What’s so good about is Shea Butter?

Shea butter is like a skin superfood that comes from the seeds of the fruit of the Shea (Karite) tree and naturally rich in vitamins A, E and F.

Not only does it offer UV protection (it is SPF ~6) it provides the skin with essential fatty acids and the nutrients necessary for collagen production.
Shea butter is becoming a trendy ingredient featured in many beauty products on the market but has been used in Africa and other countries for years to improve skin and hair.

Shea Butter Benefits
The natural vitamins and fatty acids in Shea butter make it incredibly nourishing and moisturizing for skin so it is often used to remedy dry skin and protect the skin’s natural oils.

Shea Butter Uses
Shea butter is a super versatile natural beauty ingredient which had a number of uses. Below are a few:
Moisturizer face and body
Helps ward off stretch marks
Under-eye wrinkle remover and bag-reducer
Massage butter
Try whipping it to make your own body butter
As an SPF 6 skin lotion
Use to moisturize your scalp
Melt down and mix with your fave conditioner to give your hair an extra shot of moisture
As a natural cuticle cream
To help fade scars
On sore/raw noses during a cold or flu

What Kind of Shea Butter is best?
I purchased my Shea butter during Afro Hair and Beauty live and was told that it was told was (I will try to find the name of the vendor) unfortunately mine doesn’t have the nicest smell so I tend to use it on my skin at night then wash it off in the shower in the morning and use another moisturizer for the day
I have been told that you can purchase refined Shea butters that are odor free and bleached to be completely white, but I would guess that the refining process would remove some of the beneficial properties.

Handy tip
Warm the Shea butter until it melts and mix with honey (Make sure it is not warm not hot to the touch) add to wet hair after shampooing cover with a shower cap then wrap with a towel to keep in the heat. Leave on for about 15 mins then rinse off.

Your hair will feel super moisturized and smell amazing!

Isn't it time you declutter your wardrobe?

This is something I try to do on a regular basis but let’s face it it’s not the most exciting of household chores but there are some great benefits to taking on the task.

You’ll unveil things you probably haven’t seen in a while, reveal tops that have been hiding on hangers for months and have all the things you need to create style savvy new outfits as if you’ve just bought them from a shop. You will clear space in your wardrobe too (Cough a cough) get more clothes.

Sounds good right let’s get started

I like to use a clothing rail to separate the clothes I am defiantly getting rid of and the stuff I’m not sure about.

Anything I’m keeping obviously stays in the wardrobe.

This collapsible clothing rail cost me about £20 from Amazon and is great for when I’m going to the boot sale. When I’m not using it I simply take it apart and store it in a cupboard.

My first rule is if I haven’t worn it in over a year it can go – too often I am getting rid of stuff with tags on it but I know that if I haven’t worn it yet I probably never will so there is no need to keep it.

Does it still fit? - forget about waiting to gain or lose weight so you can wear it just let it go! And if you managed to stick to that New Year’s resolution diet well done you deserve a shopping spree!!

Does it look good on me? – You may want to get a second opinion from a friend here – clearing out your wardrobe is a great chance to reinvent your look so take advantage of it. You may think that that bodycon dress looks great on you but your GOOD friends may beg to differ.

Is it in good condition?- Lost buttons, faded from being washed to many times, rips snags. 

Most minor damage can be repaired by good dry cleaners but if can’t let it go

Winter woollies are bulky and take up a lot of space. I personally like to pack them away into boxes during the spring and summer months then get them back out in autumn,

I have found that investing in nonslip hangers has given a sense of uniformity to my wardrobe and browsing easier.

JML's flocked coat hangers are the business! They are nice and thin so you save a lot of space and the flocking prevents the clothing falling off.

They also come in a range colours and for £21 for 50 you really can’t go wrong!

What to do with unwanted garments?

Ebay it up 

Why not sell it online and make a bit of money? Take a photo of it on your smartphone and you can instantly upload it to one of the many online selling sites. Kerching!

Ebay.co.uk

Get car booting

Why not haul your booty to your local boot sale?

you get fresh air and exercise aw well as make some extra money
Check out my bootsale selling tips HERE

Give it to charity
If you are a Necter points collector you can collect extra Necter points when you donate items to Oxfam – check out the website for more info

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/donate/donate-goods/tag-your-bag

If you don’t like it, don’t have it taking up space in your wardrobe!
there’s probably someone else out there who would love it, a friend or relative perhaps?

Share the love 

Don’t forget to spring clean your drawers as well!

How to make extra MONEY

I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say that I have way too much money

and I rarely hear anyone say that they have enough money so  I’m guessing an injection of cash is always welcomed especially if you’re not exactly living the lifestyle you want to.

Here are some creative ways you can make more money.

Sell your stuff

Seriously when was the last time you had a proper clean out?

Odds are you have soo much stuff you don’t need and aren’t using.  I know tend to hang on to things “just in case” I need them someday but never do. Now my rule of thumb is if I haven’t used it in a year it needs to go.

Sell it on eBay, gumtree or even go to your local boot sale to make a little extra cash.

Enhance your skills

If you want to start a change career or take your current career to the next level in order to, of course, get paid more than you should defiantly consider enhancing your current skills.  Job experience is a big part of negotiating your wage and getting paid what you’re worth, but so are skills and education.  Going back to education is a great way to make more money.

Turn something you love into a money-making opportunity

Do you love doing something in your spare time that could make you money?  If the answer is yes then why aren’t you?  Whether you like to spend your free time writing, making jewellery or whatever I’m sure there is a way to make it into a professional side hustle generate an income just think creatively.

Let people know what you can do

Talk about the services, I have a friend that is a teacher who was a short of money, now she tutors children in her spare time in order to get extra money. If you can sew offer your service to friends and relatives repairing and altering clothing.  Or if you are able to build websites…..

Don’t be shy to talk about your work and ask your neighbours, friends and family to spread the word about your skills. 

Get a part time job

Not the most creative solutions but a solution. If you have spare time of an evening or on the weekends why not get a part time job?  If you have experience in retail you could apply at your fave clothing shop or in your local supermarket so not only will you be getting more pocket money you will save money using your employee discount.

Become a secret shopper

There are loads of companies that offer secret shopper which means you basically get paid to shop! Ok, there is more to it than that, you shop in certain shops dine out in restaurants then evaluate the service you received and feed the information back to the company.

What’s your secret to making extra money?