How Often Should You Clean Your Makeup Brushes & Sponges:
Some experts say that you should deep clean your makeup tools at least twice a month depending on how often you do your makeup. We suggest once a week if you do your makeup daily especially, eye brushes! Spot cleaning is awesome for a quick cleaning but there is no replacement for a deep cleaning.
Sponges:
Bacteria can grow in improperly cleaned sponges causing bacteria to grow in them so, proper sponge cleaning is important. Some people like to soak their sponges for 24 hours to loosen up foundation etc. and then wash them, I personally do not soak my sponges just because I like immediate gratification. So I just get right into it. Below I list my instructions on how I found to effectively clean my sponges.
Tip:
It is very important to move the product from the inside out. You can clean the surface of the sponge and not remove all the product. If you cut your sponge in half your can see all the product and gunk that is left in the center of the sponge (gross). Leaving potential bacteria and other nasty contaminates in the sponge to grow and fester.
On part 2 we will talk more brush cleaning and care. Thank you for reading until the end and if you have any questions about brush or sponge cleaning feel free to shoot us a question on Instagram or Facebook :)
]]>No Preservatives! Sounds healthy, sounds like I am doing something great for myself and my family. But the truth is for some products to have longevity sometimes a preservative is necessary or you run the risk of all types of bacteria and gunk growing in your products. We try to keep as many products as we can preservative free/natural but, we do have a handful of products that are not. Products that contain water or water may be introduced to, we air on the side of caution and use a preservative to prevent mold, yeast and bacteria from growing in your products. You may not see anything growing in it, but before you see it physically it is festering invisibly behind the scenes and then it manifests visually!!! Disgusting right? LOL (We think so too)
A broad spectrum preservative prevents microbes from growing in water based products. We can make lotions & scrubs without a preservative but they would only last approximately week or so before it starts to get gross. Thus (I like that word lol), making the use of a preservative in certain products effective and necessary.
The only way to prevent mold and bacteria from growing in our water based products are to either not make certain products or to use a preservative. But we would rather be safe and not sorry because we all love the water based products. They are awesome :)
Products we make that contain preservatives are:
I hope that this provided better insight into our product making process and why choosing to use a preservative in a few products in our lineup was the right decision for us.
]]>This whole blog thing takes lots to get used too, years and years to be exact LOL. I still don't have it together!!! This is going to be a general update post. We are moving from our first location 658 rt 739 Hawley Pa to a new location. There are quite a few changes going on that we are super excited about and we will definitely keep you posted on.
Things are evolving as we are growing and making a bigger impact with our brand & products. I am so excited about the future and the years to come.
We have packed up the entire space and are embarking on a new future in a new location. We will show pictures of the new location on our social media when we have solidified everything. So please follow us on Instagram & Facebook for updates.
We will also be phasing some products to focus on our more popular products. Some products will be sold in store as opposed to the website. We are also working to shorten our process and shipment times as we know you guys are eager to receive your purchases sooner. Due to the nature of our products, everything being handmade from scratch it does take a bit more time to produce (drying and curing time) those are things that we do not have control over. So, we are making adjustments to have most products freshly made on hand at the beginning of the week instead of as orders they come in.
Thank you all so very much on riding out this journey with us. We look forward to more adventures in the future with you all. If there is anything that we can do to make your Bubble Babez Shopping Experience better please send us a note and let us know.
Love you Guys,
Nikkie
]]>I have been playing with the idea of making a Chakra Bath Bomb Set for quite some time. I planned on several launches over the past year. I had to connect with the idea-creativity, spirit and energy had to be right. I am very big on energy and timing. Initially, I planned a New Year's day launch. I feel people make resolutions for physical, financial and other change but they never seem to resolve to work on their spirit. Currently people are either well on their way to meet their New Year's resolution goal or detoured.
I have been researching and consulting with my mentor & sister for guidance. I am so excited to create this collection! You have a luxury bath bomb to bathe in, but you also have a purpose. To heal your Chakra's and create the year and life you want. I am not saying that a bath bomb will cure all your woes, but the intention and the energy will be shifting. You can give yourself permission to manifest the things you would like to accomplish this year (mind, body and soul).
My intention for this bath bomb set is to get your spirit aligned to operate everything you do with positivity and love. It will not all happen with a bath bomb, you WILL have to do the work to get there! I feel that our Chakra Bath Bombs can be the perfect ice breaker to get the ball rolling. Researching, meditating, affirming and connecting is part of the work.
Everyone does not work the same way and you will find what methods work best for you. When you discover your method, I advise to stay disciplined (my struggle zone) and you will start to feel better and lighter.
So please stay on the lookout for our new Chakra Bath Bomb Collection release on May 1. We will keep you updated as always on our social media with all the behind the scenes and sneak peak videos.
Lets get aligned with the universe and make things happen!!!
]]>Crafting is one of the things I love to do and inexpensive crafts are even better! So to do this project most of the items you will need came from Dollar Tree. I have taken it a little further and used my Silhouette machine to cut the eyes, ears and horn. You can find a unicorn clip art in the google search, copy it and then cut with scissors if you do not have a cutting machine, or you can free hand it. It is totally up to you! Ok so lets gather our items :)
Things you will need:
This craft is quick and easy! It can be used for any Unicorn decor for parties, events etc.
