Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

Not quite art, but not exactly science, gardening seems to require a special knack, maybe even a "green gene." Don't have it? You can pretend! Just follow these easy tips from our experts, and your garden will be blooming - no green thumb required.

Follow these tips to get your garden blooming1. Clusters of pots
Novices do best when they have more control over their conditions. That's why clustering pots on the patio or porch is a good way to start gardening. Once a plant starts dying or wilting, you can easily water it, move it, re-plant it, or toss it altogether. Easy come, easy go.

"Start simple with a pot of your favorite colored flowers and another of your favorite herb," says Chris Lambton, a landscape designer and host of HGTV's Going Yard.

Two of Lambton's favorites include hardy lavender, which can be dried or clipped for its fragrant blooms, and rosemary, which he uses for cooking. During winter, he brings the pots inside his Cape Cod home, where the plants can beautify the interior year-round.

2. Choose plants with

Read More »from 9 Easy Ways to Fake a Green Thumb

Make-up tipsIf every morning seems like a Manic Monday, then you'll love these clever, minute-shaving beauty tips. Learn the secrets to spending less time getting gorgeous straight from pros!

1. Multi-task with blush
After sweeping blush on your cheeks, brush a tad into the creases of your eyes, says makeup artist Maggie Kerr. "A small bit of color harmonizes your overall look and wakes up your eyes as well." She recommends pinks and peaches, which gives nearly everyone a healthy appearance. Try Tarte's Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Glisten ($26, amazon.com).

2. Stock up on the proper tools
To add color around your eyes, consider using a fluffy ponytail brush like MAC #217 ($21, amazon.com). "Not only does it gently pop color into your crease, but it also blends your eye shadows to prevent raccoon eyes," says Kerr. She calls on this multi-tasking tool to buff out concealer under the eyes - that's three brushes for the price of one.

Related: Your Preventative Anti-Aging Guide

3. Use concealer

Read More »from 9 Ways to Cut Your Morning Beauty Routine in Half

Follow these ten do-it-yourself steps for the perfect manicure.1. Pick a pretty shape
The most flattering nail shape mimics that arc of your cuticle bed. it it's round or oval, don't make your nails square or pointed. It's different for feet: Keep toenails square or slightly rounded to prevent painful ingrowns.

2. File this way
Move smoothly in one direction. Sawing back and forth shreds the multiple layers of protein or keratin that make up the nail, leading to peeling and breakage.

3. Wipe nails clean
Mix two parts rubbing alcohol to one part water and swipe it on nails to prep for polish in lieu of polish remover. (Some remover formulas leave behind a residue that prevents polish from adhereing.)

Related: 5 Ways to Fight Fine Lines

4. Lay a good foundation
A base coat makes color go on more smoothly and last longer, and it helps prevent staining if you're using a dark shade. If your nails are weak or have ridges, opt for a base that doubles as a treatment, like Duri Rejuvacote ($10, Walmart), with strengthening gelatin andRead More »from 10 No-Fail Ways to Give Yourself a Perfect Manicure

Farmer's MarketIf you live in a place where winter still has a grip on the weather, then like me, you're probably SO ready for spring vegetables. But just because there are no local asparagus or strawberries in sight, that doesn't mean that the farmers markets are barren.

Although springtime is when things start to get exciting, many markets operate throughout the winter, with vendors bringing goods made from local produce and livestock, such as jams, ciders, sauces, cheeses, and meats. Otherwise they often sell crops that have been overwintered (meaning stored underground before harvesting), or in hoop houses (protective enclosures) or greenhouses.

Related: Refreshing Summer Drink Recipes

On recent visits to some of my nearby markets, there were plenty of wintry turnips, potatoes, celery roots (aka celeriac), apples, and mushrooms, but also spinach, arugula, sprouts of all kinds, and potted herbs. All looked incredibly enticing. The few true signs of spring were mostly found in the

Read More »from Early Spring Picks at Your Farmers Market

Freshen up your make up with bright colors this spring.Thanks to spring's kaleidoscope of colors, now is the perfect time to experiment with new hues. We'll show you how to embrace trendy shades without looking like you joined the circus.

