Other Stuff...

Hey guys! I'm so excited to be back to blogging. The last few years have been a bit crazy for me. I've graduated from grad school and have been working on getting my Marriage and Family Therapist license, working at multiple jobs, taking care of my family (husband and dogs), taking care of myself, and we moved! 

Life looks a little different than it did a few years ago, which was the last time I posted, btw. I'm happy, I'm healthy (for me), and I'm looking to get back to blogging. I have a lot of ideas and things I want to research and write about and I hope you'll check in with me every now and again to see what I've been up to. 

Thanks and stay tuned!

❤️

Becky

Make your workspace your own!

I sit at the same desk, in the same chair, looking at the same stuff 40 hours a week. I think it's important that I like what I'm looking at, what do you think?

My goal with this blog is to encourage you to find a way to turn that drab cubicle into a cute and modern workspace that's totally you, while still being professional :)

Tip #1
Add color!
Bring a lamp in with a unique lamp shade, dry some flowers and display them in a stylish mason jar, and bring in office tools or accessories that are colorful and/or unique! One idea is to go to Ross or Marshall's and get that statement paper weight, the letter filer with floral detail, or the chic blue vase that doesn't seem to work at home. Whatever you decide to do, just go for colors that you like!

 I love the office space below because they chose to brighten it up with some unique floral wallpaper to cover up the ugly brown cork, and it goes great with their orange lampshade -- bringing things together.


Tip #2
Add a personal touch. I love having pictures of my family and my dogs that I can look at any time I want. I have a little section on my corkboard that has pictures of me and my husband and our two dogs. I love looking over and seeing them, and people often comment about how adorable the pictures are. It's a nice and easy way for me to add something a little personal to my workspace without overdoing it.

Below is a pic of the bottom half of my cork board with pics of my husband and my furbabies. It's facing me so it's not like it's on display for everyone. But if people come into my office, they get the privilege of seeing my little family too.

Tip #3
Reflections
For the longest time I would always go to my coworkers office to look into her mirror. I finally realized that I just needed bring in my own mirror! It's nice to be able to check myself out every once in a while, touch up my make-up, notice if there's broccoli in my teeth... you get the idea.  I found a gorgeous mirror at Cost Plus World Market years ago that is oval with a green border. It's just another little pop of color to add to the drab neutral of a cubicle.

I love the mirror below because it's small, but it's got great mosaic detail that makes it interesting.


Tip #4
Make it Functional!
Last but not least, make your work space work for you. Get help to make sure your work space is ergonomic so you are not hurting yourself and are at less risk of problems down the road. Keep the things you use most often near to you, and make sure you get out of your chair whenever possible. It sounds funny, but sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours a day can be really hard on your body. The rigid motion of mousing and typing can be murder on your wrists, shoulders, neck, and back if you're not aware of it. Just make sure to take care of yourself. Below is a link to the United States Department of Labor, which includes information on how to make your workstation ergonomic to limit or eliminate the distress you could be putting on your body.
OSHA Ergonomic Solutions

I hope that these tips will help to expand your idea on what a cubicle or workspace should look like. You are young and chic, your workspace should be too!

Just Say No... to tanning!

We have long heard about the dangers of tanning, the importance of SPF, and out waning ozone layer. Even with all of this information, millions of people are still subjecting their precious epidermis! Women's Health had a great article about this topic in their January/February 2013 issue: You can read the whole article here.

The article states that indoor tanning can increase a persons risk for Melanoma by 75%!!! Jerry Brewer, M.D. says: "Melanoma is a new epidemic in young women,". Anytime something is considered an "epidemic", we should get concerned and take some action. Obama thought so and in 2010 he passed a bill which included a 10% tax on their tanning bill. But, CNN Money reports that the tax increase has not made much difference to the amount of people who are still tanning regularly.

Now I have to admit that as a freewheeling young lady in my early 20's I too went to indoor tanning salons. I cooked my skin with the best of them for that "healthy" looking glow. But now, it is definitely something I would not do because of the clear risk to my health. It doesn't mean that I don't love that tan looking skin I used to get, but I just find other ways to achieve that look.

I live in a beach town where the sun loves to shine down on us. This is great because I love the sun, and getting my daily dose of Vitamin D, but it also means I have to slather on the SPF. During the winter I use a BB cream with SPF 30 because I don't see the sun that much. But in the summer I make sure to put on SPF 50+ every day to avoid the powerful rays and reduce my risk for skin cancer.

Yahoo! Health had an article about this same topic with 8 reasons to say 'lights out' to the tanning salon. Some of the reasons I already talked about, but it's a good list for reference. I have included some of them below,  but you can read the full article here.

