A friend of mine told me a while ago about this company that has amazing face and skin products in Target so I starting following them on Instagram or sometimes I like to say “the insta”.

The more I read about the company and saw their posts – I was drawn in.  The company not only has a wide array of natural skin care products available, it has also created the cocokind impact foundation that provides financial grants to female entrepreneurs in the health, wellness, and sustainability industries who are focused on creating social impact changes through their businesses.  I noticed after George Floyd’s death – they immediately starting donating money each day to a different organization including ones like Reclaim the Block, Black Visions Collective, Bay Area Black Owned Business Relief Fund, Black Aids Institute and this list goes on.

So when I saw that they added Beauty Bevs (short for beverages) I was keen to try especially one called the Morning Mocha Latte.  So I purchased this and the Detox Chlorophyll Tonic.  Upon arrival – I was excited to try both.  The detox chlorophyll tonic is designed to harness the power of chlorophyll and digestive enzymes to cleanse and refresh the body.  It also encourages a natural glow.  Loving yourself from the inside out – I love this!  And I have to say I have tried my fair share of green powders and this one tastes good.  It has a slight lemony flavor that I enjoy.  One scoop in water in the morning is a great way to start the day and prep the internal world for your external connections.

The next one I tried was adding one scoop of the morning mocha latte to my coffee to give it a slight chocolate-ey flavor while providing my body adaptogens to start the day off strong.  I made my coffee first and then mixed it in and then added my steamed milk froth cloud of happiness to the top.  My daughter Kira said that it looked like hot chocolate and asked if she could have some one day.

The morning mocha latte has prebiotic chicory root, chia seeds, and adaptogens to help start the day well without jitters or a mid morning crash and the taste did not disappoint! It is delicious!!!

 

You can check out more products that cocokind offers on their website.  Link below.  Or on their Insta page!

https://www.cocokind.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6ar4BRDnARIsAITGzlDvEtwJkIyieijwgFNqpTrAHYO7Bqyl0qFnlEH4kxUqjC-772jLV1MaAg49EALw_wcB

Hope this finds you well!!

 

Can your mood be struck by mascara?

Okay so I took a wee bit of a break from writing.  The creative juices were just not-a-flowing.  And if I have learned anything on my path to living well – it is that breaks are necessary, healing, needed, warranted, and just part of a full life.  As parents it sometimes feels like “you don’t get to” but I think we all can and we all benefit from keeping our moods in check and our bodies signals followed.  I am back and refreshed and ready to write about a few different things this week.

First off – MASCARA!!  Mascara is something that I absolutely love and is probably one of those things I would bring with me to a deserted island.  I would forgo certain food groups before I gave up mascara.  I used to think this was “vain” but now I accept that we all have our passions and it is one of mine.  I also love eyes.  I think you can tell a lot about a person from looking at them in the eyes.  It is of course “the window to the soul” and I cherish loving deep and living deep.  So I feel like mascara is like the shutters to a window.  A good mascara not only serves as a mindful moment in the morning, it lifts the opening to that which frames the eyes.  Your connection to other human beings, even more so now with masks.  How many people do you see wearing masks that are looking down or hurriedly getting their items to purchase as if they have no want to connect to another human being or acknowledge the person behind the counter?  To me, this could lead to one lonely lonely world.  But I have even with the masks on exchanged “eye smiles” with people behind counters letting them know how much I value their existence and their continued work in this world.

So when my friend Cathy told me she was selling Younique products and this included mascara – I was immediately intrigued to try one.  First she told me a little about the company and I did some research as well.  In my older or shall I say wiser years, I like to know who I am buying from and what their story is – it gives me a personal connection in a world where like I said we run the risk of becoming lonelier.

First things first – I loved that their mission included “to uplift, empower, validate and ultimately build self esteem in women around the world.”  That totally speaks to me.  While looks are definitely not everything and so much more is in the internal work – sometimes having that moment to pamper yourself before you leave the house and apply some mascara is mindful, mood boosting, and gives many women an extra pep in their step to face the day.  And I am all for that.  The company is founded by a brother/sister duo-cheers to healthy sibling relationships!  Melanie was a 16 year stay at home mom of 4 and understands the struggles and challenges inherent in this role and is so proud of the limitless power and work ethic that women possess and wants to highlight by providing products catered to them towards making women feel good about who they are, what they do, and what they bring to the table.  Her brother Derek was a software developer and together the two visionaries paired to create this mission FIRST company.  The mission is to help survivors of sexual abuse heal and realize their inner strength.  Trauma makes it difficult for these women to move on – so many are burdened by teen pregnancy, thoughts of suicide, high school drop outs, mental health illnesses, and/or alcohol and substance addiction.  10% of the profits of the sales goes towards helping these women rebuild.  It is apparent to me in the numbers of depression/addiction/mental health issues in the US – that a lot of trauma resides among us so companies that are using their profits to help people deal and heal are giving people hope and helping all of us to rise.

