Being The Best ‘You’ Part 1

I’ve seen so much negativity on social media. People doing it to themselves and to others. These are things you can start doing today, this minute. I’m posting this because I’m tired of it. I’m tired of seeing others suffer and a long time ago, I got tired of suffering myself. As a person who is regularly judged for mental disorders she can’t control, I see a lot of hate and hurt around me. It’s truly all in how you react.

1. Have confidence. Confidence is a tricky thing. It’s fickle, because, if you let it, one nasty comment can bring it crashing down. What you should do is let that nastiness wash over you. We are delicate creatures as human beings. As long as you know you’re going to be all right, you’ll truly be fine. Now do not mistake confidence for arrogance because that causes more problems than it solves.

2. Be yourself. There are a lot of copycats and fakes out there and they all lack one primary piece of their personality. Self-security. We all have had that dream of being someone else but who wants to dream about being you. This is self depreciative behavior. Being yourself isn’t a bad thing. If people don’t like you for who you are, then you need to surround yourself with better people. There is only one you.

3. Be happy. Happiness is something you should be able to bring to yourself. If you’re not happy, how can you expect to make others in your life happy? Most humans and pets are empathic toward what goes on around them. Your children and pets react to your emotions, whether you think they do or not. It’s time to reign in those emotions by making yourself happy. Even something as simple as a smile will do.

4. Trust your instincts. If a situation feels bad, it probably is. My example for this was my heart. I knew something was wrong and yet every doctor told me my test results were fine, but no one actually looked. A few years later I got really sick and my current physician did an x-ray and was shocked at what he found. I have a rare heart defect. All that fighting when I knew something was wrong and I turned out to be right this whole time. Trust your instincts, because they will keep you out of trouble and can even save your life.

5. You are beautiful! Christina Augilera had it right. Though she should have elaborated. Your looks on the outside do NOT dictate your true beauty. It’s your personality, how you carry yourself, and how you act toward other people. You could be the most beautiful person in the world but if you lack kindness and humility, people will not respect you as much. Show a little love to people who need it everyday.

Remember to share if you like this blog, follow, and drop a comment to say hi. As always be yourself because that in itself is beautiful.

Ten Things To Do With Extra Samples

Happy greetings, people! Today I’m going to talk about your sample stash. You know what I’m talking about, beauty subscribers. That stash you have building in your closet, or makeup box, or wherever you store it. Samples you didn’t like and haven’t touched. Yeah, that stash. Here are ten things you can do with that stash and declutter your area.

#1 Gift it to a friend. I have a friend who doesn’t have money, and who could use a little pampering. You probably do too. Give it to them and let them experience a little beauty joy.

#2 Build a beauty box of your own and give it to a girlfriend (or boyfriend) for Christmas or a birthday.

#3 Swap it. There are tons of beauty swap sites out there where other people received things they didn’t like and would like something else in return.

#4 Sell it. There are plenty of ways to sell your unwanted goods as long as they haven’t been used. My favorite site is Listia and my personal invite is here: Listia.com .There are other places you can go too.

#5 Donate it to a shelter. There are a lot of shelters in desperate need of goods to help provide for the homeless. You can declutter and do a good deed at the same time.

#6 Donate it to a thrift store. Certain thrift stores, like Goodwill, use some of the proceeds from selling items to assist people in need of help.

#7 Donate it to a homeless person. Do you have a homeless person you regularly see on one of your corners? Maybe they need some shampoo and conditioner, body wash, and lotion. There are local shelters that allow them to shower.

#8 Send it to a military member. As someone who has experience in this area, when I deployed, one of my favorite times of the week was when people would send us care packages full of awesome stuff.

#9 Send it to the elderly. Some retirement homes allow and encourage donations to the elderly.

#10 Throw it out. If you absolutely don’t want to do any of the above, then simply throw it out. Just remember that there are other options.

So that is my two (or ten) cents. Comment below if you have any other ideas or experience with what you can do with your extra samples. If you liked this post, share it, comment below, follow me, or follow me on Twitter. As always, be yourself, because that, in itself, is beautiful.

