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A little TLC Can Go a Long way

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My poor face has been needing a little extra love from me lately. Wearing N95 masks with another mask over it just doesn’t help. Plus, the weather has been changing back and forth from hot to cold and my working environment (EMS) can get sweaty at times.

I always love when I can find enough time to pamper myself, especially my face. I noticed that my face was starting to break out more than usual. I have large pores and I started to see excess oil and my face looking a little dull and tired. My problem areas for oil are especially on my nose, chin and forehead. So this skincare routine I was more focused on that and just making sure that my skin was clean and fresh, and free of pollution that it collected.

To start off this pampering routine I threw my hair into a bun and put on my Alien Teddy Headband. I wanted to add a little fun into my night. For an overall wash I used Kate Somerville’s wash. Then to fix the oil problem on my nose I decided to use pore strips to take care of it. Next I let my face relax a little bit and used the Matcha Tea Mask all over. The mask is used to pull the pollution from your face. After I washed my face, I saw that my pores were clean, my face felt more smooth and it definitely felt better overall. After that, (what’s not shown) I spray my face down with Strawberry Face Mist from The Body Shop. This takes about 30-45 minutes to complete.

Have fun with pampering yourself! Light your favorite smelling candle, put some music on and wear comfy clothes. I would say make a snack but it’s a little hard to eat while you’re wearing a mask. I hope you enjoy a pampering day. Down below are the items I used and where to find them.

Looking for a Self Care Sunday? Here are what a few of my Sunday’s have looked like.

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.”

– Oprah

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I am imPRESSED

KatieWritesLeave a comment

Being in the military and working EMS, I use my hands ALOT. From turning wrenches to helping patients, my nails always become chipped or smashed. I like to have nice looking nails because it makes me feel good and a lot of people would be seeing my hands. I used to just paint my nails with regular nail polish, but then they would chip and look a little ragged.

I ended up trying the gel or shellac manicures. I loved these because not only did they come in a variety colors (which helped me stay within military regulations) but they also ended up saving my nails. I say saved because I would smash my fingers or get them caught and the nail underneath the gel would be saved. I would be able to peel the gel off and still have a whole nail left, cracked and split nails are so painful. While I did love the gel nails, there were some cons to them. I would have to get them done every 2-4 weeks because your nails grow out and so does the gel. The cost of gel nails became to costly and the cost began to add up. They also made my nails weak underneath, mine felt flimsy and thin.

When I started the Reserves after active duty and started my EMS career, I ended up trying different false nails. I personally was never into the longer acrylic nails because I didn’t like how they felt. I wasn’t able to work properly with them on so I needed a more natural short nail when possible. With the Kiss imPress nails, I had so many choices to choose from. They are also sold at many stores including Target, Walmart, Walgreens and Kroger. Since they’re inexpensive, have fun designs and don’t tear up my nails I can constantly change my nails if I would like.

Pros:

  • They last anywhere from 1-3 weeks
  • They have many colors, styles, sizes to choose from, even for you toes! I love the holiday styles, especially Christmas.
  • They don’t ruin your nails. Click HERE for a step-by-step process.
  • They are durable and can withstand tough situations, and can even save your nails.
  • They look cute.

Cons:

  • -If the Kiss imPRESS nail isn’t aligned properly with your nail it may feel uncomfortable and eventually pop off.
  • Sometimes when they wear down, when you comb your fingers through your hair it can get caught in the nail.

Overall, my imPRESS-ion of these nails are they feel healthier in the long term for your nails if you want to wear fake nails. I have been wearing these for over a year now and I absolutely love them. They last about 3 weeks for me when I’m working in EMS and on military duty. For military duty I like to use the French tip nails because they are within the regulations for nails. When I want to feel festive I try to find the Halloween styles or the Christmas ones.