Everyone knows that it's important to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun during the warm weather seasons. This is true for everyone and for all skin types. However, far fewer people actually know why it's necessary to protect your skin, and we'll consider some of those reasons during this discussion. The sun's ultraviolet radiation can cause damage to your skin even on cloudy days, and it can eventually lead to the formation of wrinkles, discoloration, and skin cancer. You should examine your skin periodically for any signs of new spots that appear, or for any changes that are identifiable on the surface of your skin. Here are some of the reasons why all this attention is necessary.
Read MoreMost people feel exhilarated when the snow melts and blossoms begin to emerge amid the exploding greenery of springtime. That makes springtime the perfect time of year to establish a new skin routine. You'll be able to have a fresh outlook on the entire coming year and to accomplish a bit of a personal makeover that will provide you with new confidence and renewed interest in your skincare routine.
Read MoreYou may have heard about using tea in your skincare regimen but do you know why? Tea has many benefits for the skin. It is very high in antioxidants which keep your skin looking young and beautiful, it reduces the appearance of puffy eyes and dark circles, AND it's anti-inflammatory making it a natural acne buster! These are just some of the benefits of using tea in your skincare.
Read MoreExfoliating may seem like an extra step in your skin care regimen, but is it a necessary one? YES, and I’ll tell you why you need to exfoliate your skin regularly. Well, I’ll tell you the top three reasons why you should exfoliate your skin on the regular.
Read MoreCharcoal has become popular on the beauty scene recently and some may wonder why… well, I wanted to point out a few of the reasons why I use charcoal and why you should too. The benefits of charcoal for beauty are many; however, there are four main reasons why I like to use it. Charcoal is great for detoxing the skin, clarifying the skin, exfoliating the skin, and soothing irritated skin.
Read MoreI don’t know about you but for me, my morning cup of joe is the most important part of my day! It just seems to give me the kick in the pants I need to get my day going. Well not only does it give you a nice energy boost when you drink it, but coffee also boasts some amazing benefits for your skin! Some of the skin benefits of coffee the reduction in the of cellulite, stretch marks, scars, psoriasis, acne, and dry skin.
Read MorePumpkin has long been a fall favorite for food and lattes; however it boasts some pretty powerful benefits for your skin! Now that's it's pumpkin season maybe you should consider adding pumpkin (or products containing pumpkin) to your skin care routine and experience for yourself the benefits of pumpkin for your skin.
Read MoreIf you couldn’t tell… I have curly hair. Like super curly hair. Like when curls were being divvied up and handed out to humanity I got extra servings. So if you have straight hair and really wanted curly hair… sorry, I’m pretty sure I got your serving of curls. JK… But seriously having curly hair has its downfalls. Like finding products that help tame frizz and fight tangles all while keeping your curls bouncy and free. Well here comes my all time favorite go-to brand for curly hair… DevaCurl! It was created for curly girls by a curly girl, who is also a stylist with her own method of cutting curly hair (more on that in a different post… maybe).
Read MoreMaintaining moisture is one of the biggest complaints I've heard when I ask about skin concerns. Well here are my best tips for keeping your skin moisturized, especially during the summer when it seems the heat can zap every bit of moisture from your body!
Read MoreAloe vera has been long recognized as a natural remedy for burns, especially sunburns—but it has many other beauty benefits. Aloe contains more than 200 biologically-active amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, all of which are clinically proven to improve your skin.
Read MoreCocoa butter is the fat extracted from cocoa beans. These are the same beans that chocolate comes from! Because of this, cocoa butter has some of the same antioxidant properties as pure chocolate and retains a slight chocolaty smell AND it is my FAVORITE beauty ingredient and I use it literally from head to toe!
Read MoreAlthough there are many more benefits of using shea butter these were my favorite. Shea butter has been used in beauty regimens for centuries. It is was even rumored to have been Cleopatra's beauty secret!
Read MoreThe green tea in this scrub helps prevent sun damage by quenching free radicals and preventing inflammation. The anti-inflammatory properties of green tea will help calm and soothe acne inflammation and other skin inflammatory conditions like eczema. Green tea also contains polyphenols that are known to slow down the development of some signs of premature aging. If you want this to be less of a scrub you can omit the sugar and decrease the oil to 4 tsp. I hope you enjoy this mask! Let me know when you try it and what you think.
Read MoreThe citrus in this mask is not only refreshing for the skin it also brightens the skin and helps fight acne. It gives your skin a powerful dose of vitamin C that boosts collagen production and increases skin elasticity. The citric acid not only exfoliates the skin it also shrinks and tightens pores, brightens dull skin, evens out skin discolorations, slows the appearance of fine lines and fights wrinkles, and speeds up the production of new cells. If you try this mask let me know what citrus juice you use and how you like it!
Read MoreThis is just a base recipe for a sugar scrub. You can customize the type of sugar and oil to suite your needs as well as the essential oil. I included my go-to recipe! The coconut oil helps fight acne and balance the skin as well as moisturize it, the white sugar provides gentle exfoliation without drying the skin, you can use salt or some combination of sugar and salt for added mineral benefits; however, the salt can also be drying. The lavender and frankincense essential oils not only make this scrub smell good they also help moisturize and soften the skin. You won't use this whole batch at once so you can store it in an airtight container for later use.
Read MoreThe almonds and almond oil help remove dead skin and buildup. They also help decrease the look of dark circles and hyperpigmentation. They have antioxidants that help protect the skin from the elements as well as omega-3 fatty acids that make the skin radiant. Almond oil is also very moisturizing. This is my go-to mask/scrub because it covers all of the "basis" for skin health. You can grind the almonds really fine to decrease the exfoliation or you can use a very corse grind to make this mask more of a scrub. When you try it let me know what you think!
Read MoreThis is one of my favorite face masks. The coarser ground coffee you use, the more like a scrub this will be. The coffee helps exfoliate the skin and reduce inflammation. The coffee promotes circulation that helps reduce dark eye circles. The cocoa has tons of antioxidants that will make your skin glow. The yogurt and honey help balance moisture and the almond oil helps brighten the skin. Here is the recipe, let me know what you think of this mask!
Read MoreYou may be surprised by how many items you have in your kitchen that can be used in your beauty routine. In fact, because food is held to higher standards than beauty products, using kitchen items may actually be better for you (especially if you have sensitive skin). If you are purchasing high (or even medium) quality food that is good for you, it's not just good for your insides, it's also good for your outsides!
Read MoreHenna is a plant that has been used for centuries by cultures in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia as both a hair dye and hair treatment. It is also used for temporary tattoos. Now many people use Henna (sometimes in combination with other plants) as an alternative to chemical hair dyes and as the main ingredient in the treatment of various hair problems such as dry, brittle, and/or weak hair, dull hair, and hair breakage and thinning.
Read MoreSo what's in my Body Butter?
Well... it is made from cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, shea oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, and scented with lavender and jasmine essential oils. All of these ingredients are used in a raw unrefined state. The process that I use to make the butter is gentle so that the nutrients of the ingredients are preserved.
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