DIY Sugar Scrub

Hello my darlings!  Today I have a wonderful homemade sugar scrub to share with you.  I make this scrub often and love to give it as a gift during the holidays.  With only three ingredients, this is super easy to make.

The first time I tried this I was amazed at how easy it was to make such a luxurious sugar scrub!  This is perfect for dry spots on your elbows and knees, and I love to use it on my feet as well.  It leaves your skin feeling super smooth and hydrated.  Do yourself a favor and try this as soon as you can!

Ingredients

1/4 cup granulated sugar (You can use up to 1/2 cup if you want your scrub to have a more coarse, sand-like texture.)
1/2 cup coconut oil
50 drops essential oil (I recommend lavender or peppermint, citrus is also nice)

Directions

Combine all ingredients.  It's easier to mix together if the coconut oil has been melted, but be sure it is cool before adding the sugar!  Store in small mason jars for the bathroom.  Leftovers can be kept in mason jars that are tightly sealed.  I store my extras in the refrigerator.

And that's all!  My pamper routine includes a scrub down with this in the bath, a shower to rinse it all off, a face mask and doing my nails.  What is your way to relax and do self care?  I would love to hear from you about your pamper routine in the comments or on any of my social media!

Thanks for reading,
Rebecca

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OOTD: Gwynnie Bee!

If you haven't heard about Gwynnie Bee, let me just fill you in.

Gwynnie Bee is an online subscription service for plus size clothing.  What is great about Gwynnie Bee is that it allows you to rent and try out clothes from a variety of designers, many of which are high end.  Even better, they have a 30 day free trial, which I most certainly took advantage of!

As someone who is both plus size and into fashion, I have had to do my fair amount of online shopping.  Let's face it, we just don't have that many options in-store.  I have to drive 30 minutes to get to a Forever 21 that has a plus size section, and my local mall just got a Torrid recently.  It's hard to find the fashions you want to wear in brick and mortar stores, so a lot of us curvy ladies do our shopping online.

I always prefer to try something on in the store before purchasing it because finding a good fit can be really difficult on a plus size body.  I can order from certain companies online and I know what I'll get.  Forever 21 and ASOS Curve are among those I frequent, and I feel comfortable knowing which size and what styles work best on me.  However, with any new brand there are changes in sizing and that's where Gwynnie Bee was a little bit difficult for me.  I've also had some weight gain and loss in the past few years and my sizing is different than it used to be.

Now, onto the dress I chose! I absolutely loved this beautiful, curve-hugging dress. It was tailored to hug my body in the most slender areas – the wrists and the waist. I really enjoyed the abstract looking print, which is a little different than my signature style. It almost looks like a romper but the skirt is actually elasticized at the hem, giving it that flowy shorts kind of look.

Outfit details:

Dress - Gwynnie Bee

Shoes - Cato

Photos by Joshua Pitt.

Thanks for reading!
Rebecca

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Disclaimer:  I am not affiliated with/sponsored by Gwynnie Bee.

Review: Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque

Hey dolls, today I am here to talk about one of my all-time favorite beauty products, Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque!  This mask is a beauty classic.  My friends always used this mask, my mother uses it and yours probably does too! It's affordable (I picked up the tub at Sally's for $4.99) and does the job of a soothing/drying face masque very well. If you are one of the few who haven't already discovered it, read on! If you love this product already and want to comment with your opinion on it, please do! I love talking about beauty products with friends.

The formula, a green clay-like mixture, is is very thick and a bit hard to spread out. I have heard that it is easier applied using a face brush, so I may try that in the future. I've always just spread it out on my face and spread out the clumps as best as I can. I smooth it all over my face, including my upper lip and neck.

The mask instantly hits your skin with the tingling of the peppermint, which just makes you feel like it is working! I believe it contains ingredients which soothe the skin as well as dry up any excess oils.

In the summertime I really enjoy the cooling sensation,  It also has a strong mint smell, which I find relaxing.

It dries and tightens on your skin and then you simply wash it off in the shower or with your hands. You'll want a washcloth to help get the mask off if you don't do it in the shower.

People tend to either love or hate this mask. If you already have quite dry skin, I've heard that this can dry it out more, so stay away from it if you do.  Also if you have very sensitive skin or are sensitive to strong smells, the mint may be too much for you. 

I have combination skin and in the summertime when I am at my most oily this is a twice-weekly routine for me.  It keeps my skin from getting too oily and seems to smooth out my red spots.  I love this mask and it is one of my true beauty essentials.

What are your beauty essentials? Would this one be in your top five? As always, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca

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Disclaimer:  I am not affiliated with Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque.

OOTD: The Dress

You scope out the plus size dress section, and patiently pull each item out, eyes going straight to the size on the tag. As you look at the selection, you sigh and wonder why you keep shopping here. Everything in your size is something horrifyingly unflattering or matronly.

And then you pull out the dress.

It says “free size” but it's amazingly wide in the chest and flowy. It looks a little bit on the short side, which is good because you're short. And it has beautiful tie-dye colors, and over that, lovely detailed embroidery.

And it's soft. Soft as suede. The tag says it is 100 percent rayon, but the fabric is woven. The tag also says that it was made in India.

You rush to the fitting room to try it on and it fits you like a glove. You glow at your reflection, feeling cute and chic. You can't stop looking at yourself in the mirror and running your hands over the fabric.

This sounds like a dream. Honestly I sort of remember it like a dream. But it really happened, and the proof is here in the pictures.

I am over the moon with this dress that I found at Goodwill. It is so unique, and so ME! I tend to love all things girly and classic, while at the same time keeping things relaxed with a sort of hippie vibe. This dress seems to reflect those different sides of me so perfectly. It also didn't hurt that it only cost $4!

