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Whats an Oily Mama?

Alright, what’s this new term that has surfaced  oily mama?

Maybe you want to be an oily mama too! Well first off, you need to know that they’re talking about essential oils. I know…it sounds a lot freak-ier than that! Just oils. Why are they all the rage the last few years? They’ve been used forever, but companies like DoTerra and Young Living has brought it all to social media. This marketing is reaching younger generations and people in general that never paid attention before to natural stuff (that was me). This is cool news though ladies! You shouldn’t look over what’s been used for thousands of years. Especially if you’re a mom that wants more natural alternatives for your children and home.

I get it, oils are sort of intimidating. Allow me to give you the gist in a simple post. Firstly, essential oils are not oils, there’s no fatty acids, and is made up of organic compounds. Essential oils are highly-concentrated and highly-fragranced compounds of leafs, roots, flowers, barks, and plants. A lot of mainstream pharmaceutical companies still use these compounds, but since penicillin came out, a lot of synthetic drugs came to light. The attention has been taken away from plant-based medicine not too long ago.

There’s different ways to extract the oils from steam distillation to carbon dioxide extraction, to cold-pressing and a few others. Steam is the most common, carbon dioxide is the least unaltered, and cold-pressing is used for citrus oils. The one distraction method you don’t want is solvent extraction, which can leave behind solvents in the oils.

5 things you need to know before you get started with EOS:

  1. Skip oils all together first trimester if pregnant
  2. There’s a 5-year shelf life away from the sun
  3. Never buy something labeled “fragrance oil”
  4. Do not use citrus within 12 hours of sunlight exposure, due to photo toxicity
  5. Cancer patients should avoid certain oils, so always check

When you do select your oils, you will need a carrier oil to apply safely to your skin. Some great carrier oils are almond oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and jojoba oil. The different methods for using oils are diffusing, aromatherapy, or therapeutically. I never ingest the oils, but some people do. When using a diffuser, certain oils can damage the diffusers. Some diffusers have special instruction on type water use, oils, and care and not all diffusers are quality. Do your homework on them. I prefer ceramic plated diffusers.

Now that you know the basics, lets jump into the main oils used. Lavender is extremely calming and great for aromatherapy. Lemon is a natural detoxifier that also boosts alertness. Rose oil is excellent for moods, and has many benefits to help aging skin. Those are just a few of my favorite oils and is perfect for beginners.

Join the conversation! What’s your favorite oils?

Featured

I Tried 4 (Popular ) Non-Toxic Foundations and Here’s What Happened

 

I Tried 4 Popular Non-Toxic Foundations and Here’s What Happened

I went straight to the back of Sephora thinking I would claim the best non-toxic foundation once and for all. I tried 4 popular non-toxic foundations and here’s what happened: OMG it took a lot more time than I had imagined! The very first thing I did was make sure the packaging said no parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, talc, fragrances, or BHT, as well as vegan, cruelty-free, and more. Isn’t it such a mouth full of things we have to worry about? I guess we don’t have to, but I was determined to go as natural as possible. I always thought our bodies just detoxed itself and never took into the account of cumulative effects of what I was using.

The long journey to find the right and effective non-toxic foundation officially started. Surprisingly, some didn’t even make the cut for a review! So a little background on my skin; It’s dry as heck during the day and gets oily as the day goes on. I have lots of aging spots near my eye corners and lots of uneven shadowed spots around my lips and eyes. Foundation is my miracle in a bottle. I prefer something quick and smooth to apply.

 

The first foundation that drew me in for my dry skin was the Josie Maran- Vibrancy Argan Oil Foundation Fluid ($45). Okay, maybe it was the bottle. This colorfully packaged foundation was right around the same price as most I saw, so I thought I would give it a try. I love argan oil! The consistency was very fluid-like and best applied with a brush (in my opinion). It smelled nice and I used it for 2 days. A whole 2 days! Why? It was a little too moisturizing and didn’t cover much.