So when I first opened my mascara – I even like inspecting the packaging and the wand inside.  I had no idea that the one brand “better than sex” – the wand is thinner in the middle and the lady at Sephora once told me it was hourglass shaped like Marilyn Monroe – who woulda thunk & man I wish I came up with that?!  Anyways so I was pleased with the pretty purple box, the name “Moodstruck Epic4D” just sounds dramatic saying it which is how I like my lashes and then the mascara itself is sleek and sophisticated looking.  Now opening it is the second step and taking the wand out you really see if a slow and steady hand allows for the extra goop to go off as you unveil the wand to apply.  I was pleased with this part as well.  Application – I used about 2-3 swipes on upper and lower lid and was super happy with the results!!  And…I applied this morning and it’s about 1 pm and I have been running around in heat and taken the dogs on a walk and it is STILL intact.  

So thank you Cathy – this YOUnique product has brightened my day and my lashes!! If you want to try it out – go to & join Cathy’s facebook group and you can get discounts, play games, obtain tips, AND she even makes awesome videos on application, etc…

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1348808858643367/

 

 

Okay, so I am a huge lover of coffee. Yes, the post said tea….

 

Like, I am not even sure if HUGE truly encompasses what a piping hot cup of joe does to my lips as I take the first sip.  However, I also know that if I consume too much – it does have some not so great side effects and is taxing to the adrenals and nervous system.  I have noticed this first hand.  I gave up coffee when I got sick back in 2010.  Coffee and Chemo made me want to vomit doubly.  The combination was scary.  Then after a while I added back in Coffee Wednesdays and would stop and get one on my way to work.  I have dabbled in teas – green tea, bladder tea, make you happy tea, ginger tea, all kinds of tea. I can’t say it packs the same punch for me.  I often feel like my water has something floating in it but it’s like weaker than coffee – almost like when I hit the Nespresso button to make my coffee but forgot the capsule and it comes out as dirty water.  Yet I have noticed that when I drink coffee regularly – my thighs are bigger.  I think it is hormonal and some days I don’t care and would rather just have my one coffee a day and other days – I feel the need for a clean out and to test this theory.  I also don’t like the idea of HAVING TO HAVE anything regularly.  So again, some days I am okay with my one cup a day habit telling myself I don’t have many others and then other days I want to take a break.  So….during this one week cleanse that I am on – coffee and I are on a break.

So to prepare myself for this break – I happened to see a company called Rasa on Instragram offering a variety of coffee alternatives in the form of tea blends with different herbs.  So I purchased one big bag of the BOLD and then a sampler of the others.  Rasa was founded by a lady named Lopa van der Mersch.  She is also a mom and was looking for a coffee alternative because her coffee habit was leading to sleepless nights and anxiety.

It arrived last week and whilst I have not sampled all of them – I have tried the BOLD and the original adaptogenic coffee alternative and am pleased with both! I will most likely not give up coffee, but I will alternate.  The BOLD has a blend of 17 herbs.  Some of these powerful herbs include rhodiola that vikings had, schisandra which was drank by Siberian hunters, and shilajit which was consumed by Yogic sages.  Bold is a comprehensive formula designed for athletes, parents, entrepreneurs, creatives, and all of us navigating this busy busy modern world.   Now if you are wondering what an adaptogen is – that is also expained well on Rasa’s site.  Basically our bodies respond differently to different amounts of stress based on our programming and how healthy our bodies are in terms of maintaining homeostasis.  When you are consistently in a “stressed” phase for too long – your energy reserves get depleted and you head for burnout.  This is where the adaptogens will help you to adapt.  They are amazing super herbs that live in harsh conditions around the world and therefore know how to survive under stress.  They help you to stay balanced and not go into that red zone of wigging out, yelling, or reaching for something that actually will not sustain you nor give you the consistent energy you are looking for.

The BOLD was really tasty but the Original is probably my favorite thus far in terms of being comparable in taste to coffee and I am excited to try the cacao one as a treaty treat to myself.  My favorite part of reading about this one on Rasa’s site was the quote from someone who had tried it and said:  “Opening the bag is like getting smacked in the face with a bar of chocolate.”  So I personally cannot wait to get chocolate slapped soon.   Will let you know!

