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Things To-Do While in Isolation

March 18, 2020 by BestieTalks 31 Comments

Things-To-Do During COVID-19 Isolation

Globally we are going currently going through a virus crisis known as Coronavirus (COVID-19). This pandemic has us kept indoors while we all practice “social distancing”. A lot of people are working from home and others are working from home while simultaneously watching their kids (as possible as that is). All of our situations are different but one thing we all have in common is the fact that we have a lot of extra time on our hands. Times like this can cause a lot of stress, anxiety, and boredom, which is why finding things to occupy your time with is so important.

We are sharing different things you can do depending on what it is you are needing. Our tips range from fitness to relaxation and hope that you find one or two that speak to you and your family!

Health and Fitness

Stream free workout videos or invest in a new subscription if you find one you really love!
Try out a new fitness activity that you have been considering but never gave a shot – we recommend yoga!
Jump rope to get your heart rate up and shake the stress away – check out this article to see the benefits of jump roping.
Give meditation a try! Lots of guided versions on YouTube, Podcasts, and apps.
Get up from your workstation once an hour and do between 25-50 squats, pushups, sit-ups and or jumping jacks. Small increments can make a big difference!
Go for a walk or run – if you have a dog, then this should be your daily go-to!
Incorporate more stretching into your day.
Look up new recipes or finally try out the ones you have had bookmarked forever- Our Pinterest features a ton of healthy recipes!
Scour Pinterest for new workouts and/or recipes.

Productivity

Organize your closet and get a donation bag going. This is a great time to give to those in need.
Each day pick a new room or area to organize – by the time we beat this virus you’re home will be looking amazing and clutter-free!
Pull out the couches and hard to reach entertainment areas and do a deep cleaning.
Organize your pantry.
Color code your library collection.
Clean up your resume.
Teach yourself new skills that you know you need to better your career (PowerPoint, Excel, etc). There are ENDLESS videos on YouTube for pretty much anything you want to learn.
Go through your bills and make sure everything is up to date.
Clean out old photos from your phone.
Go through your junk drawer and make it an organized drawer.
Clean up your email and make new folders for important docs.
Organize your mail and make a new designated area/folder for the stuff you need to follow up on. Don’t ignore those bills.
Set reminders in your email to reoccur for important dates each month (i.e. bills, birthdays, meetings and appointments).
Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails that you get.
Clean out and rearrange your garage.
Put together a photo album of all the loose pictures you have.

Self Care and Relaxation

Read a book.
Soak in the bath.
Binge watch a new show- click here for a great list on binge-worthy streaming!
Start journaling. If you don’t have a notebook, you can use your computer or Notes app.
Have a stay in date night with your significant other. You can even include the kids and have them be your waiters.
Give yourself a deep conditioning hair mask – you don’t have anywhere to go so leave it on for as long as you want!
Try out a DIY face mask.
Light candles and incense and put on your favorite lunge clothes and watch a movie, new or old.
Give yourself a pedicure.
If you live with your significant other – give each other massages.

Beat Boredom

Play a board game with your partner or kids. You can even ask a neighbor if you can borrow one of their game boards.
Find a new game on your phone or computer.
Call or FaceTime someone you miss and that will put a smile on your face.
Write a letter.
If you have a sectional couch you can push them all together to make what we call a “couch bed”. Now you can lay in your living room and your big comfy ass couch bed.
Build a fort.
Feng Shui your living room or any room in your home.
Clean something! There has to be something in your space that can use some elbow grease!
Color, paint or draw. This can be fun to do as a family too.
Look up DIY science experiments. There are so many out there.
Look at animal or comedy sketch videos on YouTube.
Go to a rabbit hole on Youtube about your favorite conspiracy theory.
Put on your favorite album and turn it up loud so you can dance and sing your ass off.
Make a vision board.
Catch up on a series or show.
Play with your cat, dog or whatever animal you might have.
Family karaoke.
Have a themed dinner night and include the whole family. Let everyone get dressed up and talk with accents.
Do some gardening.
Have a picnic in your backyard.
Make a music video or a tik tok with your family.
Go camping in your backyard.
Have a family fashion show.
Play Hide and Seek.
Bake cookies or another dessert based on ingredients you have on hand!

