Okay, I’m really excited because yesterday was the first time that I can recall in recent memory that I achieved my 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day.   I had 3 servings of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables.   Have you gotten your 5 A DAY?  I did 30 minutes of exercise as well.  So on that front it was a good day.

Working on my physical health to improve my mental health.

Umm Ebraheem

Over the years, I have tried everything out there from drugstore products to high-end department store products to synthetic drugs prescribed by dermatologists to treat my skin. Most of the products didn’t work. They were either too drying, too strong or just didn’t work. I spent a lot of money. I threw a lot of things away. I was frustrated. More than that, I was tired of slathering all of these chemical products on my skin day after day. Then I had a breakthrough, earlier this year, I found a local esthetician who sang the praises of Juice Beauty products. During my facial she used these products on my skin and sent me home with samples. I liked that the products were natural, did not have a heavy scent and most of all did not aggravate my extremely sensitive skin. I went online to the Juice Beauty website and looked up there products and purchased the Blemish clearing serum and the Cleansing gel. While the cleansing gel did not wow me, I really liked Blemish clearing serum. It seemed to add a little moisture to my skin and give me a glow. I have since started using the oil free moisturizer and I love the product. It is not heavy or greasy and melts right into my skin and gives my skin much needed moisture without making me have the oily feel or shine during the day. I purchased a bar of African Black Soap from Whole Foods and use it as my cleanser morning and night. The Black Soap is great for evening out your skin tone. Just know that the Black Soap can be a little irritating initially. I really recommend not allowing it to sit or dry on your face. Get a good lather, clean your face and rinse immediately and pat dry. I follow this with the Juice Beauty serum and Oil free Moisturizer.
I think I have finally after 24 years found something that works:) I have had really good results since I started using natural products to clean and treat my skin. I would recommend getting a Juice Beauty sampler kit to try out the products. I purchased mine from Sephora. Or I would also start with the Blemish clearing serum and see what cleansers/moisturizers interest you, since there are different formulas based on skin type. Good Luck on your natural skin care journey. You will feel great when you find products that work for your skin and you will feel even better that they are natural.
(note: FYI Authentic Black Soap will look like a brown rock or hunk of hardened oatmeal. It is not actually black some products you will find).
Disclaimer: Dn2erthgirl is in no way affiliated with the Juice Beauty Co. nor do I receive any kickbacks:) Above are my personal experiences and opinions.

I love big hair!

I have been natural for about seven months now. UNBELIEVABLE! I had a perm for over 20 years and never thought that I would stop getting them. But, I did. So, I journey on to my goal of a big curly hairdo. I found this photo on a natural hair image search and I hope one day to sport something like this!

Prudency Point-Being natural reduces amount of money spent on perms and other maintenance products. So, I am saving a little money. All I really purchase is: conditioner, shea butter and gel.

Image Source: Fairnessbeauty.com

1. Make sure you drink enough water each day

Water is always good for the body. It does not only keep your skin hydrated, but it also elimintes the harmful toxins from your body.

2. Cut back on your intake of coffee, alcohol and smoking

Coffee, alcohol and smoking are known to cause the skin cells to dry out. By refraining from consuming them, you can keep your skin properly hydrated.

3. Use a mild facial wash

Make sure that you wash your face every night before you go to bed. It is important to remove any makeup or other products that you had on that day. The best way to remove all products is by using olive oil. Wash your face with a mild facial cleanser after using the oil. This type of cleanser will release toxins and bacteria from your skin and let the pores open up and breathe.

4. Exfoliate your skin

Try exfoliating your skin with sugar. You can do this by adding a small amount of sugar to your facial cleanser. Rub the mixture into your skin in a circular motion and massage your face gently. The sugar will dissolve the oils that are holding your dead skin cells together. It will break up the dead skin cells allowing them to be removed from your face. After you have exfoliated your skin, you should splash your face with cold water and gently pat dry. It is best to exfoliate your face at least twice a week.

5. Keep your skin moisturized

After you have washed your face you need to moisturize it. This is especially important to those with oily and dry skin. Make sure that the moisturizer you choose is not heavy and is made from a water-based solution. This will keep the skin hydrated without clogging the pores. Johnny recommends using a scent free one if you have sensitive skin.

