Introducing Steli Cosmetics

As many of you know, I used to own Remedy Cosmetics. I sold body butters and a coffee scrub that targeted a few skin issues. But that's all in the past. Let me introduce you all to...


STELI COSMETICS! 

Steli is brand new, all natural, cruelty free and HAND MADE. I have been mixing oils and butters to come up with the perfect overnight solution for all of your skin troubles. I have such a strong love for oils because they honestly do it all. I fully stand behind my product because I religiously use all of these ingredients on my own skin. 

A few months ago, I got a new moisturizer. I have been having serious issues with moisturizers because they would all make my skin feel weirdly sweaty, and I also found that this specific one I've been using had been causing me to get little bumps all over my face! My face was so irritated from just trying to keep it moisturized. So I took chemical filled moisturizers out of my skincare completely. I want my skin to feel fresh and hydrated, why did I need anything else besides an amazing oil? Sure they claimed to be natural and good for sensitive skin but what exactly where all those extra ingredients just to bring some hydration in my skin? I fell in love with Grapeseed oil mixed with Eucalyptus oil when I had a breakout on my cheek and I dabbed a mixture of both on there. I woke up in the morning and forgot I had a breakout the night prior. I loved the combination so much that I decided to make this my every day moisturizer. That's just a little back story because I was so amazed at the combination. My pores have gotten noticeably smaller, and my blackheads have definitely subsided, and they continue to. 

I know a lot of you are skeptical about oils. When I tell people to try clearing up their blemishes using only oils, they look at me like I'm crazy and tell me they can't do that because their skin will be oily, or it will make their acne worse because it's oil on your skin. There are oils that help with health conditions - in no way will your face hate you for putting these beauties on it. Oils will kill the bacteria in your skin, while keeping your skin hydrated and promoting cell turnaround. Oils are completely natural, something so pure can never harm you. Oils will balance out your natural sebum production and keep your face even and hydrated. 

Now let's get to the juice part because I KNOW you all came here to find out what exactly did I put in this overnight cream I keep talking about!? This cream is not your typical face lotion. I would call it more of a face butter. The base to this overnight miracle is..

 SHEA BUTTER      
I am in LOVE with shea butter. Can that be considered a passion of mine? Fist and foremost - NO, this will not clog your pores and don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise because they don't know what they're talking about. Now that that's out of the way, let me tell you why I love it so, so much. Shea butter is the fat extracted from the African shea tree, also known as the Karite tree. I am using unrefined, all natural Shea butter imported directly from Ghana. Unrefined shea butter is what you should look out for when buying the product because when a product is refined, it means it has been chemically altered. "Refined shea butter is extracted with high heat and the help of synthetic chemical solvents. Solvents remove some naturally occurring properties and the end product is refined shea that bright white and odorless." - So none of that is going to be in this beautiful overnight cream because we want all the benefits this lovely butter has to offer! I use this every night before I go to sleep, it helps clear up any congestion I have (I used to have a lot on my forehead area), and it helps with acne overall because of its antioxidant properties. 

- Reduces Inflammation: Shea butter contains cinnamic acid, along with its other natural properties, it is anti-inflammatory
- Natural SPF of 6-10
- Anti-aging: "The fatty acid profile of the butter allows it to be absorbed into the deeper skin layers to nourish them and support collagen production."
- MOISTURIZING! Due to its natural vitamins and fatty acids
- Evens out your skin tone
- Helps with rashes, eczema, rashes and skin burns
- Fights against wrinkles
- Fades scars

This butter is amazing amazing amazing and I will forever buy pounds of this to lather my face in it. I use it during the day and night time because I love how it makes my skin feel! When I originally got the little annoying congested bumps on my forehead, this is what got rid of them. I run to this with any breakout I have. I was originally going to make this an overnight oil, but I ALWAYS put shea butter on before I put all my oils on, so I thought it was only right to combine the two. 

The cream will have a whipped shea butter consistency, imagine holding up whipped cream and just having it melt into your fingers. That’s exactly how this cream will be. It will not be sticky, nor will it be annoying to deal with. There’s not many creams with a shea butter base, I feel as though people are scared to have it all over their faces when in reality, it will do you so much justice!

This next oil is the one I am most excited about!

BLACK SEED OIL Nigella Sativa

I am honestly the most excited this oil because this is a new found discovery that I am amazed by. Black seed oil is made from the seeds of the black cumin plant, also known as Nigella sativa. This plant is native to southwestern Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. The black seed oil that I am going to be using is grade A, organic, cold pressed, unrefined and imported directly from Egypt. This is NOT THE SAME as true cumin (Cuminum cyminum). Cleopatra used black seed oil as part of her beauty regimen to keep her skin clear and glowing, while Queen Nephrite used it for her nails and hair! This is known as the miracle oil, and after researching it I understand why.

- Eliminated toxins
- Fights against wrinkles and fine lines
- Antibacterial properties eliminate acne and blemishes 
- Anti-inflammatory 
- This oil is especially good for oily skin, it is amazing at unclogging your pores and restoring your skins natural sebum levels
- Provides vitamin A, B and C along with minerals such as zinc, magnesium and potassium
- Rich in fatty acids which provide moisture for your skin
- Reduces the appearance of dark spots! Vitamin A and the amino acids in this oil will brighten up your skin to help with those age spots, dark circles, and uneven skin tone
- Treats skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis
- Helps with scars and stretch marks
- Regenerates skin cells

Not only can you use this oil topically, but you can use it internally as well. I promise if you look up the benefits that it provides aside from skincare, you will definitely want to incorporate it into your every day routine. 

