Tips, Tools, & Tinkering: 110 Years of <em>Popular Mechanics</em> DIY In one of our very first issues, back in 1902, we told the story of an Illinois schoolboy named Mark Richards, who built an automobile for himself. By saving money from his after-school job blacking stoves, Richards cobbled together enough parts to assemble a runabout that rolled on four skinny tires and was powered by a single-cylinder engine. "I had no knowledge of the principles and practice of gasoline engine construction," Richards said, "yet I not only managed to make it but to build the transmission mechanism, friction clutch, spark-timing mechanism, body running gear, etc., even doing the necessary blacksmithing... I stuck to the job and am gratified with the result." If Mark Richards were alive today, he would love the story of Bob Dullam, a sculptor in Kalamazoo, Mich., who received one of our 2009 Backyard Genius Awards for building a replica of the Tumbler Batmobile. To guide the masses, the early issues of Popular Mechanics were aimed at the initiated.
Homemade Beauty Recipes Looking to add a new addition to your beauty and skincare arsenal? Instead of heading out to the store or ordering a new product online, try whipping up one of these luxurious beauty treats. Body scrubs, face masks, bath salts, oils—these easy, surprisingly inexpensive, DIY beauty treatments are filled with nutrient-packed ingredients and are great alternatives to splurging on the expensive stuff. MORE: More DIY Beauty Recipes Coffee Body Scrub What it does:An instant pick-me-up that provides a jolt while softening and hydrating skin How to make it: Combine equal parts ground coffee and granulated sugar. Lavender Bath Salts What it does: Soothes tired muscles and minds How to make it: Mix together two cups of Epsom salt with one cup of sea salt in a bowl. MORE: Surprising Way to Soothe Sore Muscles Yogurt and Honey Face Mask What it does: Exfoliates and brightens complexion How to make it: Stir together equal parts honey and yogurt (one tablespoon each is enough for one mask). Rose Bath Oil
Creating a Basic Soap Recipe - Soap Making Recipe Basics - How to Make Homemade Natural Soap So you want to make some homemade soap? Just like consulting a cookbook, starting out by using a recipe from a book or website is great. It's good to learn the craft of soap making by using a tested recipe at first. But think of those recipes as just a starting point - because there's nothing quite like creating your own recipe from scratch. Whether it's because you only have certain oils on hand, or you're looking to create the perfect bar of soap, creating your own recipe allows you to control each and every ingredient. Though you can make soap using only one oil, the best soap recipes have a balance of oils. Each oil will contribute a different quality to the final bar of soap. A basic balanced recipe should have some of at least the first three oil categories - hard, lathering, and moisturizing. 30% tallow25% coconut oil45% olive oilThat would be a great, balanced basic bar of soap. (Note: I'm using percentages instead of measurements. My best advice is to not be afraid to experiment.
Beauty Babe On A Budget - I've Got Your Beauty Product Dupes Sorted | Gurlinterrupted So I was thinking about this on the weekend after a couple of friends kindly pointed out that I could potentially ‘end world hunger’ if all my makeup was converted into dollars’. Personally I think this is a slight exaggeration and I did try to justify my beauty addiction by stating that ‘not ALL my makeup products are high-end brands’. Yes, a lot of them are (slight MAC obsessed, I’ll admit), but I also have a tonne of makeup that isn’t ‘high-end’ and they’re great! I’m pretty sure any makeup artist will confirm that the day we’re told we’ve qualified, is the day we tend to go a little beauty-product-crazy, filling our makeup kits with every single item we were ever shown how to use (this is NOT good when you trained using MAC – cha ching!). I don’t even do makeup artistry as my chosen profession (no friends – your events do not qualify as my full-time job) and yet still I keep my kit jam-packed with all the latest beauty goodies and add to this kit almost weekly.
Products obsessions Beauty Bites post + photography + graphic design by Norah Curlee Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but let’s face it, in the mornings we’d rather spend what little time we have getting the perfect lash curl or tousled wave. Sorry beauties, but lack of time is no excuse to reach for Tony the Tiger or Toucan Sam…not when we have this super easy cereal swap that you can make in advance and crunch on all week! Tip: After mixing all your ingredients, spread on a baking sheet in an even layer before popping into an oven for maximum golden crunch! The main attraction of this breakfast bowl is the super grain: quinoa. We’d love you to test out this recipe to see if you love it as much as we do! It’s time to break out the cups, glasses, and tumblers because today we are juicing! This delicious four-some make a super tasty juice combo. BEETS: Beets are one the richest dietary sources of antioxidants which do wonders for skin and hair. What are your favorite juice cocktails? 1. 2. 3.
Skin, Makeup, Hair, Fashion 2 SKIN PERFECTION As amazing as Summer is, it can be pretty damaging to our skin, even if you wear SPF 50, sit under an umbrella with sunglasses and a hat on! Freckles multiply (welcome to my life!), sun spots get darker, melasma spreads and an accidental afternoon with no sun protection leaves you with a sunburn followed by peeling. PEEL & PLUMP: By now you know I’m a big proponent of exfoliating (revisit my Exfoliation 101 Tutorial if you missed it!). Related posts:
Face 2 8 DIY Beauty Tips to Try (+ How to Win a FREE Gift!) Posted November 6, 2012 | 53 Comments Hello, beautiful! Ever since I can remember, I (Emma here!) have been obsessed with beauty tips, tricks, and secrets. I’ve been known to concoct my own at-home beauty experiments trying out home remedies like honey, brown sugar, and coconut oil to get shiny hair and glowing skin. And, I’m always looking to try the next hot new mascara, eyeliner, or blush – or makeup tutorial to try. DIY Beauty Tips to Try 1. Three ingredients is all it takes to get glowing, winter-ready lips. 2. The always incredible Stephanie of Hair and Makeup By Steph shows 10 Ways to Dress Up a Ponytail with two of my favorites: the wrapped pony and the braided wrap-up. 3. Um, hello? 4. Bring the spa to your own home with these clever ideas by Lulu’s. 5. Revitalize your dry hair with a DIY banana hair moisturizer using a few easy-to-find ingredients. 6. 7. Pesky blackheads – who needs ‘em? 8. Sam from Real Techniques shares how to do your own Bridal Makeup in the video below.