For me, it all started when a stranger walked into a craft shop…

I always thought the old saying about entering your second childhood was a load of nonsense. Now it has taken on a totally different meaning to me.

A few of years ago, I read about a study that carried out research into the things retired people were most happy doing.

The results suggested that many of us would benefit from thinking back to the type of things we liked to do at primary school age and taking up interests connected to those childhood hobbies.

I used to collect dolls from around the world. Often, people would give me old dolls in rather tatty clothes. So, I set about recreating their outfits. I got such satisfaction and sense of achievement from it.

Then, as I grew up, I carried on sewing and knitting when I had time, mainly making clothes for my two daughters – my living dolls, you might say!

My Journey Back in Time!

Towards the end of my working career, I wrote a children’s book. It was a labour of love bringing together all my experience as a teacher and nutrition consultant. TG and the Rainbow Warriors is a fantasy story with a nutritional theme that carries a thread of anti-bullying and building self-esteem.

As children’s health and education have always been dear to my heart, you can imagine I had naively high hopes about finding a publisher. But it wasn’t easy, so I got myself an editor and published it myself. Sadly, it had to be without illustrations, though it is a colourful book.

After selling the first print run, I reinvested in another. When half were sold, I had to make the decision of either paying for advertising or calling it a day. The remaining books went under the bed.

Then one day, a random event set off an amazing chain reaction. A stranger walked into my local craft shop asking the owner if they knew someone who could make an outfit for an antique doll. They recommended me.

I spent many a happy hour researching the subject, made the outfit and the lady was extremely pleased with the result.

The books I’d found on the topic had instructions on how to make cloth dolls, and that triggered a light-bulb moment – I thought, “you may not be able to draw – but you can sew!” This is when I remembered the article about retirement hobbies.

So, I decided to illustrate my book with dolls.

A Crafting Decathlon

I spent two years making the dolls. This included the dolls themselves, their clothes and many of their props.

The process led me to discover worlds I didn’t know existed, ranging from dolls’ house miniatures to supplies from a taxidermist!

I attended a specialist cloth doll making course – and am now part of a Facebook community talking to other cloth doll making enthusiasts around the world.

In the last scene of my book, the characters have a banquet, so I had to learn how to make miniature food from polymer clay – it is great fun, but it took three days to make a pizza!!

Then, of course, we needed a banqueting table and throne for the Crystal Lady – so off I went again into the realms of sourcing acrylic and how to cut it and stick it together.

My most daunting task was painting the backdrops for the final photo shoot, because I really can’t draw. Once again, I was Googling away for copyright-free sketches of the things I needed.

I managed to copy them, make them my own and then paint them with acrylics – a book on How to Paint in Acrylics in one hand and a brush in the other.

We had the first photo shoot a week later. The dolls and I had great fun. The next backdrops will be mixed media on cloth background, painted then embroidered by hand and machine – another foray into the virtually unknown.

Your Past – Your Future?

I am all too aware that the odds of the book ever ‘getting’ out there in the way I dream of are extremely low. If I wasn’t having so much fun doing all these things, I wouldn’t be carrying on my mission to get the book published.

Whatever the future holds, I know I will still be exploring the crafting world for new things to try – just for the fun of it.

What did you love to do when you were 10? What hobbies do you indulge in now? Even if you don’t feel like rekindling a childhood hobby, there are bound to be others linked to it that you might like to research. Follow the thread and see where it leads. It would be really lovely to hear about interests and hobbies you have rediscovered and how they have enriched your life.

Since a number of you have requested information about how to use a makeup sponge and all the different ways to use it, that’s exactly what today’s article and accompanying video are all about. And I think you’ll be a bit amazed by the variety of things we can do with a makeup sponge!

Why Use a Makeup Sponge?

Makeup sponges create the most skin-like finish since they push the product into the skin. This means that the makeup product doesn’t sit on top of the skin and appears more seamless and natural. Makeup sponges can also help “sheer out” a thicker or creamier product, and they can build up coverage.

What’s the Best Sponge to Use?

