Cleanse, Exfoliate, Moisturize: Best Beauty Products for Gorgeous Skin

Last month we added some amazingly authentic women who could help us grow Curva-Lish to the next level.  We enlisted these women to become Curva-Lish Ambassadors so that you can continue to follow Curva-Lish for the best resource on what it means to live an inspiring and authentic life of style, grace and purpose.

With that said, we'd like to introduce you to one of our Curva-Lish Ambassadors, Heather Miller!  Heather is a mom of two, a wife and an all-around inspiring woman who shares her amazing journey of being an "UnIntentional Housewife" on her new blog.

One of Heather's many talents is as a former esthetician before she had Jonas and had to quit working. She loved her job because Heather says, "I love taking care of people and making them feel relaxed and beautiful. I loved helping people with skin issues because it’s something I’ve suffered with since the dawn of time (still do). Over the years I’ve picked up a ton of useful tips having a mom for a stylist and being in the beauty business myself."

Heather's Best everyday beauty routine for gorgeous skin:  I know we all have limited time because we’re constantly chasing after our kids and cleaning up messes. However, I am a huge proponent of taking even just a few minutes a day to take care of JUST you.

I think the most important thing that I do that allows me to get ready in the morning quickly and shut it down even quicker before bed every night is that I’ve developed a really consistent routine. I don’t know if I’ve ever gone to bed without washing my face.

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I use two different types of cleaners: one is an acne cleanser with benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria that causes my lovely pimples, and the other is a skin cleansing oil. I personally use Garnier Skin Cleansing Oil.  And I know you’re like, “OIL? REALLY? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of washing your face?” No, it doesn’t. Your skin has a natural Ph barrier and when you wash your face you’re washing all the bad stuff off, but you’re washing away all your skin’s natural moisturizers, as well, so when you’re using a cleansing oil, you’re just basically washing your face in the most gentle way possible.

Exfoliation is the next thing. As we get older our skin cells turn over a lot slower than when we were kids which is why we lose that glow of youth so you gotta scrub those bad boys off yourself. Olay has great ones that pull double duty (which I love because it saves time, duh!) they cleanse and exfoliate and have really lovely anti-aging ingredients in them as well.

I also use a Clarisonic with both my cleaners because it helps work the product into my skin and remove all my make up and it also increases the circulation in your face so that any product you apply after, like a night cream, absorb more effectively. It also keeps my pores tighter and smaller and my blackheads at bay. I use it everyday, twice a day. 

The last thing is moisturizing your skin. I can’t stress enough how important this is. I use St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin cream and I add a little pump of Palmers Skin therapy oil because it’s good for scars (which I have from acne) and it’s good for discoloration from the sun. I used Palmers Skin Therapy Oil for both my pregnancies (I basted my tummy in it) and I don’t have any stretch marks! It’s also good for doing self mani/ pedis and burns and it even helps with my little Ethan’s eczema.

So there you have it. Those are the basics: Cleanse.Exfoliate.Moisturize. There’s lots of other stuff you can add in, like serums, peels, masks, etc, but these are the ones that are the foundation. 

Stay tuned for future posts from Heather as she continues to share her best tips for beauty and being a Curva-Lish Ambassador!

Heather Miler, Curva-Lish Ambassador and the "Unintentional Housewife" 

How Do You Build Something from an Authentic Place?

We were moved by a video snippet of Pharrell responding to worldwide YouTube videos playing his wildly popular song "Happy" (from his "Girl" CD).  Oprah recently featured him on her Oprah Prime show and surprised Pharrell with a video montage of people from Sri Lanka, London, Detroit, Dakar and many more from around the world singing to his hit "Happy".

Watch the short video snippet here.

What was even more profound about the video was Oprah's comment.  Oprah said, "I get it because it came from such a clear (authentically pure) space."

The greatest joy you can experience is 1. when you create something from a pure space that 2. provides joy to others.

So how do you create something from an authentic place?

Here are some tips based on my experience in building Curva-Lish:
Tip #1:  It has to come from your own experience.  Anything else will not reach people.  Duplicated songs, poems, work, leadership style, kindness, etc. that is not based on your own experience will not have the full impact of blessing others.

Tip #2:  It has to be something that you believe can uniquely reach people.  Whether that is a new product, service or creative project, think ahead of time how this will allow people greater joy, peace, meet a need, solve a problem or provide more diverse information and inspiration.

