Monday Motivation // What to do when you've lost your momentum.

Every one of us working on our personal development has one thing in common.  We seem to go through these cycles of either being super-motivated or not.  It's a struggle.  We get pumped up and move quickly in the right direction, then it seems that we start losing steam.  If we allow that lull to continue, we can lose valuable momentum. Worse yet, we could forfeit some of the progress made during our high-motivation phase.

If we can master the art of maintaining momentum, we can accomplish pretty much anything.  Let's talk about ways to keep our motivation fire burning.

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Model Tip // The Easiest Way To Glowing Skin is This...

Because it's Fashion Week in New York, a bunch of models are coming out of the wood work with tips on how they get ready for the biggest fashion event of the year.  I checked out a recent article where the interviewer asked a slew of models to share one skin tip.

I casually read through the various pieces of advice but it wasn't until I stumbled on one model in particular that I stopped and took notice.

The woman's skin was absolutely glowing.  Of all the models interviewed, she appeared to have the healthiest skin of all. What was her secret?

[Try This] Laura's Single Ingredient Mask that'll Save Your Skin this Winter

Actress Laura Harrier is an up and coming actress who made her box office debut in this summer's Spider Man movie.   Her next project is an HBO original (Fahrenheit 451) where she'll star opposite of Michael B. Jordan.  Not only is Laura a bona fide movie star, she's also a model who's graced the pages of Elle, Cosmo, and Vogue.   Laura is truly living her best life.

You all know that whenever someone pops on the scene, I'm always curious to learn about their beauty rituals.  Luckily for us, Laura gave an interview where she reveals the cleansing mask that keeps her skin hydrated and acne free.

Body Shop Created the Ultimate Sunscreen for Fall.May Your Skin Glow All Year Long.

Earlier this year I received a package of selected products from The Body Shop.  After inspecting the various items, I immediately reached for the charcoal mask.  As you know, I was quite smitten with this perfect dupe for GlamGlow.

The mud mask wasn't the only item I loved.  There was a small tube of vitamin C sunscreen that peaked my interest.  After my first application, I closely inspected my skin and concluded that this was the ultimate winter sunscreen.

What's In Her Fridge// Hannah Reveals Her Impressive Super Foods Collection

The closer we get to fall, the more I start thinking about ways to improve my consumption of nutritious foods.  Sometimes I don't eat as healthy as I should so I make up for it by incorporating with various food based supplements.  I classify food based supplements as items that aren't pills but still provide ample amounts of nutrition.

I thought I was the queen of enjoying food based supplements, but it seems like I may have met my match.

Rihanna's FENTY Beauty is coming, girlies. Are you ready?

Celebrity makeup launches aren't that exciting anymore.  MAC pioneered the celebrity inspired makeup craze and the rest was history.  How many Snap stories have you seen where some pseudo-celebrity is swiping self-branded lip colors on their inner forearm?

It's kinda the norm now.  But, this month, a new line is set to enter the market and it's one of the most highly anticipated makeup launches for women of color (WOC).

[Wash Day Project] It's Time to Get Serious About Your Scalp.

With fall so close on the horizon, I'm frantically thinking ahead of all the ways I can prepare for a successful fall/winter season.  The biggest woe I face every year is a dry, itchy scalp.  But it goes beyond that.  The flakier my scalp is, the more my hair sheds.  The more shedding, the more tangles.  Tangles rob us of length and I'm not trying to deal with that this year.

When I think back to all the remedies that worked in the past, on the top of the list were scalp rinses. Shame on me for not paying much attention to my scalp this past summer.  But it's time to get serious again and I know just where to start.

These 3 Drug Store Products Completely Transformed Her Skin

You guys know that I love an Instagram Beauty Secret reveal.  Today I stumbled upon a post that is pure gold.  Who doesn't love a good transformation pic?  This one is so inspiring that I had to share it with y'all.  Luckily for us, she shared the exact routine that caused such a dramatic change in her skin.  Best of all, it's only 3 steps and all of the items are readily accessable no matter your budget.

Let's discuss.

Jasmine Tookes Glows In this Fall Inspired Look She is literally perfection

Fall is a few weeks away and I'm way behind on collecting fall looks inspiration.  Typically when I think of fall, I imagine multi layers and knitted textures.  But supermodel Jasmine Tookes has completely transformed the perception of a "fall outfit" with this recent look.

[Instagram Beauty Secret] Get Rid of Body Acne + Guess Which Body Butter Evens Out Your Skin

Is there anything worse than dealing with an unsuspecting breakout?  I would argue that body acne is probably just as horrifying.  Especially body acne that shows up in the midst of summer when all you want to do is wear your off the shoulder tops and spaghetti straps.  And let's not talk about the ungodly scars they leave behind.

I've suffered from body acne in the past and, I have to admit, that I really didn't have a strategy to combat them.  I just kinda waited them out, which in retrospect, wasn't a good idea.  I should have been just as deliberate in addressing body acne as I did my face.  

Lucky for me, an Instagram influencer just so happened to share her ultimate acne fighting beauty regimen and I can't wait to share it with you.

The Perfect Brunch Option that Supports Your Hair Journey

Today I read an interesting tidbit shared by a group of men surveyed on the topic of hair health.  Of the 2000 men surveyed, many of them agreed that eating a certain superfood food on a regular basis had a direct benefit on the health and luster of their hair.

The Detailed Routine for No Filter Flawless Skin Ash Finally Let Us In on Her Secrets

A while ago, I was innocently scrolling through my Tumblr feed and came across an image that immediately grabbed my attention.  It was a close-up shot of a woman who had the most buttery skin that I have ever seen.  The caption of the image informed us that she was putting in serious work in order to proudly display her skin without the help of flattering filters.

