Moisturizing Oat Face Mask

I've sure been using oats a lot lately in my beauty concoctions, haven't I?  The Lemon Ginger Fancy Bath and Honey Oat Lotion were both pampering recipes that featured oats. Oats are a grain that is as much a staple in my beauty routine as in my diet (Don't forget, the yummy Double Berry Smoothie also had oats!), and for good reason. I've said it before, but I'll say it again — oats are so so so good for the skin. You'll see it often as an ingredient in lotions, especially those made specifically for sensitive skin. Oats are equal parts soothing and moisturizing.

This is a mask I use often when I feel my face just needs a really big refresh; like if my skin is getting really dry and flaky, if my complexion has been looking a little dull, or if I'm having some hormonal breakouts. I usually put it on and soak in a bath while it sits, wash it off in a quick shower, and then finish it all off with an exfoliating scrub of coconut oil and baking soda (<-- Hey that's one of my first posts! Crazy.). The best part is this isa really simple recipe, full of simple ingredients that are fantastic for the skin; oats, egg white, honey, and green tea. See more details and the full recipe below.



MOISTURIZING OAT FACE MASK | yield: 2-3 masks

Ingredients                                                

+ 1/4 cup of oats
+ 1 egg white
+ 1 tablespoon honey
+ 1 to 2 ounces green tea

Directions                                                 

Bowl some water and make a cup of green tea — set aside to cool. Measure out the oats and, using a food processor or blender, blend into a fine powder. Place the processed oats into a small bowl and add in the egg white; use a fork to thoroughly mush the two together. Do the same with the honey. Once the tea is cooled, add in an ounce or two as well, until you achieve a constituency similar to pancake batter. You can add in more tea if it is not easily spreadable.

Apply to your face in a thin, but generous layer. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes (up to 40 minutes). The mask will dry, and because of the addition of the egg white tighten a bit (after about 15 minutes). Wash off completely with warm water. Your skin should feel smooth, clean, and moisturized and your pores will likely look smaller! This recipe makes enough for three (two if you apply more liberally than me) masks. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 7 days.

Oh, and now you've seen a picture of me with oatmeal on my face. I feel like that is some sort of milestone in our relationship? Maybe?

Enjoy!
xx Emorie

Lemon Ginger Fancy Bath

I'm not usually one to indulge in baths. I prefer to get in and out of the shower quickly 99% of the time. And I really rather dislike being too hot (ugh, summer), so soaking in a steaming tub does not normally appeal to me. But there are times when I do enjoy them — when I'm sick with fever, when I have really sore muscles, or when I've been stressed for days and desperately need a good a pampering to recuperate.

Because they are so rare for me, when I bathe, I tend to go all out. I consider them an indulgence, after all, and cooking up a nice soothing concoction to dip yourself in will make you feel all fancy as you sit naked, surrounded by various bottles, in your bathtub. I don't know, maybe you'll even kick it up a notch and transfer those shower products to the bathroom counter before you slip in to soak. Replace them with candles! Ambiance, babe. You deserve it.



LEMON GINGER SOOTHING BATH | yield: one bath

Ingredients                                                                         

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup baking soda
4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 lemon ginger tea bags
1 green tea bag
2 tablespoons ginger
1 lemon sliced (optional)

Supplies                                                                              

+ coffee filters
+ string/twine
+ wooden spoon
+ a bathtub, of course

Method                                                                               

Measure out the oats and scoop them into coffee filters — I used two, but you may be able to squeeze it into one if your filters are larger than mine. Tie the bags off tightly with twine. Start your bath, using the hottest water you can bare. I always turn the faucet heat up completely and just let it sit a few minutes before getting in. When you start the water, immediately place the oats and tea bags into the tub (so they have plenty of time to steep). Dump in the measured baking soda and ginger, under the faucet. Lastly, stir in the spoonfuls of coconut oil. Use a big wooden spoon to evenly distribute the oil throughout the bath. Once the tub is full, and it is to a temperate you can bare, slip in for a soak!



I'll soak in this particular bath anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes. The lemon ginger tea is what gives this bath it's scent, and it is a rather soothing, relaxing one. Green tea is great and healthy for the skin, and oats and coconut oil will leave your skin super soft, nourished, and moisturized. I like to end my bath by breaking open one of the coffee filter pouches full of oats. Having soaked in the hot bath, the oats will be an extra creamy paste. I like to massage this all over my skin right before draining the water, then rinse off quickly under a cool shower. If rubbing mushing oats on your body is off-putting, I'll forgive you if you skip this step :) but do know it is extra moisturizing and nourishing.

