Face

BabyLove here!  After having my kids, and watching my waist line expand, I thought to myself, Well, if I'm going to be overweight, then I better start paying better attention to things like my skin and teeth. I'm not yet 30, but over the last 3 years, I have seen a definite increase in the fine lines forming all over my face.  Happy, I was not about this, and thus began my obsession with skincare.  One of the most major problems my skin faces as I get older, is that I find it needs more moisture than usual.  I was using Fresh Repair and Restore Face Balm (it retails for $95.00.) I accidentally stumbled upon Juara Skincare.  I know there are already some Meg Heads that are fans of this line, but if you haven't tried this line before-you must now!  I had the immense pleasure of sampling a number of products from Juara, and to be honest, with each one I tried, I liked it better than the one before it.

My new favorite product, and the focus of this here review, is Juara's Avocado Banana Moisture Mask!

“I strongly believe in the possibility of connecting with people from other cultures and creating an environment in which the little things we do throughout or daily lives positively affect the lives of people around the world. Even in something as seemingly inconsequential as our choice of skin care, it’s about a consciousness of the decisions we make every day.”
- Katharine Phillips L’Heureux, Founder of Kahina - Giving Beauty
 
Jasmine Simone here! I love essential oils - they are so nurturing to my skin and have done wonders for scarring, dryness and other skin issues I have had in the past. Recently I discovered the wonders of Argan oil. So what exactly is argan oil you may be wondering? Only found in a few countries, Morocco being the main one, the argan tree oil is revered for it’s numerous nutritive, cosmetic, and medicinal properties. It is pressed from the seeds of the argan tree fruit and has been used for cooking and cosmetics for centuries before modern times (dating back to before the Phonecians.) Presently, argan trees are near extinction due to severe drought seasons and over use for of the trees for wood over the past 50 years. They are now a protected species by UNESCO and must be harvested sustainably to preserve these ancient tress that can live up to 200 years.

Fortunately, the Kahina - Giving Beauty brand adheres to this standard of environmentally-conscious processing. L’Heureux chose the name Kahina as an homage to the Berber queen (Berbers are the indigenous people in North Africa) and prophetess who reigned in Morocco circa 700 CE and “a heroine to the Berber women, Kahina represents empowerment and vision for women worldwide.” And that is exactly what founder, Katherine Phillips L’Heureux, was inspired to do when she created this line of products after a visit to Morocco brought her into the world of Berber women, who subsequently revealed to her the amazing, versatile properties of argan oil. Kahina works with the local women to provide them with a viable and sustainable way to make a living which subsequently improves their way of life. Taking it a step further, Kahina also sources rare essential ingredients from women’s cooperatives around the world, and donates 25% of their profits to support initiatives that improve the lives of impoverished women around the world.

Gigi here!
My students know little of what I write here, but one perceptive male said to me in school, "Mrs. D., your life is a lot like the woman on 'I Love Lucy.'" Point taken. I choose to call the escapades I live "colorful," sometimes enjoyable and other times not so much. I've often been told that my wedding was quite memorable - few know just how memorable. The beginning of my day was a disaster but the remainder was a dream.

I had gone to the same hair stylist for years, Jessica, with flawless results.  We both decided that the heat of a June day in a cavernous church without air conditioning would make me wilt instantly. She was an artist. When I put my hair in her hands, I became a combination of Jaclyn Smith and Penelope Cruz (and the check is in the mail). She suggested pulling my tresses back and away, as my face and $1,200 veil would be highlighted (you read that correctly - in no way am I wealthy but my family encouraged me to indulge myself; the silk tulle of the veil was my lengthy train, with hand-sewn seed pearls around the plentiful fabric).

Perhaps Jess had partied too long the night before. Perhaps she was related to "Edward Scissorhands." Or maybe she had hated me all along and decided this was the ideal time for revenge. When she finished, my hair resembled Holly Hunter's in "The Piano," only worse. It was so severe that it appeared that I had put a stocking over my face, distorted my features by stretching my eyes to my ears, and was on my way to rob a bank or convenience store. I had waited until the day before the ceremony to try for this - now what?

"She's very sparkly...she looks like a holiday."

When Dustin Hoffman as "Charlie" spoke those words in one of my all time fav movies, "Rainman", I knew exactly what he meant! This Goddess Granny LOVES anything that sparkles, shines, blings, whatever you want to call it in all it's forms and honestly doesn't believe that you're ever too young or too old to enjoy a bit of glittering enhancement in your life! However,as a girl who tops out @ 5'10" and who has never been accused of looking "subtle", I do tend to rein in my wattage in order to hopefully avoid looking like a parade float :)

For many years, I have been a HUGE fan of a gorgeous fuschia-haired designer whose been dubbed "The Queen of Irreverent Luxury", the fabulous and oh so sparkly Miz Tarina Tarantino: from a young age, this lady knew how to make a statement and as the founder of her own brand along with her husband,she has been the gold-standard throughout the world for creating high-style, sparkling, and over the top girly-girl and amazing accessories! I personally own quite a few of her jewelry pieces and they never fail to delight and never go out of style... they make me happy when I wear them as is the designer's intent: she wants all girls of all ages to be their own true "sparkling selves" and I for one continue to covet everything she produces!

Gigi here,
And yet another scintillating segment of my life as I bare my multiple "idiotsyncracies." Pencil erasers give me chills. They are horrifying. Run your fingernails on a chalkboard and it's not as traumatic as these innocuous-looking pink devils! Why?  Because they conjure humiliating memories. So pop some corn, have a beverage, and learn of my mortification.
Your browser may not support display of this image. Tommy Townsend wasn't my first boyfriend at age ten. I had a wild, salacious tryst with Robert Cunningham at age six (first grade). Every day he used the money for his own milk at recess to purchase orange drink and potato chips for me. I was a shameless hussy and kept my own cash for candy after school. My hedonism all came to a screeching halt.

Robert sat across from me. We had a surprise quiz on telling time; our vicious teacher moved the hands on a "clock" she fashioned from construction paper and we wrote down the times accordingly I was proud, I was smart. I knew about timepieces. And this smart ass paid for her sins big time!

We had to exchange papers with our "neighbors" and correct. My love thought he was funny as he marked several answers on mine wrong to tease. I whispered to him to stop, as our class did a shameful job in general with this. Mrs. Monster was furious and shrieked, "People! You are a waste of space!" Robert hurriedly pulled out a pink eraser to undo his work, but he wasn't fast enough.