Get Some Hanky Panky!

A few months ago, I received a birthday present in the mail from my sister-in-law. What was inside the packaging surprised me: 2 pretty thongs. First of all, let me say that I have never been a thong person. I tried them here and there--especially during my newlywed days--but they just never were "me". I always felt uncomfortable, unflattering and I felt a little exposed and fat in them! Well, the note accompanying my birthday gift instructed me to give them a try because they were my sister-in-law's favorite panties and she loved getting other girls to try them. Well, I gave them a try and I am now hooked!!

These thongs are made by Hanky Panky and they are one size fits all, so they conform to your body shape. They're not tight, itchy, or make you feel like you can't wait to get them off at night--they're the perfect fit! I've worked out in them, too, and they held up great. They are also very flattering to the figure and, of course, they don't leave the dreaded panty line. Let me also say that these panties make me feel like I am wearing nothing. In fact, my husband went to Nordstrom's last weekend to purchase my Mother's Day gift. He asked the sales associate that his wife likes "these panties that feel like you're wearing nothing". Without hesitating, she took him right to the Hanky Panky table and let him choose the colors he wanted, and by the way, they come in every color imaginable.

This brings me to the point of where you can buy these things. I know that they are sold at Nordstrom for about $18 a pair. My sister-in-law also says they're sold at Nordstrom Rack for about half of that. I even found two pairs on Ebay (brand new with tag, of course!), which were even cheaper! Trust me, once you try a pair, you will want to trade out your entire underwear drawer for some pretty, lacey thongs:)

Tanning Cream...Don't let this happen to you!!!

**Disclaimer - I believe that we are created in God's image and are ALL beautiful, no matter what shade our skin is. This is for all my fellow tanning cream sufferers out there! 

After 15 years of scrubbing, lemon juice, exfoliating, and trying every different tanning cream on the market, I've FINALLY mastered this very delicate art. The ART of applying tanning cream. I have to say before I give you my super secret tips, that I am a white girl. I mean, WHITE! I don't tan, I freckle and burn. So, for me, this is a healthier choice. Tanning beds aren't good for you. There I said it. I have had skin cancer in almost 50 different spots. Some people are more prone, and I am one of them.

With that said, if you are looking for a healthy glow, I'm going to give you my successful tanning cream tips. 

First we need to start with products. I have used everything from the $4.99 off brand bottle to the VERY expensive stuff and here's the BEST...are you ready?...... L'OREAL Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion and Bath and Body Works Island Hot Spot Body Scrub.

*Give yourself enough time to be able to do this before bed and let it dry.

***Don't be in a hurry. You don't want to slap this stuff on like you're scrubbing the kitchen counter. Take your time. It will pay off!

1. Take a shower. Exfoliate either with a loofa or an exfoliating cleanser. Example: St. Ives Apricot scrub.

2. Dry off very well. Then start applying your cream. Put a small dollup in the palm of your hand and apply to legs first. Avoid your ankle bones and only put a slight amount over the knee cap as well.

3. After you've done your legs...take a break and EXFOLIATE YOUR HANDS!!! Use a very coarse scrub (like the B&B Works scrub) Sometimes, I will even scrub after each leg so the bronzer doesn't have any time at all to sink into the palm of my hands.

4. Apply on arms and upper body and anywhere else you want a glow. I like putting it on my tummy, because it makes it look smaller! Avoid elbows and wrist bones as well.

5. Scrub hands again. Be sure not to drip water on your legs or arms. Sometimes it will run and you'll be able to see it the next day.

6. Take a look. If you think you may have put too much on any area, example: knees, ankles, etc. Take a damp towel and gently rub that area. You'll see a little bit come off on the towel.

7. Let it air dry. Usually 15-20 minutes is sufficient. You'll know it's dry when you don't feel sticky anymore.

8. Get some sleep.

9. In the morning take a shower, using a loofa (one of those soft scrunchie things) rinse off all the areas you applied cream.

10. Put on some nice smelling lotion, and you're good to go!Voila! A sun-kissed glow without the UV rays! The lighting in this picture has a reddish tint, but I PROMISE it's a nice brown color!

Try it out and let us know how it goes. Happy bronzing!