Go with the glow
Start shedding ashy skin and aim for a dewy complexion. "Use a highlighter to reflect light and glisten cheekbones - it'll lift certain areas," says Sonia Kashuk, makeup artist and founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty. Try Tarte Maracuja Blush and Glow Brightening Luminizer and Cheek Tint in Candlelight ($32, tartecosmetics.com). For added radiance and a natural flush, swap out chalky powders for tints and creamier formulas.

Bear in mind that "glow" is not synonymous with "oil." Kashuk says if you're prone to shine, smear a light layer of mattifying primer, like the Smashbox Photo Matte Anti-Shine Primer ($25, smashbox.com), after you moisturize and before you apply foundation.

Related: Best New Makeup Finds Under $25

Think pink
Add a flush of color by brightening

Read More »from Freshen Up Your Makeup for Spring

Try these ten tips for 1. Post-it Notes: While these little guys are great for leaving yourself reminders, they're pretty wasteful. Even worse, they're rarely recycled (yes Post-its can be recycled!). By cutting your Post-it use by four packs a year, you can save almost a third of a pound of paper.

2. Drinking Straws: Plastic straws, though small, make trash that's completely unnecessary, and every ounce of trash created by a straw is entirely avoidable. By eliminating five straws a week you can keep more than one third of a pound of unwanted waste out of our landfills.

Related: 52 Easy Ways to Get Organized

3. Paper Mail: Though e-mail has rendered snail mail almost obsolete, a lot of companies still mail out paper bills and advertisements. Eliminate one piece of mail a week by either switching to online billpay or removing yourself from a mailing list or two and in one year reduce your paper use by 1.15 lbs.

4. Zippered Sandwich Bags: Packing a lunch today? Then chances are you used at least one

Read More »from 10 Little Ways to Go Green

How to care for your skin this springWinter has come and gone and, unfortunately, it left behind some chilling effects. With a forecast of brighter days ahead, it's time to make over your skin care regimen.

Related: 9 Skin-Care Mistakes

Step up sun protection
The number one anti-aging product that all dermatologists can agree on is sunscreen. For maximum protection, use a tablespoon of broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 for the face and a shot glass for the body. Pick a moisturizing sunscreen formulated with antioxidants to block UV rays and protect skin from free radical damage and environmental pollutants, says Howard Sobel, MD, founder of Skin & Spa in New York City. He's a fan of DDF Weightless Defense Oil-Free Hydrator SPF 45 ($37, amazon.com). Sensitive to chemical sunscreens? Use a physical blocker with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, such as SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense SPF 30 ($34, skinceuticals.com).

Skin cancer aside, sunscreen is also important for women who are prone to

Read More »from Revamp Your Skin Care Routine for Spring

Word lovers, check out these four apps for your phone or computer.1. Word A Day Pictures & Audio ($1.99). The title of this app tells its story. Every day, the app presents you with a new word. Most of the words are common-like mine today, "nirvana"-making the app perfect for refreshing you on words you've read dozens of times but whose definitions, for whatever reason are kind of hazy. A brightly colored cartoon gives life to each definition, a handy memento that's likely to give you an edge in remembering the word. For "nirvana," a beaming man is kicked back in a hammock suspended from the only two palm trees growing on a desert island, and you can almost hear the tunes playing from his bedside radio. On this app, you can take a quiz of past words of the day. Also, bookmark favorite words in an alphabetized list.

Related: Best Internet-Connected TVs

2. 7 Little Words (Free). If you're a fan of thinking word games like crosswords, Scrabble, and Scattergories, you'll love 7 Little Words. After playing a first game, you'll quickly play ten more. The

Read More »from Top 4 Apps for Word Lovers