When Life Gives You Lemons, Use Life Hacks

Okay, so we are all interested in life hacks right? I mean, if there is an easier way to do it, we want it. It's in our human nature. Sure, some don't mind working harder than others but if the opportunity to work smarter versus harder presents itself, we are going to take it. I'm going to share with you some beauty hacks, products I have already tried and approved so you won't have to, and delicious smoothie recipes that are easier to make than to drive to get it.

Life Hacks

1. Ever have those annoying pesky hiccups that just don't go away? We get tons of old myths passed down to us on how to rid them, but they don't always work. I'm about to blow your mind. Let's think about it logically. Hiccups are involuntary spasms of your diaphragm and when we have muscle spasms we try and relax that muscle. Well your diaphragm is a respiratory muscle sooooo relax it! Put your hand on your stomach and take a few deep breaths. Make sure your stomach is moving in and out versus your chest going up and down. That's it! Your hiccups should be gone in 5-10 deep, slow breaths!

2. Did you know that you can get a sample of absolutely ANYTHING at Sephora! That includes face masks. They put it in these tiny containers and it's good enough for two applications! Definitely great when you want to treat your skin with expensive masks for no cost!

Hair

1. Ladies... and some gentlemen: flat irons, curling irons, hair products, you name it, we have used them! It only takes one bad tug, brush, hair wash to break your hair. I recently experienced this and I have a bunch of strands sticking up on my hair line. Some amazing ways to tame this are the following: light weight hairspray, moisturizing conditioner, and lotion! Yes you heard me lotion! Rub a little non-oily lotion on your face and whatever is left over, run it over your hair to bring those flyaways down. The Vaseline brand works best.

2. For an amazing moisture-lock conditioner use: Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisture masque for Normal to Dry Hair. It smells amazing; your hair comes out looking healthy; JUST USE IT!

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$12 $2.99

Skin Lightening

1. Dark underarms or other intimate areas? I used to struggle with this before laser hair removal. I found this amazing homemade recipe from Editorial Naturalbeauty556 on youtube. *I do not take credit for this at all* Use one tablespoon of baking soda, two tablespoons of rice powder (you can throw rice in a blender), two table spoons of apple cider vinegar, and squirt of white Colgate toothpaste. Scrub the area gently for 5 minutes. You see results in one use!

2. This may not affect everyone so answer this: does your skin scar with a scratch? Yea, mine too. The best, and I mean the best, scar prevention and natural remedy is aloe vera! No, not the one you buy from the store. The smelly, gooey, bitter-tasting plant! Get the actual plant, cut a piece and use the yellow serum that only comes out when you cut it. You can save the leaf in the fridge and use the clear liquid as well, but the yellow serum is the most effective. It will turn the scratch, wound, open-pimple a dark unappealing red color that will scab almost immediately and fall off on its own in about two days preventing any unnecessary scarring. It automatically seals the wound and provides tons of hydration. Use every night before bed until it disappears.

3. An amazing, but more expensive option for the aftermath of dark marks is Murad Rapid Age Spot Pigment and Lightening Serum. It's definitely worth the extra bucks if you scar easily. It's for your face, but I spot treat it on body scars and you really do see results in a week! A little bit goes a long way! You can find this at Sephora or online.

$69

Acne

1. Want to draw all those toxins out? Use Aztec Healing Clay Mask with apple cider vinegar instead of water! Apple cider vinegar does wonders for your skin. It balances pH, reduces age spots, reduces wrinkles, fights acne bacteria and removes toxins.

Honestly I don't know why this isn't more popular. Click here to view before and after photos of people with acne. It will blow you away! I also discovered that it works miracles for your hair especially those who have curly or African-American hair (click here to view before and after photos). The back of the jar lists other uses such as insect bites and much more. Want some more uses? Click here. PS: your skin will be red for about 30 minutes after the mask.

$8.40

2. Acne? No problem. Instead of using aloe vera for after, use Neosporin for the before! put a little dab on a pimple and let the bacteria-fighting agents do its magic. So, that's Neosporin for during the pimple, aloe vera as soon as you can't resist and pop it, and Murad lightening serum if all else fails (it shouldn't) and it does scar or for old scars.

3. Okay so I have been blessed with good skin, thank you mom, but I have been having this weird break out on my chest lately. They are like tiny little red spots that you can play connect the dots with. Use Pan Oxyl 10% benzoyl peroxide. It is a miracle worker. Most acne washes have 2% salicylic acid; benzoyl peroxide is a stronger medication and its 10%! Just be sure to do a patch test especially if you have sensitive skin. It can also dry your skin, so if you are using it on your face, use a moisturizer that doesn't clog your pores. I don't have sensitive skin but neck has been itchy because of it so I refrain from using it in that area and the itchiness subsided. (Side note: the CVS brand is just as effective with the same active ingredient asPan Oxyl but it's not as foamy).

$11.99

Skin Health

1. Want a natural glow for a few bucks? Neutrogena came out with this radiance booster mask and it is amazing! It is a hydrogel face mask that stays in position while you relax. The serum completely soaks into your skin and almost nothing is left when you take it off! Your skin will have an INSTANT glow and you will love it!

$2.50

2. The CVS brand carries an overnight cream facial mask called Honey Dew and Chamomile. You put the sweet smelling lotion on your face, go to sleep, and wake up with refreshed looking skin!

$1.99

3. Do you think toner doesn't make a difference, like I do? Try layering it on 7 times! Spritz, then let it air dry, spritz some more and repeat! Your skin will look plump and hydrated!

4. Brown sugar. Olive oil. Vanilla extract. That's all you need for an amazing, good smelling body scrub. Get a mason jar and put 1 part olive oil, 2 parts brown sugar, and a teaspoon or tablespoon (depending on the amount of scrub) of vanilla extract for smell.

Smoothies

Tired of spending money on smoothies because you feel like you can't replicate them? If you like berries, your in luck! There are two recipes that are amazing!

Smoothie #1: Replication of Triple Berry Oat from Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Handful of mixed frozen berries

Handful of dry oats

(the original smoothie has a scoop of whey protein but its just as good without)

One splenda

Drizzle Honey

Fill up with water until it covers the ingredients

Add a multivitamin!

Smoothie #2: Strawberry Milkshake or Nutritious Smoothie?

Handful of frozen strawberries (freshly cut them and freeze for better flavor)

One scoop of Vanilla Protein

One Splenda

Fill up with water until it covers the ingredients

Hangover Cure

We all love going out ,but not so much the morning after. I have a cure that I found works perfectly for me! I would do them all if you can, but the smoothie does work all on its own!

1. Try putting a water bottle by your bed before you go out so you can chug it when you get home!

2. Take two Excedrins and two charcoal pills. It will help with the headache and the charcoal will help absorb toxins.

3. Make Smoothie number 1. It goes down better than water does when your nauseous and the berries are a great source of antioxidants that will help give your body a boost while hydrating you.

4. This is going to sound strange, so bare with me. Put a spoonful of Knorr Chicken Sazon in a cup of water and heat it up in the microwave. You can put a little cilantro or green onion for more flavor. You can also use the spice in the Ramon Noodle Cups. This helps to put water in your body in a tasteful way while delivering sodium to replace what you lost throughout the night by sweating and using the bathroom.

As always,

Camila