Essential Skincare for Men: After Shave Lotion

Grocery shopping is one of the best things that my family loves doing during the weekend. Aside from filling the grocery cart and basket with food, my kids enjoy choosing their own essentials - from toothpaste, toothbrushes, colognes, shampoo and lotions. Our family bathroom and closet is filled with different kinds of products that we use on a daily basis. It's also great to see that there are already a variety of skincare products specifically made for men in the supermarket. Now, my husband can get to choose his after shave lotion, after shave cream, skin cleanser and moisturizer easily.

With the availability of products and tools today, men's grooming routine is becoming easier and efficient. Their skincare routine might be simple and they don't go on an elaborate ritual or spend much time worrying about their skin. Yet, they need more than their usual cleanse-shave-go routine. Most companies prefer that their employees report to work in a presentable manner than sport those ruggedly-unshaven faces.

Shaving products is one thing that men should not ignore. Men shave on a regular basis to make them look clean and helps maintain their good looks. Since shaving is already part of their routine, they would have mastered the art of shaving by the time they get older. They would have found the best techniques and best set of tools and products that fit their needs perfectly. It is also best to finish off a shaving routine by applying an aftershave lotion to soothe the skin and replace lost moisture.

Men should not simply shave to look good. They should also consider how to keep their skin healthy as well. It is always important to use a good razor to avoid nicks, cuts and razor bump. Aside from that, shaving creams and lotions also work together to give the best shave men can have. These products soothe, regenerate the skin after shaving and help prevent skin infection. Consider an aftershave without any alcohol content or strong plant extracts which can irritate and damage the skin. Better to choose products that can refresh and moisturize the skin effectively.

Gulf Coast Vacation Home

When life becomes too stressful, the need to unwind and relax comes to mind. This makes me yearn to spend time in a place where my family can all relax and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A beach resort vacation is always a great idea. It would be perfect to spend time at the beach not just to take a swim, but to enjoy the quiet oasis, feel the breeze and appreciate the tranquility at night.

Our family enjoys every weekend and vacation getaways on the beach whenever we had the chance. Sometimes we would wish it we could spend more days or take frequent trips to the beach. Since my family are all city dwellers, I know it would be really great to have a vacation home probably in the countryside or near a beach resort.

Some people living around the gulf coast are investing in vacation homes, condos and other real estate properties in the area. They usually watch out when there are low prices in gulf coast real estate. These vacation properties are not only for having a place for their family's enjoyment but it serves as an investment property as well. Some also use their vacation home property for their retirement years.

Having a Baby

Giving birth to my kids had been the most wonderful blessing I had received. In the truest essence, they made my life complete and surround my day with incomparable love and happiness.

Having another baby might be beyond me and my husband's plans already, but I feel great for every addition in my family. Early this year, my sister-in-law gave birth to a healthy baby boy and my husband's nephew also gave birth to a lovely baby girl. Before the year ends, one of my sisters would surely enjoy carrying another baby in her arms. I wonder if she'll give birth to a baby girl or a baby boy.

It's great to know about the baby Chinese calendar to check or prepare for the gender of our babies.  Yet, even if we didn't get to use the calendar, knowing the gender of our babies from the ultrasound and while on the delivery room gave us so much excitement.

I love babies. I enjoy carrying them in my arms, seeing their innocent smiles and witnessing their milestones. When I got pregnant, I remember preparing and buying little things, checking my due date calculator, choosing the best baby name I could give and of course, the big day hospital-rush. It gave me so many wonderful memories and great moments, making every sacrifices and pains second-to-none.

Babies are indeed blessings. Seeing my kids grow in their best selves is a continuation of these blessings. I love being a mom and I'll always be.

Beach House Dream

At a certain point in time, I had envisioned having a house by the beach. Not necessarily live or retire near the oceanfront, but to have a place to get away during the weekend or every summer vacations. Listening to the ocean waves, admiring the sunset and feeling the breeze can be a big stress reliever. Just the thought of having our own property by the beach is heavenly. It might be one of the greatest-luxurious dreams I had, but I always find this idea attractive.

