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.





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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?

Talk About It - February 2014 Petit Vour (+closed GIVEAWAY!)

Petit Vour is a monthly service that provides subscribers with deluxe and full sized vegan and cruelty free beauty products delivered directly to their mailbox each month. Upon receiving and opening each Petit Vour (named after the small, beautifully decorated dessert called "petit four", although the F in four has been replaced with a V for vegan) box you will discover new furry friend friendly products (like the alliteration?) – because really, why should Fluffy have to suffer for beauty? In addition to being able to test out fun new products you will also receive exclusive discounts that you can use to purchase your favorites in full-size.

If you're curious about purchasing a subscription for yourself or a friend there are several plans to choose from including a month-to-month plan that costs $15, a 3-month plan with a price tag of $45, or the $90 6-month subscription. Those of you in Canada or other parts of the world also have the option to purchase a monthly plan that you can cancel at any time! Keep in mind though, yours are a little bit more expensive at $23 CAD a month and $30 International.

I first reviewed Petit Vour back in November, and if you want to read that post you can click here, but today I'll be sharing my thoughts on the February box! AND If you read through this entire blog post you will find the opportunity to enter to win your very own Petit Vour Box!



Okay, let's put the business stuff aside and move on to what you're really curious about – the goods inside the pretty pink box! This box is all about love and the card that came in the box reads, "Love is in the hare… The best of beauty without the broken hearts". Cute, no?

This month's box featured:

Everyday Minerals Sunlight Corrector

(I'm definielty most excited about this! It's awesome)

Everyday Minerals Tinted Lip Butter

(I received the shade Fairly Mauve)

OFRA Pressed Blush

(I received this in the color Charm)

AMALA Purifying Cleanser, Moisturizer, and Mask

(2 sample packets of each)

R.L. Linden & Co. Ms. Tilly Rosalie's Beauty Tea

If you want to win your very own Petit Vour box just use the Rafflecopter form below. It may take a moment or two to load. Also, if you leave a comment and it doesn't show up don't worry because I can see it. Don't forget to give this post a like and good luck!

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The Just Kissed Giveaway

In honor of Valentine's Day (although it is my least favorite holiday) I decided it was time to post the perfect giveaway! If you want to enter to win a brand new tube of the Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain by Jane Iredale just use the Rafflecopter form below. It may take a moment or two to load. Also, don't worry if your comment doesn't show up right away. I can see it!

Don't forget to give this post a "like" and good luck!

(FTC : I purchased this with my own money. I am not being compensated for hosting this giveaway.)

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Natural Joy Beauty Review and Giveaway!!!

On Earth Day of 2008 Utah based Natural Joy Beauty launched online and is now a one-stop internet destination for carefully selected cruelty free beauty and personal care products made with only the healthiest ingredients. With so many greenwashed and falsely labeled products out there Joy puts a lot of thought and research into each product she sells. You can feel confident that when shopping at Natural Joy Beauty you won't be purchasing any products made with toxic ingredients like parabens, petroleum, synthetic fragrances or colors, triclosan, or formaldehyde, just to name a few.

Before being contacted by Joy to possibly do a review I had never browsed Natural Joy Beauty but I'm so glad to have been introduced to the web store and the wide variety of goods she offers. I discovered a ton of products and brands I had never tried before, let alone heard of.

I was generously offered the chance to pick out two products for review, the first being the Creamy Mineral Face Concealer by PRIIA Cosmetics. I selected the color Neutral Ivory and it couldn't have been a more perfect match! This natural, vegan, and gluten free concealer applies seamlessly and wears extremely well throughout the day. Unlike a lot of other concealers made with natural ingredients this one seems to stick to the skin a little longer due to its slightly drier texture. Don't let that scare you though because it's not too dry to be applied to my dehydrated undereye area. I like using this to even out my skin tone and then setting it with a light dusting of mineral powder. On a side note, it smells great – slightly sweet with a touch of cinnamon!



This concealer is made with the following ingredients:
Jojoba Seed Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax, Rice Bran Oil, Mica, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Boron Nitride, Silica, Allantoin, ProVitamin B5, Bisabolol, Iron Oxides. May Contain: Chromium Oxide Green, Ultramarine Blue.



The other product I selected was the Peppermint Earthpaste, a truly natural toothpaste that many other green beauty bloggers seem to obsess over. I had heard so many good things about this stuff that I just had to try it for myself! Made with only Purified Water, Food Grade Redmond Clay, Xylitol, Peppermint Essential Oil, Menthol, Redmond Sea Salt and Tea Tree Oil it is unlike any other toothpaste I have ever tried. I can't say that I love the taste (it tastes a lot like earth and clay) but it gets teeth superbly clean. My teeth feel like I have just come from the dentist after using this stuff! Earthpaste also comes in Cinnamon, Wintergreen, Lemon Twist, and Spearmint.

Natural Joy Beauty has so many different products that you have to check it out for yourself! You can also try a lot of the products for sale in sample size for a fraction of the price before making the decision to purchase the full version.

You can save 15% off storewide now - 3/15/14 with promo code: BB15.

To enter to win a $20 gift code to Natural Joy Beauty, simply use the Rafflecopter form below. It may take a moment or two to load. This giveaway is only open to those in the US. Also, don't worry if your comment doesn't show up right away. I can see it! Good luck!

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(FTC: I was kindly sent these products for review by Natural Joy Beauty and given the opportunity to do a gift code giveaway for free. I am not being compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own and honest.)

