Your Skin + the Sun - the good, bad, and UGLY!

It's summertime and the #1 thing that makes me think of the summer is the beach... the sun... the pool! But the last few summers something else for has been front of my mind when it comes to this season - sunscreen! I will admit I was a sun worshipper when I was younger. I frequented the tanning bed in high school and college. And I rarely wore sunscreen. I did not feel pretty (or skinny) without a tan. Its no wonder why when I just recently noticed this while reading my kids a bedtime story...

I am thankful that I have repented and that there is a way to not only protect my skin now but also reverse the years of pain I inflicted on my skin (and even look nice and golden safely!)

Did you know that the biggest culprit in aging is sun exposure???? Yikes! And is certainly doesn't help with acne, wrinkles, skin discoloration, and texture changes. And even if you can't see it yet - changes are that you have sun damage and it just hasn't reared it's ugly head yet. Look at this UV camera shot of the sun damage that is not visible. This underlying sun damage is often the cause for loss of clarity, increased dullness, and uneven skin tone even for people without the telltale age spots.

The Reverse regimen is a simple solution to remedy the damage of year's of sun damage. It exfoliates, lightens, improves skin tone, brightens, AND defends against future damage! In an 8 week clinical trial, 98% saw improved brightness, smoothness, and skin texture and 90% saw an improvement in spots and more even skin tone. This stuff is no joke!

Knocking out those sun spots...

And melasma discolorations too...

And it's working wonders for freckles... 

And it's not just for women.... 

or only for your face...

It's pretty crazy to see these incredible results across a variety of different types of sun damage (or hormonal spot damage too!) I actually JUST realized that I have quite a bit of discoloration on my skin in the last several weeks. So stay tuned for some before and afters! 

But in the meantime - enjoy the summer, keep protected, and if you need to be tan, faking it is the way to go! Love our Foaming Sunless Tanner - totally natural and no risk of skin cancer!

Next week in keeping with the summer trend - it's time to talk sunscreen!

Fashion Find: Printed Shorts for $10!!!!

Apologies on my absence... It has been a crazy summer and I imagine that's not gonna change! I've decided to take some of the stress off of myself and only do 3 posts a week. One DIY, one recipe, and one 'other' post such as a fashion find like I am doing today!

So I was lucky enough to have some totally free mommy time and I decided to pop into Old Navy among some other errands I completed. Since I was kid free it was the perfect time to actually try on some clothes! And look at these ADORABLE shorts I found... For $10 but originally $22.94!!! And don't get me started on their perfect v neck tees for $5... And the best dressy tee I've found in ages for $10 too! So if you need to refresh your summer wardrobe on the cheap go check Old Navy out!

Loaded Baked Potato Dip... Yummy!!!!

It's summertime and what is more summer friendly then a dip for barbecues, pool parties, and outside gatherings. It's easy, can be prepared in advance, it's great for sharing, and it's down right yummy! But this dip really knocked my socks off!

I was immediately intrigued when I saw it here on Mix and Match Mama. I have never been led astray by her recipes and I was waiting for just the right occasion to this a try (in reality - you don't need an occasion... other than being hungry!)

Loaded Baked Potato Dip:

8 ounces sour cream

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temp

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup snipped chives

1 tablespoon powdered ranch dressing mix

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 bag of potato chips (I used a kettle chip!)

Combine sour cream, cream cheese and cheddar until thoroughly mixed.  Fold in bacon, chives, ranch dressing mix and Worcestershire Sauce.  Chill at least two hours before serving (the longer you chill, the better).

Serve with your favorite chips.

PS - I may or may not have eaten this as lunch and dinner....

Skincare Saturday: Exfoliation!!!

I haven't always had the best skin care routines... I never really washed my face or cared what type of face wash or moisturizer I used. Cetaphil was always a safe bet. But one thing that I have always love is a good exfoliating scrub.

I must admit that up until recently, this was my go to. It was super gritty and gave me the feeling of really removing some of that yucky dead skin. I have just recently realized what I had been missing out on!

On the day that my big blue box arrived I could not wait to rip it open and start trying the products! The very first thing that I wanted to get my hands on was the Macro E. I had heard urban legend style tales of results on the first use and I couldn't wait to see if the hype was true!

But before I talk about this nifty little gadget let me take a few steps back. Did you know that humans shed a million dead skin cells every 40 minutes? Pretty nasty right? And dead skin cells make up a majority of the dust in our houses!

So in a roundabout way if I use the Macro E I can dust less and glow more??? 

Anything for less dusting... and better looking skin!

Let me just say that the Macro E exceeded all of my expectations! It did take me a a few minutes to get the hang of it using it but then I was in LOVE!!! I used the Doc Smart setting and it directs you which area to use it on, the direction, intensity, etc. It's basically exfoliation for dummies! Check out this video if you don't believe me.

And as for the results... it's no joke. Noticeable results in just one use! I saw an immediate improvement in my skin's feel, texture, smoothness, and general appearance. I looked totally refreshed and glowing (even with a still not sleeping thru the night 14 month old!) The best way that I would describe the results are fresh, clear, and young looking skin!  And paired with a regimen - the results are even better. I am using the ReDefine and I literally look forward to washing my face in the am and pm. Its the one thing I know that I am doing for MYSELF every day :)

And want to know a crazy secret??? The Macro E also works for stretch marks! I have seen the pictures of a close friend and in just 4 weeks she saw diminishment of lines and skin tightening just with using the Macro E weekly and the Night Renewing Serum nightly. I will gladly share these images... but here is one that I found just from googling.

source

Um... hello???? Great skin, improved stretch marks, &

less dusting? The Macro E is a no brainer! Here is some more info on the Macro E and how to purchase it!