The foundation creased on all of my wrinkles and barely covered. I have yet to try the newest foundation from her line called Matchmaker Serum Foundation. Too bad on the original, cause I loved the packaging and wanted the sweet properties of argan on my skin. On to the next…

 

My next try was Cover FX- Natural Finish Foundation ($40) sold at Sephora as well. Apparently, the brand doesn’t sell anything with parabens, sulfates, fragrance, mineral oil, and talc. The foundation had a decent price and a perfect consistency, I had to try it. I used this one for 2 months and purchased another tube.

It covered, it glided, it stayed, and it lasted longer than most of my foundations prior. Is it the tube? I’m still not sure, but this product is pretty amazing for my combo skin. A bonus is that its made with Squalene oil which may be the next “it” beauty oil. Loved this one!

The next on my list (even though I found one I liked) was this Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation ($39) all my friends were buying. I had to try this one for my readers! The first thing I thought was “whoa! this baby is thick”, but I knew I did want to cover those age spots as much as possible. I also thought of how it may last way longer than the prior foundations I’ve used. I threw it in my Ulta shopping bag and carried on. When I used it the next day, I used a brush for the thick consistency and it took a minute to get all the lines smoothed. It looked great, just a felt a little heavy. The next day I used my fingers to apply it. Again, it looked great and covered. By the third day I just didn’t have enough patience and used my other foundation that slathered on and glided in place. Ugh!! Moms aint got time for all that! I wish I loved it, but it takes to long and is too thick. Another upcoming brand I have yet to try with Amazonian clay ingredients is made by 14e. You can read all about their ingredients here.

This next one I was hesitant to try. It’s a multi-level marketing product from Beauty Counter. I don’t even know why I was hesitant. Maybe I didn’t want to hurt any 4/5 friends that sold Beauty Counter Tint Skin Foundation ($41) on social media? I really should have grabbed it at Target when they carried them for a short while. I was lucky a friend saw I wanted to go non-toxic and jumped to sending me samples. How could I say no?

I really was curious and their company’s mission definitely matched my blog with being non-toxic and all. So a week later I got the samples and matched my skin color by combining 2 of them. The cream foundation comes in a tube and glided on nicely. It covered and then it dried out fairly quickly. What?! There was no more blending options after 1 minute. Could this be a good thing for moms? Overall I liked it, but I didn’t want to have to mix two colors and have it dry my skin. I could see how it may work very nicely for oily skin types. I just wished they had a bigger variety, cause I’m totally on board with their mission to change the cosmetic industry.

One other brand that’s I’ll be watching closely is Willing Beauty. Right now they only have a tinted primer, but they really strive to just protect skin from the sun and they use some nourishing ingredients, which is pretty important don’t cha think?!  Also, Jane Iradale, Juice Beauty, and W3ll People are on my list to try (perhaps another review post soon?)

 

So many of my friends insisted I try some other brands, but honestly they just didn’t make the cut (see printable card). Choosing a non-toxic foundation is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I still didn’t understand a lot the ingredients named in these brands and still question some as I researched. For example; Titanium Dioxide is listed in most foundations to protect from the sun, but its shown to have possible carcinogenic effects. The point is, we have to find a balance between awareness and choice as the industry gets cleaner and more transparent. One thing I will end this post on is that luxury doesn’t always equal better and drugstore brand foundations come with a price.

P.S my car selfies are kinda out of control!


Featured

What The Heck Is a Smart Klean Ball? My Honest Review

 

Wait, so I don’t have to use laundry detergent ever again?

Why haven’t we heard of this laundry ball before? This could literally save me hundred of dollars! I had to see this for myself, a discovery that could be equivalent to wine (cause lets face it, wine is a miracle).

This is my honest review of The Smart Klean laundry ball.

It’s almost seems to good to be true!

This ball saved me on a road trip with our family! We didn’t have to buy any detergent and it saved tons of space in the car. For those of you that just started following my blog, I’m a military wife and we just relocated (and drove) all the way from Florida to North Idaho.

