How To Be Confident in Your Plus Size Body.

Us plus size women, we have it hard. We are constantly scrutinized for the way we look! It's not fair but hey don't let that bring you down GF.

I struggle with it everyday but I refuse to let that struggle bring me down. Here are a few inspirational tips I have to really be confident in your body that target not just yourself esteem but also understanding your body.

1. Believe!

You've got to believe that you are the best that you can be. You have to believe in yourself even at times when you're discouraged you have to believe you are BEAUTIFUL. But honestly, you really are. 

2. Don't let the bad days determine the good days!

Of course, we all have those bad days where you feel disgusting, you feel like a whale, nothing looks good on and everything people have been saying negatively about you is right. We all have those days but try not to dwell on them. Take it with a grain of salt and move on because none of those things I just said are true and I don't want you to think that way. If you let those bad days determine the mood for your good days your not letting room in to enjoy life. 

3. Understand your shape!

When it comes to finding clothes that make your body look great you really have to understand your shape. Not all plus 6. women are created equal. That's a very common misconception. Some women are top heavy, some a bottom heavy some are hourglass shaped, and some are apple shaped. You really have to understand your body and find your best assets. Once you'v found them, USE THEM! If you're top heavy show a little cleavage (tastefully of course). Understanding your shape will help you find the right clothes that look most flattering on your body.

4. Be Real!

Be realistic sweetie, don't buy a size 12 knowing full well you're a size 18. You have to be real with your size, embrace it. Because if you don't then the people around you wont either. Br proud in your body girl!

5. Take that compliment and run with it!

Now if someone compliments your on how you look. Dwell on that (not obnoxiously) but take it and run with it, don't let go of it because when those bad days come around like I mentioned above you're going to need to remember that someone thinks you're amazing. So keep that compliment in your back pocket for when you need it. 

6. Your weight doesn't determine who you are!

Who gives a shit that you're PLUS SIZE! No, seriously. That doesn't change you at all. That doesn't change the person you are on the inside. You are beautiful, you are smart and your are YOU! NEVER let anyone make you feel like less of a person because you're plus sized. 

7. Pick out your perfection, not your imperfections!

Stop poking at your imperfections. Instead pick out those things that make you beautiful, the things that are unique and the things that make you smile. Don't beat yourself up about things that you don't like about your body. If you don't like something fix it.

I hope this is helps those of you that are struggling with confidence. Remember, you are BEAUTIFUL!

XOXO

Shanaz

DIY Protein/Moisture Conditioner

Healthy hair = Happy Shanaz!

I love my hair and when my hair is healthy I feel like all is right in the world. Come one ladies (and gents) I know you feel the same way about your hair. When your hair feels and looks good so do you.

That being said I have been very neglectful when it comes to hair care. I've been lazy with styling and because it's so hot in L.A. I just throw it in a bun. To be honest, I probably haven't combed through my hair in over a week. I've just been brushing over the naps! ha!

I decided to do a DIY Protein/Moisture Conditioner. It contains ingredients that are great for damaged, dry and brittle hair that needs an extreme pick up me. I will get into the science of it all a little later. For now, we'll go over the ingredients and method for applying.

What You'll Need:
-Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
-Half of an Avocado
-Agave Nectar or Honey
-1 Egg Yolk

1. In a small bowl mix 2tbsp of coconut oil and half the avocado and mash them together to form a paste.
*Note: Use a ripe avocado, it's easier to mash. You want the texture to be smooth. My avocado could have been a little more ripe

2. Add 2tbsp of agave nectar or honey and the egg yolk and mix everything together until well blended.
*Note: Agave nectar and honey have the same nutritional properties, the nectar is just a lot easier to work with because it's less sticky.

Now, I have extremely thick dry and brittle hair so in order to apply this I needed to do it in sections. I parted my hair in four then combed each section and sprayed it with a little water to dampen my hair and help the mixture go on easier. I then applied the mixture to each section liberally. I combed through for even distribution and twisted the section into a bantu knot. Easy as pie! (mmmm pie!)

