Enter in the “No-Rinse Shampoo/Conditioner Cap”. No, it’s not a shower cap, it’s a shower cap that has a special chemical inside that after 20 seconds in the microwave (or room temperature), you place it on your head, massage your hair for 1-3 minutes depending on length and voila- CLEAN. No rinsing required.

I was both skeptical and impressed so I bought one for $4.99 (I searched it online and found it cheaper). My hair is relatively thick, medium long and colored. If it could pass the test on me, it was a winner.

• Seriously, think of all the possibilities should it work:
  Camping/hiking
• Long trips on planes, trains, cars, space shuttles, buggies, boats, being locked in a trunk…
• Late nights out and you don’t have time for a shower in the morning (pop on the cap and presto- clean hair… just pull it back in a ponytail or use a dab of gel).
• If someone uses the excuse “Sorry, I have to wash my hair…” just toss them a cap and say, “I’ll pick you up at 8!”
• Power outage
• Bed ridden due to illness/broken leg/awesome new video game
• A zombie uprising
• You plan on visiting Chicken, Alaska

The results are in. My picky hair that also has my scalp itchy from most products actually has me feeling refreshed. It seems clean, conditioned and light and I found no hair dye in the cap (which is a good thing!)

Combine this with the No-Rinse Bath Cloths and you can face the apocalypse feeling fresh!

How do I do it? I don’t exercise, I don’t eat very well, and I’m probably a heart attack waiting to happen but I don’t *look* like it.

Step 1- the basics

• Soap is bad. I rinse my face with water and wash my body with Dove and only Dove (it’s not a soap, it’a “beauty bar”) Actually, I have eczema and my routine keeps my skin in perfect condition. If I stray, I suffer.
• Eucerin lotion is a God send. I slather it on my face nightly and twice a month I switch to vaseline.
• I massage my face help reduce stress and assist in circulation.

Step 2- the assists

• No matter how stressful life is, and believe me, as a single one income working mother who is a walking accident waiting to happen/clutz/mad scientist type who has shocked myself continuously, created experimental house hold and facial cleansers that had vapors swell my eyelids shut (or knocked me out)/I’ve had a battery charger, vacuum cleaner and musical birthday candle all blow up on me in the past year, takes care of a handsome special needs child alone, two cats, a fish I keep forgetting to feed… *be right back, must feed fish* – anyway… although my blogging might be a little off at times… I write and breathe. I am the Buddha. I allow myself to write out my fears to myself or to a friend… I breathe, realize it can’t kill me (well the explosions and experiments could have…) but if it *does*, so what, I’m dead.
• I’m a diplomatic personality/peace keeper. Perhaps that helps?
• I play tons of video games. You can’t age if you’re attached to a console. It’s a known scientific fact. Look at all the people who have died of old age so far… they didn’t play video games from youth to adulthood and now they’re dead.
• I don’t curse. Oddly enough- I don’t. I don’t even flip someone the bird unless it’s my once a year outing where after I’ve vowed, “Only wine”- I get tricked into taking shots, (typically it’s me talking up a storm and I get tapped on the shoulder “SHOT SHOT SHOT” so in mid-sentence I turn around, “OKAY!!!”) and then I wind up flipping the shot giver the bird because I’m realizing I can’t sit up in my chair and I’ll have to come back for my car in the morning.
• Suck the gravity out of your living room space if you can. If you can’t… sleep upside down. Your wrinkles will form the wrong way, and when you stand up- your wrinkles will be so confused that they don’t know what to do! (kidding)

Actually my reason for the post is that I had come across an anti-aging geek site and I was thinking… “Hey… I age slowly and I’m a geek!!” unfortunately I didn’t see any females there so I didn’t contribute. It was a combination of that and wanting to stress that money can be spent on better things than appearance. Basically, you can look good for CHEAP and yet look like you’ve spent a bundle on physical upkeep.

Basically you have to trust your instincts. Think of your skin with a scientific mind and treat it as such. There’s nothing wrong with aging or looking your age, but the way I look at it- “The life expectancy age is upping, I don’t want to spend 30 years looking my physical prime and then 60 years looking like I’m decaying.” Unless I’m in a horrible accident I don’t believe in plastic surgery. I will NOT pay more than 15 dollars for any “beauty” product (I prefer under ten, but it depends on the brand and what it is). I’m a single mother- I’m frugal. Plus I’m a geek- You have to prioritize- gadgets or games over gloss.

Speaking of gloss- I’m a Bonne Bell girl (and I’m trying to turn AG’s daughter into one also ). Trust me, it’s not because it’s cheap- but it lasts, smells good, tastes good and isn’t goopy. I’m talking about the LipLites- not Smackers. The men will not care about this… except trust me, it makes for even more addictive kissing.

So there you have it. Simple tricks and tips for skin care. In time I’ll share my tips and tricks for blemishes, keeping in shape, cutting and coloring your own hair (I’ve only had it done professionally during the summer I did runway modeling- but at the same time I was in treatment for eating disorders- I had opted to give up the 19″ waist for… ummm… living healthy) AND make up tips and tricks for those who wear it.

More to come *if* anyone is interested. Feel free to contribute your own tips and tricks (to the appropriate category- today’s is “skin care”)