Having a beach side retreat would also make a good investment. It brings huge rental potential especially those near tourist destinations especially nowadays when more and more people enjoy traveling and travel packages are rampant. Taking a vacation in the beach to relax and enjoy the water is on top of their list.

Like buying any kind of property, several things are needed to be considered such as its location, the threat of nature, and a lot more. Still, if I have billions of dollars to spare, I would take the leap and invest in one - like those beach houses in Galveston. It would be best to contact a real estate agent and talk to local realtors with solid local business experience in the real estate market.

Construction Going On

It would be impossible not to take notice of the several residential apartment units being constructed near my kid's school. It looks like the construction would be finished early next year. We're getting curious of how much the rent would be, if flood water reaches that area or if the flooring is made of tile, concrete or vinyl.

One type of flooring that adds beauty to the overall appeal of any home is vinyl flooring. This type is stylish and durable. It even comes in a variety of colors and patterns that suits any room inside the house, from the living room, bedroom or kitchen. The best thing about it is being water resistant. It helps keep water from being absorbed and maintenance is very easy. There's also waterproof vinyl flooring that is perfect for flood-prone areas.

You can check out www.seymourcarpets.com to know more about different flooring that would best suit your homes.

Better Sleep with Tempurpedic

Sometimes, working in the computer for long hours bring eye strain and back pain to my body. It makes me want to get a good massage and lie in bed for long hours. To avoid these discomforts, I usually remind myself to take a few minutes break and stretch my tired muscles from time to time. It's good that I have a good computer chain that can support my back and lessen that much-hated back pain.

Our bed is one of the most important furniture in our house. If it’s time to replace the mattress, I would definitely consider purchasing a Tempurpedic bed and mattress for getting that much needed sleep. Purchasing the best bed and mattress is really worth the expense, time and effort. The benefits that it would bring to our health, our minds and bodies would make us be at our best all the time.

A mattress with the right balance of firmness and support helps achieve a good night sleep. Sleeping on worn-out or wrong mattress cause sleeplessness, back pain, aches and pains. It is important to change mattresses for it collect dust mites and germs over the years. It can also alleviate lower back pain and it is something that we don't want to happen.

A good sleep is essential to our overall well-being. Having the best sleep everyday will make us feel well-rested and refreshed. It is really hard to function well if we lack sleep. I usually don't get the appropriate hours of sleep I need due to work demands. Though, I make up for lost sleep by taking 10 to 15 minutes nap during the day.

The bedroom will remain to be my family's favorite sanctuary. Aside from a comfortable bed, a sleeping routine, a slightly cool and dim room also makes my kids doze off quickly. It's good that we have a quiet place without lots of barking dogs, loud neighbors, or cars honking all the time. We can only hear the soft music and the sound of the window air conditioner. Getting the best sleep helps my kid to wake up in a good mood.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Healthy Back, however, all the points and views are my own.

Better Kitchen Sink

The kitchen is the heart of every home. In my parent's house, it is the most used place every day. The kitchen sink is usually filled with numerous pans and dishes especially when siblings and relatives come over.

A better kitchen counter is what they need and change their current sink into a sink with that has a larger and deeper basin. Fireclay farm sinks are great choices and it is something that they can consider for their kitchen project.

These farmhouse sinks or apron sinks had been widely used in the past years at farmhouses. It's where the sink got its name. Nowadays, it can be seen not just in country style kitchens but also in modern homes. It's gaining popularity for everyone who wants a modern kitchen design and layout. This type of sink looks visually pleasing with all kinds of kitchen interiors and suits any kitchen design requirements. It gives the kitchen a neat and clean feel.

The biggest advantage of considering a farm sink over the standard sinks is that there is no need to cover up the sink with any kind of cabinet or woodwork. It simply sits on the cabinet. This way, it prevents water from spilling and splashing onto the kitchen cabinet. Mold and mildew breakouts are also prevented. Using this sink is very practical as well.

This sink type is already available in stone, stainless steel, copper, concrete, cast iron and even bamboo. There are plain and simple fronts and sinks with decorative flair in the apron. Whatever type you choose, it would surely make your kitchen sink better.

