5 Ways To Improve Your Skin

   Happy Friday y'all! I hope everyone's week has gone well, if not cheer up, Friday is here! For this week's Five on Friday I thought I'd share five ways you can improve your skin. So if you're worried about your skin being dull, constantly blemish ridden, or just anything besides radiant, read on!

1. Moisturize

    For years I thought I shouldn't moisturize my skin because it could aggravate acne. Your skin still needs moisture. I use the Anew Vitale Day Cream, which is specifically for women in their 20s to 30s. It's so important to not just moisturize but to use a moisturizer suited for your skin type. Moisturizing is your best bet against the first signs of aging, such as fine lines. It's always best to start before you see any aging, so if you don't have a daily moisturizer today is the day to find the right one for you.

2. Exfoliate
     In order for your skin to look good not only without makeup but also with, you need to be exfoliating. It is ideal to exfoliate once per week in the Winter, and every few days in the warm weather months. Your makeup won't blend right if you're stuck with dead skin cells on your face. I use the Anew Clean Refining Daily Scrub. If you want a more thorough scrub try out the Anew Clean Cleansing Brush. You can use your regular daily facial cleanser with it, and it's suitable for all skin types. It cleans 5 times better than your hands alone. Bonus tip: try exfoliating when you go to wash your makeup off. Not only will you be exfoliating away the dead skin, but you'll make sure not a trace is left of your makeup.

3. Ice, Ice, Baby
     This one isn't really a long term fix for your skin. It's more of  a "I have someone coming over in 10 minutes and I still need to pick up the living room" quick fix for your skin. Which we could all use every once in a while. Take an ice cube and just suck on it for a few minutes, until it melts basically. The ice chills the millions of cells in your cheeks and lips, which will cause increased circulation, and leaves you with the result of plumper, rosier skin.

4. Clean Your Phone
     You don't have to watch Inside Edition to know that your phone is a breeding ground for every germ imaginable. Germs are flawless skin's biggest foe. So if you really want to improve your skin start cleaning your phone as often as possible. Your skin will thank you.

5. Clean Your Makeup Brushes
     Makeup brushes trap in all those germs found on your face and in your makeup like that Swiffer duster you used to clean the ceiling fan. Think about that. Now go grab your makeup brushes, some baby shampoo, warm water, and get to cleaning. Once you've cleaned them, pat the bristles dry (reshaping them if necessary) and let them dry on a fresh hand towel. Voila.

   Well there you have it folks, five ways to improve your skin, and none of them are super expensive or involve heavy amounts of Botox and other unknown injectables. What are your favorite skincare tips?


Linking up with April

Makeup Monday

  Hey y'all! It's been a hot minute since I've shared any of my favorite Avon products. Here's just a few of the best products I personally use from Avon.

1. Avon True Color Multi Eyeshadow Quad- Naked Truth

 I'm not always the best at coordinating eyeshadow shades together, so I like using easy to follow sets. This is one of my favorites. It's perfect for everyday wear, not too harsh, with just the right amount of simmer. They have about 12 other palettes in this style, and then about 5 in matte.

2. Ultra Color Lipstick- Blush Nude

I love a good lipstick. This is not only a pretty shade of nude, but it's creamy and not drying. It's infused with vitamin E, omega-3 oil, and shea butter. It's a full coverage lipstick, and has true color technology so the color you see is the color you get on your lips. There's about 40 shade, in either shimmer or satin finishes, but this is my favorite. Bonus: lipsticks are 2 for $12 right now!

3. Big & Daring Volume Mascara

  This mascara does exactly what it says. It make your lashes big and gives them much needed volume. It's suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. It's clump-free, smudge-free, and flake-free. It can last for up to 24 hours. It come in black (what I use), blackest black, and brown black, and also black in waterproof.
  If you've used Avon makeup before what are some of your favorite products?

My Avon Weekly Deals

   Hey y'all! Most of y'all know I'm an Avon representative. So today I thought I would share a few of my favorite exclusive deals you can score this week in my Avon eStore. I wanted to put it all together in one convenient place so my customers don't miss them!

