Get that Glow, naturally and clean!

Today we are getting into self tanners. I would like to say, I'm quite seasoned in all sorts of tanning. I did professional spray tanning for over 10 years, built an entire business on tanning all the folks in the country music scene here in Nashville. As a teen in the 2000's I did enough damage to my skin to live in fear of a tanning bed and laying out in the sun nowadays. But, I do love a nice glow to the skin. I have used SO many tanners. I used the good, the bad, and the ugly! I used one once that made me look like I had a green tint and had to leave it on for 24 hours and then wash off to reveal a dark, golden glow, that still did not look natural. I have smelled and sacrificed many sheets sleeping with these tanners on. Some work, some didn't. The ingredients in self tanners that I used make me shudder to even think about it. 

Self tanners definitely have improved over the years but there is one big thing I had a problem with. Even when I spray tanned my own clients I still lacked in this department- hydration! You had to sacrifice your skin's hydration for a tan. And I really hate that! I tend to be on the dry side anyways, so not putting lotion on even once after showering is not fun for me. I can just feel my skin getting drier by the second!

But I am here today to tell you- there is hope! There a clean, naturally beautiful, hydrating self tanner out there! With lots of options! Beauty By Earth is a clean brand with high standards and I really love everything about them! I have been using their tanning lotions and mouse for years and it just works! It smells good, it has fantastic ingredients, it gives a beautiful glow that you can get from one use or you can layer to get a darker, buildable glow. And!! It hydrates!! You are getting beauty benefits while tanning. Can you ask for more?? Let's go over all the options shall we?

First off I have to say- all Beauty By Earth tanners have zero dyes, synthetics fragrances, parabens, or fillers. They are made with vegan ingredients. They are leaping bunny certified, powered by clean air, minimal waste, clean ingredients only, recyclable packaging, and plastic neutral partnership.  

Self Tanner Drops- I love this concept. It's easy to add into your skincare and body-care routine. You don't change a thing- just add a couple drops into your moisturizer and you're good to go. Another thing I love about it? You can really customize this one. The more drops, the darker it is. The more often you add it into your moisturizer, the darker you get. Easy. 

Mousse- I love a mousse. These are super easy to apply and I find that a mousse gives you more color quicker! This mousse smells amazing, dries quick! It's my fave!

Lotions- This option is great when you really want to build a tan or if you're quite fair. Plus, if you find tanners fade quick because you're so dry- this is the one for you! This lotion adds so much hydration on top of a beautiful, buildable tan. 

**I also love that Beauty By Earth has a face specific lotion for tanning. This doesn't clog pores, it has anti-aging ingredients and tans?? You know I love a good multipurpose product and this is it!!

Face Tanner Serum- This is so easy to apply to the face and add a glow. But hear this- if you're new to tanning the face use the face tanning lotion! But if you're a seasoned pro like I am- the serum is fantastic! You throw this on before your moisturizer or face oil and you're good to go!

Self Tanning Water Mist- Y'all,  I love this. Spraying this mist on the face is one of the easiest ways to get a glow. I still use all the products above for different purposes, but if I ever feel like I need a little boost of color on the face or, I have used a product that has gotten my tanner to fade faster on my face (which lots of products do!) this mist is perfect! Our faces tend to turn the skin cells over faster anyways due to our regenerating products, exfoliations, etc so this mist is the perfect fit to keep that glow!

And the biggest thing of all-- Beauty by Earth has high standards in their products and ingredients and they do so much good for our Earth. What more can you ask for? 

Check them out here: https://beautybyearth.com/?sca_ref=1412266.RMtuDjurOX

use "naturallytruebeauty12"for a discount too! 

Ok, a little preface here. So, I have been working on this blog post for over a year and a half. The pictures I'm going to attempt to share (I'm not very good with computers, lol) are almost 2 years old. I have a passion for wanting to inspire and influence girls to love and appreciate their bodies. I have had a long, long journey with this and it's a true calling of mine to change how we perceive "beauty." I want to inspire and encourage women to love themselves and not be influenced by Hollywood, celebrities, society, and the media. But honestly, I have a hard time practicing what I preach. That's why this blog post has been in the works for years. For one, it's so scary to put yourself out there, even if it is something you're passionate about. Second, it's scary to actually admit and put into words things you have gone through. But after today's fire that was lit, all because of one of those damn Kardashians sharing a lollipop appetite suppressant, I'm ready. I'm tired of getting angry and wanting to make a change but then being held back by being scared or uncomfortable about sharing something I'm so passionate about.

Something needs to be done & I'm ready to share my story, my journey, and I hope this makes you feel like you're not alone, and hopefully inspire you to want to share only truth, love, and passion to others (especially other females), and let's really make a difference.

