First Tattoo

Today I did something I've wanted to do for a very long time. I got a tattoo! Through the years what I wanted to get has changed, but I've always known I wanted art on my skin. Since I just turned 18, my best friend Rebecca paid for me to get my first one. We decided that we wanted to get matching ones because we have been through so much together. The design I got was very small and tame compared to most tattoos, but it does have a lot of meaning for me.

It is just a small arrow (probably about 3-4 inches long) with the Greek word for "love" (αγάπη) above the arrow, and the Greek word "wisdom" (σοφία) below it.

My full name is Shannon, which is Irish for Wise River. Originally it was for the Irish Goddess Sionna, which means "possessor of wisdom." Not only that, but I also love Greek mythology, and the goddess I always loved best was Athena. Athena just so happens to be the Greek goddess of wisdom, which I found out after learning my name meaning. So it was a happy coincidence! While Rebecca's name doesn't mean love, she does have a terrible need to give and receive love. Because of that, as well as the fact that she is gorgeous, she most identifies with the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

The actual event itself really only took about 20 minutes. Which is crazy to think about since I'm going to have this until the day I die (unless my arm gets cut off, fingers crossed it doesn't). People always used to tell me, "Oh man that's going to hurt so bad!!" and "You're going to regret that later!" but honestly, neither are true. I'm very happy with how it turned out, and it didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. It was kind of like getting bit by an ant or something.

If you are thinking about getting a tattoo, and not sure if you should, here's your sign! If you want it to have meaning, then sit down and really think about the design you want and sort out all the kinks (like color, placement, size). Or, maybe you just want one that looks cool and you're feeling impulsive.

I went to Under The Needle in Seattle and I was pretty pleased with the experience. If you are like me, and have led a somewhat sheltered life, it can be a little intimidating when you first walk in. But the people there were all very nice and willing to work with me to get my tattoo exactly how I wanted it. So don't be afraid to take as long as you need to work with the artist until you feel like the design is perfect. Their address is 2118 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121. They do accept walk-ins, and take cash or card.

Soothing Aloe Vera Deodorant Stick

 Once again this post is all about sensitive skin, and body odor. That’s right people! We are talking about arm pits. God bless those poor people who think they don’t need it. Or maybe God bless those people’s friends for sticking around so long? Anyway, I am not one of those people and I am VERY aware that I need it. Since my mom is extremely into health and organic products, I occasionally try to take a page from her book and try it out. So this month I am trying Soothing Aloe Vera Deodorant Stick. This particular one can be found on http://www.jason-personalcare.com/ but you can also find it in your local store. It costs about $6.39, which is a little more than I’d like to spend on deodorant but I guess it’s worth it for the health benefits. They also have many other safe, natural products that I'm sure are amazing but that I have not tried. This particular deodorant has been pretty good. Since I do have sensitive skin, it’s especially important for me to be careful what I put on my skin in places where I shave. True to its name, it has been soothing! Normally from deodorants I get raw irritated skin, but this has been amazing. However, I will say that it doesn’t seem to last as long as other deodorants I’ve tried and so I do not like that. I think when I run out of this I will try another scent of the same brand so stay tuned!

I rate this product: Love It!

Boots Extracts Mango Sugar Scrub

Hello everyone! Let’s talk about sugar scrubs. I’ve heard praise and complaints, and so I’ve been really slow to try them. However, in my quest for better skin (and my love of things that smell good) I decided to try one! I’m going through a mango phase, basically in any form I can get it. So I figured why not combine them and try it out? I'm currently using Boots Extracts Mango Sugar Scrub which you can get for $9.99 at Target. Now, while I am going to rate it with a “Love It!”, there are some things I don’t like about it. It does leave my skin feeling silky smooth and smelling like fresh mangoes (good) it also leaves somewhat of a waxy residue on the surface of the skin (not good). So if you want a clean feeling after using a sugar scrub, I would suggest finding another product. But, if you don’t mind feeling more like you’ve tried some weird sugar scrub/lotion hybrid than just plain old sugar scrub than this is for you! There are other scents of course this one is just my personal favorite.

I rate this product: Love It