October 4th - 6th

You can get a FREE 5-piece Skin So Soft Soft & Sensual Set + Clear Pink Trim Cosmetic Bag when you place a order of $55 or more. Use coupon code: PAMPER.

October 7th

Then you can get FREE shipping on orders of $25 or more by using code: FORYOU.

October 10th

The last of my exclusive coupon deals for this week is in honor of National Handbag Day ( who knew that was a thing?!). You can get a FREE Grommet Saddle Crossbody Bag in Black with a order of $60 or more. Just use code: BAGLOVE. You can take a look at the bag here.

If you have any questions about any of these deals or just questions about Avon in general, please ask away! Happy shopping y'all!

The Mom Bun: An Age Old Tradition

  Mom buns. They're everywhere. At the supermarket. At church. Across the street sifting through the mail. Standing in front of you in line at Starbucks. Maybe you're the one sporting the mom bun. My point is, they might just be THE hairstyle of this era. They're so popular they have even graced t-shirts, mugs, and wall art. But is it really anything new?
   Now buns have nothing really to do with motherhood. Ballerinas wear 'em (proud ballerina here!), people wanting to save time, people wanting to try something new with their hair, even men have gotten in on the hairstyle. Still the term "mom bun" gains popularity. For the obvious reason of buns projecting someone wishing to save time, and moms being a major people group always looking for a few extra minutes.
   It wasn't until a few months back though that it hit me. Mom buns aren't just a trendy thing to iron on your t-shirt(although I think it's super cute haha), they're something moms and women in general have been doing since prairie days. As in Little House on the Prairie. Ma Ingalls.

    As someone who used to love watching the Ingalls, and still does, I find that extremely funny. That today in such "modern" times as these we "modern" women don something that in some minds would make people think of log cabins and no electricity. I'm always trickled by deja vu moments like this. It's little things like this that reminds us that we're not all that far from our ancestors or foremothers in a good way.
    There's a lot of trends in style or lifestyle that are throwbacks to our pioneer ancestors. Maxi shirts, I'm pretty sure our great grandmothers would rock one. Chicken in the backyard, no home was complete without them. Freezer meal cooking, our great grandmother would make enough sausage to feed a family of 5 for the whole winter.
    Now we have plenty of conveniences they didn't. The world wide web couldn't even be imagined in that time. Can you picture Ma on Pinterest? She would have probably put a intricate braid in her mom bun with one of Pinterest's many hair tutorials. Or maybe she would have finally figured out the best way to get grease stains out of her pans. If she had had Starbucks she might have taken a part time job as a barista instead of  working at the restaurant in season 6 (okay I know that wasn't real life, just for the show). Or maybe she would be a online Avon representative like me. I really wanna know how she got her buns so perfect back before elastic hair ties. I can't get them right WITH one. FYI the scrunchie was patented in 1986. You're welcome.
    I don't sport a mom bun as much as media and advertising might suggest moms do or should, I actually wore my hair in a bun more when I was a early teen. But that bun was much more polished. I'd say I wear my hair up 50 percent of the time. Keep in mind though I used to work in a salon. I learned a lot about taking care of your hair, and got used to having to have my hair styled for my job.
Although I've noticed that in friends and family that I knew before they were moms they wear their hair up exponentially more than they did pre-kids. I guess the cliché is true after all.
    Whether you're a mom or not are you a fan of the "mom bun"? Or more of a unwilling participant in the trend?

 Linking up with Annie and Natalie
                                           

  

What Y'all Missed This Summer

   Hey y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and the school year is off to a good start. I took a sort of unintentional break from blogging for the summer. So I wanna catch y'all up on what we've been up to in the last few months.
    Miller finally had his dedication at church in July. I had been meaning to do it for months, but couldn't get it done until July, better late than never I guess! When I went shopping for his dedication outfit I had a little boy's shorts outfit or something in mind. But when I started looking I noticed most of the outfits like that were way too small for Miller (he's in 12 months, occasionally 18 months clothes). So I went with a christening gown, which I actually ended up preferring. It was a special day, and a even sweeter memory.

The day of Miller's dedication

So angelic!

