Why Your Skin Does NOT Need Fancy Designer Chemicals......KISS It!

Now I bet you just said to yourself...."Kiss what, Brittany?"

Kiss my elbow?

Kiss my ear?

Kiss my tookus?

Nah, nothing like that. By "KISS" I meant only....

" Keep It Simple, Silly!"

Skincare, Folks.....

Keep It Simple!

My lovely editor at Hat Trick Magazine asked me to write about some of these fancy designer chemicals she's so fond of. Yes, she loves the natural stuff too but no matter what I tell her...she goes back to trendy designer skincare full of 'acids'.

Guess what?? It's all bullhonkey.....

Seriously, if you feel the need to waste your money on this stuff, just save the effort of hauling your wrinkled carcass to the nearest designer cosmetics counter and send me your money instead.

I'm about to tell you something....

Those fancy acids do nothing for you but add to your problems in the long run. They actually make your skin even MORE sensitive! You can get the same and safer NATURAL results from crushing some fresh strawberries and grapefruit pulp and applying that to your face every other week....seriously!

Let me get REAL with you here.

Your skin is your body's largest organ, and virtually the only organ that you can watch. 

Personally I don't think I'd have too much entertainment out of watching something like my adorable pancreas...just sayin'.

Annoying and troublesome skin conditions like rashes, pimples, eczema, and illnesses like chicken pox or measles are attempts by the skin to clean itself out.  This is Nature's way in health: the body will try, must try, to clean itself of toxins, foreign chemicals and poisons. Nature eliminates wastes. You may not like it; it may not look romantic; it might even itch. However, the toxins must be expelled.  Since the skin is your largest organ, it will by nature want to do a lot of cleaning out. The more it does so, the more you needed it to.

 Simple, proper diet eliminates so many complaints. Whole foods, raw or lightly-cooked vegetables, grains and fruits, lean meats & fish and no chemically-doctored food will go a very long way to improving your skin in a short time. My personal beauty secret is to drink at least 2 litres of water per day with the juice of fresh lemons squeezed into it.

Unfortunately, many folks are inclined to and even encouraged to put creams, salves, ointments and other fancy designer-cum-medicated "remedies" on their skin to try and doctor those awful sin conditions. 

The dermatologist won't tell you any differently either because HE's getting kickbacks from the drug companies to prescribe this stuff to you. He WANTS you to age so he can keep selling you more and more services.

All he's doing is making short-term 'improvements' to your appearance by delaying what the body is trying to do...DETOX!

Let's "clear up" this skin medication question right here. First of all, there is no such thing as "worn-out skin."  Fortunately for us, skin is a magical and wonderful self-repairing, and virtually indestructible living thing.

Nature repairs and mends skin beautifully. When you cut yourself, you might disinfect the wound with iodine or some other preparation. But does the iodine re-knit the skin, make the new cells, or weave new tissue? No, Nature does. 

When a surgeon stitches up an incision or a wound she brings the skin together and holds it in place with sutures.  

But if Nature didn't re-unite the cells, what good would the stitches do?

Vitamin C and E seem to be most important for proper healing and maintenance of your skin.  Vitamin C is well-known to be essential to holding the cells together and encouraging their normal growth.  Show me a person with chronic skin problems and two times out of three I'll bet their diet is deficient in E or C.  

Your skin is a living, breathing, body-cleaning organ.  If you clog it up, you're in trouble.

 In the James Bond story Goldfinger people were painted gold. 

Remember that they died?

 Your skin MUST be free from pore-clogging crud!!

 That's why these designer UN-natural creams, ointments and salves are not doing any more than removing the symptoms of skin excretion and detoxing. 

In slowing down or blocking this excretion they are clogging the pores and of themselves adding to what has to be cleaned out. Why make the skin have to now excrete these added toxins on top of the old ones? It's like shaking the dirt out of your rugs... in the middle of the living room.

 

 If you don't use any of the countless patent skin treatments for beauty or disease, your skin will be that much better. Treating symptoms is just trying to fool Nature. Coating over the body's cleansing efforts does not make you or your skin well.  

 Keeping drugs, artificial colors, preservatives, alcohols, artificial fragrances, and those foot-long chemical names off your skin can only help it.

 If Nature had wanted us to use lots of synthetics on our body, she would probably have put Triethanolamine, Carbomer-934, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Dimethicone, Sodium Myristate, Stearyl Alcohol, FD&C Red #4, Yellow #3 and other "beauty necessities" within easy reach for foraging and not had them coming out of labs infested with tumor-ridden lab animals.

Not a pretty picture is it? Guess what...you should see it in person.

No, Folks....your B-girl has not lost her mind.....She....I.....am SICK to death...to my eye teeth of being asked, told, cajoled and sweet-talked into supporting chemicals that I DO NOT and WOULD NOT use on my own face...never mind in my own products. It's not going to happen!

You have it from the horse's mouth.....

Take care of yourself INTERNALLY first......if you're going to use products on your skin....

Keep them simple

Keep them natural

and in turn you will....

Keep your beauty! 

It may lose me endorsements, writing jobs, or freebies from companies wanting me to review their products but guess what....

I will at least know I told you lovely folks the TRUTH!