1.  According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), tanning beds are in the “group one” classification of carcinogens, along with asbestos, cigarettes and other known killers.
2. Tanning lamps emit concentrated UVA rays, leading to greater wrinkling, sagging, and other signs of premature aging than exposure to the sun.
3. High-pressure “speed tanning” sunlamps emit up to 12 times more UVA rays than the sun.
4. Indoor tanning can be addictive. More than 39 percent of subjects in one study met the diagnostic criteria for addiction due to their use of tanning beds. They also reported increased symptoms of anxiety and substance abuse.

Some of the products I love and use regularly:
Sunscreen:
Rodan + Fields Reverse Sunscreen - this stuff comes with the Rodan + Fields multi-step skincare line REVERSE.  I love it because the SPF is 50+, and it protects against UVA and UVB rays making it a great line of defense against the harmful rays of the sun.

All in one BB Cream + Sunscreen:
Dr. Jart+ BB Cream: This little tube packs a punch! It is a moisturizer, sunscreen, and treatment serum all-in-one. It's also tinted so it makes a good substitute for foundation. Birchbox calls it the Swiss Army Knife of your beauty cabinet!

Sunless Tanning:
Neutrogena Build-a-tan Sunless Tanning Lotion: This is the product I use to get a little bit of that healthy glow I was talking about earlier. It's one of the only products that actually works without making my elbows and knees and feet brown! It's also pretty fast acting, and after a couple of days you will be looking sunkissed without the negative affects of tanning!

These are just a few of the products that I use and recommend. But whatever you decide to use, make sure it has a powerful SPF, and avoid those tanning beds! It's not worth it.

Get one!

Okay, I am so excited to try this new high tech, skin saving product from Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields of the famous Rodan + Fields! In just 5 minutes a week you can get rid of dead skin cells on your face and give your beautiful skin a chance to show through! Add it to your REDEFINE regimen (formerly called anti-age).

I love the REDEFINE products... LOVE them. I would and do recommend this line to everyone and it's because I'm am avid and enthusiastic user of their products. I've literally tried every line of product they offer at different times and for different reasons.

If you are interested in getting your own piece of this 2 billion dollar industry and putting some of the money on your own pocket, let me know! We'll talk.

rskinner.myrandf.com

Answer some questions on the solution tool site and see what would be best for your skin!
https://rskinner.myrandf.com/Pages/OurProducts/GetAdvice/SolutionsTool

MacroE?!?

Give Rodan + Fields five minutes to trade a week's worth of dull, dead skin cells for smoother, younger-looking, more luminous skin!
And for the next 48 hours, you can save BIG on our biggest product launch yet! But this offer expires February 13, 2013, so read NOW & ACT FAST!


Dr. Katie Rodan & Dr. Kathy Fields have spent two years combining their 40 years of dermatology experience, groundbreaking skincare science & cutting-edge technology to help you reclaim your skin's radiant glow in just five minutes a week with the patent-pending REDEFINE MACRO Exfoliator™.

Used once a week on your face, neck & chest, this hand-held, personal use exfoliation tool sweeps away dead skin cells leaving behind a smoother, healthier-looking & more luminous complexion. The proof is in the filter where you can actually see the dull, dead outermost skin cells & debris that have been covering up your best skin. Talk about instant gratification!

It features patent-pending DOC-SMART™ technology, developed & programmed by the Doctors to put their brains in your hand to vary the degree & duration of macro-exfoliation based on the area you're treating. So effective, the MACRO E is clinically proven to visibly improve skin texture after only one use. And in the 4-week clinical trial, 100% of the participants saw an improvement in their skin's texture & overall appearance. Pores looked smaller, lines were reduced, skin was more even. Who doesn't want that?

All this is available without a prescription or a trip to a doctor's office & it comes with a 60-day, money-back satisfaction guarantee!


The Doctors had their most successful press event when they gave beauty editors a sneak peek of this baby last fall & Marie Claire has already shown us love in their January issue. Keep your eyes open for a slew of media coverage in the coming weeks and months. But you don't have to wait to see why they were so wowed...

Until Wednesday morning, you can start to REDEFINE the future of your skin at a MACRO discount!

If you're already a Rodan + Fields existing Preferred Customer (PC): Add the PC MACRO Exfoliator Flash Deal (AAMEX01P) to your next PC Perks replenishment order & you will receive the tool at the convention price of $210; that's an additional 15% over your usual PC Perks price!

If you're not yet one of our beloved PCs (but would like to join the club): This same offer applies when you become a new PC during the flash deal & include the PC MACRO Exfoliator in your enrollment order. That's over 25% in savings off the retail price!
Remember, this offer expires February 13, 2013, at 10 a.m. PST, so CONTACT ME TODAY so I can hook you up with this MACRO deal & place your order!

