Sweet Talk

i know, i know..i'm slacking...AGAIN! i hate that i don't blog very often like i thought i was going to, but maybe that can be my new years resolution ;) this week has just been crazy --like every week-- and i haven't had time to just sit down and blog my little heart out..until now!! side note: i received my cosmetology license in the mail this past week!! i'm FINALLY official!!!! 


"pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body." Proverbs 16:24


anyways, i want to jump right in to this topic for the night-- lips. 
our lips are another focal point of our face and usually if you're not looking at a person's eyes during conversation, you're looking at their lips. it's crucial --in my opinion-- to keep our lips healthy and moisturized, especially during the winter months. no one wants or wants to see dry, flaky lips! i decided i'd share a few tricks for what i do to have healthy and soft lips. 
to start out the most obvious reason your lips are dry is because they aren't being hydrated, so don't skip on the H2O! it's great for your body and all natural, so it's a win-win situation! obviously the most important product you can use is a moisturizing lip balm. i recommend using Chapstick- either the original or the blue moisturizing one because for me, they last the longest on my lips and are very soothing when i've got chapped lips. i know a lot of people are obsessed with Burt's Bees or Carmex, but they can become addicting to the lips and they stop working to aid the lips. if you can't give up your favorite lip balm i'd say just alternate between two every few days or weeks. 
**to really ensure soft lips, i apply my Chapstick religiously the following ways:
-every night after i wash my face
-every morning after i apply my make up
 i also apply it during the day whenever necessary. remember-- ALWAYS apply a lip balm under lipstick to make sure the lipstick or lip stain goes on smooth without creases or uneven coverage. 
another important thing to do that a lot of people don't think about is exfoliating your lips just like you would for your face or body. your body can shed 30,000 to 40,000 dead skin cells every hour so it's important to scrub those dead cells off so that your skin is refreshed! i'm sure that just put exfoliate skin to the top of your "to-do list"!! here's a quick and simple (and tasty!) way to exfoliate your lips:
mix small amounts of natural honey and sugar together in a small bowl until it forms a scrub-like consistency. apply the mixture on your lips either using a toothpick or your clean finger. next, scrub the honey sugar on your lips using your fingers or a toothbrush. i use a toothbrush because i feel like it's working better. when you feel like your done, wipe the scrub off your lips with a warm washcloth aaand.. VOILA! super smooth lips basically for free! 
so those were just a few ways to make sure your lips are healthy and moisturized all year round! now that we have the physical appearance of the mouth taken care of, here's something to think about for what comes out of our mouths. the saying "choose your words wisely" is definitely true. our words should be pure, encouraging, and honoring to God. i know that in my own life, i never want people to question my morals or standards by the words that come out of my mouth. yes, i DO put my foot in my mouth occassionally..or more than that, but i honestly do try to please the Lord with the words i say. Proverbs 20:15 says "there is gold and a multitude of jewels, but knowledgeable lips are a rare treasure." i challenge and encourage you all take this verse to heart this week. it is so important for us to think before we speak and that leads right in to your challenge for this week: think before you speak. ask yourself if what you're about to say is encouraging and portraying a true image of the Father you serve. Jesus spoke with knowledge ad everything He ever said was uplifting, loving, and pure. remember: we should be a mirror image of our Father-- our words need to mimic His. 


lots of love and Merry (early) Christmas!!