Blog I Reccommend People See on Blogger

Hey Everybody,
I visit this person's blog every once in a while. It's called Doll With a Dirty Face. My skin tends to be acne-prone, and she has great tips on how to be comfortable in your own skin, and self-confidence building. I reccomend this blog to people that suffer from acne. Visit her, and you'll see why:
www.dollwithadirtyface.blogspot.com

The Beauty of Writing

In writing you can say whatever you want, when you want to. Either in pen, pencil, or with an old fashioned fountain pen. In your new notebook there are two-hundred fresh, new crisp pages let's say. Then you start to write... Your pen flows across the page, writing words and more words, of excitement or happiness, or sadness and despair. Whatever you write, you express yourself, no matter how boring or how too-over-the-top your piece or story is. It is called freedom of expression, in my opinion. Don't you love the feeling when you know you are writing something good? Ah yes, the fruit of success, as I call it. Sometimes there is so little to write about, and sometimes so much. You never know when an idea or plot comes to mind to write down. It can be when you're on the subway train, when you are grocery shopping, or even when you're around the house just being lazy and not knowing what to do.

Mingled Colours

I see a painting in my mind.

Its colours lively, and bright.

I see life and light in it.

Splatter, swirls, and splashing designs, mingled with all kinds of colours,

divine.

Amerie, The Sad Girl

Perhaps they wouldn't notice the hole in my well and my heart.

If I keep my heartache and sadness hidden deep inside, they won't realize what it means to cry.

I keep my problem bottled inside myself, for I don't know if I should tell them or not.

Would I make them reside to depression like someone did to me?

My name is Amerie, and I am not very glee.

Perfect

My question is, what is classified as perfect? Why can't we all live in a perfect world? As if that could happen.. Perfect is just a stupid word that defines something us human beings can never be. An achievement that we don't have the capacity to obtain. Perfect isn't real. It isn't something we necessarily need to have and be. It is something too great to become. My message: Long live imperfections! They make us appreciate what good things we already have in life. They make us thing about and realize what we truly live for.

Poem; The Weaving of Art

Imagination and creation go hand in hand. When you put your mind to things like writing, it flourishes, like a red rose in bloom, perfection and beauty carefully woven into the process. Art is made.
The first brush stroke with paintbrush on canvas, the visual beginnings of creating something beautiful.
The first movements of a new dancer, becomes strenght, beauty, dedication, and elegance, in which dancer becomes a prima ballerina.
The first note played on a piano, the start of a new concerto piece.
The first emotions felt in a scene by the performer, first acts of greatness.
Artistry mastered in calibrating and wonderful ways, pave the way, or begin illustrating the pictures to mystic wonder. All woven colourfully different ways.

First Thoughts

When there is a loss for words, what is there to say? Your mind has run blank, your voice hushed from thinking intently about nothing. The prospect of thoughtless hopes dissolved into the mind's recycling bin. You scratch out what you've just penned down, crumple it up and toss it into the garbage can.
Go ahead, continue writing. I have no say, for I am only the one babbling on about wasteful nothing. Go ahead, write about the unthinkable, the retrospective, the stupendous thoughts of your mind composed of wasted diet coke you drank earlier. You're the only one who's ever gonna read it. Keep it. Dispose of it. Dispose all your thoughts onto that paper.
It's your spirit. Your attitude. Your declaration. It's your own individual perspective of whatever. So c'mon, spit it out! Write already!

Things happen.. Sometimes Not By Accident

I hear shouts and screams from the next room.

Something just smashed to the ground and broke into smitherines.

Things are being moved and thrown around agressively.

"No! Stop it! Please don't!" she screams.

Then everything is silent...

The door opens, and Daddy comes out with red stains all on his shirt and pants.

There's red stuff on his hands, and some on his face too.

I start to cry. Why Daddy?

Untitled Dreams

I fly to my castle in the clouds, periwinkle skies, rainbows, and popcorn floating around.

This everlasting fantasy world, is a perfectly clear picture in my mind .

Is it fantasy, fiction, reality, morality?

Or am I just imagining a world that could never be?

The twinkling of the stars shall tell me tonight, as I look up at the night sky, the moon gazing back at me.

Its light shining down on the Pepsi stream.

Untitled

Why speak when there's nothing to say at all?..

