DIY 3 Ingredient Beauty Mask

As you probably know if you follow me on social media, I really love beauty and face masks. I always opt for the natural kind and almost always take a selfie to share with you all on twitter!
They are a little pricey. I do realize the benefit is greater than the cost, however wouldn't it be neat to have a DIY way to make them yourself sometimes too?

I really like the coffee flavored beauty masks for the smell and also that light exfoliation, but I don't want to overdo it with the caffeine. I thought, Postum would be the perfect ingredient in this beauty mask and I'm lucky to have it on hand in my pantry! Here's the recipe and my experience with using this DIY mask on my skin.

 What you will need:

• 2 teaspoons Postum (any flavor)
• 1 tablespoon sticky sweetener (I used a nectar made from apples to act as a "honey" type product - it worked perfectly!)
• Sprinkle of sea salt (I used medium-fine, but use whatever you like for your preferred level of exfoliation)

What you will need to do:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Put mask on hands or face, gently rub to exfoliate a little, then rinse off with warm water and finish by drying your skin and applying your favorite moisturizer. Use immediately and discard any leftovers. This makes one mask, enough for the face or for two hands. 

If you have any allergy or sensitivity to any of the ingredients, obviously do not make or use this mask. Although the ingredients are all edible and smell awesome, do not eat it, just use the mask for beauty treatments. Also, do not put this in your eyes, nose or ears. This is an external mask to be used for the top of the nose, cheeks, hands, arms, stuff like that. If you notice dry legs, try it on your legs. I will certainly be trying that this summer!

I used this mask on my hands this time. In the winter I tend to get dry skin on my hands that evens itself out this time of year. I noticed a little bit of dryness today, so I used this mask and it made a noticeable difference. With the exfoliation of the Postum grinds and sea salt, then a little moisturizer, my skin felt amazing but not irritated in any way. Plus I love the smell.

Literally three simple and all-natural ingredients make this mask and it feels and smells almost identical to one of the coffee beauty masks I use. I was shocked at how spot-on the texture and consistency was.

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. I hope you get to do some DIY or crafts this weekend - my favorite!!

This blog post was sponsored by Postum.

The Vegan Easter Basket

Anyone who is vegan understands that their Easter basket will not be the same as it may have been before becoming vegan. No dyed eggs. And let's face it, most stores are lacking in the vegan candies department. Luckily, these products make it all better. Here are some ideas for your vegan Easter basket.

You can get most of your candy from A Real Treat candy boutique in Los Angeles, California. They are an all natural candy store that literally has the largest selection of vegan, organic, kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO, and allergen-free sweets around! Think candy store, huge selection, picking different sweet treats and putting them in your candy bag... yeah that is A Real Treat. And if you're not in the Los Angeles area, no problem. Check out their website for online ordering. Here are some delicious vegan candies that I sampled from A Real Treat. Also, a little birdy told me that they are carrying vegan cream eggs for Easter. All you Californians better head on over. No, run on over. I'm pretty sure a treat like this is very hard to come by!

 In the pictures you will notice a plethora of Easter basket candy. A Real Treat has everything from gummies galore to vegan starburst-type candies (which taste like real fruit, melt in your mouth candies) to vegan milk chocolate covered and filled candies (that tasted absolutely heavenly). All of the candies that I tried tasted divine. The best part? These cruelty-free candies are also free of corn syrup and dyes. I, like many people, have a sensitivity to certain dyes and artificial ingredients. This candy boutique is out-of-this-world! This is something just so unique and clever. I totally want to move to California just so I can park my vegan butt in front of A Real Treat candy store and basically eat their delicious candy all day long. I've already started manipulating Hubby... West Coast here I come!

The goodies from A Real Treat are perfect for filling plastic eggs with for baskets or for Easter Egg Hunts. When you are filling your plastic eggs with these candies, every egg is like finding the GOLDEN EGG!

Definitely check them out; you won't be disappointed. I loved them!

And when you need the convenience of finding your vegan candy at virtually any store, you can always rely on America's Favorite Candy for 64 years, vegan Smarties. Smarties are easy to just pop in your mouth and munch on, as well as being the perfect plastic egg filler. The folks at Smarties even have a section of their FAQ dedicated to vegan-love, stating, "All Smarties® products are vegetarian and vegan. Feel free to refer to our Product page for the nutritional information and ingredients in each product, and our Vegan Candy page for more information about our vegan sweets.". How sweet is that? Smarties are awesome!

And last but certainly not least, I would like to introduce you to a product called Eggnots. These extremely realistic eggs are made of ceramic and you treat them exactly how you would an Easter Egg. You can dye them, write on them, paint them, stain them, or keep them "as is". They are fantastic and best of all... you can keep them forever! We will be dying these Eggnots for Easter with Baby and signing them with the date. What a wonderful keepsake for Baby's First Easter! 

Eggnots arrive in an egg carton complete with instructions and an egg dye recipe.

My mother thought that these were real eggs. I handed it to her and after she held it, she still thought it was an egg. These are so cool for us vegan folk who have since resorted to dying tofu, painting rocks, and other creative things at Easter. Eggnots take the guesswork out of things.

What an amazing egg to dye for Easter. They can go right in the Easter basket as soon as they're dry, they won't spoil, they are vegan-friendly, and great for people with egg allergies as well. I can definitely see this becoming a beautiful tradition in many homes, year after year. Your family can see how your works of art evolve over the years and you can create such pretty memories. These are not just for Easter; think other holidays and craft ideas all year long. You can even surprise your honey by writing a romantic message or proposal and hiding it in your love's Easter basket. Or how about a fun Easter scavenger hunt with the kids; just write the clues on the eggs and hide them! For just $15.95 per dozen, the possibilities are endless! There are 20 days until Easter, so get your orders in fast to ensure that you can receive your Eggnots in time! 

