Making The Most of Spring

The first signs of spring are finally here! After a long winter, the first glimpses of sunshine and blue skies are a welcome break for the eyes and soul. Spring can be such a beautiful time of year, with new plants shooting up and fresh signs of new life.

Spring is a great time to get out and about, after being stuck indoors over the winter months. With the onset of warmer weather, we naturally enjoy spending more time outdoors enjoying the fresh spring air. It’s a great excuse to take the whole family out for a hearty walk somewhere scenic – through the woods, by the sea or your local park. Remember to throw a couple of disposable cameras into your bag to capture those memories!

On a rainy day, enjoy some family bonding time by creating a photo scrapbook – simply glue in your favorite photos from your days out together, adding a few mementos or funny quotes next to the pictures.

Family days out are certainly fun, but can often get messy – so always take plenty of baby wipes for those sticky fingers and post-mud fight moments. When it comes to wipes, you can never have too many – so it’s worth buying in bulk!

Remember to take care in the sun – people often rush out to take advantage of those first rays of sunshine, but it’s important to always wear sunscreen. Now that the weather is warming up, it’s a good opportunity to take the kids swimming. Little ones can wear Huggies Little Swimmers nappies, which are specially designed to be absorbent without swelling in the water. You don’t need to book formal lessons – young children can be introduced to swimming during fun play sessions at your local pool.

If you don’t enjoy being in water, use your imagination to put an outdoor twist on indoor activities. Try eating breakfast in the garden, enjoying the morning sunshine as you sip your coffee.  Let the children get messy by drawing with colored chalks or paints on your drive.

There is no better time of year for a big spring clean at home! Are your cupboards and bedrooms full of clutter and unwanted junk that has accumulated over the years? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! It can seem like a daunting task, but once you start you will probably find it’s not as bad as you think. Making a start is the hardest step – even if you just clear one room, you will feel so much better! Clear out those dusty shelves with Lysol disinfectant spray, which destroys 99.9% of germs on household surfaces.

Cold weather makes us crave stodgy, carb-filled food – so spring is a good time to enjoy some lighter meals.  Experiment with some delicious salads using olive oil and balsamic vinegar for added flavor. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with midweek meals, so try introducing your family to new flavors and cuisines – you never know, you could hit on a new family favorite!

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Have fun this Easter!

Isn’t 2013 flying by quickly? It seems like only moments ago that we were celebrating Christmas and now Easter is just around the corner! The lovely thing about Easter is that it brings together the whole family – whether you are religious or not, it can still be a time for fun and celebration. This year Easter falls on March 31^st so there is still time to plan some fun family activities!

Easter just wouldn’t be Easter without a traditional egg hunt – such a simple pleasure that has timeless appeal. Hide a bunch of chocolate eggs in the garden and your children (or grand-children) will love tracking them down! It’s a great way to enjoy some fresh air and exercise – not to mention a way to bring out a healthy sense of competition! A classic egg and spoon race is another brilliant way to have fun outdoors.

You can have fun creating personalized egg baskets to make your egg hunt extra special. Just get some inexpensive plain baskets and let your children’s creativity run wild by embellishing them with felt shapes, sequins, pompoms or whatever they love!

Forget store-bought Easter cards, it’s so much more fun to make your own! Buy some pastel-colored card and get the children to invite their friends over for a creative crafty session. All you need is some crayons, paper scraps, glitter, washable school glue and whatever odds and ends you can find! Try making flowers with pipe cleaners and tissue paper, or cute chicks with stick-on googly eyes. The result will be something truly unique and special!

Egg painting is another great way to enjoy some Easter craft fun. Use kids paint and paintbrushes to decorate eggs that are hard-boiled or blown – there are lots of video tutorials online with tips and ideas. Get everyone involved and award prizes to the most inventive designs!

Easter is a time of feasting, so be sure to have plenty of indigestion tablets ready for those bloated tummies. Your local stores might be closed over Easter weekend, so make sure you’re all stocked up on things like diapers and baby wipes – things you definitely do not want to run out of over Easter!

After all that chocolate it’s extra important to make sure your teeth don’t suffer – give them a thorough clean with an OralB Pulsar Pro-Health Adult Toothbrush.  Encourage little ones to join in by treating them to a cool Power Puff Girls toothbrush to make brushing extra fun!

