Beach Checklist

Not to rub it in for those of you not taking a trip to the beach anytime soon...but I am super excited about my beach trip this weekend!!! I have been excited for a couple of weeks now actually. As with all trips I take I have to start planning way in advance, buy new outfits, tan, get a pedicure...etc. I have gotten most of these things done already but there are few little last minute things I just learned about that I'd like to do before I leave!!

1. Purchase thickening foam for my hair. It's always good to give your hair a break from blow-drying but it's even better to let your hair air dry when you're at the beach! Since my hair is stick straight, I never usually like to let it air dry because it ends up looking flat. Well I just recently learned a great tip! Let it air dry, then apply some thickening foam. Divide hair into 4 sections and twist into knots on top of head. Before going out, unpin and voila! Instant volume. I can't wait to try it out!

Jonathan Product Infinite Volume Thickening Foam - $24








2. Stock up on black tea. Yesterday I received a great tip from E l l e S e e s on how to soothe sunburn. She says "You'll need a bathtub, pitcher, water, rag, and three bags of black tea. Fill the pitcher with warm water and soak the tea bags in it until the water is almost pitch black.


After stripping down and exposing the affected area, soak the rag into the water and apply it on your skin without wiping it off. It's recommended to do this treatment as soon as possible, or before going to bed so your body can heal itself more effectively. A combination of the cool water and components of the tea (like tannin) help soothe the skin and speed recovery."

Thanks Elle!!! :)

P.S. This isn't the only great way to use black tea! Check out my post Black Tea for Sugar Cravings.

3. Shave with baby oil instead of shaving cream. The baby oil creates a barrier between the razor and your skin that won't rinse off plus it seals in moisture! No razor burn AND smooth, silky legs!

4. Scrub my lips with brown sugar. Using about a teaspoon of brown sugar on a damp cloth to rub on lips will soften them and create a sexy pinkness!

5. Paint my toes purple. According to Self Magazine, astrology can tell you what your perfect summer shade is. My sign is Libra and it says "Libras are the arbiters of taste; they love to spot the next new thing...demonstrate your fearless fashion prowess with a double coat of grapy purple polish." While I don't necessarily believe in horoscopes, I think purple would be a pretty change from my usual bright pinks! If you want to find out what your horoscope's summer shade is, click here!

6. Perfect the messy rope braid hairstyle. I found this cute hairstyle on ...love Maegan and I think it's perfect for the beach!!

 What are some of y'alls favorite beach trip essentials??

Black Tea for Sugar Cravings

There are a few people out there who don't care for sugar and sweets. I'm not real sure what happened to them at birth...but most of us, including me, crave sweets!! Since I'm currently on hormone replacement and a diet, I have a seriously hard time not eating a whole cake or box of cookies every day!! I have found a great way to help curb those cravings!!! Read on!

Black tea contains many specialized carbs called polysaccharides. These help slow glucose entry into the bloodstream. This is what helps with erractic blood sugar fluctuations. Those same polysaccharides also inhibit alphaglucosidase, an enzyme that converts starch into glucose to further control your blood sugar. The wonderful result?? You will be free of sugar cravings, feel full longer and help melt off belly fat faster! Sounds like a no brainer huh?? Lucky for you guys, I have already tried this! They say to drink around 4 cups of black tea each day spread out during the day. I only drank one or sometimes two cups per day and it still worked!! Unfortunately I got tired of making black tea every day so I haven't drank any for a couple of weeks. However, when I was drinking at least a cup a day, my sugar cravings were non-existent. It was amazing!!! Make sure not to add any milk or cream because it will hinder the absorption of the tea's beneficial compounds. I added a little bit of stevia to mine to sweeten it up without adding any calories. I will have a post on stevia vs. sugar substitutes soon!! Make sure to check it out! If ya'll are plagued by those pesky sugar cravings during the day and it's holding you back from losing weight, try black tea! It has definitely helped me and I know it will help you too! This way, when ya'll are trying out my cupcake recipes, you won't be tempted to eat the whole batch!