Isis' Style

Here she is - as always - dressed to impress for the work day!

 

Belt, scarf and earrings from Express.

Blouse from Forever 21.

Watch from Coach.

Shoes from Guess.

 



 

 

 

  

PS - See more of Isis' style or learn about her fashion sense and where it comes from!

Could You Work With Your Significant Other?

Could you work with your significant other? Annie and Chris do, so they shared some tips and insight into what it's really like to go to work with your significant other - in the same building - and how they make it work.

 



Meet Annie and Chris. They are bartenders at The Hut on Fourth Avenue in Tucson. No, they don't work in a corporate office - typically, he works the inside bar and she works the outside bar. But they schedule their shifts together and they live together. So how do they make it work?

What Is the Most Interesting Part of Working With Your Significant Other?
Annie: "Watching each other get hit on. For most people, this would be a relationship problem. But we're very driven by money, so when Chris sees a customer hitting on me he walks by and says, 'Flirt it up, baby! Make that money.'"
Chris: "It's funny to me. People come in and hit on Annie, and I know she'll get a bigger tip. It doesn't bother me, because I know she's coming home with me."

What Is the Best Part About Working Together?
Annie: "I have a sense of security knowing that Chris is here. He has more experience than I do, and if I feel like I have a stupid question I can ask him without risking judgment. He's also on top of stuff - I trust him the most out of all my coworkers."
Chris: "Communication. Because we're so close, it's a lot easier to communicate with Annie than with other people at work. We're together, so we're more in tune with each other. We can read one another's needs and moods."
Annie: "We're able to ask more of each other than we could anyone else. And we help each other more readily because we have the common interest of getting everything done at the end of a shift so we can go home!"

What's the Biggest Challenge?
Annie: "I talk to him differently than any other coworker. I'm more demanding and don't feel like I have to be polite with him. I don't worry about the usual workplace etiquette, and I worry sometimes that it might affect our relationship."
Chris: "We don't really get to see each other as much as you would think. When we're at work we're doing our own thing, and when we're not at work we're exhausted."
Annie: "I know this will sound annoying to some people, but one of the hardest parts is that we love our dog. Because we work together all the time, we're never really home enough to be with him."

Could you work with your significant other? Most people say no! (My husband said he couldn't listen to me talk all day and all night.) Take the poll or share your thoughts below!

Is Powder Sunscreen Effective?

There are many options when it comes to sunscreen, so here's my review of Colorescience Sunforgettable, one of the many powder sunscreens on the market. (There are more options at Ulta.)

Yes, you should be putting sunscreen on your face several times a day. It's hard to remember and kind of a pain, but more than 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to skin aging are caused by the sun.*

I've always kept some good old Neutrogena Visibly Even sunscreen in my purse to reapply throughout the day, but a good friend and my dermatologist recommended the powder stuff, so I decided to try it. I got mine at Specialists in Dermatology, but you can buy yours here even cheaper.

Powder vs. Liquid:
The biggest difference here is preference. I don't wear a lot of foundation or concealer, so I don't mind rubbing a moisturizing sunscreen on my face throughout the day. Some people don't want to dislodge carefully applied makeup, and Sunforgettable won't.

Pros:

1. Sunforgettable is water-resistant, which isn't true for all sunscreens.
2. It is extremely easy to apply. You don't have to worry about streaks you didn't rub in, or wash your greasy hands off afterward.
3. It's powder - not oily - so if you have oily skin it actually works like a blotting strip and doubles as a sunscreen.**
4. Sunforgettable is refillable, so the price point goes down after your initial purchase.
5. It claims to be safe for children to use. I probably won't, because even though none of this information alarmed me, I won't use anything on my child unless the FDA is 100% convinced of its effectiveness.
6. It provides light foundation coverage, so you can wear it in lieu of makeup. One of my friends puts it on before she goes to the gym.

Cons:
The only real con here is that I actually have dry skin, so I kind of miss the moisturizing effect that regular sunscreen provides.

I've saved a little bit of time using powder sunscreen, and in our busy lives that can make a big difference!