So much for freedom of speech with this saying. If you don't say anything in a time of crisis, how can you stand up for yourself? Or in any case, stand up for the ones you have known all your life? That's the big question. Even when there's hell all around, you have to face these kinds of things.
Life isn't perfect. Everyone knows that. But to make it even worse is when you don't have a say in anything...

Conformity

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Sameness, "equality", popularity, respect?

Are these qualities really what you get when you conform? Some people think yes, while others, no.. For some people, they find some sort of safety in conformity. I believe conformists are people who are trying to be something they're not. Or, they were once alone and lost, trying to find out who they "are". A human being's feelings are not equal, the same as others. Great minds think alike? Not always.
That saying has a good and bad reason. The good, meaning minds have interesting and intricate thinking quality. The bad, meaning great minds are all the same. Where would the world be if there was no diversity in people?? The whole system would fall apart. I think I would change the quote "Great minds think alike" to "Great minds don't always think alike, for many diverse and different reasons."
It just think it makes more sense that way, in my mind. Freedom of speech applies to everyone. Conformity shouldn't, it's out of the question for me.

Silent Hill

Out in the highlands, the lush green meadows speak nothing but silence.

Underneath the endless sky, the baking sun, and the cotton clouds the angels sleep on.

They must be as comfortable as the Serta matress I sleep on at home.

No one has set foot in this land, the green grass untouched and matted.

Nature's carpet that no one has seen, smelled, or touched.

Only the whispers of silent echos, unheard tranquility.

Somewhat disturbing, yet enticingly peaceful.

Where the angels in the sky sleep, and below where the meadows speak of silence.

This is Silent Hill.

What You Don't Know About Me

One thing you all may not know is that I am a major bookworm. Monthly trips to the library, browsing the bookstores is something I like to do. Sometimes I read two or three books at a time. One book I have read recently is Stargirl, by Jerri Spinelli. I am sure you may know this book. It is a really good book, and I encourage you to read it if you'd like to.

I also like to write, and I shall be posting, poems and pieces I have written.

How To Make Your Own Skin and Hair Care Products

Hey Everyone!

For my second blog entry, I am going to tell you how you can make your very own homemade spa products. I found these skin and hair treatments from Teen People Celebrity Beauty Guide. In my first blog entry, I listed skin tips from this beauty guide as well.

**Irritation Alert!** Before you go crazy smearing your skin and hair in these delicious beauty treats, it's a good idea to do an allergy spot test. To do this, just apply a small amount of the mixture on the inside of your lower arm. Let it sit there for a couple of hours and if there's no reaction, feel free to apply the product elsewhere. Note: To avoid a big bowl of mixture that you can't use (if you do have a reaction), cut the recipe in half if you want to test it out.

Drew Barrymore's Blemish Buster

~When Drew Barrymore isn't off shooting another blockbuster movie, she loves getting facials from Sonya Dakar, one of the most sought-after skin specialists in Hollywood. To keep her skin clear if she can't get in for a pampering, Drew stocks up on Sonya's Drying Potion, which works overnight to dry out any body blemishes. Here's how to make your own all-star mix:

What You'll Need

-mixing bowl

-whisk

-cotton swabs

Ingredients

-1 small packet dry yeast

-8 oz. spring water

-1 lemon wedge

To Mix

Pour the yeast packet into a bowl. Add water, a few drops at a time, whisking well after each H2O addition. Keep adding water until the mixture turns into a medium thick paste (usually about 2 tablespoons of water). Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the mix and stir again.

To Use

Wash your face and pat dry with a towel. Dot the mixture on any breakouts using a cotton swab. Wait 30 seconds for it to dry. Wash off in the morning using warm water and a cleanser. Tip: this mixture is also safe for body acne on the shoulders or chest.

How Long It Lasts

You can keep this mixture in your bathroom in an airtight container for one week.

Michelle Branch's Beautifying Face Scrub

~ Being on the road and touring can cause skin to become dehydrated and clog pores, so whenever Michelle Branch swings through L.A. for a concert or a red-carpet appearance, she always stops by Enessa Aromatherapy for a facial from Michelle Ornstein. She likes and exfoliating treatment that scrubs off dead skin and curbs blemishes. Here's how to make your own clear-skin scrub. The almonds and oatmeal help get rid of dead skin cells that can clog up pores and cause breakouts; the honey and lavender are antibacterial and moizturizing (you may be tempted to eat it, but don't!)