GRAPESEED OIL 

Grapeseed oil is very light and moisturizing. It is derived from crushing grape seeds to extract the oil! What’s so great about it also - for my resourceful people that hate to waste - it is a by product of wine making. This ensures that nothing goes to waste! It seeps into your skin unlike some oils that simply sit on top. This has become my every day moisturizer! Here are just a few of the things that it is known to do:

- Tightens your skin due to its astringent qualities, helps with making your pores smaller! 
- Encourages regeneration of skill cells - it is amazing for acne. The polyphenols in the oil provide anti inflammatory properties that help with acne and blemishes 
- High in Vitamin F, which is an essential fatty acid that keeps your skin moisturized and reduces the appearance of scars
- This oil is also high in Vitamin E, which acts as an amazing antioxidant for your skin 
- Grapeseed works well with oily skin because it is high in linoleum acid, which reduces clogged pores. Oily skin is caused by the over production of oil because your skin believes it is dry. This non comedogenic oil will keep your skins natural sebum balanced. 
- Aids in eczema treatment due to the linoleic acid it contains 
- Anti aging 
- Hypoallergenic, it is very good for sensitive skin
- It contains Vitamin D, which reduces wrinkles and fine lines
- Reduces dark under eye circles 
- Aborbs into the skin quickly due to low viscosity 
- Brightens your skin with its high Vitamin C content 

What is so crazy is that all of these oils can be used for things besides the skin too. I hope that you will all fall in love with all of these ingredients just as much as I have!

VITAMIN E 

Vitamin E is so essential to your face to keep it youthful and glowing. It is derived from multiple sources. 

- Anti aging 
- Powerful anti oxidant properties 
- Relieves inflammation which aids in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne
- Restores dehydrated skin
- Lightens dark spots
- Fades scars
- Keeps your skin texture smooth
- Protects your skin from UV rays
- Antioxidant 

Vitamin E is a very overlooked oil that really provides your skin with so much moisture, I had to add it in!

EUCALYPTUS OIL 

Eucalyptus oil is derived from the leaves of selected eucalyptus tree species. This tree is native to Australia, Tasmania and nearby islands. I’ve always loved to keep a eucalyptus plant in my shower, because the steam from the heat makes the plant release its natural oils which help with anxiety and mental clarity. Eucalyptus is definitely a healing oil, seeing as it is filled with medicinal properties.

- Relieves skin irritations and rashes
- Antiseptic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antibacterial 

All of those properties guide the oil in treating acne, blemishes, infections and boils on the skin 

- This oil is AMAZING for your pores and blackheads
- Tightens and firms your skin
- Regenerates skin cells 
- Brightens your skin
- Great for oily skin, eucalyptus has natural astringent properties that help tone skin and regulate sebum (which is the oil produced by face glands) 
- Helps with sunburn

I love that the smell is so calming, especially because this will be an overnight cream I wanted something that will be soothing and pleasant. 

LAVENDER OIL

I used to wake up and have patchy red skin. Around my chin and my nose especially. Lavender oil helps even out your skin done and reduce redness. This is definitely a great thing for those of you that need help getting rid of hyper-pigmentation. 

- Improves the formation of scar tissue
- It is commonly known to treat eczema 
- Treats acne
- Antiseptic 
- Calming, this oil is so great for soothing your skin
- Antioxidant 
- Anti-inflammatory 
- Reverses signs of aging
- Detoxifies skin
- Heals dry skin

Lavender improves your mood and lowers stress, not to mention it smells heavenly. When they uncovered King Tut’s tomb, there was said to be a faint smell of lavender still present! The Egyptians used this oil for mummification and as a perfume. That smell was still around after 3,000 years, that’s crazy! This oil promotes a better sleep, so it’s a win win, you show some love to your face and you get a beautiful night’s sleep. 

My objective with this product was to create cream that will rejuvenate, refresh, and renew your skin overnight. My skin is very sensitive, so I would never make anything that is harsh to use. This cream will be gentle enough to use every night as you please. I have been using it during the day as well because my skin is used to it and it is nothing out of the blue that will overwhelm your skin. This cream is made up of ingredients with properties that help with keeping your skin hydrated, blemish free, and evened toned. The goal was to make something that restores your skin overnight, all the while being gentle enough that you can incorporate it into your every day skincare routine. 

Thank you so much for all of the support and love you have all given me so far! I can’t wait to go on this new journey with everyone. I am constantly researching and thinking of new ideas, and I always welcome suggestions.. I would love to know more of what you would like to see after I launch the cream! Please comment below, and remember to follow my new IG: STELICOSMETICS 







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Shine from within 

If you know me, you know that I love all things natural. When I have an issue, I automatically turn to at home herbal remedies, for ANYTHING.

I do believe we neglect the earth, people turn to everything but what the earth already so graciously provides us with. The cure to everything is in the world around us, and each day I try to learn something new. It is all so easily accessible to us, and we don’t even realize it! It’s amazing how many benefits there are to simple every day things we are surrounded by, that we do not notice. 

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk about these things on my blog because I thought if I started off as being beauty related, I should stay that way. But there’s so many things I find out about that I want to share with everyone! I get so excited, I’m like - well if I know this, everyone else should too! So I decided that I want to talk about beauty, health, everything wellness related, whatever comes to my mind. 

Beauty comes from within. Most importantly, you should always find value within yourself, and nurture your soul. Beauty is your character, how you present and carry yourself, your mindfulness of the world and those around you, the light that you surround yourself with. Beauty is the heart and truth within you. It is so important to shine from within - and that doesn’t only go for your personality and who you are. When we are good to our bodies, they love us back. 