  In other Miller news, he is officially the proud owner of 3(almost 4) teeth! The last time I blogged he had zero. He got his first 2 teeth in late July on the bottom, then his top tooth came in 2 weeks later. I can't believe it but he's even cuter with his new chompers. He loves testing them out on spoons, cereal puffs, teethers, and really anything in arm's reach.
  He also has grown to love his bath-time. Yeah, you heard me. He loves to bang his arm against the water and watch it spill over the sides of his baby bathtub. New teeth, and loves baths? This boy is unstoppable!
   Other than gaining teeth and taking baths we've been enjoying lots of family and friends time. Miller is so social and outgoing, always laughing. Although he's developed a habit you could say for taking naps in the presence of company haha. Play-dates, church service, family birthday parties while all of his cousin sing happy birthday at the top of their lungs. The kid loves his sleep. He also loves to talk, he says "momma", "hey", and "I love you". I know the I love you part sounds a little unbelievable but it's true, and insanely cute.

Going antiquing!

Church



Miller's very first 4th of July!

Oh yeah, Miller competed in the Olympics this summer...



Reading from my Dad's Mom's Bible



Miller loves the Snapchat filters



Miller also became a doctor over the summer, busy guy.

    As for me I just recently joined Avon as a new representative! Y'all can find my Avon eStore here

 

How was y'all's summer? If you're a fellow blogger did you take a hiatus from blogging?  

Five Under $5

  Well it's finally the weekend, we made it! *plays "We are the champions" so loud the neighbors complain* Maybe you've got big plans for your weekend, maybe you're just planning to not have any plans. Either way here's just a few things I've found lately that have brought a smile to my face, and for under $5!

   1. NYC Get It All Foundation- $3.99   
    I like this not only for the price, but it's convenient. If I'm running behind I can just swipe it all over my face and blend with my fingers. I can't do that with my usual foundation. It has surprisingly good coverage for being a inexpensive product too. I got it in light. I found this at Target, but I'm sure you can find it in other stores as well.

   
   2. E.L.F. Lip Kiss Balm- $2.00
    It goes on smooth, keeps my lips feeling moist, and has a nice hint of color without being obvious. I feel like going back and getting 10 of these just in case they discontinue it, which I kinda doubt they will if everyone else feels the same way about it. I got it in bare kiss. Again Target!

   3. Target Planners- $1.00
    Can you sense a theme here? Seriously though I love a good planner, but some of them can be a little pricey for something that you can only use for a year. Target's dollar section has a ton of cute ones. I found this one around the beginning of the year.

   4. Healthy Choice Café Steamers- $2.00
    I know, frozen food isn't real, there's too many unknowns, whatever. But I also know once Miller is down for naptime you don't just linger. You hustle. So obviously tv dinners are my friend. I like these because they don't make you think of a frozen dinner, and they're pretty tasty. The beef merlot is my favorite right now. My local Wal-Mart has them for only $2.00.

   5. Cute Wall Art- $3.00
    And for my last great find, I give you adorable wall art courtesy of, you guessed it, Target! This is just one of the cute things I've seen at Target lately. If you've looked on Etsy before you already know the sometimes outrageous prices some charge for something this cute. I plan to use this in Miller's nursery.
    

       Linking up with April, Christina, Natasha, & Darci

Linking up with Andrea, Erika, & Narci

 

 

10 Uses For Apple Cider Vinegar

   Hey y'all, happy hump day! Whether you feel like the week is basically over or maybe not over soon enough, I hope you'll find some joy in today. I choose to believe it's actually November and Baby H #2 is about to arrive. Or has arrived. I'll settle for either.
    Anyways, I wanted to give y'all a post filled with great tips that hopefully are new to you. In case you haven't heard apple cider vinegar is like the fix all you've been waiting for. I've been using it for a variety of things for about 3 years now. My mom actually turned me onto it. So now I'm passing it along to y'all. Some of these tips or ideas are things I've used and some are ideas that came from my online research. Well here we go!

1. Drink a tablespoon or two
    Now before you start downing your apple cider vinegar I must warn you that you have to dilute it with either water, juice, or soda. It does have acid so you can't drink it straight. Trust me. When I drink it I usually put it in cranberry or apple juice. It helps with your digestive system, losing weight, for hiccups, bloating, lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure. I could go on!

