RSS Email
You are here: Home / Archives for Melissa

5 Ways to Use Coffee in your Cooking

September 24, 2018 by

coffee
Coffee. An elixir to many, a cardinal companion to more. Every day, millions prefer to greet their day with this gift from nature in several forms; Hot, strong and black or smoothly blended with ice, sugar and cream. Carefully roasted grounds slowly dripped to perfection or instant powder hastily heaped and hastily dumped in to a steaming mug of milk, coffee is mainly considered to be a beverage and is mostly consumed that way. In our imagination, what would a good cop movie be without a stale pot of coffee sitting in the corner or a cold evening in Italy without an espresso shot? But it’s always imagined to be a beverage. Well, it could be so much more.

5 ways to reimagine your favorite day and night beverage:

A handful of ground coffee beans could add a new twist to your meat marinades. Throw in some ground coffee with equal amounts of chili powder along with your other usual marinade ingredients and taste the birth of a new favorite meat marinade. Be it beef or pork, coffee tends to bring out the flavor of the meat. Remember, coffee lends a strong flavor. Its fellow ingredients should be picked with this in mind. Experiment by pairing it with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce or even peanut sauce.

Though usually there is no such thing as having brewed too much coffee, there will be days when this happens. Do not throw away the leftover coffee. Step away from the sink and make an exotic barbecue sauce. Combine brewed coffee, ketchup and vinegar with sautéed onions and garlic and add salt and pepper to taste. Coffee will bring its own brand of richness to the sauce’s color and taste. The stainless steel french press is the winner with regards to full-bodied, rich-tasting coffee. Don’t have brewed coffee but you still want to try something like this? Dissolve instant regular coffee or instant espresso powder in water and cook away.

The last place you would expect coffee to be is on a big, fat, juicy cheeseburger. And yet, it got there too. Make a glaze with instant coffee, Worcestershire sauce, corn syrup and brown sugar. Stack a mighty cheeseburger, top it off with a spicy sauce and glaze it with this aromatic concoction and just, well, bite.

How could we limit coffee’s presence to just meat sauces? It makes a mean fudge sauce too. Bring together instant espresso powder and brewed coffee to make a delightful hot fudge sauce that you can drizzle on top of cakes, brownies, ice creams or anywhere your imaginative faculty takes you. Heat unsalted butter, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, the espresso and brewed coffee mix, boil for two minutes and add a few drops of pure vanilla extract. Your mocha fudge sauce is now ready to drizzle.

How could we wrap this up without a proper dessert? When it comes to coffee flavored desserts, coffee cakes and Tiramisus are your usual suspects. Since we are reimagining here, let’s go a little further. Sugar, flour, nuts and spices- all good things to put in a dessert. Add coffee and raisins to these and make a refreshing fruitcake. Just imagine the explosion of flavors that you will get marrying coffee with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Happy munching coffee!




The Only Party-Planning Guide You’ll Ever Need

September 24, 2018 by

Party planning

It takes an organized mind to plan a party of any kind, from corporate gatherings to weddings. There is also the matter of creativity and the luxury of time and budget. Of course, small get-togethers can be managed pretty well by a person or two, but bigger ones require a structured process. You cannot proceed without the carefully defined steps that will guide you through.

Whether you are experienced or inexperienced in this area, there are bound to be challenges that can be very stressful. Some mistakes can even lead to social disasters, not to mention embarrassment. But if you are well-prepared, you can do anything. You can achieve this by remembering these important steps.

Decide on the Theme

No planning can happen until you have chosen your party theme. Theme is everything, after all. It will set how the party will go, from the decorations to food and giveaways. It will also dictate the color scheme, location and costumes you’ll wear. Browsing through the range of theme selections can be overwhelming. Know what you want and what is achievable.

Set the Budget

Setting a budget is one of the most important considerations once you’ve settled on a party theme of your choice. How much are you willing to spend? Will you go all out or do you want to keep things simple? Knowing how much your budget is will help you avoid overspending. It will be harder to go into impulse-buying when you have to stick to a budget.

