How To Determine Your Skin Type

When it comes to choosing the right products for your skin, you always want to make sure that you are choosing the ones which will serve your skin best and produce the best results. For instance, someone who is more combination skin (i.e: oily/dry skin prone), will opt for products that are light and oil free in nature, and include a higher pH acidity to combat the oil in your skin. In order to do this, you have to first determine what your skin type is. 

The four skin types are normal, dry, oily and combination. 

Here are some handy tricks that will help you figure out your skin type!

2020 Skincare Predictions and Trends

There were so many skincare wins in 2019. 

I’m talking about popular skin care products that would take literally weeks to get back in stock in-store or online. Last year, my love of skincare GREW. There is still so much to learn about when it comes to choosing product!

 I think we are going to take even a bigger shift towards taking better care of our skin in 2020.

Why?

I feel like with the age of social media and filters you have to maintain the same skin that you shared online in real life. Also consumers are starting to get more conscious. They want to know everything that is in the product/going on their skin. It’s totally fair to ask- especially with the disease and problems that people are plagued with.

Here are some trends according to (nobody but me) which I think will be really popular in 2020.

Meet Lisa: Spiced Beauty Contributor

Meet Lisa! 

She's a mama of 2 who has an amazing story! 

She will also be writing on the blog for the next 3 months! 

Meet Angela: Spiced Beauty Contributor

One thing I love about my blog is bringing in people from all walks of life to contribute! 

Meet Angela! 

She's a recent University graduate who will be writing on the blog for the next 3 months! 

20 tips to help you save money in 2020

This year, I have added a few costly things to my life- New living arrangements, daycare, new car... need I go on? So I've had to cut back: no more lash extensions, no excessive eating out and no "new" clothing shopping. One thing I'm good at is saving! 

Also these tips might seem random- If one out of 20 helps you (that makes me happy). 

Here are 20 tips to help you save money in 2020.

Self Employed/Entrepreneur Mom: Working from Home with a Baby

Deciding go back to work and not take a full mat leave was a hard decision. I started working "again" when Ava Rose was four months. FYI- I took two months off to prep. Let me reiterate that this is one of the hardest things that I have done BECAUSE I also decided to go to school part-time as well. Looking back on it- it was extremely WILD but I had to do it. 

Why did I go back? 
Living on one income can be tricky because you honestly have to cut back on a lot and I'm spoiled. Well I'm used to doing what I want/when I want. Having to look into my resources to do things I wanted/ having to possibly not do it. NOPE. Not the life for me.

My support system: My family/mostly my mom dedicated a good amount of time a week to come and watch Ava while I caught up on sleep/school work/emails. My brother would come and watch the baby during my classes. This is in addition to help from my husband/dad of course. 

Best Personalized Gifts- Printcious

We can all agree, even though the holidays are fun they can be pretty overwhelming. As a new mom, I'm literally running to get things done. One thing I know is that everyone loves personalized gifts. I feel like they are appropriate for any relationship. From parents to even teachers! 

I was lucky to get an email from Printcious a while back. They make personalized gifts of all types, from shirts to keychains to magnets and even things like phone cases and business supplies.

They let you design your own product right on their website by adding text and images and they even have templates to work with for those of us who might be less artistically inclined. I can't lie- it was pretty quick designing my own little personalized presents that I ordered something for almost everyone in my family!

3 Tips for Stress-Free Last-Minute Holiday Shopping

Just like 90% of the population, I am so unprepared for Christmas. On my plate- first time mom, business owner, wife. Can I add WORK again?!? I totally have not decorated at all. 

I'm low-key nervous to do so with Ava lol..

I'm still going to try to keep things festive. 

Here are three tips from a procrastinator (me) to get through the holidays. 

Gift Guide : Sephora Collection 2019 under $20

Sephora Holiday goodies! 

This was one package that I was extremely excited for! 

And as usual it didn’t disappoint. 

Sephora collection has such a cute spread this holiday season.
I've been a huge Sephora Collection fan for an extremely long time!

*if you don’t believe me- check my old Sephora gift guide posts. 

For the ones who are new to the blog and have no idea how good Sephora Collection products are: You can get pigmented and high quality makeup, fragrance, beauty tools and skin care products for an amazing price point! Everything is EXTREMELY affordable.
Everything in this post can be bought on a $20 budget. 

Gift Guide: The Body Shop picks under $50

The Body Shop is one place that I always make a quick stop to whenever I’m in the mall. I love to go in-store and smell/test plus restock my body butters/shower gels. I was really excited this year when they sent over an amazing box of products for me to test (just in time for the holidays). It’s been a while since I’ve opened up a box and literally fell in love with EVERYTHING inside.

