We inherit their eyes, their smile, their cheek bones and knowledge. We even mimic their gestures and laughs. Moms are extremely influential in our lives. I am fortunate to have my amazing mother who I have learned so much from- whether it’s a life lesson or love lesson, my mother have been an amazing example and supporter in my life. We might not share the same genes but we are basically the same person. She has offered a bevy of sound beauty advice and life advice. I might have never started using sunscreen as soon as I did if it wasn’t for her. I got my looks from my mama!
On Valentine’s Day, I had the pleasure of asking her some fun beauty questions. Oh yeah, I got these questions and idea from Pucker and Pout. Enjoy!!
What was the first beauty tip you received from your mom?
Mom: I really don’t remember.
Me: My mother told me to always wear sunscreen, she always made me as a child wear sunscreen. She also told me not to ever smoke a cigarette.
What product have you used since you were a young woman that you swear by?
Mom: It has to be Vaseline. It is a good moisturizer.
Me: I have been wearing Nars foundation since 8th grade and even though I wear Fenty Beauty now, Nars is still and forever my go-to makeup brand.
As you matured, how did you beauty regimen change? Products?
Mom: As far as a makeup routine, nothing has changed for me. I never have and still to this day don’t wear foundation. I only wear a little blush, lipstick and sometimes eyeshadow. I now try different skincare and beauty products because my daughter either get them for free or buy them for me. I just don’t like too much stuff on my face, I keep everything simple which works for me.
Me: I moisturized gently and daily. When I do wear makeup, I make sure before going to bed to take off my makeup and wash face. Products only change in a form that they are more expensive and now I use items that are for my skin type. I am more aware.
What is something you wish you started doing years ago and/or what do you regret doing?
Mom: Drinking more water, I am training myself to drink more water every day. I regret smoking, it is a bad habbit I picked up when I was in college.
Me: I regret sleeping in my makeup whenever I felt lazy and wished I started eating healthier and sticking with it sooner. So yeah, I wish I was more discipline and had more self-control.
Valentines are great and all, but nothing will beat the love between a gal and her Galentine. Boys come and go, but your BFFL? Well, the name says it all – they’re with you for life! The chicken to your nugget, the avo to your toast, the liner to your lids, the tequila to your lime, the Michelle to your Barack – one just doesn’t make sense without the other. Although, a ride-or-die isn’t easy to find: here are the signs you’ve found “the one”…
1. Even if you’re in a relationship, whenever you hang out with your partner and BFFL, your partner feels like their third-wheeling. You can’t deny that friend chemistry! #SorryNotSorry
2. No topic is off the table: boy drama, gross body issues, dark family secrets, secret spending habits… they know it all. There’s literally no such thing as TMI.
3. You’ll never appreciate your best friend and their photography skills until you know the struggle of this situation…
Your outfit is straight fire; your gloss is popping, your skin is gleaming, your smile is beaming, so you obviously need an Insta to document your Goddess-ery. Your BFFL isn’t there to snap it, but you think to yourself: ‘how hard can it be?’ So you ask a friend. But your friend doesn’t know your angles like your BFFL, the lighting is wrong, and somehow you end up looking like ‘end of the day you’ – it’s that moment you realize just how awesome your BFFL really is.
4. You speak to each other ALL day on approximately five different apps – Whatsapp for the juicy goss and voice notes, then there are the texts for when your wifi goes down, the memes on Instagram, and of course, the ugly selfies on Snapchat.
5. When a third-party gal pal is in your presence, she can barely understand you guys between the private jokes and abbreviations. Your mannerisms have synced, and before you know it, your BFFL has trademarked your signature hair flick, but you’re not mad; she owns it.
6. You don’t do that awkward AF splitting the bill at the end of the meal: you split it right down the middle. Or if your hun’s running a little low on dollar, you’ve got them – she’d do the same for you. What are best friends for other than buying you burgers when you’re broke?
7. True friendship = sending your gal your new Insta pic for approval to check it’s a) not tragic b) flaming hot c) will make your ex cry.
8. When your outfit isn’t working, they won’t BS you; they’ll tell you straight to your face. They know your potential, and they would never dream of letting you step foot outside your house unless you look like the bombshell you truly are.