There once was a house that fell ill

And racked up an emergency room bill.

They hacked all day and night

With no end in sight,

Thank God the Neti Pot works better than a pill.

WE LOVE YOU NETI!  Thanks for clearing up our sinuses.  You’re so much more reliable than Western Medicine!

Here’s a little educational video on how to use one:

For those who haven’t tried this before, no judging until you give it a shot.  Yeah, it feels super strange – but it works like a charm on sinus problems and allergies!   Neti pots are becoming so mainstream that you can even get one at Target!  Here’s the brand that we picked up before leaving, which includes 50 packets of the salt rinse you need to mix with the lukewarm water.  1/2 pot per nostril is our rule.  Experience the magic for yourself!

I TAKE COMPLIMENTS HORRIBLY.

although i know that i am not overweight and/or ugly…i am a little too hard on myself, significantly pointed out by my lovely boyfriend, who wouldn’t care if i gained a bagillion pounds.

so…specifically…i am not overweight, yet i’m definitely not happy with my body.  i CAN say that i have reached a time in my life where i totally loved my body…but that lasted only mere months.   i do think it needs a little less jiggle and a lot more endurance.  and my hate for my body doesn’t end with the silhouette…it continues to bumps, scars, marks…WHAT HAVE YOU.  and I, FRIENDS, HAVE IT ALL! stretch marks, cellulite, scars…OH MY!  i’m not a millionaire that i can take a trip to a derm and have it fixed within hours…i just have to deal.  i just wish that my mom knew what to teach me when i was growing up.  moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

this part goes for my face too!   i’m 24 years old…i get pimples like i’m a teenager and i have dark circles like a senior citizen…and scars seem to last a lifetime on my face…they just DON’T GO AWAY.  and don’t get me started on my PORES.  bah!  again this is all routine things that could have prevented my skin to be this way.  mom didn’t emphasize the importance of growing up and dealing with skin.  i will definitely relay all my mistakes to my children…and I WILL HAVE VISUAL PROOF.

here’s an oath – i will religiously go back to the gym, i will religiously cleanse my face and be aware of what i consume…(it affects skin and weight…i’ll tell you that)

sooo.  here’s the sandwich trick with criticism.  say something nice | c r i t i c i z e | end with something nice….

here we go.  as God’s creation, I believe I am beautiful.

Yes, it is true.  We are still sick.  New symptoms seem to be showing up each day.  I haven’t kicked my cough yet despite all the various remedies I’ve tried.  And then Nick woke up on Saturday morning and told me he had an ear infection and needed it looked at immediately.  So off we went to the Emergency Room for the second time this week!  I’m starting to become a regular there – it’s really quite sad.  He was diagnosed with Swimmer’s Ear, which is essentially an infection of the ear canal.  Quite painful!  With drops and pain meds in hand, we settled in for another rest-filled weekend.

I’ve written several times about how I frequent The Spa, which is in Greenbelt.  While I still love my “home” spa, I felt like a change-up was in order because I was so used to the routine of the various massages that I’d know which direction I needed to turn or bend my leg before they had even prompted me.  The buzz in the Embassy community has been around Neo Spa, located in Fort Bonafacio.  I decided to test it out with a friend on Friday and see how it compared.

Since I’ve been sick for almost 3 weeks now, I opted for a unique massage geared toward helping your immune system.  It’s called a Lymphatic Drainage Massage and although the name isn’t very sexy, it ended up being in my top 3 massages of all time.  This style of massage boosts the flow of lymph around your body, refreshing your immune system and flushing out toxins.  For those of you that aren’t into biology: Lymph is a clear, yellow fluid that flows around your body, bringing white blood cells and antibodies to your tissues and organs.  These are vital to your immune system and help fight infections.

It’s hard to describe what the massage felt like.  At times, I felt like she was kneading my muscles, pushing her hands together from both ends.  She also used a unique S stroke that I’ve never experienced before.  Everything was long and flowing, but there was an intensity about it as well that felt different than Swedish.  She started at my toes and worked up to the top of the body, seemingly squeezing all of the toxins out through my head.  Simply amazing!  For those of you who like massage, add this style to your repertoire!

