Fall Beauty Essentials: Body Care

I don’t know about you but I love switching up my body care products every season. My love for fall scents ends with my body care so this won’t be one of those posts. Not to worry no pumpkin spice deodorant here!

Some of these products I have used every year the cool air makes its way to our valley. So some of these need to be stocked soon and you will see what I mean below. Nevertheless, I still wanted to share them with you in hopes they too will bless you as much as they have me.

Tom’s of Maine 24 hour Fresh Apricot Deodorant is a new product for me. I was always afraid natural deodorants would expose me body odor rather than prevent it. But I am very happy this does all the little things it promises to do.

What I think of Tom

Smells fresh and fruity and that’s my favorite scent combination.

It goes on smooth and feels light.

Does not clog up my sweat glands. Yay!

Lasts all day with no need of another application.

Because of this deodorant I don’t have to use Old Spice anymore (yeah I did that. for years).

My shameless almost empty bottle of Palmer’s Moisturizing Body Oil is my go to body moisturizer all fall and winter. I use this all the time to keep my skin moisturized and soft.

What I love about this oil

As I stated before it keeps my skin moisturized and smooth.

It prevents the severe dry skin I encounter every year in Fall and Winter.

It smells amazing and has a subtle cocoa butter scent.

I can use this in an oil soak bath or I can smooth it over my skin after a shower. Two for one!

I have been using The Healing Garden’s Natural Olive Oil Body Wash for over a year now. I was immediately hooked once I smelled this body wash and I use it all year round.

Why this Body wash has my heart

I love that it’s a natural oil body wash. I have been looking for a body wash that uses not only essentials oils but also plant and vegetable oils.

I love the beautiful lavender smell. I always imagine acres of lavender when using it!

My skin has had less after shower dryness every since I have been using this. There are times I don’t want to moisturize my skin after a shower and I don’t regret it later.

I don’t know how long Bath and Body works have been selling Coco Shea Honey 24-Hour Body Lotion, but it is such a treat. My husband took me to one of their big sales earlier this year and I got this for a great deal along with other things. This baby sells for $15.00 but I tell you the truth it melts on your skin like butter! This will last me a long time so no shade on how much I spent on it you get my driff?  I have been searching for a special lotion just for my bathroom after me or my guest wash their hands and I’m so glad I found this.

Why this rocked my life

The moisturizing effect is unbeatable. I have been through many hand lotions and this one wins hands down. As a mother who constantly cleans and bathes and cooks for 4 little people I have the hardest time with dry hands. I always use this lotion to prevent that from happening and to heal them when the cracking first starts.

The smell is truly heavenly.

It has my favorite natural moisturizers in it. Cocoa Butter Shea Butter and.. HONEY.

It leaves no residue and does not transfer. Once I put it on it instantly absorbs!

You can find these products by of course going to their websites but the first 3 I got at Wal-Mart. And of course the last will HOPEFULLY be on Bath and Body Work’s website. Take care of yourself and stay beautiful! 

Janet

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Beauty Essentials: Curly Hair Care

5 years ago I went natural. Trying to get to know my curls was frustrating and I almost went crazy. I have the hardest times with breakage mainly in the Fall and Spring. It has been a continuous nightmare trying to find products that are safe for my scalp and delightful to my tresses. I went with all natural oils for a few years when I gave up on any product out there claiming they were both Natural and healing. In the end they made my hair worse than it was before.

But as the years went on new products emerged and I have come to love them and will be eternally grateful that they now exist. These products help Prepare my hair for the coming seasonal challenges, Prevent breakage and Protect my curls from the changing weather.

Healthy Happy Hair

Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo

Wow that’ s a long title! But don’t let that put you off on this amazing shampoo. I have tried many shampoos and conditioners throughout my whole adult life, non natural and natural as well. You already know my love for honey. I have always wanted to use honey in my hair care but first attempt to make homemade shampoo failed so I honestly gave up. I still hope to one day make my very own shampoo. But I decided to try this out until then. And I ABSOLUTELY love it! One thing I realized as my gorgeous, thick, black curls grew longer was, I had to wash my hair more often than I used to. My hair is thick so the longer it gets the more it clings onto dirt and oil.

What I love about Shea Moisture’s Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Shampoo:

I am able to wash my hair once to twice a week without it stripping the natural oils in my scalp (this causes severe dryness and over production of oil which leads to bad dandruff).

It foams making sure that it spreads evenly throughout the hair strands cleaning well.

My hair is clean, soft and shiny all at once. Once my hair is rinsed and dried, it feels, looks and smells glorious!

Aragan Oil of Morocco & One ‘n Only Aragan Oil

Both of these oils are my favorite and I keep them on hand yearly. I don’t use conditioners after I wash my hair so these products are what I use when I don’t want to use my own handmade oil treatments.

What I love about Aragan Oil of Morocco:

This oil is thick but provides so much coverage that you only need a small amount for each section of hair. I have always favored it’s beautiful aromatic smell and it’s ability to deliver softness and it has great absorbency.