Hi all! I hope all is well! This blog is going to be super personal and I'm excited and honestly, a little scared to write it. This is something I am very passionate about. The majority of my life I wanted to be famous. I wanted to be a fashion designer, the next Vera Wang, a big event planner, a news anchor, a model, a dancer on Broadway, a Rockette. Deep down out of all these careers I wanted to inspire girls. I wanted to inspire girls that they could do whatever they wanted and succeed. But my main goal was I wanted girls & women to love themselves. The older I have gotten the more I realize I do not need to be famous to inspire. That's where my blogging comes in. I don't blog because I think I'm a know-it-all. I blog because I want to share what I know and hopefully help or inspire even just 1 person. Majority of my blog focuses on health, beauty, recipes, beauty foods, beauty products, skincare knowledge, all that good stuff. But, what I also want to write about is something that means so much to me. I have a huge passion for helping us women realize that we are beautiful just the way we are. Every single year I challenge myself to love my body & love who I am. I'm tired of wasting my life feeling fat, uncomfortable with my body, unhappy with how I look, and constantly bashing myself. I literally have done this for over my life. There is so much more to life than worrying about getting that perfect body.

I have been a wide range of body shapes and sizes in my 33 years of living. I was this chubby little girl with glasses growing up. Until around 6th grade I turned into this tall, lanky girl. I even remember instances, at 11 years old, where I would be at church and people would see me, now tall and lanky, and say, "wow! you look totally different from your church directory picture."Or, "man, compared to that picture, you're just going to get better with age." Umm..who says this to an 11 year old? From a very young age I realized looks were tops. And unfortunately looks were all that seemed to matter. I turned into that awkward junior high stage, but really got into ballet, tap, and jazz. Wearing a leotard all the time and being around mirrors REALLY makes you aware of your body. You're in a class with a very wide range of ages as well. I was in my little awkward phase at the time, but just looking up to these older girls in the class and I remember thinking how amazing it would be to look like them one day. I wanted the pretty silky hair, the flawless skin, and their perfect figure. Let's throw in spandex leotards and midriff baring dance recital costumes and that really sent me into a tizzy. We would get our dance costumes and I would stress and cry about how awful I looked in the costume. I was like 12!! How does this happen? Why should any little girl feel like that. I'm not blaming dance. I loved dancing. I think it instilled so much more than a very skewed body image issue. But, for this blog and this subject, it's just what I dealt with. Then I moved into high school. The first few years I was just trying to get by and figure out my way through our giant high school.  I continued dancing and committed to more extracurricular activities, one of which was color guard marching band which included tons of hours of practice and hard work. I really thinned out and turned into a tall, skinny, cute girl. I noticed I got a lot more attention, from everyone. Family members, friends, boys, strangers, family friends, church members, whoever was around would make notice of how pretty I was. (I'm not bragging here, hang with me) It quickly became an obsession to always be the best. And I noticed the more weight I would lose, the more attention I would get. It became a fast way for me to notice that I got the attention a teenager so needs and desires. I could gauge my weight to the attention I was getting. It actually still haunts me to think how sad that is, and how true it actually was.

At around 16, I was battling with constantly picking myself apart and measuring myself up to every other girl around. It literally would consume my entire thought process, and that's awful. At 16 I am feeling the pressures of what you need to look like, what you need to do, and what size you need to be to get attention, and be perfect. I got the fun little homecoming court stuff, and got the attention. But, I still wasn't happy. I was actually worse off than I am now. When I was super skinny, I was obsessed. Every girl that passed me, I judged myself against her. Every food I ate, I counted calories and I would feel myself getting "bigger." I would stare at myself in the mirror in disgust of what I looked like. I would wish I looked different, like a model. I would sit and compare myself to other girls all day. I was desperate to be thin. It took over my life. I remember just worshiping these celebrities and models. I would buy magazines and just study these models. I would dream and wish to look like them. That's all I wanted, and it just makes me sad. I look back at those days, and all I think now is, "wow, you really wasted a lot of youth on wishful, negative thinking." I beat myself up when I didn't need to. I spent my carefree teen years stressing over my body size. I compared myself to everyone, all the time. I based my importance on my pant size. I was supermodel skinny & still wasn't happy. Happiness comes from the inside. (corny I know, but it's true!) Today, when I look back on my teen years, I do have happy memories but my main memories are based on comparison to others, always looking for a reason to justify eating (yikes guys, that's not good), and having this really unrealistic vision of success, beauty, and the purpose of life.

During my teen years I would workout obsessively and eat maybe 1 can of tuna a day. Not good you guys. I obviously had eating disorder issues and some body image issues. I never admitted it for many years. It went on for many, many years. The stress of relationships, college, dealing with getting into the real world outside of school, controlling my eating and my body was the way to cope. Here I am many, many years later still struggling. I don't starve myself. But, I still am so critical of myself. But here I am at 33. I eat well, because it makes me feel great. I don't control, count, or obsess over what I eat. I focus on balance, living life to the fullest, but also taking care of my body. I workout because it makes me feel good and I should utilize my body to its utmost potential. I do what I do because it's good for me and it's about taking care of yourself. I do all the right things (most of the time, I mean a girl's gotta live life and have a drink and some desserts too) but I believe I live a very healthy balanced life. Yet, now I'm 33 and trying to figure out what a "healthy" Andrea is.