What You'll Need

-food processer

-mixing bowl

-mixing spoon

-towels

Ingredients

-handful almonds

-1 tbsp. oatmeal

-1 tbsp. honey

-1 drop lavender essential oil (found at health food stores)

To Mix

Throw the almonds into the food processor and mix at high speed for 10 seconds or until nuts turn into a power (kind of like sand). Pour almond powder into a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients to the almond powder and mix with a spoon until it turns into a paste.

To Use

Wash your face with your normal cleanser and pat dry with a towel. Scoop up a handful of the scrub, rub both hands together to distribute the mask evenly, then gently scrub the skin using a circular motion. Avoid the delicate skin around the eye area. Rinse off with warm water after 20 seconds, pat face dry with a towel, and admire you beautiful skin in the mirror! Apply a light moisturizer if skin feels dry.

How Long It Lasts

Since your skin doesn't need to be scrubbed two days in a row and the mixture could go bad, toss any leftovers as soon as you are done.

Kirsten Dunst's Magic Moisture Mask

~ This too-cute star is a regular at L.A.'s Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic, where she gets facials from Sonya herself. Kirsten knows that one of the best tricks to keep skin glowing (especially in warm climates like California) is to keep it moisturized. While Kirsten stocks up on products while she is at Sonya's clinic, we snagged a mask recipe that you can make yourself. This mask is great if your skin is dry, like after a day at the pool or beach, thanks to hydrating and soothing ingredients like aloe vera gel and honey.

What You'll Need

-mixing bowl

-fork

-mixing spoon

-towels

Ingredients

-1/2 medium-size avocado, peeled and pitted

-2 tbsp. aloe vera gel (at drug or health food stores)

-1 tbsp. honey

-2 tbsp. plain old-fashioned oatmeal (not instant)

-1 tsp. grapeseed oil (at grocery or health food stores)

To Mix

Using a fork, mash the avocado in the bowl until it is semi-smooth but still has a few lumps. Add the aloe vera gel to the avocado and mix together thoroughly. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and stir until they're totally blended.

To Use

Wash your face and pat dry with a towel. Scoop out small handfuls of the mask and smear it onto your face. Keep applying until you've comvered all the skin on your face (avoiding the delicate skin around your eyes) in a thickish layer. Next, chill out for 15 minutes while the mask absorbs into your face. When the time is up, rinse the mask off using warm water and then pat skin dry with a towel.

How Long It Lasts

With fresh ingredients like avocado, any leftovers of this mask should be tossed right after you are done.

Liv Tyler's Shiny Hair Mask

~When she's in L.A., Live Tyler always stops by Tina Cassaday's Beverly Hills salon for some tress treats. Cassaday is known for whipping up fruity concoctions that condition damaged hair, add vibrant shine, and smell terrific. One of her newest products (and one of Liv's faves) is a banana conditioner that's packed with all the vitamins and minerals your hair needs to stay strong and shiny.

What You'll Need

-blender

-spatula

-mixing bowl

-towel

-shower cap

-wide-toothed comb

Ingredients

-1/2 cup pint purified water

-1/2 banana, peeled

-1 tbsp. plain yogurt

-1 tsp. of honey

-1/2 cantaloupe, peeled and seeded

-1 tbsp. condensed milk

-1 tsp. wheat germ oil (found at health food stores)

To Mix

Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend for 10 seconds using the medium setting. Pour the mixture into a bowl, using a spatula to scoop all of the mask out of the blender.

To Use

Put a towel across your shoulders to avoid any spills on your clothes. Take some of the mixture in your hand and apply to a big section of dry hair, starting from the roots and working your way down to the ends. Do this until your whole head is covered with the mask. Twist up the ends of your hair and lightly pin them to the top of your head and then slip on the shower cap (this stops drips as well as helps the conditioner to really penetrate the hair). Leave on for a minimum of 45 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. Use a light shampoo to get rid of any food remnants. When you're finished, detangle locks with a wide tooth comb and let hair air-dry so it will feel super soft.

How Long It Lasts

With fruit and yogurt as key ingredients, any remnants of this tress treat should be tossed when you're done.

