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Three things are making me bonkers about basil this August. First, this recipe is simple but tasty. Secondly, the Cap'n Jazz reunion tour means I get to hear Basil's Kite live. And finally, there's Sponge Gel Basiliko ($65) — which translates to either "sweet basil gel" or "heavenly scented godsend for acne-prone skin." Maybe both. Sweet Basil Gel is an alternative to a traditional Read more
Putting oil on your skin might seem daft, but it is not always so. It all depends on what type of oil you choose and what kind of complexion you have. Dry skin? Oil can help perk up dehydrated complexions, especially after months of suffering in cold weather. And while it's wise to check for comedogenic ingredients in general, even acne-prone skin can benefit from certain oils. The Read more
These days, stylish, eco-friendly cleaning products like Method abound, and I've even armed you with recipes for healthy cleaning solutions. In our refrigerators, organic food is becoming commonplace. But, there's one thing in the kitchen that hasn't undergone some sort of eco-conscious evolution, and that's the sponge. So, I was delighted to try the Twist Euro Sponge #10 ($4), which is made from Read more
If you have a dishwasher, toss your dish-cleaning sponge into the dishwasher on the top rack once a week. It'll keep your sponge and the pots, pans, and dishes that you wash by hand so fresh and so clean. That way, you can reuse your sponges over and over rather than buying new ones when they get yucky. Your sponges may look clean when you rinse them, but only a run through the dishwasher will Read more
Since today is officially Ask a Stupid Question Day (thanks for the heads-up, YumSugar), I've got a potentially stupid question for you. Over here at CasaSugar HQ, we've been plagued with an offensively musty-smelling dish sponge for the past few days. I'd heard that microwaving the sponge would cut the odor, but it didn't seem to work. I'd rather not use bleach to fix this problem, and I'd Read more
The cheapskate in me has been inspired by an Ayurvedic spa treatment I recently had. Before beginning the massage, my esthetician used a stiff brush to briskly go over my dry skin. Not only did it exfoliate dead skin cells, it also increased circulation, and the herbal oil she used left me feeling luxuriously moisturized. I was so impressed by how good the dry skin brushing felt that I've pulled Read more
Remember when microwaves were first introduced and we spent hours blowing up marshmallows? Well, the news that microwaving sponges for two minutes kills bacteria created a similar such phenomenon. One important tidbit of info, though: the sponge must be wet when you put it in the microwave! Many news outlets received complaints when folks experimented at home with their microwaves and sponges. Read more
It is party season and did you know your kitchen sponge is the hostess of the most-est. Yep, the average kitchen sponge can play host to upwards of 7 billion bacteria. Yikes! Most of the bacteria comes from surprise - food left on dirty dishes, especially raw foods like meat, poultry and veggies. Sponges that were tested after 3 weeks of use were found to contain fecal bacteria. That's Read more
We're happy to present this story from our friends at Allure: I recently met with Roxanne Valinoti, an educator for CND, a professional nail product line, who showed me a cool trick for sponge-painted nails. This is definitely worth trying the next time the urge for DIY nail art strikes. (Or does that only happen to me?) You'll need a natural sea sponge from a craft store and five different Read more
If you've ever stood in the beauty aisle perplexed about whether to buy loose powder or pressed powder in a compact, this is the article for you. There really is a difference, but it's probably not what you'd expect. So to find out once and for all which one you should pick up, get the facts below. Read more
