Eight Fall Beauty Tips

Another moment for mom! Taking time out for yourself every once in a while is healthy and a great way to feel refreshed in a short amount of time. Looking nice every day, even for no reason, can sometimes even provide you with a much needed pick-me-up during the dark fall and winter months.

With fall come changes in temperature, color, and clothing. The air begins to get drier and the days get shorter. Here’s some great fall-specific tips to keep you looking and feeling beautiful!

Get a haircut
This is an excellent time of year to trim away summer damage caused by the sun and swimming in salt or chlorinated water. A trim will keep your hair from looking dull and tired.

Condition your hair
The summer humidity we all love to complain about will give way to dry, cool air in autumn, and hair really responds to changes in humidity. Give your hair a deep conditioning treatment to nourish and maintain your hair’s vibrancy.

Exfoliate your skin
Skin gets damaged by summer sun and swimming, and by the application of insect repellents and sunscreens. Use a commercial scrub or, if you like to do things more naturally, try scrubbing your face with sugar to bring out its natural glow.

Moisturize your skin
This is a good time to use a facial mask that you leave on for a while, because that will get the moisture deep into your skin. It’s also a good idea to use a moisturizing cream at night.

The eyes have it
As the weather gets cooler, more and more of your body gets covered with heavy, warm clothing and the only exposed area is your face. When things are buttoned up, animated, healthy eyes are what people see first. Use under-eye creams to reduce circles and puffiness, or lay cool tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes several times a day.

Care for your hands
Moisturize your hands during the day and before you go to bed, using a thick, penetrating moisturizer or lotion. If your skin is very dry, consider getting thin, cotton gloves to cover your hands at night to hold the moisturizer on.

Fingernails need attention, too
If you paint your nails, avoid fast-drying polishes in the fall, as these can dry and crack nails. Regardless of whether you use color or not, include your nails in your daily/night-time hand moisturizing.

Moisturize and nourish from the inside
Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and eat seasonal foods in moderation. A healthy glow on the outside begins with health on the inside!

These are fun tips and following even a few of them can even help improve your fall mood!  Give it a try!

Pampering Mom – Your Feet

It’s a Time Out for Mom! Let’s take a look at one of the many ways you can pamper yourself affordably. Your feet really take a beating each day. Aren’t they worth pampering a little?

It’s been said that when your feet hurt, your whole body hurts and I think it’s absolutely true! Let’s take a look at some ways to reduce pain and keep your feet looking good.

Soak your feet

One of the most basic yet effective ways to ease aches and pains in your feet is to soak them in a warm foot bath. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (peppermint and lavender are refreshing choices) to the bath and, if your feet are hot and swollen, about half a cup of Epsom salts in a large pan of water. Soak for 10-15 minutes. These items can easily be found in any craft store and even in many supermarkets.

Not only does a foot bath relieve pain, but it also helps eliminate odor. After the soak, when your feet are still moist, use a pumice stone gently on calluses and thick, rough skin.

Keep them warm in winter

In the winter, relieve cold, dry feet by soaking in warm water to which you’ve added a teaspoon of mustard powder. The mustard powder has a warming effect and helps circulation. Who knew…it isn’t just a condiment LOL.

Keep them cool in summer

Dust your feet with foot powder before putting on your footwear. I even like to soak them in cool water with peppermint products, very refreshing. If my feet are cool, I won’t feel nearly as hot on the warmest summer days.

Keep them clean all year round

Washing and thoroughly drying your feet keeps them healthy and fungus-free. Do so before putting on your footwear and when you take your shoes off later in the day. Using cool water in summer for these periodic washings is quite refreshing, and using warm water in winter is very soothing. Just be sure your feet are dried thoroughly after washing to prevent fungal growth.

Moisturize

Paraffin baths are luxurious and extremely effective for relieving pain and dry, cracked foot skin. If you have a paraffin wax hand spa, believe it or not, you can use it for your feet too! Just make sure your feet are clean and dry, apply moisturizer and follow the instructions as you would for your hands!

You can also use warm coconut oil. Rub the moisturizer in with a massaging motion until it is absorbed. This is very soothing for your feet and leaves the skin glowing and soft. Applying a thick, penetrating moisturizer and/or massaging with oil before bed, then covering your feet with thin, cotton socks will give the moisturizer a chance to really get in to your skin.

Trim your toenails

Who doesn’t love to go get a professional pedicure, it is such a treat. But if you cannot afford it or do not know of a great one locally, toenail care is not difficult at home. Keep your toenails trimmed and moisturized, paying careful attention to the application of oil or lotion to the nails and nail beds.

Choose the right footwear

What pain we bring on ourselves by wearing ill-fitting shoes or shoes that are more about looks than comfort! It’s not just high heels that can hurt your feet; shoes that are too small, too narrow, too stiff, or just not the right shape for your foot can cause foot pain, unsightly corns and other painful abnormalities. If it is super uncomfortable in the store, odds are it won’t improve with time so even if they are “just the cutest things”, don’t purchase them.

Give your feet the right support if you have low arches by using inserts or specially-made shoes. In the summer, wear open sandals or strappy shoes so that your feet get plenty of circulation.

Follow these guidelines and your feet will thank you by being pain-free and looking healthy. Plus, it’s a great refreshing moment for you if you do this when the children are sleeping or better yet, with a group of friends!

Nan’s Corner DVD

One of the best things about summer is taking a break from the fixed schedule – and sometimes hectic pace – of the school year. As my family relaxes, so do the routines. Bedtimes creep later and later as the days grow longer. Habits we worked so hard to develop start to fade and become forgotten.

If your child’s bedtime, mealtime or any other “in-between” time have turned into a struggle, the Nan’s Corner DVD offers helpful solutions in an enjoyable and fun format. Through songs, stories and role-playing parents and children work together to solve common problems found in everyday life such as getting up and ready in the morning, homework, mealtime and bedtime. It encourages communication and cooperation between parents and children.

The DVD is geared to children between the ages of 4 – 10. My 7 year-old enjoyed the singing and dancing while my 9 year-old appreciated hearing the children tell their side of the story. I was glad for the opportunity to reinforce to both the need to be courteous and respectful – parents included!

We are offering one reader the opportunity to receive the new Nan’s Corner DVD. Just visit their website, check out their fun children’s songs, then come back here and leave a comment telling us why you’d like to win (not “choose me,” “I want to win,” “great prize,” etc. Those comments will be deleted as spam.)

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