DIY Beauty Fridays: Homemade Blackhead Treatment

 Blackheads are a nuisance, plain and simple.  I say nuisance because they aren't usually big and puffy like a blemish nor can they be removed without hurting/scarring the skin.  They're a nuisance because these little black marks can stay on your skin for weeks without ever doing anything EXCEPT annoy you. 

I'm lucky, I don't have too many of these little black dots on my skin because my nose has taken the brunt of it.  Honestly, it's covered in tons of little back dots.  I remember my sister always squeezing her blackheads out after she'd have a shower but her nose would be like Rudolph's at the end of it.  I prefer to use less torturous methods...

Homemade Blackhead Treatment



1 TBSP unflavored gelatin (you can find this in the baking section in any grocery store)
1 1/2 TBSP milk (Skim for me since it's all I have in the house)

Mix ingredients together in microwave-safe dish and heat in microwave for about 10 - 13 seconds.  Remove from microwave and stir with a (clean!) spoon.  Apply generously to problem areas avoiding the eye area at all costs.  Ensure your skin is clean prior to treatment.  Let sit and fully dry on skin for about 20 minutes (longer if necessary) and, once settled, peel the treatment off your skin.  The stuff clogging your pores should be stuck to the treatment film.  (it's like you've created your own personal Biore Pore Strips!!!)  After removing the treatment, rinse skin with cold water to close the pores.

**As pesky as blackheads are try not to pick, extract or squeeze any inflammed areas.  This will make the blackhead area worse AND can infect other "clean" areas of the skin.  Should your skin have inflammed blackheads, wait to use this treatment until after the swelling has gone down.**

Happy cleansing!!!

Sephora by OPI Urban Ballerina Collection

Is it the colors of this new launch by OPI that got me OR could it be the fantastic abstract ballerina sketch on the box??? Either way, in lust I am with this amazing new nail polish collection. Not only does this cute set have a fantastic nude and the perfect pale pink but it also gives you a rocker edge with the dark gray and metallic purple. These colors make the name, Urban Ballerina Collection, completely fitting.

The Sephora by OPI Urban Ballerina Collection includes four 0.125oz bottles of Leotard-Optional, The Way Tutu His Heart, Who's Spinning Tonight? and Break a Leg-Warmer! The set is a limited edition and definitely worth it's $18 (USD) price tag.

The rest of the Urban Collection includes:

Break a Leg-Warmer! - an opaque charcoal gray
Leotard-Optional - an opaque dark beige
Let's Plie - an opaque metallic light beige


Shinny Dancer - an opaque slate with glitter
The Way Tutu His Heart - an opaque light pink
Who's Spinning Tonight - an opaque metallic purple

These colors take me back to my days of being a ballet dancer. Though we were never allowed to actually wear nail polish in class, our leg-warmers, leotards, tights, pointe shoes and wrap sweaters were always various shades of pinks, grays and beige. Just looking at this collection, I can already pick out my new nail color staples for the coming year.

According to me, this collection is spot on. The only minor issue is that the mini set is not available currently in Canada. (I've been told that the release date will be this month sometime.) You can purchase the full size individual bottles currently at Sephora.