You can just about guess how excited I was about this new spa I had found!  So what did I do but book another appointment on the spot for Nick and I for the following day. I got him the Lymphatic Massage that I’d just received and decided that I’d sample a new massage called Tui Na, which is a form of Chinese Manipulative Therapy often used in combination with acupuncture.  I was struggling to explain the basics of Tui Na, so I pulled a short excerpt from Wikipedia to share with you:

The words Tui Na translate into “push-grasp” or “poke-pinch” in Chinese. Physically, it is a series of pressing, tapping, and kneading with palms, fingertips, knuckles or implements that help the body to remove blockages along the meridians of the body and stimulates the flow of qi and blood to promote healing, similar to principles of acupuncture, moxibustion, and acupressure.  Tui na is a hands-on body treatment that uses Chinese taoist and martial art principles to bring the body to balance. The principles being balanced are the eight principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The practitioner may brush, knead, roll/press and rub the areas between each of the joints (known as the eight gates) to open the body’s defensive chi and get the energy moving in both the meridians and the muscles.

I had no idea all that was happening but I can say that it felt sensational.  The most unique aspect of the style was that it was done almost exclusively with the two thumbs.  I can’t imagine what kind of hand strength that must take!  And the great thing about this new spa is that they have 4 or 5 other unique massage styles that I’ve never had before including: A bamboo massage, a Seashell Massage and a Lomi Lomi Massage.  I can guarantee that I’ll be sampling every style at least once!

I just received my Mary Kay Princess pack today.  It cost me a little over $200 and it better be well worth it.  I’m just kidding.  I’ve used their products before and I love it.

Let’s see… I bought:

1. TimeWise 3-in-1 cleanse
2. TimeWise age-fighting moisturizer
3. TimeWise day solution with spf 25
4. TimeWise night solution
5. Foundation
6. Oil-free eye makeup remover (I love this product!)
7. TimeWise firming eye cream
8. Mascara
9. The microdermabrasion set that refines and replenishes your skin
10. And since I hosted the party that I threw for my friend, I received the Satin Hands set for only $5!

Maybe it’s due to the weather change, but my skin has been oily lately.  I’ve also been breaking out, especially around my hairline and mouth/chin area.  And I hate it!  Hopefully, this skin care regimen clears out my skin so I would have flawless, beautiful skin.  Who wouldn’t want that?

After years of proactiv I decided
a.) I can’t afford it anymore
b.) it’s not preventing my face from breaking out
c.) my face stays oily
d.) and after I put their moisturizer it burns.

So now im trying out over the counter drug store brands. I’ve been hesitating to do this because my face is so sensitive. For my face wash I’m using a stress control daily scrub by neutrogena that’s awarded by allure magazine. It’s been several days and everytime I wash my face off it feels a lot smoother…the pimples that I did have are slowly going away. I love it. I also bought new neutrogena moisturizer from their new line positively ageless. I also read in my November InStyle that having a tint can actually make your skin younger. The first night I tried the moisturizer I was a little scared because it was a little itchy at my jawline but i’m starting to notice that it makes my face look fresh. I usually just have to pull through my initial face reactions.

I’ll be updating in a couple of months.

by Stefania Revelli

WHAT’S HAPPENING

• The concept of kiss and tell gets a safety makeover with 2LoveMyLips, an innovative lip gloss available in the U.K. (CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com 10.7.09).
• The lip gloss comes with a date rape drug testing kit, which can detect drugs GHP and Ketamine. Doubting dames just dip the test strip into their drink; a blue stick means spike alert.
• 2LoveMyLips comes in four varieties: Sophisticated Coffee, Charasmatic Cherry, Passionate Pink, Beautiful Pink and Posh Gloss.
• The company has plans to make 2LoveMyLips available in U.K. pub and club vending machines as well as in Australia and the U.S.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

• Better safe than sorry has long been an American proverb. Prevention via discretion is an effective key to the strategy.
• A personal safety tool that provides peace of mind and confidence lets women know they can have both sassy and safety in the palm of their hand.