9. You’ll go into their house and raid their wardrobe without a second thought, at this point, you may as well have a key.
10. And if someone crosses your BFFL, the claws come out… #oops
Share this with your Galentine to let them know how much you love them. Life just wouldn’t be as sweet (and sometimes savage) without them by your side.
I know many people think Valentine’s Day is a cheesy Hallmark holiday and I always hear the, “I should be loved everyday, not just one day” and I totally agree! Your love with someone should be celebrated everyday, but what about if you are single or away from your loved one? My mom and I always get each other something for Valentine’s Day, it been a tradition since I was 10 years old. This year, not only am I going to keep that tradition alive but I decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a day to indulge in bubble baths, face masks, and any other beautifying that I needed! Why not spend a day pampering yourself, you sooooo deserve it!!
Here’s my Vday Agenda:
First of all, you MUST take a “Me” day! Decide to take it and do everything that makes you happy!
Spend an hour getting ready (more if possible) look super glamorous, wear something that makes you feel fabulous + your favorite perfume
Go out with your BFF/girlfriends for a healthy/delicious lunch and make sure you pass by the mall when you finish!
Buy yourself a gift! I don’t care what anyone thinks, I love buying myself gifts around holidays or when I’ve achieved a goal!
Hit the Spa! Make sure you get a massage or take a relaxing bath and take your time, read a book, enjoy your down time!
Try an at home treatment that you’ve been wanting to try!
Watching a movie, funny romantic movie always make me happy! I love The Proposal, Bridget Jone’s Dairy, 13 going on 30, Hitch, 50 First Dates, 27 Dresses, Pretty Woman, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Nobody’s Fool, Just Wright, Poetic Justice, Love Jones, Love & Basketball, Brown Sugar, The Wood, Beyond the Lights, Last Holiday, Coming to America, About Last Night, Phat Girlz, Jason’s Lyric, Moonlight, She’s Gotta Have It and any movie that celebrates love but still has some humor.
Remember to set the mood before you sleep! I spray the entire room with chamomile, I make sure the temperature is perfect, then I love to fall asleep to thunderstorms! If you have the iPhone, there’s an App called Rain Rain Sleep Sounds that let’s you mix the perfect sleep tone.
I love you guys sooo much!! Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!
Hey my loves! So at the end of December, I decided to try the keto diet, aka the ketogenic diet. Keto is working really well for me so far and I’m super happy with my results… But, before I get into that and how it all works, I want you to know that it’s worth discussing any drastic diet changes with your doctor first, and although I have enjoyed this diet, it’s not something I recommend to everyone. I want to share with you my experience, and the advice and help I’ve had from a food consultant.
So, first of all, you’re probably wondering what the keto diet actually is, and why everyone is talking about it right now! It’s essentially a very low-carb, high-fat diet, which can lead to fast weight loss (mostly water weight in the first two weeks).
Here’s everything you need to know about what and how the keto diet works, the advantages, and also the downsides associated with this quite drastic change in diet.
Believe it or not, the ketogenic diet was developed nearly 100 years ago to help reduce epileptic seizures amongst children. Due to the nature of the diet with its low-carb, low to medium protein, and high-fat content, many people often compare it to the Atkins diet. The main difference is that the Atkins diet works in stages, and the keto diet follows a consistent meal plan. The keto diet gets its name from the process the body uses to burn energy, aka ketosis, which is a metabolic state where the main source of fuel for the body is fat.
How does ketosis work?
Our bodies are naturally used to burning glucose (sugar) as a primary source of energy and when you start to consume less of it, restricting your general carb and sugar intake (yes, sugars are also carbs), we force a switch in our metabolism – burning stored fat instead of glucose. This sometimes occurs on a lower scale when we sleep for longer periods of time, accidentally skip meals, and when we fast.
Without carbs in your system, the body starts to release fatty acids from stored fat, and they get broken down in the liver. This results in the production of ketones, and these energy molecules are then used to fuel your body.
What you should and shouldn’t eat on the keto diet:
The positives of keto:
If losing weight is something that you want to do, then the keto diet can help. Researchers have also stated that the keto diet can aid in lowering blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation of the body (if you have high amounts of insulin circulating within your system), and achieving the feeling of being ‘full’ most of the time because of the specific contents of your meals.
