Liv' Life and Spot Treat that Blemish

Hey Dreamers, 

My last post focused on skin care and I am keeping that conversation going. As I said before yes, I love the products from TreeActiv because they really keep my skin clean but I do have those random break outs sometimes. Let’s be real as much as I want to keep my skin clear, I GET LAZY and don’t wash my face at night, yes, I have fell asleep in make-up, or being a woman, we go through changes once a month ;). To help heal those unwanted  breakouts here are some of my favorite spot treatments I have been using for over 5 years now!

 

1.     Acne Pimple Master Patch   

-Protection and healing with Hydrocolloid Patch

-Natural and gentle on the skin 

- Blends into skin providing invisible protection

These patches are the truth! Whenever a pimple pops up especially a whitehead, I just cover it up with a Master Patch and it speeds up the healing process. I have actually felt a pimple coming on placed a patch on it and woke up to no blemish at all. I wouldn’t say it’s easy to cover with make-up so I would not recommend it; other brands are less thick and can make camouflaging a little easier but not this brand. Master Patch is slightly thicker than other brands, the thickness helps to absorb more pus and fluids. 

 

2.     Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Daily Leave-On Masks & Spot Gel

Daily Leave-On Mask

-       Contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide acne medicine

-       Clinically proven to reduce size and redness of breakouts in 4 hours

-       Leaves no residue and vanishes into skin

-       Gentle enough to be used up to 3 times a day

Spot Gel

-       Contains 10% benzoyl peroxide acne medicine 

-       Clinically proven to reduce size and redness of breakouts in 2 hours and fights other breakouts from developing throughout the day.

-       Gentle enough to used up to 3 times a day

I like to use these spot treatments together when I have one of those bigger and red breakouts. I always follow up with Acne Pimple Master Patch at night or during the day if I’m chillen in the house. 

 

3.     Burt’s Bees’ Natural Acne Solutions Spot Treatment. 

-     Target, control and eliminate blemishes 

-     Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of blemishes in 48 hours 

-     Reduces redness and promotes healthy skin

-     99.9% Natural non irritating spot treatment that soothes troubled spots 

OK, so this has to be 2^nd favorite spot treatment (Acne Pimple Mater is my 1^st). I use this when I really need to dry out a blemish. When you look up this product it will day for oily skin, I have combination skin and it still works great for me. I love that its natural and does not irritate my skin. The actual solutions is made up of tea tree, calendula, yarrow, and parsley extracts.  I always follow up with an Acne Pimple Master Patch.

So you know it’s real!!!

I wanted to include some pictures of a current breakout I was experiencing. I used all these products I talked about to today including my TreeActiv products and my prescribed face creams that I will y’all share with everyone at a later date.

Day 1 No Treatment
                                                                                                            
Master Pimple patch covering blemish 

After wearing patch for 3 days

Do your research and make the right choice! 

Liv' Life and Slay that Fresh Face: TreeActiv Skin Care

     

     I have dealt with adult acne for well….as long as I been an adult lol. My acne has not been extremely bad but it would basically break down to I get a breakout work on it two to three weeks before it clears up and boom there goes another one. The interesting thing about my journey to clearer skin is my problems started basically when I was an adult more specifically the summer after my college freshman year. Since that summer of 2008 I seen 3 different dermatologists, was told that my acne was possibly hormonal and that birth control was the best option along with the use of creams. Over the years my story is similar to most,  something would work and then not work and my skin had good days and bad days. Fast forward to 2019 I started to have nodule and cysts breakouts often. Back to the dermatologist I went and we changed my topical medication. I was now using Epiduo and by default (insurance didn’t cover what was recommended) started using Differin now that it was sold over the counter.

My skin was doing ok but I starting doing research on YouTube University and found @redfairys skin routine,  she was talking about her own skin care routine and mentioned products with charcoal being beneficial. I found TreeActiv and my skin improved tremendously!

     TreeActiv is a skin care company who carry quality and all-natural products for reasonable prices. And yes, it’s made in good ol’ USA.

So Far I have used the Acne Eliminating Face Cleanser, Balancing Herbal Toner, and Face Exfoliating Acne Scrub Pads. These products along with a few others have help my skin clear up and stay clear. Now I’m not going to lie I still get lazy or just can’t avoid a pimple pop up but when I’m doing what I’m supposed to do it works! In the future I plan on trying out the acne eliminating face spray and invisible acne spot treatment so I will be sure to let you know when I do! In the mean time if your looking for some new skin care products head over to TreeActiv.com or Amazon and try it out!

My Routine:
1. Wash my face with Acne Eliminating Face Cleaner, follow up with Balancing Herbal Toner (Morning and Night)
2. MONDAY NIGHT ONLY After Cleansing scrub my face with Exfoliating Acne Scrub Pads, follow up with Balancing Herbal Toner.
                 