We’re All in This Together

We know all of this that we are going through can be overwhelming. Take the time to breathe, let your children express their true feelings and don’t focus too much on the media. Be thankful for this time with your family but also be smart with the time you have. One day we are all going to look back on this and describe to others how it impacted our lives. Let this impact be a more positive one rather than negative. Please, share what you and your families are doing during this quarantine time in a comment below. Wishing you the best, always!

Tips to Feel Instantly Happy

March 18, 2020 by BestieTalks 1 Comment

Feeling Happy

We all go through moments of feeling down. Sometimes it can be hard to shake the funk but having some good tips and resources can help make shaking it easier. We are here to share some of our favorite ways to feel instantly happy! Try them out whenever you need them.

Smile – Smiling can instantly boost your mood when you’re feeling down and blue. Smiling can be used as a stress and pain reliever lowers your blood pressure and can improve relationships. Smiling can be contagious, so don’t be afraid to smile at someone because they may need it just as much as you.
Laugh – Laughing decreases your stress hormones and triggers a release of endorphins (we LOVE endorphins!). Whatever gets you laughing (comedies, jokes, watching funny YouTube videos), DO IT! You’ll instantly be forced to smile and start to feel better. Laughing produces endorphins which give you a natural high.
Workout – Working out is another endorphin releaser. It can be something as simple as going for a run, walk, jump roping, yoga or stretching. Working out increases your energy levels and is an instant mood booster (along with so many other benefits) plus, you never regret it once you’re done.
Compliment Someone– Usually, when you compliment someone, they thank you and smile back. This leaves you with that good warm feeling inside. There are both mental and emotional health benefits from giving compliments or showing kindness, such as; decreased stress, pain, insomnia, and affects the immune system and production of serotonin.
Call a Loved One – Call someone who is a positive and happy person. Your bestie, significant other, sibling, family member, or an old friend who you have been meaning to catch up with. Whoever you decide to call just make sure it is someone who is typically a positive and happy person who has a good conversation. Whatever you do, DON’T call someone who likes to complain or always has issues. These types of people will not help you. Whoever makes you smile by thinking of them is the person to call!
Clean – Cleaning up around the house can really clear your mind and make you happier. When you clean you are less likely to think about whatever it is that has you upset. Cleaning keeps you busy and gets your body moving which distracts you from being stuck in your head. Plus, a clean home is a wonderful way to promote happiness.
Soak in the Tub – Take a nice long soothing bath or shower! Light some candles or incense, use a bath bomb or a few drops of lavender essential oil. Set the mood and just relax! Put away your phone and grab a book or a magazine or just listen to some music and let your mind wander. You could even throw on a comedy on Netflix while chillin’ in the bath.
Food – Food is something that has a way to make almost anyone smile. Cooking a new or favorite recipe is a great way to get yourself out of a bad mood. If you don’t have the patience for cooking that day then go pick up your favorite meal or dessert. Treat yourself and I bet you will smile!
Meditate – Light some candles and just meditate. If you are not at home you can easily meditate on the go as well. Having a rough day at work? Go out to your car and just sit and relax for a few minutes or go for a walk and find a quiet area to just sit in silence. There are plenty of guided meditations online if you wanted to go a different route. Time alone for just 10 minutes can help bring you back to happiness and help you find balance.
Animals and Kids – Animals and kids have a way of making you smile without even trying. Go visit your nieces/nephews if you don’t have children of your own. Speaking from experience, a Facetime with my nieces makes me laugh constantly. Kids are hilarious and have a way of making you forget all the grown-up shit you are worrying about. Animals have the same impact. Play with your cat or take your dog to the park. Don’t have any animals? YouTube has animal videos galore! Also, certain cities have cat cafes where you can go and play with a dozen cats for $20! Maybe even go adopt a new cat or dog and have daily happiness for the next 10+ years 🙂
Music – Certain music can put you in a positive happy mood. This type of music may be different for everyone. Again, music is known to lower stress levels, enhances your mood, reduces depression, relaxes your body, and increases verbal intelligence. Find music that makes you happy or takes you to your happy place. Plus, dancing is a great way to promote happiness! Next time you’re feeling down just get up, blast some music and dance like nobody is watching!!