I am by no means perfect, but I try to be a better version of myself every day. A few months ago, I moved out to live on my own with a roommate. Actually it was a good 7 months ago. I started to coop myself up in the house, ordering out every day, eating late at night, drinking soda, drinking juice, not taking care of myself at all. I felt like I was rotting - not to be dramatic, but that is exactly how I imagined myself. I felt so far from who I was, because I was being so careless. I’m only relating this to moving out because let’s be real my mom would not have let me order beef patties at 2am. THEN, my glasses broke and it was a wrap. I didn’t want to go outside because I couldn’t see for the life of me, so I stayed my lazy butt home and used that as my excuse. I got tired of myself and decided to really make a difference in my life and get back to who I was. 

I was ruining myself. I was putting nasty things in my body which led me to feel gross from within. I felt ugly, my face was breaking out horribly because I wasn’t following any skin care routine like I normally do, and that wasn’t exactly the only issue. I do have good skin from genetics BUT, I was eating like a pig, not being even the least bit amount of active. All of that showed. I did not want to go out because I didn’t feel or look like myself. I didn’t feel sexy, I didn’t feel beautiful. I wore sweats and leggings and sweaters to hide the parts of me I no longer loved. I neglected my body, my skin, and my hair. I didn’t leave my house so that I did not have to acknowledge the fact that I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin. My friends hadn’t seen me in months. You can hide from the world as long as you want. But you can only hide from yourself for so long. 

So I chopped my hair off. Then I chopped it some more. I stocked my fridge up with veggies and fruits, and I started being disgusted by oil and grease. I can’t look at cheese now without thinking about all the pus that milk contains. Because for some reason I hate milk but I take bites out of blocks of cheese like it’s an apple. In all honesty though I still eat the cheese LOL, BUT, what matters is my conscious effort to change! Okay! How could I do this to myself? I disregarded everything I knew and chucked it out the window. I wasn’t loving myself. I wasn’t loving myself at all. I started going outside and taking long walks by the river listening to music to center myself, I started researching all of the things I once loved to know about and started using it in my daily life again. I got myself some nice workout clothes and got back to the gym. I educated myself on the things that I no longer wanted to even go near my body. It’s a process, and there will NEVER come a day that I know it all. Because no one does. 

Now, I am a classy bitch that drinks lemon water again instead of Pepsi, get at me. On a serious note though, my point is that I feel more like myself and I am ready to get back to blogging, back to skincare, back to everything and share everything I know with you all, and I hope you can teach me some things as well! It is so so crucial to not neglect your body! You are a product of yourself, I made myself everything that I was filling myself with. All of that negativity will bring you down. Then you start to feel as though you really cannot get back to what you were - or be better. You’re just sick of yourself and want to change, but you don’t actually make a change. And by you, I mean me. 

Every day of my life is a journey. I am not an expert, I am still slipping up and trying to do better. This is so much fun for me, it is a hobby. I found the love in nature once more and I want to love myself the most that I possibly can. 

So let’s get to it!

There are so many different uses to certain things that I use in my every day life, that I don’t even notice. These are a few of my favorite easy things to get your hands on that double as beauty treatments.

CUCUMBERS

Not only are they super yummy, they make you gloowww! Whenever my skin is acting up, I’ll slice up a cucumber and add it to my water throughout the day. A lot of the time I’m guilty of letting myself get completely dehydrated throughout the day. My skin starts to look tired, and my eye bags start making a dreaded appearance. Girl, bye. No one wants to be going around with worn out bare skin. I want my bare face to shine allll day. So drink your water throughout the day! 

Cucumbers will naturally flush your body of toxins - which will leave your skin fighting off acne, or any blemishes. It helps clear my skin up, I find that my skin is more even toned when I’m consistent with the cucumber water. When my eyes feel extra tired, I put a slice of cucumber over each eye and relax. They’re like little ice bags for your eyes, it’ll help your under eye puffiness go down! Also, cucumbers are filled with Vitamin K. Meaning, cucumbers help strengthen your bones. 

TURMERIC

I am an avid turmeric supporter. I don’t even know where to start, honestly. To name a few things that turmeric does...

  • Turmeric protects your brain cells and boosts your cognitive function 
  • It has the ability to kill cancer cells, it stops them from dividing. 
  • This amazing spice helps inhibit the formation of fat tissue, making it harder for you to gain weight. It can also increase your metabolism in the process
  • Treats diabetes
  • Heals wounds such as skin boils and burns
  • Helps with eczema
  • Prevents dementia 
  • The anti inflammatory and antioxidant compound found in turmeric known as curcumin, is known to help with depression! You can sprinkle turmeric over food when you’re cooking, take little pills of it, or make it into a yummy tea
  • Turmeric fights acne and blemishes, gets rid of black heads and scars, and reduces wrinkles. If you have oily skin, it will help with that as well. 
  • Use it as a teeth whitener! Mix some turmeric powder, dip your toothbrush under water and brush your teeth thoroughly for 3-5 minutes. 

To make a turmeric face mask, it can be as simple as having two ingredients. Honey and turmeric. You can add some lemon in there to help with scarring and to brighten your skin. Mix an equal amount of turmeric and honey until you get it to be a paste that will sit on your skin without completely dripping off. Leave it on your skin for about 15 minutes, and exfoliate as you’re taking it off. Be careful when you’re doing this because it WILL stain and it will be annoying. When I did this, my skin turned bright orange, and I looked crazy but it was well worth it. But of course it came out as I exfoliated my skin and put rinsing it with water. 