RESOURCES

• 2LoveMyLips

I don’t know if I am being adversely affected by all the healthcare talk I’m listening to or if my actual experiences with my healthcare providers is making me such a cynic.  What I do know is that I am one more bad feeling away from completely dumping the Duke Healthcare System and moving over to the UNC Chapel Hill system.  I’ve just dumped my primary care provider and I will be picking up a different provider at the end of the month.  I was close to dumping my gynecologist because I did not feel that her office staff was handling my appointments properly. 

Whether or not I decide to get out of the Duke system I do know that I will no longer let healthcare providers frustrate me.  I am determined I am going to get good care if I have to shop for doctors on a regular basis.  There is no excuse for the lack of care and attention that is being passed off as primary care these days.  I encourage my friends and family to really take charge of their healthcare and don’t settle for substandard care.  I’m paying a ridiculous amount of money every month for my health insurance and then I pay my co-payments.  The doctors except me to pay for services rendered and I expected to get services that were paid for.

Toţi ştim şi mai ales fetele că pantofii cu toc sunt foarte incomozi după ce sunt purtaţi pentru mai mult de câteva ore provocând dureri, amorţeli şi inflamări ale picioarelor, stare de iritabilitate şi mai ales, pe intervale de ani de zile, boli serioase care uneori necesită şi intervenţii chirurgicale.
Cu scopul de reduce aceste consecinţe deloc plăcute ale purtării pantofilor cu toc şi săturându-se să-şi audă prietena plângându-se de dureri de fiecare dată când mergeau în club, un om de afacei britanic de 27 de ani a creat automatul de balerini. Cum funcţionează acesta? Simplu: pentru doar 5 lire automatomatul îţi dă la schimb o pereche de balerini Rollasole pliaţi, pe care îi alegi în funcţie de culoarea şi de mărimea care ţi se potrivesc, scăpându-te de chinurile jalnice provocate de tocuri. Balerinii, în afara faptului că sunt extraordinar de comozi, sunt şi foarte drăguţi, plus că la “livrare” vin însoţiţi de o gentuţă asortată în care pot fi depozitaţi, sub formă pliată, şi luaţi oriunde. Aşadar nu sunt de unică folosinţă.
Aceştia sunt disponibili pe toate cele trei mărimi S, M şi L şi, momentan, doar pe trei culori: auriu, argintiu şi negru, urmând ca în scurt timp să fie disponibilă şi culoarea roz.
Din câte se pare, din 2008 de când s-a deschis, afacerea Rollasole merge foarte bine, automatele ajungând în cluburile din Marea Britanie, cele din Ibiza şi SUA, englezul sperând că le va putea amplasa şi pe străzi pentru a le face un bine femeilor sătule de tocuri. Acesta urmează să lanseze în curând o nouă ramură pentru nunţi şi alte evenimente de genul acesta.
Eu una sper că vor ajunge şi la noi în viitorul apropiat deoarece mi se pare o idee benefică şi o afacere strălucită şi inteligentă.

Sursa: kudika.ro

Dieting has always been a hot topic amongst both male and female no matter what season of the year. For most people, the biggest problematic area is the tummy. Embarassed that your “love handles” are saying hello to the world? Here are 6 simple tricks to instantly feel slimmer: [The tricks below are all based on scientific evidence.]

Image Credit: Google Images

1. Instead of eating salad, drink some coffee. This is especially helpful if you’re heading to the beach and want to put on that favorite bikini. By drinking beverages such as coffee or tea, it will make you want to hit the restrooms. You will not only dispose of the coffe or tea, you will get rid of all the other excess water in your stomach, making you look instantly slimmer.

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Stop eating foods with trans fat [Image Credit: Google Images

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Whole Wheat is healthier [Image Credit: Google Images

Image Credit: Google Images

4. Eat peaches! Peaches can lower chances of diabetes and slim your waist.

Image Credit: Dietsinreview.com

5. The flat belly diet. This diet is from the book called “Flat Belly Diet.” It refers to 10 foods that will help you to stay healthy and slim: almonds, pears, dark chocolate, flaxseed oil, macadamia nuts, natural peanut butter, oilve oil, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and walnuts. Although some of these have high calories, but with sufficient amount it will help to slim down your waist.

Image Credit: Watersecretsblog.com

6. Drink a glass of warm water when you wake up in the morning. This will help to clear your lungs, smooth blood circulation, and lower blood pressure. No matter what, water will always be the best beverage. Try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day; it will give you better skin and a healthier diet overall.

