I fell in love... with Shea Butter!

This is the brand of ASB I've been using.

 Shea Butter is the new cocoa butter! Well, at least in my world it is.  However, it is so much better than cocoa butter to me.  Coming from a die hard "Cocoa Butter Girl", that's saying a lot!

One of the best things that has happened to me since I stopped relaxing(perming) my hair is my discovery of shea butter.  I didn't rush out to buy it at first, but one day after spending over $80 on an expensive hair care line and still not getting the results I wanted, I decided to give shea butter a try.  Thank goodness I did! I mixed shea butter and coconut oil together and it worked wonders on my coily tresses.  I then used the same mixture on the rest of my body.  Guess who won't be spending $16 on a tub of The Body Shop's Body Butter any more?  Yeah, you guessed right...ME!  Do you see why I'm in love with this stuff?  I'm saving so much money already, but it doesn't stop there.

I also began using 100% natural African Shea Butter on my face as a moisturizer.  I wash my face with African Black Soap and then apply a small amount of shea butter afterwards.  My skin is looking and feeling better and better every day. (I will do a post on African Black Soap and my skin care routine soon because this soap deserves its own post.)

Okay, so this is why I absolutely fell in love with shea butter.  It makes a great lip balm.  I used to spend $8 a tube on The Body Shop's Vitamin E lip care stick because it was the only thing I could find to work on my very sensitive lips.  Sometimes you just have to make the sacrifice, ladies. I'm just saying! Having soft, kissable lips is a must for me.  I can't be walking around here with dry chapped lips. No Ma'am!  Of course paying $8 for a tube of lip balm was always very painful for me and I was always on the lookout for something just as good but less expensive.  I then found Chapstick's 100% Naturals Lip Butter. Now this stuff was amazing and it only cost $3 per tube.  Talking about being one happy camper!  I was happy until they discontinued it. :-(  Doesn't that make you mad?  You finally find a really good product that works for you and then the company discontinues it. Un.Be.Lievable!  So now I'm on the hunt again for a lip balm.  After buying several brands that I wasn't happy with, I found Burt Bee's Nourishing with Mango Butter.  It wasn't as good as the Chapstick, but it was the best I could find for $3.  I had been using the Nourishing for a while until one day I reluctantly rubbed some plain shea butter on my lips.  I waited and watched for a bad reaction, but I didn't get any.  It's been about 3 weeks now and I think it is safe to say that shea butter is a winner as a lip balm for my sensitive lips.  I'm in Shea Butter Love Heaven!

To recap, I've replaced expensive hair care products, skin care products (body butter), facial moisturizers and lip care products all with 100% Natural African Shea Butter.  I used the TAHA brand pictured above that I purchased at a local beauty supply store for $2.99 + tax for an 8 oz tub.  You can get it even cheaper if you buy it in larger quantities.  Check out Amazon.com for cheaper prices, too.  Shea butter is a natural product that comes from the African Shea Tree and it's so good for you. It lasts a really long time because a little goes a long way.

If you don't use shea butter already, give it a try and let me know how you like it.
If you are already using shea butter, please share with us how you are using it.  We'd love to learn more good things about this awesome product.

Make a Great Weekend!  ~rena

Fall Back

Nature's Beauty in Cherokee, NC.  

Hello, Everybody!
It's been a while since I last posted a blog entry, but hopefully this time I'm back for the long-haul.
My family & I just returned from an extended weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains in Cherokee, NC.  The mountains are so beautiful!  Seeing the leaves turn into warm fall colors and breathing in the fresh mountain air was very therapeutic. Being one with nature has a way of clearing your mind and enlivening your spirits.  It did me so much good to get away from the busyness of Metro Atlanta and to be able to sit back, relax and bask in nature's sunshine & beauty.  I am renewed! :)

While away I had a chance to really think about life and what's important to me.  Of course family & friends were at the top of my list, but helping others succeed was at the top also.  Not only do I want to help others prosper in their businesses, I also want to help others in their personal lives in regards to Health & Wellness (www.EatMostlyRaw.com).

Kale is the New Beef! (I love my new t-shirt)

You see, over the past couple of years I've been going through a transformation and I'm feeling so much better about life right now.  Everything is falling into place and seems to be working out.  My spirit is high.  I've adapted to a healthier lifestyle.  I'm focused on eating a mostly raw diet now and I'm exercising more.  I also stopped putting relaxers in my hair about 2 years ago and I'm loving my natural hair. I can wear it straightened or curly and I love it!  Another part of my transformation is that I'm learning to live with a lot less "stuff".  I don't shop as much as I used to and I'm learning to appreciate the things I already have.  So refreshing!  I'm looking forward to sharing more of the things I've been learning, doing and enjoying in my life lately.

So what am I doing now?  Right now I'm working on a Special Edition of Smart Woman Atlanta magazine.  I'm hoping to distribute the printed copies some time during the month of December.  I've put it out in the universe, so now it must be done. :)
It's time for us to re-connect with each other. Support each other's businesses. Share tips & trips that will enrich our lives.  We need to create a sisterhood of women who cares about each other and who wish nothing but the best for the next woman.  Together we can help each other live happier lives and create happier & stronger families in the process.

I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with you.  Look out 2013. Here we come!!!

~rena