A word of caution: This bath will likely make you sweat. A lot. That would be thanks to the hot temperature and the addition of ginger. Ginger helps stimulate blood flow. But don't worry, it's really good for you; sweat those gross things out of your body! The ginger and baking soda act as a simple mini detox, leaving you feeling very fresh and calm. Just, please, be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after. If you start to feel sick (lightheaded and/or nauseous), simply sit up out of the water.

Enjoy your indulgence!
xx Emorie

Honey Oat Lotion

With all the hiking I've been doing in the chilly, winding dry air combined with all the moving and cleaning I've been up to, my hands have been unbelievably dy. Like, so severe that you could easily see a layer of dead skin on top, the skin was cracked, and my knuckles constantly bloody. That dry. Ouch and gross. So I've been in need of some quality, heavy duty lotion to fix this. Many of you already know that I am not a fan of buying store bought beauty products of any kind (so many chemicals! so expensive!), and that I really enjoy creating alternatives. But what you probably didn't know is that I am often terribly lazy about getting around to making something, especially when I really need it. So, I'd been using a tiny bottle of all natural lotion Will bought for me in the winter to keep in my purse (mostly for his benefit, because his hands were always dry when we were out and about in the winter) and pouting about it. Because who has the time to experiment making lotions? Well, lucky me (and you because hello recipe), I did recently. And I managed to find something that I really like that works wonderfully.

This is by far my favorite of all the beauty recipes I have shared here so far. I'm sure I probably say that every time I post a new recipe for you and, rightly so; there have been so many great ones so far. I especially love the great body scrubs I've posted: Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Scrub and Moisturizing Cinnamon Honey Salt Scrub, and I use both often. But this lotion is something I am already using everyday and I love that. I has a permanent place beside the hand soap on my kitchen counter. It is the perfect ending to a sink full of dishes and it's had made all the difference to the health of my hands. They are no longer cracked and dry from all the washing I give them (I'm a clean freak, sorry hands). It doesn't get much better than that.

The combination of ground oats and coconut oil in this recipe means that the lotion ends up feeling smooth and thick and frothy. It rubs into the skin shockingly well, without leaving an oily layer behind — like you might experience with using coconut oil alone. It is fast to make, with few ingredients that are all beneficial for the skin. Lightly scented, you can personalize this lotion easily to suit your tastes and preferences. See the full recipe below.




HONEY OAT LOTION | yields 14 FL OZ

For the Lotion                                            

1 cup oats
1 1/4 cup coconut oil (solid)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup mint rosemary green tea, optional

Instructions                                                

1. Measure out 1 cup of oats and place in a food processor. Process until oats become a fine, smooth powder. It may be easier to achieve the desired consistency by dividing the oats in two and processing the oats in two separate batches.
2. Measure out the coconut oil and place in a mixing boil. It is important that the coconut oil be completely solid for this step. Using a hand mixer, beat the oil starting on the lowest setting — breaking up large clumps and creating a smooth consistency — then gradually increasing the speed of the mixer to high. Beat the coconut oil for 1 minute on high, until smooth and fluffy. It should look a bit like whipped cream.
3. Let the whipped oil sit while you make some tea. This step is optional, and you may choose to use essential oils instead or simply enjoy the scent of the honey and oats alone. Green tea has great antioxidant properties and is great for the skin, and the scent of green tea, mint, and rosemary together is lovely so I recommend it. I used a tea bag titled Moroccan Mint, by Stash Tea, which is a lovely green. Before brewing, I carefully opened the bag and stuffed a tablespoon of rosemary inside, then secured the bag closed again. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over your tea bag and let steep until completely cooled.
4. Slowly combine the oat powder with the whipped oil. Begin on low speed with your hand mixer, and add the oats in in small batches — combining thoroughly each time before adding more. Once all oats have been added to the oil and blended in completely, again increase the speed on your mixer to high and beat for 1 minute. The combined result should closely resemble pancake batter.
5. Add a tablespoon of honey to the mixture and combine. Add in the tea as well. Just be sure that it is entirely cool before doing so (very important!), as you do not want to melt the oil and ruin your work. Place it in the freezer for a few minutes before adding, if needed.
6. Beat everything together one last time, for good measure.

