Monday, 06 July 2009
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Remove eye makeup with oil
“I remember someone told me how one of their friends work at Estee Lauder's makeup factory. The person mentioned how the giant bins they use to mix the eye makeup remover formula had to be replaced often because they corroded and disintegrated the bins. Horrified, I threw away my eye makeup removers and seek for a new option.”
--- RiceBunny
The above sums up why I recommend using oil instead of commercial eye-makeup remover. Oils are gentle, and as effective (if not more) as any commercial make-up remover. (If you don't believe that, here is Ricebunny's video where she tests Extra Virgin Olivie Oil to remove heavy eye makeup.)
WHICH OILS TO REMOVE EYE MAKEUP ?
You can use almost any plant based oil. However, it's very important that it is of good quality, organic and cold-pressed.
Extra Virgin Oilive Oil is very moisturising.
If you are looking for something lighter, try my favourite: Jojoba Oil, which goes with all skin types.
Apricot Kernel Oil is recommended for sensitive skin.
For extra cleansing, try a 1:1 blend of the cleansing castor oil and the moisturising olive oil.
Don't add essential oils, they do smell nice but might irritate the eyes.
Coconut oil is not recommended, as it is drying.
Please steer clear of Vaseline, baby oil or any other mineral oils !
Do you use oil to remove you makeup ? Which oil is your favourite ?You might also want to read:* How to remove eye make-up without tugging the skin
* How often should we cleanse & scrub ?
* Cosmetic hack: Dr Hauschka's Cleansing Cream DIY
* Deep Cleansing with Oil
* The best pillow for your hair and skin
* Is it a breakout or is your skin purging impurities ?
*more*
Saturday, 04 July 2009
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How to remove eye make-up without tugging the skin
Step-by-step guide to cleansing the eye area as gently as possible.
The skin around the eyes has no oil glands and is quite thin. While it is important to be thorough in cleaning off eye makeup, you need to be very gentle with this area. Eye makeup is not easy to remove, especially if you use waterproof products, so here are some tips to do it right !
The key is to let the water and the oil dissolve as much of the makeup as possible, before you start rubbing.
Be gentle !
First, wash and cleanse your face. This will allow the eye makeup to soak and loosen a little bit.
Saturate a cotton pad with oil. Press it against the eyes and hold it there for a few seconds. This will allow the makeup to loosen.
Dab the cotton pad on the eye, pressing gently. This should remove most of the makeup.
- If there is still a lot of makeup on you eyes -- Using your ring finger, dab and gently massage a little bit of oil around your eyes. This will help the makeup to dissolve, besides conditioning the lashes and massaging the skin. Be gentle !
Gently wipe the eyelid with the cotton. The movement should be downwards, and across from the outside in (this way you are cleaning in the direction of the tear duct). Never tug !
Gently wipe across under the eye. again from the outside in.
TO REMOVE EYE LINER: Dip a q-tip in oil, and trace it along the eyeliner.
TO REMOVE MASCARA: Take a clean mascara brush, dip it in oil and comb it though your brushes. Demonstrated in this video.
You do not need to use cleanser to wash off the oil, since the skin around the eyes is dry and not prone to breakouts. Leaving the oil in will condition the skin and lashes.
I recommend using oil instead of makeup remover since it does the job just as well (if not better), and is much gentler.
* Coming up: a post on which oils to use for removing eye makeup.*
Wednesday, 01 July 2009
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Let me take you to Arequipa “the white city”
The most beautiful town I have seen in Peru: Arequipa.
Take your time to just stroll the beautiful streets, among buildings of white sillar Volcanic stone......
The beautiful town center is tiny, and you can get everywhere on foot within minutes, if you can resist exploring the beautiful side lanes...
... and admiring all the gorgeous details...
There is lots to see at the Plaza de Armas
If you are lucky, you can witness some local celebrations !
*
Find a charming old Hostel, where you have a view of Santa Catalina Monastery on one side...
... and El Misti the volcano on the other. If you are lucky with the clouds, that is.
(Views from the Hostal La Reyna)
Visit the Museo Santuarios Andinos (also called the Museo de Santury) to see the Incan offerings to the vulcan, and the famous Juanita, the Ice Maiden. The tour of the museum (including ana amazing film on the disovery of the mummies) takes one hour, and is conducted very respectfully.