I have studied and grown so much about taking care of yourself and eating right, eating clean, etc. But I pick my body apart. I've realized I am picking myself apart but I don't even know what a healthy Andrea is. The majority of my life I have lived in a controlled, obsessed eating mindset that deprived myself of food, I don't even know what a healthy me is! I don't know what a healthy weight is for me. I don't know what a healthy-looking Andrea is. I have had in my mind of my body when I was in highschool and college for so long, I forgot, I wasn't healthy at all at those times. I'm comparing myself to a completely different person from the teenage Andrea. She wasn't healthy, she was lost, and really confused. That teenage Andrea was in a really unhealthy mindset and I don't think anyone should compare themselves to that kind of person. Where I am now, is ok. It's ok to not be stick thin. It's ok to not wear a size 4. It's ok to eat 3 meals a day and meal prep, and eat clean. But it's also ok to enjoy and indulge once in a while.

I am who I am. And this is me, this is how I look, and this is how my body is. I take care of it, I workout. But it's all a balance. It's not forced, or obsessed over. This is just me & I'm doing the best I can. I need to appreciate and love who I am & what I do for myself. I need to focus on the good, and always be grateful for all I have. And that's beautiful. And that's what makes me happy.

Happiness comes from a grateful heart, a kind heart, a heart that's caring,loving. Happiness comes from not comparing yourself to others and realizing we are all completely different and we are all beautiful. I am loving that we are at the point of celebrating plus sized models. It makes me feel so good to know that the definition of beauty is changing in society. I love that magazines are highlighting the beautiful women that scream , "Look at me! I'm not the "norm" and I'm freakin beautiful!" We still do have a long way to go though. I do too. That's why us women gotta stick together and help one another & encourage one another. My age range is tough. We grew up in the time of all these celebrity and models being unrealistically skinny. Not only did we grow up in a very societal idea of what we are supposed to do, be, and look like. We grew up with our older generation having this same mindset. Let's not pass this on. We are on the verge of some major changes in how society views women, beauty, what's "perfect," bodies, health, lifestyle, etc.

We need to continue to share our stories as scary as they may be. We need to stand up for what we believe in. And sometimes we need to call some things out when they're not ok. Because keeping our mouths shut isn't going to help either. The media, society, and unfortunately a lot of our younger generation idolizing celebrities and their lifestyles need to be changed. Celebrities are so disconnected from the real world and the almighty dollar really controls their lives and their decisions. I'm sorry, I'm not going to let that influence me. So let's please not let it influence young eyes. We've got to stop supporting these really unhealthy ideals. It's not okay to suck on a lollipop to suppress your appetite. It's not ok to drink a tea that makes you shit all the time to be skinny. It's not ok to workout multiple times a day to lose your baby weight or to look good for an event, it's not ok to share the carrot sticks and celery you're eating for "lunch" to lose weight. We are putting these ideas in our heads that if we don't workout two times a day, or eat 4 carrots then we feel guilty. There should be absolutely no pressure to fit into a runway sized dress, or to lose baby weight ever!There should be pressure to love yourself and take care of yourself, and put yourself #1.

We shouldn't post gym pics as a punishment or a "ehhh I have to workout because I ate such & such yesterday." We should be working out to take care of ourselves and we should be working out because we can move our bodies and we want to take care of them. But, society has given workouts a very negative persona. We think we do it because we splurge on dinner, or we need to weigh a certain weight by such and such time. This is not ok. We need to take care of ourselves and yes, move and lift weights, and do cardio. But not for punishment, but because we want to take care of ourselves. We shouldn't post food pics of how you're depriving yourself. We should share healthy recipes that are good for us and make us feel good. But not limiting ourselves to raw veggies, and water all day. It makes people that are genuinely trying to take care of themselves or eat better feel like shit when you see a celebrity or anybody on social media eating very little and basically making it sound like this is what you do to look a certain way. That's not ok.

We have to remind ourselves that what we see in pics, on social media, and on tv aren't real. All these images have been touched up more than we can ever imagine. Nobody has flawless, perfect skin. None of these girls asses don't have dimples and cellulite in them. It's just not real. There is a person using software to change how they look, thin things out, lighten & brighten, and smooth. We have to constantly keep reminding ourselves, that's not real. Literally, everything down to that person is not real. Most likely even that celebrity they are photo shopping is so detached from reality, they don't even know who they are anymore. And that's sad & that's not true beauty either.

True beauty are the people who actually have these huge platforms and they're using them to make this world a better place & make a difference. True beauty are the moms out there putting themselves first for once, and wanting to give themselves a workout every once in a while, or a massage, whatever they need to take care of themselves to be better moms. True beauty are women supporting other women. True beauty are people sharing their stories even though it's scary. True beauty is following your passion. True beauty is taking time to figure out who you really are and what your purpose is on this Earth and following it. True beauty is making a difference in the world. True beauty is being kind. True beauty is love. True beauty is out there everywhere, we just have to actually look for it and give that attention. Not this fake beauty that we are distracted by right now.

