'It's Fun being a Girl... Great being a Woman!'- Synett Stewart



Tuesday, July 20, 2010

To Mineralize or not mineralize?

Well, that is the question now isn't it? Minerals are on every one's brain. It's in our water and smoothies, cereals, daily supplements and now our makeup as well.

 Let me start off by saying I am not a scientist nor do I plan on being one. I did however, do some research and have an opinion. There are different types of minerals feldspar, quartz, mica...  So if  we use a cosmetic product containing one of these minerals it can be marketed as 'Mineral blah, blah'. So our question should not be does it contain minerals but, what type of minerals does it have AND are those the minerals that my individual skin likes and/or needs?

So, some common minerals that are beneficial to the skin are:


Selenium- plays a key role in preventing skin cancer by protecting your skin from sun damage and reducing your chances of burning (you can find it in supplemental form or in a cream)

Copper- helps develop elastin to support skin (best combined with vitamin A and zinc)
and

Zinc- helps with acne and clears skin by controlling oil production Most mineral foundations I found contain zinc along with mica, which is to give a you a glow and blur fine lines and silica, which absorbs sweat and oils in the skin, prevents light reflection and keeps makeup on the skin longer.

 I am positive there are others but for the sake of not losing your attention I'll stick with these three. Look at the ingredients on your moisturizers, lotions and mineral makeup (foundations, eye shadows and blushes) to see what minerals are included and do a little web surfing. You, of course will find negatives and positives on virtually everything.  We all have an opinion and researching can help you form yours.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Curls Unite!

 As I was walking to my car the other day I happened to catch a glimpse of this beautiful head of curls bouncing along to the vehicle a few spaces down. When she turned she saw me and we smiled in appreciation of each other's spiraled tresses.

 It's almost as if in those few seconds there was an exchange of understanding, empathy and encouragement.
Understanding, that she too:
*has a million products in her shower that fight frizz, lock in moisture, define curls, add shine etc...
*is terrified to get a trim
*constantly has to unclog the drain in the tub/shower
*is thrilled beyond words when the hair behaves as it's supposed to because you finally found the perfect product or cocktail of products
Empathy, that she too:
*is teased for going against the norm
*has random people ask, 'is that all your hair?', 'did you get a perm?', 'can I touch it?' (the more touching the more frizz)
*suffered through the grow-out process
*has shed numerous tears over a bad haircut
Encouragement:
Rock those curls! They are a beautiful part of the many different forms style can come in!

 Yes, her hair was pretty and so was mine and I walked a little taller that day. I hope she did as well!