Fighting the Frump for Fat Girls - Exfoliating and Moisturizing

Pull up a chair and have a seat, ladies. Today we are going to talk about skin. Fat girls not only have more of it, but glowing skin is certainly an area in which we can excel! (Did you know that many of the advertising close-up head shots you see for cosmetics are of plus size models? Probably because we don't look like our cheeks are sinking like the Titanic)



First of all, you need to stay hydrated. Drink your water. Don't whine about it. Don't wait until you are thirsty. By the time you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. Steer clear of too much caffeine and it is no surprise to anyone that smoking is bad for your skin, is it?

Get your sleep. It's not called beauty sleep for nothing. Don't make excuses. Turn of the damn TV 15 minutes earlier each night until you have added an extra hour. Trust me - you need it. AND you deserve it.

Moisturize and exfoliate. Regularly. Daily if at all possible. One super fun way to do that is to use a scrub. By scrubbing off the top layer of dead skin cells your skin will feel smoother, your moisturizer will penetrate easier and you will help prevent annoying ingrown hairs and body breakouts. The act of rubbing in circular motions, towards the heart also increases circulation. Scrubs come in so many wonderful yummy smells or you can make your own! Now - I have not done this yet, but I have been gifted with some very nice homemade scrubs. I think we should all give it the ol' college try. What do you think?

You need to choose your exfoliant first - you can use sugar (any kind), salt (again - any kind) or even coffee. Interestingly enough, Coffee is granular and feels nice on the skin but the caffeine has added benefits. Apparently the caffeine is bad for skin when taken internally, but when used topically it is a whole different ballgame! Applied topically coffee helps to redistribute fat cells and decrease the formation of cellulite. It also acts as a vasorestrictor, tightening and shrinking blood vessels thereby helping eliminate varicose veins.

Then you need to choose your moisturizer - (use enough to make a slushy type consistency). You can use something as ordinary as olive oil or vegetable oil or you can go nuts and use jojoba oil, safflower oil, apricot kernel oil or grapeseed oil. I have read, however, that mineral oil and baby oil will clog your pores so you probably want to avoid that.

If you are so inclined you can add essential oils, but they are not necessary to achieve the smooth, cleansed, soft luscious skin we are looking for here. In the shower, you need only apply to skin and gently rub in - then rinse. This is just a wonderful treat for your skin and you will be well on your way to showing the world what a goddess you really are.

So, Ladies - please give a scrub a try and let us know if you stumble on a combination that is amazing or if you buy one that is a favorite!


Shannon Marie shows us what a beautiful peaches and cream complexion can do for us: