Mylah Sai

my feelings exactly

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:28:00 +0000

Something that keeps my spirit refreshed.

always show her you love her

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:34:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I, like most people, think my mom is the most beautiful woman in the world. She may have never graced the cover of a magazine but in my book, she puts those cover girls to shame!

Feel the same about your mom? Here are some gift ideas to help you out this Mother's Day!

Think Pink Gift Set
Includes: Pink Grapefruit Body Polish, Grapefruit Lily Lotion,
and Pink Satin Omega Lip Gloss
http://www.skincarewithmylah.com/

Newest addition! Cucumber Melon body icing!
http://www.skincarewithmylah.com/

Pomegranate Gift Set
Includes: 8 oz. Pomegranate Lotion + 2 oz. travel size,
Pomegranate Body Polish, Body Spritz, and Lip Balm
http://www.skincarewithmylah.com/

Lemon Sorbet Gift Set
Includes: Lemon Sorbet Lotion (8 oz. and 2 oz. travel size)
Body Polish, and Body Wash
http://www.skincarewithmylah.com/

Cucumber Foot Care Kit
Includes: Cucumber Foot Soak, Scrub, and Creme
http://www.skincarewithmylah.com/

Ugly Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:45:00 +0000

The picture you will see below is my skin. I have always had acne, but I took this picture yesterday to show what happens only 12 short hours after using a mineral makeup that contains bismuth oxychloride. Yep, those disgusting little whiteheads you see were not there when I first applied the makeup. After my day out with the hubby and going to a movie, I returned home...in despair!

You would think that after years of having acne and cystic acne issues, I would be used to seeing this. Unfortunately, it still shocks me.

Having acne and wearing makeup can be a catch 22. Most people with acne want to wear makeup to achieve a flawless skin look. However, wearing makeup can add to our problems. I thought I was doing a good thing by purchasing mineral makeup...until now. Not all mineral makeup is created equal. Check this out.

Most popular mineral makeup today contains bismuth oxychloride:

Bismuth Oxychloride - this ingredient is found in most of the mainstream mineral cosmetic
companies...a by-product of the lead and copper refining, rarely occurs in nature, a skin
irritant, leaves an unnatural shiny finish, clogs pores and causes blemishes, in large amounts
can cause cystic acne, many people are sensitive to this bulking and filler ingredient. (Information compiled by Shelly Wheeler, Lemongrass Consultant)

So why do companies use it?

Bismuth oxychloride is used because it's said to give the make up a silky texture. It makes application a lot better.

Yes, it does make for flawless application, but looking at the above picture, it's just not worth it. My goal is to clear my skin so that all I will need is a tinted moisturizer if anything. On Facebook, I've created a page called Altogether Beautiful - Skincare with Mylah. There, you can help me solve these skin care woes! I'm open to ideas and consultations.

Side note: my Lemongrass Spa products - sheer mineral makeup does not contain bismuth oxychloride. I'm simply trying to figure out which two shades will work for me.

Lemongrass Spa Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:04:00 +0000

Hey there! Okay, I'm so excited to host my first official giveaway. Are you ready for this? The lucky winner will receive a full-sized Lemongrass Spa body polish of their choice!

"Are you ready for like-new skin so soft you barely recognize it as your own? Use our body polish in the shower from the neck down to gently exfoliate dry skin while providing nourishing oils to moisturize—especially great to use just before shaving! Also an excellent treat to keep at the sink for your own hand-spa treatment. Each jar provides about 12-15 full-body scrubs. Select from 13 delectable blends or an unscented option!"

I absolutely love Lemongrass Spa! For more information about my products, please visit http://www.skincarewithmylah.com/ or contact me at altogether_beautiful@yahoo.com!

Enter below using Rafflecopter.

Blessings,

Mylah

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Skincare with Mylah

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:54:00 +0000

Just a little something I put together tonight! More to come...

what's new?

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:37:00 +0000

It's been a while since I've blogged (blogging more often is one of my 2012 resolutions) so I thought it was fitting to give you an update on the latest happenings.

In a previous post, I explained how I began my journey as a Lemongrass Spa consultant. So far so good! I am still fired up about it and am determined to share the good news of natural, handmade spa products. Honestly, what girl doesn't like to smell good, feel soft, and have a radiant glow? I just choose to do it naturally. Spa parties have been a lot of fun too. Check out the latest one here.