Save the Date and Location

If you’re on a budget, chances are, you’d settle for a nice party at home with family and friends. It is easier to plan and execute. But if you have the money, you can be more extravagant and hire a party marquee. Planning for your party will then require you to book the place and set the date.

Organize the Guest List

How many people can fit into your budget? Will it be for your intimate friends only or are you including your acquaintances? You must prepare your guest list and send them the invite early on. You can even print out your own invitations and insert them in pocket envelopes before sending out. It is important to let your guests know when the party will be weeks in advance so they can include it in their schedule and prepare.

Make a Checklist

With too many details that need your attention, it is easy to get lost and neglect other aspects of the party. There might be something you’ll overlook, like buying the decorations beforehand or forgetting to send the invites. By making a checklist, you will be able to tick things off as you go along and avoid getting sidetracked.

Take Care of the Decorations

Your artistic spirit will love this part. Having chosen your theme and taken a look at the venue, you’ll imagine how you would want everything to look like. From flower arrangements to the lighting set up and tables and chairs, your creative flair can shine through.

Just remember that you don’t need to shell out a lot of money for decorations. You can always opt for do-it-yourself crafts that use a variety of materials like burlap bags and stamps, or create paper decor using vellum paper and strings. Once you have the materials, it is only a matter of effort and creative prowess. Your imagination is the limit.

Plan the Menu

When you have the theme and the guest list, you can finally come down to planning the menu for the party. What food will best suit your theme? Make a list and prepare in advance so you will be sure to have enough to feed your guests. If you are hiring a caterer, work with them to plan everything in advance.

Prepare the Venue

The day before the party is a flurry of activities, especially if you are having the party at your residence. Every kind of preparation must be taken care of, from the food to the decorations. Making sure that your venue is good and ready for the celebration is vital. The chairs and tables must be in order and party decorations must be sorted by the day of the party. If you’re doing it at a rented venue, then you need to ensure that it is handled efficiently.

Planning a party can be exhausting but also rewarding. When you have successfully pulled off everything and hear the compliments of your guests, you’ll know all your hard work, stress, and frustrations are worth it. Whether it’s a birthday, a wedding, a bachelorette party or an anniversary, party-planning can be a success with careful planning. Come prepared by letting this guide aid you every step of the way.




Does Your Dog Need Vitamins? Tips on Choosing Healthy Options

September 24, 2018 by

Vitamins for dog

If you are a pet lover, you must know that pets need healthy nutrition just as humans do. And since we love our dogs as much as we care about our children, giving the right food to them is a number one priority.

According to the American Kennel Club, there are seven vitamins that dogs need for a healthy lifestyle, including Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, K and Choline. Before you run out to buy supplements, let’s take a look at when your dog needs them.

If your puppy is on a commercial diet (as in, it eats formula food from the grocery or pet store), it probably does not need vitamins. Naturally, this doesn’t apply to cases where a veterinarian has prescribed vitamins. However, your dog does likely need supplements when on a homemade diet. You need to give some supplements to ensure that your pet gets enough vitamins with its meals.

Now the question is how to choose the right vitamin for your pet? To be honest, you can’t decide on your own. You need to get the advice of a veterinarian or an animal nutritionist to determine what your dog needs. A lot of factors affect on the type and amount of vitamins needed for your pet, including the kind of food it eats or the type of medication it takes. So, first things first, consult the veterinarian.

The second question is how to choose from the abundance of vitamin supplements that the market offers. Here are some questions to ask before you buy a supplement:

  • Has the brand commissioned clinical studies?
  • Does the company undergo quality control checks by an trusted organization?
  • Is the company’s expertise confirmed?
  • What does the label say? Do not believe the magic cures. Supplements are just supplements.
  • What other medication does your pet take and how the supplement fits with that?

You may also want to read some influential sites that can recommend to you the right amount and type of vitamins. Search for sites that have reviews, studies and information about all the products on the market. Topdogvitamins.com is a site that can help you with reviews and case studies into how dogs have responded to different foods. They are trusted by some because they were started by a group of dedicated dog lovers.