                               Do your research and make the right choice! 

Liv' Life and Get Rid of that Negative Energy: The Ancient Practice of Smudging

The Ancient Practice of Smudging 

     I was first introduced to smudging in 2014/2015. That year a new friendship was budding and I was in a place where I was still growing into the person I wanted to be. I was enjoying the growth of this unexpected friendship. We shared life and career goals, we partied together, had meaningful deep convos and she had so much knowledge of African Spirituality which interest me. Our friendship grew so did my knowledge and connection to self. Now don’t get me wrong my parents did a great job of exposing me to my African-American history/culture and I grew even more prideful while attending Howard University but it was so much more out there to learn and connect with. 

What is Smudging?

Smudging is defined as an ancient spiritual practice to cleanse a space, invite positive energy and rid negative energy. To actually smudge a space, you must burn some type of plant or herb allowing the air to fill with smoke which will purify the air.

The most common and well known herbs and plants are 

1.     Sage (White and Blue sage are the most popular and known to kill bacteria in air and improving air quality.)

2.     Lavender

3.     Palo Santo

4.     Cedar

5.     Imphepho or African Sage 

Origins of Smudging?

     As I was researching the practice of smudging many sources trace it back to the Indigenous people of America also known as the Native Americans. Smudging was part of a spiritual ritual usually involving prayer to bring positive energy and rid the negative energy. It was also used for medical purposes purifying the body and space. 

Although traced to the Indigenous people of America there was very similar practices with ancient African spirituality. And where I believe smudging originated. Historically Shaman’s and Sangoma’s have been practicing smudging but didn’t use that terminology. The burning of plants and herbs would just be incorporated in the spiritual rituals. 

A Shaman is defined as a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of good and evil spirits. 

A Sangoma is defined as highly respected healer among the Zulu people of South Africa who diagnoses, prescribes, and often performs the rituals to heal a person physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. 

     Sangoma’s are also found in other tribes of South Africa and similar to the ingigenous people, the burning of sage is used during healing and purifying rituals.     “They summon the ancestors by burning a plant called Imphepho, dancing, chanting, and most importantly playing drums. Sangomas are able to access advice and guidance from the ancestors for their patients in three ways: possession by an ancestor, or channelling; throwing bones; and interpreting dreams.” (derived from http://shamanportal.org/shamanism_african.php)

 Today burning sage is still incorporated in lives of South Africans. The video below talks about current day traditional healers. Many are professionals who have incorporated  healing into their everyday life like this Financial Executive of Johannesburg, South Africa who was interviewed by CNN in 2017.

Smudging and Religion/ Final Thoughts

     There is so much information on the ancient practice of smudging/sage burning and it can get very deep, which I will not go completely into today. Because of this some are afraid to burn sage or smudge feeling as it will directly clash with their religious beliefs. I disagree with that thought process because at the end of the day as long as you are confident in whoever you may pray to nothing can get in the way of that connection. There are some out there that I know will complete disagree with me. I myself follow the Christian religion and I did find articles posting bible verses that they claim translate to why Christians should not "smudge". I found it interesting because the Catholic Religion, which is very similar to the Christian religion (I know similar but NOT the same) do burn Frankincense. Frankincense is the dried sap of trees in the Boswellia Sacra and used during Mass. In the Catholic religion the smoke produced from the Frankincense symbolizes purification and  sanctification. Sound Familiar? In my opinion it is very possible to burn any of the herbs and plants mentioned above without getting too wrapped up in the ancestral origin practices unless you want to. Yes Smudging  originated from spiritual rituals and beliefs but it is also helpful in a time of COVID-19 where air purification is important. And Blocking negativity is ALWAYS important. Do your research sis (or bro) and make the right choice!

Disclaimer: This is an educational post based off of my experience, opinion  and research. Again do your research and make the right choice sis!

Liv' Life and get In Tune: The Lotus Egg

    

THE LOTUS EGG

      Getting in tune with yourself is an important part of Self-Care. I cannot stress enough the importance of taking time to get in tune with your body more specifically your Yoni (better known as the Vagina).  Woman should be able to touch themselves to satisfaction and feel when something is not right. There are many articles out there discussing the benefits of knowing your body and today I want to focus on the 💫Lotus Egg 💫.

     A Lotus Egg also known as a Yoni egg is crystal used to balance the body and a medical device for Kegel exercises. Most Lotus Eggs come in 3 sizes L, M, & S, beginners should start out with a Large size egg and work their way down. Some eggs are drilled allowing you to use a string to help for easier removal, also good for beginners. 

KEGEL EXERCISES

     Kegel exercises have been around since 1948 when Arnold Henry Kegel, an American Gynecologist started to publish his research on the benefits of pelvic floor exercises. Today Kegel exercises are widely discussed as ways to treat urinary stress incontinence and enhance the sexual experience for women and men. 

