The Wonders of Coconut Oil

Fall is here! I am so excited that my favorite season of the year has finally arrived. Along with the changes in seasons, our skin and bodies go through changes as well. One of my very favorite products to use on a daily basis is coconut oil.  Not only do I use it in my daily skincare routine, I also incorporate it into my cooking.  Not to mention, it smells like you're on a tropical Summer vacation all year round! 

The health benefits that can be obtained from incorporating coconut oil into your daily regimen are numerous.  It has been proven that various populations around the world who eat coconut or coconut derived products on a daily basis live the longest, such as the Tokelauans in the South Pacific. Even though coconuts are high in saturated fat, these populations of people are in excellent health and have no signs of heart disease. 

Along with excellent health benefits, coconut oil does wonders for your skin and hair! I use coconut oil every night to remove my make-up before I use my facial cleanser. I had been using make-up remover wipes for years when I started to notice that they would sometimes pull out my eyelashes! One of my best friends suggested that I start using coconut oil instead, and I am so glad that I did! Not only does it remove every trace of make-up (including waterproof), it also moisturizes your skin! I have combination skin on my face, so when I have dry patches, I apply coconut oil and I can immediately see a difference! The fats and lipids in the oil help add moisture back into your skin.  You can also use the oil to help with dry chapped lips, shaving, dry cuticles and nails, and even to whiten your teeth! The technique known as "Oil pulling" is on the rise, and many individuals use coconut oil as a mouthwash to aid in dental health and help kill some of the harmful bacteria in your mouth. 

One of my very favorite benefits of coconut oil is how effective it is when used on your hair! I have very long, thick curly hair ( I can thank my Italian genes for that!) which is naturally very dry.  The ends of my hair LOVE coconut oil! The oil adds instant moisture as soon as I comb it through. Before I wash my hair, I will put coconut oil on the ends where it is the most dry.  After applying the oil, I clip my hair up and leave it in for at least 30 minutes.  You can never leave coconut oil on for too long, as the longer it is able to deep-condition your hair, the better! I will also rub a little bit in my palms and apply it to my dry hair to help with frizz. 

Try some coconut oil today, you will not be disappointed! Have a wonderful Wednesday! ❤️

How to Achieve Glowing Wedding Skin

As a bride to be myself (as well as having three of my dearest friends getting married this year as well), weddings have been on my brain for months and months now! I absolutely love weddings, they are just so beautiful! I have always been fascinated by weddings, and I couldn't be more excited to be a bride myself!

First of all, congratulations on your engagement! It is such an exciting time, and planning your wedding will be so much fun! I would suggest adapting a skincare routine as soon as possible, if you don't already have a daily regimen.  This would include a cleanser, an exfoliant, a moisturizer and sunscreen. In the mornings and the evenings, I always apply an eye cream as well. On the morning of your wedding, make sure you wear an eye cream that has light diffusers in it, in order to help with dark circles. Follow up eye cream by applying concealer on your dark spots only.  

My new favorite skincare moisturizer to put on in the evenings is called "Egyptian Magic Cream."  It leaves your skin so soft, and helps with many different skincare issues and scars. You can apply it all over your body and it helps tremendously!  I will dedicate an entire blog post to Egyptian Magic Cream later on. 

After completing your regimen in the morning, to achieve a dewy look for your foundation, mix a small amount of moisturizer on your fingertips and blend with your fingers.  The moisturizer will help prevent your skin from drying out, and will leave your skin looking dewy and soft.  

One of the most important things to do is to clean your make-up brushes, as applying make-up with a brush that has not been cleaned will cause acne.  MAC has a really great brush cleanser that I highly recommend! I also have bought brush cleaners from Sally Beauty Supply that have worked great as well.  

SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN SUNSCREEN! I cannot stress enough how important wearing sunscreen is! I am not able to wear sunscreen on my face as it causes breakouts, however I always make sure that I wear a BB cream or tinted moisturizer with sunscreen in it.  I use BareMinerals foundation which also has SPF in it, so my face has great sunscreen coverage throughout the day.  Even if you're not laying out by the pool or hanging out at the beach, you still need to wear sunscreen every single day! Don't forget to wear sunscreen on your lips and your hands as well, as they are common places where sunscreen is forgotten.  

If you happen to get a dreaded pre-wedding pimple, don't panic! Benzoyl Peroxide works wonders on breakouts, especially if you dab the gel on and leave it on overnight.  I also use Tea Tree Oil as a natural remedy for breakouts, it works really well as it acts as an astringent and heals the breakout at the same time. Plus, Tea Tree Oil smells so good! 

If you have oily skin, make sure you do not overwash your face, as excessive face washing will cause the oil glands to overproduce, causing you to become more oily.  Since I have sensitive combination skin, I use Purpose Facial Cleanser as it is mild and gentle, and has no fragrance, so it works great for my sensitive skin.  If you have oily skin, oil blotting sheets work wonders if you're on the go! 

A couple of months before your big day (at least two) I would suggest visiting an esthetician and getting a facial treatment.  I just had my last microdermabrasion a few weeks ago, and my skin is looking great! Microdermabrasions rejuvenate your skin, as they help to thicken the collagen in your skin.  Microdermabrasions can improve sun spots, dark spots, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, reduce enlarged pores, and help with the treatment of acne and acne scarring.  Glycolic and chemical peels also  help with enlarged pores.  

In between facials, the use of a facial mask will help oil and dirt from building up in your pores.  If you have very oily skin, you can use a mask every other day if needed.  However, if you have dry skin, use a mask only once or twice a month to prevent from drying out your skin even more.  

WATER! Drinking water is so important to the health and beauty of your skin! Eating your fruits and vegetables, as well as exercising and drinking water will greatly help with your skin! You will notice a change almost immediately! 

Hello Again!

Hi everyone! I apologize that it has been forever since I have last posted a blog entry! I have had a lot of exciting things going on, as I have started my own make-up business, AND most importantly, I'm getting married in 23 days! I can't believe it, I am so excited! Anyways, I have decided to start up my blog again and incorporate all aspects of beauty and skincare, ranging from top make-up trends to the new up and coming skincare treatments, as well as the importance of taking care of your skin, as it is the largest organ we have in the human body! I have a range of topics that I am going to cover and write about, however I want to hear what questions you may have! Thank you for reading and keeping up with my blog, please comment and share on topics you may have questions on! Have a wonderful evening!