Food Fun Family

Moisturizing Face Wash

Jody — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 18:00:38 +0000

I used to be horrible about washing my face before bed every night. Lately, I’ve tried to be much more consistent about washing the makeup and daily dirt off my face before heading to bed. However, I’ve noticed that some store-bought face wash can be too oily, too strong, or leave my skin way too dry.

The best way to combat this is to make your own and tweak the ingredients to suit your skin type. I mix just a few natural ingredients to create small batches of my favorite DIY moisturizing face wash. I keep a few natural ingredients on hand and, after the initial purchase, each batch costs just pocket change make! This face wash is great for all skin types and is safe to use morning and night for clean skin.

DIY Moisturizing Face Wash

It’s so easy to make your own moisturizing face wash with gentle, natural ingredients!

Ingredients:

½ cup cup distilled water
1 tsp. Almond Castile soap (get it here)
½ tsp. Rosehip oil (get it here)
8 drops lavender essential oil (get it here)

Directions:

1. Purchase or reuse a small plastic bottle with a pump or use a squeeze dispenser for easy use of your DIY face wash.

2. Carefully pour distilled water into your small dispenser bottle. I like to grab them in the travel section and make two at a time; one to keep by the bathroom sink and one in my travel bag.

3. Add your castile soap, rosehip oil, and lavender essential oil to the bottle.

4. Replace the lid and shake well to combine all ingredients. You will want to shake the bottle before each use for best results.

To use: Squeeze a dime-sized amount onto a damp washcloth or into your hand, lather, and and rub onto your wet face. Then rinse clean and pat dry. Follow up with a light moisturizer that is right for your skin type.

Lemon Mint Foot Soak

Jody — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 06:00:24 +0000

My feet take a beating during the winter. They get so dry! As we enter spring time, it’s time to pull the sandals back out of the closet and show off our feet again!

Whether it’s a long day at work, a full day of shopping, or a backyard soccer game with your kids, there are times we all need a little foot pampering. I’m looking for something that soothes tired feet but is safe to use. It’s even better if it isn’t expensive, right? I have just the thing for you in this Lemon Mint Foot Soak. It softens, moisturizes, and leaves your feet ready for a night of dancing or a day in yoru favorite spring sandals.

How to Make Lemon Mint Foot Soak

Ingredients:

3 cups epsom salts
1 cup baking soda
2 Tablespoon coconut oil
15 drops peppermint essential oil
10 drops lemon essential oil
1 Tablespoon matcha green tea powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Soften coconut oil in the microwave for 10 seconds to make it easier to mix.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until evenly mixed. I used matcha green tea powder to give a little natural color to the foot scrub. You can leave it out if you don’t have any on hand or use a soap colorant to give it a green tint.

3. Transfer your mixture to a large glass jar – I find pretty decorative jars at Dollar Tree and at Hobby Lobby that are perfect for storing DIY beauty recipes like this. Mason jars work well too!

To Use:

1. Scrub vigorously over damp feet, paying special attention to dry areas.

2. Rinse well, pat dry, apply lotion to lock in moisture.

Ta da! Your feet are ready for the spring!

Since you’re in the Spring mood, check out these other great Spring + Easter projects

Easter Charm Bracelet – Style on Main
DIY Chic Easter Feather Wreath – Busy Creating Memories
Coloring Eggs with Sand for Easter – Diana Rambles
Gilded Eggs for Easter – How Was Your Day?
Easter Chick Pudding Cups – Cutefetti
Caterpillar and Dragonfly clothespins – Views from the ‘Ville
Easy Spring Bud Vases – Upstate Ramblings
Sock Bunny Craft – Momma Lew
Coffee Filter Butterfly Accessories – Mommy Snippets

Ready to Experience the End of Dry Skin?

Lolli — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 15:48:54 +0000

This post is sponsored by Curél® but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I grew up in a pretty dry Western state, so I was accustomed to needing to apply lotion every day. Dry skin was a constant struggle for me, particularly my feet, hands, and elbows. When I moved to the East Coast, where we experience humid air about half of the year, I noticed that my skin wasn’t feeling as dry during the humid months. At the same time, though, I noticed that my skin felt DRIER than ever when winter came along and we no longer had the humid air.

During the winter months in particular, my elbows, hands, and feet get so dry that they are often painful. Have you ever had a similar problem?

This year, I started winter off with a new moisturizing routine, which included Curél® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER as part of my showering routine.

I was surprised that in my 42 years I had never considered the benefits of applying lotion right after showering or bathing. In my mind, my skin was already feeling moist (thanks to the warm water and shower gel I’d just used) but I’ve recently learned that after a shower is the BEST time to apply lotion.

