Marble & Mason Jar Makeup Solution

OK, so the name doesn't exactly roll of one's tongue, but this has been the best addition to my makeup arsenal in quite some time.

I have sensitive skin. I break out like a maniac if I:
change face wash brands
fail to use a fresh towel to dry my face off after washing at night
get too much sun
use 95% of the makeup brands available at a drugstore

SO......
Since I have no plans on not wearing makeup anytime soon I am careful about what I use and take care to make sure that the products I use last as long as possible.

In come the mason jars. I love them. For cakes, presents, and even.......make up brush holders that double as makeup brush cleaners. Again with the awkward name, I know.

I like the look of a mason jar in the bathroom on my vanity to hold my makeup brushes in. It gave the vanity a shabby chic feel, and was cheap :). I placed flat glass stones from the Dollar Tree in the bottom to keep the brushes in place as well as to make them more raised so that I could grab the shorter ones with more ease.

I also found that these stones, or marbles, work wonders in helping to clean the brushes.

Here is what you will need:

• mason jar or some other jar with a tight fitting lid
• marbles or other small filler
• baby wash
• warm water

Step 1:
Grab your clean mason jar with some marbles/decorative stones in bottom.

Step 2:
Add a squirt of baby wash (same ingredients as many more expensive brush cleaners and gentle on your face and brushes!) and slowly add warm water.

Step 3:
Insert brushes and secure lid. Gently shake to agitate soap with marbles. This will help to loosen the dirt and get your brushes super clean. Repeat a few times.

Step 4:
Pour out soapy water and rinse thoroughly with clean warm water. Gently squeeze excess water from brushes and lay on a clean cloth to dry.

Your brushes will be cleaner than ever with minimal mess and clean up! I do this weekly when I deep clean the bathroom. A few shakes in-between tasks and by the time I am done, so are the brushes.

Homemade Oxi-Clean

I am not a great housekeeper. I like to think I am. But, when it comes to it, I am a total "shove everything in the basement" kind of girl.

Vacuuming bores me, dusting makes me sneeze, and dishes give me dry hands.

But laundry is another story all together. I am slightly neurotic when it comes to laundry. I am the only one that can do it right in our house.

Maybe it  I smell clothes when they come out to make sure that they emit the right mixture of fragrance and cleanliness, and have been known to rewash clothes that just weren't soft enough. I use a certain detergent, softener, and dryer sheets. I loved all of them but my stain treatment.

It was expensive. I tried cheap knock-off stain sticks, sprays, and pastes. Nothing worked as good as the high-end real deal.

Until now. Homemade oxi-clean. Yay!!!!!

You will need:

• A container with a tight fitting lid
• 1 c. water
• 1/2 c. hydrogen peroxide
• 1/2 c. baking soda

 Simply mix all the ingredients in your container and secure the lid. Shake well before each use and let stain soak anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight.

I personally have not had any problems with color fading/bleeding, but you should always check your own clothes in a not-so-noticeable area first if you are concerned.

Happy washing!

 

Live green, save green!

       Make your own spray disinfectant.......

               Awhile back my family and I decided to try to lessen our environmental impact while living more frugally. We have started our own family garden, started cooking meals from scratch as much as possible, and have been making our own cleaning products.  Now, if you are anything like me, you are probably thinking to yourself, “I’ll spend the $2.75 and buy something that I’m sure works”. But, for just pennies, yes pennies, you can have a disinfectant spray cleaner that is not only green, but frugal as well.

                For this cleaner you will need:

·         2 tsp baking soda

·         2 tsp borax

·         4 Tbsp vinegar

·         4 c. hot water

Simply add the baking soda, borax, and vinegar in a spray bottle. You can either reuse an old spray bottle when through with it (making sure to clean thoroughly) or buy a cheap one at the dollar store for a buck. Slowly add 4 cups of hot water to dissolve all the ingredients. Put the spray nozzle on and shake to mix ingredients.

I have used this recipe in the bathroom, outdoors, on glass, and in the kitchen. Everywhere I would use our old spray cleaners, and have had fantastic results. I do not worry about spraying it near kids or pets, and I know that it is safe to use around food.

That’s it. A good tip to ensure that ANYONE can mix up a new batch when you are running low is to write the “recipe” on the bottle. I have done this on all of my bottles of cleaning solutions, and even our nine year old is able to replace an empty bottle.