Beauty Products

My Journey with Perimenopause

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Hello Everyone,

I have a short work week this week and hope to get a few things done around the house. We are celebrating the 4th at home with just a small barbecue and some rest hopefully. I really want to head to Meijer to see if they have any flowers or plants. I have been shocked at some of the items that their garden center has. I am hoping to be surprised again. 

Now let’s discuss something serious. I know, I know, the title is a little rough, but we have all gone through it, knows someone in it, or will be going through it here soon. Perimenopause is all over social media and is being discussed by many individuals. I only just learned this term earlier this year. I was having lunch with a few friends when I begin to discuss how I was feeling physically. 

I mentioned how I was tired all the time, could not sleep well (which I NEVER had a problem with), was waking up with moments of body heat, headaches (which I rarely had), noticeable weight gain (that seem to happen overnight), body tightness, fluid retention, and unpredictable periods. My friend then mentioned peri. I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, but she then told me about Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s Instagram videos and that I needed to watch them. 

Oh my goodness! A whole new world was opened to me, and I begin to look up everything that I could on perimenopause. I then called my doctor to make an appointment with her.

 

Captured at on May 09, 2020 by Stacie Flinner Photography.

 

As usual it would take months to see her, so I decided to try a hormone balancing pill. I was sure that I was in perimenopause. I had all those symptoms all the time and I do recall my mother mentioning it to me in my late 20s early 30s about “early menopause”.  I went to Happy Mammonth and took their hormone test. I answered honestly and everything came out pretty true, so I ordered their Hormone Harmony pills to try. I used them for about 2 months and realized that I was not getting the same results as everyone else, and you have to take 4 pills a day! That to me was a lot. The only difference that I noticed was that I had less upset stomach which I enjoyed but I was still miserable. So I stopped ordering them and moved on with my research.

I met with my doctor, and I did share my bottle of Hormone Harmony pills and she to be careful. A lot of those hormonal pills have metals in them. She did “confirm” that I was mostly likely in perimenopause but of course there are no tests to confirm your hormones before menopause. She then referred me to a dietitian and weight loss doctor. I had a great Zoom call with her, and we are meeting in about two weeks to discuss my meal plan and hormones. 

 

photo credit: Victoria Magazine

 

While waiting on my appointment I have been reading the book Rushing Woman’s Syndrome book and I have learned so much from it. I have learned not only about perimenopause but how being in “fight or flight” has an impact on my body, weight, and hormones. I am now in the section learning about PMS, estrogen, and progesterone. 

I didn’t realize how excessive estrogen could affect your body and give you PMS symptoms. I didn’t know that progesterone is one of the most powerful antianxiety and antidepressant substances that the body makes. One thing that is in the book that has been sticking in my mind is SNS (flight or fight) and PNS (rest and digest). I now know that I am in flight or fight ALL THE TIME. I have been trying to train my mind to rest and digest. This book has been guiding me on how to deal with my hormones and perimenopause in a natural way and I am loving it. One comment that the author had was “Women are not supposed to get PMS. Your period is supposed to just turn up…. no extreme mood swings, no pain, no premenstrual migraines… just menstruation”. 

I certainly hope to get to that someday. I hope my post has helped someone in some way. We are all making these hormonal journeys and I love when women share theirs. I hope that you enjoyed mine. Please share you story below. I would love to hear about it. 

Happy 4th! 

 

 

Not Putting Yourself First

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Hello Friends,

Sorry the delay in my blog posts but ever since my greenhouse got installed all I want to do after work is be in it. I would normally come home and get some house things done, start dinner and then head upstairs to my home office to start a blog post, work on some items behind the website, read emails, work on the business budget, look for inventory, etc. But now I just want to finish the little house things that are on my list and then head to the greenhouse. Once that is done then I want to grab my current book and head to the porch to read. And so, I have been honoring that. 

 

 

This photo was taken of me almost 10 years ago at the butterfly gardens here in my city. Finding solitude has been a new thing for me. I mean I have always love solitude but have never sought it. When I was reading my book, this section really stood out to me for some reason. 

“On an airplane the safety video instructs you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping anyone else. Because if you pass out due to lack of oxygen you will not be able to assist others. It is very easy to pay lip service to this concept and another matter entirely actually to act on it. When you go to meditate or practice yoga or go to a cafe to read your favorite magazine, you are taking care of you and nurturing your soul, and this helps everyone around you”.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Now when I read that my old thought tried to creep in. I would picture myself on the plane trying to put my kid’s mask on first thinking, “I can do this and then put mine on”. When in reality I would not. I would have passed out and then my kid would have too and where is the honor in that. For some reason at that moment, my thoughts on self-care were taken seriously! 

