My Go To Beauty Products

My Go To Beauty Products

I am blessed to work in an industry where we focus on skin, so I would be remised if I didn’t share with you some gems I’ve learned along the way. I sometimes feel as if I have found the “fountain of youth”. I love getting carded when I’m at the restaurant and when I’m shopping with my son getting mistaken for his sister…heck sometimes even his girlfriend. Trust me this hasn’t come easy all through high school and most of my adult years I’ve struggled with acne and hyperpigmentation. I still have occasional breakouts here and there, but they definitely aren’t what they use to be. So I am sharing with you my go-to’s for all my beauty needs…it’s simple as 1-2-3.

 

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My number #1 Secret: I keep my circle small…smaller circle less drama. I tend to have breakouts when I’m stressed or detoxing so if you have toxic friends cut them loose.

 

#2: Watch what you eat! While I love carbs…my skin and waistline don’t. They cause bloating and inflammation for me so I try to consume in moderation. Oh, and water is a must—I try to drink half my body weight in ounces. For example, if you weight 130#…that’s 65 ounces of water daily. Please check with your healthcare provider to make sure there are no contraindications.

Now let’s get to the easy stuff! Now let’s get to the easy stuff!

 

#3: If you have acne-prone skin it is a must to have a non-comedogenic cleanser—they help avoid clogging your pores. My favorite go-to’s are Equate Hydrating Cleanser and  Cetaphil! They keep my skin clean and hydrated all at the same time. I only use in the morning.

#4: I don’t leave home without it sunscreen…I apply it immediately after washing my face and up to 3 times a day.

One of the biggest, most unfortunate myths black people have passed down through generations is that we don’t need to wear sunscreen. No seriously, somewhere along the line, we convinced ourselves that thanks to all this wonderful melanin, we can’t get sunburned and therefore sunscreen is a non-issue. But the thing is, this is only partly true. While melanin does serve as the skin’s means of protection against damaging UV rays (basically the more melanin, the more protection), having an abundance of melanin doesn’t make our skin sun damage-proof. It is still essential to wear sunscreen, no matter how dark your skin is. When UV rays penetrate your skin, it causes cell damage and in response, your body produces more melanin in the form of a tan. Tans don’t mean that suddenly your skin has a suit of armor against the sun, in fact it is indicative that you probably need to layer on the sunscreen to prevent further damage. Experts suggest that you should wear SPF 30 or higher when spending time in the sun and reapply every couple of hours. Not only will wearing sunscreen lower your risk of skin cancer,it will also help keep your skin looking vibrant and youthful. People of color are less prone to wrinkles as a result of skin damage, but we are prone to hyperpigmentation, textured skin, uneven tone, and dark patches. If you are someone who notices any of these skin challenges, try incorporating sunscreen into your routine. Even if your skin is perfect, layer on the sunscreen just to be safe (remember, prevention is always better than cure). UV rays are unavoidable, which means that wearing sunscreen simply isn’t negotiable. Give your skin the TLC it deserves, simply by adding a little sunscreen into the mix, your skin will thank you. I definitely have some favorites…but my all-time go-to is Oil of Olay Total Effects and when I can find it on sale Perricone MD Photo Plasma. I swear by these…I’ve been wearing sunscreen religiously since 2012 and my skin has been glowing ever since. I have recently added Eva Natural Skin Clearing Serum and it has my skin feeling and looking so amazing. I attribute that to the Vitamin C boost.

#5: I don’t use lotion…I use apricot oil! Can you believe it—it’s  Crisco just with a better smell. I use it all over my body excluding my face right after I get out of the shower. At night after I wash my face with water only I apply Vitamin E oil(another game changer)!

#6: Finally because I don’t wear make-up…maybe cause I don’t know how to apply it or just because it’s too messy I have my two favorite products that I think make my face really pop…Red Lippie and Eyebrow Pomade.

While this regimen may not be appropriate for all skin types this has definitely help me keep my skin glowing. I recommend doing a small patch test on the skin when trying any new products. Click here to find a local Dermatologist. I hope this has been insightful and please leave me your comments below. Omniley 

*All thoughts and recommendations are from my own experiences and this is not a sponsored post.

 

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Holiday Gift Guide for Men…Amazon Style

The Ultimate Gift Guide for any man in your life…all qualify for Amazon Prime shipping. Don’t wait too late-Happy Gifting-Omniley

Croc Embossed Belt $24 | Hot Cinnamon Toothpicks $11 | TOM FORD BLACK ORCHID $102 | Beard Brush and Beard Comb Kit for Men $14 | MOSO NATURAL Air Purifying Bag $10 | Leather Hanging Toiletry Bag Travel $40 | Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case $165 | Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote $50 | Cole Haan Men’s Williams Wingtip Oxford $104 | Stance Mens Run Crew 3 Pack $39 | Anker Powerline+ II Lightning Cable (6ft) $19 | Genuine Leather Wallet for Men with Money Clip $30 | Stainless Steel Manicure Set with Box $26 | Leather Messenger Bag $65 | Carhartt Men’s Acrylic Watch Hat $15

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At Home Teeth Whitening: Does it Work?