Depending on the thickness and texture of your hair the measurements above may be too little or not enough. Adjust the mixture to your liking. If you have some left over refrigerate it and use it for you next treatment.

I put a plastic bag on my head to help seal everything in and left it on for an hour and a half. You'll also need to gauge how long to keep it on your hair. Thinner hair should use less time. But I got that REAL hair so I would have left mine on for hours if I had the time. Once done, rinse, shampoo, all that good stuff and you'll notice a difference instantly. You hair will be soft and shiny. I recommend doing this treatment once a week.
*If your hair doesn't respond well to a lot of protein, skip the egg every other week.

Now let's get in to a science a little, I don't want to bore you though so here are some general facts about the benefits on the ingredients used in this conditioner.

-Agave Nectar contains humectants that naturally draw moisture from the hair strand.

-Coconut oil softens the hair and helps seal in the moisture extracted by the nectar.

-Avocado is great for restoring dry, brittle, damaged hair (hello! that's me). It contains nutrients that are great for hair growth and adds amazing shine.

-The egg yolk is very high in protein which hair needs to stay healthy.

That's it! What I love most about this conditioner is that it contains ingredients that you already have in your home. Doing this once a week is amazing for healthy strong hair.

Alright, I've got to go wash mine out now. I will post another photo of the results one I've washed it out. Stay tuned.

Love,
Shanaz

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Nails Nails Nails! Haul, Review, & Nail Design

As I'm typing this blog post I'm looking down at my nails and can't help but smile because they are so fun and festive for summer. I'm am obsessed with neon this summer. If it's neon and I can wear it, I'm buying it. If I could have neon hair I would -- OK, maybe that's a little much but you get my point.

Let me start off my telling you guys that I have a serious nail polish addiction -- IT'S REAL!! I have over 140 nail polishes and I don't plan on stopping. If you haven't seen my nail polish collection video I will link it here. I show you all of my nail polishes and how I store them. I get such joy out of them (I live a sad life -__-).

Recently, a close friend told me about this huge beauty supply she went to that housed every single nail polish you could think of for great discounted prices. "Say no more! Where do I find this heaven" I asked. The beauty supply is called Skyline Beauty in Chinatown, Los Angeles. It's one of those beauty supply stores that the nail salons get their nail polishes from. Because the salons are usually buying them in bulk they sell them for lower prices. But wait, that's not even the good part. We found a coupon on Groupon (best thing since sliced bread) where you can get $22 worth of nail polish for $11. Now, normally I buy my polishes from Sallys, Target and Planet Beauty and my favorite brands are Essie, OPI and China Glaze which in those stores will cost $8, $9 and $5, respectively. But at Skyline Beauty the Essie is $3.50 then OPI is $4 and China Glaze is $3.50.  I mean hello! What more could I possibly want.? Cheaper prices means I can buy more! I haven't bought any polishes in a while so I thought I would treat my self to a few (or more ha!) that I have been eyeing for a while now.

I picked up 7 polishes including my favorite top coat, Seche Vite. One of the polishes I bought for my friend so I ended up with 6 for about $30. (I went over my coupon so I just paid the difference).
The colors I got were:
Essie- Bouncer It's Me
China Glaze- You Drive Me Coconuts (Jellie)
China Glaze- Techno (Glitter)
Orly-Glowstick
Color Club-Harp On It (Holographic)
Seche Vite- Top Coat

Had I bought these from anywhere else it would have cost me around $50. That's a total savings of $20

Mini Reviews:
I was very excited to try out my first holographic nail polish. I've heard mixed reviews about them and was eager to give it a try and see how I like it. I can happily report that the holographic nail polish from Color Club is AMAZE-BALLS! It's the perfect consistency and goes on super opaque. You could really get away with one coat but I always double up for longevity. The holographic design is just that. It's definitely not one of those polishes that looks great in the bottle but not so much when applied. The particles don't break up, they stay intact for an even application. It truly is a great polish that I would recommend.  I can't wait to hear what people say about it, it's such a cool effect.

