Recognizing Your Beauty!

Do you look in the mirror and see flaws or do you see beauty?

This morning my daughter and I went to the dermatologist for a followup appointment for our skincare regime. I have many moles and freckles on my face which are hereditary and passed down from my grandmother. I have, in the past, had moles removed from my face because I didn't care for them - I saw them as a flaw. But as I get older, I see the unique beauty in my moles and freckles. Now I see the dermatologist about skincare and not about "correcting" any problems.

Ironically after seeing the dermatologist this morning, I stumbled on the pictures below. The model is gorgeous and it is obvious that she has embraced her unique beauty and wear her freckles with pride.

I encourage you all to accept the uniqueness that makes you who you are! I am all for "treating" your skin and taking care of it but to be beautiful does not mean you need to "correct" what you have naturally.

Until next time, be sweet! ;)

Image credit Rita G Photography

Take Care of Yourself!

I have been MIA! I can't believe my last post was May 6th! The last few weeks have been very busy with work and taking my daughter here, there, and everywhere! I'll be back to a regular schedule very soon because I love posting reviews, news, and inspiration for you all. In the meantime, make sure you are taking care of yourself and doing the small things that make a big impact on your life!

Be Sweet! ;)

What Mother's Day Means to Me!

As Mother's Day approaches, you may be like me and start thinking of a way to show your mom how much you love and care about her or ways to honor your mother's memory if she has crossed over to glory. Being a mom now myself, I know that motherhood has many rewards and it is not always easy!

My daughter's name is Naeemah and we call her Nani. Anyone who knows me well knows that me and Nani are like two peas in a pod. I am a single mom and me and Nani live in our home together without anyone else. We are very close and do many things together. We even have a YouTube channel called NaniandMommie! LOL! ;) It is very cute and it is a way for us to do something fun together. She is a teen and like most teens she is spending more time with her friends and doing what teens do...to be expected and encouraged so I value spending as much time with her now before she goes off to college and starts to live her life away from home.

As much as I love being a mother and I love my Nani, motherhood can be challenging! There are misunderstandings, disagreements, unspoken feelings and the like that can cause a friction. I am always hopeful that those "frictions" don't last long and the relationship continues in a loving way - and they don't and it has! ;) To live happily and to quickly get back on track when things go astray, I pray daily to say the right words, to be encouraging, to uplift my daughter while at the same time providing the discipline and the guidance she needs to be a responsible adult.

So as I go through my peaks and valleys with my daughter, I think of my mom. I honor and respect her so much for raising three children on her own. She was divorced and remarried but we always looked to "mom" for all the answers, resources, love, and validation. I love my mom and I hope to be as good as a mom to my daughter as she has been to me. With that said, I go back to looking for a gift that can somehow show her my feelings which can't be bought or sold. I'll look for a card, I'll make her a body product, and hope she knows how much she means to me. And at the same time, I hope my daughter knows how much she means to me and that words can't describe the love I have for her! Until next time...Be Sweet! ;)

Are Your Beauty Products Making You Sick?

Are you aware of the chemicals found in the cosmetics you are using? The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics recently posted an article entitled, “Not So Pretty: Toxic Products Marketed to Black Women.” The article was eye opening and everyone should be aware of the toxic chemicals they may be exposed to in beauty products. Visit http://www.safecosmetics.org/ for more information.

The article listed the following chemicals that you should be aware of when purchasing your beauty products: • BHA: relaxers, hair-growth products, skin lighteners (immune system toxicity, cancer, hormone disruption, organ toxicity; can build up in our bodies); • Coal tar: some hair dyes, dandruff shampoos cancer; can build up in our bodies); • Coumarin: hair relaxers, hair dyes, fragrance (immune system toxicity, reproductive harm, cancer, cell damage); • Dibutyl phthalate: nail polish, cuticle treatments, other nail treatments (reproductive and developmental harm, immune system toxicity, hormone disruption); • DMDM hydantoin: hair relaxers, dandruff shampoos, hair dyes and bleach, some skin lighteners (releases formaldehyde, which is linked to cancer); • Formaldehyde: nail polish, nail treatments, eyelash glue, some hair straighteners (breathing problems, cancer); • Hydroquinone: skin lighteners, hair dyes (immune system and skin toxicity, cancer, reproductive harm); • Octoxynol-40: hair dyes, hair relaxers (mutagen, cancer, immune system toxicity; may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane or ethylene oxide, which are linked to cancer); • P-phenylenediamine: hair dyes (immune system toxicity, skin toxicity, hormone disruption, cancer); • PEG 10 sorbitan laurate: moisturizing/soothing shampoo (skin toxicity, reproductive harm); • Placental extract: conditioners, facial moisturizers (hormone mimicker); • Selenium sulfide: dandruff shampoos (linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, developmental harm; can build up in our bodies); • Synthetic fragrance: many personal care products (allergies, cancer, birth defects); and • Toluene: nail polish, cuticle treatments, other nail treatments (reproductive and developmental harm, nervous system toxicity, kidney and liver toxicity). Educate yourself on the products you and your family are using. The more information you have, the better choices you can make! Be Sweet!