Another thing you can do with turmeric and honey that is not beauty related is use it to cure your cough! When my throat is killing me, I mix a teaspoon of turmeric and honey and eat it just like that. 

Lastly, HONEY!

I’m sure this comes as no surprise. Honey is known to...

  • Fade scars
  • Moisturize your skin 
  • You can make a quick and easy scrub with honey that will leave you wanting to eat yourself up from how good you smell and how soft you are! Mix some brown sugar and honey and you’ve got yourself a lip and body scrub all in one. Feel free to add in some lemon for extra benefits and a little citrusy smell
  • Because of its anti inflammatory properties, honey is amazing at clearing up acne
  • Natural energy booster 
  • Dip some honey into your warm lemon water in the morning to help with weight loss
  • It is great for a hangover! It’s filled with fructose, which boosts the metabolism of alcohol 
  • Boost your immune system
  • Its antibacterial properties help with cuts and wounds, similar to turmeric 
  • Help with seasonal allergies
  • Reduce hair loss
  • Lower blood pressure 
  • PH balance! Ladies listen to me. Honey mixed with some yogurt. You’re welcome

When I feel like my skin needs a little pick me up and is feeling a bit dry, I definitely turn to honey to fix it up a little. 

YOU SHOULD ALSO RESEARCH ON HOW TO HELP SAVE BEES BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SO IMPORTANT TO US! 

 If you would like to donate and read more about why bees are so important to us - follow these few links:
1.
2.
3.


 You can buy turmeric powder and pills here 
These are three very very simple things you are bound to have in your fridge and cabinet. Sometimes we have a breakout and our first thought is to go out and buy new skin products. We don’t always have to spend so much money to get glowing skin! So not only will these three things help you glow, they’ll definitely benefit your body inside out. It’s great when you can get multiple uses out of a product. When you make your own remedies, you know exactly what you put in there. This makes it easier to know what your skin needs, and what to stay away from. 

I hope you all took away even a little something from this post! Let me know if you try these out and how they worked for you! If you have anything to add, feel more than free to drop it in the comments below. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more natural remedy posts! 
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How I Fight Breakouts!

Hey everyone! I'm back with a long overdue - but worth the wait post. Thank you for being so sweet and patient, if you have any suggestions on future posts please comment and let me know! I'd love to have some more ideas on what to write about. Skincare is big love of mine, but I definitely might branch out. This post was inspired by the nasty trick my face decided to pull on me the other day, I broke out along my chin! It wasn't even something that was small and I was able to cover up. No, my skin did me dirty.

First thing's first - we get pimples because of bacteria that gets trapped within our pores. If you'd like a more elaborated answer:

"Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria (especially one called Propionibacterium acnes) can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply. This causes swelling and redness — the start of acne"

I rarely ever break out so this was completely my fault. At times I definitely do slack off a little and take my skin for granted. So I guess that was my skin flipping me off and reminding me not to forget about it. I am very dramatic. When I get sick, or I get the tiniest zit on my face, I go into full recovery mode. Keep in mind, this is what works for MY SKIN. I am by no means an expert, I have just come across some amazing products along the way that you should try :)

When I start to break out, I go back to basics. I figure it's because my skin had some sort of change it didn't agree with, and what I always use works best for me. So I go right back to what I'm familiar with. A few weeks ago I came across my new favorite cleanser! Now I know I said the L'Occitane is my favorite but I feel like this one really strips away all the oil off my face and leaves my face squeaky clean. The L'Occitane is still a favorite though - and I will repurchase.

CLARINS Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed

 I have repurchased this one twice already I am going to go buy a new one by the end of the week. This leaves my face feeling absolutely cleansed and since I have started using it I do notice that it has balanced my skin out a lot. This one is good for normal - combination skin. They do have a few other ones, and they have one for combo - oily skin if that's your skin type. It's only $26, and you can get it here. Also, it contains cottonseed (clearly), which has emollient properties. Meaning it soothes out rough surfaces - MEANING, your face is going to feel baby smooth. 
POND'S Cold Cream Cleanser

 Well first of all - this is magic. I just want everyone to know that. Razor burn? POND'S. You got a little thigh rash from the heat? POND'S. Your man isn't acting right? POND'S. Seriously though, this is a LIFE SAVER. It's so gentle that I remove my makeup with this after I use coconut oil - or when I don't have coconut oil I still use this to take my makeup off. Just because I don't like using other cleansers to take makeup off, I feel like there's no point in doing that. There's what I use to take makeup off - then what I use to wash my actual face. Cleansers will do you no justice if you put them on TOP of your makeup then wash them off. As I was saying, this is so gentle that I use it before everything else. It seems like a lot to put on your face, first this then that ... but it is really not. I RUN TO THIS, whenever I have a breakout. My skin is use to it - not to mention, your skin will be sooo soft after using this. So slather this baby on and thank me later. You can get at a local pharmacy, it's about $4.99 for a small one. 

 So as far as cleansers go, those are the two that I used mainly this past week to get my skin back to its normal state. BUT - let me tell you guys about two others ones that I absolutely adore. 

SANRE Cucumber Cleanser

 In all honesty I have completely been neglecting this cleanser for my heavier ones. This is so gentle, and the ingredients are amazing. It contains aloe which needless to say works miracles for your skin. The cucumber has a high water content so it hydrates your skin and it is high in Vitamin C. This is completely organic, non GMO and gluten free. This one reminds me a lot of my L'Occitane one, it is very gentle on your skin and has a very light consistency. You can find this at Whole Foods, or you can order it here. 