Gift Guide: Quo Holiday Collection 2019

Let’s get a started on this holiday content! 

Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to receive some of the most gorgeous beauty products to my doorstep. Totally made me fall in love with beauty again. 

One of the first beauty brands, I ever spent my money on was Quo. 

There are soooo many gems in the line: From their brushes to their lip glosses. 

Every year they kill it with their holiday collections. 

Here are 5 items that you need to put in your stocking from Quo this year!

Review: Maxi Cosi Magellan Car Seat

I’m happy that I had to opportunity to be a Maxi Cosi mom from day one! I know if you read my Maxi Cosi Lara Travel stroller post. You will know that we requested the famous Zelia stroller from our family (pre-Ava Rose) and I’ve been in love with it ever since. We have been using the bucket seat from when Ava came home from the hospital in my car until 6 weeks ago.

The things about babies/toddlers is that they grow fast. Oh boy, do they grow fast. I mean I just bought a whole bunch of clothes for Ava like 2 months ago and she has already grown them out! Since she is now 16 months and super tall for her age. Recently we started noticing that she no longer comfortably fits in to her car seat in my car. I tried to prolong it as along as I could... But we knew it was time for an upgrade. I was also super lucky and grateful Maxi Cosi gifted us the Magellan Car Seat.

Three tips for your baby when using baby pouch foods

I recently wrote about my thoughts on baby led wending and it was suggested that I also write about baby food as well. We actually still give them to Ava as a "snack' after her naps. It's quick- it fills her up. Plus she just eats them on her own (very little supervision needed)!

Just like everything out there you need to pay attention and follow safety/handling procedures when giving them to your little
one. This will make sure that your baby does not get sick.

The Most Fashionable Streets in The World

As with any specialty, fashion has its superstars. These are companies that you can identify simply by their name as being the best in the business. Real lovers of fashion can tell you where the most fashionable shopping streets around the world are located. Now we live in a high-tech world and the international economy. We can literally partake in anything we choose via the internet. With the use of offshore accounts and the internet, as a client- you will always be served. Business makes new ways to do business every day.

Technology and transportation make it possible for fashion-lovers to enjoy

the great fashion avenues of this era.

Have you heard of Birch + Fog?

15 months ago my life changed for the better! 

How?

I became a mom to an amazingly smart baby girl. I wasn’t prepared for how hectic life would be with my own business and being a stay at home mom... but I’m SUPER busy! Like I hardly get to rest. It sounds like I’m complaining- I’m totally not BUT damn I do miss pre-baby Jenn. That Jenn had TIME now that I look back at it. That Jenn should’ve never complained she was tired... because she did not know what tired was LOL

It’s easy to feel anxious or stressed when you have so much on your plate. Daily I think about... getting my work done, entertaining the baby, make sure food is cooked/available, making sure bottles are ready- and that’s just the surface. Different people unwind in different ways. I was recently contacted by Birch+Fog to try out some products. I won’t lie... overlooked the first few emails because I wasn’t sure if it was the route I wanted to go down. If you don’t know birch+fog are a premium lifestyle collective based in Canada. They specialize in CBD and hemp wellness products.

What is CBD?
It’s a non-psychoactive cannabis compound used for a wide range of ailments including pain and anxiety/stress. **FYI non-psychoactive means no changes in perception or behaviour** Very important to note.

After looking at the site- the curiosity got me and I decided to try out some of their products. 

FYI- I don’t smoke or vape. So these are my unadulterated opinions.

Let me start out by saying this post is not here to educate you on Cannabis in Canada or the different strains and their benefits. I’m just sharing 3 it of 5 products that I got and my 

Buudabomb Vegan Gummies

image via Birch+Fog site

Have you tried: L'Oreal Paris Infallible 24h Fresh Wear Foundation

I love that I get the opportunity to try so try so many different foundations- all different finishes and textures. I have promised myself that I'm going to give myself 6-9 months to write about ALL of them currently in my possession! It's a serious task but it has to be done. As a dark skin girl, do you know how hard it is to find swatches or true images online? I won't leave you hanging!

These days it seems like there are a lot of brands out there that who feel like they have everything that what we want in a foundation. 

But do they truly stack up??

Have you heard of the L'Oreal Paris Infallible 24h Fresh Wear Foundation ($19.99 CAN) ? If you've struggled to find the right foundation that hits a few of your must have lists- this might be the way to go. 

