Truth be told I love organic beauty. The closer we can get to our kitchens the better I do believe. Some of the greatest skinned beauties over the centuries looked no further than their pantry to try and preserve their youth and beauty. One day I fear I will get up and look in the mirror and not recognize that old hag staring back at me. Those fine lines weren’t there before and did a crow just land on my face!! And that jaw and neckline, gobble, gobble. Forgive me as I lay here never to move again. There is some value in the notorious resting b*tch face. Resting that way because of all the botox and fillers injected into her face but if you can perfect the art of showing no emotions well honey cancel that appointment for that nip and tuck right now!!!

I was the bar of soap girl then I turned into the 3 in 1 cleanser. I would normally only use it after a weekend of staying out and up all too late. Mascara sure give me some and eyebrows depends on who you ask. My love for being glamorous kind of took me by surprise. I think it all began with starting to daydream. Fantasizing about the life I wish I had. At 37 with no prospects living in a basement suite…well c’est la vie right!!!

Pin-up found me be it by surprise and I began to research what it meant to be one of those girls. There were a lot of rules it seemed outside of red lips and cat eyes, and I am not talking about our appearance or the way we change our face. I was more concerned with real beauty. True beauty. The kind that couldn’t be taught it just was. Not the mean girl who assumed that winning was her place. We all know her. Have seen her. Maybe we were her once apon a time. I was her once. My very first show. Then the humble realism of what was at stake really sank in. Being the one to not win graciously meant far more than any crown or tiara ever would. What do jewels really signify to me these days. To me they just show who has the upper hand. I think of the Queen and all the good she could do will her trillions yet she just sits there with her scowl looking down on us all.

Where I was having troubles fitting in is there is a lot of acting that is going on. Of course! In order to win over the favour of an unknown crowd and esteemed judges you have to give a little extra oompf to fit in. That is why it becomes so personal to many. We can strut in our heels and swivel, shimmy and a little shake. Blow a flirtatious kiss to the judge but then so does the girl who is following you and the one after that and after that…. I would rather be the girl in the back who was helping others keep a level head with an extra bobby pin or two or three just in case. What I wanted was to help others discover their most beautiful maybe I was in the wrong place after all.

I don’t think it has fully set in that I am a Beauty Specialist (or a Beauty Guide with Alcone come to think) but I am. Scouring the internet for recipes that promised the fountain of youth I thought I would give my own concoction a try. One day I hope my ingredients will all be harvested from my own hand or created by me in such a way that brings me pride. For now I used what was on hand and what was found in my garden. I am so excited for all the new recipes I hope to create. This one I like to call Cinnamon Swirl Smash because when I put it on my face it smelled just like a Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake. First let’s explore the ingredients chosen and why.

When it comes to ingredients we should consider the end results and for me it is all about uncovering my best baby soft skin. What that means for my face is exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. Get rid of all the dead skin and maybe the next live one just in case. That is what micro-abrasion does. It removes all the dead skin and impurities. It is always so humour to me those that don’t exfoliate and the ones that consistently do? Would you moisturize the skin that was just shedded by a snake? Please tell me the results we hope to achieve when it comes to doing just that. I always love yogurt for so many reasons mainly because it is super hydrating and helps reduce redness and inflammation. Not to mention all that fine yummy lactic acid molecules working to release all those binds to release all my unwanted skin.

Another of my fav ingredients that should always be found in your pantry is the good ol tired and true ACV. Apple cider vinegar. Most ingredients chosen also work as a good anti-inflammatory but the addition of the vinegar adds in acetic acid and alpha hydroxy acid which means more exfoliation, more unplugging of pores and overall just works at absorbing excess oils. ACV works towards restoring our skins natural pH which helps restores skin softness as well. With so much chemical exfoliation going on I wanted to add in some aloe which boosts the anti-inflammatory properties. I love the antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins A and C found because when we are treating our skin it is also a good idea to replenish with more than what we take. Isn’t that also the mantra we should take on our everyday life. Reduce our footprint like we were never even here.

My wild and carefree heart desired to try cinnamon so into the mask it went to help enhance the blood flow to the surface as it worked its magic in the most divine way. I thought this invigorating spice would work coincidentally with my CBD as I imagined every little fatty molecule being carried away to a cell in dire need. Mixing the ingredients together I applied it to my face and let sit for 15 minutes. During the time I could feel the rush of heat reach the surface of my skin but I also felt like my skin was being plumped by the inside out. Whatever happened in those 15 minutes my skin is just a glow. I think I maybe on to something here. What do you think?