I was really hesitant to try another gadget that probably was a gimmick and only lasts 6 months. Story of our lives right? Well, I also felt the detergents that I’ve been using were FULL of chemicals I couldn’t even pronounce. I wholeheartedly committed to the thought of having crunchy laundry if I was going to go non-toxic around my home. You don’t get all that softness with non-toxic products right? You have to give up something.

I tried the ball on a Monday when my child was in school and husband was at work. I was determined to really get into the science behind this ball. I did a few loads and saw or felt ZERO difference. I started to geek out for a bit on the technology of the ball.

I know for most of you this is the boring stuff, so I’ll try keep it simple with bullet points below.

 

Here’s 3 Basic Things You Need To Know:

  1. The ball is made with ceramic and magnetic palettes that rub together.
  2. Agitation of the ball changes the structure of the water molecules, which causes the pH of the water to change.
  3. The high pH water keeps clothes soft.

So to me this all made sense, it cleans the clothes, makes it soft. I used the ball for a whole week, and then I went back to detergent. Why? I didn’t even know why. My laundry felt the same, but just smelled a little prettier. I realized what I was attracted to-was the smell. My goal was to go less toxic, so I went back to the ball and I have been so happy with it ever since.

I think fragrance is such a powerful combination with our brains and it does take a conscious effort to get rid of some toxins in our life.

Saving money has been the biggest benefit for me. I love that there’s no replacement stuff, its re-chargeable in the sun, and I’m not using any toxins on my clothes. I mean this is as eco-friendly as it gets!

You can purchase the laundry ball HERE

Cleaning Cloth Diapers

 

Cloth diapers was something I was worried about for moms. I used to use cloth diapers when my princess was just a wee one. We loved them, but they were definitely a lot of work. As a 1st time mom I just didn’t have the patience to see it through 3 months. Although I do not have experience cleaning cloth diapers with this Smart Klean ball, I was directed to their blog (here) where they talk all about cleaning cloth diapers.

What You Really Need To Know About Using The Smart Klean Ball With Cloth Diapers: 

  1. Do not go over 2 dozen
  2. Pre-treat with stain remover
  3. Experiment for that particular type of diaper

Sounds easy enough! Let me know how it works for you in the comments if you have tried this ball, or come back to tell us about your experience.

Heres a video review I found on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD_VHjwrBjU

Why Hasn’t Anyone Just Made a Non-toxic Laundry Detergent? 

They say on their website that the ball is actually doing a physical process in the layers of fabric by releasing dirt and lifting it from the fabric. Detergents need to work harder and from the outside in. The best way for a detergent to be affective is with suds and surfactants.

Here is some info from their homepage you may find more helpful.

Laundry detergents and stain removers frequently contain alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs), which are common surfactants. APEs can damage the immune system, and they are suspected hormone disruptors, which mean they can mimic hormones in the body that regulate reproduction and development.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also warned that ethoxylated alcohol surfactants, such as APEs, may be contaminated with carcinogenic 1, 4-dioxane, which penetrates skin. Tests conducted in 1997 by the Washington Toxics Coalition found that supermarket or drugstore labels are more likely to contain APEs.

So if you want to try something with zero toxins that’s also great for the environment, then the Smart Klean ball is a no-brainer. I use this everyday and definitely recommend it.

Imagine not having to haul laundry detergent or run out ever again! This thing was a mom’s gift from heaven, so this is me -screaming from my washer that it works!

You can purchase this ball on their online store, amazon, or health stores.

 

Featured

5 Jedi Mind Tricks to Help With Weight Loss

5 Jedi Mind Tricks to Help With Weight Loss

I’ve been there and done that! Kids and no kids, my weight has fluctuated quite a bit and it always came down to me and my desire to get moving, Firstly, you should never strive to unhealthy skinny and you should love what you got wherever you’re at in life. Sometimes stress is a real and big culprit. When you’re ready to make healthy changes, you can follow my 5 Jedi mind tricks to help you become successful at keeping the unwanted pounds at bay!

