SUNSCREEN 101 : FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW

As tedious as this may sound its really important to wear sunscreen. I for one love wearing sunscreen basically because I don't want to get wrinkles before my time :) seriously though I am scared of getting old and getting skin cancer. I also abhor the tan lines I get on on my feet after going out into the sun wearing exposing shoes (sandals and pumps are the worst).  My cousin likes making fun of me when I apply sun screen on my feet but that hasn't stopped me at all. I still dunk every part of my body in sunscreen baby LOL.

The first time I bought sunscreen I went for SPF 50 even though I didn't really understand what it meant, I guess I just loved the idea of a high SPF. I used to think that the amount of SPF indicated the amount of protection my sunscreen provided which I now know is wrong.

Before I go further lets break down the acronyms of sun protection first, because most of us don't really know what they mean.

• SPF - Sun Protection Factor-standard protection one can get while exposed to direct sunlight
• UVA - Ultra Violet A (long wave)-responsible for  premature aging
• UVB - Ultra Violet B (short wave)-responsible for sunburn and cataract

SPF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW LONG YOU CAN STAY PROTECTED WHILE EXPOSED TO THE SUN.

For example:

SPF 15 gives you 150 Minutes (2 and a half hours) of standard protection which means if you are in direct sunlight for extended periods you will have to reapply your sunscreen after 2 and a half hours or so. 
SPF 30 = 5 hours
SPF 50 = 8 and 1/2 hours and so on

Therefore its important to be aware of your SPF and exactly when you applied it so as to keep reapplying if you are to remain exposed to the sun for a while. Don't be fooled when it comes to sunscreen, the key goal it to keep re applying it to get maximum protection and its wiser to apply it prior to exposure maybe 30-15 minutes before you go out into the sunlight. 

If you don't use sun screen because your beauty product has added sunscreen you are doing it wrong, sun screen in your beauty products is not enough you still need to apply sunscreen for maximum protection. Purge your old sunscreen for maximum protect as they tend to loose value over usage or they just expire like any other product be sure to check the expiry date of your sun screen.

Some sunscreens brands say they are "water proof" and this is deceiving because its not entirely true, as you sweat or swim some of the sunscreen is lost.

Key word to look for when buying your sun screen is "BROAD SPECTRUM PROTECTION" as this means it protects us from both UVA and UVB rays. 

UVA rays are the strongest as they can pass easily through clouds and clothing, they are also responsible for aging and skin cancer. 

UVB rays cause sunburn,cataracts and they also contribute to skin cancer.

Some people only think of sunscreen during spring and summer but that should not be the case as it has to be worn all year out. Do not mix sunscreen with your moisturizer as this weakens the protection factor it has. And just because you wearing sunscreen doesn't mean you shouldn't wear hats and glasses. Just make sure your sunglasses have UVA and B rays protection to protect your eyes from getting cataracts.

Its hot and people expose more skin because of this but do try by all means to wear long sleeved clothing to minimize exposure if its possible. 

For example

•  long pants and a short sleeved top and vise versa
• a summer dress and an umbrella or a wide hat

When driving do apply sun screen because sun rays do penetrate through glass too. 

Bottom line is we need the sun in our day to day activities but we can't ignore the harmful factors it also brings therefore its only wise to prevent and protect ourselves from the harmful rays. Buy your children some too they need it, stay away from the sun when its at its peak, stay under the shade,invest in an umbrella if you don't own one, re apply sunscreen frequently, protect every exposed area, yes even your ears are important. I promise you your skin will thank you in the long run.

I spend my precious time researching and writing great articles for you guys therefore your feedback is highly appreciated. Thank you.

Happy reading :)

SWEETIE IT'S NOT YOU ITS YOUR EYEBROWS

Brows can make or break your overall appearance. It's all about getting the perfect shape for your face. I have seen some of the craziest eyebrows around and honestly its sad. Its like people still live in the stone age. Come on! people look around,shops sell brow liners of all colors, ever wondered why?

 And am guessing that you probably still use black eye liner because you think your brows are black. right??
Well, you are wrong, your brows are not black, they are brown, which means its only right to use brown brow liner for your brown eyebrows.

Our faces are not proportioned the same, and brows come in different shapes and sizes therefore its wiser to work around your natural brow shape. Often times people over trim and tweeze their eyebrows in quest for the perfect brow please NOTE: Thin eyebrows make you look older. They age you.