Talk About Skin Care - Josh Rosebrook Active Enzyme Exfoliator

It's not always love upon first application with products but I like to give some products second, and even third chances to change my mind. The first time I tried the Josh Rosebrook Active Enzyme Exfoliator I was really offended by the scent, the texture, and the way the product itself looked but I continued to massage it onto my skin, left it on my face for the recommended time, and rinsed it off.

I wasn't very impressed until the next day when my Mom asked me why my skin looked so amazing. I, personally, couldn't really see any difference in my skin but she was adamant about how fantastic my face looked. I tried it a couple of more times with the same results so I put it in my facial drawer and sort of forgot about it.



I picked up the jar again last week and have suddenly discovered the appeal and value of this awesome stuff. Don't get me wrong about how I feel about the scent, I think it absolutely stinks - like a combination of curry and my favorite Tazo Zen Green Tea, it's just plain weird but I'm most decidedly not offended by it anymore for whatever reason.

I like to wash my face using my Spa Sonic and then gently massage the goopy green stuff all over my face, moving in small circular motions for around 4 or 5 minutes. I then leave it on for about 45 minutes before removing with a warm, damp washcloth. My skin is left feeling ridiculously smooth and even. It doesn't look particularly good immediately afterwards but the next day I wake up with clear, glowing skin. Even though I prefer instant gratification I can certainly sit tight to wait for these awesome results to show up.



It also somehow makes my pores look smaller and my skin looks more refined in general. I don't know why I didn't instantly adore this stuff but my dull winter skin is thoroughly enjoying it! Even though it's pretty pricey at $60 for 1.5 oz I would definitely recommend it if you have the available funds and the desire for ridiculously radiant skin.

You can learn more about the ingredients in this exfoliator by clicking here. You can also learn more about Josh Rosebrook and his other product offerings by visiting his website here.

FTC: This product was provided to me by the company, free of charge, for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Talk About Skin Care - Natralia

It's that cold time of year again when our skin needs a lot of extra help to be healthy and hydrated and I have become totally obsessed with Australian based Natralia and their line of moisturizing products. I was fortunate enough to try out several of their body care products and have really enjoyed them all, as have the other members of my family.

My entire family is particularly in love with their Dry Skin Lotion; in fact, a second bottle has been purchased and we will be picking up a third very soon. I'm pleased to say that it is my new all-time favorite lotion. I think I've told you all how picky I am when it comes to body lotion and this one meets and exceeds all of my requirements.



I am very dry, scaly, and itchy and once I smooth this lotion across my skin these problems are immediately fixed! This product is a miracle in a bottle and makes my skin feel so healthy and good! I'm so thankful for the fact that it works so hard to get rid of the itch because I can't stand it! It is not greasy, sticky, heavy, tacky, or heavily scented. It absorbs super quickly but leaves a very light protective layer behind. It leaves me feeling hydrated all day and all night and I can't say enough good things about this stuff!

My only real issue with this lotion is the bottle and the pump. Once the lotion starts migrating towards the bottom of the bottle the pump seems to stop dispensing the lotion. This, however, is a problem easily solved by taking off the pump and pouring directly into the hand from the bottle, which isn't that big of an issue.



As for the Dry Skin Wash – I don't love it and I don't hate it. I feel like it is fairly average as far as body washes go. I don't notice a huge difference in the dryness or itchiness of my skin after using it but it does get me clean so it still gets thumbs up from me!



Finally, on to the Heel Balm – this product has become one of my Moms absolute favorite products of all time. She might not want me to tell you this but her feet are always dryer than the Sahara Desert; however, this lotion has really helped her heal! She applies it every night and I have seen a hugely enormous change in the texture of her heels and toes. Natralia hit it out of the park with another miracle in a bottle with this one!

You can learn more about Natralia and their products by visiting their website by clicking here.

Spa Sonic Giveaway

In May, I posted a review of the Spa Sonic Face and Body Polisher, which you can read here, and I am still very much a fan and avid user of the system. I use the brush several times a week and notice a huge difference in my skin!

Tools like this make the perfect holiday gift and this year there are several awesome deals going on that make the Spa Sonic even more affordable. Check them out!

Spa Sonic Holiday Deals

● Visit www.target.com on Black Friday to purchase the Spa Sonic system for $33 and Cyber Monday through Cyber Week for $32.

● Now through December 30th, www.walmart.com is offering the Spa Sonic system for $39.99.

● The new DermaLight will be on sale for $119.99 and the Spa Sonic system $35.99 at www.drugstore.com. Offer valid November 24th through December 7th.

One lucky Beautiful Basics reader will win their very own Spa Sonic Skin Care System in their choice of color (white, pink, or lavender).

To enter all you have to do is use the Rafflecopter form below. Don't forget to "like" this post. It may take a moment or two to load so please be patient. Also, if you leave a comment and it doesn't show up right away, don't worry because I can see it. Good luck!

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Scent-tacular Holiday Giveaway

It's time for the perfect holiday giveaway! I'm giving away one bottle (1.7 fl oz) of Pure Vanilla fragrance from Lavanila Laboratories. This perfume has a retail value of $58 and will make the perfect give for you or someone you love!

This fragrance is made without petrochemicals, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oils, silicone, synthethic dyes, sulfates, and parabens. Lavanila is also cruelty free!



To enter all you have to do is use the Rafflecopter form below. Don't forget to "like" this post. It may take a moment or two to load so please be patient. Also, if you leave a comment and it doesn't show up right away don't worry because I can see it. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway