Best FACE Forward *Part One*

One of the first beauty lessons I learned from my mom was: clean your face! Now this seems obvious and silly that she had to remind me all the time. Whenever I feel too lazy or tired to clean my face before bed, I hear my mom's advice automatically in my brain - like brushing my teeth, it just doesn't feel good to go to bed without doing it.

There are so many options for face cleansing products on the market today. Since I have started to experiment with making my own beauty products, the store versions seem even more expensive, plus they contain all those unknown ingredients. The following recipes are ones that I have tested. I have relatively clear, sensitive skin that can be slightly on the oily side; living in the desert, however, my skin tends to get dry.

Hydrating Facial Toner
I got this recipe from doTERRA's fall 2012 magazine. I've been using it for a few months and really like it. 
What you'll need:
1/4 c water
1 T witch hazel
1/2 t veg glycerin
5 drops of each essential oil: clary sage, grapefruit, roman chamomile
3-4 oz bottle (spray or cap)*
What to do:
Combine all ingredients in your bottle, shake to blend. 
Spray on skin or use a cotton ball/pad to apply to face. 
Lasts 2 months
*Glass is preferred. I currently house mine in a plastic bottle. With enough additional mediums (i.e. liquid and/or carrier oil) added to the EOs, you are able to prevent the negative affects EO's may have on plastic containers.

Storing Seasonal Clothes with EO Sachets

I have a lot of clothes! I attribute this to the fact that I seem to always live in climates where the seasons regularly change. There is always winter and summer and generally some lovely weather in between that never seems to last long enough.

Depending on the season, I store my "off season" clothes in a plastic tub in the garage, an idea I got from my mom who does the same thing. Lately, NorCal has suddenly gotten hot.  Time to get out my summer clothes. (As you can see from the picture, I haven't quite unpacked it yet.)

In order to put my summer clothes in my closet (and drawers), I will be putting my winter clothes back in the tub. I use to put dryer sheets in the tub to help them stay smelling fresh, but I am not using dryer sheets these days. Brainstorm session...

Cleaning Reusable Grocery Bags

I love reusable bags and have quite the collection. I use them for groceries, dog traveling accessories, beach/lake bags, and the list goes on. Confession: I have never washed them, until now. I've seen the news stories about reusable grocery bags being a breeding ground for E. coli and other nasty things. But, I figured it was other people's bags and not mine because mine are stored under my car seat, behind the couch and hanging in the garage. Perfectly and most definitely clean...not.

Last week, I was unloading my groceries, noticing how dirty my bags were. They are several (four,eek!) years old and have never been washed. Gross. I have two stuff bags I carry in my purse and I have sprayed them out a few times or when they get something on them. But the cloth-like bags, that I use for food and bring into my kitchen....yuck!

I researched the best way to clean these bags. Here's what I found:

(Wild)Fire Wife's Life ~ Food & EOs

I am a wildfire wife. More specifically, a hotshot wife. Almost ten years ago, I met my husband (KB) on a wildfire; I was the EMT in fire camp, he was on a hotshot crew and we've been together ever since! Every spring, the seasonal firefighters return to work, joining those crew members stationed year round; after training, they "go available" for fires nation wide. [Read more about hotshot crews {HERE}]