Much Love,

Brittany

 

 Take my word for it or not, folks....43 years old TODAY and keeping it simple and real.

 

Star Spangled Sunburn Remedies

There is nothing fun about sunburn and most of us have had our share of them through the years. I remember when I was a teenager most of us looked forward to our first sunburn of the year as we could establish our 'tan base' for the summer.

In the 70's and 80's natural suntans were a very serious pursuit of most teenagers and 20-somethings. We'd mix a bottle of iodine in a bottle of baby oil and slather ourselves liberally, only to roast like the Sunday chicken in the hot Mississippi sun.

Luckily, most of us have left that particular pursuit behind us, choosing instead to go for a nice wash of color from some bronzing cream or a spray tan. Those that haven't are looking like your Granny's old leather handbag about now.

With the 4th of July celebrations, many of you will be spending lots of time outside indulging in picnics, barbecues, water sports, and family reunions. With this fun may come the very UN-fun sunburn.

Here are a few natural remedies that will help you get through the agony of overindulgence in the sun.

One common remedy for sunburn is yogurt. Smear yogurt on your skin as soon as it turns pink to help cool the skin, reestablish pH balance and promote faster healing. It is best to use plain unsweetened full-fat yogurt that contains few additives. Let it sit on your skin until it warms up and then rinse it off with tepid water. Apply as often as needed. Better still, use a paste made of barley, turmeric and yogurt in equal proportions. Apply it over the affected areas for sunburn relief and healing.

Another common item that can be used for sunburns is tea. Make a large pot of very strong tea, use a towel to soak up all the tea and then apply to the sunburn area. Alternately, use a large number of teabags and make a bathtub full of tea; soak in the bath when the temperature is tepid to barely warm. The tannins in tea help draw out the burn and heal the skin. You can also apply cold, used tea bags to sun-burned eyelids to relieve pain and swelling.

One superior good remedy for sunburn is to combine Aloe Vera, vitamin E oil, and cucumbers. Liquefy cucumbers in a blender and mix with Aloe Vera gel, and Vitamin E oil.

 

 

 

Finally, an age old remedy for sunburns mentioned in ancient texts is potato peels - and it appears to have science on its side. 

Doctors have found that in case of minor burns, potato peel bandages work better than conventional dressing. Potato peels provide moisture and they also have anti-bacterial properties that help in healing.

Whichever remedy you decide to use, please remember that using the proper amount of sunscreen and applying it often is the BEST remedy of all!!

Have a wonderful summer holiday and enjoy all that fabulous weather!

Much Love,

Brittany xx

As always, you know I love to give you easy fun recipes you can make at home. This month is no exception, I give you this wonderful homemade sunburn relief spray.

 

 

Lavender Aloe Cooling Sunburn Spray

2  fl oz Aloe Vera Juice

2 fl oz Distilled Water

9 drops of lavender oil
2 drops of peppermint oil
1 drop of spearmint oil

Directions:

Mix all, and spritz lightly over sunburned skin.

Aloe-lluja!

Pure Aloe Vera Gel is something we use a LOT of here at Posh Brats HQ. We used to buy it by the 20 kilo weight.....used to. Very recently I discovered something that had me seeing red.

Like many of you, I used to buy Aloe Vera gel and totally expected it to be clear in colour or some pretty shade of blue or green. You know the kind, the stuff you buy in the drugstore in big economy bottles or tubes.

When I started using it in my products in place of plain water I was really pleased with myself. I thought I was seriously doing everything I possibly could to make sure my natural bath and beauty products were the BEST they could be.

As I mentioned, I was buying this stuff by the 20 kilo per container weight and it's EXPENSIVE!! This is what the "Pure" Aloe Vera gel I was buying looked like and let's just say the amount I was buying would leave me very little change out of £1000 every month.

I was told by my raw materials supplier of this that it was clear because it was "ultra pure" and organic with added Vitamin E to naturally preserve it. Okay, that made sense to me and this is a HUGE International supplier with branches in several countries so who was I to doubt?

As we in business are obliged to do from time to time, it came time for me to review my budget  when doing my accounts for the year to submit to my accountants. I sat there staring at the spreadsheet of figures for my raw materials and the number for my Aloe Vera "habit" was just painful.

I said to myself, I simply MUST find a way to bring this cost down without compromising quality. I had a word with a Swedish fellow Cosmetic Chemist friend of mine and asked him if he knew of another source or way to use this magical ingredient without raising my prices.

He said to me, "Don't you make your own?"
 Huh? Sure, I have an Aloe Vera plant on my windowsill at home and we use it for home purposes but it's not enough to supply me with endless kilos of raw gel.

He explained to me that making my own was not unlike making a simple emulsion...something we chemist do all the time. He gave me the formula for the gel and told me a reputable source to get my organic freeze-dried aloe from.

I was almost embarrassed that I wasn't aware of this really. I mean, he thought I was completely insane to be BUYING the gel and when I told him how much I'd spent this past fiscal year on Aloe Vera he laughed at me. I had spent literally 30x's MORE than I needed to at WHOLESALE cost.

I made my first batch of Aloe Gel according to his formula and THIS is what it looked like, you can see it sitting there in my mixer.

