Keeping it Real - Beauty Salon Mishap

Well, my dear readers, I've been MIA this week due to an unexpected incident at a spa......I had a coupon for a glycolic peel and had that done last Monday.  I have had 3 of these before (at a different salon in a different state) so had NO reason to worry of any kind.

This salon is state of the art and super nice.....and all went well until......it didn't.  My pain tolerance is freaky high, so I did not feel anything alarming.  However, once I got home, I wondered why my face looked like THAT.  (And thinking back, during the peel, the lady kept putting the light really close and really examining my skin, while claiming all was well.  I think she was waiting for me to freak out with pain complaints, but since I didn't, she kept going.)  All of my doctors can tell you waiting for MY pain to be any indication of a situation is a lost battle and a misuse of time.....

By the evening when hubs came home, he F.R.E.A.K.E.D. out.  I got up to go look at my face and it was NOT good.  NOT good.  Here is a little snippet....I won't show my entire face because you won't sleep tonight if I do:

Imagine that ALL OVER my face.  Yeah.  I really had a panicked moment, with my face not only visibly awful but swollen and "texturized"?  I really had a compassion moment for folks who deal with very severe acne...and frankly realized how shallow I am, I guess.......Praying that my skin would return to normal.  

I called the salon the next day to inquire what I should be doing to be safe from infection.  They had me come right in to see their medical aesthetician.  Wellll....let's just say,.....after everyone got done flipping out and tending to me, I walked out with over $150 in FREE product, including tons of skin care products and a mineral makeup I can wear safely while I wait up to 3 weeks...........WEEKS....to heal.

At first, they suspected a bad burn or bacterial reaction.  We now know it was an allergic reaction. Who me?  The girl who is allergic to chicken and turkey and other odd things?  Well, yes.  Figures.

I used all their different products with very little success UNTIL I went back to using my standard Simply Divine Botanical products.  You know, yawn.........I just go on and on and on about how wonderful they are but HELLO!  They have healed THAT situation up there  in that photo!!  My skin looks 10 times better in only 24 hours.

I got to reading on my SDB bottles and the toner actually says:

"Use for enlarged pores, cuts, rashes, and sunburn too."

I have somewhat of a burn, yes?  Woo Hoo!

Ladies, I have used the Gypsy Rose Tea Toner/Astringent, the Black Velvet Fabulous Foaming Cleanser and the Melon Medley, a WONDERFUL blend of oils that my skin just soaks right up....

After all the other products......these wonderful, natural 100% chemical free skin care creations did the trick.  It WON'T be 3 weeks...I can just tell.

Here is my face 2 days after using these natural products exclusively:

Pictures don't really capture the intense difference....but I am VERY relieved.


If you have not tried Simply Divine Botanical products yet, what are you waiting for??  Have you seen my skin in my OTHER photos?? I am 44 people!!  It is this company that I credit......

Cleanser and Foam Bottle.  They also have a formula for oily/acne-prone skin.

This is the toner I use twice a day and cannot live without.  The Rose spray I use multiple times a day - just spritz on to set my makeup and add hydration throughout the day.  Feels lovely and smells divine.

Skincredible (my rosacea disappeared with this product!) and the Melon Medley, which I credit for healing this mess so quickly.  My skin just soaks it in but it is NOT acne-producing.

I don't live near a retailer so I purchase mine online and have pretty much tried almost every product.  I reacted to the "Pack Your Bags They're Leaving" Eye gel (darn allergies) but everything else has been amazing.  DEFINITELY buy the sample pack (or individual samples) first go round, as they don't take returns unless something is defective.  I HIGHLY recommend the seaweed products as well.  Here are the sample packs:

Seaweed Sample Pack

Get Acquainted Sample Kit with 17 products!!

Seaweed products, used in conjunction with each other.

My favorite body lotions/creams....the Body Cream is more "normal" consistency with what you are used to.  The Butter Me Up is VERY thick, like hardened butter.  I put it in my hands, rub them together to warm them up and then apply.  This has healed allergic breakouts on my arms and legs.

The Honey I Shrunk The Kids is an AMAZING skin polish - it looks like raspberry jam and smells like it too.  I use it 2-3 times a week for 15 minutes, then rinse off.  The Peel Me A Papaya is a dry mixture of oatmeal, coconut milk, papaya and other products that you use to exfoliate your face, make a mask, and rinse off.  Skin is SO soft after use.

Almost forgot these 3 face creams....Amazing Face is an excellent day moisturizer.  Creme de Rose is Barbara's first "baby" and is excellent on moisturizing, healing AND skin regeneration. Rose du Jour is a light, rose scented cream perfect whenever you need a little hydration.

I could go on and on about this company and well, I have!  Ha!   Read HERE.   I beg you to go read the ingredients on her products....you've never seen anything like it!   

