Sunblock for dark skin

Hello everyone! The summer is upon us and, as usual, I've been on the hunt for the best sun protection. A few things you should know about me:

- I have sensitive skin: sometimes I break out and/or have allergic reactions. I am very careful with what I put on my skin.
- I have oily skin: in the colder months it's more combination skin but in the heat of the summer, it's one big oil slick on my face.
- I have issues with acne: which can be due to my sensitivity to things.
- My skin tone ranges from light tan to a darker caramel color in the summer months.

As you can see, I have a lot of requirements when it comes to anything I put on my skin. I've been searching for the best sun protection for years. I usually look for all-natural products which are also oil-free (to avoid acne flareups and breakouts). HOWEVER, all of the sunblocks I've tried, which meet my requirements, are SUPER CHALKY! Like, these products would look great on Casper (the friendly ghost), but not on me =(

The latest sunblock I purchased, which seemed like the best bet, was one by "Babyganics"...I usually opt for products for babies, since they are suited for more sensitive skin. The Babyganics "cover-up baby" in spf 50+ is all-natural, gentle, and even waterproof, but it is NOT made for darker skin tones.

Some other "chalky" sunblocks and sunscreens I've tried (and have failed me):
- Neutrogena "Pure & Free Baby"
- California Baby "Broad Spectrum SPF 30"

On the flip side, there are some sun protection options which come in the form of sprays. I've tried a few over-the-counter ones which are not chalky, but are very sticky, and you can't use them on your face (unless you have perfect skin). I would rather have ONE product to use for both my face and body; it saves money and space in your purse.

I recently posted on Facebook, asking my friends options they've used which are not chalky. Here are some of their suggestions:

- Coconut Oil: I've tried it. It's very messy and a hassle to carry around, honestly. It melts at 75+ degrees. I need something easy breezy.
- Sun Bum: never tried it, on my to-do list.
- Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer: never tried it, on my to-do list

- On Hand Lotions: never tried it, on my to-do list

- Coola: never tried it, on my to-do list

I also found a very awesome blog post on Facial Sunscreen for Dark Skin, so I will look into her suggestions as well.

I plan to do a follow-up to this post, on any new items I've tried, but for now I did manage to find two AWESOME options which glide easily on the skin and do not leave it looking super white.

1) Parrot Head 'Floridays' Face in SPF 50. I randomly found this one from a street vendor in NYC. Once I tried it, I was hooked! It glides on with no problem and doesn't leave ANY white cast the skin. It meets all of my requirements, and I can use it for both face and body. Please note, this one is not waterproof.

2) Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunblock SPF 30. I found this one through one of my friends. Another option which glides on smoothly and doesn't leave a white cast. This one is not waterproof.

So far I noticed if it's not waterproof, it seems to glide on smoother. I don't mind if it's not waterproof. I can just reapply as needed. 

P.S: The "Environmental Working Group" does extensive research on sun protection options. They list, based on a scale, how toxic (or non-toxic) certain products are. Look up your sunblock and see how it rates. Both the Parrot Head and Alba fall at a 'moderate' toxicity.

Skin Test:

Here's an image of the Babyganics "BG" sunblock versus the Parrot Head "PH" sunblock on my skin:

Here's my hand after rubbing both sunblocks separately, for 30 seconds each:

For now, the Parrot Head is my #1 option for the summer until I find something even less toxic and more natural; something which does not leave me looking like I've been rolling around in flour.

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Disclosure:

*Please note, I am an Amazon affiliate. As such, any of the Amazon links listed are under my Amazon store. If you choose to purchase using my link, I receive a commission*

25-pounds lost with HCG!

Hello everyone!  As you can see I have not posted in a bit; I've been pretty busy the last month.  First I've been working more on my other blog, catered more for entrepreneurs.  And second (and most importantly) I lost 25 pounds!  Yes, you read right, 25 pounds in 30 days!  Well, 33 days to be exact ;)

How did I do it?  Well it all started when my friend told me about her success with a very strict, doctor supervised diet she was doing, which involved taking medication.  She had mentioned a few aspects I found curious, such as avoiding oils, lotions, and most make-up.  She did not know it was called the "hcg diet", but upon research I found that's what it was.  I went down a rabbit hole of information.  I won't bombard you with too much info in this post, but I will be sharing in upcoming posts some tips and tricks I learned along the way for anyone interested in the HCG diet.  The most important things to keep in mind for the HCG diet are 1) it can be done with the HCG drops, or via injections (both are taken daily; I did it through injections), and 2) the hormone is paired with a very low calorie diet (VLCD).  If you are taking the right dosage, you will notice your appetite will be suppressed, allowing you to follow the caloric restrictions with ease.

Significant loss of inches, especially around my back and stomach

Anyway, I was having a very hard time losing weight prior to HCG, even while eating healthy.  I also found that I was essentially caught in a catch-22. I wanted to lose weight; I had been feeling so "heavy", and with such low energy, I even had a hard time breathing. I mentioned to you before the state of my energy and how I felt there was something up with my hormones/thyroid, but my blood work came back normal. I still felt there was something wrong. I had no energy to work out, to lose weight. Instead I opted to get back to eating healthy again. My energy level did increase, but not enough to exercise like I wanted to. I started doing yoga to get in some physical activity. I was maintaining my weight; not gaining or losing. I needed to find a happy medium between food and exercise, but without the energy to do it, I could only focus on eating healthy and therefore weight loss would be that much harder. I felt so discouraged.  I got to the end of my rope in late August. I never, ever wanted to undergo weight loss surgery; I just feel it's not for me, but I had to find an effective solution, otherwise I would have to force myself to go under the knife. I just felt I need a substantial amount of help.