DIY How to: Save Your Dry Mascara

If you’re a makeup hoarder like me, you probably have around 2-5 mascaras or more that you don’t regularly use. They sit there and eventually begin to dry out and become clumpy or cakey. You can save your mascara and make it like new again! Now there are three different techniques here. The 1st technique I give credit to my best friend, Kacey B.

JUST ADD WATER TECHNIQUE

WHAT YOU NEED

Glass of warm water

Your dried mascara wand

INSTRUCTIONS: Simply dip the mascara wand into the water and then insert into your tube. Swish it around a few times and add more if needed.

This next technique was posted to YouTube by BridgetsBudgetBeauty

OLIVE OIL/ CASTOR OIL TECHNIQUE

WHAT YOU NEED

Castor Oil or Olive Oil

Your mascara

An eyedropper or measuring spoon or angled sided measuring cup

INSTRUCTIONS: Now, I’ve found you can do this one of three ways.  The first way is to simply put the oil in a measuring cup (you only need a little), roll the wand in the oil, insert into your tube, and finally, swish around. The second way is to use an eyedropper and put 2-3 drops into the tube, then swish with the wand. The third way is what she does by using a measuring cup with angled sides and pouring a few drops into the tube and then swishing with the wand.

The third technique is to simply use natural tear contact lens solution or eye drops and putting a few drops in the tube, then swishing with the wand. I’ve seen this technique all over the internet as the one most used. I just wanted to show you that there are many ways to save your mascara. You don’t need to throw it away just because it’s dry. So hang on to your favorite mascara just a little longer, don’t give up yet! As always be yourself because that, in itself, is beautiful. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @flumpymonkey. I post new blogs everyday so keep coming back to check them out! If you like this post, share it, leave a comment below, and click the follow button which is also below.

Save Your Lipstick! DIY Lipstick Palette

Have you ever had a lipstick break? Or maybe it wore down to the holster? I have this super easy solution, and I’ve done it myself, actually. You can save your lipsticks by creating your very own lipstick palette. All it will cost you is a dollar. One dollar!

I love lipstick. I use a lot of it. Not ashamed of my lipstick collection at all, lol. I do, however, have two small children that love to either eat, break it, or smear it in odd places. Not kidding… I got tired of throwing away my lipsticks when I loved the colors so I came up with an interesting idea. I don’t know if anyone else has done it before so I can’t claim it as an original idea. But it was at least original to me.

WHAT YOU NEED:

An eyeshadow palette- for mine, I used an nyx palette I didn’t like, but you can get an eyeshadow palette at The Dollar Tree for $1.00

The offending lipstick(s)

An orange stick or q-tip

One popsicle stick for each lipstick you’re salvaging

A cup or a dish

Baby wipes or paper towels

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP #1: Take the eyeshadow palette and begin emptying the pots using the orange stick or q-tip. Then use the wipes or paper towels (with soap and water) and clean the pots. Dry. If your palette is plastic, simply run it under water with soap and dry.

STEP #2: Using a q-tip or orange stick, scoop out your lipstick onto/into the cup or dish you chose to use. Smash it up until it becomes creamy, and I promise you it will become creamy.

STEP #3: Use a popsicle stick to carefully scoop out/ slide off the lipstick into the specific pot. If you make a mess around the rim, use a q-tip to clean it up.

STEP #4: Use the same popsicle stick to carefully push the lipstick into the pot, working out any air bubbles. Slide the same stick across the top to even it out. And you’re done!

It’s messy, but easy. It’s a great money saver if you’re not ready to drop more money just to rebuy your favorite lipstick when it breaks. The lipstick will remain creamy but will not slide as long as you don’t let the palette get hot. All you’ll need to use your lipstick is your finger or whatever make-up applicator you regularly use for palette type lipsticks. Feel free to follow my blog, share if you tried the tutorial and liked it, and follow me on Twitter at @flumpymonkey .

DIY Fix Your Scratched Paint

Got kids or pets? Got scratches on your walls that you don’t have money to buy paint for? I do, and my kids ding my walls all the time. And use crayon, and marker, and paint… you name it. Don’t waste your money buying magic erasers! If your walls aren’t properly sealed, most cleaners and magic erasers will jack up the paint on your walls!