Enjoy the Easter sunshine by taking little ones into the garden for a teddy bear’s picnic – throw a blanket on the grass and enjoy some yummy treats from paper plates and plastic food containers. Easter chocolate cornflake nests are simple to make and taste delicious – there are lots of easy recipe ideas online. You could also bake cookies shaped like bunnies and chicks and have fun decorating them with colored icing. Children will love the novelty of eating outdoors with their VIP teddy guests!

Spring Clean Your Life

The practice of ‘spring cleaning’ your home can be traced back to ancient times, when everything in the house would be cleaned before religious occasions. After the long winter, the spring weather would allow doors and windows to be opened to let fresh air in without freezing its inhabitants!

Thankfully, modern cleaning products and household gadgets mean that we can maintain clean, tidy homes all year round. However, it’s still a great idea to give your house a thorough top-to-toe blitz once a year – and spring is the perfect opportunity!

Throughout life, we naturally accumulate all sorts of possessions that end up being shoved into cupboards, never to see the light of day again. All those unwanted Christmas gifts and clothes that no longer fit us, along with sentimental items that we feel obliged to keep forever.  Although it’s nice to keep memories, sometimes it’s time to face reality and admit that it’s time to let go. After all, will you ever wear that mini-dress again? Would you re-read all those old novels? If you haven’t used it in years, it’s unlikely you ever will!

Clearing out your cupboards can be immensely therapeutic – once you start, you might find you can’t stop! Sell all those unwanted items on eBay and you’ll be surprised how much money you can make from items lying around in your loft or garage.

Spring cleaning is not just about creating space – it’s important to regularly give your house a deep clean to remove accumulated dirt and germs. Freshen up your carpets with Spot Shot carpet cleaner to give your floors a face lift.

Make over your bathroom with Tilex spray to remove unsightly mold. Disinfect dingy toilets with Clorox toilet bowl cleaner and clog removing gel. A cleaner, fresher bathroom will instantly lift your spirits and encourage you to continue your spring cleaning throughout the rest of your home. While you’re in a cleaning mood, give your car the once-over with Armor All protectant.

Stock up on detergent and make the most of the dry weather by washing those cushion covers and curtains. These can accumulate dust but are often difficult to wash and dry during the winter. Choose a dry, windy day and hang your washing outdoors for a lovely fresh finish.

Spring is also a good time to fix those pesky jobs around the house. With a Helping Hand screwdriver you can cross all those little jobs off your to-do list.

Once you have finished scrubbing and polishing your house to perfection, ensure it stays smelling fresh with Febreze scented oil refills that alternate fragrances throughout the day, so you won’t get used to the same perfume. Keeping a fragrant atmosphere is especially important if you have dogs – visiting guests will love to be welcomed into a home that smells clean and fresh.

There are many benefits to eating in season and with Spring coming on strong, now is the best time to do so!  Below are a 5 reasons why it benefits your body as well as your pocket, to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season.

1. In season food contains more nutrients, more flavor and typically has less genetic modification.  When fruits and veggies are in season, they are at their best!
2. Eating local and in season reduces the distance your food has to travel, making it more sustainable.
3. Eating what is in season and available means you are more likely to eat a variety of foods throughout the year. Interestingly enough, winter produce tends to have a higher caloric content.  In colder climates the body has to work harder to keep warm and mother-nature created foods to supply the body with enough energy.  So if you want to be beach ready for summer, stick to the summer fruits and vegetables!
4. Buying local and in season is typically lower in cost as the cost of shipping is eliminated.  Click HERE for a list of the cheapest fruits and vegetables month-by-month.
5. The feel good part about eating is season is that while you are choosing to eat healthier and more affordable foods, you are also supporting local farmers and families.  When your money goes back into the community it greatly boosts your local economy; businesses flourish, housing values increase, and more money is available for schools, roads and the community in general.

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WHAT TO STOCK UP ON FOR SPRING CLEANING AND WARMER WEATHER?

Clean your bathroom with Tilex Mold and Mildew

Clean your floors with Lysol Wet Cloths

Clean your clothes with Tide Plus Bleach

Clear your allergy symptoms with Claritin

Get ready to BBQ with Feugo Portable Gas Grill

Not only bright eyes are making a splash this Spring season. Bright lips are going to be huge as well. Both are bold looks and take some practice to get just right. Here are some tips to get you started on this Spring fashion trend.

As always, make sure to choose a color that works with your skin tone! This is always the most important thing when choosing colors for any beauty product. 29 Secrets has a full guide for how to choose the right color for your skin in this Spring makeup trend.

