Look Good, Feel Great

I get a lot of compliments on my eyebrows and that’s probably because I spend a lot of time on them. I no longer get them waxed because I can’t be bothered with being swollen and red for hours, agony. I learned how to thread them on YouTube and I pluck them daily because my hair grows rather fast. Threading is very easy and can be learned by watching a YouTube video.

I’ve got eczema but it usually only surfaces during the winter months or when I’m particularly stressed so yes, right now it is a major pain. My eczema outbreaks always occur in the most ridiculously uncomfortable places and I look like a maniac scratching myself. The back of my neck, the inside of my elbow, the back of my knee, my chin and even my lips has suffered. I like to wear makeup so the lip outbreaks are the most irritating. Right now I’m using Ultra Repair Cream by First Aid Beauty that I got from Sephora for my face. It seems to be helping the outbreak on my chin but not my lips because, well, they’re lips. The skin is more sensitive and so I just condition it with different things including: vitamin E oil, Shea butter and Vaseline periodically. I plan to make a Shea butter/Apricot oil/Avocado oil mix for my hair and skin today. I’ll later report how well that works.

Some people are not only anti-makeup but they seem to have a problem with other people wearing it to. Let’s get one thing clear, I do not think I NEED makeup, it’s apart of fashion to me. Makeup accessorizes the face as jewelry accessorizes the body. I also think that I do my makeup quite well, no clown faces for me thank you. However a person chooses to “wear” their face doesn’t bother me. I’d say I spend a large amount of time learning about makeup and technique but I’m no expert. However, I’m willing to help in any way anyone thinks I may be able to. Everyone is always asking me to do videos on makeup and my head wraps but I’m camera shy and this will take some time (Yes, a part time model who is camera shy). Maybe I’ll just do photos and work my way up.

I have natural hair. By definition that may mean something different for everyone but for me it wasn’t a bandwagon that I jumped on. I’ve always wanted to wear my hair naturally for health. Relaxers are extremely damaging to my hair but I always felt that it was easier and it is somewhat. Each time I cut my hair or let it grow without touching it up with a relaxer, I would get lazy and give in. This HAD to end. I wanted to know what my hair really looked like and I wanted it to be healthier so one day I got the scissors and quickly cut it all off, not giving myself time to have that inner conversation which normally would have ended in me changing my mind. I was pleased with myself for having been strong. I was also anxious about it growing back although I don’t look terrible with short hair. Now, I’ve been natural for 15 months. I bleach a section of my hair because I just wanted to do something different and I think it’s cute. I’m not an extremist or anything. I try to use sulfate free, paraben free, whatever else harmful free products but these are expensive so I just use something I created from natural products. Shea butter and Coconut oil are my favorites (coconut oil is great for skin too because it isn’t heavy and doesn’t clog your pores).

Now about nails…when I see there is some surplus of funds (which does not occur often) I may go to a salon and get a pedicure and manicure but I find this to be a luxury, especially when I could be indulging in book purchases. I can do my nails myself and YouTube is a great assistant in finding new styles and techniques.

Its free promotion time!

Natural Hair – Pretty Dimples (My Cousin)

Nails – Nails Beautiqued (My Aunt)

Makeup – Goss Makeup Artist (Just some guy I admire)

Eczema – National Eczema Association

(I’ll be doing a future post with the help of an Esthetician friend of mine about skin types and do-it-yourself facials)