1. Wear Reminder Jewelry– Usually bad choices are made on impulse. You crave sugar, then the next thing you know it’s in your mouth! This idea works by giving you a reminder and a moment before all the damage is done. It’s kinda like the whole “sleep on it thing”. Make it fun, go treat yourself and even add a charm! Chances are you would have spent that money on junk food anyway. This is my lovely reminder below.

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2. Write in a Gratitude Journal– Your attitude is like a flat tire, if you don’t change it, you will never go anywhere. When trying to make changes like weight loss, we forget how emotionally challenging it is. Life gets busy and we get stuck on a hamster wheel. Get off the wheel for 5 minutes before you goto bed and leave a little trail of gratitude behind. Research has shown so many benefits linked to journaling. If you don’t have the time at night you can do it once a week. Just jot down 5 things that happened during the week that you were thankful for. Focus on people and not just mundane things. A great app is Day One- I use it weekly. I actually really enjoy looking back these things.

3. Post Sticky Notes- Reminders work wonders. When someone says you’re good at something, don’t you stop and think, “Ya, I am!”. You want validation for things you spend the most time on. When you are working on yourself, value your hard work. We all want to be valued it’s a natural human desire. Post pick-me-ups all around the house or office. Ya, you’ll look like a weirdo if someone uses your bathroom, but not if they look this cool.

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Courtesy of October Jones

4. Collect a Jar of Hearts- Hearts, stones, or money, whatever gives you a visualization. Just drop a stone into the jar when you lose weight or maybe go a whole weekend without junk. Fill up the jar and you will feel satisfied with all your hard work. Goals!!

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5. Create a Vision Board– I know you are thinking this is soo high school, but it works! Research has shown that you are more likely to reach goals, if you define them. The power of attraction is possible with a little bit of work. Bring out all those old magazines and start getting down to your dreams. By dreams I mean realistic and attainable goals that are short-term. If you are really organized, you can create a life binder (pictured below). Make sure it’s not just about weight loss too. Identify your intentions and look at it everyday as an affirmation. You will be amazed, when you start checking things off! Create a dream board using Pinterest. 

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Basically, you have the power to control your weight loss. Yes, we all have off-days, cheat meals, and unexpected events, but don’t ever give up on yourself. Remember that progress is better than no progress.

What hack works for you?

Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

I love an easy muffin recipe. This muffin is packed with delicious flavor. With the monkeys in my house, this is a no-fail muffin recipe.

Recipe

2 bananas mashed

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup of milk

1 large egg

1tsp vanilla

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup regular sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

The Trick

Let the dough be room temperature for 15mins. This gives the molecules time to absorb and get thicker before you scoop it in.

Bake

Bake at 425 for 7 minutes

Bake again at 350 for 14-17mins

Remove and let cool for 5 mins

Times

10mins to make batter

15mins for batter to rest

7mins at 425 degrees

14-16mins at 350

Bakery Style

Add a fun twist by adding sprinkles of sugar on top directly after baking. Doing this will add a little crisp of sweetness to the top!

Enjoy!

Oceanista Box Review

Oceanista Box Review

What’s The Deal?

Oceanista is a luxe seasonal subscription box and online beach boutique based out of Laguna Beach, CA. The box has 4-7 items that are valued at over $175 retail value. Each box is themed, features an artisan, and is highly customizable to your skin type, size, and preference.

You can expect to find items like clothing, sunglasses, skincare, makeup, home decor, and beach accessories.

Who Is It For?

For those that loves the ocean and the excitement of unboxing this luxurious beach lifestyle box.

or as their website says: “You live the lifestyle, now rock the gear that lets the world know exactly what your heart and soul is all about…the ocean! When you have a passion you want to proclaim it to the world. What better way to let the world know you’re a girl with a passion for the beach life, than with one of our signature Oceanista™ branded gear! Because for girls like us, the beach is more than a destination… it’s a way of life!”

How Does It Work?

