Vitamins and our Skin

Protecting my skin from the elements has always been important to me. I remember when I was a kid, my mom and Nana would slather Vaseline all over my face. Had me shining so brightly but I couldn't feel a thing when the wind blew, a live walking oil slick. No chapped skin, blemishes or wrinkles, just shiny, baby soft skin. Well, the years have past and the climate has changed drastically. Age, motherhood and the environment is taking it's toll on my skin. I am not always a good girl with following the rules of : take a multi daily vitamin, eat well balanced meals and drink plenty of water. So to help balance out my shortcomings I pay attention to my vitamin intake via my skincare. I understand with all the ingredients loaded in a jar claiming to do this, that, and the other how can one possibly know what will work for them. I wanted to help by creating a simple cheat sheet on the benefits of some vitamins commonly found in skincare products. So here is a little vitamin 101.
Vitamins are nutrients that play a major role in the health of our skin. It is important that we ingest vitamins through various foods and supplements as well as incorporate them in our daily skincare. Correct intake and topical use will aid in keeping the skin healthy and resilient. A deficiency, due to lack of vitamins, can leave the skin dry, oily, blotchy and/or lifeless.
Vitamin A: (retinyl palmitate)protects against aging, dry, and rough skin by retaining moisture; also soothes and conditions
Vitamin C: (ascorbic acid) most potent vitamin, anti-toxin, promotes healing, rejuvenates the skin, and protects against UVA &UVB damage
Vitamin E: (tocopherol acetate) causes cell regeneration, aids as protection against skin damage, and is healing
Vitamin D: produced naturally in the body by the suns ultraviolet rays; absorbs into the skin and regulates calcium absorption
Vitamin D3: (cholecalciferol) a form of vitamin D that aids in the assimilation of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin A
Vitamin K: (phytonadione) aids in blood clotting. this vitamin is used more in eye creams that help to lighten dark circles. it's said to perform best when paired with vitamin A
Vitamin B5: (panthenol) retains moisture and aids in skin cell metabolism
Niacin - (b complex vitamin) anti inflammatory, soothes irritated, dry skin, and retains moisture
Don't forget proper diet and nutrition is a ESSENTIAL for gorgeous, healthy skin!!
hhmm, I'm curious: the skincare product that you absolutely love, turn it over and tell us what vitamins are in it. who knows we may come to love it too!

skin supplements

From Beverage to Bath Spa, a time of relaxation!

When I have time to myself at home where I can relax I usually grab a nice beverage, warm blanket and a book, journal or movie. This weekend I started thinking of an old pastime that has been but a distant memory, a relaxing bath. Oh, how I remember, the flickering of candles dancing silhouettes to the soft sounds of jazz while exotic scents infused in hot water embraced and relieved all my stress. The very thought just makes my heart flutter. See, I have been stealing extra seconds in the shower here and there (you know you have to be quick before the kids and husband come knocking..lol). But I declare, NO MORE!, I have to recreate this spa experience again. Who's with me? I'm going to share how you can make a nice spa bath with some common beverages that will save money, have you relaxed and your skin looking gorgeous.

Fill your tub with hot water (not too hot) because you don't want to scold yourself and some beverages will not smell good if the water is too hot.
add:
Milk - 2-4cups (gently cleanses, exfoliates, softens & moisturizes)
* you may have to wash your tub after milk bath due to the fat sometimes the tub feels a little oily
Green tea - steep 5-6 bags and add it to your bath ( full of powerful antioxidants & vitamins, soothes, nourishes, & rejuvenates cells)
* you can put the tea bags in very hot water in the tub for 10-20mins
Red Wine - 1 cup ( rich in antioxidants,hydrates, moisturizes & protects)

You can add honey, olive oil and/or some fragrant flowers (lavender or roses) to really punch up the spa experience!

* soak yourself up to 20 minutes, rinse skin off with a quick cool shower to close up those pores, then pat dry.

(photo courtesy of picapp)

bath spa

Noodle Head Review

This winter I decided to only wear styles that require me to sit under the dryer, NO WET curly hair. Last winter traumatized me..lol I believe I had icicles in my hair one day. So, I figured finding a great styling product for some twist, knots or braids would be way cheaper than me having to pay for therapy over my hair being frostbitten. I have tried so many products but either they are to oily (saturates down into my face), filmy (the hair has almost a grey hue) flaky(so not cute look when the product resembles grits on your hairshaft), or just plain drying to both my hair and scalp (and the itchiness is madness).

Well, I was happy when Tony over at Well Watered Woman asked me if I had tried Beyond the Zone's Noodle Head. This was right on time because I just finished off a salon product that couldn't stand without a companion. I didn't want to repurchase those products so I headed over to Sally's and grabbed a tube of Noddle Head (they have a curl spray that looks like it might be good for those nights when u want to refresh your twist out without having to shampoo your hair)

I decided to give it a try with some bantu knots. I recommend that knots be done early , (unlike myself, who did them 3hrs before i had to go somewhere) Knots take a loooong time to dry, especially if your hair is thick like mine. So my end result was a little on the frizzy side because I had to pull the knots down before they were totally dry. Noodle Head Curling cream is very light, gives a great definition and it left a wonderful shine. The scent is very light and I found that I didn't need a lot of product when applying to each section. I will use it again this week for my twist out because it worked for me. All in all it was a good buy(under $6) and the sale girl told me it goes on sale quite often, another plus. 

Beyond the Zone

Airbrushing gets personal (Spoiled Pretty review)

Not once have I had a conversation in the last year about makeup and someone NOT ask me about airbrushing. I haven't personally done it on myself or on any of my clients but I do love how it looks. It's just one of those techniques that i keep saying"yeah, I'll get around to it" then I see the price tag on the equipment and the idea gets pushed back only to resurface on the next makeup conversation. Well, I was over on twitter and Daneen from Spoiled Pretty linked her video review on the Temptu Airbrush Makeup System (only sold @ Sephora). Now, I had heard and even seen this but I hadn't heard of anyone that actually tried it. I mean even the girl at Sephora didn't sound too knowing when I asked if she had used it and what where her thoughts, moving on! So when I saw this vlog, I had to see if it were ok that I share it with you (THNX DANEEN!!) Don't let the $225 price tag scare you. It's a steal when you think about what some places charge for a one time application, I've seen up to $200 (that's nuts) Now you can have a flawless mess proof system that will have you looking like your favorite artist is getting you gorgeous everyday. check out the easy use of this system click here

Temptu