Many participants have also claimed that they developed a stronger sense of mental focus after a week or two of being on the diet.
The downsides of keto:
Sure, you’ll lose quite a few pounds on your initial journey, but most of the starting weight that you’ll drop will be from water weight, so remaining consistent is the key to reaping continual benefits and gradual weight loss. In the first two weeks, I lost about 4 pounds (1.81kg), and my stomach flattened out a little. This dramatic loss is mostly down to a drop in the water that your body usually stores – carbs need water to stay in your body. You also need to ensure you consume more water during this period so that your body doesn’t get dehydrated, which can lead to constipation. The first two weeks are when you’ll notice the most dramatic drop in weight, while the second two weeks will be slightly slower, but this is the point when your body will begin to burn fat.
It can be quite challenging for the body to switch metabolic states and if you’re not used to these changes, you’ll feel sluggish and tired for the first few weeks. I didn’t experienced trouble sleeping like some claim. If you’re exercising a lot or trying to build muscle, you should speak to a dietician or doctor to see if this is the right diet for you.
Due to one of three ketones being produced, acetone is the one that can be monitored when expelled from the body through urine and breath analysis. One way that many have said that they’ve noticed ketosis is from the strange taste in their mouth accompanied by an odor caused by this ketone.
So is keto worth it?
Like all diets and nutrition plans, being strict with yourself and fighting temptation from certain foods is the key to success. You can easily search the web for foods that you should and shouldn’t consume. The keto diet may assist in weight loss on a short-term basis, but there’s still more research to be done on the long-term effects, so remaining on this diet isn’t recommended. When choosing your fat sources, try and pick healthy choices like coconut and olive oil, fats from nuts, avocado, and fish. Try to compose your meals with a small amount of saturated animal fats, and if you do decide to enjoy them – it’s recommended that you consume organic and grass-fed products.
My personal experience with keto:
I was planning to do this for one month and be done with it, but I love the results so much, and I don’t find it that difficult to do, that I’m going to continue it for a little longer. I actually find it the easiest diet that I’ve done; I can have a bun-less burger (I love burgers) and although I can’t have French fries, I’m okay with that surprisingly – but I have to say I really miss macaroni and cheese! The thing with this diet is, you can eat as much cheese as you like, which definitely makes you feel like you get to cheat! You can eat Mexican food, and Greek food, but you can’t eat beans and hummus, or pasta and bread.
I’m really pleased with the results I’ve had so far, and as well as the initial weight loss, my back fat (an area I struggle with), as well as my arms, has also slimmed down. I’m naturally curvy, and I love my figure, but these are just little areas that I wanted to improve, and I’m really happy with the results so far. My clothes looks and fits better.
The other thing with the keto diet, is you can’t cheat; otherwise, it ruins the process of ketosis. I admit, I cheated a few times, and I still lost a little weight but I gained some back too– at the end of the day, you’re still cutting a lot of carbs. I think after another month of this, I’ll be able to fully eat healthy without the temptation. Now and again, I like to try these diets out, but ultimately, I think having a balanced diet, good rest, and exercising regularly is the most important thing to do. It’s okay to be naughty now and again, but I find if I eat lots of vegetables and fruit, organic meats and avoid too many simple carbs (like sugar, baked goods, pasta), that I generally feel energized and healthy.
Most importantly:
I know a lot of people have been talking about this diet lately, so I wanted to share my experience with you guys and give you as much info on it as possible. I definitely don’t recommend this diet to everyone, and if you do choose to try it, please consult your physician or doctor before starting. Also, remember that everyone’s body is different and people lose weight at different rates, so don’t feel disheartened if the results you expected take a little longer.
Keto will be different for everyone, and once you’ve consulted with a physician, you can use an online keto diet calculator, or consult a dietician to obtain your required daily intake of protein, carbs, and fats. You should also take into consideration how active you are throughout the day. A general rule of thumb would be to consume roughly 75% healthy fats, 20-25% protein, and 0-5% carbs.
Let me know in the comments if you have any personal questions you would like to ask me about the keto diet, and your experiences with keto if you’ve tried it yourself.
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