It's been a pretty cool journey too. I work closely with Natalie Gouche ("your favorite social media trainer") and she has been so very helpful...not to mention she is a joy to be around! If you don't know her, you should. I have learned so much about social media from her. I'm expanding my horizon and I'm not afraid to do it.

My facebook fan page, Altogether Beautiful Skincare with Mylah, is a work in progress, but I think it's coming along just fine. I plan to use this page to jump start my skincare business. You'll want to stick with me because some pretty amazing things are about to go down!

A Time for Relaxing

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:38:00 +0000

I know I haven't posted in a while. I MUST get better at keeping up with my blog. Well, here is a little taste of what I've been up to lately! Enjoy!

This slideshow design created with Smilebox

fresh wind

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:20:00 +0000

As is customary for Mike and I, we went out to eat after church service on Sunday. As we were leaving the restaurant, an elderly couple was making their way toward us, cane and walker assisting them.

We exchanged smiles as the woman asked if she could see the baby. She admired the dried mashed potatoes by his top lip (I must have missed it when wiping his face) and continued paying him compliments.

Then, out of no where, she said, "You guys keep loving each other. Stay in love. God is with you."

That blessed my socks off. I couldn't begin to express how much her statements meant. God knows what we need and will send his angels to tell us.

I'm paying attention, Lord. Here I am.

special announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:40:00 +0000

I have a special announcement to make. No, I'm not expecting baby number two...yet.

A lot of you have explored many of my journeys with me. Some have lasted a year, some, only a few days. You've been there through Avon and Mark. You've been there through my bout with editing. And you know what? I appreciate the support you have shown me.

But now, I know that I am doing something in line with God's will for my life. In just a few short weeks, I will begin my journey towards earning my esthetician's license! I've been talking about this for almost four years now, but finally have the courage to pursue it.

Also... drum roll please....

I am Lemongrass Spa Products' newest consultant! I'm so excited to be able to offer all natural, paraben-free products. When Lakia Pearson introduced me to these fantastic products during one of her spa days, I was blown away. To think that my family and I can use products that smell great, feel great, and DON'T have chemicals that have been found in cancer cells sold me!

I know that I will do a great job as a spa consultant because this is a product I really do believe in. I can't wait to share it with all of you. I've started my own Facebook page to document my esthetician and Lemongrass journey. Check it out here.

What have you heard about natural products?

raise an eyebrow

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:42:00 +0000

They say that having groomed brows is like an instant face lift. So true!

This past Monday, I attended my first of two eyebrow threading classes. It was so much fun.

Here is a picture of the kits we received.

In it was thread (of course), a mirror, tweezers, baby powder, aloe vera gel, and an eyebrow brush. During Monday's class, we learned how to properly hold the thread and the threading motion that produces the least amount of pain as possible. We practiced on each other's arms.

Next Monday will be my final class. We'll actually do eyebrows in that class! It will be supervised by our instructor Sue, who has been threading eyebrows since she was nine.

I really enjoyed this class and the fact that I will be able to earn a few bucks on the side threading brows and other parts of the face!

What do you like about getting your brows threaded?

getting the order right

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:36:00 +0000

I've always been pretty proud of the thought that I had my priorities straight. I knew what was most important and often, I felt I was operating accordingly. But lately, I've had a reality check. With the addition of a husband and a child in my life, my priorities are changing.

Okay, here's the order:

1. God
2. Mike
3. Children
4. Family
5. Work

Unfortunately, sometimes the order appears like this:

1. Children
2. God
3. Mike
4. Work
5. Family

... or like this:

1. Mike
2. Children
3. God
4. Family
5. Work

You get the picture. My priorities on any given day can take a variety of order ... and I'm ashamed. I desire to keep God first, but honestly, sometimes I fail. I found this picture this morning that reminds me that God should be at the center and everything else comes after.

Isn't this great?

How do you remind yourself to put God first in your life?

a new journey

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Haven’t most of us declared we needed to lose a few pounds? Maybe we need to lose more than a “few.” Perhaps we need to lose quite a bit. I fall into the latter category.

When I became pregnant in May 2010, I was already several pounds overweight. Of course the joyous news of expecting a baby could not be overshadowed, but I must admit that in the back of my mind, I thought, “how much bigger am I going to get? I’m not allowed to even think about a diet now!”

Well, my son is now eight months old and he’s not the only “chubby” one in the house. I’m “chubby” too. This week, I started Weight Watchers® (WW).