Dance On The Floor

"I'm on the floor, floor. I love to dance."

Weeks ago, I remember the delight watching my kids while their practicing their dance steps for the school program. They had much fun trying out, imitating each other's step and dancing together. We had a wood flooring at home and they enjoyed moving and dancing on that small space that we have just outside the bedroom.

A dance studio at home would surely be a great dream for my kids, especially my daughter. This house project is something that we can add to our bucket list once we have our own house with an extra space for a huge room. She can turn, jump and work on her movements even without the teacher and even when no one is watching. She can dance after studying or when playing with toys start to bore her out.

Now, it would be great to know what kind of wood flooring a dance studio dance floor is made up of. There are hardwood dance floors which are of the free-floating kind which can be easily installed for makeshift dance studios.

I've seen wonderful types of Bloomingdale wood floors. This kind would look perfect in all areas of the house. It's rich and appealing look can give any room a wonderful atmosphere. Hardwood is good flooring investment for will surely last for many years.

Living Room Idea

Most of us spend most of our time in the living room. It's the place where we bond with our family and stay when we invite our relatives or friends over. Like all areas of the house, we make sure that this room is well-maintained and free from clutter. To make this room more inviting, natural and artificial lighting should be given importance as well.

The type of flooring you choose can give this room a sense of beauty and warmth. I prefer laminate flooring because of its durability and style. This type of flooring is always easy to clean and easy to maintain. It also goes well with any type of furniture and style of decorating. It gives the room a good ambiance, warmth and sophistication.

Lighten Dark Spots Effectively

Saying goodbye to dark spots!

Having skin discoloration is one of the skin challenges I've encountered. I found out that it was caused by my previous pregnancy, frequent sun exposure and intake of oral contraceptives.

These dark spots are called Melasma. In my case it's Choalasma or the "mask of pregnancy" . Those dark splotches developed during pregnancy. It lightened few months after I gave birth. But the dark spots returned and become visible since I'm taking oral contraceptives and I'm exposed to the sun.

Thankful I've learned about Pynocare, an anti-melasma oral supplement, this year. As instructed, I took two capsules regularly for 8 weeks. I initially didn't know what to expect, but I felt great with the results!

True, it helped lighten those dark spots! I even felt that my skin becomes lighter and smoother.

If you're also suffering from dark spots or skin discolorations, I highly recommend Pynocare. It's really effective. Now, I have boxes of Pynocare capsules to maintain my radiant skin and even skin tone. It's safe and natural.

If you're suffering from melasma, you can see visible results around 8 weeks. Still, the result depends on the type of skin pigmentation.

The combination of good external skincare and effective internal supplements works best. And of course, always use sunscreen.

About Pynocare

Pynocare 40 Actisome is a natural oral depigmentation solution. It effectively repairs and strengthens the skin from the inside out, visibly reducing the size and intensity of skin pigmentation.

It is a revolutionary treatment that helps lighten dark spots from within. Its MSCC Complex formula targets the hyperactive melanocytes, thus controlling the overproduction of melanin.

How can you get melasma?

While sun exposure is the biggest factor, using cosmetics with phototoxic ingredients and imbalanced hormones due to pregnancy, intake of oral contraceptives and anti-seizure drugs, and genetics can also contribute to skin discolorations.

Tip: Take Pynocare capsule after meals.

Caution: It is not recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Consult with your doctor.

I agree... with Pynocare, dark spots are lightened from within.

The World of Real Estate

I am partial to real estate even if my career is not built around it. Well, I guess my life is... maybe it's because I grew up in the world of real estate. My parents are into real estate, my grandparents have rental properties, and my relatives have real estate investments. I even remember those times when my siblings and I would accompany my parents during their open houses.

Real estate is part of everyone's lives. We all have to live somewhere, yet owning, buying and renting a home can really be challenging. There are hundreds of significant benefits of owning a home, and investment in real estate is another thing. Just like with other kinds of businesses, property investing is no easy task. If I have all the means, I would consider investing.

