“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I don’t know about you but I have kind of let myself go during the past year – not taking the best care of my skin. I am still furloughed from my job at BCD Travel and hoping every day I get called back. One thing I have decided I have to do is start taking care of myself better. I have started doing my skin care routine again and that includes using moisture.

I started using Zinda’s Moisture Rose Cuvée both in the morning and at night. One of my favorite things about this thick cream is that it is made in small batches, is plant-based, and they use vine-sourced ingredients. Zinda Beauty’s cruelty-free Moisture Rose Cuvée delivers the skin-enhancing properties of Resveratrol and other natural ingredients including Apricot, Rose Hip, and Evening Primrose which are found in and about vineyards. Zinda Beauty’s debut luxurious cream helps soothe, moisturize and hydrate the skin through intense moisture infusion.

The benefits of Zinda’s Moisture Rose Cuvée include:

• Resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that protects skin against environmental stressors and free radicals, while smoothing wrinkles, nourishing and redefining skin in a single step. The signs of aging look less noticeable and the skin appears more youthful.
• Apricot Oil is obtained from the dried seeds of the fruit. Skin-softening effects are attributed to the high concentration of Vitamin C. This oil can treat a variety of skin conditions without making your skin oily and the antioxidants in the apricot slow the aging process.
• The combination of properties in Rose Hip Oil has been shown to combat the appearance of skin damage. The antioxidants target damage-causing free radicals; and, Vitamin A, combined with the oil’s essential anti-inflammatory fatty acids helps improve skin tone, texture and pigmentation. Rose Hip Oil also hydrates, helps to exfoliate and brighten skin, aids in boosting collagen formation, assists in protecting against sun damage and contributes toward reducing hyperpigmentation.
• Evening Primrose Oil is known to be a great moisturizer. Not only does it make the skin soft, but it also supplies it with essential nutrients and healthy fats, making your skin look youthful and supple.

I like how thick Zinda is and how my skin just soaks up the lotion making my face soft, refreshed, vibrant, and supple skin. If you would like to purchase your own Zinda’s Moisture Rose Cuvée You can do so HERE.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sometimes a tasty snack is just needed to help move the day along. Seen in the shops in their perfectly shining packages sits one of the nation’s favorite desserts and sweet treats – chocolate. Everyone loves chocolate, and any excuse for chocolate is a good one!

Whether it’s a single chocolate every day in an advent calendar in the run-up for the festive period or chocolate rabbits and Easter eggs on Easter Sunday, there is nothing quite like the delicious snack.

Chocolate actually comes from cocoa farms all the way over in West Africa; there are over 1.5 million different cocoa farms in West Africa where cocoa is taken from a plant and harvested to turn it into the product we see in our supermarkets in products such as Mozart chocolates.

The cacao leaves depend on the sun and require hot temperatures to create the cocoa seeds that will then be harvested. Creating chocolate is a hard one, especially considering that it has to be raised by hand, making this a laborious task.

What is a Cacao plant?

Cacao trees are where the chocolate beans originate. These plants can grow to be over 200 years old. These plants are grown on cocoa farms which are an average of seven to ten acres. Most of these farms are family-run. This business is a hard one, especially as cacao plants are very fragile, meaning that the farms actually lose around 30 percent of their crop every single year.

The Cocoa bean

It takes just over 400 cocoa beans to produce one pound of chocolate, with each cacao plant producing around 2,500 beans.

How does chocolate affect us?

As much as people have been told to limit their intake of sugar for a healthy diet, it has been found that chocolate can help support a healthy diet and lifestyle. As long as it is part of a broader healthy diet and active lifestyle and is only eaten in moderation! Caffeine is a strong component of chocolate, with the average portion of milk chocolate containing the same amount of caffeine as a cup of decaf coffee.

Chocolate always has and probably will always be incredibly popular. For example, the UK spending on chocolate goes up by 50 million each year. With the estimated worth of the industry being 110 billion dollars a year, this is an extremely financially attractive industry. Americans actually buy 58 million+ pounds of chocolate every year on Valentine’s Day, making this single day the reason for 5 percent of its yearly sales!

Is chocolate the perfect gift?

Shopping for a gift for someone can be stressful, especially if it is not someone that is a close friend. The pressures can build, and sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. One of the great things about chocolate is how convenient of a gift it really is. It can be enjoyed by anyone for any reason at any time and is sold on every corner and modest prices, making this the perfect last-minute gift or thoughtful gesture for anyone to do.