So far it seems to be the most reasonable “diet” I’ve been on. It was recommended by my doctor because it’s not a fad. There are no special diet pills. I considered Slim Fast® at one time but the thought of a shake for breakfast and lunch just didn’t seem appealing. I even considered trying Alli® until I read the reviews about the consequences of eating too much fat while on this pill (let’s just say that anal leakage just really isn’t my style).

It has been four days since I started WW and I am more motivated than I’ve ever been about losing weight. Dieting is always a tricky thing for me because I am an emotional eater. I always live to eat rather than eat to live. Artificial sweeteners cause me to have severe headaches so diet soft drinks and sugar-free food items are out of the question. WW doesn’t require me to reinvent the wheel, just my portions. Because of it, I have also discovered some really great alternatives for healthy (or shall I say healthier…it’s one step at a time folks) eating.

I’ll blog about my progress. I won’t tell you my weight, but I will tell you how many pounds I’ve lost. The purpose of the blog is so that you can pray for me and share in my laughs, frustration, tears, and smiles.

Are you currently on a weight-loss quest? What are you doing?

teaching etiquette

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:38:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, our youth pastor asked me to teach the teen girl's etiquette class at my church. I was glad he asked me. For a minute I wondered why he'd asked me. After all, for a while there, I thought I was going to hell in a hand-basket for wearing pants instead of a dress to church. So glad he did that. God is so good. So if I wear a dress, but my heart is a hot mess...I digress. A quick note: my pastor straightened this out among the members who drifted towards legalism. Ahhh!

This past Saturday marked session one of our eight week course. I was really nervous. It has been 6 years since I've stepped in front of students to teach. The youth pastor made the introductions, after which we took "before" pictures of all the students (the boys were there taking a young man's leadership course). You should have seen these precious ones! They all looked so uncomfortable standing on the "x" to take a picture. You could see them processing how they should stand or if they should smile.

We broke up into guys and girls and I took the girls with me. Let me just say we have a long way to go. The girls are pretty quiet right now but as they build their trust, I'm praying they open up. I asked them all who they were in Christ. I heard crickets. I'm not at all dismayed because by the end of this class, they are going to know who God made them to be. They will also know how to take care of their bodies, how to present themselves before others, and how to walk, sit, and stand appropriately. More importantly though, we will have established a relationship with one another.

This class is the start of something new. Next Saturday, we're going to talk about salvation, how to share the gospel (my mentor will teach this), and all about posture and poise. It's going to be fun...skirts are required for this next class. I have to make sure my girls know how to sit!

To be continued...

P.S. Thanks to Natasha at www.asistasjourney.com for encouraging me to blog about this.

sunday best

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:19:00 +0000

If you walk into your church house and all heads turn to look at you and it's not because you're late, chances are you're wearing the wrong thing. "What's the "wrong" thing?" you may ask. Let's see: booty shorts, skirts with a mile-long split, tops that reveal major cleavage, and various see-through articles that keep no secrets.

Modesty in the church is a trending topic right now. What is modesty? Who defines it?

To me, in a sentence or two, modesty is dressing in a manner that pleases God by not adding to the lustful temptations that the enemy tries to ensnare us with. Bottom line, don't let your dress cause someone to stumble in their walk with God. How do you know if it will cause someone to stumble? You know. If in doubt, don't wear it. Bring God your best, not only in church, but everyday. We are called to represent Him where ever we go.

Natasha Robinson, contributing blogger for Christianity Today's Her.meneutics makes some very good points in her post titled "Modesty: Still Missing from the Church."

Take a peek and let me know what you think.

three weeks to remember

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:33:00 +0000

Over the past three weeks, God has done a marvelous work in my life. He always does, but this past couple of weeks have been very eye-opening.

I took time off work to bond with Micah as well as to celebrate my second wedding anniversary with my husband.

2nd Anniversary (2011)

So much happened during this time that I wanted to take a moment to capture it. It is my hope that what I share touches you in some way.

The time Mike and I were able to spend together was incredible. We hadn't been able to just have time together since our honeymoon. The kids were with their grandparents so we had no worries. Praise the Lord! The Point? Even if your marriage starts off busy, and you don't get much of a honeymoon (for whatever reason), God will make it up to you! TRUST ME! Don't lose heart and don't give up. God's plan is for marriages to be successful according to His Word. Mike and I look forward to many more opportunities to get away from it all and just be together.