     Lotus Eggs are made to insert into your vagina to aid with exercising your walls, think of it as a lifting weights for your vagina. The most basic exercise is the Kegels while having the egg inserted. I usually keep my egg in during my regular exercise or during my work day but you can use your egg for as long as you want and when you want. I personally do not use one during my mensural cycle but there are experts who say is totally fine to do so. 

LOTUS EGGS AND CHAKRAS

     Being made from crystals the egg is directly connected to healing properties in addition to exercising the vagina walls.  Lotas eggs connect with your Chakras (CLICK LINK TO LEARN MORE). There are seven main Chakras and you will find certified Lotus egg have a direct connection with these seven. 

GREEN AVENTURINE LOTUS EGG

      I currently own the Large Green Aventurine Lotus Egg produced my NeNeFemHealth. 

(Derived from www.nenefemhealth.com)

This egg is connected to the Heart Chakra. The Green Aventurine emits a soothing energy that can bring comfort, provide protection of the heart, and attract love, luck, and success. Using this stone can help with inner harmony, balance, and emotional blockages.

Healing properties: help with fertility, inflammatory, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, migraines, and allergies

     Dreamers if you are looking for something to make you feel free and feminine I encourage you to do more research on Lotus eggs and its benefits. I encourage women to look more into the Chakras; I myself want to educate myself more on them. Yoni eggs will not only enhance your sex life but more importantly  it will help you become more in tune with yourself. 
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or an expert. This is an educational post based on my experience and what I have researched. Again do your research and make the right choice sis!

Liv' Life and Stay Fresh: NeNe Femhealth and Feminine Wash

The Backstory

     So, I mentioned in my last post that I had experienced a time period where I would get a yeast infection at least once a month. Now I went to my Gynecologist about this and he advised me on various possibilities such as my PH levels being off which could come from sex, my menstrual cycle, and even drinking too much water. He also explained to me it can come from tight clothes and even sweating to much down there causing moisture to build up. The list of possibilities got longer and I was over the uncertainty. I was a paranoid young adult experiencing something foreign with my body.  I went and got tested for STD’s because no one could narrow down the causes. After getting back my negative results for all STD’s I just accepted that I was just one of the unlucky women who would be prone to repeat yeast infections for the rest of my life. It wasn’t until I started to do more research and really look into a more natural way of life. I was blessed to have had people around me that had already started looking into natural alternatives so with a little bit of girl talk, Instagram algorithms, and internet research I figured out where to start. 

Finding Nerissa and NeNe Fem Health

     I started following @Nerissanefeteri on IG back in 2013/2014 but didn’t really look into her teachings about natural alternatives until well into 2017. That year I attended one of her YoniPoppin workshops in Miami and I have never looked back when it came to my Yoni and a toxic free life. The class was intimate and informative. Together we worked out our Yoni’s, meditated, talked as a group and gathered outside for a popup shop. 

NeNe Femhealth and the Products that Changed my Life

Vagina Therapy Feminine Wash (retrieved from nenefemhealth.com)

• Ingredients:  Rose Water, Coconut oil, aloe, apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, calendula flower extract
• Free of Paraben, Sulfate, Phthalate, GMO, Mineral Oil, Propylene glycol, Dye, Artificial Fragrance, DEA, Cruelty, and Gluten
• Unscented 
• Certified Sustainable Plant Based ingredients

Lotus Fresh Feminine Wash (Retrived from nenefemhealth.com)

• Ingredients: Deionized Rose Water(Aqua), Soapberry (Sapindus Mukuross) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana( Witch Hazel) Extract, Decyl Glucoside ( plant derived, Apple Cider Vinegar, Melaleuca Alternafolia ( Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Calendula Officialis  ( Calendula Flower Extract, Colloidal Silver, Propanediol( made from corn)
• Colloidal silver: is a natural antibiotic that treats yeast infections, bacteria vaginosis and vaginal itching.
• Great to use after sex and during your cycle if you are prone to yeast, odor and bv 

       I first transitioned into using the Vagina Therapy Feminine Wash. This wash was made up of all ingredients you can find in the earth and not in lab. 

Once I started using this wash (and a combo of the Cherish Pads from my last article) my yeast infections started to happen less and less. I continued to use The Vagina Therapy with minimal infections. I then was introduced to the Lotus Fresh Feminine Wash. @Nerissanefeteri had posted a video of how woman can use both washes together or separate. The Lotus Fresh Feminine Wash was good to use after sex (helping to re balance that PH) or to prevent a full-on Yeast infection or BV (depending on how extreme your symptoms are).  I transitioned because it honestly helped me and my body and I liked the fact it was natural. It became really interesting when I looked at the label of a well known feminine wash brand and started to do the research. 