I did this photo shoot almost 2 years ago with my talented photographer friend Joy. I told her my dreams of inspiring women, putting myself out there to hopefully make them go, "you know what? She doesn't have the body of a super model, but she's putting herself out there & she's doing it. Maybe I should try ...." All I wanted was to share these pics and hopefully inspire others to realize o everyone has a certain body shape or size, and that's ok. You don't have to be a certain size, height, or have a specific look to inspire others. So we took the pics. I received them back. And never shared them because all I did was tear myself apart. I felt like I had grown so much from highschool Andrea, and I went right back there. I went to ripping myself apart, comparison, jealousy, and feeling really stupid for even thinking I could make a difference. And guess what? I didn't do anything about it, so I really didn't make a difference. I just kept going, still with a dream, but not with any motivation.

Well let's fast forward to present time and I've done another photoshoot and with some major pep-talking from my sweet friend Joy. I'm putting myself out there. I'm doing this and I'm going to make a difference. I do not want anybody who gets on my blog or my instagram to feel like they're not good enough, ever. We're getting real and vulnerable here from now on. It's about being real, and being scared, but also putting yourself out there to really bring awareness and make a change. So the pics on this blog are the ones from almost 2 years ago. Joy did a fantastic job taking the pics and I am so grateful and thankful for strong, beautiful friends like her. It's time to put myself out there and let's make a difference. More to come gals!

Micro Needling Easy Users Guide

I'm sure you've heard a lot about micro-needling, or derma rolling. I have had so many people ask questions about this new skin trend and at first, I was skeptical. Honestly, I still am in some ways. I'll elaborate in the coming up paragraphs. But first, let's do a quick breakdown of derma rolling,

Derma rolling is basically hundreds of tiny, little needles that create a controlled wound on your skin. When you create these micro-injuries to your skin, it increases cell reproduction and it helps your skin produce more collagen & elastin. Why do we need to roll needles on our skin? Because this puts your skin into "healing mode." Doing so, it creates pumped up production of collagen and elastin to compensate to this wound & then, viola! Plump, smooth skin! Micro-needling (derma rolling, whichever. I'll probably switch what I call it, but it's the same thing) can help smooth scarring, help the skin plump up for a more youthful appearance, lighten hyperpigmentation, plump lips, and help with under eye puffiness.

I was not really on board with this for the longest. And the reason why is this-multi-level marketing. I totally understand how it works. There's no arguing that it works, if you've ever studied how the skin works But, I just am not 100% confident that anybody and everybody should be promoting this! We need to be very smart about how to correctly use this tool. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure most (some) people know what they're talking about when they're suggesting to roll a toll with needles all over your face. But, you really need to make sure you're consulting some sort of skincare professional. So, buy the tool where you want, but just please use it responsibly.

Not only was a skeptical about the tool, I was skeptical about the procedure you can get done at a dermatologist or skincare studio that provides micro-needling. I'm sure you've seen tons of versions of this procedure done. It can be very scary. My suggestion is if you do it on a professional level-make sure you research and trust where you go! If you purchase a derma roller online-buy it from a reputable source and make sure to read lots of reviews!

Here's the main difference- the tool you can purchase, can only go a certain depth in. So, this will be great as upkeep after doing the microneeding professionally. Or, if you just want a great way to upkeep your skin, give it some rejuvination, and use it as a weekly regimen, I say go for it. Microneedling at a spa is going to be way more in depth. I absolutely love this procedure! I have been trained with SkinPen. We did a lot of research between all the different brands that provide this service, and we really felt comfortable, and really enjoyed the results of the brand SkinPen. This type of wand is pretty fool-proof and researching like we have, I totally trust this brand and will only use them. Basically doing a real, salon service like SkinPen is just a way more amped up version of a derma rolling. But, you have a professional gage how deep into the dermal level that we need to go. You can adjust how deep you go and the specialist can really focus on the issues at hand, This will really bring up redness, cell production, and keep Collagen 1 producing for up to 6 months after the procedure! Doing this procedure will give you dramatic results-fast! There could be some pain (slight sunburn feeling to me) and redness, but it's a pretty serious service, so that usually comes with the territory. So as you can see, it's a very effective, dermal level, service. And the results are so impressive! If you have severe discoloration, scarring, sagging skin, really just need a serious boost-this professional service is for you & its AMAZING!

But, if you cannot find a place near you, you don't feel like your skin needs that serious of a service, or you cannot afford the service (it's pretty pricey) then the derma roller will definitely give your skin a nice little boost.

Ok, here's some pointers-

Some fave derma rollers of mine-
Stacked Skincare Collagen Boosting Microroller $30 (stackedskincare.com)
Glow Girl Cosmetics Roller (prices vary) (glowgirlcosmetics.com)
You can always buy one on amazon, but I say make sure to read the reviews and you're ordering it from a reputable source!