REDEFINE YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE
Thousands of Rodan + Fields independent business owners just returned from our annual convention in Dallas, TX where we learned how we can REDEFINE our financial future by leveraging our new product, programs & technology, as well as promotions, like cash bonuses, our car incentive program with Lexus, free iPads & fabulous trips to places like Maui, Cabo San Lucas & Paris!

Timing is critical in positioning a tool like this, as the market for in-home tools & skin care devices is growing (it's projected to soon to hit $3 billion). 1 in 3 women will use at home beauty devices. When it comes to aging skin, we are all aging all the time, so our market is almost limitless.
The current recession has shifted consumer mentality from professional treatments to in-home treatments to save money. Professional exfoliation treatments on average cost about $180/treatment & require follow-up treatments every 4-6 weeks to maintain results, so our new Macro Exfoliator pays for itself in no time. I love that there is no downtime, but you still get the same visible results as a professional treatment. Marie Claire scooped us last month & we anticipate many more positive reviews in the press on the product.

To keep up with the demand, I am looking for leaders to join my leadership team who would enjoy:
-working virtually, from home
-creating your own hours
-being your own boss
-unlimited earning potential
-leveraging the credibility of a big brand
-leveraging the resources of a big corporation

If you're at all interested in learning more about our award-winning opportunity, here's why NOW is the perfect time:
-Rodan + Fields was recognized as the Direct Selling Association's "Rising Star" & received eight major awards in two years. The direct sales industry has clearly taken notice.
-The beauty editors love our doctors & we are positioned to receive a lot of incoming press for our new product.
-We had a 126% increase of 6-figure earners this past year. We are debt-free & growing in triple digits every year.

R+F truly is "REDEFINING" aging, and direct sales. Isn't it time you joined us?! Message me to chat!

Friday Favorites

By far, my favorite piece of exercise equipment is the Bosu Balance Trainer

This little balance ball thingy is great for your core, legs and butt. I have one at home and I use the one at the gym (when I get there). If you buy your own you get the balance trainer itself, a pump to inflate it, an instruction manual (a must), as well as a DVD of workouts. It's a little pricey ($109 + tax), compared to a balance ball or something like that, but I think it's worth it.

Usually, I use it while I'm watching TV so I don't feel too lazy. I like little mini workouts, so I'll use it a couple of different times throughout the evening.

My favorite exercise with it is standing on the flat side, with the ball side down (which it says not to do, but I guess I'm a rebel), and doing arm curls or lifting a kettle ball. This is pretty extreme balancing and is GREAT for your legs. Sometimes my legs start to shake so much that the Bosu shakes and I have to jump off. It's pretty funny at home, embarrassing at the gym, ha ha. Sometimes I'd just stand on it and balance on one leg at a time.

It's also great for doing squats, lunges - put your front foot on the blue side, and you can also use it to do push ups with the flat side which will tone the crap out of your arms! In the DVD there were a couple of ladies showing how to use it and they kind of step in place on it for "cardio". I don't really use it for that, but I'd be interested to hear if anyone actually does, and how it works for them.

This little balance trainer has a lot of uses, and I really like it. I'd recommend giving it a try at the gym, even if you're afraid to look silly because you're not exactly sure how to use it. It's pretty fun once you get the hang of it! Just grab a kettle ball and give it a try!

Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate.

With the weather warming up, we need to get our bodies ready for clothes that reveal a little more skin. I have a great product for you that I recently tried on myself...

You may have heard this a hundred times, but you need to exfoliate! You should exfoliate around three times a week; before shaving, and especially before getting a spray tan or using self tanner. It's important to exfoliate the skin on your face, but it's also important to give your whole body a scrub down. I recently tried a body micro-dermabrasion stick by Rodan + Fields Dermatologist called Enhancements Body Micro-Dermabrasion. I gave it a try because I was going to be trying out a new self tanner and I knew I needed to exfoliate first. You are supposed to use it in the bath or shower, and just use it on your whole body. I focused on my arms and legs. I felt the softness in my skin and I have used it twice more since then.  

Another way that this product has been effective is using it on my tattoos! I have several tattoos covering a lot of real estate on my arms, and the micro dermabrasion really made them look fresh and gave my skin a nice little glow. 

It looks like a little deodorant stick, and it's super easy to use. It feels good and tingles in a good way.  So whether you're about to shave, use self-tanner, or wear that mini-skirt you've been wanting to take out on the town -- exfoliate those stems, and look and feel refreshed and vibrant!

ENHANCEMENTS Body Micro-Dermabrasion

ENHANCEMENTS Body Micro-Dermabrasion