos for my 365 project.

And oh - one very important thing - my cellphone. I was not able to take a photo of it because I left it on my bedroom sidetable.

... And that's about it! :D

Find other Girls Talkers here

at Niko's cute blog,

last weekend's project: gray-tone statement necklace

I'm quite pleased with this necklace I made. It's a statement necklace requested by one of my regular buyers. ^_^


Chunky jewelry, bib necklaces and statement pieces seem to be the in thing for accessories these days. I personally prefer not to wear HUGE celebrity-style statement pieces, but I enjoy creating them.

Making fashion accessories is a hobby of mine. When friends started admiring stuff I put together, I decided to make a bit of money out of it.

I like using stone beads, various natural and man-made crystals, and freshwater pearls. I prefer organic-looking designs over geometric lines, subdued hues over brights.

This particular necklace is a one-of-a-kind design based on an existing piece I made, but especially modified and bulked-up as requested by the buyer. In it are various beads such as gray agate, moss agate, snowflake agate, milky quartz, smoky quartz, Murano foil blown crystals, freshwater pearls, hammer shell, moonstone, metal beads and glass seed beads. I love how it turned out and was tempted to just keep it for myself (hee hee hee - I happen to like the color silver, and freshwater pearls are my favorite kind of beads).

A necklace like this would sell for something like P1,000 to 2,500 at the malls, or P800 to 1,000 at those Muslim ladies' jewelry stalls. But I sell pieces like this for P350 to 550 (depending on the materials used) - and yes, I still manage to make money out of that.

Besides, it's not really about making money for me, but about having fun making pretty things.

Visit my Multiply site:

girls talk: vanity kit

This week's Girls Talk is a lot of fun. ^_^




What's in my vanity kit?

1 - Loose powder and liquid makeup.

2 - Blush and bronzer.

3 - Various eyeshadow. I use a brownish one for the base color / contour shade, and then use the sparkly ones for highlights.

4 - At least two shades of lipstick. I have a lot more on my dressing table, but I only put two or three at a time in my vanity kit. Shown here are my current likes, an almost-nude sheer lipcolor by Clinique, and a darker red stick of an unfamiliar brand.

5 - Mascara and eyeliner. I have a dark-brown Revlon and a black Very Sexy mascara, both gifts from the 'States.

6 - Various tools - a mirror, a brush kit, a nail cutter and file set, eyelash curler, tweezers, sharpener and a tiny flask of perfume.

girls talk: shower loot

I missed a few weeks, so I'm glad to join Girls Talk again this Thursday. This week we're talking about what's in my shower loot: (woot woot!)


Firstly, I love Dove products.

I also have a thing for shower gels. Right now I use a nice lavender one (a gift from a friend) and a rich Napa Grape (sent from an Aunt in the 'States). I make it a point to always have something lavender-scented because it's relaxing. The grape-scented one meanwhile makes me happy; it kinda smells like sweetened red wine.

I'm a sucker for handmade soap - not for collecting, but for actual use.

I also like Palmolive shampoos (I'm allergic to the soap though) and Nivea skin products.

Then I've got a loofah to go with the shower gels.

Lastly, I have a homemade body scrub; I use it once in a while for a "home spa treatment". It's easy to make quite nice on the skin - you should try it, I've posted the recipe for it here. :)

Another fun week of

brought to us by

homemade body scrub

(Easy recipes included ^_^ )


I enjoy trying out trusted recipes for homemade beauty products - the kind that I can put together in my own kitchen. Aside from getting to do something fun and new, I get a free, all-natural product for pampering myself. I like these homemade things because they're a lot less expensive than store-bought products; more importantly they have no chemicals or additives, and are safe on ultrasensitive skin like mine.

In the past few years, I've tried making different kinds of all-natural body scrub, facial mask, toner, lip balm and hair conditioner - all of which produced satisfying results.

Today I made some more olive oil body scrub. It's one of the easiest things to make. It moisturizes and exfoliates skin safely.

I get no allergic reactions from it. I particularly like using it on my legs and feet - it helps to smooth out those dry portions on my toes and heels. It's also safe to use on lips; it sloughs off dead skin cells and brings out a rosy glow.

Olive Oil Body Scrub

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 4 tbsp. salt (or sugar)
  

Combine olive oil and salt.
Store in an airtight container.