There are different sizes. I would suggest at first-0.3mm or a 0.5, but if you get a 0.5 really ease into this routine! You can find some with different rollers you can take on & off and adjust the depth. You can even use these on stretch marks and cellulite! I would suggest a 0.5 or a 1.0 on the body. But like I said, ease in!

Remember, you can still damage your skin doing this at home, so be safe and go easy!

Make sure you pair your derma roller with a great serum. Y'all know me, I'm a natural gal so I do not use heavy-duty serums like a growth factors or stem cells. But, if you don't mind and you want a serious skin boost-go for it because it'll really amp up your results! It's important to add a serum into your derma rolling routine because it will help your skin absorb these powerful serums up to 90%!!! So, for me, I focus on serums with peptides (major anti-aging ingredients) or hyaluronic acid (holds 1,000 times its weight in moisture!), and  antioxidants. Ingredients to avoid while micro needling-retinols (before you roll) or vitamin c's.

Ok, first thing you want to do before you start aerating your face is exfoliate! I like to do a little scrub (MyChelle Sugar Scrub is my fave) then you can do a little chemical exfoliation of some sort. You can do a chemical peel or a fruit enzyme. Fruit enzymes are my absolute favorite!
A few favorites-
MyChelle Fruit Fiesta Peel (mychelle.com)
Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask (tataharperskincare.com)
Chantecaille Hibiscus Smoothing Mask (chantecaille.com)

Ok, next-serum! Apply 1 layer on to skin.

Now-take your derma roller and gently (gentle people!) roll over your skin. You can roll up & down, side to side, diagonally. Do 2 passes. You can tell you're doing it correctly when you see a slight flush to the skin. Not bright-red, and bleeding. Just a little flush. We want our skin to have blood flow come up to the surface, not break the surface. So go gentle, pass over twice, you'll look slightly pink.
I hit my neck, but go even more gentle here. You can go under eyes, but only on the orbital bone-no closer! And do not hit the eye lids! You can go over your lips too!

Next-add another layer of serum on top! If you want (and you're not super sensitive or this isn't your first time using this roller, and only at night, you can add a retinol-my fave MyChelle Remarkable Retinal Serum-it's safe & non-toxic!) My favorite serums to use-
Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum (juicebeauty.com)
MyChelle Apple Brightening Serum (mychelle.com)
MyChelle Ultra Hyaluronic Serum (mychelle.com)
MyChelle G2 Instant Firming Serum (mychelle.com)
MyChelle Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Serum (mychelle.com)

Can you tell I like MyChelle products? Ha! I mean, they all work so well!! When it's good, it's good!

If you're hitting the roller on your orbital bone and lips, apply a nice, gentle eye cream & a hydrating lip balm!

After the serums, apply a moisturizer & you're set!

You can derma roll a few times a week if you would like. It's completely up to you! I would suggest at least once a week. To clean, I spray alcohol on mine and replace it often!

Also, if you need a visual-hop on to my instagram and watch my video tutorial on how to do it!

 Enjoy and Happy Rolling!

Dairy-Free Living

Hi all! I hope your 2018 has been well so far! Mine has definitely had its ups and downs already! I have seen this meme popping up around social media and let's just say, I completely stand for this and 100% agree.

I totally believe in fresh starts, and new year, new goals. But I also don't think at the strike of midnight on New Years, that you magically feel motivated and ready to go either. Sometimes, I think it's best to just feel it out for a bit. Wait & breathe. That's how January was for me. There is so much going on, so many great opportunities, and I just need a moment to figure it all out! So, here we go February let's do this! So, one thing I'm wanting to work on is eliminating dairy from my diet. (By the way, I hate the word diet, I don't "diet" I like to eat as clean as possible, but the word lifestyle didn't flow. So, diet is the only word I think will work on this one.) Not 100% all the time. But, for the most part. Here we go-


Ok, don't let the title fool you. I'm not dairy free yet. But I'm trying. I am being realistic though. My theory on life is, it's too short. You gotta enjoy everything! So, while I'm home I will eat dairy free. But, if there's a charcuterie board in front of me and I'm enjoying some wine with friends-I will enjoy it. Mexican food-queso is just going to happen. Family events-I'm not going to make them substitute dairy on my expense. If I'm in France, I'm going to chow down on some bread and cheese. But, how often am I at a Mexican restaurant or in France. It's not often, it's all about balance & moderation. You get what I'm saying?

So, while I'm at home enjoying my tea or coffee I will chose to go dairy free. But, I have had the hardest time!! I can make a vegan ranch, I can enjoy a vegan cheese. But why has coffee creamer been so difficult???? I think it's a combo of flavor & texture. It's like dairy free creamers are like water. No good. I want a creamy aspect to be added to my coffee. And I haven't found many dairy free creamers that add this to my coffee. Another issue-flavor. I just feel like most dairy free creamers have this odd fake sweetener flavor that I'm not up for.