Some of the sisters ignore the brow equation and draw any shape they feel like in hopes of looking prettier I suppose? Well mark my words "ENHANCE NOT DISGUISE" A different brow shape will only make things worse, God gave you your brows based on your face shape so unless you getting your face reconstructed why would you reconstruct your brow shape? LOL

THE BROW EQUATION

Then we have those that "think" they know how to do their eyebrows but they don't blend out their concealer or they draw them too close to the nose bridge. They get the brow sculpting idea but their eyebrows look like they were pasted on their faces.If your brows don't grow that close together why draw them that far? And blend in that $h*t please. *excuse my French* LOL.

Below is a list of the tools you need to get the perfect eyebrows.

1. A spoolie/eyebrow brush
2. Any brown eyeliner
3. Concealer (one or two shades lighter than your complexion)
4. Concealer brush (I prefer using angled brush)
5. A tweezer (if your brows are not tweezed/waxed/trimmed *ok you get it*)
6. Brow gel (For those stubborn brows)

I personally, outline my brows half way to the end and I blend inwards to get that ombre look. The inner brow I just brush my hairs upwards to give my brows a little dimension. Also be careful when filling in, heavy brows scream fake from a distance. So the idea is to enhance your natural brows.

Then I use concealer to shape and sculpt them, the trick is to blend it in to avoid harsh lines around your eyebrows...

And voilà you have the perfect eyebrows............

BROWS ON FLEEK!!

Please note this is not how everyone does their eyebrows, this is what works for me and you are welcome to try other ways to do brows. Thank you..

Happy reading :)

#beauty

MAGIC WEIGHT LOSS PILL??????

Is there really such a thing??????????


I wanted to write "weight loss quotes" but thats boring right? besides you probably wouldn't have clicked on the link right? but now that I have your attention there is something I want to remind you. Something we all tend to forget, something really really important, something you might also be doing wrong. I know I am doing it wrong :D are you?

Truth is there is a magic weight loss pill, we all know it in fact we all have it we just don't want to let it do its work on our body. Keep reading you will find out just what I am talking about, besides its not rocket science its logic.

Before I go any further let me remind you that today is choose day. Today, choose happiness over sadness, positivity over negativity and love over hate. Choose to be different, dare to love yourself, dare to say no to junk. 

 Here are five important quotes you should always remember if you are trying to change your lifestyle. (in other words loose weight) :p

Please note I spend my precious time to make all this for you guys, please rate,share,subscribe and comment below. Your feedback is highly appreciated. Thanks :)

Your truly Dixie.....

HOW TO MAKE A CROCHET BRAID WIG - GO RED OR GO HOME

BEFORE CUTTING

Wow! What hair is that? Is it human hair? Where did you get it? So I have been getting a lot of those recently, ever since I made a crochet wig. I decided to come out and show people that its really a wig. Spell it WIG! :p please note,I have installed crochet braids before and even then people wanted to know more about my hair and what i did to achieve the curl pattern and all the other shenanigans in between LOL. My previous crochet installation was great but the curl pattern did not last very long and re-curling my hair every two-three days was a hustle for me plus I do not know how to cornrow so a crochet wig saved my life, literally it did. Now I don't have to go pay someone else to cornrow my hair just so i can get crochet braids. :) :D

AFTER CUTTING

Since this was my first experience doing a crochet wig I used kanekalon hair because its cheap and affordable so even if it did not come out the way i expected at least I did not waste cash on hair I might never use.

It took me 4-5 hours to install a full head but after curling I realized I had some blanks which I had to fill in. (Tip:its always wise to pre-dip the hair) The curl pattern is more defined and as you install you fill up spaces you might miss out if you install the hair straight.

The final product was at shoulder length (see first picture) but I cut it into a fringe because the weather is just too hot. I really love this wig but I think it will work really great during winter and the part about making a wig is you get long lasting curls without re-curling over and over again.

FINAL PRODUCT

To create your own wig you need the following:

a.mannequin head (very important)
b.hair extensions (I used one pack of super star and one and a half packs of one million braids)
c.wig net (see mannequin head)
d.perm rods (If you want curls)
e.latch hook needle/bobby pin (to crochet the extensions onto the wig net)
f.pins (to secure the wig net onto the mannequin head)
g.a pair of scissors
h.bowl/bucket with hot water (for those who are curling the extensions)  

PRE-DIPPING HAIR BEFORE INSTALLATION

ALMOST DONE-CREATE PARTING SPACE

PARTING SPACE TO CREATE A MORE NATURAL LOOK

FEELING MYSELFIE

All in all I will definitely create another crochet wig using a either marley braid or afro kinky hair. This saved me alot of money and in future all I have to keep buying is hair extensions and wig nets.

Do you like the crochet wig or not? Please comment below and let me know what you think.

Happy reading!!!! :)