Indulge in a nice bath.

I know what I'm about to post isn't exactly the most water-friendly entry. Bathing can use up more water than showering. A part of me kind of feels guilty for what I'm about to post, but come on, we've all have those moments when we just want to melt and unwind into a nice hot bath after a long day. I don't think that's unreasonable, and I won't tell if you don't tell. ;)

When I feel I deserve a good bath, I always try to do something to the bath water to make it just a little more special. You can too and you don't even need to buy those fancy bath products either.

I recommend trying the following depending on your mood. You deserved it!

Add rose petals into your bath. The natural oils and fragrances from the petals will hydrate your skin and make it feel smooth, as well as leave you with a nice smell.

You can soften your skin with baking soda too! Just add about half a cup to the water.

Feel warmer in baths by adding a tablespoon or two of ground ginger or fresh ginger slices. This tip is great if you want to feel warm without using so much hot water (awesome tip for cold winters!). If you're using ground ginger, please add it to the water gradually. It can and will feel too intense if you put too much at once.

Relieve tension with chamomile tea. Just hold a few chamomile tea bags under the faucet as it runs. I haven't tried this yet, but apparently the tea contains healing properties that will relax your muscles.

Olive oil soothes dry skin. Make sure you soak in your bath for about 5 minutes before adding in the olive oil (2 tbsp will do). Presoaking will open up your pours to allow the olive oil to be absorbed into your skin.

Feel so fresh, so clean by adding the juice of a lemon (or two) into your bath. You'll feel cool and refreshed (awesome for hot summers). It also doubles up as a toner and tightens your skin (so it's great for people with oily skin too). I heard grapefruit and oranges also works well.

After you've had your happy alone time, it's time to snap back into reality. Rinse off with a (quick!) cool shower. It'll close your pours to lock in moisture and it's a nice way to end a nice, lazy bath.

Happy bathing! Don't use too much water.

Hair Removal - Threading

Originating in the Middle East and Asia, Threading is an ancient method of hair removal that requires only a piece of thread. I've been using the threading technique for quite some time now. I use it to shape my eyebrows and to remove the fine hairs on my *cough* upper lip. Threading grabs the hairs and pulls them out from the root. It is quicker than tweezing, a lot less painful than waxing and lasts longer than shaving.

Now let us begin.

Step 1.

First you will need to cut off a piece of thread that is about 1.5' - 2' long. Any kind of thread will do, but make sure it is strong and thin. I'm only using this thick black thread so you can see it easier.

Step 2.

Next, tie the two ends together so you will end up with a loop.

Step 3.

Wind the thread around with one hand until you end up with about an inch of the thread winded up in the centre of the loop.

Step 4.

To hold your thread, refer back to the image in step 3. You may hold the thread how you feel is the most comfortable to you, but keep in mind that your thumb and index finger will need to be able to move to manipulate the thread.
Practice opening your left hand and then your right hand. Notice the winded part of the thread will go from one side to the other. If you open up your left hand, the winded thread will twist to the right, and vice-versa.

Step 5.

This is basically how the hair removal will work. You want to remove the hairs against the grain (against the direction of the hair growth). As the winded section of the thread comes close to the hairs, it will grab other hairs along the way, twisting them around the thread until they are out of your skin. It'll feel like you're being lightly pinched, but that's okay because that means you're probably doing it right! It takes a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to remove hairs from eyebrows and upper lip in a matter of minutes!

And that's it! If you have any questions or comments, please post. Thank you for reading.