Beauty is Truth: Savour

So on my recent monthly ritual trip to Target to pick up bath and body supplies, I experienced a slight surge of panic when I realized that “Scrub Actually” was nowhere to be found.  In fact the whole Soap and Glory display had been replaced by the vacant mockery of fluorescent lights and trails of sampled clearance items.

Seriously?  Everytime I fall in love with a line of products they pack up and leave shop like an unhappy housewife in the middle of the night. I remember finally finding a body scrub I could love in the Tutti Dolci Line that was sold exclusively at Bath and Body Works and later Victoria’s Secret.  Ever since their departure, I’ve been silently stalking Ebay for a scent similar to Tiramisu Veneziano and Fantasia Di Ciccolata.

What can I say?  As much as I love devouring some of my favorite desserts,  I love smelling like them just as much.  So in my disappointment surrounded by a selection of what I assumed were subpar products that could never find a home in my bathtub,  I found myself being drawn to Savour’s Choco Latte body lotion.  The scent was subtle and delicious without being offensive.  So since OCD me can’t buy anything unless it’s in a set, I ended up purchasing the matching sugar scrub and body wash.  I am in love!  At only $5.99 each for a decently portioned 13 oz.  bottle, these products have a superior quality.  The lotion is creamy and the scent is long-lasting.  Additional scents include Buttercream Cupcake, Mint Mojito,  Raspberry Gelato, Spiced Cider and the list goes on.  So excuse me while I stock up before I get stood up in the bath and body aisle by yet another brand.

When the Honeymoon is Over…

So it’s settled and you’ve been dating what you may be thinking is the love of your life for several months, but suddenly all those eccentricities you once found so exciting about your new boo, suddenly are just plain annoying.  You may be even beginning to question whether those butterflies were really just a result of your weekly beef burrito supreme.  The honeymoon is over, and this is the time when most relationships are in a severely fragile state.  It’s the crossroad where the  endorphin clouds begin to lift from your brain and you begin to consider if you’ve been wasting your time or investing it wisely.  You may find yourself facing if what you have begun to build with your partner is worth dealing with his/her worst.  But before you throw in the towel, consult these reinforcements:

1) Love Without a Limit

Many couples begin to get complacent in their relationships after some time, but it is important to enforce the same standards you had before entering the relationship.  The best relationships have boundaries, and whether you’ve been together for ten days or ten years, you should both have respect for the lines you’ve drawn in the sand when you take a break from walking hand in hand in it.

2) Bring sexy back (better yet don’t ever drop it off)

So you’ve always been told that if your partner truly cares for you, that he/she will appreciate your beauty from the inside out.  While this true, that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable to quit maintenance on the outside.  While your man may not run for the hills at first sight of you in your satin bonnet, grey sweatpants and unfilled eyebrows it’s not a license to quit trying.  Your partner deserves what he/she signed up for occasionally.  In addition, try switching things up once in a while.  The energy and excitement of change isn’t just beneficial for your romance, but your self-esteem as well.

3.) It Really Is the Little Things

Part of preserving a romance is taking into consideration the individuality of your relationship and the incentives that can come as a part of the package.  The “just because” text messages and how you’d pick up his favorite sandwich from that deli he likes not because he was hungry, but because you were thinking of him.  Many partners think of these things simply as “that stuff you do because the relationship is new”, but completely ignore how cherished these small actions are to their significant other.  Sometimes the biggest parts of a happy, healthy relationship are the small gestures.

4) And You Are?

Several months have passed and you’ve built a certain comfort level, but you may find that some skeletons are doing the Harlem shake out of your partner’s closet, and yours as well.  So the only three guys you ever had sex with is actually closer to thirteen.  Or you’re giving him the side-eye since he thought it was a good idea to tell you about that orgy he had in college.  Before you blow the dust off of your Tamia’s “Stranger In My House” single , keep this important point in mind: Everyone has a past.  Focus on your future and how (if at all) this newfound information will affect your progress.