Enjoy! Stay moisturized.

xx Emorie

Holiday Hair for Shorties: Teeny-Tiny Bouffant

I'm back with my second of three holiday hair tutorials for short hair! I mentioned yesterday that I have been receiving a lot of requests for hairstyle tutorials lately, and because I love to get fancied up for holiday parties, I used those requests as an excuse to try out a few different looks for fun. Now I'm sharing my favorites here with you! Lucky you. I'm super excited about this one in particular, though, because it is something I've been wanting to try on myself for quite awhile but just for some reason never got around to trying it. I'm really happy with how it turned out and how it looks on me.

For this next tutorial, I styled my hair into a tiny little bouffant. I finished off the look by pulling everything sleekly back behind my ears. I think this look is super sophisticated, but in a very understated way. I love that it's a bit of a faux pixie, and I really love that it feels a tad retro. See how I easily created this look below.



Teeny-Tiny Bouffant Hair Tutorial

1. Start by sectioning off the front portion of your hair, everything from your ears forward. 
2. This back section will be used to create the bouffant, so leave the front alone for now. You can pin it forward and down, if you like.
3. Use a styling putty or mouse on the back section of hair. Run a good amount of it through with your fingers
4. Backcomb the back section of your hair, starting from the bottom and working your way up to the top of your head. Spray sections with hair spray as you go along. Go for maximum volume here. Your hair will likely look a bit ridiculous when done with this stage.
5. Now that you've gotten a good amount of volume, begin smoothing the top layer of hair starting in the middle and moving to each side.
6. If you've pinned the front, unpin it now. Make sure that the entire top layer of hair is smooth and looks seamless. 
7. To create that perfect bouffant look, let the front hang forward and grab the back section of hair (that you backcombed), pushing it up and forward a bit. Smooth everything one last time using a comb. Pin the bouffant in place at the back of your head with bobby pins.
8. Using a straightener or a curling iron, create some simple waves to the hair that is left out of the bouffant. You can leave the hair like this, if you fancy.
9. For a sleeker look, and for a bit of a faux pixie, comb all of the hair back behind the ears.
10. Use a bit of styling putting, to insure all the hair will stay in place, and pin the hair at the base of your head in the back.

I'm excited to wear this look a few times this holiday season. I think it will look perfect finished with a thin gold headband. And maybe, perhaps, it will keep me from wanting to chop to a pixie for a little while longer (because I've been feeling rather inclined to do that lately).

Stop by again tomorrow for another retro inspired look.

xx Emorie

Holiday Hair for Shorties: Braided Band

I've been receiving a lot of requests for short hair tutorials lately and because I love to please, I'll be sharing three different styles for you to try out just in time for the holidays. Holiday parties are my favorite, and a big part of that is definitely because I love getting all fancied up. I was really excited to put together a few tutorials for short hair that are a bit on the fancy side. Just from a quick search, I could tell that the internet is really lacking in ideas for us shorties. I know short hair can be a bit intimidating, especially after the big chop, and it may seem like there are far fewer options style wise. Don't buy into that myth; short hair can be just as fun and interchangeable! It is all about learning what your short hair can do through embracing your hair's natural state, keeping things simple, and becoming best friends with accessories.

I hope that after seeing the tutorial I share today, and the ones to follow in the next few days, a few of you shorter haired gals will feel inspired and have the confidence to try out a new style! After all, hair should be fun, and short hair is definitely not an exception!

For this first tutorial, I styled my hair with a little french braided band across my head. Then I tucked and smoothed everything down for a simple but elegant look. See how I easily created it below.



Braided Band Hair Tutorial

1. Start with your hair in it's natural air-dried state. My hair is naturally wavy, so it has quite a bit of texture on its own. If you have fine hair and would like a bit more texture, comb in a bit of dry shampoo or styling putty.
2. On the side of your head where your part is, section off the front portion of hair. 
3. Pull the portioned hair forward and pin the rest of the hair back and out of the way.
4. You are going to braid this section across to the other side of your head. Pull it straight up and comb it in that direction so all hair is now laying flat.
5. Beginning by your ear, french braid the section up toward the top of your head.
6. Continue braiding and adding hair until you reach the other side of your head. Once the braid lays flat on top of your head, finish the braid (no longer grabbing more hair with each strand). Secure with an elastic. You can leave the braid loose like this, if you fancy.
7. Pull the braid back behind your ear and secure it flat against your head with bobby pins. 
8. Smooth the rest of your hair out using a hair straightener. Swoop your bangs (if you left them out of the braid) to the side, and tuck the hair (on the side where the braid started) behind your ear.  

That's it. Super sleek, simple, and sexy. Enjoy!
I'll be back with my other holiday hair ideas over the next few days.

Hope your week is being lovely,
xx Emorie