2. Various cleaning products
    With all of the different, pretty much unknowable, chemicals in a lot of cleaning products you may be thinking of making your own. Well apple cider vinegar is a great antiseptic so it can be used all over your home. Just take a look around Pinterest for five minutes and you'll stumble upon a homemade cleaning product that involves apple cider vinegar.

3. For sunburns
   I personally thought this was an awesome tip for this time of year. I wish I had known this as an ten year old lobster. Apparently you just rub apple cider vinegar all over the sunburned areas and it prevents blistering and peeling, takes away the pain, helps it to heal, and will turn your burn into a tan! I thankfully haven't had a sunburn this summer, so I have no opportunity to try it. But if you find yourself in this miserable place, give apple cider vinegar a shot!

4. As a facial toner
   I really liked this when I used it. Basically all you have to do is take equal parts water and apple cider vinegar, put it in a water bottle, and tab it on your face using a cotton ball. That's it. It's only two ingredients, all natural, and a money saver. I call that a triple thread!

5. A hair rinse
    All you need to remember is 1/3 apple cider vinegar, 2/3 water. You can put it in a spray bottle, or just put it in a cup. I just use a cup. You saturate your whole head with the mixture when you get in the shower, making sure it gets in your roots good. I leave it on for five minutes, rinse, then shampoo and condition as usual. It takes out all the buildup that your hairs hangs onto from your hair products and leaves it's much brighter. I've been using it for a while, and I love it!!!

6. For eczema
     Now I've never used it for this reason so I can't say it's good enough to stop seeing your dermatologist, but it's worth a try! What you do is take 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 3 cups water. Take a cotton ball and dab the mixture on the affected areas, or you can use a spray bottle. The article says it does burn like crazy so blow on it. You can dilute with more water but the healing process is longer. Do this every morning and night. That mixture is what the woman who wrote the article used on her child. She says that after using it for a year they only have to use this every three or four months, so I'd say that's a pretty successful story! Please note this is not a substitute for seeing a doctor about this condition and I'm not trying to give out medical advice. Just something I thought a lot of people might benefit from knowing about!

7. As a doggy wash
    Apparently this is suppose to prevent itching for your dog. It's just 2 cups warm water and 1 cup apple cider vinegar. Mix well, pour over your dog from back of neck to tail avoiding their eyes. Do not rinse out, dry your dog as normal.

8. As a natural weed killer
    If you have doggies or kiddos you might be worried about using the store bought weed killer. Here's one you shouldn't have to worry about. It's a 1/2 gallon of apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup salt, and 1/2 tablespoon Dawn liquid dish soap. Simply pour in spray bottle, and get spraying!

9. As a foot soak
    This is another of my favorite uses for apple cider vinegar. Take 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup mouthwash, and 1 cup warm water. Mix in a bucket or whatever you usually soak your feet in. Leave your feet in it for about 10 minutes. Once you take your feet out, dry them off with a towel, rubbing off any excess skin, then moisture with your favorite lotion. It's so tingly and feels great on your feet. It leaves your feet so soft, I was shocked the first time I tried it! You may have to use a little more water to have it over your feet, which shouldn't dilute the mixture too much.

10. Bee stings
     Last but definitely not least is using apple cider vinegar for bee stings. All you do is dab apple cider vinegar(no water added) onto the stung area with a cotton ball. Be sure to hold the cotton ball on the area until the initial pain is gone. You can use this for wasps stings too!

    I hope y'all found at least one of these 10 apple cider vinegar tips and ideas helpful! If you happen to use apple cider vinegar for other things I'd love to hear! Have a great Wednesday!

This Week's Finds

    The other day I was going on about some things I've used recently that I really like. Then I thought why not share them on here! So here's 4 products I'm loving at the moment:

1. Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt
    Soooo good! I especially love the chocolate raspberry flavor. I also compared it nutritionally to Yoplait's Light Yogurt. Dannon's Light & Fit Greek Yogurt has 10 less calories, 3g less sugar, and 7g more protein than Yoplait Light Yogurt. Not bad huh?!