ORIGINS Checks and Balances™ Frothy Face Wash

 I might actually repurchase this one again instead of the CLARINS one. I do not like using a certain face wash for too long or else my skin will get use to it and it won't feel the same as it first did when I started using it. This one will take EVERYTHING off of your face, and it leaves it so fresh and clean. It leaves your skin very balanced and toned out, which is something I always look for in cleansers because I use to have slight redness around my nose and mouth like two years ago. It was such an annoying discoloration, but it went away completely thank God. I was so in love when I first used it and I would highly recommend it. This brand in general is a gem, if you have oily skin they have another great one that I have as well but I don't use it as often only because my skin isn't very oily and I don't need to. However, purchase it and you won't regret it! 

 Of course, I do not use all of these at once. When I'm breaking out I use the first two and maybe a night or two I will use the third one. It's important not to overwhelm your skin with new products when breaking out, and too many products can also be damaging to your skin. Now moving on to MASKS!

Pure Smile Aloe Essence Mask

 THIS. IS. AMAZING!
I had two whole new worlds on my chin the other night. I put this mask on for maybe 25 minutes because I get lazy, and also it's just aloe so it's not like my face was crusted up with clay and it had to be taken off ASAP. In my mind, the longer the better so that my skin could soak it all up. I have absolutely no idea what the packaging says. I picked this up randomly in Ricky's because I knew Aloe Vera is amazing, but that is about it. The next morning I woke up and my skin was CLEAR as day! I was GLOWWWWINGGG. This is about 2 dollars at most. You can also just buy an Aloe plant and rub it all in your face. But I like this mask so much, you guys need it. 

LUSH Mask Of Magnaminty

 This mask is amazing for clearing out your pores and getting rid of your blackheads. I don't use this the same night as the Aloe because again - I don't want to overwhelm my skin. This mask also gently exfoliates your skin, which will get all the bacteria out of your pores. You can buy this mask here. 
Honey is one of the main ingredients in this mask, and it has a lot of antioxidant properties which is important when you're dealing with acne and breakouts. These are all natural and safe ingredients. I do not push anything harsh on my face whatsoever, my skin is really sensitive so I highly doubt you will have a reaction from anything mentioned in my posts. However, everyone is different. I don't use this mask every night because of the fact that it does exfoliate your skin. If you over exfoliate, your skin will dry up and crack - which leads to more breakouts, yuck. 

I got a huge one at Whole Food's but they are
always low, so you can get one here 
Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay


I know you all saw this one coming. I have a love/hate relationship with this mask. I only used this ONCE during my breakout week (lol). Because it IS very strong. If you have sensitive skin, do not leave it on for very long, your face will stay red from all the blood rushing to it, and it will irritate your skin. HOWEVER, if you use it correctly this mask really is great. It lasts you forever, which is a plus. You mix it up with some water, or apple cider vinegar until it's the consistency that you'd like, and just put it all over or wherever you feel you need it the most if you think the mask is too strong for you. 


 I am really big on oils, butters, and NATURAL spot treatments. I had once used an acne spot treatment from Clean & Clear and it BURNED my skin. It completely burned off everywhere I had put it. My skin was red and literally gone and bumps took the place where I now would have much rather have had a pimple. Instead, it completely destroyed my skin. After this, that is when I turned to natural skincare instead of trying to burn the blemishes off of my face.

Get it here
LUSH Grease Lightning

I am not too sure why this is labeled as a cleanser. I was introduced to this product as a spot treatment. Whenever I have a pimple, or feel something forming, I rub a small amount into the spot and it's completely down by the morning. This bottle is so little and it will last you for months because you only need the slightest amount of it. This has thyme, tea tree and rosemary as the main ingredients. 


Buy it here

 cocokind Organic Facial Repair Serum

 I use this every night before I moisturize! It does not sit on your skin and make you feel oily, it makes your skin so soft, I cannot even begin to explain. You can use this as a daily moisturizer, but recently my skin has been a little oily so I haven't been using this in the morning. This has three ingredients, all of which do wonders for your skin. Coconut Oil (it will NOT clog your pores. no coconut oil slander on my blog), Rosehip Oil, and Avocado Oil! This also took away those annoying little forehead bumps that kept coming back on my skin for whatever reason. This company is AMAZING, the owner use to suffer from horrible acne and made these products to help others who were once in her shoes. I love that nature really does have all of our answers, there is no need to pack chemicals onto your skin! 
I got mine at Whole Foods for $13.99, and all you really need is a pump or two.

 We're almost done, this seems like so many products on your skin but I swear they're all used for different things and they're not heavy.
Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol Free Toner Rose Petal
If you do not already tone your face every night, you need to. You will find that cleansers only take so much dirt and bacteria off of your face. This toner is amazing, and aids so much in clearing breakouts and preventing new ones. Rose on your face is wonderful.





MARIO BADESCU Facial Spray With Aloe, Herb  and Rosewater
I spray this everywhere! I spray it in my hair to freshen my curls up, I spray it around my room, and on my bed, especially my pillows before I go to sleep. The smell is so light! When I tell you guys roses and aloe are my life savers, I mean it. I spray this before my makeup, as well as after to set my makeup. As far as skincare goes, this will tone your face up and leave it hydrated as ever. This is my go-to all day when I'm breaking out. You can get it at Ulta or Urban Outfitters.





LAST BUT NOT LEAST, my favorite thing to do is rub Shea Butter ALL OVER MY FACE. I ONLY use raw unrefined Shea Butter. Nothing whipped, nothing extra. Raw natural Shea Butter is GODLY, and you can rub it all over your body. It doesn't clog your pores, so I literally slather it on. I got mine for $20 at Whole Foods, but you can order raw unrefined Shea Butter off of Amazon! 


