Women’s Rainbow Sweatshirt
Category: Fashion
Shopping Like an Adult
They were cute oh so cute! But I put my foot in them and they hurt. I didn’t get much wear out of those little shoes or the other cheap ones that I have bought over the years. After getting sick of having handbags wear out before I had even gotten a decent amount of use out of them I started researching my larger purchases. (I have a ton of you-tubers and bloggers to thank for their product reviews.) Buying clothing became a little bit of a study for a while more than random shopping trips. Learning about the brands I was purchasing from and checking their quality. It should be that when you buy a brand name you know you are getting a certain standard of quality. This is not true of all brands. It took a while to find the brands that were not only good quality but were also styles that I wanted to wear and styles that matched my lifestyle. In my process I tried Minimalism out.
Minimalist Wardrobe (Great for Building your collection)
If you are going to buy quality over quantity you will soon learn that quality cost. So do I go with the $300 dollar boots or the $45 boots in black, brown and gray. I’m going with the one pair because I am paying for quality. True with the $45 dollar ones I get more color options but I don’t get the quality that I wanted. So that meant going with a more basic wardrobe. That is when I discovered minimalism in my clothing. Basically living with the basics in your wardrobe. But I didn’t keep my wardrobe or my life style like this, I used it to get rid of things that I was not using. I sold a lot of stuff and other things I just donated to charity. I spent some time finding what worked for me. I would also like to point out that high price tags do not always equal better craftsmanship, sometime you are just paying for the brand name. This is why I had to research.
Even though i love being all practical and basic most of the time I also discovered I did still want to wear other colors and clothing every once in a while.. (and I do mean once in a while, most of the time all black is my happy zone.) I started incorporating things with colors (I’m not big on prints) , as long as it was something I really wanted and something that gave my mind warmth and my soul the feelings of comfort I bought it. I had learned how to shop with the minimalist principles of buying quality. I also took advantage of holding items in an online shopping cart or adding things to a wish list. Latter I would ask myself, did I still want that item a week latter? Did I want it a month later? What I found o u t by shopping this way was there were so many things I thought I wanted that I really didn’t. For the most part I don’t buy clothing because it is a trending item. I ask myself, “If tomorrow I wake up and this item of clothing is not in style will I still love it and want to wear it for the next few years or more? “ If I can’t say yes I have to tell myself don’t buy it because I’m buying a fad and not something I would really love for years to come. Now I have to tell you I don’t follow any of these rules perfectly all the time, in fact I learned that trying to make these things die hard rules does not work well. Instead they are guidelines to help you achieve a wardrobe that you will love for many years.
One of the other reasons I want items with a long life is to cut down on my own personal green footprint. If I buy lets say a poorly made dress. I can only get a few wears out of it before it starts to not look right, maybe it shrinks or fades. I can’t wear it, I can’t give it away or sell it. When I buy something I ask myself, “If I should outgrow this item, can I give it to someone and it still be in good condition? This type of shopping cuts down on the amount of items that end up in land fills.
If you have had an experience learning how to become a smarter consumer I would love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment.
Planning your shopping like a pro.
TRANCOSO DUSTY BLUE FLORAL PRINT TWO-PIECE MAXI DRESS
Healthy Nails
How do you know when your nails are healthy?
Healthy nails should have a pinkish white tone to them. The ends of your nails should be white and even without any splits, breaks or jagged edges.
What are the signs of unhealthy nails that I should look for?
Redness or blistering of any kind around the nail bed, rips or tears in the nail itself or the soft tissues around the nail. Also horizontal lines and grooves into the nail are signs of unhealthy nails. Little white specks in the nail may be signs of painting your nails too often or biting them.
Can I wash my hands too often or too hard?
Yes, while it is important to keep your hands and nails clean, be careful to make sure you are not being too harsh on them when washing . Use gentle soap and a soft toothbrush for cleaning your nails. Try not to over wash your hands with harsh soaps. Use gloves when washing dishes. Remember dish soap is made to cut oil and grease on your dishes. This is great for your dishes and bad for your skin .
What natural oils are great for hands and nails?
Coconut oil is wonderful for your skin. Apply before bedtime and sleep with your hands in gloves to lock in moisture if your hands need a dry skin treatment. You can also add essential oils such as Lavender or frankincense to your coconut oil for added healing benefits. (Also smells great!)
Is my diet important for having healthy nails?