Now, you can imagine looking at this earthy green sludge that I immediately thought I did something wrong. I contacted my friend and he checked it all out for me and said, "No, this is exactly what it's supposed to look like. Furthermore, that is a beautiful batch!"

Wow, so THIS is the pure stuff?
He explained to me that within the cosmetics industry in order for Aloe Vera Gel to be labeled as "Pure" it needed only to contain 1% pure Aloe Vera. Furthermore, it is then further diluted with fillers to make it clear so it can then be recoloured to the stuff you see in your local drugstores.

Now imagine my fury when come to find out when I researched this 'pure' gel I had been using for years...it was pure alright...but it was a concentration of 1% aloe and the rest was.....water, a tiny amount of Vitamin E and glycerine!!!

Compared to the 10% concentration of my own mix which is what is needed to make 100%  Pure Aloe Vera Gel when reconstituting from pure freeze-dried form.

Suffice it to say....this was me (from my throne but minus my crown since it was Casual Friday)

I am proud to say that my operating budget has been greatly slashed, no prices had to be raised and our products are EVEN BETTER. I have 100% control over my Aloe Vera and for this control freak, that suits me just fine!!

Love and Light,

Brittany xx

As an added bonus, here is a recipe you can make at home by harvesting your own Aloe Vera plant or just use some pure Aloe (the kind from the health food store that is liquid).

 

Aloe Honey Body Scrub

• 2 C fine ground Sea Salt*
• 1 C Aloe Vera
• 2 Tablespoons pure raw Honey (Use an organic brand or Manuka honey)
• 2 Tablespoons Brown sugar
• 1 C Olive Oil

Mix together all the above ingredients. Apply mixture to damp skin. Gently massage, giving special attention to rough areas. Rinse well with warm water.
*Sea salt removes dry, flaky, dead skin. Do NOT use table salt, it is NOT the same thing!

Happiness is Contagious!!

You know that old saying 'Misery loves company'? Sadly that is very true.  Think about it, when you're miserable there are always people out there that will join right in on the pity party and "happily" lay down their own line of funk.

Then it becomes like two old people comparing illnesses and becomes a virtual pissing contest of who has been more badly done to by the Universe.
Ya know what? I was right there, front and centre, joining in on these pity parties. Hell, truth be told, I was the last person leaving the party long after everyone else had found their happy place again.

Something happened to me several weeks ago.....

I woke up and DID something about my constant state of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was FED UP of my own bellyaching and griping about how awful my life was.

I can only imagine how my family and friends felt!
I was sick all the time, depressed all the time, angry all the time.....
I was probably one rude comment away from digging body shaped holes in my back yard.

Then one night I was sitting by myself and just contemplating the state of my life. WHY was I so miserable when every day so many people were writing me beautiful letters, sending me anonymous gifts, and telling me how much they wish they were me.....merely because of what I do for a living.

I closed my eyes and began a quiet conversation with the Universe and begged for guidance on getting my life back on track.
For years my Momma had been telling me she missed who I used to be. I cynically thought that person was dead....too many things had happened, too many scars were on my heart and my soul....that girl was long gone.

I asked the Universe to guide my steps, guide my heart, guide my hands.

That night I decided to wind down from my day by loading up Netflix and watching a movie. The husband was upstairs having a soak (his own method for dealing with his miseries). On my suggested movies list was a film called 'The Secret'. It sounded interesting so I waited for it to load and about 5 minutes into this film a deep shudder ran through my body.

It was like an electricity and goosebumps came up on my arms. I paused the film and yelled up to my husband. He came down a few minutes later and I asked him to watch this film with me. He looked at me strangely because for years our nights have consisted of both of us on our respective laptops barely exchanging 10 words.......once our son went to bed we just did NOT communicate unless it was to sling negativity in one another's direction.

To his credit he quietly just sat beside me on the sofa and I restarted the film. As we watched this it was like all time had stopped around us. Tears were flowing freely down my face and I peeked over at him and he looked quite emotional as well. When it ended we excitedly discussed it and decided right then and there we would BOTH put this into action in our lives that very night! What was this magic secret you ask?

Quite simple: We create our own reality! Everything in the Universe is made up of energy and the Universe does not differentiate between bad energy and good energy...it's all energy...however....
Whatever we put into the Universe, we get back.
The Law of Attraction!

We talked for hours about what we could change, and the plans we had for setting our minds and live straight. We talked for longer than we'd talked for years and it wasn't in anger....THAT alone was the first miracle.

The changes we put into place started the very NEXT DAY! I tell you with all honesty, every single day has shown us another blessing, another positivity, another healing.

I've encouraged so many people to watch that film or read the book 'The Secret'. There's a lot of positive and negative information out there about it. Many people will tell you it's all hooey.....but if you sit down with an open mind and just sincerely apply that simple law to your own life.....
WOW!!!

The crazy thing about it all that it is Magic 101. As many of you know, I'm a witch by religion.....a Pagan if you prefer. This is all stuff I already knew but I was only embracing the negative side of things because that's all I was putting out there.

