Finish This Sentence:

I Know My ________________ is/are not so hot, but my _________________ is pretty awesome!

I know as women there are times when we look in the mirror and see everything that is wrong and nothing that is right. I work in an industry that constantly tells women that they are too fat, too old, too naive or just not enough, period. I don't know about you ladies, but I'm over it. There are bigger things in life to worry about than  looks. Most of the time, I go through life not having one bad thought about my physical appearance until someone points something out. I have come to the realization that what others think of me is not MY concern because I feel damn good about myself. Am I perfect? Nope. Will it keep me up at night? Probably not. At the end of the day, there is a whole lot of me that I do love. I know my legs are not so hot, but my smile is pretty awesome!

Your turn.

Celebs Don't Age, Right?

Well, we all know that this is b.s., so what are they doing? 

Dermal Injectable Fillers

That's right, ladies, up until now, injectables have been one of Hollywood’s best kept beauty secrets. But don't be fooled. Celebs are just like the rest of us, and just like the rest of us, with time, they start losing the volume and plumpness in their faces, and start getting wrinkles, too. 

So what are injectable fillers? Fillers are substances that are injected under the skin through small needles to plump up the soft tissue, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles providing a smooth, youthful, natural look and feel.

Juvederm (Juvederm Ultra Plus for deeper lines) and Restylane are very popular. These fillers are smooth consistency gels made of hyaluronic-acid. Hyaluronic-acid is normal component of the skin. It binds water and that's how the injections fill in the lines and wrinkles of the face. These fillers can also be used for enhancing facial features, such as sculpting cheeks and chin, and adding plumpness to lips.

Beauty Secrets from Around the World

JAPAN 

In Japan, they credit seaweed for women’s long, silky hair. Nori are thin, dried seaweed sheets. Nori sheets are used in many sushi dishes. Nori is rich in  iodine, which is essential for growing long, healthy hair. Seaweed is also rich in iron, zinc, selenium and copper. Japanese women either eat nori seaweed or boil it and apply it to their hair. You can find nori at any local Asian grocer or health food store. You can wrap it like a tortilla to make a veggie wrap, or crumble the sheets and sprinkle them on a salad, rice or stir-fry. Recipes here.

AFRICA

Shea Butter is derived from nuts from the karita tree, or shea tree. African women have been using it for years to take care of their skin. Shea butter adds shine when added to hair products. It reduces facial wrinkles and fine lines. It is also a natural sun protecting oil, and can be used on stretch marks and dry skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties that make it a good pain relief for sore, achy muscles. Better quality shea products  are made with minimum processing and no unnecessary chemicals and preservatives. Check out

Alaffia

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Want strong, hard nails? Dominican woman swear by garlic to keep their nails tough. They chop up fresh garlic, add it to a bottle of clear nail polish and let it marinate for 7 to 10 days.  The juice in fresh garlic strengthens and hardens weak, brittle fingernails. Yes. The scent goes away.

Do you have any beauty tips you'd like to share?

What Makes You Feel Beautiful?

Makeup is scary. When I do it myself, it's just mascara, and sometimes I forget even to do that ~ Sandra Bullock

I'm much like Bullock. Makeup scares me. But I will say this, I will not leave the house without my lipgloss. NEVER!

So, what makes you feel beautiful?

What Make You Feel Beautiful?

“A dress is not a dressing. It is made to be worn. One wears clothes with the shoulders. A dress should hang from the shoulders.” ~ Coco Chanel

I haven't put on a little black dress in a long time. Actually, I can't remember the last time I dressed to feel sexy. This must change.

So, what makes you feel beautiful.

What Makes You Feel Beautiful?

I don't like standard beauty - there is no beauty without strangeness. ~Karl Lagerfeld

I know that I don't quite fit into the "standard" of beauty mold. Many times I look through magazines and NEVER see anyone that looks like me. But you know what? That doesn't mean that I don't feel beautiful. 

So, what makes you feel beautiful.