The box is delivered seasonally (4X per year) or you can opt to purchase a single box, mini, or past boxes. The seasonal price is $79 or you can save $30 by purchasing annually. (Coupon code below for $10 off additionally!) You can also save by purchasing this box as a gift for just $296 per year. You can cancel or skip at any time and you can earn their Sand Dollar rewards to use in the beach boutique.

This Month- Fall For Flamingos

  • Beach Sarong

The first item is a beach cover-up with a highly detailed card about how to wrap it different ways. I love that you can frame the art on the card as well.

  •  Makeup Palette and 3 Brushes

     I received an eyeshadow palette with 4 colors and 3 makeup brushes. The pigment is ok and the brushes seem standard.

  • Evian Mineral Spray

    Evian mineral spray was a great addition for the Winter. I love any kind of spray!

  • Necklace

Crescent-shaped necklace with feathering. I love how playful Oceanista is with their jewelry selections.

  • Featured Artisan Cards

I love boxes that have featured artisans. This included 3 cards from Simon Andrews from Simon Andrew Designs

  • Custom Size Flip-Flops

This was a really exciting item to get. These are Melissa brand flip-flops.

Wet Bag

This flamingo wet bag was larger than expected and really durable. Cute!

SOME OTHER ITEMS IN PAST BOXES

Enter “Twinkle10” at Checkout for $10 Off!


SIGN-UP HERE

The Oceanista box was exciting to open! As an ocean girl at heart and a lover of high quality items (think Nordstroms), this box didn’t leave me feeling salty!

Jackie Pfister
Blogger @twinkletwinklelittlemom

Influencer Networks You Need To Know

So you’re a blogger or Influencer, now what?

Being an influencer or blogger with a trusted following can reap big rewards these days! The best part about working for yourself, is you get to choose which brands you want to partner up with. Some brands have more restrictions, lower commissions, or shorter cookies (length of time it follows your customer online, so you can get the sale whenever they purchase) so make sure you take the time to read about the company and their small print.

What is the difference between Influencer Networks & Affiliate Networks?

Basically, you need something other than social media to do an affiliate program like a website, cause it involves a lot of links and banners. Influencer networks usually use discount codes to track your sales.

Here is  a few large networks that can pay pretty pennies if you have a solid strategy!

Rakuten 

Commission Junction

Pepperjam

Impact

Amazon Associates

These networks all have big brand names like BH cosmetics, Levis, ABC Mouse, and others. You can get on board with program from party supplies to lip glosses. I would recommend to ask your audience what they are most interested in.

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Just an Influencer On Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Youtube Or Twitter?

Okay, so you’re not into the blogging and website stuff, but you have content like funny memes, videos, or beautiful pics. You can create a level of income that makes you feel like you’re living the dream doing what you love!

Heres a few Social Influencer Networks You Need To Know:

Influenster

Famebit

Tapinfluence

Fohr

Tribe

The networks typically send you the campaigns and offers money in exchange for a mention, post, or link.  This is much easier than content creation like blogging, but there is a bunch of people doing it right now. Some of these agencies also have large following restrictions.

I prefer blogging and doing my own thing with affiliate links, mostly because I have more control over all of it. Also,  because my content can constantly be making me money in the future (called evergreen). Which will you choose to do? Influence through blogging or straight social influence? Maybe a little of both?

Tell us how you’re growing your influence in the comments!

5 Reasons Why Your Next Yoga Mat Should Be Cork

Out with the old and in with the new! The yoga mat is evolving and here’s 5 things you need to know about cork yoga mats and see the one I chose!

 

Non-slip

Peace of mind is kind of what were trying to achieve in yoga right? There’s nothing worse (to me) than not being able to hold a pose because of my slippery rubber mat…then landing in a puddle of my own sweat! Apparently, cork contains a wax-like substance called Serbian, this has almost a suction-grip when wet.

Anti-microbial

It doesn’t hold the yuckies! Cork is naturally anti-microbial and if that isn’t enough for you and your hardcore hot yoga sessions, it can actually be cleaned with essential oils! I recommend lemon or tea tree essential oils.