This is a trick I learned from my mother. It’s saved me hundreds of dollars on paint and cleaning supplies, and it really DOES work! I’ve used it on sealed walls too. On sealed and glossy walls, be very careful because it will dull paint just a little. This trick is excellent for corners, painted banisters, unsealed, non-glossy walls, and even hand painted furniture. Do not try this on sealed wallpaper. Do not use this on heavy gauges without applying spackle. The first part of this trick can be used on virtually any surface. Always make sure to test an inconspicuous area first!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

100% Rubbing Alcohol

A cake pan or any kind of bowl

A paintbrush, washcloth, or even a circular face scrub brush with a long handle

STEP #1: Pour some alcohol in whatever bowl or container you are using.

STEP #2: Dip whatever brush or cloth you are using into the alcohol

STEP #3: If using it to clean a wall, TEST an inconspicuous spot first! That is to make sure you know whether it will lift too much of the paint. If you know it won’t then continue.

Part #1 CLEANING: If you are simply cleaning a spot your cleaners haven’t been able to remove, gently press the alcohol into the mark and lift. If you’re only cleaning I do recommend only using a soft cloth. Keep patting the wet cloth against the mark until it’s gone. You can also gently wipe. If you scrub, you will lift the paint. Which brings me to part 2.

Part #2 TOUCH UP: If you are repairing a mark, scratch, or chipped spot, use a brush. Starting from an area above the offending spot, gently swipe down in short strokes. After 2-3 swipes, move to an area to the left or right of the offending area and swipe in short strokes toward it. Eventually shift to the bottom. The alcohol lifts the paint and transfers it to the brush. All you are doing is extracting paint from surrounding areas and transferring it to the spot that either has none or needs to be covered.

And you’re done! Let it sit and dry like you would if it were new paint.

Like I’ve said, I’ve used this trick for years, and so has my mom. It a wonderful money saver if you don’t have paint. As always be yourself because that in itself is beautiful. Feel free to follow me on Twitter for more inspiration and ideas! @flumpymonkey

DIY How to: Fix Broken Eyeshadow

Happy Greetings! DON’T THROW BROKEN EYESHADOW AWAY!!! This is a brief walkthrough on how to easily fix broken eyeshadow. I’m a total butterfingers so I drop things often and my makeup is no exception. No matter how gentle I am. Accidents happen, right?

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

A very small cup, glass dish, etc… basically anything small and cup-like

A thin popsicle stick, orange stick, or you can even use a spoon- for stirring and crushing

A regular popsicle stick- for transferring 

A bottle of 100% rubbing alcohol

The offending eyeshadow, lol

A penny or wide, flat, popsicle stick- for flattening

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP #1: Use the orange stick or popsicle stick to remove the eyeshadow from its base and shift it to the cup.

STEP #2: Use your same stirring instrument to pulverize the shadow so that no chunks remain.

STEP #3: This part is a little tricky so be patient. Only pouring a little at a time, as in only a few drops at a time. Begin stirring after each time you pour. Stop adding alcohol once you have a really thick paste. Make sure it is consistent with no obvious chunks.

STEP #4: Use the popsicle stick and start scooping the paste back into its own palette or pot. If you did it right, it should fit almost exactly in its pot.

STEP #5: Depending on the size of eyeshadow pot you’re fixing, you should have chosen an appropriately sized flattening item. You’re going to very gently press the mixture securely into its pot until the top is even and no air bubbles remain.

Let it sit overnight so the alcohol has a chance to evaporate. In the morning you’ll have a brand new looking eyeshadow. I learned this about 4 years ago and it really does work. On most shadows, anyway. I tried on a shimmery NARS shadow for a friend and it would not mix so it is a trial and error process. I cannot remember where I found the tutorial, but I do know you can find it on YouTube. All you’d have to do is type in “how to fix broken eyeshadow”. There are lots of tutorials out there. As always be yourself because that in itself is beautiful.