Happy dieting!

I usually have the most suitcases packed whenever we go on a trip. Women just require so much more then men. Between the hair dyer, make up bag etc etc, it all adds up. The Hana Mini is so compact and easily just slips into my luggage. It even comes with a cute little bag… just what I need:) I can’t leave home without a flat iron, you can’t either!

by Stefania Revelli

WHAT’S HAPPENING

• For any dieter guilty of posting magazine pages of beautiful bods in easy-to cheat places like the fridge, there is ThinnerView, a service that lets consumers quite figuratively keep their eye on the actual prize — their future body (Springwise.com 8.26.09).
• Like most virtual makeovers, users upload a picture of their current selves. They then add important information like body build, bone structure and ideal weight. Digital artists hand-alter and customize each image based on the information and send an achievable “after” shot within two business days (ThinnerView.com 9.09).
• The service is recommended for those who want to lose up to 105 pounds. The first image costs $15. For a couple bucks more, users can beautify further with add-ons like blemish or wrinkle removal and tooth whitener.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

• There is an important difference between imagining yourself at the end of the long and difficult road and actually seeing yourself there. Shifting theory into tangible reality that’s within visible distance is a powerful weight loss tool.
• A simulator like ThinnerView hits the mark with some of the biggest challenges in weight loss: motivation and perseverance.
• Tools are only as effective as their user. A customized view moves conceptions around weight-loss from mass to me.

RESOURCES

• ThinnerView

Every time I try to step out of my coconut zone and try to replace it with one of the 100 other scents available, nothing ever quite makes me as happy and I immediately come back to it. never fails with their sweet coconut products. The new coconut perfume oil is just simply fantastic and did I mention you can buy it for your home as well? It reminds me of spending all day at the beach. I’m sure I’ll be using it everyday, since our summer days are about to come to an end.
And for those of you who secretly wish you could sparkle like “Edward,” you don’t want to miss out on the new Coconut Shimmer Body Lotion. Only you won’t need to be in direct sunlight, you just naturally look “all sparkling and stuff,” at least that’s what me boys tell me’)

1. Unghieră.
2. Pilă pentru unghii.
3. Beţişor pentru îndepărtarea cuticulelor.
4. Cremă sau ulei pentru cuticule.
5. Cremă hidratantă pentru mâini.
6. Bază de protecţie a unghiilor.
7. Dizolvant pentru unghii, de preferat cu acetonă.
8. O gentuţă pentru păstrarea instrumentelor folosite pentru manichiura perfectă.

So you’ve been going to the gym for a while now and see very little change? You’ve mastered the art of tuning out so you can spend those dreadful 45 to 60 mins on the elliptical, treadmill, or my favorite the stair master just to drop a couple of pounds. You are lighter maybe, but your body is definitely not bikini ready. You still dread wearing sleeveless tops and would not be caught dead in white pants.

Maybe I’ve got it all wrong. You are slim, fit you play around with weights and spend endless hours at the gym. You read all the magazines for the latest and greatest on diets, supplements and “30-days to a new you” programs. The motivation is there, you keep at it day to day – but lately see little change. You want to reach that next level – but you are stuck.

So what do you do? You can continue to waste your time or you can optimize your workouts and take them to the next level and hire a personal trainer.

It does not matter what level of fitness you are, I think everyone should visit a trainer every 6-8 weeks to adjust their training. If you think about it this way, you are investing in a gym; you spend time there yet you are not getting what you came for. Get the most from your investment and get a personal program, and optimize the use of the felicity you train in, otherwise you are wasting your time if you are not seeing results.

So what exactly can a personal trainer do for you?

Weight training.
First thing I learned cardio will never give me the tight body that I want – my first trainer taught me to pick up weights.

Form.
Form makes all the difference in developing and reshaping your body. Not only will having great form help keep you from injuring yourself, it will help you reach your results much faster. (and don’t kid yourself you can’t learn this in a copy of Oxygen)

Timing.
Timing is everything. A good trainer will teach you the right tempo during your lifting and the correct rest period, the time of day you should train and the frequency of your exercise. Depending on your goal this will vary.