I have tried maybe 2 non dairy creamers that will do. And I mean that, they will do. They don't make me want to throw my half & half in the trash can and do a victory dance though. So, here's the two I can handle in a pinch-

 Ripple is from Target. Like I said, it'll do. It's still not my favorite substitute. But, if I'm at Target, trying to cut those trips down in 2018 as well, I will buy it to avoid another grocery store stop. But, my #1 creamer go-to is this beauty right here-

 Califia has great non-dairy products. I love pretty much everything they make! They have great flavored options as well! This right here though is my fave. I don't like a flavored coffee. I just like to add a creamy aspect to it so this right here is wonderful. It's good. It will definitely do. Some days when I don't feel like busting out the milk frother, this is my go to. It's convenient & delicious. Still on those lazy mornings when I want to really relax and indulge in a latte-like coffee, this doesn't foam up when I put it in my frother. So, your good regular mornings where you need your coffee & run-this is a win! If you want this foamy, frothy yumminess like this

This is what you need to get-

I buy mine on amazon. And as you can see, it is $13.39 to be exact. So, I read an article about this new non-dairy creamer option on Well & Good, so of course I hopped on the blog to read about it. They were talking about coconut cream powder. I went straight to amazon to get some! I didn't find as many options of coconut cream powder, and the ones I found were waaaaay too much. I think I found 6-1.76 oz. packs for $14. This bag right here is a pound for $13. So I went for the coconut milk powder instead of the coconut cream powder. I think the coconut milk powder still adds a great amount of creaminess to my coffee so I'm sticking with this one until I can find a coconut cream powder that is even close to this amount for that price! I will say, I have seen a few more articles about the coconut cream powder, so maybe we will see more options pop up soon! But for now, I'm sticking with this!

How I make it- super simple you guys! I get my coffee going, while that's going I add a splash of almond, cashew, or coconut milk into my frother. Whatever non-dairy option you want will do. Hell, if you want to add some non-dairy creamer in your milk frother go for it! So, add enough milk to the bottom of the frother to fill about 1/4 up from the fill line. Then I add about 1 tablespoon of the coconut milk creamer to the cup and really make sure you mix it up to get rid of clumps. The package comes pretty much vacuum sealed, so when I get mine, I get a big glass jar with a tight-sealing lid, and i break up all the powder and put it in the jar! Makes for an easy-access situation. So once you mix the powder with the non-dairy milk, press the on button on your frother and bam! you're done! So simple!! Plus, it's the best latte ever! I like it more than the coffee shops! Here's my frother and my fave coffee!

 This milk frother is awesome!! We received the entire Starbucks Verismo system for Christmas a few years ago and just love it! This little baby really makes a coffee special!

This is my favorite coffee ever!!! I really stretch this coffee by mixing 2-3 scoops into just my regular organic coffee I use. I tend to not love flavored coffee but this one right here is amazing! I discovered it while I was working a La Mer facial trip in Jackson, Mississippi. I fell in love with this flavor and their Southern Pecan. I drank at least 2 cups a day, lol, while I was working in Jackson. I was so sad to part with this coffee I looked it up and found that this coffee is from Memphis! Now, whenever I drive to Little Rock, or Jackson for work, Corey and I take a little stop in Memphis to stock up on our favorite coffees to take home, and we always order a coffee for the road! This is sometimes at Kroger here in Nashville. But it's not consistent so I have no idea where to lead you. But, check out their instagram @uglymugcoffeetn and their website! They always have great deals going on!

Ok, I hope this helps in your dairy free coffee creamer journey! I will keep sharing my dairy free wins on my instagram as well! @naturallytruebeauty

Lots of love!
  Andy

Self Care tip

Hi All!! I hope 2018 has been treating you well so far! So far, so good over here! I have been working on a great vision book, no more vision boards. We have upgraded. So now I can take it with me everywhere I go and also take notes & adjust my goals and visions. It's a great way to really break down all your goals as well, and really get into detail with your dreams. I feel like when it comes to goals and visions-details are the best! It will really help you visualize exactly what you want!

Ok, here's a quick blog on a subject I'm sure a lot of you are wanting to work on. SELF CARE! Here is one of my most favorite ways to self care. It's so good for you, and the health benefits are superb. So let's get started!

Dry Brushing. I know you have been hearing about this A LOT. Dry brushing has been around for ages. But, within the last year I have really been hearing all about the buzz of dry brushing. I was introduced to dry brushing about 5 years ago when I was doing a beauty event for La Mer skincare and we did a dry brush event. Let me tell you, 5 years ago people were not too keen on me scrubbing them with a dry brush. .They were very confused. But now, I bet you they're all bragging about it. "Oh I did dry brushing 5 years ago.." you know how that goes.

Anywho, it's a real beauty buzz word and I really hope this one sticks! It's easy to do. It kinda forces you to take even  just a moment and do a little self care on you. And the benefits are wonderful.

Here's what you do-

Get you a simple scrub brush, One of those brushes you see for scrubbing your back. Buy it! Make sure it has firm, natural bristles. Nowadays you can also find a brush dedicated to dry brushing. Get you one that has a detachable handle.

Next, take a moment of your life. Stop, take a break, and give yourself some me time. Easy right?