Curious as to WHY it’s best to apply lotion right after showering? After taking a shower, your skin cells expand, providing an easy pathway for moisture into just-showered skin. Think of your skin like a sponge. When wet, your skin cells expand, providing an easy pathway for lotion to soak in. Curél® HYDRA THERAPY, with Advanced Ceramide Complex, penetrates deeply into the surface of the skin bringing moisture to the source of dryness.

So the next question is, what do ceramides do and why are they so good for your dry skin? Ceramides are found naturally in healthy skin, and are vital to maintaining your skin’s moisture barrier. When your skin loses ceramides, it becomes dry and damaged. Curél® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER, with Advanced Ceramide Complex, penetrates to the source of dryness, helping to replenish skin’s ceramide levels and repair the moisture barrier.

It’s easy to use Curél® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER. After finishing your shower or bath, apply Curél® HYDRA THERAPY to wet skin. It absorbs immediately and there’s no need to rinse off or wait for it to absorb. Remember that sponge analogy? Your wet skin actually helps it absorb faster!

Not only does it feel silky-smooth going on, but Curél® HYDRA THERAPY is totally greaseless and scent-free, so even my kids are ok with using it! I noticed a difference in my skin within just a few days of using Curél® HYDRA THERAPY. No longer do my hands feel dry or get cracked. I’ve even noticed that my feet are still feeling moisturized by the end of the day and I don’t feel a need to slather them with lotion before I put my feet under the covers at night (does anyone else hate the feeling of dry skin on sheets?).

I was interested to learn that, according to a survey that Curél® conducted with bloggers like me, 80% reported that they use a body moisturizer as part of their morning routine, but only 20% said that lotion was part of their bedtime routine. For as long as I can remember, my skin has been desperate for moisture at night, and the biggest difference I noticed while using Curél® HYDRA THERAPY was that my skin no longer felt so “thirsty” for moisture at night. That’s a huge thing for me to say!

Among the 40 bloggers surveyed (myself included!), 30% said that they experience dry skin everywhere, while 20% claimed arms and 43% claimed legs as their biggest problem spot. So where do you fall? Where are your skin’s trouble areas?

Enter to Win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Let me know in the comments below what YOUR skin’s #1 problem spot and what your tips are for combating those tough spots. Each comment will automatically be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card. Good luck!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#Sweeps” and “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 3/2-3/31

Be sure to visit the brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

DIY Rainbow Bath Bombs

Jody — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:10:52 +0000

Fun, fizzing, rainbow bath bombs are a great bath treat for little ones or adults! The whimsical colors make soaking in a hot tub more fun and relaxing by adding some skin softening and moisturizing ingredients along with a delicious scent! If you love the look of these Rainbow Bath Bombs scented with lavender and orange check out the recipe below!

Note: affiliate links are used below to point you in the right direction to find supplies that you might not already have on your shelves.

How to Make DIY Rainbow Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

1 cup baking soda
1 cup citric acid (where to buy)
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup olive oil, coconut oil, OR almond oil (whichever you prefer)
10 drops Lavender essential oil (where to buy)
10 drops Orange essential oil (where to buy)
Soap colorant
Water in a spray bottle

You will also need: bath bomb molds

Directions:

1. Combine baking soda, citric acid, and cornstarch well; Stir in oil slowly. Add essential oils to mixture.

2. Spray water one spritz at a time, mixing with your hands until it is just barely damp. You do not want it bubbling, just wet enough so that it sticks together when squeezed tightly.
3. Divide mixture into smaller bowls and add a few drops of colorant to each, as many as you want to make. Mix up well.

4. Spray the inside of each bath mold with some non-stick cooking spray so that it’s easier to remove the balls after they’ve dried.
5. Alternate adding colors to the bath molds, a couple of teaspoons at a time, pressing firmly into both sides of mold.

6. Fit both side of mold together and allow your bath bomb to dry out overnight before gently removing from the mold. I used these metal molds to get a big ball shape like you might find at the stores but you could also use a silicone shaped mold or even a muffin tin.

Keep bath bomb in a cool dry place until ready to use.

To use: drop one bath bomb under warm running water and relax in the warm bath!

This recipe makes 4 large bath bombs

3 Things to Teach Your Daughter About Skin Care

Lolli — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 03:48:07 +0000

This post was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson and I received complimentary products to facilitate my post. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions (FTC) guidelines concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I hate to admit it, but I wasn’t always diligent about taking care of my skin, and I totally failed at teaching good habits to my oldest daughter when she was a tween and teen. In fact, SHE was the one that taught ME, as she was the example that I should have been for taking care of my face.