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Suggestions? Leave a comment! A lot of people email/text/message me about my posts, but the bigger the discussion, the more of us benefit from knowledge and experience. I love you, reader, but others want to hear your insights too!

PS - Learn everything I learned from the dermatologist here.


*Sources: The Skin Cancer Foundation and Colorescience.

**Bonus: You don't get greasy residue on your screen when you use your phone!

Weekend Roundup: This Week's Happy Days

If you haven't already joined the 100 Happy Days Challenge, come get in on the fun! Here's my happy week in review.

Sunday
Johnny can't stop hugging and we are LOVING it!*

Hugging Daddy

Monday
I got an unexpected gift from my two favorite boys! My husband painted the mug and Johnny put his handprints on it.

It sits on my desk, and this makes me smile every day.

Tuesday
One of my coworkers showed me this cartoon and it now hangs in my cube. It's nice when people know and accept your extroversion - even to a fault.

Wednesday
My son was in the car almost all day, so seeing him run around and giggle afterward made me happy.

Thursday
Had a great, productive day at work. It motivated me and I felt inspired to change futures and lives!

Friday

With 7 school days of school left, my husband already has his first commercial electrical job starting Monday. (Hooray! and phew!)

Saturday
St. Patty's Day Celebration! Our family is very big and very Irish. My Aunt Petrea does corned beef and cabbage like nobody's business. Here is Johnny soaking up the love (and attention) with his cousin Kathleen!

Seriously, the 100 Happy Days Challenge makes you FEEL better. Get on board, and track my progress here!


*He wraps his arms around your neck and says "Ahwudgu," which (roughly translated) means I love you. How much happier can you get?!

What Is Oil Pulling, and Will It Make Your Teeth Whiter?

I am a big fan of teeth whitening, so when I first heard of oil pulling I wanted to know: What kind of oil? How does it work? Why is it called oil pulling?

Lucky for us, my friend Jennie took the plunge and I'm here to tell you everything you want to know!

What Is It?
According to Jennie, "You swish with raw, organic, cold pressed oil (coconut, sunflower, grapeseed) in your mouth for 20 minutes. It is supposed to have numerous positive effects for your dental health and some say overall health."

Read more with Wellness Mama.

How Does It Work?
Jennie: "...Magic? I've read a bunch of articles and such saying that it can make your teeth whiter. It helps remove plaque and bacteria by mixing with your saliva. It's been 4 days and I have noticeably whiter teeth. I have something called fluorisis, which means I was exposed to too much fluoride and it stained my teeth. Traditional whitening methods never worked for me. The strips, and even professional dental procedures never really got my teeth super white."

More insight into how it works.

What Is It Like?
Jennie: "It is a little weird at first. I use coconut oil and I hate the 15-20 seconds or so before it melts. Once it does I'm good. I do it on my way to work! I don't think time of day really matters, but 20 minutes is a fairly good chunk of time for our culture, so just like exercise you fit it in whenever you can."

Why Should You Try It?
Jennie: "Really, don't be afraid to try it. Since it's all natural stuff, unless you're allergic to the oil, there are no adverse side effects. If you see no results you are really just out the cost of the oil...and maybe your time."

Here are 3 more reasons why you should try it.

What Are the Results?
Jennie: "Thus far, I like it! I've read some people give up teeth brushing altogether (uh...no) and just use the oil to clean their mouth. Since it removes bacteria it helps with freshening breath as well. It won't be minty but I think after awhile it keeps it neutral. Like I said, if you don't like it you're really only out the cost of the oil and even then you can still use it to cook with or for other beauty things."

Anything We Should Know?
Jennie: "DO NOT spit it in the sink! The oil can clog the drains just as dumping bacon grease down the drain does. I've read you can spit it in the toilet but a lot of people do it in the trash can."

Why Is It Called Oil Pulling?
Honestly, it could use a better name. My initial mental picture was something extreme, like putting motor oil in your mouth. If you want to learn the origins, here you go.

This is something I plan to try, and a great alternative when something as simple as white strips don't do the trick. What do you think of the oil pulling phenomenon? If you have comments, questions or suggestions, please share!


PS - Check out how I've been whitening my teeth for years.

Source Photo