Getting Summer Ready Skin and Feet

Finally! Summer is almost here - well, Spring has just sprung, but summer time is screaming my name!

I wanted to start your season off right with a few beauty tips to get your skin "summer ready." Here we go...

1. Foundation is out, Tinted moisturizer is in: Put away the heavy foundation and pick up a light tinted moisturizer instead. Once you try it, you just may never go back to foundation! A tinted moisturizer will feel less "cakey" and will give you the hint of color you're craving after the dull months of winter. While foundations can feel as if they're melting off your face, tinted moisturizers won't.

2. Don't fear the shine: I used to go crazy if there was any shine on my face; adding more powder or layering more foundation. I have since been told that the "dewy" look is gorgeous. I've stopped the powder and the foundation and have totally relied on beauty blotters. Mary Kay has the best ones out there, in my humble opinion!

3. Avoid the heavy lipsticks: Instead, use a colored lip moisturizer. Less sticky than lip gloss.

4. Sandal ready feet: Get your feet out of boots and ready for summer sandals by using a simple homemade foot mask. Here's an easy recipe that I found:

Orange Spice Foot Mask1/2 cup whole oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 drops sweet orange essential oil

Foot Mask How-To
1. Using a food processor, grind the oats to a fine powder. Transfer to a medium-size bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and stir until blended into a thick paste.

2. Prepare two warm, wet washcloths or hand towels, either by wetting them and placing them in the microwave for one to two minutes or by soaking them in hot (not boiling) water. Wring out excess water and set aside.

3. Sitting with your feet in the tub or a large basin, use your hands to spread a thick layer of the mask over each foot, covering them completely up to the ankles. After wiping hands clean, wrap each foot in one of the washcloths to seal in the moisture from the mask. Sit back and relax for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. When you're ready to remove the mask, carefully lift off the washcloths. Rinse your feet thoroughly using warm water. Pat dry with a towel.

Don't End Summer Unprepared!

It’s time to start planning because soon you’ll have to put away Summery things. Odds are your family’s not done with outdoor toys and summer clothes just yet, but that’s why now is the perfect time to get ready! Don’t wait until fall starts to plan for storing your family’s summer stuff. Thirty-One has some great solutions to make storage neat, simple, and effective.  

Why worry about hunting a bulky box of summer clothes out of the attic or garage next year when you can just slide a discreet Thirty-One Oversized Storage Organizer under each of your kids’ beds?  Use the Oversized Storage Organizer to keep summer clothes from being lost in the bottoms of closets. You can neatly fit lots of summer clothes in a single organizer, and

 since it’s only 8” tall, it slides under almost any bed!

You’ve probably got some summer toys to put away, too: outdoor nets, rackets, balls, and swimming accessories. Don’t shove them into a plastic storage bin and hope that nothing makes a hole in your inflatable raft or tube. Smaller inflatables and toys can fit into a Zipper Pouch – like arm floaties, diving sticks, etc. For larger inflatable pool rafts or lounges, the Expand-a-tote Day Extender expands to 20.5”high by 17” wide with 8.5” deep with a zip closure. Be sure that your inflatable poolitems are completely dry and deflated before you start folding or rolling them up. Not only are you protecting your pool or beach toys for next year, but your storage space will look much more attractive filled with Thirty-One prints!

Get a Donate Bag.

While you start getting your home organized for the upcoming school year, remember to donate things that you and your family no longer need or want. Try setting up a Large Utility Tote in your laundry room or the garage. Tell your family that it is your “Donation Bag.” When it gets full, transfer the contents to a plastic bag and drop it off at your local donation center.  As your kids get new school clothes, have them clean out anything from last year that doesn’t fit or that they just don’t like to wear.  Don’t forget to check your closet too!