Whatever your choice, never make an uninformed decision. Too many vitamins or the wrong type of vitamins can do more harm than good to your pet. As the dog nutrition guide of the National Research Council of the National Academies writes,  “As our knowledge of the relationship between diet and health continues to advance and as the range of foods available for dogs continues to expand, it’s more important than ever to base feeding choices on good information.”

As long as you don’t get experimental, you’re not in much danger of harming your friend. Just make sure you don’t make any serious changes before talking to a vet.




How to Save Money when Getting new Flooring in your Home?

September 22, 2018 by

Home flooring

Flooring is an equal and a very important participant within your homes interiors, and it should not be overlooked, especially during a home renovation. But does this mean that you have to shell out pots and pots of money, just to get the right flooring for your house? No, this is surely not the case; just because you are buying new flooring for your house, it does not need to mean that you have to burn a hole in your pocket.

When it comes to saving money on flooring, you need to be a smart Alec to get things done, without ending up with heavy financial losses. The idea is to make the most of your available resources, without going overboard. Through the following steps, you too can save a lot on your investment, and end up with your dream flooring.

1. Know what your end objective is:

In the beginning, it is important to know your end objective, and what you want within your house. Before Choosing your flooring you need to know what you want from your flooring. Do you want something hard wearing because you have pets or do you want something stylish but has low maintenance? There are lots of things to think about when purchasing flooring.

2. Don’t overlook repair opportunities:

If your flooring is not in a good condition, don’t lean towards buying a new flooring immediately. If a little sanding and redoing your floor can help you out then that should be your first option. If the current flooring is beyond repair, you should then think about buying a new set of flooring for your room or house.

3. Do-it-yourself is not a bad option:

Many people, who are looking at saving money on flooring tend to choose the DIY way of floor installations. If you are already into DIY and consider yourself to be an expert, then you should not have any issues going this route. If this is not your cup of tea, there are always guides available online to help you install the floors efficiently. Do your research wisely, so that you land up with the right working guides to take you through the installation procedures. One site which can help you with your research is is yourjobcost.co.uk.

Depending on your budget, you can always look for various options to do your bidding. By choosing discounted options, there is a lot of saving which can aid your financial conditions. What you do and how you achieve your targets is going to determine your financial savings in the long run.




5 Secrets on How to Write a Good Travel Essay

September 19, 2018 by
Travel writing

We all love to travel. We enjoy making some travel notes. Even with this background, it is safe to say that writing a travel essay in high-school or college is still a challenging task. We’ve prepared some tips on how to write a good travel essay.

Add Emotions!

Like a non-traveling author, you do a preliminary research. What can you do, unlike a non-traveling author? Add to the texts juice! Impressions, experiences, comparisons, analogies. All that comes to mind when you wander along new places. Gloomy walls of a ruined church. The cold of the cave reaching to the bone, into which you descended without a jacket. Your shock from the received fine for improper parking, equal to your weekly budget for vacation. Milky pink sunsets over the coast. The night falling on the islands in a few minutes: just was light, and now you are already in the dark go home from the beach… All this will add additional information to the essays, and most importantly, it will add emotions. But they need to be recorded. Emotions evaporate quickly. Tomorrow you will not remember half.

Be Objective and Even Negative Sometimes

At this moment we are ready to sympathize with the authors of the guidebooks. Anyway, they should be tolerant and maximally positive, describing each city. Well, they can not take and write: “This is a dirty port city.  There is an unbearable stale fishy smell in the streets. Garbage is taken out irregularly, so the streets look untidy.” They can not, because it will not be very ethical.  But you can do it! You were there, you saw, you know!

Write an Essay Like Your Would Write a Useful Article

Make a list of reliable sources about the places of interest. More often the most truthful and relevant information can be found on the state and municipal official websites of the institutions you need.