Eco-friendly

The cork trees continue to grow after the cork is taken from the trunks. The cork trees mature about every 9 years and can be re-harvested easily. The bottom of the mat is lined with recycled tire, so from top to bottom of this mat, you can feel good about the environment and your footprint.

You can find some very cool designs

I love Yoloha mats because of their design + rubber lined design in the Nomad series. I chose the Wanderlust print cause it just spoke to me. The Sacred geometry was a close second choice though. (Shop here and enter code “TwinkleMom” at checkout for 10% off)

You can feel good

The cork yoga mats offer so much peace of mind when it comes to being conscious about the environment and sustainability. If you want to repurpose your old yoga mat you can check out this old post for a craft idea, or check out Pinterest for some really cool home décor ideas with old yoga mats.

Yoloha was such a great pick for me that I decided to become an ambassador too! Their concept formed from surfboard designs, they’re an eco-friendly family, and a US-based company. The choice to network with a great group of people wasn’t that hard. I love choosing to work with brands that support my way living toxic-free. If you shop with Yoloha here make sure you don’t miss out on savings made just for my readers enter “TwinkleMom” for 10% off your whole purchase!Oh and if you haven’t yet, you can check out how I’m loving this mat on my Instagram. Follow me @mrspfisty and Yoloha @yolohayoga cause they’ve got some pretty sweet inspo!

Have you ever heard of cork yoga mats? What do you use?

St. Patrick’s Day Craft: Repurposed Yoga Mat 

Rainbow Mat Cover

Have an old Yoga mat laying around? Make a St. Patty Day kids mat! The yoga mat I used for the craft has been through some hot yoga, park yoga, beachbody workouts, and (lets face it) some pretty embarrassing wannabe yogi moves. Its time to repurpose it!

I actually came up with the idea while on the phone with my sister. We were probably complaining about weight or something ( what sisters talk about right?). I was looking at my old yoga mat with every intention to workout, but instead I made a toddler activity. With St. Pattys around the corner, I thought something with rainbows was a must!

This yoga mat craft may have to be made by an adult, but its sole purpose is to entertain kids. Its very much worth all the free time you’re about to gain! #momwin

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Items You Will Need:

  • An old Yoga Mat
  • Acrylic Paints
  • Glue Gun
  • Ribbon (pom pom balls optional)
  • Imagination

I love that this is a portable craft thats easy to take around, store anywhere, and has many purposes. This hopscotch mat has learning, sensory, and activity jammed into one roll-up mat. Imagine taking it to the park, waiting at the airport, engaging other kids, or just something new and fun. You can change it to fit any age.

This St. Pattys Day themed mat starts with placements for crayons, a small bag for cut paper squares, magnets, a numbered hopscotch, and a pot of gold at the end. I added clovers to the pot of gold bag for positive reinforcement, but you can use coins, stickers, money, or anything else thats small.

Steps To Create The Look: 

  • Paint squares, numbers, and rainbow.
  • Cut and weave ribbon through the bottom. Fasten the back with a hot glue gun.
  • Add addition ion ribbon on each side to carry.
  • Glue magnets and bags where you want.
  • Add markers, cute magnets, paper, and prizes.

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The magnets pieces can be purchased at any craft store. I happened to have some laying around. You can even repurpose old magnets by reasembling them. The rainbow ones I used were purchased at Target in the Dollar Spot section along with the ribbon.

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My daughter loves to draw, but you can do a crisscross game, or matching game. The possibilities are endless. All I know is this was a win for this mom. My daughter (20 months) spent time exploring the squares, hopping around, drawing, and playing with the magnets. I couldn’t help, but think that free toys always end up being the best. Am I right?

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I found these clovers at Target (does it again!) they were originally packaged as a streamer, but I removed them from the string. I love that they were durable. You can use old toys and spray paint them gold. Just look around! I love that this teaches kids about finishing with positive reinforcement. St. Patty’s theme was meant to be for this craft.
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 What a great way to make friends!