What I love about One ‘n Only Aragon Oil

Although I prefer the Aragan Oil of Morocco, this oil is my go to when I have been neglectful to my hair. When the days are busy and hours randomly turn into weeks, I sometimes forget to tend to my hair and I pay for it. This oil has been essential to helping me stop the current breakage and prevent any from happening until I can take time to care for my hair. I always keep this on hand mainly for that reason. I love the smell but I frequently use this on my kids had rather than my own. It is a good alternative to the other oil I mentioned if you don’t like that one.

The Mane Choice Tropical Moringa Oil & Honey & Mane Choice Heavenly Halo

The  Tropical Moringa Oil & Honey Daily Moisturizer cream is hard to find in stores but I did happen to find one still being sold at Target online. The Halo moisturizer is quiet popular and also more expensive than the other.

What I love about The Tropical Moringa Oil & Honey Moisturizer and Mane choice Heavenly Halo

Because there is not any major differences I decide to write a combined review on both. I like the Heavenly Halo better than the other one. The formula is not so heavy and for some reason the Tropical Moringa moisturizer irritated my scalp at the end of the week but the Halo one does not.  These moisturizers work so well that having to moisturize daily was no longer something I had to do. It’s expensive but it is because of that very reason I pay for it. I grew up having to moisturize my scalp daily to keep it from drying out. Mane Choice products set me free from that annoyance! With their divine smell , the ability to make my twists defined and my curls shine, I will forever be a Mane Choice fan as long as I live!

I hope this helped a fellow curly girl out there but for all of you who don’t have curls these companies also make products for a range of different hair types. May your journey to healthy happy hair be blessed!

Janet

Legacy of Love

Being a mom of 4 is quite the challenge. And even though I have gotten a lot stronger since my c-section I have come to realize that sometimes there is just not enough time in the day. I have gotten to the point where I am needing more breaks to rest than I ever had before. I feel bad about that sometimes because I want to give out more so my kids will remember how much I loved them. But I get so darn tired and just need moments of rest.

One of the things I love to do is watch a movie or a documentary while they nap or dad takes them outside to play. One documentary in particular has recently sent me on a thought journey and taught me an important lesson. Being intentional and devoted is the first things that help create a legacy of love for our children and that is what matters the most.

August 1997 was the year that I was 8 turning 9. It was also the month and year that Diana, Princess of Wales died. I was watching  Dianna: In her Own Words on Netflix and revelation sprang forth in my heart. She was the first person I ever looked up to. I barely remember much about the first time I had heard her name. But I knew she was someone very much loved and the beauty of her heart drew me in.

I was so young then on the day of her funeral. My heart was breaking knowing that this person no longer graced this Earth. And I cried. I remember being shocked of how many people were there at her funeral as well every other memorial services around the world.  I had no idea I was not the only who took notice of her. But what amazed me the most were the words being spoken about this woman. This mother.

When I heard of all that she did for the sick and the left behind I thought in my mind “I want a heart like that. I want to do that one day.” I could have never imagined that my heart would grow to have a hunger to be a humanitarian as well. There is a natural born hatred in me for injustice and suffering. And one day very soon I will be traveling to the least of these just to sow the love of Christ.

As I grew up I came across more information about Diana. The more I found out the more I fell in love wit her. This woman was long gone but she left such a legacy of love that it was still being felt by the living. The one thing that I came across that stood out to me more than anything about Diana was her absolute love and devotion for her children. Each photo and video I saw of her and the two boys,  I remember thinking “I want to be a mother like that!”

I see now well before my children had even entered this world God was already sowing in my heart His will for me as a mother through Diana. I had no other influence. The main women in my life abused me. Hatred and lies were being sown in me daily but the Lord always brought me across women that would sow truth in me and combat it all. All these years it was meant for the now., the today as a mother of four beautiful children.

Some may think that is idolatry. Call it what you want, all I know is God will use the people around you as a child to help you to grow in the way you should go. God always knows what He is doing. And though I had no mother to teach me I had Diana.

In this season of motherhood today I am learning that being an intentional devoted mother is the first step. Devoted to raising well fed healthy kids. Devoted to praying with them and reading them the Word. Intentional in teaching them and disciplining them according to God. Intentionally creating an atmosphere of peace and rest. Some days it’s all that I can do that day and that is enough.

Let me share with you this intentional piece of a letter I just wrote in my motherhood diary. That day was  I was so tired and all I could do is take care of their basic needs and write them a little letter:

“I want to always make sure no matter what, I am doing my part as your mother. It can be hard when I am hurting. But you guys as well as the Lord, get me out of bed every morning and keep me moving forward. You are truly a gift to me. Each one of you created something beautiful in my character.”

There are so many things I have done that I know is creating a legacy of love for my children. I want them to always know that they have been a huge part of who I have become as a mother and women. That Life without them is unimaginable. So I have to remind myself daily. Be intentional and stay devoted. If  today that’s all I’ve got that is everything they need.

God bless you!