Well for most of us, school's out. Kids are happy. Time for vacations and more relaxed days (well deserved...) ahead. Take this time to add some skincare with substance to protect yourself from the sun's harsh rays. Skin is the largest organ of the body. Aging skin can be contributed to the harmful effects of sun exposure. Although the sun is beautiful and warm, it also wreaks havoc gradually on youthful complexions. This is a reason to purchase products inclusive of SPF even in skin care regimens. Protecting the face and body is part of a self loving skin ritual. Products should deliver just what the user needs plus much more for the money.
The beauty regimen followed will yield overall healthy skin and the benefit of lessening the chance of contracting skin cancer (or melanoma) Summer can be a very dehydrating time for the skin, so adding something back to it truly makes a difference. I, too, have found products with SPF to make my beauty routine much more than skin deep.
Some great products that make sun care beautiful:
ReVive Firmitif Hand Renewal Cream
This subtly rose scented cream strengthens the thin skin of the hands while providing TLC and hydration. This cream has an SPF of 15. I have had the pleasure of using this and I even slather it on my feet. Simply a mani and pedi's BFF! Luxury that truly does double duty and protects those digits.
Nyakio Hydrating Face Lotion with Kola Nut, Broad Sprectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen
Smartly packaged in a travel friendly pump, Nyakio packs this light lotion with tons of beneficial ingredients, such as Ivory coast Kola Nut, Marula Oil, and Rooibos Tea. The powerful antioxidants coupled with an SPF of 20 truly soften and nurture the skin. I especially love the hint of lemongrass fragrance. This is as refreshing as a walk through a rain forest, a nod to what natural product can do for us.
ReVive Sensitif Renewal Cream
Poweful technology is a hallmark of the ReVive Skincare line. Sensitif Renewal Cream protects and treats throughout busy summer days and beyond. The SPF 30 cream provides soothing relief and a barrier for the most sensitive of us. Dullness and the look of fine lines seem to disappear with this multi tasker. Plus on the ReVive website, any order $300 and up receives four (yes, 4) deluxe samples of this luxury lines other amazing offerings.
In the fight against aging and sun exposure, coverage and just the right products are key to a beautiful and resilient complexion. No matter the season, it's wise to add an SPF to your skincare routine.
Happy Summer!! Look for more posts and gorgeous tips for living well.
From a holistic diva's view: Where does bacon fit in?
Why does just the thought of eating pork drive me crazy with fear? I mean, I do absolutely love doing good things for my body and taking care of this temple in which I live and breathe daily is habitual. Adding organic foods to my lifestyle has been a work in progress that I have cherished. Taking a walk through the local Whole Foods Store Jackson is a joyful privilege. I strolled an ethereal brisk trot about five days ago through this crazy good organic lifestyle giant.
I spoke to an amazing member of the Whole Foods team. He is a butcher in the meat department. We discussed the fun times I had standing in line at the Grand Opening Celebration several months earlier. It was winter and I froze myself silly. Perhaps listening to the Southern Komfort Brass Band was a brilliant way to start my Whole Foods journey. A little New Orleans Jazz never hurt anybody. And it just sat well with my eclectic nature. This affable team member felt the incredible energy and wild crowd. Anyone present could almost touch the excitement and love the Metro Jackson Area showered on the team members and corporate entities opening this gorgeous market.
In this brief introduction, the butcher told me all about how healthy the bacon is at Whole Foods. This really intrigued me. I thought of healthy bacon... Nice thought. He explained that there are no nitrates in it. He told me about the fan favorite bacon of the store, black forest bacon, dry rubbed. Sounded like a delicacy to me. I in no way could have imagined what that would possibly taste like.
I explained that I was a blogger and loved living the organic lifestyle. He fixed up a package with loving care of a sample of the golden standard Whole Foods Dry Rubbed Black Forest Bacon and extolled that I would absolutely love it.
What This Black Forest Bacon Did ( and didn't do) Was Phenomenal
Trying out products is what I do best. I waited about a day to break open my wrapper and put the bacon to the taste test. With my pan oiled gently with Organic Italian Olive Oil, I brought the heat up a tad too high. This is probably fairly standard for a Southern girl getting prepared for bacon. That sizzle is what makes the bacon better, maybe? Well, it also burns it occasionally if unprepared for the important turn of the spatula. So, at any rate, I put in my bacon. These slices are cut beautifully thick and long. No shrinkage here. Usually I try frying certain things with my trusty olive oil for those heart healthy benefits, because if you had to fry it, why not be somewhat healthy? But the pairing of normal bacon and olive oil seemed to fall very flat. I wanted this to work to keep the good fats locked into my diet.
The bacon just smelled delectable. Not normal, where you smell the scent of the oil or some really strong pork scent. The olive oil actually complemented the bacon. It didn't get grease logged, as the typical bacon does. These slices held their own shape. Some bacon falls apart or breaks. Not the Whole Foods' Black Forest bacon. Was this super bacon or what? I kind of joked that this bacon was said to be the most delicious bacon on the planet to my cashier. You know if it is Whole Foods that this was not bragging but a total truth.
The Chef Waits Long Enough. The Public Couldn't Be Wrong.
Time to eat this truly yummy looking slice of heavenly pork. The chef always waits for the reward of dining. My Black Forest Bacon touched my palate. And this was a sinfully indulgent sensory pleasure. I smiled, laughed, omg'd, and repeated the process through each of my three delectable slices of candy bacon. Why candy bacon? It is just as sweet as candy. And the flavor is simply a melt in the mouth finish. This is no ordinary hog. Eating this alone would have been just fine. I paired my beautiful slices with Whole Foods' 365 Organic Whole Wheat pancakes. This was the result of quality and a real effort to bring farm to table ingredients to the consumer. Plus this is not a price point out of reach, as the cost of any bacon product is hovering around $6.99 a package plus. A comparable mass market thick cut bacon would be at least $17.00. The dry rubbed black forest bacon is $7.99 a pound and there is enough bacon to go around for a family of three if you purchased one and a half pounds.
The Beauty of The Bacon Is A Natural Process
This just didn't seem real. How can this "out of this world" bacon be so healthy? Because I had pretty much eliminated bacon out of my regular diet. That says a lot for a Mississippi girl, but times along with knowledge create a culture of responsibility. I know I have to be personally responsible for what I consume.Whole Foods also supports my desire for responsible living by treating their meats very well. The bacon has a natural curing process. There aren't any synthetic nitrates. There are no added hormones, so from hog to table, this is a well raised pig without harmful ingredients added to its diet. There also aren't any antibiotics or artificial ingredients.
More Bacon Please...
I bought more bacon yesterday. Quipping with the assistant butcher, I said I had gotten addicted now. It was truly such a delight to share this bacon with my son Tyler, who has autism. He held onto the bacon as long as possible. He usually eats it so quickly that it disappears. With the Black Forest Bacon, my son savored it. He reveled in the taste, the difference, the quality. As someone who embraces living a holistic and organic lifestyle, I search for ways to make it work in my everyday life. I support this quality product. It could have a place on any table in America that consumes bacon or wants a better bacon for their families.
