Types of Acne & How to Get Rid of Them

Comedones

(White heads & Black heads)

(Black head extractor)

You can easily tell the difference between the two types just by the color. White heads are whitish looking & black heads tend to be skin colored or darker. Now the difference between these two are where they are located, white heads are under the surface of the skin and black heads are on the surface. Now treating them is just simply practicing good hygiene. You can use a mild cleanser or scrub 1 or 2 times a day and stay away from oil based makeup, you can also use benzoyl peroxide. Removing black heads can be slightly more difficult but there is a good way to remove them, you can purchase pore strips or a blackhead removing tool from your local drug store.

Papules & Pustules 

(Papule on left, Pustule on right)

Papules are raised bumps on the skin that don't contain and pus or liquid where as a Pustule is the complete opposite. Pustules are infected papules and contain pus. This is usually what people consider to be pimples. These can treated similarly to comedones, it's simply practicing good hygiene and maybe using benzoyl peroxide. I recommend not messing or trying to pop your pustule, this can actually slow the process of having it gone.

Nodules & Cystic Acne

(wont post picture because it's nasty, google it if you want)

Nodules and Cystic Acne are severe forms of acne, Nodules are large painful lumps, this is cause when the hair folicle is torn and it lets in dirt and debris. Cystic acne is just a nodule with a cyst under it, the bad thing about this is the cyst can remain there for the rest of your life, getting inflamed at unknown times. Now there is really no good way to treat these, there are treatments for cystic acne but it almost never works completely and it can come back with in a year. Nodules can be preventing by using benzoyl peroxide cream and stopping it from getting to this point in the first place.

Hope these help, comment if you would like more on this.

~Live Life Freely~

5 Tips To Get Hair to Grow Longer

After cutting my hair much longer then I would like, I spent the last 2 years looking for ways to  grow it back quick & non expensive. Here are some of the things I recommend doing for it to grow back quicker & healthier.

#1

TRIM!

I know how you feel about this, you probably want to stop reading right now, but i'm not going to be the one to tell you to cut all your hair off. I'm just saying get rid of all the dead ends. Cutting 2 inches off every so often isn't going to help it. Split ends move up your hair shaft so if you leave them there, then can get worse & damage more of your hair. So cut them ALL off while you can. My hair was past my but & I cut it a little past my shoulders so all my dead ends were WAYYY gone.

Picture of Before & After Haircut, and Now

#1

Eating Healthy

No I'm not saying you don't already but a well balanced diet can ensure your hair gets all the necessary nutrients for it to grow healthy, smooth, and strong. I'm also not saying you can't have your favorite junk food but I'm saying if you want to eat it, eat it every so often. Not everyday or every other day. Make your you get protein in your diet, eat lots of meat or whatever you do to get protein. This is basically what your hair is made of.

#3

Scalp Massage

This is real simple & it can benifit by adding almost a quarter of an inch of growth to your hair a month. Someone else doesn't have to do it for you, this is a simple one person task. Just let your hair down and gently rub your hands along your scalp, kind of like your scratching it but not as hard. This helps distribute the oils throughout your hair and scalp.

#4

No Heat or Tight Hairstyles

None of this ridiculousness! Straightening, curling, crimping, etc. No tight buns, tight ponytails, etc. Now I understand how hard it is for you to let go of this if it's a daily part of your life. I also have trouble letting go of this, like in the before, after, and now picture of me. I have my hair straughtened in the now picture. I can't go a day where my hair is curly, I just can't handle it sometimes, especially since I have bangs. It's too much. I have broken my self out of this habit, I found a natural hairstyle that is simple, easy to do, and lasts all day. But this hairstyle is a tight bun, which restrictive, so nothing actually benefits. But at least I'm not damaging it with heat.

#5

Patience & A good Shampoo & Conditioner

Now patience is key to this whole process. I know you want your hair back or you just want it all longer now, but it doesn't happen overnight. Your hair grows on a average of 1/2 a inch a month. So in just 1 year it's going to grow about 6 inches, and if you trim it every 2 1/2 months like your supposed to, It'll grow about 4 inches, depending on how much you cut off. I cut off almost 2 feet of hair, so it'll take my hair about 4 years to grow completely back but I have noticed progress. Also your hair can grow quicker if you have a good shampoo & conditioner. Something that is non toxic & doesn't strip your hair of all it's natural oils. I recommend using Mane & Tail. It's GREAT, now i know I have a different texture of hair, but this works for about everyone I know. Caucasians, Hispanics, Blacks. I'm mixed & it works for me. Try it, it wouldn't hurt, it took me almost 2 years to find a good shampoo & conditioner that works, and its this one. Save your self sometime. Also I recommend getting a deep conditioner, helps your hair retain moisture after a wash.