A moment that I had recently help pushed this into fruition. I was getting a pedicure at a nail salon unexpectedly. I mean, I got my nails done that day, but my feet were not on the list for that day, and neither was it in my budget. But as I was really enjoying my pedi a thought hit me. “Wait, you should have not gotten this pedi. I mean you just spent money that should have gone to another treatment (waxing) that you have scheduled tomorrow”. Then I thought, now why am I having this treatment? I hate this treatment!!! Why I am spending money on something that I hate and that I don’t consider self-care when I would rather spend that money on a pedi!” 

Self-care should be an activity that I love, and I hate that treatment so at that moment I decided to stop going and to spend my money on something that I love and enjoy! I tell you the moment that I made that decision a burden was immediately lifted off of my chest. Not only did I hate that treatment but I would seriously get anxious whenever I had to go to it! I hated it! 

This was a moment of self-care for me that was needed. So I tell you as someone who has never taken their own self-care seriously, take it seriously. Learn to do things for you because honestly no one else will. If you are a high-performing woman such as myself, start planning days off, treatments or greenhouse time for yourself. I have noticed great differences in my body and mental state. 

Enjoy!

 

(Tip from Dr. Libby Weaver, page 23 in Rushing Woman’s Syndrome)

 

 

 

Keeping an Eye on my Posture

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Hello,

Did you all watch the eclipse? Okay, okay, I will admit we were in the path of totality, and I must say seeing the moon completely cover the sun was really cool! I felt like I was on a different planet for a moment. It was quite intriguing. Our whole neighborhood said wow at the same time. It was a moment for sure. 

I have so many health topics and things that I am working on and dealing with. I will be sharing my journey with perimenopause in a later post but today I wanted to share my battle with posture. 

photo via: L. Shockley 

 

I have been trying to pay attention to how I sit and stand. I noticed in a mirror a few weeks ago how my neck looked when I stood naturally, and I did not like it. I had it on my list to try to do some research on sitting and standing better then I (by miracle) received an email with an article from my doctor’s office about tips to help you fix your sitting and standing posture! Funny right!

Here are the tips:

  1. Be mindful of our posture: It might sound simplistic, but being more aware of your posture during your everyday activities can bring about noticeable improvements. Whether you’re carrying grocery bags, lifting boxes in the garage or scrolling on your phone, being mindful of how you are holding, supporting and moving your body can help you make small tweaks to improve your posture and prevent injury.
  2. Stay active: Regular physical activity will help keep your joints, muscles and ligaments moving and prevent stiffness, which can lead to poor posture. Exercises that emphasize body awareness, such as tai chi and yoga, can be especially beneficial in improving posture.
  3. Strengthen your core: can also help ensure the muscles support your back, pelvis, neck and stomach are strong. Exercises such as side planks, hip ups, twists can help build abdominal strength for improved posture support.
  4. Maintain a healthy weight: Carrying excess weight around your midsection can weaken or strain muscles that support your back, pelvis and spine.
  5. Tuck your chin: Want to feel a little bit taller? Stand straight and then slightly tuck your chin, pushing the top of your head to the sky. This decompresses and elongates the neck, helping alleviate neck tightness and ensuring you are reaching your full height potential.
  6. Select Posture-Friendly shoes: Your footwear can have an impact on your posture as well. While sky-high heels might be in vogue, they can wreak havoc on your posture. Shoes with a high heel cause your back to overarch and increase pressure on your knees and back. Save heels for special occasions and instead opt for flats or low-heeled shoes for our day-to-day look.
  7. Evaluate Your Desk Ergonomics: If you spend all day at a desk on a computer, the arrangement and height of your desk, computer, and chair can play a big role in your daily posture. Evaluate your work environment to ensure your computer is at eye level, your feet rest on the floor and your knees and elbows are bent roughly at 90 degrees.
  8. Switch it Up: Neither standing nor sitting for extended periods is ideal for the body, so if you sit for long periods during your day, break up the day by taking walks and changing positions to give your body variety. Then, each time you sit again, you’ll have a new opportunity to reset your posture.

Wow, I am loving these tips. I never thought about the shoe tip but now I can see how your shoes would affect your posture. I never thought about the weight in the midsection either but now I can see that. I hope these tips shed some light for some of you as well. I love a good health checklist and I am happy to add this to my blog.

tips by Kate Bayless from Well U

 

The boutique has a new plus-size arrival! The Garden Maxi Dress is a beautiful floral dress perfect for the upcoming spring and summer season!

 

 

 

A Few French Beauty Ideas…

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Hello!

I don’t know about you, but I am hoping to get to the grocery store quickly this weekend. With the 2024 Eclipse hitting my state entirely on Monday, I have a feeling that people are going to be EVERYWHERE! I know that I should be excited, but I am not. I hate extremely large crowds. I just want to get what I need and then get back home!