This year, I’ve had several conversations with my two daughters that still live at home about taking care of our skin – particularly the skin on our faces. My 17-year-old doesn’t normally wear makeup, so she didn’t think that washing her face regularly was important. She’s been struggling with breakouts the past 3 months or so.

In contrast, my 13-year-old does wear makeup, but often leaves her makeup removal routine to her morning shower….something I have been guilty of for years!

Here are three things that my teens and I have been discussing this past month:

1 – Washing your face before going to bed each night is a critical step to keeping your skin its healthiest. Remember that your skin collects dust and dirt (and everything else that is in the air and on our hands) throughout the day. Makeup actually acts as a magnet for all of that dirty stuff. The combination – makeup and dirt, for example – clogs your pores and leads to break outs, acne, uneven skin, etc.

2 – Even when you don’t wear makeup, you still need to wash your face each night. Like I mentioned above, makeup is not the only thing on your skin at the end of the day. Sweat, dirt, dead skin….those aren’t the kinds of things I want on MY pillow case at night when I’m trying to sleep.

3 – The right moisturizer is important, too…and facial moisturizer is not just for dry climates! Finding the right moisturizer for your kids type (dry, oily, combination, wrinkles, etc) can help your facial skin maintain its balance. When your skin gets either too oily OR too dry, many problems like acne will appear. Regularly moisturized skin will maintain a youthful look for longer, too. That’s a bonus for moms of teens, for sure!

The girls and I were able to stock up on some fantastic skin care products at Target last week. I’m in love with Neutrogena® Rapid Wrinkle Regenerating Cream and Aveeno® Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial. They both leave my skin feeling silky-smooth! The Aveeno® Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial makes my face feel cool and refreshed like nothing I’ve ever used before! I was also able to try Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Liquid Makeup. I love it because it covers well but does make my face feel like it’s bogged down with heavy makeup. I especially appreciated the applicator.

My younger daughter was so excited about trying Clean & Clear® Triple Clear Bubble Foam Cleanser. Foaming soaps are always more fun to use, and this was no exception. I think she may have had TOO much fun cleaning her face before bed…

Find Neutrogena, Aveeno, and Clean & Clear Products at your Local Target

From now through the end of March, Target is offering some great promotions on your favorite skincare essentials from Neutrogena, Aveeno and Clean & Clear – both in-store and on the Cartwheel app. Not only will they help you and your daughter will your skin care needs, but they’ll save you money, too!

Here’s a peek at the amazing deals offered:

In-store: Buy 3 Neutrogena skin-care products, get $5 Target gift card
Cartwheel: Aveeno – 5% off
Cartwheel: Clean & Clear – 5% off

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Johnson & Johnson.

DIY Chocolate Face Mask

Jody — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:00:57 +0000

If you want to indulge in a luxurious spa treatment at home what sounds (or smells) better than chocolate? You might even nibble on a piece of good-for-you dark chocolate while enjoying this Chocolate Face Mask!

While the star in this face mask is the rich, amazing chocolate that brings a punch of antioxidants that your skin needs, this mask also contains the best natural humectants you can find – coconut oil and honey.

Need more reasons this mask is so good for your skin? The Lactic acid in the milk unclogs your pores, sea salt balances and levels out oil production, and also helps to clean out your pores and kill bacteria. This mask is the perfect treat pre-date night, girls night in, Valentine’s Day gift, or a fun way to fancy up a girls slumber party!

Special note from Lolli: I was so excited about Jody’s chocolate face mask recipe that I convinced my teenage daughters to try it with me! The action shots are from our little impromptu spa night together! I was blown away by how GOOD this face mask smelled and how soft it felt going on to my face!

Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

How to Make a Chocolate Face Mask

Ingredients:

3 tsp. Cocoa powder
1 tsp. Coconut oil (where to buy)
2 tsp. Honey
1 T. milk
1 tsp. Sea salt (where to buy)

Directions:

Soften coconut oil slightly by heating it in the microwave for about 5-7 seconds. You don’t need to melt it, but cold hard oil will not mix well with your other ingredients.
Warm milk slightly or allow to come to room temp before mixing it in with the coconut oil so it doesn’t make the oil seize up.

Combine cocoa powder, coconut oil, honey, milk, sugar, and sea salt until well combined. It should be a thick pudding like texture.
You can either slather the mixture on your face and down your neck with your fingers or use a flat fan brush- the brush makes it feel a bit more like a spa treatment, in my opinion!