 

Visit the site to read more:  https://wearerasa.com/products/try-rasa

 

Stay well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So…..recently I was looking for a way to ensure that I was getting all of the vitamins and nutrients that I need to support me in all of my endeavors in life as a busy person.

In a previous post I talked about trash and our relationship to the earth being important because also if our soil is depleted and our food is microwaved – we aren’t getting all of the good stuff that we used to.  And….even though I am not OLD, I am OLD-er so it makes sense that if I can give my body some extra love at this stage – I am open to it.  So I have searched and added a multivitamin to my routine of self-care, along with this amazing rose water spritzer I got from NuHouse.

This company had reached out recently and I checked out their website.   Whilst I was in Switzerland I had switched up my exercise to include high intensity training and overtime I noticed a bit more wear and tear and stiffness in my body.  I also think as a female who previously had eating disorders, body issues, etc – my relationship with food and I has always been complicated.  I think I have done the work to repair a lot of this – but if I am going to be exercising and working my body, it is imperative to make sure I am also getting the right combination of rest, time, relaxation, and nutrients to repair and build a stronger me.  My diet nowadays is pretty much 80/20 – 80% wholesome as I can get and 20% you gotta live a little -and even with this sometimes ya need a boost.  So, the first thing I loved about this company was their cause.  Every time a purchase is made, a child receives one gallon of clean water and to date, FNX has donated over 103,000 gallons of clean drinking water to those who need it.  This speaks to my heart center.

So whilst on the site – I noticed the REPAIR Women’s Multivitamin and took a peak at all that it contains.  This vitamin includes those deficiencies that are seen in women including Vitamin D, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, and B12.  It also has Biotin that supports healthy hair and nails.  On top of that – the part I loved the most – is the Herb Complex added.  I noticed it has Maca which is amazing for hormones, Cran – good for urinary health, Ashwagandha root which is amazing for strengthening the body against stress, and horsetail which helps to eliminate bloating and support the kidneys.  You take 2 per day with a glass of water and I have personally decided to take the weekends off because I don’t like the idea of taking anything EVERYDAY and iron can be constipating but I have not noticed any difference in that.  I am noticing more energy and more overall balance and resilience.

So if you are looking for some nutritional support – check them out and feel free to use my code to get a 15% discount.

BE WELL!

GET 15% OFF WITH CODE FNXtt0A

 

 

 

 

 

A necklace or bracelet that can relieve negative emotion and also be anti-inflammatory?

I figured this was worth a looksy at in my exploration of ideas to help support natural wellness and healing.  When I first arrived back in the states, one thing that I did notice in my shopping was an increase in CBD oils and related product than what I remembered before leaving.  There was an entire counter at the hot tub store dedicated to CBD products.   I saw it at Wegmans as well.  A lot of the diseases that exist in America from depression to obesity stem from a systemic inflammatory response.  Something ain’t happy inside the body.

My neighbor and friend mentioned to me that she had purchased a matching amber bracelet set for her and her daughter as a gift.  She had read that it helps with anxiety and pain.  I liked the idea that 1) they were matching and to be shared between mother/daughter and 2) that it was something different but along the lines of using essential oils and stones to support overall well being.

So – let’s take a look at amber.  Amber contains succinic acid which is a natural analgesic and healing agent and for those of you that like science – the chemical formula of this acid is C4H6O4.  It is said to ease stress by clearing fears and phobias, helps to balance emotions, and release negative energy.  All sounds good to me – right?  The Amber will be warmed against the skin and then the acid will be absorbed through the skin, thus helping with pain.  It has been used for ailments that range from teething to arthritis.  It appears to be good for approximately 2 years so in terms of expense, this may also be better than medicating, not to mention some of the jewelry I looked at is actually quite cute! The color itself is very warming and has a lot of the hues one can find in watching a beautiful sunset.

Yellow amber is the most pure and is also called “butter” followed by lemongrass, honey, cognac, cherry and then black cherry. So the darker you go, the less succinic acid contained.  It is produced from plant resin, not tree sap.  Most of the oldest amber comes from areas around the Baltic Sea.  The biggest producer of Baltic Amber is Kaliningrad, a city in Russia.

I think adding the wear of an amber bracelet day here and there could be a good idea on one’s path to supporting themselves and their well being.  I found sites that sell jewelry for both men & women!

Namaste,
Becky