You want to do this before you shower. So get the brush, start at your feet. I start at the very bottoms of my feet and do short strokes upward.

*Remember* you want to do all your strokes TOWARDS your heart!

Long, smooth strokes are the key! Focus each area around 10 times, Always brush towards chest/heart

So, start at the feet and do upward strokes towards the heart. Slowly go around your feet, your ankles, go up your legs slowly and move on up. You never want to go back down where you've been so make sure you hit all areas of your leg and move upward. Do each leg, and you're set!

Next-I do stomach. Do circular, clockwise strokes UPWARD towards the heart. I start at my lower abdomen and move up to about where your bra would hit.

Then do the arms-I start at the palms, and do strokes towards the heart. Move from the palms, to the hands, to the wrists, forearms, and move upward. When you get to your shoulders just do light brushes towards heart on chest.

Done! So easy!

Next shower. Hop out of shower &  load yourself down with a moisturizer. I like to use the specific oil geared towards my dosha in ayurveda. So I use a coconut oil based moisturizer. Done!

While I'm dry brushing and showering I really amp up my self care regimen by putting on a mask. Just let that baby set while you're doing all this. Done! Full body love!

Here's the benefits

Main benefit to dry brushing is that it increases circulation to the skin. This can reduce the appearance of cellulite. Enough said-where's my dry brush?

Dry brushing is a super effective way to shed dead skin cells. Which in turn means-smooth, glowing skin!

It truly is like an anti-aging service to your skin. The dry brush will remove dead skin cells which also helps pep up your cells to reproduce fresh, new, plump skin cells.

Dry brushing helps with lymphatic drainage and improving your blood circulation.

You get a really clean slate when you dry brush. When you dry brush you clear oil, dirt, and debris from your pores.

Dry brushing is a great energy boost! Do it in the morning and it will really get your day started right!

Dry brushing is a great detox! By releasing the toxins when you dry brush, it encourages the body to discharge waste so your body will be more effective.

Dry brushing helps with muscle tone.

Rejuvenates the nervous system.



**do not dry brush if you have sun burned skin, inflamed skin, sores, or skin cancer**

Hi all! I wanted to do a quick, last-minute holiday gift guide! I am a beauty expert for one of my favorite non-toxic skincare lines ever, called MyChelle Dermaceuricals. I was working a beauty event  on Friday at the Whole Body here in Nashville and while I was there I snapped some photos of some great last-minute holiday gifts, but also some of my all-time favorite, natural beauty products! All these are safe, effective, non-toxic, and do not test on animals! Not only are these safe for you, the environment, and our bodies, they’re also so affordable!!! I don’t think it’s necessary to break the bank for a fancy gift. Just put some time & effort into finding a useful gift that also does good for this Earth we live on. So here’s the list! If you want pictures of each item, go to my Instagram story for snaps of all my fave affordable, non toxic, holiday gifts!

For the Body-

Body Lotions

For the girlie girl-
Andalou Naturals Body Lotion $10-Andalou is a fantastic Non-GMO line that doesn’t even work with countries who test on animals! I can really appreciate that! Their scents in every single body lotion is so yummy (trust me, I’ve tried every single one of them!) & they leave your skin feeling silky, not sticky!

For the purist or fellow on your shopping list-
Everyone Lotion $11- I love this brand & this product because it’s all about functionality. It’s a hand, face & body lotion-so this just works! It’s super light-weight and all the scents are light and unisex. My husband loves this brand so much! I also love it as well, and I also love their multi-purpose body washes as well! 

For the philanthropist/caring person on your list-
Alaffia Everyday Coconut or Everyday Shea Body Lotions $12- This brand is one of my faves! I love their skincare & body products! This brand is all about giving back. Alaffia has multiple co-ops in Togo, West Africa and they are all about helping the women there. Proceeds go to building schools, providing bikes for girls to transport to school, they encourage women to become entrepreneurs and practice their skills to make a living. I love that they also stick to age-old traditions of Shea butter harvest & products.

For baby-
Alaffia Everyday Coconut Shampoo & Body Wash,  Everyday Coconut Hair & Body Lotion, and Everyday Coconut Bubble Bath $10- As I said in the paragraph above, Alaffia does so much good and their ingredients are safe & clean. You especially don’t want to start loading your baby down with toxins and chemicals, so you might as well give them the best while doing good for others! Sweet packaging and soothing, sensitive scents for baby!


Luxury gifts

For the trendy girl-
Eco Tools Dry Brush $5.50- Dry brushing is so trendy & so good for you! If you have one of those friends who always has her finger on the pulse of health trends-this is the gift for them! Simply use this before a shower (brush towards the heart!) and hop in the shower and load up with a luxurious body cream (geared towards their dosha if their really into Ayurvedic living!-I’ll write a post with more in-depth info on that next!) dry brushing has so many benefits and it’s a great, fun, and functional gift!

Egyptian Magic $40-This is one of my favorite products ever!!! This is probably one of my first all-natural skincare products I tried YEARS ago! It can be used as a face cream, a balm for dry patches, it’s great for eczema, psoriasis, sensitive skin, cuticles, anything!! Minimal ingredients and so effective!