Do What Makes You Happy

We understand that every day is not going to be the greatest day of your life and that’s ok! Just believe in finding the best in every day regardless of the unpleasant circumstances we might find ourselves in. BestieTalks hope these tips will help you find your smile when you’re feeling down and out. Please share with us your favorite things to do to turn your mood and day around! We love learning new tips!

10 Beauty Secrets to Live By

March 12, 2020 by BestieTalks 11 Comments

10 Beauty Secrets to Add to Your Regime

Over the years we have learned so much about what works and doesn’t work for our skin. Some products work better than others and what irritates one persons skin might not affect another. There are lots of variables when it comes to skin care. We complied a list of 10 beauty secrets that work no matter what type of complexion you have. These secrets are things you might already know or do but hopefully there is at least one gem in here that you can add to your regime. These 10 beauty secrets are simple and easy to add to your regime and provide major and lasting results.

Always wash your face! Twice a day. No matter what is going on in your life always make time to wash your face.
Clean your cell phone. I sanitize my cell phone almost daily. There is SO much bacteria on your phone and resting that across your cheeks is all bad! Clean it constantly!
Tea Tree oil is great for spot treatment. I get dry areas around my scalp from time to time, and a little tea tree oil helps clear those right up! Great for pimple spot treatment too. Just dilute it with a bit of water, so you don’t irritate your skin!
Vitamin C serum. We are obsessed with ours and use it every day! We have noticed a considerable change in our skin. Both of us have entirely different complexions, and it works wonderfully for both of us. Click here to check out the one we use.
Don’t workout with makeup on. Never, ever, ever!! Sweat and makeup just makes us think of clogged pores, and that makes us sad. Remove your makeup before putting in that hard work. Trust us, you look hot working out without makeup on.

Remove your makeup before working out!
Look for products with fewer chemicals in them. Refrain from using scented lotions on your face. Gentle and natural products are the way to go when it comes to moisturizing your face. Body lotions shouldn’t be applied to your face. Leave the smelly creams for your body. The thicker consistency in body lotions along with the added fragrance will clog your pores. Just don’t do it.
Less is more! We know there are times and special occasions when you want/need a full face of makeup, have a pimple to cover up or just want to feel beautiful! Makeup is fun and we love it but we also love going bare faced. I haven’t worn foundation for a few months, and my skin is thankful. My acne prone skin has responded so well to me using less product. I do keep a little emergency bottle of concealer but don’t use it unless I truly need it. Try going with minimal to no makeup every now and then and let your skin just breathe and be.
Sometimes less is more!
Wash your pillowcase at least once a week. Bacteria builds up quickly on your pillowcase. I wash my pillowcase and sheets at least once a week. You lay on your pillow every night, so it makes sense for it to be a clean area where you rest your face, right?! Right.
Drink lots of water! This is something everyone knows, but not everyone does it. But, seriously up your water intake and we guarantee you will see new and improved skin over the next few weeks. Water will make your face naturally glow– without a filter. Bonus tip: throw in some lemon to get added benefits.
Clean your makeup brushes and pads! This is another thing that all of us know, but not all of us do. There are makeup cleaners you can buy, or you can mix a little Dawn dish soap with olive oil for a DIY makeup brush cleaner. Your brushes are perfect hiding spots for bacteria to hide out and then get wiped on your face, EWWWWW! Clean your makeup brushes just like you would clean your pillowcases and cell phones!

Love Your Skin!

We hope you found at least one of these secrets helpful. Basic common cleaning techniques can have a huge impact on the quality of your skin. Will you be incorporating any of these into your beauty regime? Do you already do some of these? What is YOUR favorite beauty secret? Please share with us!