When dealing with a breakout do not touch your face or pick at your skin as tempting as it is. I love to drink lemon and cucumber water, it tastes so yummy and it has amazing benefits for your skin. Try to stay away from sweets, and fast food. Take care of your body and you will shine from inside out :)

If anyone has any amazing products they use for breakouts feel free to comment and share. Thank you all for reading and I hope you take my tips into consideration! Also, please comment with what you would like to see for the next blog post (which I promise will come soon!) 


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Every Day Curly Hair Routine

We spoke about my favorite cleansers, so now it's hair time. After years of trial and error with my hair, you would think that I have been able to perfect my every day hair routine. However, life isn't always easy and that is not the case. Your hair changes with the weather, so the products I would use in the summer aren't necessarily the products I would use in the winter. The products I used to use about 5 years ago on my hair also might not work for me now. I find that if I stick to a certain styling product for too long, it ceases to amaze me after a given period of time.

When I was younger, my hair was wavy with large curls at the ends. Reaching puberty, my hair turned into this big mess of curls and I had no idea what to do with them. Gels use to be my favorite thing because I was very into defined, tight curls. The older I got, the more I appreciated when my curls were voluminous and all over the place. The products that you use on your hair are all about what type of look you want to achieve. The way I like my curls to look could be very different from yours. My sister for example, tells me my curls are frizzy and my hair is big some days as if it's a bad thing. That being said, I pretty much want it all. I want volume and definition. To achieve that with my hair, it's hard to only use one product. My hair routine will probably change within the next month and I'll make an updated post, but in the end it's all about progress and learning what works with my hair and what doesn't.

FIRST THINGS FIRST, if you do not already have one - get yourself a diffuser. 

I am not kidding when I say this will change your curly headed life as you know it. Wavy heads, if you're looking to curl your hair up a tad bit more, this goes for you as well. A diffuser will reduce the bad frizz, and amp up the volume and definition of your curls. A diffuser is something you attach to your blowdryer, if you have no idea what I am talking about. Honestly, before you even try any of the products I am about to list, go take a walk to the beauty supply store, Ricky's, Sephora, wherever. Just grab yourself a diffuser. I know heat damage very well, and I have had my curls look like ramen noodles. A diffuser will not harm your curls, as long as you use it with some common sense. Do not leave it on one section of hair on the highest hottest setting, that's about it. Not that your curls would burn off, that just isn't the smartest thing to do in any scenario. 

Now that we've got that out of the way, we can talk styling products! I am still perfection my washing routine, so that will go in another post. Gotta keep some anticipation alive. After washing my hair and either finger combing it in the shower with a TON of conditioner, or just brushing it through with a wide toothed comb, I flip my head over swing my head back and forth and lightly dab at my hair with a cotton t-shirt. For the love of God, do not rub your hair between a towel. Your curls are going to not only be frizzy (the bad kind of frizzy), but they will not keep the pattern they should have. Drying your hair lightly with a cotton t-shirt will help retain the moisture and keep your curls defined.  I never completely dry my hair though, I simply make sure it's not soaking wet like it would be straight out of the shower.

The first time I got this product was as a sample in Sephora. I had no idea what it did, but this was at the time after I had decided to fry my curls by going blonde twice, then back to blue black. Needless to say, I NEEDED ALL THE HELP I COULD GET. I actually have an exact picture of when I used this product on its own the summer of 2015, after my curls had begun to slowly look normal again. That picture is the one shown right there, on the left. I sprayed this primer in my hair and diffused my curls, and voila! Now let me tell you why I continued to buy this product after receiving the sample. Because I have too much hair and the sample lasted two uses. In all seriousness though, this product is amazing. Not only does it make your curls feel like soft clouds when you touch them, it protects your hair from any heat that comes its way. Diffusing is not bad for your hair but there is still some heat involved, so I spray my locks up with this before I put anything else in! I do believe it adds a little bit of definition and volume too, I don't think that was their full intention with this product but it's so great that it does it anyway. It protects against heat and UV rays! Curly hair is dry enough to begin with, and being out all day in the summer will dry our beautiful curls up. The solution? Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer. It does not weigh your hair down, I spray the hell out of my hair with this and it does not feel like I have anything nasty sticking to it bringing my curls down. I use this before anything else goes on my hair, and after to refresh it all. My curls go all the way down my back, so this 8.5oz bottle ($28) lasts me maybe two or three weeks. But it's completely worth it so I am going to keep buying it. It makes your hair shiny too, your curls definitely will not look dull. It contains the signature oils of this line which are Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, Macademia Nut Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Safflower Seed Oil, and Grapeseed Oil. Off rip I'm into this because you guys know how much I adore my oils. It contains no alcohol, no Parabens, no mineral oil and no Phthalates. It has a subtle clean smell to it, and it is not sticky at all. So go ahead and spray that all over your precious head of curls. Or wavy hair, or straight. You can buy this at Sephora here.