The one positive thing I had going in all this was my craft....my business...my work. It's where I was happy, where I felt alive and at peace.
That has changed! EVERY aspect of my life makes me happy now because I have learnt to be thankful and grateful for ALL the blessings I was ignoring.

Because of this, *I* have changed.
Because I have changed my life has changed.
People are now asking me what my secret is to all this new found happiness, positivity and peace I have.

The old miserable me would have kept it in like a miser.
The new me shares it profusely because I know that sharing happiness and positivity breeds happiness and positivity. It's Contagious!!!

I love my new life and I am so thankful for everything and every one in it!! If you do nothing else for yourself this year......
Please do this one thing. Embrace it with all your heart and watch the dreams in your own life come glaringly into reality!!

All My Love,

Brittany xxx

PS: This is NOT a paid endorsement, nor did I even get a free copy of this book/film. It's just my own personal experience.

Parenthood....Why Do We Engage In This Insanity?

Someone once told me that God makes children cute on purpose.....so they can survive to adulthood.  I can't help but agree....

 Before you start getting all sanctimonious with me and giving me the hairy eyeball....think about the last time you survived a week on 1.5hrs sleep and half a packet of Peanut M&M's as your only sustenance besides coffee. Oh, and those endless cups of coffee you made....you NEVER got to drink them hot.

What did you come up with?

Me? I simply recalled that time period between birth and age 3.
 Neither of my kids came with a genetic structure that made them sleep through the night until that point.

My daughter (now 17) early on, figured out how to flip herself out of her crib and go exploring. Once pulling all the books off the bookshelf and the VHS tapes (remember those?) out of the entertainment center lost it's appeal; she'd come into my bedroom to "stalk" me like a mini terrorist.

Her favorite form of torture? There were two main ones really.

1. Get as close as humanly possible to mother without actually touching her and STARE!!! If she happens to wake up....it's pretty damn terrifying at 3am to have a toddler staring you down so closely that their eyes merge into one huge cyclops eye. That big blinking cyclops eye combined with hot milky breath all packed into some terrifying evil garden gnome creature will test ANY mother's love!!
              1b: If above scenario does NOT wake mother up (She is, after all, sleep-deprived since about her 7th month of pregnancy up to that point.) Said mini terrorist will then grab her eyelids and pry them open with fat little fingers and stage whisper...
 "You 'wake?!"
This is not a question, this is a DEMAND!

2. Pull back the bedcovers just enough to locate sleeping mother's nipples; grab the nearest nipple (or the furthest one...whatever) and.............PULL!!!........as hard as you can. Watch mother wake instantly, howling in pain and shock and then proceed to fall on your bottom beside the bed and scream bloody murder because SHE scared YOU!

** By the way, this incident ended my days of sleeping nude! **

Now my son (now 8), was a bit more subdued....he didn't require my company for entertainment....just my absence.

This was the child who always embraced his artistic side. Before he could leave his crib he tended to go all Warhol-esque and use his bodily fluids or....well, you know....to decorate the crib, himself and the walls.

Once he became mobile and could also flip himself out of his crib then he would head straight for anything electronic and disassemble it. (Try explaining to your boss that you're late for work because your two year old took apart your alarm clock....seriously try it!)

Is anyone surprised I only have two children?

Yeah, me neither. This is why I chose to go into business really. I needed all that stress, sleeplessness, and lack of social life to function properly. I traded more stretchmarks for more stress wrinkles. A-hem....

Seriously though, back to the parenthood thing~

You love them with all your heart and you'd go through it ALL again because you can't imagine life without them....but.....  I think that's part of the plan...it's part of that parental brain damage we all share.

Today a friend of mine shared this list for prospective parents with me.

 I found myself wiping away tears of mirth, I hope it gives you a chuckle too.

Love,

Brittany xx

Ready to have kids?? take the test!

Test 1: Preparation

Women: To prepare for pregnancy:
1.Put on a dressing gown and stick a beanbag down the front.
2.Leave it there.
3.After nine months, remove 5 per cent of the beans.
Men: To prepare for children:
1.Go to a local chemist. Tip the contents of your wallet on to the counter and tell the pharmacist to help himself.
2.Go to the supermarket. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to its head office.
3.Go home. Pick up the newspaper and read it for the last time.

Test 2: Knowledge

Find a couple who are already parents and berate them about their methods of discipline, lack of patience, appallingly low tolerance levels and how they have allowed their children to run wild.
Suggest ways in which they might improve their child’s sleeping habits, toilet training, table manners and overall behavior.
Enjoy it. It will be the last time in your life when you will have all the answers.

Test 3: Nights

1.Walk around the living room from 5pm to 10pm carrying a wet bag weighing 4-6kg, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly.
2.At 10pm, put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight and go to sleep.
3.Get up at 11pm and walk the bag around the living room until 1am.
4. Set the alarm for 3am.
5. As you can’t get back to sleep, get up at 2am and make a cup of tea.
6.Go to bed at 2.45am.
7. Get up again at 3am when the alarm goes off.
8.Sing songs in the dark until 4am.
9.Put the alarm on for 5am. Get up when it goes off.
10.Make breakfast.
Keep this up for five years — and LOOK CHEERFUL.