2. E.L.F  Baked Bronzer in St.Lucia
   I found it for 30% off at Target and thought I'd give it a try. It's perfect for a light skin tone like mine since most bronzers look like they're made for deeper or tanner tones. Which can end up just looking muddy instead of the sun kissed warmth you're looking for. I like that it has a little shininess to it and isn't so matte.

3. Jennifer Aniston by Jennifer Aniston
    Speaking of Target I found this perfume by Jennifer Aniston on sale for like $3! Now I wear it everyday!!! It has a fresh mature scent. It has notes of citrus grove accord, rose water, jasmine, violet, amazon lily, musk, amber, and sandalwood.  And the bottle is just as elegant as the perfume inside!

4. International Delight Vanilla Macchiato
    I'm always sad to see the pumpkin creamers disappear from the shelves in the dairy department, but this makes it all better! It's the perfect blend of vanilla and caramel, and I don't usually enjoy caramel. By the way it's lactose free!

    Well that's all I have to share for now! Happy hump day, and I hope you have just as good of luck in the Target clearance as I did with products #2 and #3!

7 Beauty Tips For Pregnancy And Beyond

   If you're like me pregnancy makes you super aware of everything you do. You have to think before you eat anything, and also before you use a lot of beauty products you're used to using. Here are just a few tips to keep looking and feeling your best! By the way, these tips are great for everyone, especially if this (see picture below) isn't your morning routine.

1.Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Fine Lines

The retinoids found in most anti-aging moisturizers and products are something you should be avoiding while pregnant. That doesn't mean you can't still be preventing wrinkles. EVOO is going to keep your skin hydrated leaving it supple and smooth. Simply dab it on any problems areas on your face at night and let it work while you sleep. If you'd prefer not to use it over night just leave it on for 20 minutes and wash it off with warm water. Keep in mind it is sticky! Also if you find it causes you to break out more only use it under your eyes.

2. Toothpaste For Acne

If you have acne odds are you use a face wash or some kind of treatment that has salicylic acid in it, which is yet another thing pregnant women should avoid.(Side-note: you're probably wondering why you need to avoid all of these products since you won't be using them orally. Anything you put on your face has the potential to seep into your body through your pores. So keep that in mind anytime you use something on your skin). Toothpaste is good for dealing with acne since it is very drying when you put it on skin. Just dab a little anywhere you see a blemish(or cluster of blemishes) and it should help them to downsize.

3. Shaving With Baby Oil

Now don't go running to throw out your shaving cream. It's perfectly fine. But if you're just looking to prolong the life of your razor, or you ran out of shaving cream and you happen to have baby oil on hand, it's an awesome substitute. It gives you a nice close shave, and you don't need to use a lot! Just slather it all over your leg and get shaving!

4. Drink Lots Of Water

I'm sure you've heard this a million times. I know I have! But it can't be said enough. Not only do you and baby need water to live but your skin needs it to look it's best. Plus if you've had any cramping water is a way to make yourself feel better.

5. Walking 

Now that you're carrying around an extra 20 or 30 pounds exercising is the last thing on your mind I bet. Walking is one of the best low impact ways to keep moving through those 9 months. It's good to keep the bloat away, enhances mental well being,and helps maintain blood sugar levels. Please consult your doctor first before starting any exercise routines.

6. Using Vanilla Extract As Perfume

Perfume is fine during pregnancy, but it might make you feel queasy to smell it. Vanilla extract is something you can swap your usual perfume out for.  Just dab a a little on your pressure points(behind the ears, your wrists, etc.) before you leave the house. Bonus: men love anything that smells like baking, so your significant other should love the scent as well!

7. Facial Exercise Or Massage

Say what??!! I know this one might sound silly, but if you think about it we exercise our bodies to look firmer and younger, why not our faces?  Some people claim these are alternatives to botox and surgeries. Here is just one of many facial exercise routines, but you can find more on YouTube just like any other exercise videos. As for facial massage, that can be great if you've been experiencing headaches and sinus pressure. An easy massage you can do would be to gently rub your temples in a circular motion for a few minutes. You'd be surprised at the amount of tension released!

Please let me know if any of these tips helped you, I'd love to hear your feedback!