Resort Vacation Must-Haves for Babies or Toddlers under 2

If you follow me on Instagram, you will know that our first family vacation was a bit of a mess. We ended up in Bahamas at the same time as a hurricane. Thankfully, we were in a part of the island that just got a lot of rain and crazy wind... but it honestly could have been so much worse. I don't mean to be overdramatic but I low-key feel traumatized by it. Thankfully, we got home safe and sound.

I am doing to toot my own horn. I did an AMAZING job figuring out what to pack for the baby. That I even OVER packed. I am also so thankful for all the moms I connected with before my trip to figure out what items I should bring for Ava.

My Quick Thoughts Baby-Led Weaning

Starting your baby on solid foods is somehow both fun and daunting. Solids is a huge stage in their development and a sign that you're doing everything right, but it's also stressful. 

• When are you supposed to do it? 
• How much do you give? 
• What is the best way? 
• How can you make easy on your baby?

Four Tips for Travel with a Baby 1 Year Old or Under to Prevent Heat Exhaustion

In September, we went our first family vacation. It was a mess. Two words: Bahamas & Hurricane. I did an amazing job at making sure my baby was cared for when the rain subsided and the sun was OUT! Man it was hot! A bearable hot but the type of hot that would be exhausting for a baby or infant.

The last thing I wanted was ANY heat-related illness- for all of us. Thankfully all those tips that i researched when Ava was a few months-old we're so helpful.

FYI - all of this is pretty self explanatory BUT you wouldn’t believe how easy it is to forget about the simple things when your away from home. 

SPF Is your friend

Please don’t forget to pack this in your suitcase. A lot of people feel like just because they have melanin that they don’t need sunscreen. That’s a complete lie! Wear it! A cool perk from my hotel was that they offered sunscreen to guests on the beach. I should add that there are kid-friendly options as well! On top of that - keep your little ones head fully covered. I had a few bucket hats that I rotated for Ava.

Bottles: Glass vs. Plastic Pro vs. Con

I remember back 20 years ago when glass bottles were the norm. Yes I’m that old. We started Ava on plastic and silicone based bottles... which I don’t regret but there are a few benefits to glass bottles that we have observed in the past few months.

Thank you to Dr. Browns they gifted us Options Glass Wide-Neck starter set!

Not sure if you seen these in-stores but they feature an anti-colic vent system. If you have a baby who takes in a lot of air or gas. You totally need a paced flow! These help reduce feeding issues, helps digestion and also helps to preserve vitamins. I'm thankful that they added nipples for 9+ months for Ava Rose. I waited until baby girl was at least 10 months before I introduced these bottles because I wasn’t sure of the weight and overall sentiment that she would have towards them. 

She does so well with them! I wish I started earlier.

Checked in Luggage: Beauty

This is the first time that I actually didn't pack a lot for a beach vacation... I had to share my suitcase with a cute 1 year old (so I wasn't upset). One thing I wasn't playing with was my skin care. I had my skin care make up a situation all sorted out *hair flip*.

Guest Post: Toddler Hair Care

In the Black community, the topic of natural hair is seemingly never-ending and personally, it’s a favourite of mines. For all intents and purposes, I have two girls ages 2 and 2 months but I will focus on my toddler’s hair care in this blog post.

Charlotte was born with a head of curly hair however, the crown of her hair grew a bit faster than the rest so for awhile, she looked as if she was sporting a fro-hawk. Back in 2009/2010, I learned that the key to what makes black hair thrive (in terms of health and thus, length retention) was moisture and since then, I have implemented the LOC method for myself and even more intentionally for Charlotte’s hair.

The LOC method stands for Liquid, Oil, Cream. This is the specific order that one must apply product to the hair to ensure maximum moisture retention. Similarly, there is the LCO method that stands for Liquid, Cream, and Oil. Since I am such a big advocate for natural hair in all its forms, I implemented this method when Charlotte was about three weeks old.

Crib safety in Canada

As a new mother, I swear nothing gave me more anxiety than then crib.
It stayed empty for like 3 months!

Convincing my little one to finally fall asleep is hard enough at one (All she wants to do is play), but when I put her down in her crib I want to know that she's going to be safe and secure. I heard too many SIDS stories via online and heard about too many close calls that I had to do a lot of research before putting baby girl in there. There are a lot of articles and blog posts that talk about official Canadian crib safety standards. I’m not going to lie some are over dramatic and if your a new mom like me... We just want to learn some simple tips for making our baby's crib safer. Thankfully my months of research has you covered!

Here are a few things I've learned from reading up about crib safety online and speaking to other moms about keeping your little one safe during sleep time.

There are a few obvious ones that I think we all know, like don't give your newborn baby a blanket to sleep with (even though I know it's tempting on cold nights). The best alternative is a sleep sac! We had a few for baby girl that we purchased and received as a gift.