So…. let’s move on. How about a little Friday beauty? I hope you all enjoyed my recent post about my beauty favorites. I was excited to update that. It’s been a while since I shared my favorite products. 

While I was finishing up the book Joie, I saw that the author shared her favorite beauty products and what the French women use and wear in France. I wanted to share this list with all of you. You may find it quite interesting…

 

photo via: Madame de la Maison (Author Ajiri Aki) 

 

This is a fabulous list of goodies to try out. Most of these I have never heard of. The only product that I have heard of is Shailmar. Do any of you have this? I have always been curious about it since I heard Sigourney Weaver mention it in Working Girl. I shared other French Beauty secrets on the blog. 

Let me know in the comments section below if you have tried any of these products. Have a great weekend, enjoy the eclipse (if you choose), and we’ll chat soon! Oh a new plus size dress will be on the website soon!

 

 

  • Affiliate links attached 

 

Current Favorite Beauty Products

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Good Morning,

We had snow earlier this week! SNOW! Goodness, it happens every year. I don’t know why I think we are out of the danger zone when March gets here. I really doesn’t matter. We always get snow!

I don’t have much planned this weekend which makes me happy. I will be doing a house review and try to do some website work. I also want to go to Whole Foods so I hope that I can fit that in.

Today I am sharing my beauty regimen favorites. I try to update my creams and try new things, but I am such a creature of habit. The first thing that I want to share are my facial cleaners. 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I am still using the Purity by Philosophy. It has been a constant in my facial cleaning regimen. I recently tried Estee Lauder’s Soft Clean facial cleanser and I like it very much. My Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro Rapid Brightening serum is perfect for my dark spots and scaring that I have on my face. It clears them right up in a few weeks. 

 

 

For day cream I have been trying the L’Oreal Age Perfect cream. I absolutely love this! It’s a beautiful blush color and gives your skin a lovely hint of color. The Fresh Floral Recovery Calming mask is great in the evening. The Estee Lauder Nightwear Plus is still my evening go-to as well as the Revitalizing Supreme Night cream. Advanced Night Repair is an influencer favorite, and the Clarins Double Serum is life changing! 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

New products that I have been trying are the Elizabeth Arden 8-hour mist. This is such an affordable luxury. I think trying and owning a facial mist is such a treat. I saw the Estee Lauder Swiss Performing Extract serum at Von Maur. I could not help myself. I put this on at night and the smell is HEAVENLY! It’s a great moisturizer and helps with tone and elasticity. 

 

 

For those pesky blemishes, I use the Neutrogena Cleanser Mask. Now this is very STRONG. It has benzoyl peroxide in it. I only put some on my pimple, I let it sit then wash it off. It gets rid of them pretty quickly. 

 

 

Now let’s get into some makeup. For my eye shadow I love my Gucci eyeshadow palette. It is currently sold out, but this Laura Geller palette has some similar colors. I also have the Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy palette, but the Mary Kay eye shadow is another good option. If you are looking for a Mary Kay consultant reach out to Rosenda. She is my Mary Kay consultant and would be happy to assist you! If you do reach out, please tell her that you are an A Home for Elegance follower. In regard to my eyebrows, I have been using the Anatasia Beverly brow dip for years. I also just found this brow pencil from Amazon. I am quite intrigued by it. For my blush I am using the Laura Mercier face illuminator, but this looks promising, and I may have to try it. Let’s not forget the Laura Mercier Kabuki brush! 

 

 

Lastly are my lips. I keep it very simple when it comes to my lips. I ABSOLUTELY adore a Clinique chubby stick, but I did find this similar item on Amazon. I am still carrying the L’oreal Paris lip balm in my bag. I did splurge on our trip in Atlanta, and I purchased the Hermes lip oil. I have no regrets. It’s wonderful and as you can see almost gone! For Mary Kay please contact my friend mentioned above. 

I hope that you all loved these beauty products. Let me know in the comments section if you plan to purchase any or if you already use some of them. 

SPECIAL SALE!

Have any of you heard about the Sarah Flint Archive Sale?  It is huge! Just an example, I got the Sarah Flint Gracie’s for only $199! There are some shoes on there that are only $80! Move quickly this sale will not last long. Click on my link above and then click on archive sale to shop! Use my code: SARAHFLINT-CCMRSSHOCKLEY. Enjoy!

 

  • This post is not sponsored. Affiliate links attached. 

August Favorites ~ 2023

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Good Morning Friends,

Empty-nester week 2! It has been going well so far. Lauren will be coming home this weekend because there are no classes on Monday so we will be so happy to see her. We do have some running around. She has a hair appointment and I have my first waxing appointment! Oh my goodness you guys wish me luck! I have never done waxing before, but I need to try it. Shaving is causing me all sorts of issues! And I mean issues! If you would like for me to share my experience, please let me know below. 