You should base your essay on a unique experience that goes beyond the guides. For example, there are a lot of hedgehogs in the water, and you can not go into the water without slippers. When entering the park, buy more water: the nearest stall will be after 3 hours of walking. Climbing the hill, grab a veil, wine and cheese: this is the best place for dinner with a view. Such information, unique and useful, should be in the text, but in a more “academic”, descriptive way. This increases the value for the client and the semantic uniqueness of the text.

Pay attention to the emotions experienced during the journey. Did you feel like you were the hero of one of the films filmed here? Were you fascinated by the pink sunsets? Did you get astonished from the cod of cicadas? Make sure that these emotions are transmitted so that they can not simply be added to any other description of the city. “The narrow streets,” “delicious food,” “beautiful sunset” — this is not the case.

Stay Historically and Grammatically Correct

Any travel text, of course, is full of geographical names — starting from the name of the country and ending with the names of streets and squares in the cities described. So, it’s best to check the spelling of these words according to the modern, officially approved (it is important!) Dictionary of geographical names. If necessary,  refresh in memory the historical events that affected the change of specific titles. After all, sometimes authors, having incorrectly written this or that geographical name, make not just spelling, but also political, and sometimes even worldview errors. And one more critical point. Once you have checked how the name is spelled, please make sure that it is used throughout the text. DO NOT write once Costa del Sol, once – Costa del Sol, twice – Costa del Sol and again – Costa del Sol. Such an outrage makes professors regret that they are not inquisitors.

Proofread. Twice

We know it is boring advice, but you would be astonished to know how many students fail with their travel essay due to some omissions and pitiful mistakes. It is one of the reasons why a lot of students address essay writing services for help similar to SmartWritingService.com. Use online grammar and spelling checkers and read your essay aloud to detect too complicated and long sentences. Submit on time! Good luck!



The 2018 Wedding Food Trends You Don’t Want to Miss Out On

September 18, 2018 by

Wedding cake

What’s the best part of the wedding? Aside from the bride’s dress and the open bar (if you should be so lucky), it’s usually the delicious, unique food being served. Gone are the days of chicken or beef and that’s all – weddings now-a-days are taking their food in new and inspiring directions. Doesn’t that sound like something you’d like for your big day? We know that adding on more choices to your already hard-to-manage day might sound tricky, but with a little help from JJ’s House designer Jessica, we’ve laid out some of the best 2018 food trends for your wedding this year!

Check them out here!

Go Personal With it

Forget the run-of-the-mill menu where your guests might potentially be excited by some seasoned fish and boring vegetable – take your wedding guests on a journey through your personal relationship. What did you and your bride or groom to be eat on your first date? How about the night you got engaged? Whether it’s pizza or escargot, include this in your menu! Doing this will help keep your menu interesting and your guests involved in the story of your love. It’s a fun new trend that can be unique, and of course, delicious.

Vegan Food is All the Rage

We know this might not be a winner for everybody but including vegan options on your menu might appeal to more people than you think. Going vegan is a huge fad right now, and besides that, it gifts you the opportunity to serve your guests something delicious, fresh, and healthy. Want to include some vegan dessert options? Consider having a vegan cake baked, vegan donuts, or something else delicious and animal product free. It might surprise you that a large majority of your guests will appreciate and devour these treats!

After-Party Snacks for the Win

These days, the after party is where the real hunger will strike. After hours of mingling, enjoying company, and catching up with guests at your wedding, it’s likely you’re going to be hungry (and your guests will, too!) Instead of ditching the venue to grab some fast food, consider rolling out the red carpet for some extra late-night snacks. We’re not even talking fancy dinner stuff, we mean the real-deal-late-night-munchie-stuff. Think pizza buffet, tater tots, cheesy fries, and more! This can be as fun and inexpensive as you’d like it to be, and your guests are sure to appreciate it!

Donut Be Afraid to Go Wild with the Dessert

Cake is great, don’t get us wrong, but don’t be afraid to spice it up a little bit when it comes to the dessert menu. Consider things like donut walls (trust us, this is a real thing), multi-tiered cupcakes, cake pops (even though they’re sort of a last-year fad, they’re still delicious), and even a dessert bar with several different choices. The point is, you don’t have to be locked in to the multi-tiered wedding cake of decades past, it’s your wedding, and if you want to get wild with dessert, go for it!