Hydroflask (prices vary depending on size)- I love these so much! Corey and I have different sizes and different colors for all the drinks we need! Good for the environment because it eliminates so much paper waste from cups, and it keeps drinks cold & hot for HOURS!! So it also cuts down on reheating drinks! Love them!

Be sure to go on to my instagram to check out a few extras! @Naturallytruebeauty

Don't Need a New Year for a New Start

Hi all!! I hope everyone has had a great holiday season! I have had a good one so far. Things have just flown by and I've had to stop and tell myself to slow down & enjoy the ride. I'm not going to make this long because, let's be honest-right now, none of us has a ton of time to read a super long blog post. So here's the deal-

I know we always talk about "new year, new you" and I am totally for that. I love a fresh start! But I have found myself in this horrible mindset lately. My mindset is very much unhappy with all the holiday junk I've been eating, I've been too busy working during this holiday season to enjoy what it's all about, and I've been so focused on work and to-do's that I am not making any time for myself. I'm not meditating, I'm not working out, I'm not doing yoga. All these things add up to me being irritable, unhappy, and basically an all-around bad idea.

I have noticed that more of my mindset has been critical of myself, and really picking myself apart. I have been eating alright. Not too bad, but not great. But, I have not been doing any type of workout, because all I'm focusing on is "not having enough time." The truth is, I do have enough time, I'm just not making enough time and then this leads down the domino effect of me not being in the best mindset, me being irritable, me beating myself up about my lack of time management, and my lack of working out & doing everything I know I need to do.

Basically-if I take even 20 min. a day to do a quick workout, finish off with a quick yoga practice and a little meditation, I'm golden. I'm just not making time for it and that's completely my fault. With this, I've noticed a majority of my time I'm ripping myself apart for feeling pudgy, my jeans are tight, I'm not comfortable in my skin, and all I'm doing is saying the worst, negative things to myself over & over. This is so not good!! I realized I am in a horrible cycle right now. And instead of waiting until the new year, I'm like, "let's do this now!! why wait??"

We should never push off, or wait longer to take care of ourselves. I know what I need to do to feel better about myself and have a better mindset. So why not do it now instead of spending the rest of the holidays as a grumpy Scrooge? So that's what I'm going to do. Now more than ever, I need to change my mindset so I can be in the moment and really absorb and enjoy all the beauty the holidays have to offer. I don't want to look back and realize I didn't take advantage of the holiday season, so let's just start right now!

I'm challenging myself with this and I welcome you to join me if you would like! Make your own challenges, you know what works best for you! But the one I do ask of you to follow is the list about yourself.

Every day I am going to sweat & get my heart rate up. Whether that be barre, a walk, HIIT, cardio, whatever workout I want to do that day. It makes me feel good, it's good for me, and I get to utilize this body I have been given and I am going to take care of it & appreciate it! I'm not doing this to look good in a swimsuit, I'm doing this to take care of myself. This is purely for me. -challenge yourself to do whatever you want and makes YOU feel good! This is all about you!!

Next I am going to do yoga and meditate daily. Just take a little time out for myself. This will clear my mind, put me in the right mindset, and it's so good for the soul. -you don't have to do this, but I would definitely challenge you to at least do yoga a couple days a week (it'll change your life!)

Now these next challenges are absolutely mandatory!

Lastly-this is the one I REALLY need to work on-I'm going to ONLY speak kind words to myself about myself. You hear about that study where people spoke kindly to plants and they actually thrived and grew? Well, it's a thing & just imagine if we spoke to ourselves that way! Who knows what all we can conquer!

As a makeup artist I hear so many women rip themselves apart! It's like the immediately sit down in my chair and they just start blurting out all the things they hate about themselves and the features that are horrible. But the truth is, I see NONE of that! The first thing I see when a customer sits in my chair is their beautiful features and what I want to highlight. I never see what they see! All I see are these beautiful eyes we need to highlight, great cheekbones, lips, jawline, whatever! We have got to stop beating ourselves up and actually start feeding ourselves love.

Only say kind things to yourself. Only speak love & appreciation to yourself and your body. I am certain that after a few days we will see a huge shift in our lives and our mindset. While I only want to speak love and kindness to myself, I am also going to start a gratitude journal and in that journal I'm going to not only write about what I'm grateful for, I'm also going to list 3 things about myself (yes, myself!) that I love and appreciate. It's going to be uncomfortable at first, but I'm not going to quit.

It is 2017, almost 2018 and I thing we have got to be at the point where us women stop hating ourselves and our bodies. We cannot be ashamed of who we are and what we look like. We are all beautiful and there is no "standard" of beauty we should be based upon. We are all beautiful and that is that! I am a 32 year old woman-I have no time for beating myself up and I am not wasting 1 more second of doing so! Let's start a self-love, forget your standard of beauty, I'm going to love myself-no-matter-what, I'm going to do what I want and do what feels good revolution. Who's in????