The China Glaze Drive Me Coconuts is a jelly from their new Sunsational, can't really say that I'm a fan of jelly polishes. I just don't see the point but the color is great!

The Orly Glowstick is one that I've wanted for months. I have two other neon nail polishes, this one comes in 2nd. My Illamasqua- Rave coming in 1st, the consistency is perfect and the finish is TDF and China Glaze- Celtic Sun coming in last, it' very watery and takes a million coats to get a good finish. The Orly wasn't what I expected but it's fine.

The Essie Bouncer It's Me is from the new Neons 2013 collections (told you I like neons). Its a vivid cobalt blue color another one of my favorite colors this summer.

The China Glaze Techno is a repurchase. Hands down the best holo-glitter ever in life!


This week I'm rocking Holographic and Neon Nails. Using some of them polishes I mentioned about I applied the holographic and neon polishes on each of my nails in a random order. I love it! Here's a pic!

CG- You Drive Me Coconuts Orly-Glowstick CC-Harp On It

Let me know that you guys think? And if you live in the L.A. area definitely check out Skyline Beauty, you'll thank me later! :)

XOXO

Shanaz

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel and Blog, thank you :)

Pics:

Sorry the quality isn't great, I took them on my iPhone. 

CG-You Drive Me Coconuts

Orly-Glowstick

CC-Harp On It

Essie-Bouncer It's Me

CG-Techno

Tips to Starting a Weight Loss Journey

Hello there!

I am actually writing this blog as I'm munching on almonds and cooking dinner. "Master Multitasker" is what they call me :)

So this is my first actual blog post. I have been contemplating for months now if I should start a blog and I just decided thirty minutes ago that I was just going to do it! I was afraid that nobody would read it, like it or find it relevant but see that's the thing. You shouldn't limit yourself with the things that make you happy just because you're afraid of what others may think. So what if other people don't like it. Do it for you!

Now that my litte speech is over we can get into the good stuff. For today's blog post I wanted to give you all some tips on starting a weight loss journey. As some of you may know (those coming to my blog from my YouTube channel) I have decided to change my life and lead a healthier lifestyle. I really want to shed the more than extra pounds and be happy again. I've struggled with my weight my entire life but I've never actually done anything about it and honestly that was due to pure laziness. I just didn't want to. Now that I'm older, (I'll be twenty-four this year. Yikes!) I really want to start taking care of my body. You only get one and I want to get married and have kids one day and when I start that journey in my life I want to be the best that I can be. So I've decided to put down the hamburger and pick up the weights. haha that sounds so commercialized.

So here are my tips to starting a weight loss journey: (in no particular order)

1: Congratulate yourself!
Congratulations you've decided to make a lifestyle change. That's a huge accomplishment and you should commend yourself for that. It's not easy making the decision to really do something about your weight. I know that in the past I made false promises and never really acted on what I said I was going to do. This time around it's different and I am so proud of myself for having the will power to really go through with it this time and you should be too. Now don't go all out and go get a Happy Meal or anything. :)

2: Spread the word!
During this lifestyle change you're going to need as much support as you can get. You should let your friends and family know about your plans so that they can help you. It's going to get tough when everyone around you is eating all this delicious, decedent food and you have to contain yourself. You're going to need a team of people that respects your changes and will support you all the way. You never know, maybe they want to make the change too then you'll have a partner!

3: Set realistic goals!
It's probably not the best idea to go into this journey thinking you're going to lose 50lbs in one month. Come on, that's not realistic. (REMEMBER: slow and steady wins the race)
You need to have a clear concise vision for what you want. These goal are going to help you achieve a better you so remember to make them attainable.