If we decide to use a makeup sponge, we need to select one that is appropriate for us. There are many different makeup sponges on the market since just about every makeup brand produces them – and they come in a wide array of sizes and shapes.

The larger size sponges are great for applying makeup to larger areas of the face. The smaller sponges are great for use on smaller areas such as under the eyes or where we apply highlighter, contour or bronzer.

Tip: If you don’t want to buy small sponges, you can simply take a paper-wrapped wire – like the ones you sometimes see around the end of bread wrappers – and tie off the end of a larger sponge.

Some people absolutely swear by the original Beauty Blender sponge. But there are certainly many other less expensive sponges on the market such as those from Real Techniques and Elf. If you can, it’s great to try both a Beauty Blender and a less expensive sponge so you can compare them to see which you prefer. Frankly, I think it really just boils down to personal preference.

How to Get the Best Results

To get the best results from makeup application with a sponge, there are two very important things we must do: first, it’s necessary to prepare the sponge for use in the right way; and second, we have to use a very specific application technique when we use a sponge.

Follow these three steps for best results:

1. It’s necessary to get the sponge thoroughly wet which will actually double its size.
2. thoroughly squeeze out the sponge
3. Take a dry paper towel and squeeze the sponge once again so it’s still very damp, but not too wet.

I’ll demonstrate this process in the video.

Best Application Technique

It’s very important to avoid rubbing the sponge across the face. What we want to do is to bounce it to create a uniform, seamless coverage without streaks and lines. And as we bounce the sponge, we’re just barely lifting it off the surface of the skin.

Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. Don’t forget to subscribe!

In the accompanying video, I’ll demonstrate using a makeup sponge to apply a surprising number of makeup products. During my makeup application process, I’ll also use a variety of makeup formulas – creams, liquids and gels – so you can see how the sponge works with all these different makeup formulas.

Face Primer and Foundation

Some people like to apply the product on the back of the hand, then absorb the product into the sponge and then apply. That’s certainly fine to do, but I prefer to dot the product on my face with my fingers and then use my sponge to blend it in. I feel this application technique doesn’t absorb and use up as much product.

Concealer and Powder

I use a smaller sponge to apply under eye concealer and face concealer. To do this, I first dot the product on and then blend it in using the sponge.

To set the concealer under my eyes, I’m going to dip the small end of a sponge into loose powder and then gently press it over the concealer which will help keep the concealer from creasing.

Contouring, Blush and Highlight

Because I don’t want to apply too much contour, I’m not going to apply the contour cream directly to my face from the applicator. Instead, I’m going to put some on the back of my hand and then use a small sponge – or the small end of a sponge – to pick it up and strategically place it under the cheekbones, on the bottom edge of the jawline and on the forehead.

Using a sponge to apply contour is a great way to keep the contour looking more natural and to avoid that dreaded look of two stripes down the sides of our face.

Because I want to apply only a small amount of blush – and then build it up if I need to – I’ll put blush on the back of my hand and then apply it with the rounded end of the sponge.

Since I’m using a highlighter which is pretty intense, I’ll also apply that on the back of my hand and then pick it up with the sponge.

Eyeshadow and Lipstick

These next two applications will most likely surprise you the most. Using the makeup sponge, I will apply eyeshadow and help blend out my lipstick. I’ll apply both liquid and powder eyeshadow using a small sponge. And it’s certainly also possible to use cream eyeshadow.

To help soften the look of my lipstick, I’m going to use the sponge to tap over it. Next, I’m going to take a couple of lip glosses and combine them on the back of my hand and then dot them on my lips using the sponge.

The Finishing Touch

No matter what makeup I use, or how I apply it, I always like to finish my makeup routine by going over my entire face with a damp sponge. And you really want to push the sponge into the skin so the layers of makeup blend together. This ensures a more seamless look.

Then, if I want to keep my makeup in place longer, I’ll spray some setting spray on my sponge and pat it over my face.

Although we usually can wait a week to clean our makeup brushes, it is important to clean a makeup sponge after each use since bacteria can easily build up in it. And, it’s also very important to let it air dry.