Yes. Your diet has a big role to play in the health of your nails. Our nails are made up of a protein called keratin. Make sure you are eating food rich in protein in vitamins, like vitamin E and omega 3 oils (Found in fish) .
What about gels and acrylics? Are they safe to use?With any type of nail treatment that requires the use of harsh chemicals or UV lights less is better. The UV light is what causes damage to the skin under the nail bed over long use. Try to space out your use of gels and acrylics. Give your nails a break often from harsh chemical treatments and heavily pigmented polishes. These tend to dry nails out and cause discoloration to the nail.
Do I really need a base coat and a topcoat of nail polish?
Yes, I am afraid you do, but let me explain why. The base coat helps to protect your nails from turning yellow when you are wearing heavy pigments. The top coat helps to keep that manicure looking great and helps prevent chipping and cracking of your color nail polish.
What about nail polish removers?
Acetone is very harsh on nails and should be used as sparingly as possible. Make sure to only apply on the nail and try to avoid contact with skin as it is a supper drying agent. Don’t apply polish directly after cleaning with nail polish remover. Instead clean acetone from hands and apply coconut oil or another moisturizer. If you can don’t repaint your nails the same day that you strip them. Give them a little rest, this will help to keep your nails from becoming brittle and breaking off. Chemical free nail polish removers.
What about press on nails?
Press on nails still use chemicals, however using a press on nails for a quick manicure is great when you want that acrylic look without the UV light. Just remember when removing press on nails you need to soak the nail in nail polish remover. Do not try to pull or cut the nail off as it will cause damage to your own nail bed.
What if I cannot wear nail polish or don’t want to wear it, are there other options for natural nail care?
If you want, you can go with clear nail polish, or buff your nails both will give your nails a pretty shine. There are also a number of nail products that are natural and or free of harsh chemicals. Brands like Zoya offer polishes that are free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor.
I love subscription boxes. There is something fun about getting that box full of beautiful surprise products you are going to love 9 times out of 10 (if you have the right box.) Most of the time I rush to see what’s in my box and then set aside unique items that I may want to try on my next diy spa day. But it is not just beauty boxes, there are boxes for pampering yourself in so many ways. From jewelry to clothing, to feminine monthly subscriptions there really is a box for everyone. Here are a two that I would like to share with you.
Ipsy is $10 a month for their glam beauty bag. They also now offer a Glam bag plus that is $25 a month with all full size products. I have been impressed with the products that I have received from my boxes. Always great quality and highly pigmented beauty products. Click here to join me on ipsy.
Some of the best 100% cruelty-free and clean beauty products that you will love sent to you each month. NO ANIMAL TESTING. NO ANIMAL INGREDIENTS. TOXIN-FREE. Every month, you get 4 products that valued between $45-$60. Products ranging from makeup, hair care, body & skincare. Click Here
Synthetic Wig Care
Wigs that are worn daily should be washed every 2-3 weeks. During warm weather you may want to wash weekly if you are sweating a lot or have two of similar style to switch out during the hot months. Washing your wig is important to keep hair looking fresh and realistic looking.
Remember synthetic hair is not the same as human hair no matter how much they may look the same. only use hair products that are designed for synthetic hair. Do not use human hair shampoo or conditioner on your wig. This will cause build up on the wig, and dull the hair fibers.
Washing Care
De-Tangle
Start out by carefully detangling your wig hair using a wide tooth comb.
Brush through and gently remove any tangles using a wide tooth comb or brush.
Be careful not to pull or drag the hair fibres as this can cause damage to the wig.
Wash
Fill a bowl with cold water (never hot, heat will damages the synthetic fibres).
Add a capful of shampoo into the water.
Immerse hair into water and let soak for few minutes.
Rinse
In a fresh bowl of cold water to remove shampoo from hair.
Do not squeeze or wring wig out this will also damage hair.
Condition
Apply conditioner directly to your wig, stroke hair in a downwards motion from the
roots to ends.
Leave in 4–5 minutes.
Next rinse by immersing wig into more in fresh cold water.
Dry
Place the wig between a folded towel and pat dry.
Again do not squeeze, or wring your wig while drying.
Style and hair dry
Remove from towel and gently shake out wig to regain its style. Place wig on a wig stand to dry naturally. Do not use hair dryers the heat can cause damages synthetic fibres even if it is a heat safe wig, do not use heat while hair is drying.