Okay, let’s get into my favorites for the month of August!

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

First on my list is this beautiful bouquet of hydrangeas from my very kind neighbor. I was opening the windows to my home office and saw his huge hydrangea tree and thought, “oh I would love a few of those for my crystal vase”. I sent my husband over to ask and he cut me a few! How grand is that?

 

 

Second on my list is the new Aerin Lauder Rose de Grasse perfume called Rouge. I had to go and smell it and it smells just like red roses. It’s quite lovely. If you want to try a sample here is the link to order that. Enjoy! 

 

 

Third on my list is my new monogram tote from Abbot and Lyon! I have always wanted to try a monogram tote and I actually got to see this tote in person while I was in South Carolina in May. A woman walked by me, and I stopped her and asked about it. The quality is quite exceptional, and the price is incredible! I have no regrets ordering it. It is quite large and has lots of organizational compartments on the inside. 

 

 

Fourth was my delicious meal that I got at Ford’s Garage. It was a new restaurant that my family and I decided to try and it was really good. The lime vinaigrette was outstanding! Oh so good! 

 

 

The fifth is my new Kate Spade Leopard tote. I saw a beautiful influencer with this bag and went on the hunt for it. It is sold out everywhere. I managed to find it on Poshmark. Yay Poshmark! This is going to be perfect for the fall. 

 

 

Sixth on my list are these travel contact lense containers. I found these on Amazon and they come two in one pack! Great for traveling or keeping in your handbag for easy access! 

 

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Seventh is this incredibly chic white umbrella that I also found on Amazon. I love the gold handle and gold hardware. It is so elegant and comes in different colors. I ordered it and took it to my office immediately. It’s quite lovely.

 

 

The eighth item is this lovely goat milk soap from Beekman 1802. Now I have been watching this company on QVC for years and was always curious about their products. I saw a recent show of their bar soap and after seeing how it lathered on t.v. I had to give it a try, so I ordered it from Amazon. I have been using it for a month and I LOVE IT! Oh my goodness, it is so creamy, and the lavender smell is very light. I love using it. 

 

 

And the last item is my new lip balm from Elizabeth Arden. I found this on Amazon and wanted to give it a try and I must say it moisturizes my lips very nicely. I use it daily and carry it in my handbag. You should give it a try. I will be ordering the 8-hour hydrating facial spray, and hand cream as well. Those items will go nicely in my handbag especially with winter on the horizon. 

I hope you all love my favorites for the month of August. My monthly newsletter will be hitting your mailboxes soon! Please make sure that you check your spam folder if you are not getting it! Have a great day and…

 

 

 

 

*Blog post not sponsored- affiliate links attached 

A Beauty Secret ~ Skin Tag Removal

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Good Morning!

I was recently antiquing, and I heard some of the owners of the store talking about estate sales. I went over and asked them how they found out about estate sales nearby. They then told me how they signed up for notifications on Facebook Marketplace. So I signed up a few weeks ago and got my first notification! There is an estate sale tomorrow morning, and I am thinking about swinging by. Wish me luck! 

Yes you read the title of this post correctly! I am talking about skin tag removal today! I know it’s a nasty subject, but I had a few that just drove me nuts and I tried so many things to get rid of them. The problem was my tags were too small for a lot of the solutions but they “stuck out” enough from my skin that they were irritating and were causing me pain.

I researched tons of products, creams, lotions, rubber band devices that I thought would work, but the reviews were just not good. It must have been a “God” moment because this ended up in my Google search and the reviews I could not ignore.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I ordered the Forces of Nature Organic Skin Tag Remover. I wanted something organic or as natural as I could get! This has numerous raving reviews and for the price I thought, why not try it! I am so glad that I did. It WORKED!

Now the bottle is very small but your tags don’t need much liquid on them. This came with a rollerball applicator, so it was easy to apply. I just rolled it on my tags at night and then went to sleep. The smell is okay but trust me you can deal with it. I noticed as the days went by the tags got harder and harder. Then the one under my pit fell off! Then the second one on my neck fell off! Both tags took about 3 weeks, but I didn’t care about the time. It worked. 

I had one on my inner thigh that was huge! I kept applying the liquid to it and it took closer to 2 months but one morning I noticed that it wasn’t irritating me as much and it began to dry up. Then the next day I noticed that it was gone! I was so happy to see that little guy gone! I had been dealing with that thing for almost 10 years. Enough was enough! So, if you have a skin tag that is driving you nuts, I would seriously consider ordering this. I don’t think you will regret it. I am not being paid to say this. I paid my own money and went through the process myself. Order it!

Have a great weekend!