Comment some of the ways you help your hair grow longer & what you think of this. Also comment if you want more hair tips

~Live Life Freely~

5 Cute Hairstyles for 2013

It says it all in the title. Here are 5 of my favorite hairstyles for 2013.

Braid Bun Bang

Low Ponytail

Side Swept

Half Up-Do

Quick & Easy Up-Do

Comment below on what you think & add the links to your favorite hairstyles for 2013. If you want more of these, or if you want this for a certain hair length, leave a comment below. 

~Live Life Freely~

5 DIY Acne Treatments

There's the old toothpaste trick & expensive acne face washes but there are much cheaper & effective ways to get rid of acne...

#1

Exfoliation

It's plain and simple. Exfoliating gets rid of the dead layer of skin and dirt and it helps fade previous acne scars! You can make your own exfoliating scrub out of Brown Sugar, Vanilla Extract, & Coconut Oil. It smells great and it can be used all over your body.

#2

Baking Soda Acne Mask

You're more then likely to have baking soda in your home, probably sitting in your refrigerator or pantry somewhere. This is great way to get rid of acne. Once again, it's also an exfoliatior, you can kind of pick up on how important exfoliating is to keep acne off your skin. There is more then one way to make this but its all the same basic Idea, I mix Baking Soda & water together to make a sort of paste. Don't let it get to runny, have it pasty. I add a tiny bit of vanilla extract for smell because just baking soda & water alone smells terrible, plus vanilla extract has a tiny bit of alcohol in it so I help with your acne. I would start out not using this more then 3 times a week, slowly moving into using it more often. This allows your skin to get used to it. Don't exactly rub it in to much but let it sit for about 10 minutes, then rinse & dry. Your face should be silky smooth.

#3

Egg & Tissue Blackhead Removing Mask

Yeah I know this is about acne but blackheads are also a common problem in people who also have acne problems. This helps with your acne & it removes blackheads. That's a plus! First you seperate the yolk from the egg white, you can do whatever with the yolk. Your only using the white. Apply a good layer of the yolk all over your face, leave some for later. Make sure your face is clean beforehand. Take your facial tissue & divide it in 2. Apply the pieces all over your face. You can use more then one tissue. Then apply a thin layer of egg white over top of the tissue, let it dry for about 30 minutes then peel off. BAM! Blackheads should be removed.

#4

Lemon Juice

Your mother probably knows about this neat little trick for acne. Lemon juice is know for its natural skin lightening properties that help fade acne scars and preventing acne. It's also great for chest & back acne. Apply some to a paper towel and pat on your face for about 5 minutes and then let it dry. You don't have to wash it off, it doesn't affect anything. The acne fading isn't going to happen immediately but after a month or 2 of using it you will see results.

#5

Ice Cubes & Green tea

Green tea is well know for it's antioxidants that help your body, it can also help acne. Take a warm (NOT HOT!) green tea bag and apply it to your blemish. It reduces the size of your blemish & it tightens your pores. You can finish this off by apply an ice cube to your face, it shrinks your pores also, preventing any unnecessary dirt and oils from getting into your pores. Or you can meet the best of both worlds & make green tea and freeze it into ice cubes.

Comment what you think below. If you have any other acne idea's post them below! Let me know if you like these and want more.

4 Summer DIY Outfits

#1

Created by Chichicka on Etsy. All she did was took a simple cotton dress & used fabric paint to embellish a front pocket. Simple right? You can add your own flair by accessorizing with a matching bracelet or a necklace.

#2

Ombre bleached shorts. I found this picture on YouTube and just had to do it, I fell in love with the pair of shorts. I found the YouTube video from which this picture came from. I made my own pair & I'm telling you it's worth it. The first thing is you get a old pair of jeans that you don't wear much or don't really like. Cut them into short, the video explains into it a lot more on cutting jeans into shorts. Fill a spray bottle about halfway with bleach and a little water but not too much. Take the jeans outside because you will be spraying the bleach on your shorts. It's better if you do it on a sunny day because it helps the bleaching process move much faster. Spray the bleach towards the bottom you really want to emphasize on the bottom because you want that ombre effect and the bleach with absorb upwards helping create that ombre effect.You might have to keep spraying bleach on you jeans every once in a whole. This whole project will take about an hour but it's worth it. Once it's finished in the sun, you can wash it and dry it and WALA! It's finished. Watch the video for a full step by step walkthrough.

#3

This is a festivalized shirt. I thought this was quick, simple, and absolutely cute. The design for the shirt is all up to you, all that you really need is markers and a bit of thread. 

#4

This DIY is much simpler then the bleached ombre shorts and it is one of a kind. You can use a old pair of shorts or cutoff shorts, all you need for this is fabric paint, and maybe some stencils & a ruler if you need assistance painting the stars or getting the lines straight & equally spaced out.