Combination and pairing of different exercise and schedule.
Rather then just going at it, it is important to understand how combining different body parts and various exercises is a big part of making progress. While working the full body may have worked as a beginner, as you advance you must increase your insanity and concentrate on more on specific body parts, changing order, resting periods, and combination of exercises. Your trainer will have the right mix for you.

Breathing and Stretching.
Your trainer can teach you about proper breathing and the type of stretching you should do before and after exercise since this can really impact your strength and recovery time, so don’t ignore these important elements of training.

Custom Program and General Education.
Your trainer should educate you education about strength training, cardio and basic nutrition and be able to apply these principles into a well prepared, customized program for you.

Goal Setting and Support.
Finally you are much more likely to reach your goals if you have continued guidance and support. Your trainer helps you can help get you in a habit of training by making you accountable and giving you a reason to show up to the gym. Your trainer should also have tools or ways to track your progress so that you can see that you are on the right track, or make adjustments if needed.

Now that you are convinced, make sure that you pick a good trainer!
It is most important to select a great trainer. Each individual is built different, and has with different goals and a good trainer will pay attention to what their client needs.
Look around your gym, ask friends or other people in the fitness community.

Some of my most memorable trainers:

KEVIN FROST Simply Fit – Montreal 514 999- PUMP

JOEL GERSON Revolution Mixed Martial Arts- Toronto

LEE DAVY Dynamic Conditioning Centers – Toronto

Over the years I have trained with various personal trainers, some good, some bad, and some great but very few that I would write about. However I had a great experience recently training with Lee Davy, Co-Founder of one of Toronto’s most innovative and unique fitness clubs- Dynamic Conditioning Centers (DCC).

I had originally joined the club to break away from my regular routine and try something new, the club however offered way more then I had expected. The facility had a collection of non-traditional equipment and “playground” feel, making every workout “fun”. After training at the facility for a few weeks, by primarily participating in their small group classes (Obstacle Course, Bootcamp and Muay Thai), I quickly gained confidence in the Dynamic Conditioning Center trainers because they are highly trained in sports, conditioning and have excellent client relation skills. Each class at DCC left me breathless, and gave me a feeling of productivity I have not felt in a long time. I could never slack of, because the trainers gave you so much personal attention, making sure you are pushing yourself at your 100% and maintaining proper form during exercises. In the actual class you never knew what to expect, one day we were doing circuit training, moving from station to station in small groups, climbing ropes, squatting with giant tires (I think they are from monster trucks?), pushing weight plates, running strapped to band while your partner pulls you back; the next day we would do series of timed obstacle courses competing against other members in various races.

I loved the classes so much that my regular gym routine (which I still maintained doing weight training a few times a week) became a real bore! I decided to switch up my stale routine and approached DCC’s owner and trainer Lee Davy. I wanted the personal attention and guidance from the founder of this amazing facility himself. I had seen him training various clients and training himself; everyone Lee trained was in top condition. I figured he either got them there and if not these very fit people trusted him to them.
I had faith he could take my training up a level and break my regular routine.

I thought I was strong, until my first session with Lee. First day we trained Back and Chest, and I still can’t decide which specific exercise was to blame for the fact that the next few days I could not strengthen out my arms from pain. Every session that followed was not any easier – making me works harder then I have in a really long time.

One thing that Lee does really well is access his clients. I felt that he really took the time to understand what my training history was, what my goals are and what my general body shape can do. Many trainers I have worked with in the past seem to prescribe a fairly generic program, but I knew I got different treatment this time when we trained legs. In general I put on muscle on my legs very fast. I have told this to many personal trainers yet they still gave me the same protocol of adding more weight and following what they gave many of their other clients. They just seem to ignore the fact that I did not want biggest more muscular legs, I wanted leaner, smaller toned legs.

Lee’s program however was more a combination of hi-intensity, less weight and mostly focused on my hamstrings (which is the area that needs more work). Someone got it right finally! I could tell just in a few weeks my skinny jeans slipped on better.

The entire program overall was really fun, did not require any fancy equipment and has be in and out of the gym within 45 mins. I feel way more productive in less time.

It has been a few weeks now that I am training using this new program, and I can really see my strength and physique quickly improving; a definite nice complement to the classes that I continue to attend at Dynamic Conditioning Centers. I look forward to my future training sessions when I need to mix things up again.