*
Take your time to just walk the streets of Arequipa, looking into the little shops ... The prices in Arequipa are very reasonable, and the Alpaca wool here is good quality !
Buy a bag and a belt with the beautiful Arequipeñan Maquinaza style embroidery
*
Drink a delicious juice of the Papaya Arequipeña, the local speciality. It´s very fresh, and tastes nothing like the typical Papaya.
Don't miss the Queso Helado, a kind of ice cream, a local delicacy of Arequipa !
Try the best chocolates in Arequipa, maybe even Peru, at La Ibérica (Jerusalem 136). Peruvian chocolate tastes different from the western chocolate, and is amazingly delicious !
*
Take a whole afternoon to visit the gorgeous Santa Catalina Monastery...
... it's a tiny city within a city, and every part of it is in a different colour !
... have a Maté tea and a cake in it's charming cafeteria, while you shelter from the summer rain
and leave a false name behind !
*
Arequipa undergoes a metamorphosis after dusk... The glowing white walls illuminated by hundreds of lights...
Best enjoyed while drinking an Emoliente on a street corner. This warm herbal drink also helps with the altitude !
While the Gringos hang out in the pubs in the Calle Santa Catalina, the locals party in Avenida Dolores. The local beer is (or at least was) Arequipeña. If you want to avoid alcohol, try the local soft drink Kola Escocesa.
Monday, 29 June 2009
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Baby news + Guest Post Invitation !
Hello everyone !
The main news is that my baby boy arrived on the 20th, and has been growing ever since ! We are both doing great, and enjoying life !
Blogging will probably be slower now, as I will be sneakily writing during his naps.
SO, I am looking for guest writers to contribute posts to Venusian*Glow ! Whether you are a blogger or not, your writing could be featured on this blog !You are free to choose a topic you like, as long as it is relevant to the blog and it's main values (eco-friendly, open to alternative stuff, cruelty-free, and being an aware consumer).
I'm also interested in posts where you write about something that has made a positive impact upon your life: it may be EFT, belly dancing classes, GTD, Stevia, a gratitude journal, or never leaving home without your lashes...
If you need help picking a subject, let me know !
Please don’t submit anything lame rehashing stuff that all ready out there and been said a million times.
You can put in links to your own posts, and of course I will write a little introduction to you and your blog in the beginning !
If you are interested and think you have an idea for a post, please contact me at the_eternal_voyageur(at)rediffmail(dot)com
Friday, 19 June 2009
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Weekend reads 19-06-2009
Don't save the best for others ! It's just stuff, and you are worth it !
- 8 Simple Ways to Make Your Legs Look Longer from Inside Out Style
Blah to TADA ! is a fantastic blog for of tiny little DIYs ! Learn to upcycle everything, from shoes to garlic sacks !
- Ever wondered whether white clothes really cooler than black ? Rebecca from The Space Between My Peers actually tests this out.
- Myth #8: “Milk and dairy build strong bones” from Green Smoothie Girl. Also read her Are You Getting Enough Calcium?
- "It’s tempting to try to tune unhappy feelings out, because they’re unpleasant, but unhappiness is an important cue." Read about why you should pay attention to unhappiness.
- While they are still available, buy some strawberries and make this amazing Strawberry Fruitshake.
- DIY Tutorial:
Easy Buttoned Legwarmers
Literal Music Videos are the funniest things ever !
"Then stock footage of the moon in the sky"
"Why I'm not reacting in this shot ?"
"And I'm mostly lit from behinD"
Check out the one for Strawberry Fields Forever !
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
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Nursing Bras: brand & model recommendations
Here are some reviews and recommendations of nursing bra brands & models that provide good support and are actually pretty. These descriptions are based on reviews from the Lobby Biusciastych. Some are incomplete, I will be adding more info as I find it !FREYA
Quite pretty models, unfortunately no model with underwires. Band sizes starrt at 30(65), cups till H (British sizing).
Available nursing bras:
Rosalie:
Big-cupped. Tight band.
+ Pretty, triple closure, good support. Not a bad shape for a bra without underwires. Tight band.
- Thick shoulder straps, highly built-up underneath the armpits (not good for high-breasted and petites). Breasts are not separated due to lack of underwires.