Test 4: Dressing small children

1.Buy a real life octopus and string bag with holes in it.
2.Attempt to put the octopus into the string bag so that no tentacles come out of the holes.
Time allowed: five minutes.

Test 5: Cars

1.Forget the BMW. Buy a practical five-door wagon.
2.Buy a chocolate ice-cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
3.Get a coin. Insert it into the CD player.
4.Take a box of chocolate biscuits. Mash them into the back seat.
5.Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Test 6: Going for a walk

1.Wait.
2.Go out the front door.
3.Come back in again.
4.Go out.
5.Come back in again.
6.Go out again.
7.Walk down the front path.
8.Walk back up it.
9.Walk down it again.
10.Walk very slowly down the road for five minutes.
11.Stop, inspect minutely and ask at least six questions about every piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue and dead insect along the way.
12.Retrace your steps.
13.Scream that you’ve had as much as you can stand, until the neighbours come out and stare at you.
14.Give up and go back in the house.

Test 7: Conversations with children

Repeat everything you say at least five times.

Test 8: Grocery shopping

1.Go to the local supermarket. Take with you the nearest thing you can find to a pre-school child — a fully grown goat is excellent. If you intend to have more than one child, take more than one goat.
2.Buy your weekly groceries — without letting the goat(s) out of your sight.
3.Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys.
Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Test 9: Feeding a one-year-old

1.Hollow out a melon.
2.Make a small hole in the side.
3.Suspend the melon from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4.Get a bowl of soggy cornflakes and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon while pretending to be an aeroplane.
5.Continue until half the cornflakes are gone.
6.Tip the rest into your lap, making sure most of it falls on the floor.

Test 10: TV

1.Learn the names of every character from the In The Night Garden, Barney, Teletubbies and Disney.
2.Watch nothing else on TV for at least five years.

Test 11: Mess

1.Smear peanut butter on to the sofa and jam on to the curtains.
2.Hide a fish behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3.Stick your fingers in the flowerbeds, then rub them on clean walls. Cover the stains with crayon.
4.Empty every drawer/cupboard/storage box in your house on to the floor, then proceed with Step 5.
5.Drag random items from one room to another and leave them there.

Test 12: Long trips with toddlers

1.Make a recording of someone shouting ‘Mummy’ repeatedly.
Important notes: there must not be more than a four-second delay between each Mummy, and include occasional crescendos to the level of a supersonic jet.
2.Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for four years.

Test 13: Conversations with adults

1.Start talking to an adult of your choice.
2.Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem or shirt sleeve while playing the Mummy tape listed above.

Test 14: Getting ready for work

1.Pick a day on which you have an important meeting.
2.Put on your finest work attire.
3.Take a cup of cream and put one cup of lemon juice in it.
4.Stir.
5.Dump half of it on your nice silk shirt.
6.Saturate a towel with the other half of the mixture.
7.Attempt to clean your shirt with the same saturated towel.
8.Don’t change (you have no time).
9.Go directly to work.
You are now ready to have children. ENJOY!

Walking Your Own Path

Several months ago I was interviewed by Hat Trick Magazine and featured on the cover of their October 2012 issue.
At first I was so excited to be asked to speak about my path on the way to Posh Brats.

I was honest....painfully honest.....about everything. I didn't want to be another one of those interviews that sugar coated everything like the stars had all alined and golden angels had come down in heavenly chorus and sprinkled pink glittery wishing dust over my life......because that would be a LIE!

Instead, I told the truth about how I got here...how much of this was being in the right place at the right time with a nose for what people want.
It's VERY long hours....most of the time around 14 to 16 per day, 7 days a week. It's about going months without taking a whole day off where you do nothing business related.....but THAT isn't what my point here is.

When that issue came out I excitedly shared it with my friends and family and those closest to me applauded the honesty and thought it was fabulous.....BUT...then there were the others.

I got SO many angry and upset e-mails from folks back home. They felt I showed my roots in a bad light and made them all sound like a bunch of ignorant rednecks because I did not wish to live their lives. It hurt and upset me that I was so harshly criticized for telling MY truth....not theirs....MINE!
I felt like saying.... Just because you choose to marry Bubba Redneck and have a passel of kids and a big ole pickup truck doesn't mean that also has to be MY life.
Sorry.....this little Point Cadet girl from Biloxi, Mississippi has ALWAYS wanted a different path. It doesn't make your path wrong and mine right....just different. That's why we are unique individuals.

The way they acted, you'd have thought I was saying they were all like this. *smirk*
Nothing could be further from the truth. Most Southern folks are as sweet as their iced tea and as gracious, kind, and loving as anyone I've ever met in my world travels. You cannot find better people....even if some of them are a BIT sensitive and disapproving of those of us who choose to escape for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

 

Needless to say I pulled my britches up and got on with my groove on down the yellow brick road of MY destiny!

So, if you find yourself coming against criticism for the life you lead or choices you have or haven't made, this is for you!

Some Life Truths

Unless you are going through life kicking puppies, spreading disease, starting forest fires, murdering innocents, etc.

If you are walking YOUR own path and being true to YOU then guess what?? You ARE doing it right!!

It doesn't matter if it's not the vision someone else has for you, no matter HOW well intentioned they are.