Do you have one or two favorite clothing items that you feel really express who you are? I'd love to see or hear about them!

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca

Outfit Details:
Dress – Thrifted

Shoes – Forever 21

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Review: Gena Pedi Care Lotion & Warming Scrub

If you're grossed out by feet or don't do home pedicures...this post may not be for you! However, those of you who are interested in this topic, I'm excited to review some products I have recently discovered for one of my favorite summertime beauty routines!

It's summertime, which means exposed feet. To me that's always a double edged sword – the freedom of the air and sunshine on my toes, but also, dealing with my dry feet. I have extremely dry heels and get dry patches all over my soles and toes. I used to get pedicures regularly but as of late have been figuring out how to save the money and do them at home.

I've been a user of Ped-Egg, Pumice stones and files for years. They are all good for removing the roughest, deadest skin but when it comes down to removing that last rough layer of skin, I've always felt like I needed something more.

That's where this product comes in. It is a thick lotion that you work into your dry skin that actually makes the skin flake or “slough” off.

I actually picked up the Gena Pedi Care Sloughing Lotion by chance – I was looking for something really thick and creamy, and had used Burt's Bees peppermint lotion before. I drawn to this one at Sally's Beauty because of the peppermint oil ingredient. I don't know if I even noticed it was a sloughing lotion when I bought it.

The first few times I used it, I didn't notice the sloughing factor, but then I read some Amazon reviews and noticed that most people said to apply it to dry skin. So I tried it on dry skin and it worked like a charm! It really does make the dead skin just peel away. You have to apply a good amount of it and really work it into the skin. I then let it sit for about one minute before massaging.  I would definitely repurchase this lotion.  At $7.49 per 8.5 oz bottle, it's reasonably priced for how well the product lasts.  A bottle has lasted me two months so far.

The other product I bought with this was the Warming Exfoliating Scrub.  The pumice ingredient is walnut shell powder, which is very fine but hard enough to be a good exfoliate. The bottle says that the warming ingredient is Macadamia Nut Oil, and it truly does warm.  It makes your feet feel so relaxed, like a warming massage oil. The oiliness combined with the pumice really makes my feet feel soft after using it. I absolutely love using this product.  Again, this is $7.49 at Sally's and it's for sure something I will treat myself to again.

Following up the lotion and scrub with a foot soak and a slathering of lotion is a great daily routine for me and helps me wake up with reasonably soft feet. 

I'd love to hear home pedicure tips from you!  I feel like feet are a less glamorous part of beauty that we tend to neglect, but it's so important this time of year!  This blog will be mostly fashion, but I do love my beauty routines and will be sharing more reviews and thoughts on products in the future. My instagram and snapchat are listed below - please send me a message or snap if you have anything to share on these topics!  

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca

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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

OOTD: Summer Maxi Dress

Hello, body positive babes!  It's summertime here in the southern midwest and it has been hot out! I'm all about dresses and flowy, sleeveless pieces this year around, so when I found this dress on sale for $2.99 at a local thrift store, I snatched it up. My initial thought was that it must be homemade because of the style and the vintage-looking print, but it turns out that it's a Target dress. The brand is Liberty of London, which seems to be a brand that was discontinued from Target stores around 2010. The dress is 100% cotton and lined, so for the price I paid I think it was a great deal!

Because of my limited budget, I shop often at thrift stores. It can be a real struggle and I certainly don't walk out with something every time I shop. I know that many plus size people have trouble finding anything in their size, let alone something good! My tips for thrifting are to shop often (inventory changes daily), try everything on even if it doesn't look great on the rack, and don't be afraid to try things on that aren't your exact size. Look for things with stretch or things that can be altered. You don't need a tailor to alter clothes! A lot of simple alterations can be achieved with a thread and needle or even some well-placed safety pins. I encourage anyone who is looking for affordable clothing to go out there and thrift and see what you can make work for you!

I hope you all will bear with me as I get better at blogging. Although I've been posting outfit photos online for years, I just started doing it myself with a tripod and I am still working on figuring out the best time of day to take photos, posing, etc. I wasn't totally happy with this photoshoot but at the end of the day, it's not about perfection. Blogging is a chance for me to be creative and start a dialogue within the body positive community. That's what I am really here for!

How do you feel about thrifting? Do you do it, or do you stick with brands and stores that you know will carry your size? I'd love to hear from you all in the comments or on any of my social medias.

Outfit Details:

Dress – Thrifted (Liberty of London for Target, XL)

Shoes – Forever 21

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OOTD: Black Floral

As a fashionista on a budget, I do a lot of layering. You can mix and match things to create totally new looks by using some basic camis and mini skirts combined with statement items.

Layering is also good when you have a job where you work with children like I do, and need to cover things up a bit! I found this floral strappy tank in the Torrid clearance and since I can't resist anything so cute and floral, I bought it. Sadly It hung in my closet for a good six months or so before I wore it because it was just too low-cut in the front for normal wear. Finally, I got tired of looking at it hanging and decided to make it work.  

I went with a basic black skirt and black tank top, which I tucked in. I tried to create a the visual look of a sort of bodycon black sleeveless dress. Since the floral tank is a babydoll cut, I wanted something tight fitting beneath it. With the floral tank layered over, I think it resulted in a pretty cute outfit.

Lastly, I didn't wear a cardigan with this look. You absolutely could if you wanted to, but since it's been in the 90s here in the southern midwest I opted not to. I've become very comfortable showing my arms lately. It just doesn't make sense to hide them under fabric. I really couldn't care less if someone is offended by the fact that I am fat – it's not worth being uncomfortable for.

Outfit Details:

Skirt – Kohl's (size XL)

Floral Top – Torrid (size 1X)

Black Tank – Macy's (size 1X)

Shoes - Payless