INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Pour the witch hazel into the jar or spray bottle, replace the cap, and shake the container to combine the ingredients. Witch hazel helps to cleanse your pores and balance the pH of your skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, so it may help to reduce any redness or puffiness in your face. You can purchase witch hazel in the first aid section of most drug and grocery stores. Keep in mind that some types of witch hazel contain alcohol, which can dry out your skin. Check the labels on any witch hazel you purchase to ensure that it's alcohol-free. Purchase lavender essential oil in a grocery store or online. Add the desired amount of drops to the container, but don't exceed 30 drops as too much of the oil can irritate your skin. Then, replace the lid and shake well. Lavender has a calming scent, so this might be a good option to make your facial cleansing routine more relaxing.

SUMMARY: Mix in 1UStbsp (15mL) of witch hazel for a stronger astringent. Mix in up to 30 drops of lavender oil for a relaxing scent.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Remember, it is not your job to find your friend a job. It is their responsibility and they should take initiative for themselves. Also, if your friend is the type of person who likes to do things for themselves, you may seem more overbearing than helpful. Sometimes people like to do things for themselves or some people don't like to say no but really want to. You know your friend the best and depending on their personality act accordingly. It is good that you want to help your friend find a job and your friend will more than likely be very appreciative of that. However, they may not want or need your help all the time. It is best to offer your assistance but be prepared for them to say "no". If they say "no" at any given time do not be offended. It is their job search and you should let them make their own decisions. Being supportive of a friend during their job search means encouraging them to stay on track by looking for the best jobs for their qualifications and not giving up. Job searches can take some time. Letting your friend vent about the process, providing your honest opinions and providing words of encouragement such as "don't give up, you have great qualifications" can do more than you think.

SUMMARY: Don't be too helpful. Understand that it is OK if they do not want your help all the time. Be supportive.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: While you had your new staff shadow seasoned employees earlier in the training process, now it is time to watch your employees to see how they've internalized all of the training they've gone through. Spend some time every day watching or overseeing different members of your staff. When doing this: Inform staff in advance that this might be done as part of a schedule or even randomly. Don't spend too much time. Fifteen minutes or less might suffice. Consider positioning yourself at a central location to watch or shadow your employees. To be less obvious, simply slow down your normal rounds of the restaurant. Walk slowly, greeting customers who are dining, and observing how your staff is interacting with each other and the customers. Mystery shoppers, diners, or customers are frequently used in the restaurant and retail industry as a way of collecting information about customer service and employee efficiency. In the restaurant industry, mystery diners are people who are employed to eat at a restaurant and evaluate the restaurants service, food quality, and overall experience without employees knowing that they are being evaluated. Mystery diners will give you important information about the efficacy of your training program and your restaurant's overall customer service. Hire a third party business that specializes in evaluating businesses like your own. They will send mystery diners and then provide you with detailed feedback. Have a friend or family member patronize your restaurant and evaluate it without your employees' knowledge. Use mystery diners on a regular but random basis so you can continually gather feedback about your training success and customer service. Performance reviews are an extremely important way of tracking an employee's progress toward becoming a valued member of your restaurant staff. When conducted by a manager or senior trainer or staff member, performance reviews can be used to evaluate everything from efficiency, attitude, customer service, and other strengths and weaknesses. Consider conducting performance reviews or evaluations every 6 months to a year on seasoned employees. Conduct performance reviews or evaluations on new staff members 1 to 3 months after they've completed training. Rotate the senior staff and managers who conduct performance reviews on any one individual. While observations are extremely important, keeping records of your observations will help you when it comes time to implement staff changes and new training approaches. As a result, always keep well-organized records of everything having to do with your employee observations. Consider: Logging tardiness and missed work. Creating a file for each staff member and filing all relevant information there. Take brief notes periodically about your employees' weaknesses and strengths. This might help when training comes around or when it's time to discuss performance reviews.

SUMMARY: Watch your employees. Use mystery diners. Conduct performance reviews. Keep records based on your observations.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Most grocery stores post the price per ounce (or kilogram) along with the total cost of a product. Compare the prices per ounce between 2 or 3 different brands to find which one offers a better deal. For example, say that 1 brand of peanut butter offers 20 oz for 8 an ounce, while another company offers 30 oz for 5 per ounce. While you'll be buying a larger amount of peanut butter, the second company offers a much better deal. If the price per ounce isn't listed, a pocket calculator can be handy. Just divide the total price by the number of ounces. Consider buying private-label or store brands. In many cases, these rival the quality of the better-known brands at a significantly lower cost. When your grocery store offers a great discount on an item that you like, take advantage of the sale and stock up! The item probably won't be on sale for very long, so you can save money by buying, say, 6 months' worth of ground beef at once. This is especially helpful for nonperishable items or for foods that can be frozen, including meats and veggies. Keep the stockpiled foods in the freezer until you need them to prevent them from spoiling. Stocking up on a food that you won't use defeats the purpose of this step. If you rarely eat artichokes but they're on sale 10 for $1, it's probably smart not to take advantage of that particular sale. For example, visit your grocery store early and shop for baked goods early in the day. That is when bakeries and grocery stores mark down their day-old items. Also try to shop for meat later in the day. That is when the meat department marks down items about to go past the "sell by" date. This meat is perfectly safe and can be frozen for later use. Your grocery store may have other recurring mark-downs that you can capitalize on. For example, some grocery stores slash their prices on Sunday evenings to prepare for new incoming inventory on Monday. Processed items may be convenientand make up a large part of many people's dietsbut they're usually more expensive and less nutritious. Instead of processed foods, look for whole grains and fresh produce that have more nutritional value. Also try cutting back on expensive meat and dairy products. Look for ways to get your protein from items like beans and nuts. For example, buy inexpensive but healthy foods that are easy to fix, such as oatmeal and legumes. Shop on the periphery of the store where fresh produce is located. Avoid the center aisles where processed and packaged food is found. Wholesale clubs usually sell in bulk at cheaper prices than their competitors. They're especially good for finding cheap packaged foods, and often also have affordable delis and bakeries. Try shopping for your processed and pre-packaged foods at a wholesale club. Also buy durable goods that you'll need in the future, such as bath tissues, grains, canned food and dried beans. Common wholesale clubs include BJ's, Costco and Sam's Club. These stores do charge an annual membership fee, but that's easily offset if you shop there even 12 times a month. If you buy mostly fresh produce and not much packaged food, wholesale clubs are probably not for you.

SUMMARY:
Compare prices between similar items to find the cheaper. Stock up on discounted foods that you know you'll use. Shop early and late in the day for specific discounts. Avoid buying unnecessary processed foods, meat, and dairy. Join a wholesale club to buy bulk food at discounted prices.