Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Beauty Tips for Barn Bums

As a barn hobo myself, I tend to spend countless hours doing barn chores, riding, grooming, and playing with my horse. This leaves almost no time for relaxation and beauty rountines. I like to compensate for this lack of "Me Time," by spending at least one day of the week giving my self some much needed TLC. Here's some head-to-toe beauty tips for those like me ;)

(My main tip is to drink lots of water and eat healthy though. Just like horses, we should look good inside and out!)


Nails:
All horse people know it's almost impossible to keep your nails nice from working around the barn all the time. They usually end up all cracked, split, and dirty. Here's a cool tip to keep em' nice.


No more hacking off nails because there is a break forming! All you need is some Krazy glue, a tea bag, a nail file, and some nail polish. First, cut a tiny piece of the tea bag to fit over the crack. Then, put a dot of glue on the break and put the paper on top of it. When it dries, file it down till it's smooth and put one base coat and two coats of nail polish on it. Voila! Your nails have been fixed!


Lips:
Another problem i have is chapped lips. I blame this cold, windy weather and my nonstop lip licking :P Here's a recipe for peeling lips

                                             

Feet:
I HATE having cracked heels from walking around the barn. Here's a tip to make them nice and soft :)

                                           Cracked Heels  Picture
  Grind a handful of rice until u get a fine but coarse flour. Add a few spoons of raw honey to the mixture along with enough apple cider vinegar to obtain a thick paste. If the cracks are very deep, add a spoon of olive oil. Soak feet for 20 minutes & gently massage with this paste. Feels just like a pedicure, great for hands too!



Skin:
Do you get breakouts from being sweaty because of working all day? Or just have acne prone skin like most teens do?

To create a simple acne facial mask, you'll need the following:


  • 1 table spoon of honey (for it's antibacterial and antioxidant properties)
  • 1 table spoon of baking soda (for its exfoliating properties)
  • 2 table spoon of water (purified or distilled)
  • 4 to 6 drops of Tea Tree Oil (to lessen inflammation and dry up acne)
 

               

  1. Mix all ingredients in a sanitized bowl.
  2. Cleans skin with your favorite acne facial wash and toner.
  3. Apply the mixture with a clean spatula all over your face, avoiding eye are and corners of the lips.
  4. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes or until it looks dry.
  5. Wash mask with tepid or lukewarm water. Use a towellete to easily remove the mask but be very gentle.
Try this three times a week for best results :)



Eyes:
Here's an AH-MAZING way to get rid of those dark circles under your eyes:

You'll pretty much only need one item..... tea bags! Soak two bags in cold water then put them on your eyes for 10 minutes then be prepared to see results ;)

                                                



Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Grooming Products for Show Season!

Since show season is coming up, I thought it would be appropriate to share some good stuff for your horse, inside and out. Here's my fave top five grooming products! (btdubs they may sound weird, but they work!)

For improving your horses coat and physical appearance they need to be healthy on the inside! Here's some supplements that might do the trick for your horse's coat ;)

Biotin Supplements Biotin supplements have vitamins that help with hoove, mane, tail, and coat health. Also, using MSM will help the body use the Biotin and helps the joints! 
               Image result for horse biotin supplements



Omega Supplements- These help promote healthy skin, shiny coat, earlier shedding, hoof health, and muscle health!

                Image result for omega horse supplementImage result for flax horse supplement

Here's some grooming supplies for a gorgeous physical
appearance

Stains:
Orvus Shampoo: Its great for any really dirty white markings. Pretty much industrial strength and gets the dirt that is really deep down out. It is in a concentrated gel form and you need only to apply a small amount. Let it sit for a few minutes to do its job and then wash thoroughly. This will remove deep-down stains and leave legs perfectly white.

                                         
Tangles:

Mayonnaise- It sounds super silly but mayonnaise makes your horses mane clean and shiny and is great for thick manes that tangle easily. Use it like shampoo and then wash it out. It will make your horse's mane as smooth as silk.


Pledge- I know what you're thinking, "Why the heck would you use pledge on my horses tail???" But believe it or not, this lemony wood cleaner works as a super cheap detangler that repels dirt and adds an awesome shine. It's awesome because it isn't a silicone based product which tends to end up attracting dirt. Just spray it on the tail as needed to come through tangles and when finished spray an extra coat to prevent the attraction of dust–voila, you have a tail that stays clean and tangle-free!





Skin problems
MTG- I consider it the best skin product on the market. It smells kinda bad, but it's sooooooo worth it. It soothes itchy skin and gets ride of all kinds of fungus.
                                           




Saturday, February 2, 2013

Great Reads

Besides equestrian fashion i looooove horsey literature. One of my favorite series is The A Circuit.
For those that love Gossip Girl, The Clique, and A-List, you'll love these books! They're filled with tons of drama and issues that teens face everyday.
  The A Circuit (The A Circuit, #1)      My Favorite Mistake (The A Circuit, #2)      Off Course (The A Circuit, #3)      Rein It In (The A Circuit, #4)

The A Circuit is the best of the best when it comes to horse shows. It's a world with its own rules and superprivileged lifestyles. Teens travel the circuit all year, showing horses that cost as much as some homes.

Fortilas - German Warmblood - HunterVS

The characters are Tommi, Kate, and Zara. They are all elite competitors on the circuit, but they come from totally different backgrounds. Tommi is a billionaire heiress trying to prove she has real talent (not just deep bank accounts). Kate puts the working in working student-every win has been paid for with hours of cleaning stalls. She's used to the grueling schedule, but Fitz, the barn's resident hot guy, is about to become a major distraction. And then there's Zara. She's the wild child of a famous rockstar, but she's ready to take riding seriously. Can a party girl really change her ways?

Read these books to find out!