At Home Spa Day
This week has been rainy for me and I have not been able to work in my garden. I spent a good deal of the week fighting of the rainy weather blues too. This next week looks like rain too so I decided to have a spa day and share some of my ideas with you. In this post I am going to show you how to create a mood and atmosphere for a relaxing hour or two.
Working with your senses
Relaxing is about more than just setting down and not doing anything. It is about creating a state of relaxation for the mind and the body. Our body receives messages about the world around us through our senses, so these are the areas we will start with.
Taste I don’t know if taste comes to your mind when you think about a spa day but it definitely comes to my mind. I like to have my favorite tea on hand for my spa day. Two teas I recommend are Rosebud tea and or chamomile tea. If tea is not your thing fruit infused water is also nice to have on hand or your favorite coffee blend.
Touch I suggest keeping some nice and fluffy towels set aside for your spa days. Try to only use these towels for days that you want to pamper yourself. You may also want to have a plush bathrobe to wear.
The important thing here is you want something soft and plush making direct contact with your skin to stimulate the sensations of touch. Basically the goal is to flood all your senses with the feelings of comfort and relaxation.
Smell– Essential oils – Rose, lavender are my personal favorites. You may choose to apply these to your bath water, foot soak water or simply add to an oil diffuse lamp to scent the room you are in. You may also just want to indulge a little in your favorite perfume.
Sight – Use calming colors/ blue, lavender,Green, pink. You can use colored candles or white candles if you prefer. I like to get colorful scarves and lay them out either on the floor ( if I am setting in yoga style) or use them to cover the table I have my spa stuff laid out on. This just gives a pleasant look and feel to everything and creates space.
Sound– This is really your own preference. Spa music or water sounds are wonderful background sounds but I really suggest that you pick a background sound that relaxes you. Sound is a funny thing I have often found piano or classical guitar music to be very relaxing background sounds also.
Other things to add
Fresh flowers. Nothing is as pleasing to see in a room than a beautiful bunch of flowers. Scented candles Candles if not using essential oils.Chocolates or some other small treats
Scroll Down For Two Spa foot soak recipes
Rose foot soak:
1 part Epsom salts
1 part Baking soda
5 drops of rose essential oils
Rose petals (optional)
Add to 1 gallon of hot water
Lavender foot soak
1/2 cup lavender buds (fresh or dried, both work well)
10 drops lavender essential oils
1 cup Epsom salt
1 cup Kosher salt (or use 2 cups Epsom)
Use 1/2 cup per gallon of water.
Recommended Body and Hair Oils
Coconut oil/ Argon oil/ sweet almond oil/ grape seed oil
Healthy Hair
1.Good shampoo and Conditioner
Stay away from shampoos that contain silicone, sulfates, and alcohols. These products damage and break hair down over time.
HAIR FOOD
Almond & Lotus Sulfate Free Repair Shampoo
2. Cold water rinse.
Rinse and condition your hair in cold water, this will help to seal the moister into your hair.
3. Use natural Oils
From time to time your hair may need a boost. Try Coconut oil or sweet almond oil to help rejuvenate dry hair and add a healthy shine.
4. Silk pillow case
You have probably heard of this one before. Sleeping on silk cuts down on the amount of friction on your hair as you move at night. The silk can prevent the hair from becoming frizzed and breakage.
5. Condition before swimming
Before you jump into the pool this summer make sure to lather your hair up with conditioner. This will help prevent damage from the chlorine in the water
Teeki Love the Elephant Yoga Leggings $72.00
Features
- Full-length leggings.
- Allover striped print with elephant and rose placement print at side legs.
- Allover sheen.
- Thick elastic-free waistband.
- Breathable, 4-way stretch material.
- Chafe-resistant and anti-bacterial.
- Made with recycled plastic bottles.
- Oeko-Tek, Green Mark, and bluesign® certified.
Details
- Fabric(s): 79% Recycled P.E.T., 21% Spandex
- Fit: Tight
- Rise: High Waist
- Inseam: 26″
- Length: At Ankle
- Adjustable: No
- Keywords: leggings, high waist, high waisted, breathable, 4-way stretch, chafe-resistant, ant-bacterial, recycled, sheen, navy, blue, striped, graphic, elephant, rose
Country of Origin
- Made In The USA with Imported Materials Click Here to see options
Sarvatah LLC 