
Anytime I search the latest beauty scene on Pinterest, I encounter the several pins showing me how I can get an instant at-home tan by adding Hershey’s Chocolate to any lotion of my choice. Seriously. For a long time, I completely ignored them because the thought seemed in all honesty, ridiculous! As time went on, and my summer glow is beginning to fade, I grew more and more curious about this little trick and whether or not it would actually work. Naturally, I had to play around to make this recipe something I actually want to slather on my skin, so I made the concoction with natural ingredients. Did our latest Beauty Mythbuster prove to be a game changer or totally #fail? See how it went!
The Goods:
– 1 small scoop cocoa powder
– 1 small scoop coconut oil
– Body brush
– Mixing bowl + spoon/spatula
1. Add your coconut oil to a small mixing bowl.
How to Make It:
2. Then add an equal scoop of cocoa powder to the mix.
3. Use your spatula to mix the two together.
4. Keep mixing until everything is blended to make a creamy delicious looking, smooth texture.
Tap the brush into the mixture gently. Be sure not to over do it — a little goes a long way!
How to Put it On:
Gently tap the brush with the product onto your skin. I started with my legs first. At this point I am thinking this is crazy and there is no way this is going to blend into my skin.
Step 1: Pat Onto Skin
Once you’ve used the brush to tap the product all over your legs, use your hands to finish rubbing it into your skin. This takes a little bit of time to really let the oil absorb into your skin.
Step 2: Blend With Hands
It is WORKING!!!
Dang! Normally I wait until the end to make such a bold decision, but man! It really really worked and it is surprising because it seemed like it was way too dark.
Continue the same stippling motion to apply product to the rest of your body.
Step 3: Finish Up!
Blend with your hands!
Let dry. Make sure the oil is FULLY absorbed into your skin before getting dressed to avoid any marks of color on your clothing.
Subtle, natural but definitely a deeper hue!
Conclusion: Bust or Beauty?
Beauty!!! All. Day. I think this is such an easy way to whip something up quickly with things you may already have in your home. The scent is divine and once it dried it stayed on my skin for the rest of the day. Even when I showered, I had to really exfoliate my body to make sure I got the residue off, which is comforting to me because I don’t have to question its durability in the future. All that being said, this route is not waterproof by any means. If you want a tan that will stand up to water, you’ll have to fall back on the self-tanner or schedule a good old lay down in the sun.
Side note — don’t eat it!
Despite the overwhelming delicious scent and its deceiving brownie batter appearance, it tastes NASTY! Too chalky and not sweet at all! Haha! The things we do for you <3
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.