Here is the step by step video that I made to show you how I made these beautiful Unicorn Take Out Boxes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C1o27QhYac
]]>I think discipline is so easily ignored because as easy as it is to do it, it's just as easy not to do. You put it off, because you can and find that you put it off so long you never do what needs to be done. In business and life it is important for you to practice discipline. It keeps you on task and ensures that the work will get done. I thought it would be an important thing to blog about since I so often start to blog or vlog and then stop. I struggle with being disciplined. I know exactly how to get the job done but I still procrastinate with the task.
So I say that to say, I am working on being more disciplined in the writing of this blog as well as posting videos. Being consistent and diligent in the production of our company blog will help us to stay connected. A few tips that I have created for myself to maintain a regular schedule which may be helpful to someone else is:
As a small business owner I know how easy it is for tasks to fall through the cracks. So my challenge as of 3/18/2018 is to get more disciplined so that not as many things fall by the wayside.
Do you find that discipline is something you struggle with?
Nikkie
Follow us on Social Media to keep the conversation going.
https://www.instagram.com/bubblebabez/
]]>As the cooler months approach dry skin is a problem that most of us will experience. Our skin will be thirsty for moisture, during the cooler seasons it seems skin is drier. Eczema and Psoriasis currently seems to be a more common issue. When I started this business it was because my youngest son had Eczema. He had almost snakelike scaly patches on his side that nothing would get rid of. His skin seemed to devour the lighter lotions that would leave his skin dry. The heavier lotions were a bit better because they lasted a longer but, would still ultimately do the same thing. Both of those options had ingredients that I was not fond of such as chemicals, steroids and preservatives.
I began experimenting with products and ingredients to come up with a solution for his skin. The very first solution I came across a recipe for a lotion bar. The lotion bar helped tremendously! It is a heavier moisturizer that was like a protective layer to the skin, which reduces how many times he needed to use it. It seemed to lock in the moisture leaving his skin soft and supple. It was a simple remedy that was created without any chemicals or preservatives which also made me happy. It took a few weeks for the scaly patches to go away but eventually they did.
You Are What You Eat!
Products are beneficial to helping maintain the health of our skin, but not as beneficial as taking care of it from the inside. "Food provides essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients which the skin cells need to regenerate and grow," says Jeanette Jacknin, MD, holistic dermatologist and author of Smart Medicine For Your Skin.
That would include drinking plenty of water to keep your body and cells hydrated. Although fruits and veggies contain water there is no substitute for drinking water. Water is not a miracle for our skin. It does not go directly to our skin when consumed. It plays a vital role in digestion and absorption of nutrients. “It goes through the intestines, gets absorbed into your bloodstream, and is filtered by kidneys. Then it hydrates cells.” Katie Rodan, a dermatologist and a coauthor of Write Your Skin a Prescription for Change. Water flushes impurities and toxins out of the system which helps aid in reducing the breakouts and acne.
A diet rich with Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant rich can also help protect the skin outer lipid layers. The lipid layer helps keep moisture in and keep germs & irritants out.
There are plenty of other foods that help contribute to skin health such as orange and yellow fruit/veggies like sweet potatoes, carrots & papayas, Olive Oil a heart healthy powerhouse for the body, Cucumbers contain Vitamin A and C that helps soothe skin and fight damage.
Try to find more ways to add these foods to your diet to have glowing, hydrated skin that is healthy from the inside out.
]]>Properly taking care of your Brush Me Off Soap is very important for the longevity of this product. Leaving soap wet, sitting in a pool of water or leaving water in the container can cause soap to soften and allows bacteria to form. To take care of your Brush Me Off Soap you must allow it to completely dry on a wooden soap dish if it is a refill, then store in a container if you choose to. It is perfectly fine in the open air to dry until the next time you want to use it.
If your Brush Soap is in a container, after using soap you can pop it out and let it dry on a wooden soap dish, rinse container thoroughly, let dry then after soap has dried completely pop it back into container until next use.
You only need very little product for this soap to work, one or two swirls is sufficient to form a lather. This is another way to maintain the longevity of your Brush Soap. Some may over swirl their brushes in the soap using up more product than is needed.
Cleaning-While swirling brushes in sponges is a perfectly effective way to clean your tools you can also use household items with texture for stubborn stains. Such items are silicone mats, silicone pot holders, lego bricks, plastic scouring sponge etc., Get creative and look around your house for items that will help add the texture to cleanse brushes and sponges. Be careful not to destroy the flow of your brush hairs because you want them to lay in the proper shape without stray hairs. Below are a few non conventional options lol a scouring pad and lego baseplate.
Storing-Keep in a cool, dry area away from all moisture.
]]>I must admit that I am not a blogger!! While I do not loathe blogging, I am just lazy and undisciplined at doing so.
So what I have done is committed myself to blog on specific days of the week to get the ball rolling.
I will blog about our products, life, discipline, ingredients and whatever life throws at me. I want to thank you all for taking this journey with me. This is an area that I struggle with soooo please be patient with me. If you have any topics on anything you want me to blog about please feel free to let me know.
I love you guys and we are almost on year 7!!! Whattttttt??????!!!!!! LOL
Peace & Blessings,
Nikkie
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