4: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!
Oh and did I mention-RESEARCH! I cannot stress enough how important it is to research how to safely and effectively lose weight. You need to find out what is going to work best for you. Consider things like; How much time can I commit to this journey? What workouts will work best for me? How many calories should I be eating a day? All of these question and many many more should be running through your brain when you're planning your weight loss journey. Most importantly you should consult with your doctor before you start any weight loss program. Please, please be safe!

5: Figure out a system!
As I mentioned above, you need to find the best regime that is going to work for you. Most of us are extremely busy in our day to day lives, the thought of adding extra work into that is almost sickening. Don't let that discourage you though, this can be done with hard work, determination and planning.
You should start with planning your meals. I found that it helps to make my lunches the night before. I also plan my dinner meals for the week. I find it easiest to cook for more than one so that I can have leftovers the next day. It saves time and money. If possible I set out my breakfast the night before also. Ex: If I'm having oatmeal I put the oatmeal in the bowl and set out a spoon so that all I have to do in the morning is add the milk and pop it in the microwave. Or if I'm having a smoothie I blend it the night before and put it in the fridge so I can grab it in the morning. These little extra steps really help me stay on track. When it comes to working out I find it's easier for me to workout at night during the week (because I can't stand the thought of losing out on extra sleep in the morning) and workout in the day on the weekends. Try out different regimes to find the best fit for you.

6: Find tools to help you!
There are so many tools out in there to help you with this journey. Don't think that you have to do it all alone. When I started I couldn't stand the thought of writing down my calorie intake, ugh! #aintnobodygottimefordat hahaha (Thanks Sweet Brown)
My cousin told me about this app called MyFitnessPal (best thing since sliced bread, honestly!) It tracks all of my calorie intake for the day. All I have to do it look up the food item, find the right serving and then it tells me the calories. It also gives me a calorie goal for the day and I can track my exercise. I could honestly take about that app all day but I will save that for another blog post. Aside from that, it may help to find things to keep you motivated. Try a diary or a vision borad with images of people you look up to and inspirational quotes. You could even buy a dress in the size you wish to be, hang it up in your closet and look at it every time you need a little push! I may even try that one.

7: Track, measure and take pics!
You should definitely track your food intake. It will help you in this journey, even if you don't want to count the calories as much, tracking your food will help you find the flaws in what your eating and be able to fix them. Are you eating enough meals a day? Are your potions too big? Are you eating too many carbs a day? Tracking your food will help you answer all of those questions.
When I first started this journey I took all of my measurements and wrote them down. I also took fully body pictures of myself so that I can track my process. How can you know how far you've come if you don't have anything to refer back to. Plus it will make you feel awesome when you can see the stages of your weight loss. I highly recommend doing these.

8: Believe in yourself!
This probably the most important tip of all. It's hard to accomplish something if you don't believe you are capable of doing it. So get that negative idea out of your head now because you CAN do it. You just have to believe in yourself. Granted there will be bad days, very bad days even. But you have to over come them. Keep your goals in the forefront and forget all the negativity. You're the best! Don't let anything or anyone discourage you and have fun! :)


Well those are my tips. I hope that you found them useful and helpful. If you're on a journey leave a comment letting us know what things you have done to start your weigh loss.

Thank you for reading,

Naz

Well hello there...

Welcome to my blog, NazzysBeauty.

My name is Shanaz and I am the creator of this blog. I am a 23 year old college student living in Los Angeles, pursuing my dreams of breaking in to the television industry. In my spare time I upload videos on to YouTube in hopes of teaching others about beauty and style. 

This blog will correlate with my YouTube channel and feature things such as; beauty and fashion, lifestyle and anything else I want to share with you all. I hope that you enjoy your time here on my blog and that you find it helpful and fun! 

Thank you for your support,
Shanaz XO

P.S. You can check out my YouTube channel here:
www.youtube.com/nazzysbeauty