There would always be real estate agents around the malls, supermarkets and other places handling out flyers, discussing their projects and looking for prospective clients. Even online, there are lots of property advertisements and websites - from house and lots, townhouses, condominium units, to commercial properties and resorts. Electronic mediums and the Internet help simplify the daunting task of finding a home.

Great places are everywhere. People living in Arizona would always find the homes and scenery in Rio Verde to be impressive. Local community experts for rio verde real estate help people in selling, buying, renting or investing and other home-related things.

Skincare and Shaving Razors For Men

Skincare is not just for ladies, it's for men too!

As women, we also have to be sure that the men in our lives - our husbands, fathers, brothers, cousins, and friends - are taking care of their skin too. Most men are pretty low maintenance. The easiest, simplest yet the most important regimen most men follow is shaving. All they need is to use the perfect razors for men, shaving cream and aftershave lotion to avoid skin irritation and razor burns.

Just like the way we value our skin, skincare for men is also of great importance. We can make them realize the importance of having good and healthy skin; and help them choose the right products for them. It's good that nowadays, men are becoming concerned with their skin's health and look.

The market is loaded with variety of skincare products. It seems that almost every week or every day, a new range of products are being created and introduced by different manufacturers worldwide. Men might not need to buy and fill their cabinets with loads of skincare products, but they need to have the right tools and use the right products for their regimen. They need products specifically formulated for them that suit their skin type and condition.

I always find a clean-shaven face to be more attractive than bearded ones.

My husband's skin care routine is as easy as 1-2-3. Most of the time, he's contented with plain soap and water. He even makes use of a bar of soap as a shaving cream alternative. Creams and lotions are just secondary. But it's good that shaving is part of his routine. Following the basic shaving techniques to remove facial hair is needed to maintain a clean and groomed look. Still, there's more to using a bar of soap, shaving cream and aftershave lotion.

Personal skin care is important to any person - men and women alike. Men have to be the best that they can be no matter what their age is. Better if aside from their basic shaving routing, we can make them follow a daily regimen of cleaning, toning, moisturizing and exfoliating.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for The Art of Shaving, however, all the points and views are my own.

Nutrition Month Costume and Activities

As much as possible, I make sure that my kids won't miss any important school activities. After all, it's part of learning. I want them to enjoy their school activities to the fullest.

cabbage and malunggay

For Nutrition Month, my Grade 1 son asked me to prepare a vegetable headdress. Saying, "I want a big cabbage headdress!"

With limited time, my husband made a crown-shaped cardboard base. I drew and cut leaves and pasted it at the back. We bought a cabbage and sitaw (string beans) which we placed on the cardboard base. I just covered it with cling wrap plastic to maintain the fresh look of the cabbage.

I braided sitaw (string beans) to secure the cabbages and complete the look as well.

Glad that my son loved his cabbage headdress!

my son's cabbage headdress and my niece's fruit hat

Also from their Nutrition Month Activities:

My daughter in their class Go, Grow and Glow food parade.

food parade

My sister and her teammates cooked Chicken with Broccoli for the competition.

Chicken with Broccoli cooking teammates

was not able to taste this

[late post for last week of July]

Wake Me Up When September Ends

"As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends."
- Green Day

Weird. But this song that reminded me that, "hey, it's already September!"

Reminding me that time really flies so fast. Of things coming to an end. Moving on.
Of realizations that hardships, pain and losses, detours that make me more stronger.
Making me remember the best moments... Looking forward to a better life ahead.

The last week of July and the month of August had been too fast. I've set aside this blog, logging into Facebook, and even missed a lot of opportunities to have more time with life.

+ What had been
School activities from Nutrition Month and House System to Buwan ng Wika.
Suspension of classes due to heavy rains and flooding.
Dealing with the loss of a beloved family member.
Getting behind the scenes!
Working out piles of work and issues.
Being here, there and everywhere. :)

I'll be posting few snippets from the past weeks after this post or maybe after this week.

"Ring out the bells again
Like we did when spring began
Wake me up when September ends."


Hope you are all doing great!