Since it is important for your hair to be moisturized, I always follow up with a leave in conditioner. I feel like even though these products are typically meant to simply help your hair out against heat damage, dryness, and breakage, it helps style my hair too. So it's an added bonus. My current favorite leave in conditioner is Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner/Detangler!
Now let me tell you, for whatever reason I did not want to try and like this because I did not know how great the brand was. The only thing I will say I somewhat dislike about it, is that if I air dry my hair and leave this in, it sort of acts as a gel and hardens my hair just a little bit. It definitely defines it, so if that was the look I was into, that would be fine by me, but I like when my curls are more spread out and all over the place pretty much so that's why that bothered me. Keep in mind my hair is WET, when I put all my products in. It's not soaking wet where it's still dripping so much, but it's not dry one bit. So I would NOT tell you to put this in your hair when it's somewhat dry, at all. OTHERWISE, this is a beautiful product. It doesn't have a strong smell to it. That's another thing, I try not to mix too many smells that would not go together. I want my head to smell like a beautiful garden so I make certain all my products aren't too different. My hair tangles like nobody's business. I have been using this product for about a month now and I have no trouble brushing through my hair in the shower, no chunks have fallen out due to it being so tangled I can't fix it. It definitely does what it claims to do. You can use it in the shower to detangle your hair, but if you have thicker curly hair I would recommend it as a leave in conditioner. I can't tell you how much to use because my hair is different than yours. Your curls could be shorter and thinner, and my amount could be too much for you. I don't drench my hair in it because I do have other products I want to pair with it, so I make sure to just evenly, lightly distribute it from my roots to my ends. You can get this pretty much at any pharmacy for about $12.


I almost do not want to put this product in because I have mixed feelings about it. BUT, this is my every day curly hair routine. So I'm not setting these in stone as my favorites, although I mean, some pretty much are. The reason I have mixed feelings about this product is because I am yet to try it on its own. And I feel as though if I did, nothing out of the blue would happen. Or maybe it's just the fact that it wouldn't do everything I want it to (give me volume PLUS definition). That makes sense though, because it is gel based. But I feel like it's just my strong hate of the smell of this product that makes me dislike it a small amount. However, this product COMBINED with my whole routine!? Perfection. I absolutely adore it. My hair is literally frizz free, my curls are defined and I believe it's because of this exact product, and my volume!? Lord. With all of these products combined my hair has been looking lovely each time. Curls Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Jelly was recommended to me by an employer at Ricky's and I just got it on a whim honestly, without even checking the reviews. It comes inside of an 8oz bottle for $18. It says $25 on their site, and I am pretty sure that is how much I got it for, but I think they lowered it. So bless up and buy it with a discount. Despite me saying that nothing out of the blue would happen this really is a wonder product because it does exactly what it states. But when I use products on their own I like for them to have everything I want all in one, or the greater desire of mine being the dominating factor. This is a jelly, and my focus is on volume rather than slicked down definition so of course this wouldn't be my go to on its own product. That does not mean that it's bad at all, and I would definitely recommend it. Also because it does make my curls look glorious. The actual smell doesn't stick to my hair when I dry it, I just do not like the smell of blueberries in products for whatever reason. The great thing about this product is that there are added benefits to it, like the fact that there is blueberry leaf extract in it. The plant chemical that is found in blueberries, which is Proanthocyanidins, helps your hair grow. It also slows down graying and hair loss, yay! I also love that there aren't that many ingredients in this, and if you go on the website here, they tell you exactly which ingredient does what. This jelly also contains castor oil, which is amazing for hair growth. So as far as what I said before, I do love the product, but the look I tend to go for is different that just a jelly look so that's why I combine it. Beautiful product and I will continue to keep buying it. A little also goes a long way but I have more hair than a human needs so I will probably need to repurchase every one to two months or so. You can buy this product directly off of the site, Target, or Ricky's.

Alright alright, I know you're thinking this might be a bit too many products. But the first is to protect, the second is to condition, so those don't fully count to me. The third is to define, and this last one will give me extra volume! ALSO, this works for my hair, and none of these products have bad chemicals in them. So I don't feel the slightest bit wrong for it. I fell in love with Moroccanoil years back when I first cut my long locks and then started growing them out again to be healthy with the help of this amazing smelling hair oil. This oil helps your hair grow, and it leaves it shiny. A lot of you ladies ask me how I grew my hair out so long. I kept cutting it whenever it was damaged, then I simply thoroughly examined the ingredients of every product that I used. All of the products that I use in my hair incorporate some sort of oil that help my hair grow. I use to use Shea Moisture products (which I still do sometimes, they just don't work as great on my hair anymore, but I love them). Those helped my hair grow, now as you see the Blueberry Bliss jelly has hair growth qualities within it, and now so does this next product I'm about to tell you about! The last thing I put on my hair is the Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse. Which you can buy at Ricky's, or Amazon here. It costs $28 for 8.5oz. It is sort of pricey for a mousse, but I love the brand, I love what it does and a little goes a long way! This mousse does not flake, it does not make my hair sticky, and it does not make my hair dry. Mousse's have a bad rep within the curly haired community because it is believed that they dry your hair out. Which can be true, for the ones that contain alcohol in it. One of the main ingredients is Argan oil, which will hydrate your curls and help with the growth. This styler does in fact do what it claims to, it gives me volume that lasts all throughout the day.


After that, I simply sacrifice my neck and I stand with my head flipped over and I diffuse my hair for what seems to be 10 years. I flip my head over and admire the result of all the products combined! Though hair products seem to be pricey, it is so worth it to invest in yourself. I will always drop however much I need to on my skin and hair. I love taking care of myself and I know I'll thank myself in the long run. Read the ingredients of your hair products! You might think that just because an item does not have that many ingredients to it that it will not do much for your hair, yes it will, stay away from items with an immense amount of things inside of it. They are just thrown in together with chemicals and it will do your hair no justice. I am afford to layer products because all of the products I use are light and beneficial for my hair. I do have products that I haven't listed in here that I love using, and unfortunately I will leave those for another time. I have so much I want to share with you guys but this is simply my every day hair routine at the moment, since that is really the main thing people ask me when it comes to my hair! Of course, I plan to share my all time favorite curly hair products with you all, whether it be for styling or keeping it healthy.