3 Big Reasons Why At-Home Teeth Whitening Is Easier Than You Think (And Also a Lot of Fun)

There’s nothing like a big, white smile to light up a room. That’s particularly true for someone like me, who is constantly meeting with new clients as part of my job and posting photos of myself on social media. Like it or not, but people judge you for the littlest things, and one of them is your smile.


That’s why I was so curious to try the new at-home teeth whitening system from Smile Brilliant. Typical whitening solutions that you see all the time in the supermarket or drugstore never seemed like a long-term fix to me – I was looking for something a little more permanent and long lasting. What I found out by using the Smile Brilliant system just blew me away.

1 – You get a custom fit for your teeth

OK, how many of you have tried those whitening strips you can find at your local pharmacy? Yes, me too, I’ve tried them before and always had a hard time getting them to stay in place. (In hindsight, thinking that a one-size-fits-all dental solution would work for me was probably not the best idea!)

So I loved the fact that Smile Brilliant ships a little custom kit to your home, where you can make custom dental impressions of your teeth and then ship everything back in a prepaid envelope. It reminded me of times when I was a young girl, pretending that I was a doctor or dentist. Best of all, it only takes, like, 15 minutes to complete the whole process of making a dental impression and then you get your custom trays!


2 – You can wear your trays in the privacy of your own home

A lot of people think that working with whitening trays means going to dentists for regular checkups or something like that. Not at all – they don’t call this an “at-home teeth whitening product” for nothing. Everything – and I mean everything – can be handled from the privacy and comfort of your own home. In my case, I liked to pop in my trays and catch up on Netflix while the whitening was going to work.

3 –You get results super-fast

Before I started with Smile Brilliant, I assumed that an at-home teeth whitening experience would take weeks, if not months, to work. (I drink a lot of Racetrac coffee, and I assumed all those caffeine stains would need a little extra time to remove…) So I was absolutely blown away by the fact that I started to see results after the first week, and by Week 2 I was getting the type of white, brilliant smile that you only see in fashion magazines. And I wasn’t having any issues with tooth sensitivity, either. Awesome!

Before

After 10 sessions

At the end of the day, ordering an at-home teeth whitening system was way easier than I ever could have imagined. Not to mention that my teeth are whiter and cleaner than I can even remember. It’s time to start showing off my new pearly whites to everyone I know!


Okay so now it’s your turn. I’ve team up with Smile Brilliant to give you a chance to WIN a FREE whitening kit of your own. Enter to win here and if you can’t wait, use code omniley15 for 15% off.

Giveaway is open for two weeks. MUST enter through the link above to be counted. 

This post is in collaboration with Smile Brilliant. Of course all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the companies who support Belle Omniley?

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Why SPF is an Essential Part of Your Beauty Routine

One of the biggest, most unfortunate myths black people have passed down through generations is that we don’t need to wear sunscreen. No seriously, somewhere along the line, we convinced ourselves that thanks to all this wonderful melanin, we can’t get sunburned and therefore sunscreen is a non-issue. But the thing is, this is only partly true. While melanin does serve as the skin’s means of protection against damaging UV rays (basically the more melanin, the more protection), having an abundance of melanin doesn’t make our skin sun damage-proof. It is still important to wear sunscreen, no matter how dark your skin is. When UV rays penetrate your skin, it causes cell damage and in response, your body produces more melanin in the form of a tan. Tans don’t mean that suddenly your skin has a suit of armour against the sun, in fact it is indicative that you probably need to layer on the sunscreen to prevent further damage. Experts suggest that you should wear SPF 30 or higher when spending time in the sun and reapply every couple hours. Not only will wearing sunscreen lower your risk of skin cancer, it will also help keep your skin looking vibrant and youthful. People of color are less prone to wrinkles as a result of skin damage, but we are prone to hyperpigmentation, textured skin, uneven tone and dark patches. If you are someone who notices any of these skin challenges, try incorporating sunscreen into your routine. Even if your skin is perfect, layer on the sunscreen just to be safe (remember, prevention is always better than cure). UV rays are unavoidable, which means that wearing sunscreen simply isn’t negotiable. Give your skin the TLC it deserves, simply by adding a little sunscreen into the mix, your skin will thank you. I have linked below my current go-tos for the summer! Omniley

Unedited-Disclaimer: I get a commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post.

Natori Feathers Charm Satin Lounge Shorts • Natori • $68
Natori Plume Satin & Lace Shorty Pajama Set • Natori • $119
Black Girl Sunscreen – SPF 30 – 3 fl oz • $15.99
Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Daily Moisturizer With SPF 30, 1.7 Fl Oz • Olay • $17.89

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