My Skincare Regimen For This Acne Prone Skin

Ok so if you are over 21 like me I bet you thought the days of acne were over right?  Well I was highly mistaken! Don't get me wrong, it's not nearly as bad as it used to be but if I skip a day of not using some type of product with benzyl peroxide or salicylic acid, my skin freaks out.  So I went on a search to find something more natural and not as harsh to use on my skin. It'll also help my pockets too ;-)

I found that there are products right in my pantry that would do the trick:

Oatmeal: It contains saponins, a cleansing agent so can be used as a facial cleanser.  It is really moisturizing and helps remove dead skin cells.  Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties and is perfect for most skin types, which is perfect for calming down active breakouts.  And of course it aids in treating acne, eczema, and rosacea!  

How I use it:  Just throw some in a blender then mix with a little water, gently rub into your face & let sit for a few minutes.  Then rinse with warm water.

Sodium Bicarbonate or Baking Soda (as I like to call it :-)):  It soothes the skin while it gently cleanses and is great for cleaning pores and removing excess facial oil. It's great at exfoliating the skin. Baking soda for acne helps get rid of the acidic pH in which the acne bacteria thrive. 
How I use it:  Mix a tbsp with your favorite mild cleanser ( I use cetaphil), massage into your skin and rinse

Finally my favorite of them all is HONEY:  Honey's natural antioxidant and anti-microbial properties help to protect the skin from the damage of the sun's rays, supports the skin's ability to rejuvenate and refresh depleted skin, leaving it feeling silky, soft, and supple.  Honey absorbs impurities from the pores on the skin, making it an ideal cleansing agent. The anti-microbial properties also make it great for getting rid of that dreaded acne bacteria.

How I use it:  Simply just put some in the palm of your hand rub together and then just massage your face with it!

I would love to know what you use to treat your acne! Please share! xoxo

Shantae

Mommy Fashion or Lack Thereof lol...

When we become moms, some of us get so focused on planning meals, homework help, and grocery shopping that we kinda allow ourselves to fade into the background...believe me, I know!  As much as I loved  shoes and getting "cute", I just didn't feel up to it.

Mommy fashion for me consisted of tshirts, baggy jeans, and hoodies.  After a while I got tired of the same ol' same and looked for ways to spice up my wardrobe while staying confy.

Some staples for me include:

Leggings: See what leggings look like here

By mixing and matching colors and choosing the right shoes, leggings can be worn in any season.  Your leggings should be tight enough to snugly cover your legs, but not so tight that people can see every dimple in your legs. Make sure that they aren't so loose that they start to bunch over your legs, that is not what's hot!  Jeggings are also comfy and can help spice up an ordinary outfit.  While leggings and a top that falls to your waist is a big no-no, you can pair a short shirt with jeggings.  See jeggings here

Tunics:  what's a tunic?

Pair your tunic with "skinny" jeans, leggings, shorts or a skirt.  Accentuate the tunic's shape by wearing a belt at the waist.  Check the hem length of your tunic before you decide how to wear it. Shorter tunics do not make good dresses and sometimes cannot go with shorts. More fun ways to wear your tunic

Maxi Dresses:  click here for an example
Maxi dresses are long and loose, so you never feel self conscious or uncomfortable when wearing them.  These dresses cling to all the right places up top and are more free flowing towards the belly, which in turn makes the Maxi dress flattering on just about everybody.  The Maxi dress can be transitioned into fall wear easily, with some extra layering pieces.  Some people seem to think that a maxi dresses are for formal or dressy occasions but maxis have come to be very stylish and comfy.  Maxi dresses are my fave!   

I have a few more faves but this post is getting longer than I want it to be so we'll save that for another day!

Know that we are all beautifully made! Bye y'all! ;-)

Here I go again...

