Green Tea Sugar Scrub

This post contains an affiliate link, but no pressure. I order many of my supplies on Amazon.com and just want to share what I use for my projects. All opinions and experiences are my own.

This week's Thursday craft post is another fun and easy one! If you haven't tried making sugar scrubs, I highly recommend it. It costs just a fraction of the price of buying the special boutique scrubs and they add a little extra luxury to bath or shower time.

Today I am sharing a favorite of mine. This is actually a two-part post. Today I am sharing how to create this fun Green Tea Sugar Scrub and Monday I will share how to create you own labels with Silhouette Sketch Pens. Because these are fun to make for yourself, and to give to others.

Why green tea? Well I was thinking of a few scrubs that would be perfect for starting off my day. Two of my favorite things to start with are coffee or tea... green tea especially. Since green tea contains an antioxidant, polyphenols, it is not only good to drink, but also good for your skin.

I acquired a taste for simple green tea while living in Japan. During an internship in the Tokyo area, I took weekly tea ceremony lessons. Each week I enjoyed a frothy bowl of matcha. It has an earthy, slightly bitter flavor that I fell in love with.

To this day I still prefer my green tea without sweetener. But, for this scrub... I will make a sugar exception.

This recipe uses both loose leaf tea and a little matcha (green tea powder). The Matcha helps to add a little green just perfect for around St. Patrick's Day.

This recipe only calls for 5 ingredients, but the Vitamin E oil is optional. If you plan to make your own bath salt, scrubs or soaps it is a nice thing to have on hand. I love adding it to my skin products.

Green Tea Sugar Scrub

You Will Need:

• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. loose leaf green tea (3 tea bags is about a tablespoon)
• 1 tsp. matcha (green tea powder)
• 1-2 tsp. Vitamin E oil

Mix all ingredients together until well combined in a medium bowl. If your coconut oil is solid, soften in the microwave at 30 second intervals. It shouldn't be hot, you don't want to melt the sugar, but it should mix into the scrub. Place finished scrub in an airtight container. This scrub will last 2-3 weeks. The Vitamin E oil helps as a preservative, but I don't suggest storing homemade scrubs for long periods of time. They are meant to be made and then enjoyed.

 I like to make a double batch to fill a 16 oz. jar. I purchase mine on amazon - Clear 16 oz Plastic Jar Black Lid 4 pk with Mini Jar , but any airtight container will work.

If you enjoy this sugar scrub, please check out my Lavender Sugar Scrub post, too!

An InLinkz Link-up

DIY Lavender Sugar Scrub

I used to pamper myself.

A large portion of my disposable income used to be spent on things like waxing, scented lotions and other items that served no other purpose than to make me feel good and pretty.

Now, fast forward about 13 years... I am desperately trying to stick one wayward curl behind my ear. It escaped from a haphazard ponytail. My glasses are smudged after being grabbed by a one-year old, I haven't had a shower today and you probably guessed it, I am sans makeup as I type. As opposed to having ever scent available from Bath and Body Works, now I might have a random tube of lotion... somewhere.

In other words, pampering has ceased and I could use a little pampering about now.

With a family of 5 though, who has the money to shell out for expensive lotions, boutique scrubs and other girly treats? Not this mama. Luckily, making an at home sugar scrub is super easy and very inexpensive. As I start playing around with scents and combinations, I will post those recipes as well. Today I have a simple, natural and amazing smelling Lavendar Sugar Scrub to share.

You Will Need:

• 3 Tbsp. lavender blossoms
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil *optional, you could also use more coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp. vitamin E oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil

Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon or spatula. Store in an airtight container like a mason jar. Use whenever pampering is called for.

I created this recipe to be both gentle and nourishing to my skin. Summer leg care often leaves my skin dry, so the coconut oil, grapeseed oil and vitamin E will help with that. You can change the formula to fit what works for you and what you have around the house. I chose to use both lavender blossoms and essential oil. You could definately use one or the other.

An InLinkz Link-up

A Girls' Night In with Sally Hansen Nail Block Manicures

 *This post has been sponsored by Social Fabric and Sally Hansen. All opinions and experiences are my own. Full disclosure below.

I used to have all the latest shades for the season in nail polish. I loved experimenting with my nails and loved the fun splash of color they added to my wardrobe. Then I became a Mom.

During college I looked forward to my nail appointments. It was something fun I did just for me. I continued this into my working life after school. I looked forward to a new color, a simple design or even a good French Manicure. Then I became a Mom.

Now my cuticles are a little ragged. I tend to only wear hints of washable marker on my nails and I break my nails easily as I help my kids fix a toy or pry open a lid. *Sigh*. I am a Mom.

So what is a girl to do? #IHeartMyNailArt Well, with a little help from Sally Hansen and my local Walgreen's I decided to bite the bullet and jump on the most recent (and fun!) fashion trend of color block nail art. With little to no skills, and even less time I was going to grab some friends to see what fun we could have with our plain and abused nails.

Have you seen all the luscious Sally Hansen colors waiting for you at Walgreen's? I was impressed. I would love to own each and every one of them, but was sure I could grab enough to satisfy all my friends and their daughters for a Girls' Night In of pampering. I had requests for pinks, purples and lots of glitter. You can check out my entire Walgreen's shopping trip to see the complete selection at my store.

My shopping cart overflowed with everything I needed to throw a manicure party! From the base and top coat to assorted nail files and a whole range of Sally Hansen Extreme and Salon Effects polishes, 2/$5 w/ 1,000 points on the Walgreen's Balance Rewards Card (3/31-4/27).