Emily
Dotty
Careful: they have a different sizing system, which does not sue double letters like FF or GG. Here is their sizing table.
ROYCE
Available nursing bras:
Royce Emily
Small-cupped (recommended to go up a cup size). Tight band. Very long straps (can be shortened by sewing)
+ Good quality straps, not thick. Pretty. Fantastically withstands washing: does not fade or stretch. Very supportive, even though no underwires.
- Very built-up, pinches underarms on the high-breasted and petites. Makes rocket breasts. Lacks underwires, and so does not separate breasts.
- Royce Jasmine Nursing Bra
- Very built up, rocket breasts
+ Not too wide shoulder straps. Good support, even without underwires. Comfortable cotton lining on the inside.
- Royce cherish
EMILY B
Have two sizing systems: British and European, so watch out during shopping !
Bands from British 30, cups till J
Most of the models seem to have stretchy bands !
Available nursing bras:- Daisy
- Iris
- Abbi
- Sophia
- Bella
A couple of very pretty models. Only till G cup and from band size 32(70)
PANACHEHOT MILK
+ Really gorgeous, offer good support and are comfortable.
- Only a few models go up to G cup. Band sizes only from 70 up. Rather pricey.MELISSA
Pretty, the pictures don't do them justice. Good support. Many models have underwires. Band from 28(60), cups till J.ANITA
German brand. Some models till H cups, bands only from 75 up. Continental sizing !
+ Very comfortable- Band stretches out a lot over time. Gets ugly after washing. Bad support, bad shape
AND A COUPLE OF NOT RECOMMENDED BRANDS:
- Marks and Spencer (aka flat pancakes on chest)
- Alles: extremely stretchy band, although the bras are gorgeous. The flexible underwires offer 0 support.
- Triumph: miserable size range, no support.
- Naturana: terribly stretchy, miserable size range, 0 sex appeal...
- Mothercare: Pancakes on chest, miserable size range.
Photo by Eternal*VoyageurYou might also want to read:* how to measure your bra size correctly
* Buying bras for the broke: "unusual" sizes on Ebay
* The tricks we use to pretend that a bra fits
* Even Rihanna gets it wrong
* Bra Matrix Central *
Monday, 15 June 2009
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Where to buy pretty Nursing Bras in a wide size range
If you look for a nursing bra that is in a big size range, offers good support and is pretty, chances are that most stationary stores will disappoint you.
A typical store carries a couple models made from stretchy diaper-like fabric, in a miserable size range of bands 75-90 and cups C to DD.
Your best bet is to buy online. There is no need to be scared of online bra shopping, it can be easier and more accurate than shopping in stores !NOT IN EUROPE ?
Look for info on stores in your country here:
* Correct bra fitting info in other languages *
* Mothercare.com has branches in several continents.
Read my post about the nursing bra models reviewed and recommended by the experienced ladies on Lobby Biusciastych. You can then search for stores that sell those bras.
Photo by supercooldaveYou might also want to read:* how to measure your bra size correctly
* Break out of the Nursing Bra Matrix
* Buying bras for the broke: "unusual" sizes on Ebay
* Maternity bra myths
* Bra Matrix Central *
Sunday, 14 June 2009
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A tiny announcement !
If I disappear for a short while, it is because there has been a teeny tiny addition to my family ! My baby could come any day now !
I will take some time off, and then I will be back with great posts !
Friday, 12 June 2009
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Transform your wardrobe into your Dream Style wardrobe !
If you are looking for your own style, and you don't feel that the way you are dressing now reflects who you are, I have found just the thing for you !
Typical "tame your wardrobe" methods make you to go through your wardrobe, weeding out what what doesn't flatter you or you don't like. This is not bad advice, but it does leave you in a rut: in the end you are left with a lot of your old stuff, on which you will be basing your future buys. Not very helpful in re-inventing and refreshing your look !
This method lacks a larger vision or at least an overview. While weeding out clothes, you don't think of the end result that you are trying to achieve.
The Glamorous Grad Student has taken a completely different approach: re-inventing your wardrobe on the basis of your Dream Style. You start out with an idea of the end result that you are trying to achieve, and then you deal with your wardrobe accordingly.* Check out the Top-down Wardrobe Taming: part 1, 2, 3 & 4 *And if you haven't figured out your Dream Style yet, do read the guide to finding your Dream Style.