"This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!"

Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 78–82

Wm. Shakespeare

  The basic wisdom of life is that you can only be yourself - you cannot be someone else. Why on earth would you want to be? What you are is so unique and so fabulous and there is only one of you. You might look just like your Mum, Dad, or Great Aunt....but.....you are uniquely YOU!

The only chance you have is to be the best version of yourself that is possible. Since you cannot be someone else, you need to make the best of what is possible in your life. 

In order to become the best version of yourself, your task is to find out who you really are, for what unique reason you are on earth, and what you love doing.

 Be the very best you that you can be and see what opportunities knock at your door and what possibilities you can create.

You have to choose your own way, you have to show what you do with enthusiasm and you have to mean it. It doesn't matter if this is what someone else expects or not; care about whether what you do is a good thing. Be accountable for you!!

Walking your own path means showing discipline, standing up for yourself when necessary, showing self confidence while being modest, moving beyond limitations and obstacles, and supporting the good, fair and just. Learn to endure difficult circumstances, and you'll have more options in life.

Be true and Authentic! If you are not true and authentic, you will never be able to find your own path, because you are walking someone else's path and vision. The world will respect you more if you are an authentic YOU instead of a copy of someone else. You have infinitely more to offer the world than you realize!

There is nothing wrong with asking for advice and even following it to a degree but only YOU can truly know what is best for YOU.

Don't let someone tell you that you CAN'T! As long as it's not illegal or harmful what the hell do you care what someone else thinks of what is best for you???

When someone tells you to not do what you would like to do, always ask yourself

 "How would this person benefit from you not following your plan? Or " What disadvantage would this person suffer from when you followed your plan?"

 If it is an unbiased person and somebody who wants your best, then you should consider listening to this person. However, keep in mind that even good friends might not be able to see the whole picture, or to understand why your chosen path is right for you.

Take a deep breath and find the courage to be yourself and give your all to what you choose to do. Walk that path and rock on with your bad self!!

Much Love and Light,

Brittany xx

Banished to the Naughty Step~ Bad Beauty Habits

I’ve been a bad bad girl......my skin is punishing me with red blotches, enlarged pores, blemishes, and general rotten behavior. Why?

It’s an ugly downward slope and completely unforgivable for someone who calls themselves a ‘Beauty Editor’. Shameful.....I wish I had a valid excuse but the truth is....Lazy....Bad Diet....Too Much Excess!

As I write this I am sitting at my desk drinking 2 litres of plain iced green tea with lots of fresh lemon squeezed and a sprig of rosemary (anti-bacterial) in it. That is my favorite quick fix for re-hydrating my body and thus my skin as well as detoxing.

I thought I would put together a list of bad habits we should all avoid to keep our skin looking it’s absolute best!

1. Do Not Over-Cleanse Your Skin!
If you have dry skin, you should only be cleansing your face with cleanser or complexion soap at night. You’ll be making your problem much worse than you realize!
Rinse with just water in the morning instead, and wash your face with cleanser at night.

2. Change Your Bedlinens
If acne's a problem, your pillowcases may be part of the cause. Pillowcases collect skin oil, dead skin cells, bacteria, and excess night creams; As you toss and turn, all of that is deposited right into your pores. Change your pillowcases at least once a week, but twice is better.

3. Get Plenty of Sleep
Chronic lack of sleep triggers a chain reaction of events that reduces collagen production, cell turnover, and barrier repair.
If you get too little sleep, your skin looks duller and drier, and wrinkles will form more easily.

4. Stop Touching!
Whenever you touch your face, you are transferring whatever is on your hands, such as oil and everyday grime, onto your skin, causing blemishes and aggravating existing blemishes. If you are one of those girls that is always playing with your hair, this goes double for you...your hands are covered in filth you can’t see!

5. Don’t Fall Asleep With Makeup On
This is probably the number one bad beauty habit on every woman’s list. If you don’t remove your makeup before bed, products can build up in your pores and cause blemishes.

6. You Do Not NEED A Tan!
I know that glowing golden skin can be quite enchanting; however, there is absolutely no excuse for continuing to expose yourself to harmful UV rays that can cause melanoma. There have been wonderful advances in the field of self-tanning in recent years. If you MUST be tan to be happy; go for a tasteful (No Essex Oompa Loompa Orange!) wash of faux colour.

7. No Dirty Brushes
You clean your hairbrush and change your toothbrush regularly, right? So why do you let your makeup brushes, which you use almost daily and put near your eyes, fall by the wayside? Try to clean your brushes once a week. Use a mild shampoo and let them air dry. If it’s good enough for your hair, it’s good enough for your brushes!

8. Stop Smoking!
Smoking will not only kill you, it makes you old and ugly....plain and simple! This should be a no brainer. If you smoke, it was time to quit last week. Make the effort to put down the cigs. If the fact that they are bad incredibly awful for you is not reason enough to quit (although it should be), then think about your skin. Cigarettes will make you look much older as they greatly contribute to a blotchy skin tone & deeper wrinkles.

