Beauty Cabinet and Makeup Storage

If you're interested in how I store my makeup then you have come to the right place. I'm not going to go into great detail because I just want to share the creative way I jazzed up some ugly plastic storage containers.



Take note, this took some time. I measured the inside face of the drawers (one of which is a Sterilite mini 3 drawer and the other is a mini 5 drawer both picked up at my local Fred Meyer, or Kroger as it is called in other parts of the country) with my tiny tape measure, picked out some super cute scrapbooking paper, and got to work cutting. The paper I chose is a light blue/turquoise color with pretty glitter in it and it was a bit hard to cut and then it was a pain because it didn't want to stay in the drawers so I had to tape it inside. I just used plain white paper on the sides. I lined the inside of the drawers with a waffle textured shelf liner to keep products from slipping and sliding.



I have each drawer organized by category and arranged in the order I would use the products. I don't think I'm going to go inside the drawers. Maybe we'll save that for another day if anyone is interested. This diagram will show you where I store things:



My Dad, who is so talented and creative, made me the brush holder. It's made of wood. He spray painted the white parts and then glued my chosen paper to the sides. I have it filled with brown rice (although white would work the same way) to keep my brushes standing up.



I can't tell you how to make it because I'm not handy like my Dad but I did make my Mom one by taking a wide mouthed vase she loves and filling it with rice. You can really get creative with brush holders. You can use anything! Mason jars, vases, bowls, tins, boxes, whatever you think is pretty that can hold your brush collection! The possibilities are endless.

How do you store your makeup and your brushes? Do you love your setup? Share a photo with me on Facebook. I'm nosy and would love to see!

Talk About Lip Care - MoistStic Natural Lip Protection

I don't think I have ever really used up a lip balm in its entirety before I met MoistStic. I am actually on my 5th tube of this stuff, which is rare for me, and have even purchased some for members of my family. I'm not sure what exactly it is about this little magical tube of goodness but it is, without a doubt, my favorite lip balm of all time and I have tried many.

There's honestly not a lot to say about it but I figured I had to shine a spotlight on it and give it its own post on the blog because I love it so much. It is made with Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Lanolin, Peppermint Oil, Vitamin E, and Tea Tree Oil. I hate the thought of applying sheep grease (lanolin) to my lips but this formula works wonders for me. Even though it is not vegan it is cruelty free.

It smells very fresh thanks to the peppermint and tea tree and tingles slightly upon application. I use it in the day sometimes but I apply it every single night, without fail, before going to bed and I wake up every morning with soft and healthy lips. It is very long lasting and protective. It creates a barrier to the elements and goes on incredibly smooth while doing an amazing job healing. It doesn't taste great but I try not to eat my lip balm anyway so who cares?

I buy mine at my local health food store, and it's cheap, but you can also find it online. I found it in stock on Drugstore.com.

(FTC: I purchased this lip balm, many times, with my own money. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own and honest.)

Birthday to Birthday Giveaway!!!!!!

On March 15th Beautiful Basics turns 3 and on April 10th I am turning 27. To celebrate both of my very special days I want to give you all the chance to win some fun prizes!

Between the two dates above you can enter to win 1 of 3 awesome prizes using the Rafflecopter form below. It may take a moment or two to load. Open Internationally. The first winner selected will be able to pick which prize they want. The second will be able to choose out of the other two prizes and the third winner will receive the remaining prize. All entries will be verified.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hydration is Key

I'm writing something a little bit different today since it's not technically about beauty although it is a huge factor in any beauty routine. I'm talking water. That's right, water. Water is vital for healthy skin. I'm a strong believer that the more water you drink the better your skin will look. I'm a waterholic and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I drink SO much water and by so much I mean at the very minimum I drink at least half my weight in ounces of water every single day although I aim for a gallon. Being hydrated makes me feel so much better in general and I can instantly see a difference in my skin when I haven't had enough.

I drink out of glasses but drinking from my Life Factory bottles is my most beloved and revered way of satiating my need and desire for water. I have two, a 22 ounce with a classic cap that I won a couple of years ago in a blog giveaway that I entered and the other is the 16 ounce with a flip top that I received as a gift this year for Christmas. I'm even planning on putting a smaller size bottle, maybe the 12-ounce with a flip cap, on the wish list for my birthday, which is coming up in April.

You may be thinking to yourself, "Self, what exactly are these Life Factory bottles she is talking about?" They're amazing, that's what. No, I'm not being paid to write this review, nor does the company even know about me and my water addiction or my little beauty blog. They are essentially just glass bottles with a silicone sleeve and a lid or cap, but they are eco-friendly and life changing. I fill mine up over and over again and take them everywhere with me. They're dishwasher friendly and durable!

I used to drink out of plastic water bottles (which contain cancer causing BPA and are super bad for the environment) but have switched completely to Life Factory. I refill my bottles several times every day so I'm being cost effective and doing my part to save the planet. Did you know that the US, alone, consumes 1500 plastic water bottles per second and 80% of those bottles end up in landfills even though there are recycling programs? Plastic is not biodegradable so those bottles just sit in landfills and take up space all while leaching chemicals into the Earth! Drinking tap water is a million (maybe not a million but I did read once that it is about 1000) times cheaper than drinking bottled water.

I could go on and on but you get the point. Plastic water bottles are bad for our bodies and bad for the Earth so why not make the switch to glass? I'm obsessed with my Life Factory bottles. They even have baby bottles and kid sized bottles! If you're interested you can check out their website.

Simple Sea Salt Solution for Troubled Skin

Have you ever been fortunate enough to spend some quality time at a beach, enjoying the sunshine and salt water? If you have you may have noticed that the salty ocean water helps to clear up skin and makes it look radiant and fresh. Nothing does the body, or the soul, better than a relaxing beach getaway but if you're like me you're stuck in a cold, gray part of the world with no coastline in sight. I do have one of the largest lakes in North America nearby, but it's currently frozen and full of algae.

Anyway, the point is, you can make your own salt water treatment at home if you're not lucky enough to be able to take a dip in the sea! Please be warned, this is not for those of you with dry skin!

All you need is some finely ground pure sea salt and some warm purified water! Combine the two and let sit until the salt is completely dissolved. I'm not going to give you exact measurements for this recipe because it all comes down to your personal tastes. You can use more or less salt depending on how oily/blemished your skin is. You can put it in a spray bottle if you would like to spritz your face and body or you can just apply it with a cotton pad.

I use this as a toner on my face, neck, chest, and back as needed. I also like soaking a washcloth in hot salt water and applying the cloth directly to my problem area(s). Remember to rinse the solution off though, because leaving it on too long will cause dryness. It's a nice little relaxing treat that helps purify the skin!

Try it out! It's incredibly cheap and easy and is an excellent spot zapper. You can also use it as a spot treatment if you're worried about drying your skin out too much. Enjoy!

This is what the closest ocean to me looks like. Not quite tropical and warm enough to dive in, but still pretty! We go there often just to enjoy nature. What about you? Do you live near the ocean or frequent the beach?