 So there you have it, vegans can still partake in Easter traditions and festivities. No animals harmed in the process. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Hoppity, hop!

How I Cured My Baby's Cradle Cap Naturally!

If you have a baby, chances are you've heard of or experienced Cradle Cap. There are lots of theories or reasons behind Cradle Cap. Some experts say it can be from overactive oil glands, fungus or yeast, and a number of reasons for different types of Cradle Cap cases. Each baby is different and if you suspect your child has Cradle Cap, it is advised to have your child treated by his/her pediatrician. This is just what worked for me as a natural remedy to remove my baby's Cradle Cap on her head. I waited until she was 10 months old and it did not clear up on it's own. Since she has already consumed a number of foods that were in this, I ensured she was not allergic to the ingredients before I treated her with this natural remedy. Her Cradle Cap was gone after just one treatment! I treated her again 2 days later to be sure I got it all, and she had absolutely no more cradle cap. Her hair and scalp look fabulous! Here is what I did:

• Spread a little Earth Balance vegan butter on her head and let it sit for a minute or two
• Gently brushed her head with a soft, fine plastic baby comb
• Washed her head and hair with California Baby Calming Shampoo & Bodywash (Lavender and smells amazing!)

Please note: I was careful to ensure my baby was not allergic to the ingredients in the butter. I was careful not to get any in her eyes as the butter melts right in on contact. I used a soft and gentle brush and method. If you suspect your child has a skin condition, you should consult with their doctor prior to trying any remedies as you do not want to misdiagnose the problem and not treat the issue properly. If your doctor has confirmed that your child truly does have Cradle Cap, you should ask him/her about using a natural remedy such as this one.

Voila! I actually did not expect this to work as well as it did and was pleasantly surprised! All of the Cradle Cap came right off as soon as the butter melted in, in the baby comb, and when I washed her hair. No more cradle cap; I cannot believe it! If it does end up coming back, I will do this again, but so far it seems to be gone forever. It was a gentle, easy, and natural remedy of clearing this up. Some babies have to be treated with prescription creams, ointments, or medications that sometimes don't work. I'm so happy that we were able to cure this naturally. Baby's hair and scalp look healthy and her hair even looks thicker now. I think her hair is able to grow much more easily without the dry patches blocking it's way. What a great remedy! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. French Lavender smelling babies forever!

Window Cord Safety in the Nursery and Throughout the Home

I started thinking about window safety, now that we are expecting our first baby. I was going through many safety issues and checklists for the nursery. There are a lot of things to consider when baby-proofing your home. I was going through crib safety when I started considering the window cord safety thing.

Obviously you want your crib to be up to the most current safety standards, such as secure screws and bolts, checking that it has not been recalled, having slats that are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart, and ensuring a tight fit with a firm mattress that you cannot fit two fingers between the mattress and crib on all sides. Your crib should be new. You never know what recalls happened, if you have all of the correct parts, if it contains lead paint, or if a hand-me-down/ used crib is up to the most recent safety codes. I've seen cribs on the cheap (seriously $99 at Ikea), but if you still cannot afford a new crib, find a way to afford a new crib. Also, your crib should contain nothing besides your mattress protector pad with a tight fitting, fitted sheet over it. Everything must fit properly and securely, another must-have new item - your fitted crib sheets. The elastic will wear after washes and uses, plus you never know what size, plushness, or protector pad size someone else used on their mattress and how much that may have stretched the fitted sheet, therefore another item to seriously avoid getting used.

Your crib should not be so close to a window that treatment cords pose a strangulation hazard. Which is what brought me to think of cord safety, a baby-proofing item that many people do not realize must be paid close attention to.

Your baby will come in contact with windows. Be sure to keep them secure. I've heard stories where babies have fell through window screens. Babies will climb and explore, so keep your eye on your baby always. The cord of your window blinds and other window treatments can pose a danger. Therefore, window guards and cordless window coverings exist. There is also a great service provided by the Window Covering Safety Council, in which they will provide you with free repair kits that will baby-proof your existing window treatments. I ordered two kits that will take care of my 8 blinded windows. The kit includes information and the website is a wealth of knowledge on cord and window safety. The website will tell you how many windows each kit will safeguard.

There are so many baby-safety topics. This is only touching on one because of this wonderful free service, and slightly covering some crib safety. This is not even close to all that you should know about child safety, so be diligent and do your research on every topic imaginable. There are so many useful websites out there where you can get all the information that you need in order to ensure that your nursery is as safe as can be. Also, use any free resources that are available to you. You can always ask the hospital or your doctor for information, advice, and brochures. If you are getting information from books and other literature, be sure that it is current and up-to-date. So if you need a free window repair kit to ensure the safety of your baby or child of any age, definitely utilize the service provided by the Window Covering Safety Council. They ship free kits to United States and Canadian addresses. Keep those babies safe, happy, and healthy, Everyone!

Wanna See My Apples?

Have you ever found yourself with too many apples? Maybe you aren't in the mood for apple pie. Who isn't in the mood for apple pie? Well, maybe you aren't in the mood to make apple pie. Why not make bird feeders with all those extra apples?!

What you will need:

-Apples

     -Wire Ties

-And a helper!

What you will need to do:

String apples with wire ties. As you can see, the square connector part at the end, holds the apple on. You can string as many apples as you like and connect them tightly onto trees. Aim for a tree branch high enough where cats will not likely be able to bother the birds while they are eating. Basically, high enough when you are standing and reach your hands up, that should be fine.

Voila! Birds and Squirrels can now enjoy some fresh and beautiful autumn apples! Send me pics of yours!

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