Tuesday, 09 June 2009
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Break out of the Nursing Bra Matrix
WHAT IS THE NURSING BRA MATRIX ?
The Bra Matrix is the world of limited bra sizes, wrong bra-fitting advice and uncomfortable bras.
It is the world where nursing bras come in a miserable range of band and cup sizes, where you squeeze your breasts into these sizes and imagine that you must be a mutant because you need a 60(28)G. Such a size does not exist.... or does it ?
Yes ! Good bra companies produce bra bands from 28(60) till 130 , while cups range from AAA till K ! Good bra companies offer even 90 sizes in each bra model !
The biggest mistake that 80% of women (and bra fitters) make is to wear a band that is too loose and cups that are too small. A loose band gives zero support, and may cause milk duct blockages by climbing up on the breast tissue from below. To compensate for a too loose band we tighten the shoulder straps, further distorts the breast support, and adds to the discomfort. A cup that is too small cuts off the breast tissue instead of encircling it -- that makes the breast tissue migrate away into the underarm area. In short: bouncing bust, bad shape, and lots of discomfort !
To correctly calculate your band and cup sizes, follow these directions.
Read more on the Bra Matrix and Bra Myths.
GET YOUR PRE-PREGNANCY BAND SIZE:
You will return to your pre-pregnancy underbust measurement from just a day to within a month after giving birth. Till that happens, use a bra-extension. The band must be snug, since it will be doing 90% of the supporting.
WHAT KIND OF NURSING BRA DO YOU NEED ?
The requirements for a good nursing bra are the same as those for a pregnancy bra. Read here about what you need to look for to get the best support, comfort and shape.
Unfortunately many breastfeeding bras come in stretchy cottony fabrics. Stretchy fabric is not what the breasts need, since it does not give support. A heavy lactating bust may by it's own weight cause blockages in milk ducts at the bottom, or a skin rash from chafing --- if the bra does not support and lift it. Breastfeeding bras should never be stretchy !
WHAT SHOULD A WELL FITTED NURSING BRA LOOK LIKE ?
Read my post on how to tell if a bra fits.
A nursing bra should follow all these points, and give you a good shape.
WHEN TO BUY A NURSING BRA ?
In the last moment possible before giving birth. The bust can grow and change till the last days, so buying in advance is usually a mistake. So, go bra shopping around two weeks before your due date.
It is also a mistake to put off shopping for a nursing bra till after the birth. It might be a long time till you have the strength and the will to go shopping, and to buy a bra you need to spend some time in the store !
HOW MANY NURSING BRAS WILL YOU NEED ?
That is again lottery. Most breasts decrease in size, but while some women go back over time to their pre-pregnancy size, some don't. Either way, you will need to keep up with size changes, and so you will need several bra sizes.
Do not buy those "one size" "grows with your breasts" stretchy bras, since they offer no support !
Do not buy anything in advance, since size changes are unpredictable.
At any time you will need to have at least two bras, since you will need to wash them often !DO NURSING BRAS HAVE TO BE SO UGLY ?
Definitely not ! Brands such as Freya and Panache offer pretty nursing bras (and these brands are also known for their fantastic size range). Hot milk is a brand that offers some very sexy nursing bra models.
YOU CAN TRANSFORM REGULAR BRAS INTO NURSING BRAS:
It is not easy not find nursing bras in the full size range. However, you can buy a regular bra (or use the bra you wore during pregnancy) and transform it into a nursing bra. This is quite easy and does not require special skills or much time. Here is an easy tutorial.
THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF NURSING:
The first few days are called the period of “unstabilized lactation”, that means that the milk production has not yet regulated itself to the needs of the baby. The brasts may “go crazy” and on some days and may be full to the point of engorgement, and on some days may be empty. During that time many prefer not to wear a bra at all for the first few days.
It is a good idea to have two bras with different cup sizes for this time, to wear on the “emptier” and “fuller” days.
* * * * *
Photo by el forasteroYou might also want to read:* how to measure your bra size correctly
* Buying bras for the broke: "unusual" sizes on Ebay
* The tricks we use to pretend that a bra fits
* Even Rihanna gets it wrong
* Bra Matrix Central *
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