Well...it's been a while since I've written anything.  A whirlwind of events have taken place and I so was not focusing on blogging...or anything for that matter.  Part of the reason is because I relocated 6 months sooner than what was planned because of my old slumlord and another reason being that I have been wrecking my brain trying to decide what the heck to even blog about.  When I initially started this blog, I didn't even really know what a blog was supposed to be for.  A friend said, "you should start a blog" I thought "hmm, ok" and so I did start but did absolutely nothing with it...lol...

I have decided that I want to share with the world how this stay at home mommy is trying to rediscover herself, while trying to kick start a career.  I think I got lost along this journey of life once I replenished this earth with three beautiful babies but I'm back baby!  My love for fashion, fitness, family and food will make this blog pretty interesting but please bare with me as I figure all of this out.  I'm a mommy on a mission to occupy my time with stuff other than playdates, and couponing.  So stay tuned, this ought to be pretty interesting as I don't even know what to expect...

Leading by example

The hardest thing about being a mom to me is raising my little girl in today's society.  With all these images around of what beauty is, I have to do my best to make sure she understands that everything about her is unique and that is what makes her beautiful.  I love make up and all things fashion and I don't want her to get that confused with thinking that she needs a full face of make up or a dope outfit to be "beautiful". I used to hate thinking about this from a race point of view but the reality is we are black and some of the issues that come along with being black have to be addressed.  We live in a predominately white area so there aren't many kids in her class that "look like her".  When I decided to stop straightening her hair and letting her rock her natural, it was a little difficult for her at first because all the girls in her class had long straight hair and she didn't want to be different.  So lesson #1 for my 7 year old was that there is nothing wrong with being different and that being different is what makes her unique.  At one point, she hated when people would draw attention to how big her eyes were and sometimes she would cry.  So once again, we had to have a talk about one more thing that made her very unique.  Tackling these things at this age was scary at first because I couldn't believe that a child this young is already having issues with their "image". But the good thing is that this is being instilled in her at an early age so nobody can come in and tell her otherwise.  I want her to know that there is no real image of beauty.  Giving her those pep talks helped me realize some things about myself as well.  Being darker skinned or a woman of color bothered me for a long time.  I had certain people that were close to me in my ear at a very young age that insinuated that black=ugly and light=beauty, straight hair=good hair and nappy hair=not so good hair.  At 28, I'm almost comfortable in my skin.  I have to be honest, I still have flaws that I am trying to  accept and embrace as apart of my uniqueness. I think as I continue to build up my daughter, it is helping me with my own.  Leading by example is the name of the game. I can't tell my baby to embrace her uniqueness if I'm not doing the same because eventually she's going to notice because of course, kids, especially nosy little girls, notice everything! lol

My Mommy Makeover

For year, I have been focused so much on being the perfect mother to my kids and making sure all their needs were met that I had forgotten about all the "needs" that I had that went unmet.  I am undeniably a wife and a mother but there is more to this woman than laundry, pot roasts, and dusting.  I was a stay at home mom for several years and in those several years, I have come to the conclusion that being at home all day with my babies is not my style!  In no way am I saying that I need to neglect my duties as a mom and have my 3, 5, and 7 year old fend for themselves.  What I am saying is that it is time to carve out time for me.  Time for me to just be with me and nurture the things that I love/have passion for.  I enjoy going to the gym and learning more about how my body works.  I love going to my closet to figure out how many different outfits I can put together.  Eventually, I would like to share what I have learned with other mamas like me.  I can't parent effectively if I feel like I'm wasting away. As a mommy, I have to hold on to some things that make me, me (a unique individual). I have to realize that contrary to what the old school mamas may think, I am more than just somebodies mama.  I am a woman with visions, goals, and dreams.  I can't push my babies to go after their dreams if I am not doing the same. We gotta lead by example.  So alongside my road to self discovery, this mommy is getting a makeover! I'm tearing apart what the image of an ideal mommy is and reinventing this mommy for not only what works for this family but for what works for myself as well.  I'm a mommy on a mission!