Do not be afraid to bare it all!!!

Hi Guys!

Yes I know I have not shared a post in awhile. I have been super busy with... Life! Arrggggh!!!

Since the beginning of summer I have been taken up with job hunting and preparing myself for what I could feel was going to be a huge change in my life. I have been blessed to be successful in my job-hunt exercise. Two job offers in two months. Thanks to the big man upstairs! I do not know if there is any scientific formula to this, but I seem to always find/change jobs during the summer time. So now that you have been brought up to speed with what has been happening with me, let me jump right into what this post is really about!

Too often we get caught up with being perfect. Now, I am not saying that we should not aspire to always look and feel our best, but sometimes we need to lay off the pretenses. There are times when I peruse the pages of various Instagram and Facebook accounts, I must admit that I too have those feelings of "thirst". I then have to mentally nudge myself back into reality because I know half of what we see online is a facade. People hide behind their social media accounts and of course they are going to post what is perfect and without flaw or blemish.

From the flashy jewels, to the fashion, the hair, the cars and not to mention the makeup. Even working has now become something to boast about...#workflow!!! I am guilty of that one. We are living in an era where it is cool to be vain, self-obsessed and superficial. Be warned! Advertising vanity can only last so long. Youth can only last so long. Virtue and Genuineness/Substance never goes out of style! We hide behind our partners(the perfect relationship(s)), the bank accounts, the degrees, the seemingly successful careers and the list goes on. What we fail to recognize and admit is that we are all in the struggle. We all experience triumphs and disappointments. It is what makes us inherently human. I too have felt that rip in my gut when I have had to pretend I don't need something simply because I cannot afford it. We wonder, did we really go to school for all those years to come out working for the man and living pay cheque to pay cheque? Who wants to travel the world? I know I do. Who wants to be able to take a month of vacation with the comfort of knowing that while you are busy relaxing, your money is working for you? I'll drink to that!

We are inching closer and closer to thirty, forty, even fifty and we feel as if time is running out on us. Shxt we all thought we would be stinkin' rich by now right? Then reality sets in and we realize there isn't enough savings in our bank accounts if God forbid we should be out of work for a few months. What have we been working for all this time? Do we go back to school? Do we explore entrepreneurial ventures? Where will the capital come from? For us ladies when we hit what I call emotional destitution, a feeling of hitting rock bottom, we begin to envy the likes of Amber Rose and her bestie Blac Chyna. The men may consider the narcotics trade or even scamming. Now that is when you KNOW things are really bad! Who or what dictates our identity? Is this something intrinsic or is it based on social media? Perhaps both? How do we deal with these feelings? What I try do is STAY IN MY OWN LANE. I have learnt that by concentrating on my own journey, I have the power to control my happiness and chart my own course. Don't pretend to be something you are not. Wealth will not fall into your lap unless of course you are fortunate enough to have been left a fortune by a deceased family member or you have won the lottery. The odds of that happening are very slim.  Be brutally honest with yourself. Be patient.  Know what you want and work your ass off for it. While you are working your way up, be careful not to step on others. Not all bridges are meant to be burnt either. Be conscious of doing good.

Live in your own truth! Now I am not telling you to go tell everyone your business simply because you want to be real! The world is not your therapist. Spare your Facebook friends' timelines from the constant emotional rants. Please do not go posting God-awful selfies on Instagram with hashtags like I woke up like this! Living in your own truth for me means taking pride in who you are and owning who you are. Sugar-coating things will not solve your problems nor will putting everything out there for everyone to see. Life is all about balance and doing everything in moderation. When you see those bags under my eyes, believe me I see them too. I do not feel the constant need to cover up because its a quick fix. I simply  need to rest. Look out for my next blog post on pocket friendly eye-creams! See what I did there? Lol!

Find people you can trust. If it is one person, that is okay. Keeping a small circle is certainly not  a bad thing. Pretending is! Whatever you put out into the universe, believe me when I say that is what you are going to get back. If you are negative, you will attract negative energy into your life. Surround yourselves with all things good, positive and uplifting. It is normal and okay to fall down sometimes. The key is to get up, brush ourselves off and continue making strides. Be good to yourselves and remember we are all working our butts off to retire early! 

I have found the Fountain of Youth in these four(4) carrier oils

Have you ever looked at celebrities such as Madonna, Tracee Ellis Ross or even Pharrell Williams and wondered how is it that as each year passes, everyone seems to be getting older while they seem to be ageless? We all want to preserve our youth for as long as it is humanly possible. Well I know I do! There are four (4) oils that I will detail in this post that I find to be quite helpful in maintaining the suppleness and overall health of my skin. The oils are Rosehip Seed, Jojoba, Coconut and Macadamia Nut. I will be examining these oils from four angles: skintype recommendations, weight, uses and shelf life.

Coconut and Rosehip Seed oils are on the heavier side.  If your skin requires extra moisture, these two oils have your name written all over them! Jojoba oil falls under the medium category while macadamia nut oil is quite light.

Rosehip Seed oil is perfect for dry and aging skin. If your skin is oily, macadamia nut oil will not clog your pores and acts as a great moisturizer as well. Jojoba oil can be used by all and is often found in many expensive beauty products.

Recommended Uses:
1. Rosehip Seed Oil (extracted from the seeds of Rosa moschata or Rosa rubiginosa in the southern Andes or Rosa canina which are types of roses found in South Africa & Europe)...Contains vitamins E, C & B-Carotene. These vitamins are responsible for the rejuvenating and regeneration of your skin cells. The oil reduces age and dark spots, lightens stretch marks, controls hyperpigmentation and improves the general appearance and feel of the skin & nails.

2. Jojoba Oil (obtained from "pressing" jojoba seeds of a shrub which can be found in the USA and Mexico)...Powerful face moisturizer, mimics the sebum produced by your scalp and as such is perfect for keeping your scalp healthy, calms eczema, psoriasis and sunburns and aids in wound healing.

3. Coconut Oil (found in most tropical islands and is extracted from Coconuts)...Eye serum, body moisturizer, nail cuticle oil and hair conditioner. This oil has penetrating properties and as such is great in helping to moisturize your hair and thus reducing hair breakage.

4. Macadamia Nut Oil (the tree is found in Australia usually and extraction is done through pressing)...Face moisturizer, makeup remover, eye serum, facial cleanser, helps to prevent split ends by sealing in moisturizer in the hair.

Storage:
Rosehip Seed Oil is prone to rancidity so great care must be taken when storing this oil. It's best to keep it refrigerated after opening. Jojoba oil stores well and is sometimes used to extend the shelf life of other oils. Macadamia nut oil should be stored in places that are cool and should not be exposed to heat and excessive light. My favorite oil, Coconut oil, has a shelf life that goes up to two (2) years.

It's always fun to experiment with oils so grab your wallets and purses and start shopping! You can never put a price tag on your health or grooming. Often times people will see our skin before they see us. It is therefore essential that we preserve our skin and maintain its natural beauty so we can all have that feeling of being Forever Young!

NB: Persons who generally have allergic reactions to nuts should do a skin test before using macadamia nut oil.

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