Tip #3:  You have to believe in it and that you are the best person to communicate and meet this need or inspire people.  Believe that because the idea originated with you, you are the best person to carry out the task to bring the idea or project to fruition.  You, then, have to be your greatest cheerleader in making it happen through the trials, ups, downs and everything in between!

Tip #4:  In the words of Gandhi "Be the change you want to see in the world".  The best way to share your idea or project with the world is to BE IT. If you believe that art needs to be shared with terminally ill children, BE IT.  Go purchase some art supplies from your local arts store, ask your local hospital or Ronald McDonald house if you could volunteer once a week/month to do art projects with the children and BE IT.

Tip #5:  Share it with as many people that will listen, read or participate in your creative idea/project.  Don't create limits, don't create roadblocks, don't limit your message.  Facebook, tweet, blog, have house parties, offer free service...do whatever you have to do to get the message out that your creative idea/project can serve a missing need, enrich people's lives and/or bless people who need to know that they are not alone!  As Oprah said in the video, "It's about being used for something greater than yourself."

My journey with Curva-Lish came out of the same authentically pure space as Pharrell's "Happy" song.  Curva-Lish to me stands for a resource that enriches the lives of women through style, grace and purpose in their pursuit of living the most inspired and authentic life they can...I believe in it for my own life and our posts have been autobiographical accounts of areas where I was searching for an answer, inspired by an idea or wanted to offer heartfelt inspiration for other women who could relate to where I was as well.

Take these tips into account and hoping that you are inspired to go forth in taking action on that idea or project that will cause you to cry with deep joy months/years later because it blessed many outside of yourself.

Que
Curva-Lish Team
curvalish@gmail.com

Spring Readiness: Rain Boots

Spring is the perfect time to freshen up your arsenal of rain resistance.  But that doesn't have to be boring!

We loved the rain boots from Target that are at great price points and fashionable all at the same time!

You can get your pair here and shop for other styles here.  If you are feeling especially fashionable and want to add a splash of color, we love these coral colored boots and these gorgeous quilted boots (sold online only; not sold in stores)!

Let it rain but stay stylish!

Que
Curva-Lish Team
curvalish@gmail.com

The Best of Easter Projects: Easter Egg Strings

This is our favorite time of year with all the Spring buzz and the countdown to Easter! Easter is a time to celebrate the renewal of life with flowers, eggs, rabbits and chicks as you and your family celebrate Easter! What better way to embrace this special time of year than with an Easter party?

The traditional Easter celebration  is always one that brings friends and family together, whether it's in the comfort of home, at a park, or at a local restaurant.  Often times the preparation for the festivities is as much fun as the main event itself.  In the weeks leading up to Easter, you can begin decorating the home using plenty of pastel colors and baskets filled with eggs, chicks, rabbits and flowers. Then on the Saturday before Easter, it's time to prepare the traditional fare and participate in activities such as painting eggs. 

Finally, on Easter morning children everywhere are ready for the annual egg hunt when they can discover where the Easter bunny has hidden all the decorated eggs. Get creative with the festivities of Easter this year and check out some of these unique ideas for your holiday celebration!

This morning on the Today show, we loved the YouTube video featuring a super fun DIY project that you can do with your kids or as an activity during your own fun Spring or Easter party!

Stay tuned as we continue to bring you fun projects that your whole family will enjoy!

Que

Curva-Lish Team

curvalish@gmail.com

Put Yourself First

Essence magazine asked a great question: How do you put yourself first?

Women are notoriously known as being such amazing care givers and supporters that it is easy for us to overlook the fact that if we always put ourselves last, we will not be able to be the best we can be for others.

In an article written in their May, 2014 issue by Sharon Boone (apart of their You First! series), she gave the top five tips for putting yourself first:

Tip #1:  Do a lingerie purge: Get rid of all your stretched-out, faded everyday under-garments and replace them with silky, sexy, colorful pieces!

Tip #2:  Make sure that new dress you buy doesn't require Spanx for you to look fly.  It is possible to be both cute and comfortable this season.

Tip #3: Let love rule and step away from negative comments on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Tips #4: Buy a fragrant shower gel with a delicious scent that transforms your bathroom into a spa.  Let it be known to all in your house that this is just for you.

Tip #5:  Eat dinner off the good dishes/china, at the dining table that always set but never used.  Why save your sparkle when you can shine anytime?

To add to the conversation, you can Tweet @SharonRBoone using the hashtag #EssenceYouFirst

Que
Curva-Lish Team
curvalish@gmail.com