May Favorites!

Hey guys!!
Its been a whileee since my last post because I've been so busy with finals for school and then the start of summer came with so many things and activities to do with friends and family. Anyway, through all that I've come up with 3 of my favorite things during the month of may that I've been consistently using (or eating), lol.

The first is this perfume. I can NOT tell you how many time I've been complimented on the way I smell everytime I hug someone. I'm literally ALWAYS being told that I smell good or yummy, I'm not kidding. My nieces tell me that I smell like cupcakes (what?), but others tell me that I smell sweet and good. I'm a huuuge fan of vanilla perfumes and this is like the perfect one for me. Fancy by Jessica Simpson is blend of caramel, vanilla, amber, and some musk. Which explains why I smell like a cupcake to some people. Anyway, this scent has become a favorite of mine and though I love scents like this for the winter because of its very warm tones, I carried it into spring because I felt like it was light enough to basically wear year-round. Check this perfume out, its divine! Especially if you want people telling you that you smell awesome like all the time. A similar perfume to this would be Prada Candy.

My next favorite is the Country Chic Body Butter from Bath & Body Works. I have super dry skin which is so annoying so I need things like body butter that can give me intense moisture. I love the body butters from Bath & Body because they're really thick, but once it's blended into your skin it doesn't feel greasy and it feels light. I especially love the Country Chic fragrance because it's a beautiful, light, airy floral scent that is so spring/summertime. It lingers on your skin which is awesome because it's a light scent but it has staying power (stayingpower? lol).

My last favorite for the month of May are these Chobani yogurtsss. Everyone knows that I'm a crazed fan for all things Chobani and I absolutely fell in LOVE with these Chobani flips. It's packaged with one side of flavored greek yogurt and the flip side has some delicious and healthy toppings to add in. My favorite has to be the Key Lime Crumble, it is sooo yummy and refreshing, especially for summer days. Now I want to make a key lime pie, maybe I will ;)

Naema

How to Make an Egg White & Honey Face Mask

I absolutely love pampering myself. I love relaxing after a long day and just taking care of myself. I also love treating myself using products from around the house. It's the easiest thing to do and it's all natural which is always a plus. Usually, as a face mask I use egg whites and just put that all over my face. Egg whites is not only beneficial for our bodies, but for our skin too. It helps tighten the pores and prevent the dirt from accumulating, which causes all the black heads and acne. Using egg whites on my face leaves my skin with a nice, healthy glow.

Egg whites are good, yes, but I've been looking for other natural products that I can use on my face. I found this egg white & honey face mask on Pinterest a while ago and I tried it and it was amazing! My skin felt so smooth and clear! The honey helps moisturize the skin and keep it smooth, and it leaves your face with a flawless finish. Which makeup product can do that?

All you need for this face mask is:
-One egg white
-One tablespoon of all natural honey

Directions:
Separate the egg whites from the yolk and pour into a bowl. Pour a tablespoon of honey and mix both of them together. Now pull your hair back and lather the face mask on your face, avoiding the eye area. Leave it on until you feel it start to tighten and then rinse with water.
Voila! You face should feel super smooth and hydrated from the honey. Use some moisturizer later on if it feel dry. This mask should be used at least once a week as doing it daily can leave the skin feeling dry, & you don't want that. Have fun, and don't forget to give yourself and break and treat yourself!



Nadia

Pond's Rejuveness Moisturizer/Cream

Im not one who cares much for face moisturizers. I have normal to dry skin that needs just a little bit of loving. I usually put on any face moisturizer I can find in the morning so that my face doesn't fall off from dryness, but I've never found the ONE moisturizer that i absolutely loved. Well, until now. I bought home the Pond's Rejuveness for my mom since its an anti-wrinkle cream and she loves cream moisturizers. One night, I was in my mom's room and decided to try this on. I put some of it on my face and went to sleep and totally forgot about it.

The next morning when I woke up, my skin felt amazing! It was so soft and soo hydrated. When I looked in the mirror my skin actually looked firmer and so hydrated, it looked plump. Not like the kind of plump where my face looks like I've been eating way too much pasta no, more like the kind where your skin looks fresh, smooth and healthy with elasticity. I decided to inspect the jar of this wonder cream. It contains alpha hydroxy acids that smooths and brightens the skin, and collagen which is essential for skin elasticity and firmness.

I know I'm only 20, so why am I using my mother's anti-wrinkle cream? ( I actually bought one for myself now :) Well, to start off,  I think its totally fine to prevent wrinkles from an early age so that they don't make appearances until wayyy later. This isn't some heavy duty wrinkle cream, its just a moisturizer that I prefer and just happens to battle wrinkles & that is totally fine with me. Its a pretty thick cream which is why I love using it at night before I go to sleep. I feel like at night is when it does its magic.

Since the cold and nasty winter hit, Ive been sometimes using it in the day too because it is very very hydrating and moisturizing. It has this fragrance that smells kind of like powder. I'm not a fan of the fragrance but I definitely don't hate it either. The fragrance is also not light, but it's not overpowering either. Ive gotten used to it so I barely notice it anymore. It takes a while to set into the skin, so I like to give it a minute or two. Its not oily and it doesn't clog your pores, and it doesn't break me out either. I've got pretty good skin that rarely breaks out, so those with acne prone skin may or may not have a problem in this area. I've been loving this stuff, and it goes such a long way because its thick and you don't need a lot to get moisturized, smooth skin. Definitely worth a try if your'e interested!

Naema

Lemon Salt Exfoliator

On days where I have extra time, I love exfoliating my face. The smooth and clean feeling is amazing and it gets rid of the not so pretty dead skin off your face. I usually use store bought body exfoliators in the shower, but for my face I like to make my own exfoliator. I've been using this particular one for a very long time and I love how the zing of the lemon juice freshens me up every time.

I like to do this after I get some steam all up in my face. I go old school style when steaming, I boil some water, pour it into a large bowl, and put my face about 5 inches above the bowl with a towel over my head. I do this until the steam has reduced. After this, I use my Lemon-Salt exfoliator. Here's what you need to make this.

• Juice of 2 lemon wedges. If you prefer limes, you can use them too.
• 1 tablespoon of salt. I prefer regular table salt. If your skin is sensitive, you can substitute salt for regular sugar or oats as they are more gentle for the skin. 

                                                                       Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Please make sure that your skin is not allergic or sensitive to any of these products before trying it. 

Mix your ingredients together and rub it gently on your face in a circular motion. If it's too runny, add some more salt, and if it's to gritty you can add more lemon juice. The lemon juice really helps to even out my skin tone. I love it for when I get a bad tan on my forehead. The lemon juice also helps to brighten a dull face and makes you feel super fresh and alive. The salt is not too harsh and I think it has the perfect grittiness to exfoliate. It really removes the buildup I get, especially around my nose.  If you think the salt is too harsh for you, rub it more gently.

I rub this in for about 3 minutes and then wash it off with some cold water. Cold water should help to close the pores you opened during the steaming session. You can most definitely use this on your body as well, just use some more lemon juice and salt. I don't like to store this, it's much better when it's freshly made. You wont get the freshness and vitamins of the lemon and the salt may break down after a while. Don't forget to moisturize after the exfoliation, it's very important to soothe the skin you just rubbed clean and dry. My skin feels like a baby's bum after this, I love it! Try it and give your skin some citrusy lovin'.

Naema