My Favorite DRY SKIN Winter Skincare Routine Products

As winter approaches and the weather turns cold and dry so does, inevitably, my skin.  In the winter it is important to remember that your skin needs extra moisture and hydration to stay healthy and glowing.  Who says you're not allowed to have dewy, glowing skin in the winter?  If you find the right products it's extremely easy and you will be amazed by the results.

In this video I share with you some of my most coveted winter skincare routine products for dry skin.  These products help my lips, face, hair and body maintain their healthiness even during the driest of winter months.

This will be our first winter in the Pacific Northwest, and from what we've heard it doesn't necessarily get as cold and dry as it does WET.  Apparently we have months upon months of rainy and gloomy weather to look forward to until the sun finally reappears sometime during early April.

Perhaps this time around I'll be seeking out more waterproof products than anything.

  

Snap Me! AshleyEBeauty

DIY Beauty: Easy and Natural Dry Shampoo

Don't have time to wash your hair?  Hair appears oily or needs volume? Dry shampoo is your new best friend!

Dry shampoo usually isn't super cheap, which is all the reason better to try a DIY recipe.  While essential oil is the one thing you may not have easily accessible in your kitchen, it is easy to find in any grocery store and will last you a very long time. 

These DIY recipes will not only get rid of the oiliness in your hair but will also clean it, which is something that baby powder alone will not do.  Plus, as a dark haired girl myself, baby powder alone makes my hair appear lighter and unnatural.  The addition of cocoa powder allows it to remain dark and unnoticeable.

The powder substances will help alleviate any oiliness, while the essential oil will help to clean your hair. 

Dry Shampoo for Light Hair 

1/4 cup Cornstarch

1/4 cup Baking Soda

5-10 drops of your choice Essential Oil

Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair

1/4 cup Cornstarch

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

5-10 drops of your choice Essential Oil

Directions

1. Chose either the light hair or dark hair recipe and mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.

2. Use a makeup powder brush to apply the product to your hair, similar to the way you would apply baby powder or talcum powder.

3. To store, place in an air tight container or mason jar.  Frequently check for any off smells and discard product if expired.

DIY Gift Idea

Turn this DIY into a beauty product that you can give as a holiday gift!

Grab an adorable mason jar from your local craft store, tie some beautiful ribbon around the top, and label!  You can make this a part of a DIY Beauty Gift Set, complete with ELF makeup brushes, a  Sephora green tea face mask, and Eucerin body lotion. 

 

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DIY Hair Care Tutorial: 7 Steps On How I Cut My Long Hair

 

Cutting your own hair at home can save time, money and frustration.  If you have the patience and are willing to invest in a decent pair of hair cutting shears, you are 100% capable of cutting your own hair.

My Hair Story

I have been getting my hair cut and dyed for years.   My first hair stylist was a woman named Sue, who, to this day, still lives about 10 minutes down the road and cuts hair out of the basement of her house during evenings.  She gave me my very first haircut when I was a toddler, bangs when I was 10, highlighted my hair Christina Aguilera style in middle school, and went through every single one of my adolescent hairstyle fads with enthusiasm.

During college I was away from home and started frequenting Super Cuts.  It was at this point that I started to become frustrated with the way my hair was being cut.  Each time I would go I would get a random stylist, and each time he or she would cut my hair completely different.  I have been keeping my hair long since about the age of 19, and every time I went to the stylist I asked them to only take off as little as possible while trimming up my few shorter layers.  Many, many times I left with my hair at a shorter length than I desired, feeling as if they had taken off more than necessary.

How I Started Cutting My Own Hair

Wanting to keep my hair long and have it turn out exactly the way I wanted, I started cutting my own hair at home about six months ago.  I invested $15 in a pair of hair cutting shears from Ulta and a six pack of plastic hair sectioning clips.

The first time I cut my hair I was nervous.  Very nervous.  I imagined myself over-compensating for mistakes and ending up with lop-sided hair.  But instead of making my hair a disaster, I took my time and it turned out great.  I did some pre-research and watched several You Tube hair cutting tutorials.