Allow mask to dry until it begins to crumble and your skin may be tingling just a bit.
Rinse away with warm water, pat dry, and then follow up with a light moisturizer.

Sounds yummy right? And you probably have everything you need in your pantry so what are you waiting for?

DIY Rose and Lavender Lotion Bars

Jody — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 09:00:33 +0000

One of my favorite DIY beauty items to make are lotion bars (check out my other lotion bar recipe here). They are easy to make and give your skin a quick burst of moisture and heavenly scent! This particular recipe for Rose & Lavender Lotion bars is perfect year round to hydrate your skin, but it’s particularly suited for a homemade Valentine’s Day gift.

You just need a few natural ingredients to get started and you will have a handful of lotion bars ready to keep or gift to friends and family. Note: I’ve linked to several of the ingredients you’ll need for this DIY project. They’re affiliate links, so I can earn a small commission should you choose to buy something. You’ll never pay more, though!

How to Make DIY Rose & Lavender Lotion Bars

You will need:

½ cup Shea butter (get it here)
½ cup Coconut oil
½ cup Beeswax granules (get it here)
10 drops Lavender essential oil (get it here)
10 drops Rose essential oil (get it here or here)
Silicone molds (I love this one!)

Directions:

Place shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax granules in a small pot over medium low heat. Stir frequently until mixture is completely melted.
Remove from heat, and stir in essential oils well.
Carefully pour or spoon melted mixture into silicone mold.
Allow to set until completely cool and firm about 3-4 hours at least.
Carefully remove each lotion bar from the mold and store in a glass container in a cool dark space. I prefer to keep mine in the refrigerator and pull one at a timeout to use.

To use: Rub lotion bar over warm skin (it melts at body temperature) and enjoy the scent and moisture it provides to your skin.

The number of lotion bars this recipe will yield depends on the size of the mold; smaller shapes will make more lotion bars and larger molds will make fewer.

Be sure to check out the rest of these great Valentine’s Day DIY projects

Food Fun Family – DIY Rose and Lavender Lotion Bars
Style on Main – Pearl and Leather Lariat Necklace
How Was Your Day? – Hugs and Kisses Coasters
Fun Happy Home – Last Minute Valentine’s Gift Idea
Cutefetti – The Heart Nose Valentine’s Day Printable Gift
The Eyes of a Boy – DIY Valentine’s Heart Wreath
Mommy Snippets – Easy Valentine Gift a Child Can Make
Busy Creating Memories – DIY Upcycle Bottle Vase Valentine’s Day Gift
Thrifty Jinxy – DIY Homemade Peppermint Lip Balm

DIY Laundry Booster Crystals

Jody — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 13:00:10 +0000

Amazing smelling laundry doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. Adding a DIY Laundry Booster to your wash is a great way to end up with a dryer full of soft, static free, and scented laundry in a more natural, earth-friendly way.

Note: affiliate links are used in this post to point you in the right direction for the products we used and recommend. All prices are the same for you, but I can get a small affiliate commission for sales.

The beauty of this DIY recipe is that, besides being easy and inexpensive, you are able to use nontoxic ingredients and customize the scent to your liking. You can create a new scent profile every time you make it or keep a few varieties on hand for different family members.

DIY laundry crystals also make a great hostess or housewarming gift as well when put the mix in a pretty jar with a small wooden scoop (I LOVE these!!) and a homemade tag to identify the scent and ingredients.

How to Make DIY Laundry Crystals at Home

Supplies you will need:

2 cups epsom salt
½ cup baking soda
25 drops essential oil
A pretty jar with a tight fitting lid

Directions:

1. In a large bowl stir together epsom salt, baking soda, and desired essential oils until well combined.
2. Transfer to a container with a tight fitting lid, mason jars or other pretty containers from the Dollar Tree work great for storage.
To use: Add 1 T. to washer before adding in clothes, turn on water, then begin filling the washer with clothing.

It’s really that simple! I love being able to use homemade products like these at home so that I know exactly what is going on my family’s clothes.

Some scent combinations that you might like:

What scent combination would you prefer…or do you have a favorite scent combo that you’ve tried. I’d love to add more variety to my laundry repertoire.

DIY Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub

Lolli — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:00:25 +0000

A few weeks ago, I ran out of the homemade sugar scrub that I use almost daily when I shower, so I knew that I needed to make a new batch. Since pumpkin spice is everywhere this time of year, I thought it would be fun to see if I could make a sugar scrub that smelled like my favorite scent of the fall.

Note: affiliate links are used to point you to the products that I used that you may not have around the house already. No extra cost for you, as always!