If you’re wondering what you can do with your old makeup sponges, Beauty Blender has come up with a few tips.

They can be used to apply self-tanner, bounce away deodorant or other stains on clothes, and buff out scuffs on shoes. They can also be used as a painting tool or – if sprayed with glass cleaner – they’re great to use to clean phones, tablets or computer screens.

But I must admit that my most favorite suggestion was to use them as cat toys!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you use a makeup sponge to apply any of your makeup? If so, what makeup do you prefer to apply using a sponge? Why do you feel a sponge works best to apply this makeup?

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

I know it’s fall when my typically oily skin starts to get dry patches and flake. Don’t get it twisted, there are so many things I love about the season, but the way it affects my skin is not one of them. Sometimes, even my most hydrating moisturizers seem to lose their appeal. I cover a bazillion different gels and creams as a shopping writer, but one, in particular, has caught my eye.

Youth To The People is a relatively fresh brand known for its vegan, superfood-packed formulas. I love its Superfood Cleanser, which is chock-full of kale, spinach and green tea. Who knew these green juice ingredients could also transform and nourish the skin? That’s just one of YTP’s innovative, fan-favorite formulas, but I’m here to introduce you to the Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream.

The product has a 4.7-star overall rating on the brand’s site, with over 700 perfect ratings. Shoppers are hooked on the moisturizer because of its plant extracts and peptide complex. These ingredients create a deeply hydrating cream that’s perfect for dry, reactive and sensitive skin.

The star of the show, an adaptogenic extract blend, targets dryness, irritation, redness and visible signs of aging. At the same time, peptides keep your skin barrier in check and rewind the clock on your complexion. It kind of sounds like the complete package, right? 

The face moisturizer gets the job done so well that one reviewer wrote, “This completely changed my skin. It’s sooooo soft and incredibly plump now!”

Say less—we’re on it and you should be, too. Shop the Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream from Youth To The People for all-around healthier skin.

RELATED: This $9 Firming Collagen Moisturizer Is So Effective, Shoppers Have Stopped Getting Botox—& We Can’t Believe It’s Still on Sale 

Photo: Youth To The People.

Winter is just around the corner and fall already has my skin feeling drier than usual, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. That way, you can grab your own jar of this moisturizer ASAP.

Squalane, jojoba and shea butter are the main ingredients that are responsible for delivering deep hydration. They achieve this without clogging pores, which is a major bonus. As for the adaptogenic blend, ashwagandha, Rhodiola and reishi team up to protect, minimize the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and hydrate. You’re probably used to seeing adaptogens on the ingredient lists for beverages that claim to calm your mind, but this formula proves that it has multiple uses and benefits. Adaptogens have actually been utilized in Eastern medicine and Ayurveda for thousands of years, per the brand.

Enough with ingredients, I’m going to turn it over to a few passionate shoppers who swear by the soothing face cream.

“Amazingly light and refreshing. I have dry skin and after I put this on it feels so satisfying… like my skin’s thirst for moisture has been quenched,” wrote one reviewer.

“This is an incredible product. Provides the right amount of moisture, and helps to make my skin appear smooth, as well as radiant. I feel that I am glowing when I put this on. I highly recommend trying this product,” another one raved. “I have sensitive skin, as well as allergies… and this is the best moisturizing product I have come by yet!”

“Never understood why my skin was always so angry and irritated, this changed everything! My skin is so calm and my redness is way down,” a third shopper wrote. 

The product boasts so many stellar reviews, I literally had a hard time choosing which ones to include in this story. That’s how coveted the moisturizer is! Shop Youth To The People’s Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream to avoid the dry patches and flakiness that usually crop up around this time of the year.

Whitney Rose’s Goodbye and Good Riddance Pajamas in Scottsdale

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 3 Episode 4 Fashion

While Whitney Rose may have said “Goodbye and Good Riddance” to her friendship with Heather Gay on last night’s episode of RHOSLC (especially when she ripped up the note ), she also said it with her cute brown pajamas. Which in our opinion was the perfect cozy set to wear while some Bad Weather was brewing (literally).