During the time we were away, we caught up with two friends of ours. We hadn't seen them in quite a while. They got married a few months before we did. As a matter of fact, we met them in our pre-marital class. Well, God had plans for us beyond that class. We had a great time with them. We ate and talked about marriage and the first love of our lives...Jesus. I didn't realize how much we had in common. This sister in Christ is easily becoming my best friend. I love her dearly and it feels good to know I can turn to her. In my adult years, I hadn't had too many close, God-fearing friends. God is changing that.

As I was sitting in church this past Sunday, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. When He spoke to me, I could tell it was Him; His voice was so clear. He said, "give Me your worries in all areas of your life. Place them at my feet. All I want you to do is serve Me. Love Me. Tell people about Me. Don't worry about your job, marriage, being a step-mother, being a mom, and above all, don't worry about being liked. Love Me. Serve Me. I'll take care of the rest. I am the giver of new dreams and new hopes." At that moment, I felt a load being lifted off of my heart. It has been two days and Satan has already attempted to steal my joy, but I press on. I feel safe. I feel secure. I don't feel worried. Praise Jesus.

I went to dinner with a friend whom I've known since the 6th grade. We hadn't seen each other in four years. She is a Christian, a wife, a mother, and a step-mother. God is so good. It seemed as though we hadn't skipped a beat. Conversation was great! I'm thankful to have met back up with her. We promised not to let each other fall off the radar again. What an awesome friend! She got a chance to hold Micah and he just adored her. Visiting with her was a breath of fresh air. We talked about how marriage is a ministry. And it is. Marriage isn't just for the couple, it's for God's glory.

In summary, I am thrilled that God chose to send me these blessings.

How has he blessed you lately?

curly girl movement

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:27:00 +0000

Yes! The days of being called "the girl with the good hair" are over! I've waited for this day; the day when people would stop using the term "good hair" and replace it with "healthy" and "natural" hair.

That's right ladies our hair is fabulous no matter the texture. Be free. Wear the hair God gave you. Love it and keep it strong and healthy. Those who know me know that I have curly hair. I love my curls!

Women are beginning to desire a more natural approach to hair care. On Twitter, we've been discussing the endless hair-styling options for women who want to be free from flat irons, blow dryers, perms, and other chemicals.

I found some awesome websites I thought I'd share with you!

Curly Nikki
Naturally Curly
Black Girl with Long Hair

My big "chop" - January 2010

How are you wearing your hair these days?

your feet will thank you

noreply@blogger.com (Mylah Stanton) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:50:00 +0000

Ever gone to get a pedicure and you leave with ashy feet and the same rough spots you came in with? Yes, your polish looks good, but now you feel like a fool because you paid over $30 for the salon's "deluxe treatment". On top of that, you brought your own supplies because let's face it, you just can't trust that dingy yellow callous buffer that is whittled down to almost nothing after all the feet it has waged war against.

My pedicure experience changed for good yesterday when I received the Extremely Buff treatment at Burke Williams Spa in Orange, CA. I checked in at the front desk where I was greeted by a friendly face. They issued a locker key to me and gave me a tour of the spa. I was met with a luxurious, tranquil, and peaceful environment. The waiting area had lots of over sized chairs, dim lighting and cucumber/lemon iced water. After I changed into my robe and slippers, I chose to spend the 30 minutes before my appointment in the quiet room. The thought of being in a "quiet room" was like hitting the jackpot since I have a six-month-old!

Inside the quiet room, I relaxed in a big lounge chair, sipped on some chamomile tea infused with honey, and thumbed through a magazine. Cathy, my technician came to get me when my appointment time came. The manicure/pedicure room had a total of four huge black massage chairs. Forget what comes to mind when I say "massage chairs" if you're used to those generic massage chairs at salons that sponsor ashy feet and the over-worked callous scrubber. These chairs were huge and so very comfortable. The foot basins were made of glass. During the pedicure, the water would get very warm, and then suddenly cool for a relaxing effect.

Cathy was so careful. She gave me water, reclined my chair so I could doze during the treatment, and was very quiet. When was the last time you were able to truly relax when you got a pedicure? She brought a tray of polish colors for me to choose from and provided a heated eye pillow to take away the stress. After an hour, a paraffin wax treatment, and tools used only on me, I had absolutely no rough spots, and my feet were hydrated.

After carrying a baby, delivering, going back to work, and not taking care of my feet, my experience at Burke Williams Spa was second-to-none. I would recommend them to anyone. I am already in line for another treatment.

What have your spa experiences been like?