10 Quotes That Show The Strength of Special Needs Parents

September 17, 2018 by

family
C.S Lewis famously said, “Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.” This couldn’t be more accurate; being a special needs parent teaches us three important things, among others- to love unconditionally, to protect ferociously and to find strength during adversity. Being a special needs parent can be both challenging, and rewarding. It is hard to see your child go through so much with the endless doctor appointments and the difficulty in being independent. At the same time, it is beautiful to see your big boy take his first steps, or make a new friend. They have this remarkable ability to light up a room with their smile, and never hesitate in letting us know how much they love us. This is what helps special needs parents gather the strength to wake up every morning, put on a brave smile and take care of their special child. We have interviewed a number of special needs moms, who have been kind enough to anonymously share their thoughts on being a special needs parent- the good, bad and ugly. You might be a special needs parent, or you might know somebody who is. This article is dedicated to all the special needs parents out there. We hope it gives you strength, courage and determination to keep doing what you do best. You are indeed special.

1. “I eagerly wait for my son to do something new. Last week, he rode a bicycle on his own! It was such a special day for us. The best part is that he will always remain a child at heart, no matter how old he grows. Just like Peter Pan! ”

2. “I have learnt so much from my son. It is really hard for me to be a special needs mom; there is so much to learn and so much to do. Yet, every time I look at my little boy, I can see that he is holding on to the hope that his mother will guide him through all the obstacles. That’s what keeps me going.”

3. “Being a special needs mother has taught me how to be more compassionate towards others. When my son was born, so many friends and relatives came forward to help me out. When we are at the hospital, the staff is warm and always ready to help. I make it a point to help out new special needs moms and let them know that I am there for them.”

4. “People come up to me and ask, “What’s wrong with your child?”, and I say,” Nothing, she’s perfect.” I’m not offended. I know that she may look different, and may speak differently, but she’s trying to learn and do everything on her own, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

5. “It can get lonely. From the day my son was diagnosed, I’ve not had time for myself. I’ve lost touch with my friends, and it has been years since my husband and I have gone out on a date. I’m not complaining, but I feel a little better when I accept it.”

6. “My daughter is my biggest inspiration in life. Every time I feel like giving up, I recall how far my little girl has come. She’s gotten through all the numerous doctor appointments, the stares of rude people and has even started going to school! She gives me the strength to keep going.”

7. “It is wonderful to be the mother of such a special boy. I was so overwhelmed when he took the effort to make a beautiful card for my birthday. It’s the little things like this that I will cherish forever.”

8. “I had a choice, and I chose to adopt a special needs child. I don’t see why I shouldn’t have; I have the money and resources to look after him. More than that, I have a lot of love to give. When I saw him for the first time at an orphanage, his smile just lit up the entire room. That was when I knew that he was the one for me. “

9. “The world has started to be more tolerant, and people have started accepting that special needs children have a place in society. That makes me happy, because it means that my little girl can lead a normal life.”

10. “I never thought that I could do it. When I realized that my son is a special needs child, I broke down and cried my heart out. Life seemed to be so unfair, and I felt weak and vulnerable. But the next day, I woke up and vowed to myself that I would do anything in my power to protect my little boy for as long as I live. I haven’t turned back ever since.”




Why Money Will Certainly Help You to Be Happier

September 17, 2018 by

Money saving tips
We often hear people talk about how money cannot make you happy, a sentiment that I do not entirely concur with. As a mother there is obviously not a chance that any amount of cash could make me happier than spending time with my kids and watching them grow, so I understand how someone who could not have children for example, may not be happier than me, despot perhaps having a million dollars in the bank. With this being said, money most certainly can help you to be happier, and here is why.

Illness

Throughout the world, there are people who do not receive the very best medical care, simply because they cannot afford it. I will not get political here, but this is a simple unpleasant fact and there are people all over the world who receive the very best medical care, based on how much money they have. Take for example the amount of people refusing chemotherapy because of the cost, you cannot tell me that these people would not have a better standard of care if they were to buy megamillions lottery tickets online and hit the jackpot, that they would not be infinitely happier and healthier.