Filter free flawless skin. Isn't that what we all want?  Of course, it is.  After displaying her perfect skin on Insta, she was inundated with requests (and threats) to drop her reggie.  Fortunately for us, she generously shared every product that comprised her entire routine.

How to Dress Comfy Without looking like you've given up

Every few days, a friend of mine invites to meet her at a fancy social club located in the heart of downtown.  It's a posh professional lounge with beautiful city views.  I've become somewhat masterful at turning down her generous request.  The thought of having to break out my business casual attire from my past life sends shivers down my spine.

 I've become fully immersed in a world of wearing casual, comfy clothing.  The thing with casual attire is there's a thin line between looking cute & comfy or looking like you've totally given up on life.  I have to admit that I've been guilty of crossing that line.  There have been times where I've silently prayed asking that I don't run into anyone I know while running errands.  That's not the way to live.

If I'm going to be a lifelong comfy dresser, I might as well learn to do it right.   There are certain rules that one must abide by that allow us to sport casual clothing while still looking like we care about ourselves.  Let's discuss.

Hydrogenated Fats, Bad. Hydrogenated Water, Good? You'll never want to drink plain water again

Years back, I figured out that the common beauty secret of most A list celebrities is the copious amount of water they consume on a daily basis. Since then, I've been obsessed with increasing my water intake as much as possible.

This habit has served me well over the years.  And whenever I slack on my water intake, I truly notice a difference.  I'm also very aware that not all water is created equal.   At the bottom of the totem pole is plain ol' tap water.  But if you really want to nourish your body, you can opt for mineral water or maybe throw in a few lemon slices.   Or perhaps you might want to try switching out your plastic water bottle for a copper vessel.   I thought I had discovered all the ways to make your water a bit healthier.  Turns out that I knew nothing.  Because there's a water that so healthy that it's been shown to produce documented health benefits.

This might be the ultimate health and beauty water on the market.

Master the Process of Altering Your Future It's much easier than you think.

Near the end of last year, I set a somewhat lofty profit goal for my business.  It was a number I wanted to reach since I first launch because, to me, it was a huge milestone.  About six months into the year, I realized that I was on track to actually reach this goal.

At first, I was super excited.   But after a few weeks,  a new feeling started to settle in.  With half the year ahead of me, I felt obligated to rewrite my goal.  If I kept the profit number the same, I would probably start to get comfortable.  And comfortable is never a good thing.  Although I had a good chance of reaching my numbers, I didn't want to just sit back and rely on my default future to manifest.

I did a Week Long Lemon Water Experiment And the Benefits were Amazing!

At the start of the week, I woke up with a strange, yet familiar feeling.  I could tell immediately that  I was experiencing one of my worst nightmares.  As I ran my fingers over my face, I could sense a possible breakout lying deep beneath the surface.  I get breakouts from time to time. It happens.  But this wasn't any type of breakout. It was the kind that could potentially evolve into a cystic eruption.

I knew this because I could actually feel it turning into a painful lesion even though it wasn't yet visible.  Since I experienced this many times before, I knew exactly what to do.  Before a breakout has the chance to rear its ugly head, I rely on one remedy that seems to work for me every single time.

Everyone's Obsessed with this Super Effective Body Exfoliator I've been waiting for this for so long

 I will never stop talking about ways to enhance the skin on our body.  Our goal is and will always be, to promote soft, smooth, even toned skin all over.

Which is why I'm so excited to share today's find with you.  I believe it will work wonders to help us create a flawless body.  If you're a regular reader, you probably have heard of this product before.  But today I'm gonna introduce you to a better version of it.

How to Get Your Life Together While Sitting In Front of the TV Turn your Lazy Days into Super Productive Ones

When I first bought my home, one of the major decisions I made was to not order cable TV.  I chose this path for several reasons.  First, most success gurus issued stern warnings of the productivity killing effects of watching tv.  Basically, television shows are a major distraction and, if you're an ambitious person with clear goals, you should stay as far away from them as possible.

This advice worked for me.  I spent hours on the computer focused on my future empire.  But, over time, a bunch of websites started popping up that allowed me to "watch tv" without the need for cable.  Slowly, but surely, my productivity began to slide.  I needed a way to find a balance between watching my favorite reality shows and continuing my personal growth journey.

Now that we're headed into fall viewing season, I want to be even more intentional. So I've figured out a way to enjoy the shows I love and still get things done.

The Supplement That Fights Your Acne Scars from the Inside Out

Yesterday, I happened to jump on an Instagram live session hosted by Sophia Roe.  She's full of knowledge related to natural health so I figured I'd join in to learn something new.  During her chat, Sophia said something that immediately caught my attention.

via Sophia's Instagram

First off, let me just say that the woman has amazing skin.  But according to her, it wasn't always that way.  Sophia claims to have suffered from acne and hyperpigmentation but has since found a supplement that has kept her acne scars in check.

The Clever Hack I discovered that recreates the Perfect Dewy Cheek

The other day I visited Glossier's website to repurchase a lost item and try something new.  On the one hand, I was bummed that I couldn't find my tube of balm dotcom, but on the plus side, it gave me the opportunity to try a product that I've had my eye on for quite a while.

After adding cloud paint to my cart, I was feeling really good about myself.  I was super hopeful about the potential of using a cream blush for the first time ever.   Blush has been one of my biggest challenges since forever.  It never looks good on me.  And the powdery finish is too reminiscent of the 80s for my taste.  As someone with big cheeks, putting brightly hued powder only accentuates them so I stay away. But, I still wanted to experience the look of blush....just in a modern way.

@diarrhaxo wearing Cloud Paint in Haze.

Instead of looking like I have clown cheeks, I want to replicate the look of flushed, healthy skin.  Cloud paint seemed like the answer.