Thank you so much for reading! Stay tuned for more hair care posts, and if you have any questions or comments please drop them below.
















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Favorite Cleansers

Having quality cleansers is essential to your skin care routine. Our skin is always changing, whether it's due to the weather or your hormones, it is often going through different states. As of right now, my skin is normal to combination. My glasses sit on top of my nose and cheeks, making that area oily throughout the day. However, because it is winter, my forehead has started to dry up a little. That's not a concern for me though, and it shouldn't be for you either because with the help of a few amazing products, dry winter skin won't be an issue 😉

First off, I do not turn to cleansers to take my makeup off. Of course cleansers are more than able to take it off, but if I'm mixing in my cleanser with makeup and letting it all seep into my face what am I really doing? If I wear foundation and slather my cleanser on top of it, that just acts like a barrier in my opinion. I take my makeup off with neutrogena wipes, and THEN apply my cleanser, because even with the wipes not everything is off of my face. I've been wanting to try Take The Day from Clinique, but that's for a different post so I'll focus.

When looking for cleansers, I tend to stay away from those in bars of soap because I find that they're very drying. They make my skin feel tight in a way that if I crack too hard of a smile, it'll hurt. As a result of dry skin, we'll end up with a bad breakout and wrinkles, and no one wants that. As with any skin care product, cleansers come in different forms. I love how creamy and oily cleansers feel on my skin, because I absolutely love giving my skin all the moisture it needs. Foaming cleansers are a hit or miss, they tend to be drying because a lot of them contain sulfate. Sulfates strip your skin of natural oils (that's why these cleansers make our skin feel oddly clean, squeaky clean..too clean). Sulfates bridge the gap between water and oil, making it easier for the cleanser to take all the dirt and oil from your skin. The problem with this is, we often lose the natural oils our skin produces that we actually need. Read the ingredients of the things you buy to put on your face, I cannot stress how important it is to know what you put on your body. Everything you place on your skin, it will absorb and go into your bloodstream. I do not buy random skincare products if I haven't done my research on it first. That being said, everyone enjoys different things on your face. If you have oily skin and you can find a great foaming cleanser without sulfates, and that is what you like to use, then by all means. Maybe in the summer I'll try one out and let you guys know how it goes. For now, let's talk about these two gems that have done wonders for my skin!

L'OCCITANE CLEANSING MILK 


I have been using this cleanser for YEARS (we've taken a few breaks here and there so I can weigh my options out) but I recently found out L'OCCITANE hadn't actually discontinued it like I thought. I wasn't able to find this anywhere, it didn't occur to me that they had just changed up the packaging and I was too stubborn to buy this new one because I believed it just couldn't be as great as the first. This cleanser goes on so nicely into my skin! After removing my makeup as best as I can with wipes, I rub this into my skin and let it sit for a little. It makes no sense to me when people lather a product on and take it off within seconds. You don't think you should let it do its thing and mingle with your skin a little? Well, it should. This cleanser has shea butter in it, which my god, is like putting all the angels of heaven on your skin at once. Not only does it contain shea, it also has licorice extract in it. Licorice is great for evening out your skin tone, because of its high content of glycyrrhizate. I stay far away from products with nothing but chemicals. This world has everything we need, nature is the best remedy! Licorice also has antioxidant properties, meaning it helps your skin produce the oil it needs, meaning soft smooth skin for us. My skin is fairly sensitive, and this does not cause irritation of any kind. I rub it in, let it do its magic, and gently take it off with warm water. You can find this product at any L'OCCITANE store. It is 24 dollars, and the bottle is a good size (6.7fl.oz.) for its price. 


These two cleansers are in no particular order, as I use them at different times. My second pick would have to be Angels On Bare Skin from LUSH. I tend to use this one more at night to exfoliate.

LUSH Angels On Bare Skin


This cleanser is preservative free and 100% natural! I do not like to use this cleanser every day, though I would if my skin agreed with it. Really though, no ones skin would agree with being over exfoliated. Sure, the way our skin feels after we exfoliate it is great, but after a while it strips your face of oils which causes your skin to work extra hard to compensate for that lost oil, and we will end up with unwanted pimples on our face. This cleanser contains almonds as the main ingredient, which are rich in Vitamin E. They hydrate and leave your skin glowing! Sometimes, I like to apply sweet almond oil to my face before bed. Oils are serums are my favorite things in this entire world, and they will do your skin great justice - trust me. I use this cleanser every 2 or 3 days, depending on how my skin is feeling. It also contains lavender, which is soothing for your face, so as you exfoliate, it will calm your skin. On top of that, it has rose and chamomile oils in it. Honestly, this is love in a little jar. Also, what I love about LUSH is that if you collect up the little pots, you get a free fresh face mask! Always a nice little plus. This product goes a long way. I take about a dime sized amount into my hand, mix it in with water and with my other hand I spread it all over my face. As with the other cleanser, I let it sit on my skin. You can feel free to use this on the rest of your body, too.


These two cleansers combined are amazing, and they are my key to smooth, CLEAN, balanced skin. What I use might not be suitable for everyone as we all have different skin, however the things I use on my skin are natural and typically made for everyone seeing as I don't have any major skin issues that would require me to use heavier products that someone without skin issues might not need. I highly recommend these two items, and they're definitely my favorites.

Try them out and let me know how you like them, and how they feel on your skin! If you have any questions about anything I wrote or want me to expand on a topic, let me know. Thank you for reading!





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