Interracial Friendships: Part Two

March 4, 2020 by BestieTalks 3 Comments

Ebony and Ivory

Last Fall we were contacted by a writer, Charmin Michelle, from XoNecole.com. She found us on IG using #ebonyandivory and reached out to see if we were interested in being interviewed about our interracial friendship. Umm.. OF COURSE WE WERE INTERESTED!

Necole Bitchie = XO Necole

For those that might not be familiar with XoNecole, it used to be called Necole Bitchie and we used to read it TOUGH back in the day. It used to be more of a gossip website and it was an extremely well-composed blog. We were super bummed when Necole stepped back from blogging and shut down her site. It was one of those sites that you peeped daily. But, now she is back with a new vibe and new grown woman site (that we absolutely love). Getting asked to be featured on XoNecole after all of the years of being a loyal reader of Necole Bitchie, made this an extra special opportunity that we couldn’t pass up.

Click here for quick access to the article!

The Interview

The interview consisted of questions surrounding our interracial friendship, how it has evolved and what we have learned from one another. An all-around glimpse into friendships of black and white women in today’s society. Part one of this interview was from the white friends perspective and Part two is from the black friends perspective. If you didn’t get a chance to check it out, Click here to read Part One first! We would love for you to check out what was said on this topic! This article is so special to us and know there are other friendships out there that can relate!

As always, we are so glad you stopped by Bestietalks! We would love to hear your thoughts, experiences and personal feelings about interracial friendships!

Tips for Painful Periods

January 15, 2020 by Jessica 16 Comments

Painful Periods Suck

Having a painful period is something most women just accept and learn to live with. I was one of those women until recently when I made it a priority to get help from an OBGYN. I was recently diagnosed with endometriosis, but for years I thought the pain I felt was “normal” but it certainly wasn’t. Being misdiagnosed for a very long time was rough, but I am very thankful that I now have answers and solutions. If you don’t have a good connection with your OB, it may be time to find a new one. I went through a few doctors until I found one that I felt REALLY listened and heard my concerns. You know your body better than anyone else, find a doctor who respects that and will truly try to help you.

With that said, I have some go-to remedies for when I am in a lot of pain. The severity of your pain can vary from month to month and even day-to-day. On my worst day, I end up in the fetal position in agonizing pain. I’m sharing what has helped me on my worst days and hope this helps anyone who might be looking for relief. You’re not alone.

Tips to Ease Period Pain

Hot Bath/Shower: This might be the most common remedy, but it’s because it really does work. Soak in a hot bath or take a hot shower and let your muscles relax. I recommend keeping a bag of Epsom salts on hand too so you can throw some in the bath. Magnesium helps muscle relaxation! This remedy can be proactive or reactive. There have been countless times that a warm bath has helped ease my pain by a considerable amount. It will hopefully help you sleep better too.

CBD Oil/Creams: CBD is one of my most reliable remedies for easing cramps. Applying CBD cream directly to my abdomen always helps. The oil that is taken orally is also effective. I keep both on hand. If you don’t have much experience with CBD, it could be worth your time to read up on it and all of the positive attributes.

Exercise: Exercise is actually a great remedy for menstrual pain. When your pain level is really high a strenuous workout might not be possible, which makes Yin yoga is a perfect option to incorporate deep stretches that can alleviate pain. A lot of beneficial positions can be done lying in bed too. Deep stretching and deep breathing will help you relax and hopefully ease your pain. Hip opening poses like frog, butterfly and happy baby are amazing poses for menstrual cramps.

Heating pads: Heating pads are another period remedy that women have used for a long time. Heating pads come in handy when you just want to lay down and relax in bed instead of taking a warm bath.

More Tips For Period Relief

Massage: A massage can help you relax and relieve stress. You can book yourself a massage, ask your boo to rub you down or even give your self a little massage. I like to use a foam roller to loosen up on. Rolling on a foam roller and doing some stretching always helps me feel a bit better. Working out the knots in your body can drastically ease cramps.