9. Drunken Debauchery
Okay, it may be fun BUT... Every once in a while you like to wind down the day with a glass of wine, am I right? That’s fine. Going out to a club and drinking wayyy too much, than indulging in a few Bloody Mary’s the next morning? Not so good for you OR your skin. Booze increases the inflammatory agents in your bloodstream, which will eventually lead to premature skin sagging. No drunken night, as fun as it may have been, is worth saggy skin.

10. No Pickin’!
I know how tempting it can be to pop a blemish, but you really should try to avoid squeezing your blemishes at ALL costs. Messing with any blemish can cause the bacteria to get further in your skin, which could cause infection and scarring. You can either ride it out while keeping your face clean, or you can use a spot treatment like straight Vitamin E oil or Tea Tree Oil. Just avoid picking at all costs.

11. Water is Nature’s Magic Elixir!
Drinking water can clear up your skin and people often report a healthy glow after drinking water. It won't happen overnight, of course, but just a week of drinking a healthy amount of water can have good effects on your skin. Personally I try to drink 2 liters of water per day. You can also get your water allotment from non-caffeinated, unsweetened drinks like flavored water, herbal teas, fresh juices, etc.

12. Keep It Moist
Some people believe that using lots of moisturizer can increase your skin’s need for the product.Totally UNTRUE! Our skin cannot become dependent on a moisturizer. If you think your skin is dry, moisturizer is the best thing you can do for it.
Wind, cold temperatures and heated houses in the winter can all dehydrate the skin, which can cause eczema to flare up and make the skin itchy and dry. Prevention of this dryness by moisturizing is the single most important factor in protecting the skin from the elements and keeping it healthy.



There you have it....all things you can start right NOW! Don't you love when lists include things you can actually start immediately without the purchase of expensive creams, potions, serums, and "miracle" products?




Love,
Brittany xx

42 and holding.....

Allllllll Aboard the Passive Aggressive Train.....First Stop....RAGE!

 Let me start by saying, I have developed a seriously bad habit since moving to the UK over 7 years ago. I have started to become one of them in some highly unattractive ways......I have become Passive Aggressive.

This is something the British as a whole have perfected to an art. Americans by nature are normally Active Aggressive, they shoot from the hip and they are very rude, loud, opinionated and super aggressive. Not an attractive thing but one can grudgingly respect it to a degree.....You always know where you stand with an American....BUT it doesn't make it right or attractive. It's totally not.

I have failed my people! 
No, seriously....I want to be neither Passive Aggressive or Assertive Aggressive. These aren't good things! This is not the behavior of a person who is kind, thoughtful, giving, polite or most importantly for me, a person grants others a lot of "beingness".

The sort of person I strive to be is ASSERTIVE.
Assertiveness is the ability to stand up for ourselves and to say how we feel when we feel we need to but without being nasty.

 Let me explain here about the thing that is Passive Aggressive behavior and why it is so easy to get sucked into this very bad and negative behavior.

 

Has your internet been down?

Oh, I thought it might be because you didn’t answer my last e-mail.

See what I did there? That was passive aggressive. 
 It was my way of saying, “Did you read my last email? If you did, tell me you did. And if you haven’t read it, please do. And then write me back you twunt.”

Passive Aggressive is a very handy language. It allows you to get what you want without confrontation. Well, actually, you might be confronted, disliked and rejected because people are on to you and how annoying you are, so it doesn’t really work.

But here are some other examples of how you can use it:

Want to say, “I don’t like you and never will”?
  That will never fly. Instead, try mispronouncing the person’s name again and again, no matter how many times they correct you. If it’s Smith, pronounced " Smyyyth,” always pronounce it “Smiff.” Or, even more effective: try calling them by the wrong name altogether, and turning them into an non-entity. Endorra, Samantha’s mother on Bewitched, perfected this technique.

Want to say “I’m attracted to you and I’d like a date with you”? Don’t. What if they say “no”?  Instead, try breaking into their house and baking them a pie but one you know they are allergic to. It will send the person a mixed message, so they can’t accuse you of having the hots for them.

As you can see, passive aggressive comes in many flavors. To make it easy, I’ve broken them down into subcategories, along with examples.

11 main styles of passive aggressive, along with essential phrases (translated into normal person).

So you can become more fluent, or understand someone else who is.

1. Passive Imposing

Technique: Dropping hints in order to ask for something without asking for it. Or, requesting something in the form of an offer.

Phrases:

How’s your cheesecake?
 Or:
Wow, you hardly ate any of your cheesecake. Are you done already?
Meaning: I want to try your cheesecake; but I'm too afraid of looking like a pig and ordering my own.

Do you know of any low-cost hotels near you?
Meaning: I want you to invite me to stay at your house because I'm a cheapskate.

Hey, if you feel like it, how about straightening up a little?
Meaning: I want you to clean, you dirty so and so. Whether you feel like it or not.

2. Passive Resentful

Technique: Expressing hurt or pissed-off-ness with a benign question or a smile.

Phrases:

Hey, did you get the birthday gift I sent you in October? I checked the tracking number and apparently it was delivered, but I’m worried someone else signed for it and it never got to you.
Meaning: You never thanked me for my birthday gift, you rude asshole.