There’s no need to break the bank with this chic trend. Rocaille-Writes has a fabulous post about some of the less expensive options for bright lips. My personal favorite from the list is the Wet’n'Wild Silk Finish lipstick in ‘Hot Paris Pink’. This offers a nice medium between red and hot pink, while still being bold.

To really play up this look try going with a nude palette. This will make your lips pop out even more and give them a “neon” appearance. For a guide on how to pull off the nude accent of this 2011 Spring trend check out Spa Week.

What other Spring beauty trends should I cover? Would you wear the bright lips look? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

~ Claire

(Image courtesy of Glitter Geek)

Stock N’ Go is a leading supplier of health and beauty products with the lowest prices on the web.

It looks like the Sun is finally starting to peek out more and more lately. This reminded me of one of my favorite 2011 Spring trends: bright eyes. This look has been seen all over red carpets and fashion shows lately and now it’s time for you to try it out!

Many fashion shows have been doing a simple swoosh of color over the eye. This is a very bold approach, but done the correct way looks beautiful. Allure has a guide on the runway worthy part of this spring fashion trend.

For a less bold feel that is still flashy it’s important to keep things sheer. Beauty Banter explains this Spring makeup trend by saying, “Blending sheer color along the lash line can add a great pop of color without going over the top.  And be sure to skip the shimmer – brights look most chic in a matte color.”

Often times yellows and pinks are looked at as unflattering by women. This is probably just a misunderstanding of how to use the colors correctly. Don’t let this get you down as these colors are essential to the season! Fashion Etc recommends using pinks and yellows to the fullest this Spring to pull off super bright eyes.

What are your favorite Spring beauty trends? Would you be willing to try out the bright eyes look? Let me know below by leaving a comment below!

~ Claire

(Image courtesy of Allure)

Stock N’ Go is a leading supplier of health and beauty products with the lowest prices on the web.

Spring is now in full swing. As we get farther into Spring and eventually Summer the sun is stronger and effects our skin in many ways. Sun protection is an important part of the Spring/Summer seasons. Obviously, it’s important to wear sunscreen. There are lots of other things that help as well. Woman’s Day has put together 10 surprising facts about sun protection that will make you turn your head.

1. Your washing machine can help protect your skin. The latest trend in sunscreen isn’t something you rub into your skin; rather, it’s something you throw in with the laundry. While clothing does provide a barrier between the sun’s harmful rays and your skin, many fabrics pack a pretty puny punch. Take lightweight cotton, for instance. Don’t count on getting more than SPF 5 protection. However, a new product called SunGuard, endorsed by the Skin Cancer Foundation, can simply be added to your washing machine load along with detergent to add an extra level of sun protection to your clothes. After your favorite T-shirts and pants are washed and dried, the protective coating is said to block more than 96 percent of the sun’s rays from permeating the fabric. Best part? The product is very affordable. One package, just $1.99, gives a load of laundry protection for up to 20 washings. That’s an entire summer’s worth of tees!

2. Drinking fruity, alcoholic beverages means you need to reapply sunscreen more frequently. Do you love to lounge at the beach drinking a piña colada or margarita? That umbrella cocktail in your hand may be weakening your sunscreen’s effect, says New York–based skincare and beauty product expert Risi-Leanne Baranja, who cites the research of dermatologist Frederic Brandt, MD. “He explained that if you’re drinking a significant amount of sugar or alcohol, you are causing inflammation in your skin and you will release more free radicals,” she says. “Then the sunlight suppresses your immune system. Therefore, it’s important to add more sunscreen in these situations to combat it.”

3. Chocolate may protect your skin from the sun. No, don’t ditch your sunscreen in favor of a chocolate bar, but researchers say there may be something to our favorite treat’s sun-protecting effects. According to a recent study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, antioxidant-rich dark chocolate may increase your own UV protection. The researchers suggest eating little bits of chocolate—preferably dark chocolate, with 70 percent cacao content or higher—throughout the day to increase your body’s natural sun protection. Hey, we’re not arguing with that!

4. You’re probably not using enough sunscreen. Think about how much you squirt on your hand when applying it in the morning. A dime-size amount? A quarter-size? Both are far from enough, says New York–based celebrity makeup artist and skincare expert Mickey Williams. “Sunscreen should be applied liberally. Most people apply only 25 to 50 percent of the recommended amount of sunscreen. About one ounce of sunscreen, enough to fill a shot glass, is considered to be the amount needed to cover the exposed areas of the body properly.” If your face is the only real exposed area of your body, especially during the winter months, follow this advice from Dr. Brandt: “To ensure adequate coverage, apply a teaspoon of sunscreen—at least SPF 30—for your face and neck alone,” he says.