My Research

     Firstly, most of the ingredients sounded like a lab project. I looked up each ingredient and although I did not find much related to harmful connections when used in personal care I did find a lot of the same ingredients are used in foods and if ingested could cause harm to the body including cramps, nausea and even linked to cancer. I found also found online articles warning women against the use of feminine products in general and detailed tables comparing different brands and what to look out for.

Popular Feminine Wash Brand

• Ingredients: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Lauryl Glucoside, cocamidopropl betaine, Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice, Polyquatenium-7, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance/Parfum

The ingredients that stood out / Links 

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: No direct link to it being harmful to the vagina but is known to be highly allogenic to some and dry out hair and skin. I connected “Sulfate” to my "natural hair lingo" encouraging women to use Sulfate Free Shampoo. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a chemical that removes dirt and oil and help with the lathering and foaming aspect to cosmetic products. 

• Sodium Benzoate- Manmade preservative. Mostly added to soda, packaged food and personal care products to prolong shelf life. There needs to be more research to link in it to health problems but in the food form are links to a possible agent to cancer. 
• Feminie Care Hall of Shame
• Women's Voices for the Earth                

     Back in 2017 I took a chance on a product that was all natural and it worked for me. Nene FemHealth has been my go to choice and has helped me not just accept an issue with my body and proof that there are alternatives. Thank you @Nerissanefeteri @summerof69 @mobbinwithmorg @valinda.m I continue to learn healthier ways of living from these ladies. Some changes are easy to transition to others are harder but what I can say is I'm incorporating and learning more each and every day. Do your research and make the right choice Sis!

Liv' Life and CHERISH your YONI: Cherish Sanitary Napkins Edition

                                                                     Photo Credit

I learned about Cherish Sanitary Napkins about 3 or 4 years ago. I was introduced to it from a family friend and really took a liking to the claims of this “new” at the time company. Now I am not the one to automatically jump on the latest trend or a fan of companies that get you as a customer them recruit you to become a sales person but at the time I was struggling with multiple yeast infections plus I had a new partner so anything that could stop these embarrassing explanations and stop my personal discomfort I was willing to give it a try. I was also introduced to the company in a comfortable environment (ladies link up at the crib) and didn’t feel like I was being sold anything. 

Cherish Sanitary Napkins Claims ( Retrieved from https://www.income-advantage.com/programs/nspire-network)

• ·      Zero Chemicals that other pads on the market include in their products. In turn these chemicals are absorbed into your body that can cause health issues.
• ·      Possible symptoms that can be brought on by these chemicals include rashes, extreme cramping, heart disease, cancer, multiple organ damage, yeast infections, disrupted embryonic development, fibroid tumors, immune system suppression and infertility.  
• ·      The sanitary napkins provide an improved absorption system keeping you cool and dry.
• ·     Include negative ion technology which has been proven to balance PH and hormone levels, helps protect against germs and bacteria, helps to reduce inflammation, fights against vaginal irritations and infections and reduces unwanted odor. 

My Experience 

     I have had a wonderful experience with Cherish Sanitary Napkins. My yeast infections issues went from having a yeast infection at least once a month to maybe twice a year. I never really had bad cramps unless it was the day before my period, but I did have the grandmother of a close friend successfully use the pads for pain reduction for leg pains. I didn't notice strong odors during my heavy cycle but I did have to use the night pads all day to not have spill over in my underwear. . If there was any negatives to the product was the stickiness of the pads to my underwear, the pad would shift sometimes. At the end of the day it felt good I was not exposing myself to any unnecessary chemicals. 
Now upon my research I did find other company selling pads with similar claims. Look out for a review on that in my future post. 

Disclaimer

      Upon my research for this article I did find some negative press on the Cherish brand posted by the BBB.   The headline for the publish article “nSpire Says It Will Voluntarily Discontinue Claims for ‘Cherish’ Pads Followig the Procter & Gamble Challenge. Follow the link to read the article, (http://asrcreviews.org/nspire-says-it-will-voluntarily-discontinue-claims-for-cherish-pads-following-pg-challenge/)

The brand is also no longer sold through nSpire and now sold through www.mywakaya.com. 

I personally have not had any issues with Cherish Sanitary Napkins! Protecting your Yoni is so important sis do your research and make the right choice!

Liv' Life and Take Care of Yourself Sis!

Hey Dreamers. 

I make self-care a priority in my life. It not only helps me feel good and sometimes look good, but it also helps with my over-all health. I know there are many women in the world who don’t take the time for themselves.  Self- Care can look very different to each woman and sometimes you don’t even have to spend money. It’s really about doing something that feels good to you. With that being said I’m going to start a series and post it every week showcasing one item or activity that represents self- care for myself. Some of my post will go into detail about products other times It might be summed up in one word or a picture. So, take some time with me weekly to learn more about how to take of yourself sis! 

                        -Tiffany Bynes 😘