Better Situation

The key causes of stress come down to work and to finances, two issues that will be completely avoided if you had a healthy bank balance. Now in many cases people who become reach remain with these issues, at least the finance issue, because their lives become more expensive, this however, is not a prerequisite of being rich. The people, who have money and live stress free, are those who have managed their cash in such a way that there is no reason to be stressed out by the monthly income and expenditure. This type of situation also allows people to invest their time doing something that they enjoy, rather than grinding day in and day out, just to pay the bills and fill up the fridge.

More Fun

You do not need possessions to have fun, but they most certainly help. For example if you like to drive cars, what better way to do so than in your beautiful new Ferrari, if you like to ski then why not take a tour to the world’s greatest ski resorts, if you like to go to concerts, you can sit front and center in the VIP section. The point is that money will help you to upgrade your fun times, and make them even more special.

What people should say when they mention this comment about money, is that money ‘alone’ cannot make you happy. Having money can improve many aspects of your life but if you are not happy within, then money will certainly not change that. The key is to go after the money, but always remember the simple things that make you happy.




This is Why Homeowners Love Solid Wooden Flooring

September 15, 2018 by

Wooden flooring

A glance at new homes, as well as new commercial premises, reveals the increase in the use of solid hardwood flooring. This is an interesting trend, and it is one of the recommendations you will get if you visit any of the flooring Dallas TX stores in search of the right flooring materials. The increase in popularity of this flooring material is not by any chance, but due to the certain subtle advantages, it has over other flooring materials. If you have been wondering why solid wooden floors are all of a sudden receiving too much attention in the construction world, here are some of the reasons to help you understand-:

They have great aesthetics

Home flooring

 

The interior look of the home is always a huge factor of concern when deciding on the flooring materials. In most cases, the desire of the homeowner is not just to find a strong material for the floors, but also one that will be in tandem with the desired interior décor. With regards to wooden flooring, they have the strength as well as the aesthetics needed to enhance the interior décor of homes. They are available in a variety of styles, colors, and designs that irrespective of what you already have for your décor, you are sure to find just the right kinds of wooden floors to match them.

They require low maintenance

Low maintenance

One of the admirable features of solid wooden floors is that they require very little maintenance. They are easy to clean and will remain clean for longer than most floors made from other flooring materials. In most cases, you will be required to clean them by sweeping just once a week, or a couple of times if they are installed in a place that gets a lot of foot traffic. You can also dry mop or vacuum clean them occasionally to keep them in great condition. The reason why solid wooden floors are easy to care and maintain is that they are stain resistant compared to carpets or other flooring materials such as tiles.

Durability

Hardwood flooring is very strong and durable. Though they may get scratches or dents at some time, these are never enough to interfere with their core attributes of strength, durability, and aesthetics. Besides, when the floors take up stains, scratches or marks, such can always be removed with little care and maintenance, as well as regular cleaning. The last thing homeowners want is to be replacing their floors every now and then, and in solid wooden floors they have found the right solution, since it is almost a kind of install and forget floor style.

Improve acoustics

Improve acoustics

The use of solid wooden floors helps in improving the acoustics inside the rooms in which they are installed. There are certain times when vibrations and hollow sounds may be experienced in rooms, and if you have the wrong flooring materials, it is possible for such sounds and vibrations to be exaggerated within the rooms. The acoustic properties of these floors are the primary reason why they are the ideal choice for installation on premises such as music halls, dance studios, and other commercial premises. But don’t think that if you don’t have a dance studio or a music hall, then you should not install these floors in your home. With them installed at home, you will have a better experience with your home theatre or whatever the sound system you may have in your house.