5. There’s no such thing as “waterproof” sunscreen. Many people think that if their sunscreen is water-resistant, they’re good to go all day at the beach. Not so, says Williams. “The general rule of thumb for sunscreen application is to reapply every two hours throughout sun exposure,” she says. But if you’re in the water, reduce that time frame to every 40 minutes. According to FDA guidelines, explains Williams, bottles marked as “water-resistant” last just 40 minutes during water immersion. Those labeled “very water-resistant” may last as long as 80 minutes before reapplication is needed. But beware of products that claim to provide “all day” protection or are labeled “waterproof,” as these are misleading statements and are not supported by the FDA.

6. You can avoid burns by wearing a UV-monitoring wristband. According to David Bank, MD, president of the New York State Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, it’s easy to assume that once you’ve put on sunscreen for the day, you don’t need to reapply. Instead of wondering if you’re getting too much sun or pressing your finger against your skin to gauge it (which doesn’t really work), consider using a smarter method promoted by dermatologists: UV-monitoring wristbands. “These tell you when you should reapply sunscreen based on how much sun exposure you are getting,” explains Dr. Bank. ”The wristbands provide you with a simple sun-sensitive gauge that alerts you through color change when you need to reapply sunscreen and when to get out of the sun and its potential damaging effects.” You can find these types of bands at your dermatologist’s office or purchase them online.

7. Sunscreen is controversial. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults, and according to statistics, skin cancer is on the rise. So why would there be any question as to whether sunscreen is vital and necessary? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released a report linking certain ingredients in sunscreen with an increased cancer risk. Scary? Yes, but Marta Rendon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in private practice in Boca Raton, Florida, says not to toss your sunscreen just yet. “Every year around this time, EWG releases a report about sunscreens, which winds up confusing and panicking our patients,” says Dr. Rendon. “The study that EWG cites was supposedly done by the FDA a decade ago and, in essence, says that vitamin A might have sped up the incidence of cancerous cells in sun-exposed lab animals. However, numerous studies since then have shown the benefits of vitamin A in reversing the effects of sun damage.” While she does acknowledge that there needs to be further study on the matter, “everyone should continue taking proper measures to protect his or her skin against sun damage. That includes using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that includes both UVA and UVB protection.”

8. Apply sunscreen everywhere—melanoma likes to crop up in strange places. “One of the most common places melanoma has been detected is between the toes, an area most women neglect,” says Brian Bonanni, MD, a dermatologist practicing at the New York City spa Gotham Skincare. “Sunscreen should be applied to scalp, ears, hands and feet.” And don’t forget your lips, too. “A physical sunblock with micronized zinc and titanium should also always be applied to the lips. There are now formulas that do not leave white residue on the lips, which women are more likely to use.”

9. You should never leave your sunscreen in a hot car. We’ve all done it—left our sunscreen in a bag inside a car on a hot summer day. But this may weaken its potency, says Dr. Bank. Instead, treat your sunscreen like you would prescription medication and keep it away from extreme heat. “Most preservatives in sunscreens are designed and tested in a range of temperatures close to room temperature,” he explains. “If you leave it in a hot car, there is a reasonable chance that the preservative and active ingredients may to some degree degrade so it won’t be as effective.”

10. Sunscreen can’t protect one vital area of the body, so take extra precaution. The one place that’s visible to the sun’s pelting rays yet can’t be protected by sunscreen? That’s right—your eyes. According to reports, 5 to 10 percent of all skin cancers appear on the eyelids. While you can apply sunscreen to your lids, it’s your eyes that sunglasses can really protect. The sun’s rays may play a role in eye degeneration and the development of cataracts. A pair of shades can go a long way in protecting your peepers. The American National Standards Institute requires that all shades (even the cheap drugstore varieties!) provide at least 95 percent UVB protection and 60 percent UVA protection.

Applying sunscreen isn’t always the most simple thing ever. There are a lot of areas to hit. Check out this check list from Glamour to make sure you don;t miss any important spots.

For your sunscreen, health and beauty products make sure to head over to Stock N’ Go. Leave a comment if you have any more sun protection tips!

(Image courtesy of Medtips)