Which Door will you Choose?

For any women who still doesn't see the beauty in their own individuality and skin this is for you. For that women who doubts her beauty just as she is this is for her and for the mom who is projecting her lack of self esteem on her own children / daughter this is for you.

I get that we can have a day where we just feel like crap. Your hair is just not cooperating, you feel bloated, you don't like anything in your closet and in my case today you may have a blemish or two. I have been getting a few breakouts recently in my jawline / chin area and from what I read it's related to hormones so I have to do better with my food choices and tweak my workout routine for sure. All this being said I have never looked at myself or thought of myself as anything less than beautiful on a great day and cute or pretty on a regular day.

That confidence comes from me working with what I have. I have great teeth so I smile a lot but when I frown I look old like my grandma. I have expressive eyes so I try to always make eye contact but my nose to some may be a bit big. My hair is thick and curly a lot to manage especially when I was a kid but now I appreciate it and as a treat invest a few hours at the Salon under the dryer. I dislike makeup I don't want to waste my time but mascara and something on my lips once in a blue is fine. The point I am making is....I focus on the up side.

illustration by express.co.uk

Dove lately has come up with some great campaigns focusing on accepting yourself just for you and taking care of the skin we are in. So when I first heard about the "door" campaign I was excited to see what it was about. When I saw it I had tears in my eyes.
I watched it in my office and had to quickly grab a tissue in case someone came past my door.

To see some women and young ladies struggle with which door to choose was sad.

I want to say this to you...stop looking at someone else to reflect Your beauty. They are not you, you are unique you are one. If you don't love what you see, if you don't love you no one else will either.
Don't confuse making a simple style change which is perfectly normal to trying to look like someone else by any means necessary which is not normal. There is only one Angelina Jolie only one Faith Hill only one Kerry Washington only one Beyoncé only one Jennifer Lopez...ONE.

You don't like the little belly your wonderful child gifted you? Then go on You Tube find a five minute video to help you out. You don't like the marks your little sunshine left behind? Get some darn Coconut oil and rub them every night to lighten them. I side lighten I didn't say disappear. You don't like the wrinkles in your forehead? Stop frowning smile more and be grateful for the parentheses around your mouth I am! But all these things still shouldn't stop you from choosing the amazing "Beautiful" door.

illustration by mirror.co.uk

Today is the day you begin to embrace yourself! The day you say "so and so" your a real bad ass! The day you look in the mirror and smile at that women you see in front of you. The day you say "F" the magazines, the commercials, your neighbor and those in society who say you could look better if only blah blah blah.

Check out the link I included, tell me what you think. Ask yourself "what door would you like your daughter to choose?" How would you feel if she thought she was just Average?
dove.us

Always stress free xo.

Did you hear? Big Pouty Lips are In!

My loves hope you are having a wonderful day today. I see so many getting ready for Memorial Day weekend, I know I am looking forward to my week off after yippy!
I promise not to drag on this subject I know its practically old news being we live in such a fast paced society and she finally confessed. I just really want to share my thoughts and perspective.

illustration by counterculturebeauty.com

From my window, my view, my life I have always been around women with fantastic lips. Again, it isn't until someone else finds what is normal to you so revolutionary that you stop and pay it some attention. I realize now that to be fare I have to be open to keeping focus on years and years of being taught through magazines, bill boards, television etc...what is Beautiful.

Here I am again addressing another body part Lips. Both genders have them but the sexualization attached when it comes to women has reached a new peak. By now many of us have seen, read, heard about this Kylie Jenner Lip challenge, usatoday.com , foxnews.com. The use of shot glasses and other tools to plump up our lips in hopes to make them fuller and more sexy.

illustration by pinterest.com

This is how far back I recall coming across anything related to this, when I first laid eyes on Mick Jagger. This was a man with huge lips but did it really phase me? no. It only opened my eyes because he was a man. I wasn't something I deemed news worth. Then came Angelina Jolie and seems the world went crazy and here today we have Kylie Jenner.

First of all she is still a developing young lady, why so much emphasis on her looks, style etc...With that being said ok let's get back to the lips. Why the big deal really? Why months and months on this same topic when there are far more news worth items? Well I think but could be wrong it has to do with people's obsession with celebrities and appearance. Now I even read its totally ok to be curvy or to have no Thigh gaps, to go without makeup and the shocker....to wake up and be comfortable in your own skin. Wow! really? I have woken up many many days thinking this. I have looked in the mirror and seen big lips all my life. I never knew they weren't in.

illustration by justjaredjr.com

But I get it, society has done its job. It's made many of us hate ourselves and value others. It's made women always think we can look better, do better, be better. That if we just make that small adjustment then you will beautiful.

Ladies please! Stop falling for that BS!!! Own your individuality, welcome it, Praise it. Once you see the beauty in yourself others will follow. You are beautiful to me.

Share your thoughts, tell me your story.

Always stress free xo.

Pinterest hack- Whipped Coconut Green Tea Moisturizer

It's official, I am late to the party but I am now all about Coconut Oil!!! After years of loving all things Coconut and reading and hearing about its other beneficial uses I finally decided to listen and give it a try. My lil mama for months has been advocating we go more natural and get rid of certain products we still use in our shower and personal care regimen. I have slowly been cooperating but I still was a bit hesitant to get rid of my shaving creams / gels. Also I didn't want to stop using my Aveeno facial moisturizer and Sally Hanson nail growth products. My nails were awesome a few months back then they slowly began to chip and break. 

So I agreed to start slowly and found a site called Thrive Market that sells organic products at great prices to its members but I got in on a free trail. I ordered 2 coconut oil jars for $14.00 and 1lb jar of raw honey for$10.00. Then I moved on to looking for information on nails and shaving uses and found loads of stuff next was moisturizers. The Internet and Pinterest are full of information. I found what I thought is doable and here we are.

So my share is Whipped Coconut and Green Tea find at Pinterest, Mari's version.

Ingredients:

-medium cooking pot

-microwaveable cup

-coconut oil

-green tea

-mason jar 

-coffee filter

-spoon

The find on Pinterest called for double boiler and cheese clothe I don't use those things and was not about to purchase them so instead I used a medium pot with water and a ceramic coffee cup inside filled with half the jar of coconut oil on medium heat. As it melted I added the contents of the 1 bag of green tea inside and mixed with a spoon. When everything was melted I removed from stove and set to the side.

In the sink, which I always find is safest and easiest confined place to mix, pour etc...I had my mason jar and coffee filter ready to go. I placed filter over the jar opening and pushed it down enough so I can carefully pour the mixture. I used a spoon to help with filtering process. When I was done I twisted the filter enough to squeeze excess oil out and used twisted filter to moisturize my hands, lips, elbows and feet (put on some toasty socks).

I started this mini project after 9pm so I let it sit overnight and in the morning got up and whipped it with a fork for a few minutes. The oil had turned slightly more solid perfect enough for my whipped choice effect. The picture shows the process and my bare face as well ready to try something new! Will keep you posted. I will be using this as well as just regular none mixed coconut oil for my nails to see if helps with growth. I did notice a smoother look in my cuticles the next morning for sure.

I used Olive oil dear-pimple-thanks-for-ruining-my-day for about a month to clean my face and found it worked wonders so I am really looking forward to all the awesomeness of Coconut oil. So I will use my whipped moisturizer for a month and see how that plays out. I was nervous about the oil factor since I have T-zone oily issues some times but it was not a problem at all. I actually found that I had reduction of oiliness during the day!

I will share pictures of my results as I see the changes appear. What are some of your coconut oil uses? What are your thoughts on the coconut oil craze?

Always stress free xo.