Lucy Liu's Body-Boosting Hair Treatment


~This Charlie's Angels star has some of the shiniest strands in Hollywood. Her stylist Robert Hallowell, also known as The Kitchen Beautician, is always whipping up different concoctions to pamper her hair with natural ingredients. One of his favorites is the avocado mast which adds body and shine as the avocado is super-moisturizing and the lemon helps to bring out hair's natural shine.

What You'll Need

-mixing bowl

-mixing spoon

-fork

-sieve

-towels

-shower cap

-wide-toothed comb

Ingredients

-4 tbsp. lemon juice (if you are using freshly squeezed lemon juice, pour it through the sieve first to eliminate pulp)

-1 medium-sized avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

-1 tbsp. blackstrap molasses

To Mix

Put the sliced avocado in the bowl and use a fork to mash it up until it's smushed but still a bit lumpy. Add the lemon juice and the molasses and mix with a spoon.

To Us

Put a towel across your shoulders to avoid any spills on your clothes. Scoop the mixture out of the bowl and, grabbing a large section of dry hair, smear it onto the strands, starting at the scalp and working your way down in sections until all your hair is covered with the mask lightly pin any loose ends to your head and slip on a shower cap; wait twenty minutes so the avocado oil can really penetrate the hair shaft. When the time is up, hop into the shower and rinse off the mask with warm water, then use a light shampoo to get rid of any food remnants. Detangle hair using a wide-toothed comb and let it air dry so it will feel super soft.

How Long It Lasts

With quick-to-spoil ingredients like avocado, any remains of this mask should be tossed when you're done.

Halle Berry's Peachy Keen Body Scrub

~Halle Berry is known for always looking top-to-toe flawless and is just as conscientious about the on on her body as she is about the skin on her face. She makes regular appointments to come in to Kinara Spa in West Hollywood for treatments from owner Olga Lorencin-Northrup and even purchases her line of products to use at home. Lorencin-Northrup created this at-home recipe for an amazing peach scrub that you can use on your body. Not only does it smell delicious, but the sugar scrubs off flaky, dry skin while the peaches give you a vitamin C fix. This is a perfect scrub to apply in the even before you go to bed.

What You'll Need

-blender

-medium-size plastic bowl

-mixing spoon

-two towels

Ingredients

-2 medium or 3 small peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced into medium-sized slices

-1 cup brown sugar

-2 cups almond oil (at health food stores)

To Mix

Put the peache slices in the blender. Blend on high for 10 seconds. Scoop out the peach mixture into a bowl; add the brown sugar and the almond oil. Using a spoon, stir the mixture until it is blended.

To Use

Take the bowl with you into the bathroom and hop into the shower, but don't turn on the water. Apply handfuls of the scrub to your arms and legs, rubbing it in using an up and down motion (this scrub is to grainy to use on your face). You'll know when you're done when the sugar dissolves. Rinse off any remnants with warm water but avoid using soap, as that will wash away all the good ingredients. When you're finished rinsing, gently blot skin dry. Since your skin will feel so soft, you can skip body lotion.

How Long It Lasts

Since it contains fresh fruit, any leftovers should be tossed immediately after use.

Tips For Clear Skin

Hey Everyone!

I thought I would give my advice and tips on skincare, as well as tips from Teen People Celebrity Beauty Guide, for my first entry. I'm sure you all have gone through stress, trying to find the right cleanser, or the right moisurizer, etc., trust me, I've been there! First, I shall give general information on skin do's and skin don'ts:

- DO NOT pick or try to pop those big painful pimples (or any zit in general) The bacteria can spread and cause more! (WARNING: Popping zits can lead to enlarged pores, red marks that take forever to heal, and even scars.)

- DO NOT wash your face more than twice a day. Washing your face alot throughout the day strips away the oil glands in your skin, which is very bad, since your skin needs some oil for it to be healthy. Your skin will get very irritated and dry, if you wash it all the time. Remember, having skin more on the oily side, is better than having completely dry skin.

-DO moisturize your skin after cleansing. (Note: Use an oil-free moisturizer to even out your skin better. And, for sensitive skin, use a moisturizer that is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.)