Improves the air quality

Air Quality

The other admirable feature of solid wooden flooring is the fact that they don’t trap animal dander, dust, particulate matter or any other kind of allergens as is always the case with carpets and other flooring materials. As such, they help to improve the air quality of the rooms in which they are installed. Tiles and laminate may also not trap dirt and other allergens, but they do have grout lines where lots of dust and other allergens to accumulate. When that happens, the indoor air quality will be compromised and it may mark the genesis of all manner of allergic reactions amongst the family members. If you have allergies or have family members with allergies, the choice of wooden floors will go a long way in helping them have some reprieve from some of the allergies.

They are eco-friendly

In addition to saving your money because of their affordability, solid hardwood floors also help in saving the environment. Though they are made from trees, the trees used in making most of the hardwood flooring materials are known to grow and regrow very fast, thus making the flooring materials natural and eco-friendly.

Add value to your home

It has been established that buyers are willing to pay more for your home if you have installed solid hardwood floors. Most of the homeowners currently don’t appreciate carpets on floors very much. When they come to home viewing and they find an old, dirty carpet on the floor, their perception may change so quickly and they may be hesitant to give a great offer. But with the solid hardwood on the floor, you will be highly likely to entertain better offers because the buyers also know about the importance of hardwood flooring in homes.

They come with natural patterns

With carpets, you will mostly get one solid color, perhaps with a few varying patterns. But they are never as beautiful, authentic and natural as what you find with solid hardwood flooring. Real solid hardwood floors will not have the regular factory patterns and all you will find are natural unique patterns featuring a blend of swirls and shades that will add more flavor to your interior décor. Additionally, the colors on the solid hardwood flooring will not fade over time, as is the case with the other types of flooring materials. They will thus look better for longer, ensuring that your home will always have the charm to wow your visitor every time they come in.




Kids & Skincare: A Look at What’s Appropriate and at What Age

September 15, 2018 by

Skin care

The skincare industry is one of the biggest and robust industries out there. Experts forecast that by the year 2021, the global skincare products industry will hit an incredible $135 billion. The industry is made up of all things skincare related such as creams, lotions, sun protection, anti-aging products, etc. Often it can start to feel like you can’t even flip a page in a magazine or go a few minutes without a commercial on TV advertising various skincare products. But here’s the thing, often those products are directed at adults, but what about the kids?

Just like adults can have skincare concerns, so too can kids. And it’s not just about concerns, it’s also about staple products like SPF protection and basic body cream and lotion. So, what exactly is ideal for kids to be using and at what age can they start with their own skincare regimen? Let’s take a closer look.

SPF Protection Needs to Be Used at All Times

One product that you don’t even want to think twice about your children using is SPF protection. In fact, from about the age of six months and older, SPF protection is important. Where the product differs in comparison to what you would use on yourself is that you probably want to pick a higher SPF level, and it’s usually best to go with a physical sunscreen. Physical sunscreen contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide unlike the chemical sunscreens.

The reason the physical sunscreen tends to be the better choice for kids is that it sits on the skin rather than being absorbed like the chemical version. This absorption can lead to an allergic reaction or skin irritation.

Facial Cleanser Can Be Introduced in the Pre-Teen Years

Facial cleanser is another staple product in any skincare routine and typically can be introduced between the ages of six and nine years of age. Depending on their skin you can opt for something like a clarifying facial cleanser or something gentler. They can also follow up the cleansing with a gentle toner. Toner is meant to balance the pH level of their skin.

Follow Up Cleansing with Moisturizer

Moisturizer can also be introduced at the same time a cleanser, but the type of moisturizer will differ as they get older. The first moisturizer can be something lightweight and gentle, sometimes even baby lotion is good enough. As they get a bit older their skin needs will change. They may start to develop oily skin which can lead to acne. This is when soothing lotion can help. As they enter into their teen years, a moisturizer that targets acne can also make sense.

Exfoliants, such as the ones you’ll find on Maple Prime which include the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator and the Clinique Exfoliating Scrub are also great to introduce in those early teen years, and is a product they can continue to use into their adult years.

Keep in Mind Their Needs Will Change

When it comes to kids and skincare, the most important thing to keep in mind is that starting early is ideal but their needs will change as they age, which means they will need to change up their routine and the products used.




« Previous Page
Next Page »