I purchased my Le Spa Book 2009 several months ago at the Women’s Show in Montreal and what a treat!
Not only am I getting great deals at spas, it is also allowing me to try out new spas that I didn’t even know about.
Here are my top 3 reasons why you should get Le Spa Book:

1- Try out new spas
2- Reminds you that you need to treat yourself every now and then
3- It’s a great girlfriend activity!

and moreover, what a great way to relax! (Ok, that was 4!)

It’s still not too late to get your own copy and benefit from the great deals for the rest of the year! Better yet, why not share it with a girlfriend =)

For more details on how you can get your own copy check out: :Le Spa Book

Enjoy!!

In the spirit of radical self-care, I decided to treat myself to an eyebrow make-over last night.  During my many, many visits to the Greenbelt Mall, I had happened across a shop entirely devoted to the art of eyebrow shaping.  Please, allow me to share my find: it’s called Browhaus!  Based out of Singapore, it’s an Asian chain devoted to all things brows.  It’s even got a little attitude that comes with it for free.  Take, for instance, the doors to the appointment rooms:

No, I was not in a submarine!  And just as an amusing aside, when I tried to take my own picture of the place, they told me that cameras were not allowed because everything they do is proprietary!  Darn those secret-stealing eyebrow competitors!!  So alas, no pictures of my own.  The Browhaus Brow Architects (their name, not mine) have a full menu of products to offer:

1. Brow construction – Shaping with tweezing or threading
2. ColorTweak – brow coloring (dying)
3. Lashgraphy – tinting your lashes a darker color
4. Lash Curl Up – A permanent curl for your lashes
5. Lash in Bloom – individual lashes are glued on to your existing ones
6. Brow Resurrection – A new brow is created and applied, strand by strand

Whoa, huh?  They tried to convince me not only to shape my lashes, but to color my brow and dye my lashes.  Next time, friends.  We’ve got plenty more visits in our future!  So I ended up choosing a Brow Construction, but the method I chose was THREADING.  Now what is threading, you ask?  I didn’t even know!  Watch this 2 minute video to see the process in action:

I have to tell you, I will never go back to waxing!  It was beyond incredible to take one of the most excruciating processes known to women and eliminate the pain.  CRAZY!  It’s hard to explain what it felt like, almost like someone took an itty bitty scissors and got right up against my skin and clipped out a few strands at a time.

My architect went insanely fast though.  I couldn’t see what was happening because one woman spread apart my eyebrow (holding my lid closed) and little pieces of hair were flying all over, so I wasn’t supposed to open the other eye.  Apparently this practice was developed in Asia, which is why it’s so common here.  Only $10 for the treatment!  Hard to believe that a little sewing thread can extract things so precisely.  It’s one of those life experiences that you’re unfortunately going to need to go through to understand.  I just can’t put my joy into words.  So I’ll use pictures instead:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Now, mind you – I have curly hair in my brows, so they’re a bit unruly to begin with.  In fact, we had to draft an entire “Brow Plan” for my beauties.  I was instructed to come back exactly 4 weeks from today and to UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES remove any hair underneath the brow.  We are working on regrowing some patches that I had apparently overplucked!  OOPS!  Well, thank goodness I now have a Brow Architect!  What a fabulously foreign experience!  Here are a few other shots worth sharing… But before I leave you, a short public service announcement: Overplucking hurts the environment and YOU!  Don’t do it… leave it to the professionals!

I recently ordered from this Islamic boutique online called Love Unspoken.  I loved the quality of the clothes that I ordered and the detail that was put into them.  All the items sold are made to order.  You give your measurments for every item to be made specifically for you.  Having your clothes made to order gives you a lot of flexibility for adding length where you want or need it and for allowing extra room in the bustline, waist, hips, etc.   The owner of the boutique contacted me with shipping information in a timely manner.  I had a pleasant experience not only with the ease of ordering but with the customer service as well.  A shop like this is great for a women who has odd measurements that are difficult to fit into standard sizes. 

The products that I ordered were great quality and I will definitely be ordering more clothing from this site.  I encourage the Muslimahs to check it out.

Love Unspoken