I have fallen in love with this pumpkin spice sugar scrub! It’s so quick and easy to make, it makes my skin feel incredible, it’s full of simple, natural ingredients, and it’s a frugal but useful DIY gift to give to friends and family. What’s not to love?

It’s pumpkin spice and everything nice (and none of the bad stuff!) – I love making my own bath and beauty products out of simple and wholesome ingredients. Sugar scrubs really are so easy to make and they feel so wonderfully refreshing!

Here’s how to make this pumpkin spice sugar scrub:

Yum

DIY Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub

Ingredients

1½ cups granulated sugar (or a mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar)
⅓ cup coconut oil
1 tsp castille soap (get it here)
2 tsp pumpkin spice
Several drops of essential oils (optional). I would suggest Frankincense, cinnamon, ginger, etc. Find essential oils here.

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Place mixture in wide mouth mason jars (I prefer to use plastic lids). If desired, add a fun gift tag or a ribbon to the jar before giving it away.
Store scrub covered. I prefer using plastic lids on my jars.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://foodfunfamily.com/diy-pumpkin-spice-sugar-scrub/

BENEFITS TO THE SUGAR SCRUB MAIN INGREDIENTS:

Sugar – for exfoliation
Coconut oil – hydration, skin healing
Castille soap – gentle cleansing

And of course, I’m a huge fan of essential oils, and they each have their own individual benefits.

I’ve joined with a few of my blogging friends to bring you not only one fall-themed DIY project or recipe, but several. Enjoy!

You’ll definitely want to check out these other great Halloween DIY projects and recipes, too!

DIY Witch Hat Headband – Busy Creating Memories
DIY Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub – Food Fun Family
DIY Dorothy Halloween Costume for Adults – Style on Main
Quick and Easy Faux Gilded Pumpkins – How Was Your Day?
Pumpkin Salted Caramel Poke Cake – Diana Rambles
Easy Holiday Wood Photo Frame – Casa Moncada
DIY Mummy Pumpkin Halloween Craft – The Eyes of a Boy
Pumpkin Spice Latte Scrub – Views from the ‘Ville

DIY Makeup Remover Pads

Jody — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 15:32:41 +0000

I used to buy fancy makeup remover pads from the beauty section at my favorite store, but then I discovered essential oils and all that they could do for you and your skin. I have tried to replace many of the chemical-filled beauty products on my bathroom counter with DIY versions, and these Makeup Remover Pads are one of my favorites.

Not only does making them at home instead of buying at the store save you tons of money and are safer for your skin but I feel like they work better than even the more expensive, higher end versions. These cleansing pads wash and moisturize your face every time you use them, whether you wear makeup or not. Lavender and Frankincense essential oils are cleansing but they also help restore skin with anti-aging properties and give it a youthful glow that you will love.

How to Make Your Own Makeup Remover/Face Wash Pads

You will need:

Note: affiliate links are used below to show you where you can purchase the supplies needed to make the makeup remover pads.

¼ to ½ cup Distilled water
1 tsp. Castile soap (get it here)
1 tsp. Witch hazel (get it here)
1 tsp. Coconut oil (get it here)
5 drops Lavender essential oil (get it here)
5 drops Frankincense essential oil (get it here)
4 ounce mason jars (get mason jars here)
Cotton pads (get them here)

Directions:

Pour ¼ cup distilled water in a mason jar.
Add witch hazel, castile soap, coconut oil, lavender essential oil and frankincense essential oil to the jar.
Replace lid and ring; shake well to combine ingredients.
Place cotton pads in the jar to the top or until they stop absorbing the liquid. I like to remove the stack and flip it upside down in the jar so the top ones are on the bottom and can absorb more water.

To use: Remove a pad from the jar and gently wipe your face in a circular motion to remove makeup, dirt, and oil from face.
Use morning and night for best results.

Here’s an easy printable recipe for you:

Yum

DIY Makeup Remover Pads

Ingredients

¼ to ½ cup Distilled water
1 tsp. Castile soap
1 tsp. Witch hazel
1 tsp. Coconut oil
5 drops Lavender essential oil
5 drops Frankincense essential oil
4 ounce mason jars
Cotton pads (get them here)

Instructions

Pour ¼ cup distilled water in jar.
Add witch hazel, castile soap, coconut oil, lavender essential oil and frankincense essential oil.
Replace lid and ring, shake well to combine ingredients.
Place cotton pads in the jar to the top or until they stop absorbing the liquid, I like to remove the stack and flip it upside down in the jar so the top ones are on the bottom and can absorb more water.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://foodfunfamily.com/diy-makeup-remover-pads/

Enjoy!