I could no longer fight this battle on my own.  

I found an affordable doctor in San Diego who offered HCG injections.  I decided to try it, all or nothing.  Thankfully the doctor made the process seem more manageable.  He provided me with information, tips, and of course taught me how to inject myself with the HCG.  By the way I am not squeamish with needles, and the injection is a tiny, insulin needle, which I would quickly prick into my stomach.  The whole process takes about 15 seconds.  It didn't hurt at all, sometimes I would feel a little pinch, but it would be so quick that it didn't even matter.

My injections; I would prepare the shots a week at a time

If you're considering the HCG diet, definitely consider following the protocol with a doctor.  I would not recommend doing it alone your first time.  Also, there is a debate on HCG injections vs. HCG drops.  I am going to share my friend's story (in a later post), since she followed the diet with drops, while I did with injections.  I've read many articles about injections being more concentrated than drops, which is why I did not mind injections at all.  I really wanted to make sure I had something potent to work with, for maximum success.

Another thing I want to point out is that results vary for everyone!  On average, you lose about 1 pound per day, however sometimes when you're changing foods, or if you come in contact with some fats (like oils in lotions), or if you cheat, then your weight loss will vary greatly.  I also experienced stalls during ovulation and then pre-menstruation, so it's important to share those things with your doctor.

In later posts I am going to share what I ate and tips, but for now just wanted to give you some basic info on what I did, and why I did it.  Again, do your research; if you've been having a really hard time to lose weight and are at the end of your rope, this may be a solution for you.  I don't have the patience to lose weight slowly, at least not before because I had so much to lose it would've taken me forever!  Now I feel like I have a great head start, especially since my energy is so high, that I can lose weight in a "normal" way through diet and exercise.

P.S: I actually just finished what's called "phase 2" of the diet, which is the very low-calorie portion. Now I finished the injections and am moving on to a low-carb, high protein diet; kind of a mix between Paleo and Atkins.  Do what works for you!  After the weight loss from that phase, you have to keep the weight off, and of course keep losing until you meet your goal.

Thanks for stopping by, and be on the lookout for future HCG posts! =)

Learn how to manifest your desires with ease

Hello everyone! Another week is upon us, and a new year is right around the corner. This year has been what I like the call "the year of revelations". A lot of things have come to light, and lessons have been learned. This has been the most fruitful year of my life so far.

My life took a more positive route in 2012 when I made the decision to change my life. Back then I found myself in a dark place, with no hope. I felt stuck and it depressed me to think that there was no way out of my situation. The things I wanted seemed so unattainable. I remember scrolling through my social media accounts thinking that everyone on my timeline was living a happy life while I was observing; filled with envy and anger at not having the things they had. I used to think I was cursed, or being punished somehow. Thankfully I've always been surrounded by Earth Angels; people who have shown up in my life when I've needed them the most. One of my good friends introduced me to an online course called "Magical Manifesters", and it helped transform my situation.

I had an idea of what I wanted and how I wanted my life to change, but had no idea where to start. I remember not even having enough money to ride the train sometimes, but somehow once I set the intention to change my life doors started opening for me. I made the decision then and there to invest on the course, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Magical Manifesters is the push you need to get your life back on track. Magical Manifesters, or "MM" for short, is the light you've been looking for. Whatever your desires are, if you feel like you don't know how to even begin working on making them reality, this is a great starting point. I previously shared with you how I took my leap of faith to move from New York to San Diego, all on my own. I took this online course back in September 2012 and I 100% credit it with providing me with the tools and confidence I needed to plan my life transformation.

The creator of this course, Erin Stutland, gives the participants unique and creative ways to hone in on what their true desires are, and how to manifest them. This isn't about making a simple "to-do" list. She really helps you think outside the box on what your desires are, why you want the things you do, and what's been blocking you from taking action. She also provides some fun activities to help us really internalize the information, and the best part is we get to interact with the other participants of the course. Because it's an online course, you can do the lessons at your own pace. As a participant you also get lifetime access to the course and materials. I took it back in 2012 and am still able to take the course as many times as I want. I've already taken it three times, to help me work on new desires that have come up since the first time I've taken the course. Aside from the info you also get to network with some truly inspirational individuals. This course is truly more valuable than the price; you get more out of it than what you put in.

Because of the work done through MM I've been able to manifest by move to San Diego, and my writing business (publishing and blogging). It has taken me to a whole other level. Just for full disclosure, I am also an affiliate of MM because I love to share this resource with all creative and entrepreneurial individuals. You don't even have to take my word for it, just visit the page and look at all of the people this course has helped. If you have any questions about my experience with it, feel free to contact me. The next round starts Monday September 29th; if you are truly committed to making a positive shift in your life, and are ready to do the work, reserve your spot asap!