TO USE: After your bath, massage this onto your skin then rinse off. Use at least once a week. Go easy on the scrubbing; the salt or (sugar) could be pretty abrasive if you rub too hard. ;)

With this, you don't need to put on lotion after your bath (which works for me, since I'm allergic to a lot of lotions anyway), and you don't have to worry about poisonous stuff accumulating under your fingernails.

Another nice, easy-to-make-at-home scrub:

Oatmeal Body Scrub

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp. rolled oats
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 3 tbsp. sugar (or salt)
  
• Olive oil, coconut oil or any massage oil of your choice
  

Run the oats through a blender to mince them.
Combine oatmeal, sugar (or salt) and honey.
Pour in oil until it just covers the mixture.
Stir together.
Store in an airtight container.

SUGGESTION
Add a drop of essential oil to give yourself some aromatherapy. Try rose, lavender or vanilla if you want something relaxing. Use citrusy scents if you want it energizing.

This exfoliates and moisturizes, and nourishes skin. It smells yummy too.

Going back to our grandmothers' beauty recipes might be a good idea, now that we've become conscious of chemicals in commercial products - as well as the eventual harm those chemicals can do to our bodies and the environment. All-natural ingredients are SLS-free and they don't come in plastic packaging. They're non-irritating, skin-friendly and environment-friendly. ^_^

eight glasses of water a day

photo from here

drinking eight glasses of water a day:

• provides sufficient hydration
• aids circulation
• promotes healthier skin
• burns calories faster
• lowers the risk of heart attack
  
• aids weight loss
• regulates digestion and elimination
• lowers the risk of urinary tract infection
• flushes out toxins
• reduces headaches
• regulates body temperature
  
  

I'm pretty sure you've heard about it somewhere too. :)

(There have been some "researchers" though that say there really hasn't been any significant, measurable evidence that prove the benefits of eight glasses a day - still, I'm a believer in sufficient hydration. Besides, it wouldn't hurt anyone to drink water)

Recently I received an-email forwarded from a family friend, where she shared that drinking eight glasses of water a day helped to clear her cancer (She's cancer-free now). Of course she had other treatments, but proper hydration was a big factor.

Ive decided to take this eight glasses a day thing seriously since a few years ago when I was found to have a kidney infection. I've had a severe blood infection that affected the functioning of my other organs due in part to improper hydration. So far, I haven't had that again.

For the past year or two, I've been able to successfully increase my water intake and reduce sodas and caffeine (I've had to do it partially because I needed to get more sleep, and also because the meds I take for my BMD tend to overwork the kidneys). I've developed more liking for water, and have decreased my appetite for corn-syrupy or carbonated drinks. And it feels great.

I'd rather not drive myself crazy by keeping a precise count of how many glasses, but I just have an idea of the approximate amount . It helps to have big glass nearby when I read, work or watch the telly. It's also a good idea to have a handy-dandy drinking bottle when traveling.

A nice idea:
I got this idea from a book I read, about how this lady kept count of her water intake by leaving a stack of eight coins on her desk every day. Each time she drank a glass, she'd move a coin over to the other side of her desk.

Drinking lots of water is very helpful and healthful these days especially when we're in the middle of a tremendous heatwave. There have lately been a couple of deaths due to dehydration and heat stroke, and I just want to make sure we aren't part of that statistic.

Another nice idea:
Don't wait until you're thirsty. Just drink up.

And uh, yeah, it would be very wise to have clean, accessible restrooms at all times. All that water intake would be useless if you didn't flush it out.

today's current fave: mascara

It's been a year or so that I think I forgot such a product ever existed. Go figure. I've been using mascara since I was a college kid so it isn't really a stranger to me. But I really can't remember why i stopped brushing gook on my lashes. It's not even that i didn't have any - in fact I realize that I've had had two half-consumed year-old tubes in my makeup stash.

When my sister-in-law arrived from the 'States the other week, she had with her an assortment of makeup samples - including tubes and tubes of mascara. When i saw the sleek little packages, I imagined how it would feel like to put on some of that gook on my lashes . . .

So anyway, I got dibs on the mascara. When I got to being alone, I though of brushing some onto my lashes - just for fun. Itfeltsoooonice. And I looked so nice. I picked up my forgotten eyelash curler (that may need to be replaced, haha) and dolled my peepers away.

So I tell myself I will be using mascara every time i leave the house from now on. At least until the next time I forget that such a product exists.