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to See Her Boys Lie Sweatshirt

Click Here to See Her Boys Lie Sweatpants

Originally posted at: Whitney Rose’s Goodbye and Good Riddance Pajamas

“I love coffee, I love tea. I love the boys, and the boys love me.”

I chanted that silly jump-rope jingle hundreds of times on the Oak Knoll Playground, certain that I’d never acquire a taste for either coffee or tea. Little did I know.

My earliest coffee memory was watching Dad pour his morning doze into a saucer, slurping it as he leaned over the sink to avoid spilling it down his white office shirt.

I remember my mother sitting at the kitchen table (yellow formica, as I recall), chatting over steaming cups of coffee with a friend. I remember, too, being told that coffee would stunt my growth. I was big for my age, so I snuck a taste hoping it would retard my vertical development – YUCK!

I swore I’d never drink it. That resolve was strengthened by Mr. Ryshavy’s rancid coffee breath in sixth grade. I worshiped the man, but his coffee breath would send me reeling to my seat. Yet another reason to avoid coffee.

A Need for the Caffeine Perk

I changed my mind. I had to. As a sophomore at university, my procrastination had gotten the best of me. So, at 10 p.m. one night, a research paper and a final exam necessitated a quick dose of caffeine.

I hated Coke and refused to take No-Doz (drugs!), so what was left? Coffee. Ralph & Jerry’s Grocery was open ‘til midnight, so I headed out to buy some instant Jo. With a half cup of sugar, it wasn’t too bad, and it did the trick. I was up all night.

I decided it might behoove me to acquire a taste for the stuff. For the next few years, I searched out all the coffee-flavored sweets I could find to acclimate myself to coffee’s bitter taste.

Coffee ice cream was pretty good, and Coffee Nips were delicious. By the time I graduated, I actually chose to drink coffee on occasion, with a mere teaspoon of sugar.

Well, my taste buds have been further transformed by egg coffee, trips to Starbucks, treks through Europe, and finally, my own French press pot. Love the stuff – the stronger the better.

Coffee Offers Health Benefits

Over the years, coffee has gotten a bad rap, but more recently, it’s actually been proven to have some health benefits.

According to Donald Hensrud, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic, coffee offers protection “against Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease, including liver cancer. Coffee also appears to improve cognitive function and decrease the risk of depression.”

Not only that, but consuming four to five cups of coffee a day has been shown to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to research by Dr. Chuanhai Cao at the University of South Florida.

Of course, drinking too much coffee can have health risks as well. As with most foods, moderation is the key.

Did You Know…?

• Brazil produces 40% of the world’s coffee, twice as much as second and third place Colombia and Vietnam.
• Coffee was discovered in Turkey around 800 A.D. and is currently the most widely consumed beverage in the world.
• In Turkey, the bride-to-be is expected to brew perfect Turkish coffee for her intended groom and his parents before they will approve the match, and then the husband promises to always keep the wife supplied with coffee beans. If he doesn’t, it’s grounds for divorce (pun intended).
• Beethoven was a coffee fanatic and counted out exactly 60 beans to brew each cup of coffee.
• The Americans, the French, and the Germans consume 65% of the world’s supply of coffee.
• Honoré de Balsac, a famous 19th century French writer, drank up to 40 cups of coffee a day.
• Coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the United States (Coke comes second).
• Coffee beans are actually berries, not beans.
• The human body can absorb up to about 300 milligrams of caffeine at a given time. Additional amounts are sluffed off, providing no further stimulation. The body dissipates 20% of the caffeine in the system each hour.
• Dark roasted coffees actually have less caffeine than medium roasts, because the longer beans are roasted, the more caffeine burns off in the process.

So, enjoy! And remember the Turkish proverb, “Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love.”

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How do you like your coffee? When did you start drinking it – do you remember how that happened? What are some memorable moments where coffee was involved? Please share your pleasant, coffee-scented stories below.