I don't know how this company hasn't offered me free products for all my testimonials but this is my unpaid, unbiased opinion.  I will NEVER be without these products.  Oh, and don't be alarmed at the cost...each products lasts FOREVER!! I have had the Melon Medley and the Skincredible for over a year now.  The other products last around 6 months (the seaweed spray lasts 3 months with my usage... love it!)  I also recommend getting the foaming bottle to go with the cleanser.......under tools on the website.

Anyhoo...I hope to be able to post photos soon of my newly healed, younger looking skin (I ended up with quite a peel too!  lol)  Speaking of that, I'm gonna get up and go spray some Pure Rose Distillate on for hydration....toodles!!

Have You Discovered Dynamic Views on Blogger?

Dynamic Views - huh??

Let me tell you - if you are a VISUAL learner?? If you adore photos....the you will LOVE these options!

If we have certain settings enabled, our viewers can choose what "view" they would like.  If you click on the links, it will take you to my full blog page in that view.  Or you can just look at the photo below, which is a partial screen grab.   Check out the choices:

Click here to see "Mosaic"

Click here to see "Snapshot"

Click here to see "Flipcard"

Click here to see "Sidebar"

Click here to see "Timeslide"

If you notice up on the first option, MOSAIC, you can change views up in the upper right hand corner, where I typed in red -Click Here.

For more info on what the blog owner/author needs to do to enable this, read HERE.

For more info on what blog readers need to do, read HERE.

Ahhh.....I just went to a new favorite blog, Aesthetic Nest, and up in the address bar, typed the word view at the end of it of the url.... this then gave me the choices in the upper right hand corner.  I chose Mosaic..... LOVELY!!

Play with this....it will work on blogs who have the right settings.   For me, I already HAD the correct setting, so did not have to do anything different.  It is SO FUN!

I Was Featured!

Kristy, over at HOMEmomMade,  and Laurie over at Handy Man, Crafty Woman, are featuring me for my Scalloped Potholders!

Scalloped Potholders

Bella, over at Bella Before and After, featured me for my DIY Lightbox Tutorial!

Have you visited their blogs?  Scoot on over there now!  Thanks Christy, Bella and Laurie!!

Summer Head Scarf

Well.....when I saw this pattern, I thought of folks who have lost their hair for whatever reasons and wondered if this would be a nice alternative.   The title used the words:  

"Crochet A Joan Crawford Silent Movie Gypsy Head Scarf Hat Doo Rag Pirate Hipster Boho"  

I was surprised when I finished it in just a few hours.

I found this yarn on clearance at Hobby Lobby and LOVE it - 50% acrylic, 50% cotton.   Baby Bee in Hushabye Ombre - Sugarplum colorway.

I was even MORE surprised when my gauge was dead-on - the beginning chain of 152 needed to be 40 inches and mine was......40 inches exactly!  I'll admit we had a mini-celebration.  :) The pattern calls for an "H" hook, so I used an "E" since I am such a loose crocheter.  How did it end up so small when my chain was the perfect length?  More "mysteries of Cheri and crocheting".....lol.

So imagine my surprise when my finished scarf was ........way too small??  I had to stretch to get it on my mannequin head, forget me modeling.   So now I guess I need a young girl to give this to?

Anyhoo....I think it is really pretty and a great concept.  Not sure what went wrong.  Should I wet it down and stretch/block it?  I'm so new at all this......but isn't it pretty??

I may be linking to THESE parties!

Crochet Bunnies for Easter

Very cute Bunny Pattern!

I may be linking to THESE parties!

Coastal Scents Makeup Palletes

The other day, I had a $20 voucher to spend at BeautyChoice.com worth $40.  I immediately knew I wanted to try the Coastal Scents makeup palettes and here is what I chose:

I have to be honest with you - for these prices, I did not expect great quality, certainly not high pigmentation.

But I was W.R.O.N.G.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Holy Cow are these pigmented.  A very little goes a llllooonnnggg way!

This is the 26 Shadow/Blush Palette.  So beautiful!  $19.95

Can you believe the colors here?  Wow!!  This is the 88 Original Palette.  $18.95

And this is the Juicy Pink Lip Quad.  $6.95

If you don't have a voucher, I recommend you go directly to Coastal Scents, as their prices are cheaper.  But I am SO happy with what I purchased and in the future, should I need more items, I will definitely purchase from this company again.  I was in NO WAY compensated for this blog post. 

Antique Shopping Surprise

Both our boys were out of town, so we ran off for a little getaway to Nashville....and went junking in antique shops.  I was noticing all the ceramic dogs when I noticed one was MOVING.  Ha! 

THIS is the dog I meant to get before I ended up with a high shedding, high yapping, high opinion of herself Pekingese.  Japanese Chins are no-shed, no-yap, yumminess!

 

See the ceramic dog??

This little sweety is 3.2 lbs and full grown.  Ahhh..............

This "Sweety" was inappropriately named......

But she was.....er......cute?......when she was little.  Maybe a cute only a momma could love?  lol

 

Holt is so little!!!

Most Pekingese are not black with skunk white tails.......she's special!