Ibuprofen: There are a lot of over the medications out there that you can buy but they are not all the same. My OB told me it’s best to just use Ibuprofen instead of brands marketed for women like Midol or Pamprin. I had a severe episode where I took some Midol and it did absolutely nothing for me. I am not someone who takes pills on a regular basis, but I do take Ibuprofen when needed for pain and it’s all I use for period pain.

Sex: Having an orgasm can help with your cramps. Yes, you read that correctly! I know that sex is usually looked at as taboo while a woman is on her period, but check out this article about the benefits and you just might be surprised!

Birth Control: Birth control can be a great option for many women. Talk to your doctor about your periods and how painful they are and see what your options are for starting birth control. Birth control is known to reduce menstrual pain, reduce flow and is a non-surgical option to combat endometriosis.

Drink More Water: If you are a woman who knows she doesn’t drink enough water AND also has painful periods, its time to up your water intake! Drinking enough water helps prevent bloating, which makes the period cramping worse. Add lemon or cucumber to your water to entice you to drink more water. Also, limiting your salt intake during your period can help with bloating too.

Finding Relief

We hope that at least one of the tips might help you find some relief the next time you need it! We would love to hear what period tips you have that work for you. Having a painful period is something we might not be able to make completely go away, but together we might be able to help make them just a little bit more bearable!

Costco Must-Haves!

January 11, 2020 by Raynita 12 Comments

Costco Membership

A Costco member is so worth it! It’s $60 for a gold star membership, $120 for an executive account, and you get a 2% check back once a year from all your purchases. They also have discounted memberships for college students and military members as well. And the membership is so much more than just an entry into this amazing store worldwide. You also get access to Costco gas, the car wash, tire sales, and my favorite, travel. Costco accepts all types of payment such as Visa cards, cash, checks, debit/ATM, Costco shop cards, and even EBT.

Favorite Products

Costco has some awesome products that you just can’t pass up! Here are a few of our favorites.

32 Degrees ANYTHING!- This brand makes the best clothing. Both inner and outerwear and sizes for the whole family. My family has their underwear, tights, long johns, short and long sleeve t-shirts, sweaters, jackets, and dresses. We trust this brand so much that we will literally buy ANYTHING they offer. Their products are so soft and hold up in many washes. I am actually looking forward to going to Costco to see what 32 Degree products they have out for me to grab.
P&G Products- Costco has some amazing deals on P&G products. Here and there the have this deal where if you buy $100 worth of P&G products, you get $25 back. So what are P&G products? Just about any product you need in order to clean yourself or your home. That includes Cascade, Dawn, Mr. Clean, Bounce, Tide, Crest, Febreeze, Pantene, Gillette, Olay, Swiffer, Tampax, Downy, Oral-B, and NyQuil. Therefore it’s pretty easy to hit $100 in order to get you $25 back.
Electronics– Whether it’s a new large screen television or a new laptop for the student in your house, Costco has always been a go-to for electronics. They guarantee the lowest price and you are always welcome to contact them or the company of the product if anything goes wrong and they will do all they can to make it right.
Name Brands- Costco has all the latest name brands. From Adidas, and Nike, to Puma and Calvin Klein, you’ll be able to find something you like. They have clothing, bags, shoes, socks, undergarments, and more in many different popular brands. Once again, these are in all sizes for everyone in your family too.

Kirkland Brand

Costco’s brand Kirkland is REALLY good. Usually, off brands taste worst than the name brands but not when it comes to Kirkland. For that reason, I TRUST anything Kirkland brand. Alcohol, food, diapers, detergent, batteries, and clothing all come in the Kirkland name brand and at a low cost. Costco has way too many great food products to name but do know that if Costco carries it, then it is highly approved.

One-Stop-Shop

Honestly, Costco is the best place for your one-stop-shop. Go for anything and everything while getting the best deal possible. We go there for groceries, to buy plants (which you can return if they die), electronics, gift cards, clothing and shoes, presents, decor, and organizational items. Costco just seems to have the best policy and they have never let us down. And even if they do, just go return the product and no questions asked! So next time you are in something of need, stop by your local Costco, grab a $1 churro and let the adventure begin!

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