I am not a professional hair stylist, nor have I ever been trained in how to cut hair.  The purpose of this tutorial is to simply show you how I cut my hair at home, and encourage you to look into it for yourself!  I suggest researching on You Tube the exact type of cut you want to try on yourself and becoming well informed on how to find guides and how to properly make a cut.

Let's Get Started!

Step 1

I wet my hair and comb thru it with a wide tooth comb, making sure everything is smooth and untangled.

Step 2

I separate my hair into three even sections.  I pin the top two sections into a bun to keep them out out of the way while I start work on the lower section first.

Step 3

I separate the lower section into two parts and bring them forward in front of my face.

Step 4

I take one of the two parts, bring it in front of my face with a comb, and make an even upward cut at an angle.  I then repeat this on the other side.

Step 5

I clip back my bottom section, un-clip my middle section of hair, and then clip back my top section to keep that out of the way as well.  I then repeat Step 3 and Step 4 on this middle section.

Step 6

I clip back the middle section with the bottom section to keep them out of the way.  I then un-clip my top section.  Parting my hair down its natural part, I then repeat Step 3 and Step 4 on this section.

Step 7

Un-clipping everything and bringing my hair in front of my face, I recheck the angle of each side with a comb to make sure they align evening.  I make any additional small clips in order to even out the angles on both sides of hair.

There you have it!  I just showed you the techniques I used to easily cut my own hair at home.  My goal in cutting it this way to to keep my locks trim and slightly layered, while still allowing my hair to stay as long as possible.

In the end, this is usually the small amount of hair that I trim off:

Let Me Know!

Do you or have you ever wanted to cut your own hair at home?  Do you do any other salon services yourself, such as dyeing hair or hair treatments?

 

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DIY Beauty: How To Create Natural Hair Masks

My hair goes through a lot.  I dye it every two months, blow dry and straighten it every other day, tease it to create volume, and tie it up in a bun.  You name it, I've done it to my hair.  That is why I've gotten into the good habit of using a hair mask every weekend.

Not too long ago I started stocking up on those little oil-based packets from Sephora and the drug store (Moroccan, Keratin, Argan) to refresh and rejuvenate my strained locks.  Then I had a thought: why not just make these myself?

Hair masks are an awesome way to make your hair feel softer and look shinier and healthier.  Of course you can spend your money on any one of those pre-mixed packets, but why not save a few bucks and make your own using products you already have in your kitchen?

There are DIY hair mask ingredients that can help combat some of the most common hair problems: itchy scalp, dry hair, and oily hair.  You can infuse moisture and hydration into dry and damaged strands, alleviate your itchy or flaky scalp, or stop excess oil by maintaining your lock's pH balance.

Dry Hair

For hair with breakage, split ends, dullness, and damage.

2 Tbsp. Honey

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Honey helps the hair retain moisture, which will make it appear shiny and voluminous.

Coconut Oil is also moisturizing, but too much of this ingredient can leave your hair looking greasy instead of shiny.  Less is always more.

Natural Hair Mask: Itchy Scalp

For hair with flakiness and in need of nourishment at the base of the hair follicle.  Removes dead skin cells and infuses nourishment.

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Brown sugar acts as an exfoliant and removes dead skin cells and residue that have built up on the scalp and base of the hair follicle.

Extra virgin olive oil helps to give your hair a strong and shiny finish.  However, as with the Coconut Oil too much can have a greasy effect if too much is used.  Less is always more.

Natural Hair Mask: Oily Hair

For hair with greasiness and excessive oil production.

Corrects the pH level of the scalp and hair.

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Lemon with Rind

Apple cider vinegar with help to rid your hair of reside and build up left by conditioners or other leave-in products.  It balances pH levels and works as a natural detangler.

The acidity in lemon helps to reduce excess oil production and balance pH levels.

DIY Hair Masks: Directions

Pick your mask of choice.  Mix all of the mask's ingredients into a bowl.  Double or even triple each ingredient depending on your length of hair.  Wash your hair as normal with shampoo but do not use conditioner.  With damp hair apply the mask to your hair, and then evenly disperse by running a wide tooth comb through your hair.  Using massaging motions work the mask from the roots of your hair to the tips.  Cover with shower cap, towel, or plastic wrap.  Wait 20 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.

I Want To Know...

What do you do on a regular basis to keep your hair healthy?

 

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