-DO pamper your skin once a week. I like to apply a facial mask once a week. It deep cleans down to the pores and does that extra pampering that your everyday cleanser doesn't do. (Tip: I reccommend St.Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask for all skin types. It cleans deep while it firms and tightens skin. Result: Smooth, visibly healthy skin is revealed.)

Teen People Celebrity Beauty Guide's Skin Tips (Tips from Katie Rodan, MD, Dermatologist)

If You Have Combination Skin

Dilemma: Your T-zone, which includes your forehead, nose, and chin, is oily while the eye area, cheeks and neck are dry and possibly flaky

Game Plan: Morning- "Wash your face, focusing mainly on the T-zone, with a gel-based cleansing fluid or glycerin bar," recommends Rodan. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry. Apply an oil-absorbing lotion to your T-zone, then cover your entire face with an oil-free sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. Stash blotting sheets in your bag, so you can blot away any greasies that pop up throughout the day.

Night- Wash with lukewarm water and a gel based cleanser that contains salicylic acid, again focusing on the mid-section of your face; "the salicylic acid will help unplug the pores on your T-zone," says Rodan. Rinse with lukewarm water, pat dry, and apply a lotion that contains salicylic acid to your T-zone and an oil-free moisture lotion to the rest of your face, primarily your cheeks.

Once A Week- To dry up the oil in your greasiest areas, treat just your T-zone to an oil-absorbing clay mask.

Makeup Tip- Stick to oil free concealers and liquid foundations, which won't clog pores.

If You Have Oily Skin

Dilemma: Your oil glands are in overdrive, so skin is shiny and pores are clogged, causing blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples.

Game Plan: Morning- Wash your skin with a gel-based cleanser that contains salicylic acid, to help strip away oil and unplug clogged pores. Use lukewarm water to wash and then gently pat your face dry with a towel. Follow up with a toner that also contains salicylic acid and top with an oil-absorbing lotion, applied all over your face. Finish with an oil free gel (no lotion) sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (gel-based sunscreens look clear, not white). "Gel-based sunscreens contain a bit of alcohol, which will help keep oil under control," explains Rodan. Tote around oil-blotting sheets, so you can wipe away oil during the day.

Night- At night, wash with the same cleanser and lukewarm water, pat dry with a towel, and follow up with the salicylic acid toner. Finish with a lotion that also contains salicylic acid.

Once A Week- Apply an oil-absorbing clay mask in a thin layer all over your face to dry up the grease and keep it under control.

Makeup Tip- Foundations and concealers that contain salicylic acid will help fend off greasy skin while covering imperfections.

If You Have Dry Skin

Dilemma: Your underproductive oil glands leave your skin tight and flaky and, in some cases, covered in tiny, hard bumps (usually found on cheeks).

Game Plan: Morning- Wash with a mild soap-free cleanser that contains no alcohol. Use lukewarm water to wash and then gently pat your face dry with a towel. Cover your face with an oil-free moisturizer that is for normal to dry skin. Finish with an oil-free SPF 15 or higher sunscreen.

Night- Wash your face with the same mild soap-free cleanser, rinse with lukewarm water, and pat dry with a towel. Exfoliate dry patches with a lotion that contains glycolic acid, applying it only to dry and flaky spots. Top it with an oil free moisturizer, applied over your entire face.

Once A Week- Moisturize your skin with a hydrating face mask to make it feel soft and less irritated.

Makeup Tip- Choose only creamy foundation formulations and moisturizing lipsticks.

These are great skin tips from Teen People, whether you have dry, combination, or oily skin, one of these plans should work for you.

For me, I have combination skin. Here are products I use that work for my skin type:

-Clean&Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser (I use it every morning; it really wakes me up!)

-Clean&Clear Morning Burst Facial Scrub (I tend to alternate between the cleanser and the scrub. I use the scrub when I have flaky or dry spots on my face)

-Vichy Norma Derm Active Anti-Imperfection Concentrate (This cream works great on sudden breakouts and the odd pimple)

-La Roche Posay Rosaliac Skin Perfecting Anti-Redness Moisturizer (This cream helps get rid of red spots on my face, it works really well for me)

- Aveeno Active Naturals Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer (it has salicylic acid and total soy complex for clear, even looking skin. And, it's oil-free, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic. I love it! I also have a second bottle that I use in the morning that has SPF 15.)