Makeup brushes come in all sorts of materials, with the cheapest being made of sponge, plastic or synthetic hair. High quality natural brushes used by professional models and makeup artists are made of goat, badger, pony, sable or squirrel. Using high quality brushes is a big investment because one brush can put a pinch in your wallet so its a good practice to keep them clean.

Properly cleaning your makeup brushes will save you time, money and even your face! You’ll save time because clean brushes make application easier, so that loose powder goes where you want it instead of clinging to an oily brush. You’ll save money because they’ll last longer and you won’t have to replace them with new ones. You can also save your face from breakouts associated with bacteria and oil build up.

I typically wash all my brushes every two to three weeks. It takes just five minutes, a little sudsy water, and your makeup brushes will stay fresh and new for a lot longer.

1. Start by wetting the brush bristles thoroughly, then apply a small dab of shampoo or liquid soap directly to the bristles.
2. Swish the bristles around with a little water in your palm to work off any stubborn makeup residue.
3. Rinse the bristles thoroughly under lukewarm running water when your brush is free of debris.
4. Gently squeeze the excess water out and reshape the bristles to their normal shape before laying the brush on the towel in a flat position.

Always allow your brushes to air-dry. Drying your brushes with a blow dryer can damage the natural bristles and you’ll end up having to buy new brushes more frequently than if you were to lay them flat. A good practice is to clean your brushes at night so they are completely dry and ready to go in the morning. Be careful not to overwash your brushes, as this can make the bristles brittle and scratchy. And if a brush becomes stained or misshapen, throw it out and get a new one.

To read more about how to care for your makeup brushes, check out FreeBeautyTips.org.

Here’s a little inspiration if you’re in the mood for decorating your home. Photographer Douglas Friedman takes us inside some celebrity homes to show what’s behind the doors.

For more inspiration, visit Douglas Friedman’s website.

A couple of months ago, I wrote a piece about Apply For A New Job and it included a section about how to put together a winning resume. Your resume is your best weapon when you’re on the hunt for a new job and this document must emphasize the best of your experience, education and skills. Here are some glaring red flags to avoid when getting your curriculum vitae into fighting shape.

It’s Covered in Glitter — Literally.

Gaudy but yes, I’ve heard that it has been done and it will get thrown out. Even less extreme attempts like using image files, non-traditional symbols or fonts should be avoided. While it may be a nice break for a recruiter reading through hundreds of Times New Roman documents, you run the risk of the fonts or images not loading properly. So ditch the funky fonts because that busy recruiter isn’t going to contact you for a simplified copy.

There Are No Numbers

Don’t be vague on your resume. List your accomplishments with quantitative data to back it up. If you exceeded a goal, by how much did you exceed it? If you created and distributed company performance reports, how many did you do? Having numbers in your resume strengthens your accomplishments and paints a better picture of what you actually did.

It Includes the Words “Duties” or “Responsibilities”

When you’re writing your job description, focus on your accomplishments instead of what you had to do. Hence, change your tasks into achievements as an alternative to “duties” or “responsibilities.” For example, instead of being “responsible for the sales team,” consider “directed the sales team to beat their repeat client objective by 10%.” Remember the number thing!

It Lists an Unprofessional Email Address

In a world where email is free, and most of us have multiple addresses, make the effort to have a professional email address. Keep it simple, and using your name is best. Just make sure you leave the glitterdoll@hellokitty.com for personal use. Also, don’t use your current work email unless you’re self-employed.

It Includes a Picture

The ONLY time this is appropriate is if you are applying to be a model or an actor, and in both cases it’s preferred that you keep a separate portfolio. Including a self-portrait could exclude you for not being serious and may make you appear unprofessional. Let your skills and experience speak for you.

To read more about resume red flags, check out Yahoo! Finance.

There’s nothing like homegrown vegetables, and there’s no vegetable easier to grow than one that regenerates itself. Onions are one of the easiest and useful vegetable to grow. They provide flavor to many dishes, and can be used clean your grill and soothe bee stings! So there’s no reason not to have a full bed growing in your kitchen at all times.

All you need is an onion, a knife, a cutting board, and dirt. The process is extremely easy, and really just involves putting an old onion bottom in the ground and letting it regenerate its roots—after which you remove the old onion and let those roots grow.

For complete instructions on growing your own onions, check out Instructables.com.

Full credit goes to the image authors.