If you have a local Walgreen's, I suggest downloading their app for your phone. I love the different services they offer, including the bar-code scanner, coupons as well as being able to keep my Balance Rewards Card right on my iPhone. I was able to rack up the rewards points during this visit with all the beauty supplies and munchies for the party.

For the party I whipped up some fun themed cupcakes with marshmallow polish bottles with tootsie roll lids or cotton ball mini marshmallows for the guests to enjoy and simple lemon or cucumber water for drinking.

Before the party I did a little research on color block nails. There seemed to be two main ways to achieve big blocks of fun vibrant colors, either you free hand it with the use of an item like the Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen to dry lines and then touch-up afterwards.

Or you can use tape, I tried washi tape I had already, to mark off areas and create lines of color.

We experimented with both methods and I think it was a personal preference. I had an easier time using the nail art pen on someone else's hand than my own, but I can get pretty shaky.

So here is my favorite method for achieving a great home manicure:

1. File and buff the nails, trim or push back cuticles.
2. Apply a little hand cream
3. Apply a base coat like Sally Hansen's Diamond Shine
4. Apply the base color, usually the lightest color you selected
5. Apply tape and paint the remaining areas. Block out where you want the base color to show through
6. Outline with the Nail Art Pen, if desired
7. Apply a top coat
8. Show off your creation!

We were hard at work creating out nail art, want to see some of the results we had? Here are our nail block art creations.

To cheer on our local collegiate sports team, the University of Oregon Ducks, here are the "Go Ducks!" nails. We also had...

...sophisticated and pretty purple nails,

...bright and fun nails the kids loved,

...as well as attention grabbing purple chevrons.

It was a great time to chat while our nails dried and remember that even Moms are allowed a little fun and sparkly nail polish. 

If you end up getting in the "blocking mood" or just love your nail art, share with Sally Hansen on Facebook. Find inspiration through suggestions like, Block Party or Sweet Stripes. You can also connect with Sally Hansen on Twitter and Walgreen's on Twitter.

How would you design your nails?

*Disclaimer - I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and COTY #cbias #SocialFabric. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Skin Care for a Busy Mom - Olay Fresh Effects New Product Line

I have a confession. Despite being 34, I don't always take good care of my skin. Yes, I know what I should do, but most days I just don't find the time. Add to that having to wade through all the products in the beauty aisle and trying to narrow down what I need for a good beauty regime. I just don't have the time. Sadly, I have been using some of the same products since high school. The products are the same, but my skin's needs sure have changed.

What if I told you that Olay Fresh Effects new product line must have been developed with busy moms like me in mind? Following this beauty regime has been fool-proof, easy and I love the results.

I am not a teenager or even in my 20's anymore. I used to spend hours on my face and make-up. That was before my kids and life in general took over. Now I notice the fine lines, skin changes and with pregnancy and a whole cocktail of hormones, most days I'm a mess.  I need help, a grown up cleanser and moisturizer to start with.

The generous folks at Olay sent me this fun vanity to celebrate their new products. My daughter has her eye on it already. It was filled with a great assortment of items to share with all of you. You can find all these Olay Fresh Effects skin care products at your local Walmart.

First off I rely on a good exfoliater. Bead me Up! Exfoliating Cleanser contains gentle foaming bubbles and microbeads to clean away rough skin and let a more refreshed face shine through. The scent is mild and my skin felt softer after use without feeling sensitive or being irritated.

After 4 days of use my skin was smoother and tighter looking.

I was also sent a package of S'wipe Out!. Now I have used make-up removal towelettes before at the gym, etc. but now I really understand how smart these are to have on hand. I know it is gross, but I have turned in after a long day and slept in my make-up. Being too tired isn't an excuse with these cloths handy. I could use them anywhere since they are pre-moistened and do not require a rinse afterwards. Now I no longer have an excuse to skip this step.

Then there is Va-Va-Vivid. This powered contour cleansing system goes along with the Shine, Shine Go Away! cleanser. Oh, this was so much fun! Soft bristles do all the work to massage and clean my skin. This is one new step to my cleaning routine I  have embraced with open arms. If you haven't tried it before, I insist you do.

After a long day it feels amazing and it has done amazing things for the circulation on my face. The triangular head fits into all the areas of my face, especially the angles in my T-zone.

Last, and most importantly, the product line includes two moisturizing options. Now, this step is one I know not to skip. 

I was sent the Long Live Moisture! lotion with a satin finish. What does that mean? It is light and grease-less going on and kept my face feeling smooth and hydrated all day. I definitely have some dry spots on my chin and nose and this really helped me without leaving those areas feeling or looking oily.

My absolute favorite product though was the BB Cream! It is a tinted moisturizer with SPF 15. Since I am always short on time I don't always put on much make-up. Usually a simple foundation and light blush - if I'm lucky. This product combines the essential moisturizing step with light coverage as well. I tried the light to medium tint and found it perfect for everyday use.

Love that they included a small amount of SPF in this product. Whether it is a cloudy or rainy day the sun's rays still beat down on my skin and I don't want to add any premature aging to my list of skin worries.

Yes, this is a great skin care option for a busy mom of soon to be 3! Overall I am very happy with these products and since they work so well together, I plan to keep on using them.

Have you seen the Olay Fresh Effects products in your Walmart, yet? Look for them in the beauty aisle. 

Connect with Olay products on their Facebook page or @OlayUS on twitter.

*Disclaimer - The Olay Fresh Effects product, information, and two gift packs have been provided by Olay. All opinions and experiences are my own. Olay does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statements or product claims made here, nor does it endorse any opinions expressed within this blogsite.