It’s so funny that you would buy a new Louis Vuitton bag when you owe me a thousand bucks. I’m not mad, I just think it’s hilarious.
Meaning: How DARE you buy something when you owe me money! Oh, I’m mad.

Did you have trouble getting here?
Meaning: You are late and rude and in my head I'm smacking you.

So, are you having a really small wedding?
Meaning: How come you didn’t invite me to your wedding? I'm hurt.

3. Passive Braggadocio

Technique: Boasting by quoting someone else’s compliment within a total non-story, or by embedding the boast in a supposedly interesting fact.
Phrases:

Oh my god, this guy last night was chasing me so hard. He was like, you have the most amazing body, can I have your phone number? He was so pathetic. It was really funny.
 Or:
I was trying on these jeans in the store and the sales girl was like, “you should be a model.” I was like, oookayyyy. Whatever.
Meaning: I’m sooooo hot and full of myself. And other people think so, too. Don't you wish you were like me?

George Clooney is actually a really cool guy. So down to earth.
Meaning: I know George Clooney! Why aren't you asking me how I know this? You should be impressed!!

4. Passive Insecure

Technique: Fishing for compliments.  An oldie but goodie.
Phrase:

Oh my god, I'm so fat. I've lost 20 pounds but I STILL can't see it!
Meaning: Don’t I look amazing and skinny. I've lost all this weight but you never celebrate my smaller ass. Say I look amazing!

5. Passive Irritated/ Passive Disgusted (strangers version)

Technique: Giving a bewildered, startled, bemused, or even admiring look when someone does something irritating or outrageously gross.

Phrases:

Whoa! What was that? [While whipping head around every few seconds as though newly startled.]
Meaning: Your public belching is both jarringly loud and grotesque.

Withering look, combined with hand fanning air in front of nose.
 Meaning: Oh you smelly bastards; don't you bathe??!!

Eyebrows raised in mock-impressed, “Wow” expression as shopper in supermarket piles basket full of super processed crap food on conveyor belt with screaming kids hanging off every surface.
Meaning: You’re a low class nobody who contributes nothing to society, and a terrible parent. The reason your children are demon spawn is because you feed them poison and e-numbers!

Excuse me, I think you dropped something!
Meaning: I picked up your litter, which I know you purposely dropped on the curb, in order to shame you. So, shame on you you disgusting creature!

6. Passive Irritated/ Passive Disgusted (friend/ acquaintance version)

Technique: Using an innocent, or faux-helpful statement or question to disguise disapproval.
Phrases:

I'm so glad you took my advice.

Meaning: I'm SO irritated you haven't credited me for your latest accomplishment you ungrateful twat!

Should I pick up those socks? I didn’t know if they were on the floor because you planned to wear them again…
Meaning: You’re a slob, and yes, I do mind cleaning up after you.

How’s your job search going? Won't you be glad when you are independent?
Meaning: When are you going to quit asking me for money and sponging off the government. I pay my taxes and you are a pathetic loser and drain on society!

7. Passive Impatient

Technique: Pretending you’re concerned or just curious when you just want someone to hurry the f*ck up.
Phrases:

Are you okay in there?
Meaning: Other people want to use the bathroom! What are you doing, polluting the planet?

Hey, just checking in because you hadn’t returned my phone call and I was worried something happened to you.
Meaning: Call me back. How rude are you?!

8. Passive Insulting

Technique: Using false praise or a question to hide a total insult.
Phrases:

Do you still go to the gym?
Meaning: Looks like you stopped working out you fat fuck.

You’re so brave, singing in front of other people untrained. I would never have the guts!!
Meaning: You have a horrible singing voice and I would never humiliate myself the way you do.

I’d have such a hard time being single. You handle it really well.
Meaning: I feel sorry for you that you aren't married; why are you so un-lovable?

That’s such a colorful outfit! What a unique style you have.
Meaning: That’s such a hideous outfit and you have absolutely no taste.

9. Passive Corrective

Technique: Feigning dumbness to show superior smartness.
Phrase:

Oh wait, is it en-dick-ted? I always thought it was pronounced en-die-ted.
Meaning: You pronounced that word wrong, fool. You are SUCH an uneducated moron.

10. Passive Defensive

Technique: Apologizing to say that you don’t owe an apology.
Phrase:

I’m really sorry if you took what I said the wrong way.
Meaning: I said nothing wrong, and you’re an overly sensitive pussy.

11. Passive Depressive

Technique: Fishing for sympathy.
Phrase:

Facebook status: “[NAME] has had it.”
Meaning: I am seeking attention. Ask me! Ask me!

There you have it, folks. You see....we who display this sort of behavior really are so transparent. You aren't fooling anyone.
Look, no one likes an openly aggressive person. I get it. So it’s easy to understand why people avoid confrontation and opt for veiled insults instead. But there’s a better alternative.

If you’re upset about something, address the issue face-to-face in a straightforward, professional manner. Don’t attempt to hide what you’re really feeling behind sarcasm or false politeness. Don’t hide behind your computer or an anonymous note.

Note to self: If you can’t say something out loud and in-person, it probably doesn’t need to be said.

So for 2013 I am adding a goal for myself......

Practice Assertiveness! It's much more likely to get the results I want.