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The only downside to this craft is that it takes a little bit of time to paint. Instead of my usual evening couch/TV routine, I relaxed with paint. I also should mention, if you are thinking of getting a new Yoga mat, cork is the way to go and Yoloha makes some great ones. I love how they are eco-friendly and trendy!

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11891100_889127161166079_4587217966670492392_n I love that Yoloha is a USA company. You can check out other styles  here.  Enter code: Twinkle mom for 10% off!

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If you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe to my blog (Twinkle Twinkle Little Mom.com). My name is Jackie and I’ll show you all about detoxing your home. Most people aren’t aware of toxins in their home. Its all about awareness + choice. Let’s raise our kids in healthy + happy homes!
Did you enjoy this craft? Or know someone who would? Share this post using the link below!

Does Henna Hair Dye Really Work?

Does it actually work? How does it smell? I chat about it all in my video review. This was actually my very  first attempt at using Henna, a 100% plant-based hair-dye. Watch the detailed results in this here.

Product used:

Rainbow Henna Hair Dye http://amzn.to/2kDTGN8

Talked about:

Bigen Henna

Lush Henna

Herbatint

The Nerdy Stuff

Most common toxins found in hair dyes.Continue reading “Does Henna Hair Dye Really Work?”

When Workouts Won’t Fit- Finding Balance

Wondering when you’ll ever fit a workout in? (updated post, read till the end)

How do you get a moment to even write out a clean eating grocery list? You’re not alone! Life as a mom is absolutely crazy! Each morning I wake with new aspirations, then something unexpected happens. I end up going to bed exhausted and defeated. Does this sound familiar? Heres the cold hard truth:

You’ll never find time, but you can create the time.

My secret to fitting in “me” time has been making the time. It’s not the only ingredient though! Some days you actually really cannot create that time, but most days you can. Can you create an hour? Probably. Can you create 30 minutes? Very possible. Just try.

The next ingredient to making time for yourself is prioritizing. I don’t claim to be super organized and surely I’m not Mrs. Betty homemaker, so I won’t be talking about all the actual things you need to prioritize. Only you know what needs to happen, but writing it down can be really effective. Of course my baby is my priority, but some days are less indulgent. I heard it before “they’re only little for so long”. While this may be true, they do sleep and play alone most times.

 

 

The final ingredient is to be held accountable by something or someone. Without accountability, we really don’t have a reason. No one wants to just get up at 5am to go run. If they do, they may have a reason behind it. Maybe they’re training for a marathon. When there’s something attached to your goals, you’re more likely to reach them. This is definitely true for me. I need reason. The whole “Postpartum Transformation” thing is sometimes not enough. Get a partner or follow an actual program. Unfortunately, our husbands don’t count. They are great for support though!

My Weight Loss Over A Year Ago Doing Home Workouts

*Sad but true update 9/2017

About a year after I wrote this I continued my healthy lifestyle and workouts, but got totally got derailed by moving and the stresses the mom life can bring. I can make all the excuses I want, but I really just wasn’t taking control. It wasn’t a priority and now I’m paying for it. This isn’t easy for me to share, but its real.

 

 

 

20+ lbs gained and totally lost all that progress I made.

I’m getting back on track slowly but surely. Here’s what I’m up to:

I started KETO diet and seems like everyone is doing it these days! It’s basically where you eat tons of fat. I’m totally down with that, but I’m not 100% sure I know what I’m doing. I have extra energy, so that’s pretty cool!

Also, instead of trying to haul my daughter to the gym- I’m just walking, going hiking, doing yoga at home, taking vitamins, and literally doing push-ups next to my bed. The good news is that all of this work is paying off! I’m losing again! What I’ve learned from this weight loss and gain is that my health should always be a priority, I have to find an eating plan that’s not restricting, but keeps me away from junk. I just needed to start something simple and easy to follow.

My weight changes, my life throws curveballs, but this old post reminds me of the very first rule of success when it comes to weightloss (cause I did it before!) just make the time. Progress pics to come…

I hope this inspires some mom out there to get moving. Wish me luck!