american eagle – Brick Marshmallows

HATS:

Hats are a must have for the summer months. Not only do they protect our faces from the sun, they protect our hair too. UVA rays dry out and damage the outer layer of our hair, making it appear brittle. Add in the daily humidity, and summer hair can be the worst. If you’re not having that great of a hair day, put your hair in loose braids or pull it back into a low pony and sock a cute hat on for instant style. If you have short hair, you’re already ready to just wear a hat and go. Most females overthink hats, but it’s actually a simple addition. Solid colors are easier to coordinate and straw hats go with everything. Just have fun with it.

My black hat sort of reminds me of Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies, but I really like it. haha. It’s a bit stretchy, not too tight, and is lightweight. I’ve paired it with a shirt I pulled off the sale rack at American Eagle for $10.00 and some cut-off jean shorts (also from American Eagle). With black sandals, I’m ready for any outdoor event. Here’s a link to the tops currently on Clearance at American Eagle.

BATHS:

Do you sweat? I’m a fitness freak. Every day I do high intensity interval training and also run a couple of miles. In the summer, especially, I sweat a lot. Exercising to the point of producing lots of sweat is so good for us. It manufactures happy feelings, gives us an energy rush, reduces aches and pains, and releases toxins from our bodies. But getting that sweat off of our bodies is equally important. The bathtub is a perfect solution. Not only will it cleanse your body, but it will also restore and relax your body.

After a long day outside, it’s important to pamper our skin. Again, the sun will do some damage. Find a good moisturizing bubble bath, light a candle, turn on some soft music, and relax. I experiment with different kinds of bubble baths, bath bombs, and body washes. This one from Caress really does have a buttery burnt brown sugar smell as advertised. It. Is. Yummy. Here’s the link … I picked it up at Target.

Masks:

If caring for our entire body is important, our faces should be at the top of the list as the most important part of our bodies. Caring for our faces every day needs to be a priority. I’ve said it before, and will say it again, don’t ever go to bed with makeup on. It will age your skin. Cleanse your face everyday. Exfoliate often. Pamper it with moisturizer two times a day, morning and night. And try to make time for a mask once a week.

This mask is by a company called Yes To. I’d heard the company was started by two guys who played soccer, and was definitely curious to find out what these dudes know about skincare. As it turns out, they apparently know a lot. They use 95% natural ingredients in their products and make sure all are free of toxins. This was my first time using one of their masks, and I have to say I might be hooked. It was thick and creamy, had a nice gentle scent, went on easy, and left my skin feeling so soft. If you aren’t married to a certain type of mask, give it a try. Target carries this product too!

The takeaway is self care. As women, we’re so adept at taking care of others, aren’t we? We check off lists all day every day. It’s part of our DNA. I swear, when God made Eve, that woman probably opened her eyes and immediately got to work sprucing up the Garden of Eden.

Adam was like: “Hey, God made sex, and He says it’s very good … wanna have a go at it?”

Eve: “Ummmm, yeh, sure thing. But first I need to figure out how I can turn a pile of palm leaves into cute throw pillows for our bed, clear away all the brush so our outdoor digs will be tidy, prune a couple of trees to give some sharp curb appeal, and gather more fruit and veggies in case the Lord stops by for dinner … plus, don’t we have babies to tend to?”

Adam: “Well, no … we have to have the sex first.”

Can you relate? The housekeeping and the lists will wait. The kids will wait too. It took me fifty years, but I’ve finally embraced the importance of putting myself first for a couple of hours a day. Living in the moment. I’m very type-A … if I can do it, so can you.

Exercise, take baths, experiment with different beauty products, and love yourself. Age is just a number, but life is short. You’re worth the extra effort!

Just my thoughts,

Melanie

I’m turning fifty in April (insert a big gulp) … and like many of my best girlfriends, I’m refusing to grow old gracefully. I mean, us gals could sit back and let age take over. But why would we want to go and do a crazy thing like that?

Yes, I work out regularly, I eat healthy, and I step on the scale every single day. But even more important, I pamper myself. And no matter what stage of life you are in right now, you should too.

As a mom with four kiddos living at home, two who have special needs, it’s vitally important for me to stay as healthy and strong as I can. That fact clicked with me a long time ago. However, until fairly recently, I didn’t get the pampering part of the equation. As a result, I’m catching up on lost time.

To put it plainly, pampering is equal to air. Without it, we suffocate. I didn’t even know I was suffocating until I started making self care a part of my daily ritual. Now, I’d never go back. I think of it this way. If we don’t fill ourselves with love first, making sure to fill our tanks to the brim, how are we going to have enough love to give out to others? So … with that in mind, here’s a quick tip:

One of the ways I show myself love is to soak in a hot tub WITH bath bombs and a 1980’s love song playlist (thank you Spotify!).

Bath bombs can be found at most big retail chains for a variety of prices, but my favorite (so far) is the 100% Natural Bath Bombs from Natural Spa Bath. They are made in the USA with premium sourced essential oils and use no synthetic dyes or preservatives, which is all a big plus. They turn my bath time into sanctuary time and can be found on Amazon by clicking here . If you haven’t tried bath bombs yet, by the way, you haven’t lived.

What about when you don’t have time to soak? Do you skip the bath? No, no, no. Say these four words with me: “Never forgo the bath.” Seriously. When I only have ten or fifteen minutes for a bath, I make sure I still pamper myself by using a body scrub and a bath brush. Because bath time is self love time and plain water will never do:

My favorite body scrub is the Ginger & Cardamom Olive Oil Body Scrub by Bath and Body Works. The scent, for some reason, makes me feel like I’m Cleopatra in Egypt, and at only $6.00, it is an inexpensive extravagance. (Cleopatra, by the way, believed herself to be a living Goddess … I’ll bet you a dollar to a donut that she pampered the heck out of herself.) To follow up, since I’ve exfoliated with a scrub, I nourish my body with 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil by Shea Moisture . Rich in Vitamin E, the Coconut Oil has natural anti-aging properties. As a bonus, it is also very good for people who battle chronic dry skin, psoriasis and/or eczema. If you combine these two products, I promise, your body will be as soft as a buttery biscuit. (You know, the inside, when you pull back the outer layers and it’s like a yummy cloud.)

And after my bath, I always pull on something super plush:

When you go to the trouble to get your body all soft and smooth, you can’t just throw on something scratchy. And not to digress too much, but speaking of smooth, ladies, can we all just agree to shave or wax our legs regularly? I get the whole movement toward “it’s our right and our bodies, so we don’t have to conform to society’s expectations” … but by shaving our legs, we are making our legs more beautiful. It’s a fact. Hairy legs are not pretty. I know I don’t want to feel prickles of hair against my jeggings or my leggings, do you? Lord, no! It takes five minutes to shave your legs. Just do it. Anyhow, this comfy sweater is from one of my favorite stores, American Eagle .

So, to wrap up. Pamper yourself and soak those darned troubles away.

~Mel

Tag: american eagle

Hats, Baths, & Masks

Soak Your Troubles Away — Self Care