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More children are being reported to be obese and it is a worrying cause of health issues now more than ever. However, there has been a lot of change in the habits of our children. More focus on sitting down with a phone or a tablet and less about being active. More convenience food is there and children are becoming increasingly picky eaters. Lifestyles have changed and so have attitudes, but there are things we can do to ensure that our children are more fit and healthy and reduce the outbreak of obesity. I wanted to share with you some of the points that you could consider with your children, now or for in the future.

Getting them to eat healthier food or a balanced diet

It can be increasingly difficult to get your children to eat a healthier diet. They are now more picky than ever and seem to know what is good for them and what is bad, but yet will still prefer the chocolate, sugar and junk over the vegetables. However, if you do cook from scratch, you can sneakily hide vegetables in pasta sauces by blitzing them together once cooked. There are many recipes online that can help you do this.

You might also want to consider getting outside and growing your own food in your garden. Allow your children to be involved with the process so they can learn where the food has come from. If they have had involvement they will be more encouraged to try new foods.

Sometimes you need to lead by example. Eating together can be a great motivator for children to try more foods and be more experimental. Plus, we can often go to convenience foods or snacks and give in to children's demands, and often, just by having more of a stance on the word no could help you in the future. Although it won’t seem like it at the time.

Encouraging them to be more activ

Getting your children to be more active has become increasingly difficult in recent years due to the sheer advancement of technology like tablets and smartphones. However, encouraging your child to get outside more often could be the key to reigniting their love of the great outdoors. A new bike or scooter from somewhere like Kids Ride Wild could be great incentive, as well as doing things as a family like a bike ride or jist a hike in the woods.

You might also want to think about other things children can enjoy outside. Now that the weather is nicer you can spend more time outside, maybe going to your local swimming pool or encouraging your children to join sports teams. It not only gives them a chance of exercise, but another social environment to make new friends and learn something new.

While it may be difficult to incorporate such big changes into your child’s life, it can be a gradual process and it starts with routine. Implement the changes, follow them yourself, and you will soon find that your children will slot into their new lifestyle.

by Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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When You're Perfect Together But The Relationship Is Tricky

3/28/2018

What makes your relationship work

Relationships are often described as the magical union of two imperfect individuals, transforming dull and cold into shine and warm in the words of the poet Sara Teasdale. Teasdale in The Old Maid crosses a woman similar to her, a woman who has not loved. The absence of love has rendered the woman wearisome and unpleasant, despite sharing the same features than Teasdale herself. But no lover’s eyes look at the Old Maid, and consequently, her charms are buried away. The words resonate true with the reader, because, as we’ve all experienced love, we all know the positive influence of a relationship on the person.

However, while relationships can make one feel positively happy, they are also, as stated by the French poet and playwright, Alfred de Musset, the union of two imperfect individuals. Being imperfect means that sometimes the relationship doesn’t deliver the happiness you expected. What went wrong? Was your sweetheart not the right person for you? You’d be surprised to know that sometimes you are just perfect together. But life gets in the way and can ruin it all. Indeed relationships can be challenging, especially when you need to deal with a tricky situation that is not in your control. Here are some of the weirdest causes for a breakup, so make sure to read it carefully to find out whether your couple is at risk or not.

Your friends don’t let you have a quiet night in
Who doesn’t love a nice night out with your friends? A girls’ night out can be not only hugely fun but also relaxing if you’ve been struggling with stressful issues on your end. So, here you are with your friends, planning the next wine tasting night between girls and wondering whether you need to read about wine tasting methodology or whether you can fake it through the night. Having fun with your friends is an essential part of maintaining your mental health in life. But your friends can also have a massive influence on your relationship, and especially the happiness of your couple. Many couples have argued about their friends. More often than not, when your best friends don’t appreciate your darling or don’t think they’re the best person for you, they can try to interfere with the relationship… and that’s when things can become difficult to handle. The unrequested attention can go through a variety of phases. You can have the subtle friend who’s trying to organize girls’ night out every weekend so that you have less time to spend with your beau. You might find that your friend will not take it lightly when you decide to reject their invitation to party to spend the evening with your data, which can create awkward situations where you might even be asked to choose between your friends and your boyfriend. Sometimes things can escalate very quickly, especially if you’re the only one in your group of friends to be in a relationship. In short, make it clear from the start to your friends and your boyfriend that you will not be choosing. Additionally, you should also be aware of friends criticizing your sweetheart behind your back. Unless they have a good reason to do so, these people are probably not worthy of your friendship.

He/ She is from another place
What if your beau comes from a different country? There can be something appealing and exciting about international relationships, but they can be difficult to handle from time to time. There is often a cultural barrier between you and your darling, that, despite language skills, can be tricky to remove. But ultimately, even when language skills are not an issue, it can be stressful for your partner to always speak in a non-native language, regardless of their linguistic abilities. There are emotions that are easier to translate into native words than into a learned foreign tongue. Additionally, there are subtle differences between every culture around the world. When someone brews you a nice cuppa in the US, it means relaxation and the chance to catch up. In Japan, it’s a polite indication that you should be going soon. Imagine the misunderstanding between an American and a Japanese partners! Your cultural background prepares you to have certain expectations about your relationship. However, these expectations can vary from a country to another, so it’s worth having an honest discussion about what you both expect from your couple before jumping to conclusions. Additionally, living in a foreign country can be synonymous with administrative nightmares for a lot of immigrants. From needing a visa, or even a partner-visa – you can find more information about it here – to having to prove lawful residence over a handful of years; your international lover can have a hard time to fit in. It’s crucial that you show patience and understanding for their difficulties if you want the relationship to work. Things will get better with time, as they become better integrated culturally, administratively and linguistically.

You’re not an au naturel person
Do you love makeup? Don’t worry if you do. A lot of women feel that makeup has given them the chance to improve their features and show their best profile at all times. In fact, makeup is as much an art as it is a beauty routine, so there’s nothing wrong about it assuming you use skin-safe products. However, your beau may not feel the same about your foundation, lipstick, contouring and eyeshadow kit. In fact, according to a British survey, one-third of men are turned off by women who wear too much makeup. Almost 40% of men think that women, in general, wear too much paint on their faces, and a whopping 75% of men prefer the au natural look. Admittedly, it doesn’t mean that you should get rid of your makeup kit right now, but it’s good to be aware of these views too, especially if you’re wearing makeup solely to impress the opposite sex. In extreme cases, makeup has been the reason for a breakup, such as this husband suing his wife when he first saw her without makeup. According to him, she seduced him with makeup, while she looks very different without.

I just need to tweet that
Smartphones are the most indispensable item of the modern life. You can use them to play, pay in shops, order items online, check your emails, update your social media feeds, and keep in touch with friends. Ultimately, it’s impossible to live without a smartphone. Except when you spend too much time on it. According to a new study from Brigham Young University, the constant tech interference disrupts your time together as a couple. Indeed, higher levels of “technoference” can lead to couples feeling depressed and overall experiencing low levels of satisfaction in life, which results in conflicts. After all, when your partner intentionally chooses to disrupt a romantic moment by using their smartphone, what they’re actually saying is that their phone matters more than you. And the feeling of rejection is painful to the point where some couples have decided to break up over it.

You don’t share the same political opinion
While you shouldn’t always think like your partner, there’s no denying that there are areas where different opinions can make it more difficult to enjoy a peaceful and happy relationship. Politics is, unfortunately, one of these topics, where divergences can affect your couple dramatically. Indeed, political views go hand-in-hand with the cultural values you’ve built your life on. If your darling is a convinced conservative while you’re more of a liberal individual, it’s likely that your perception of what is right and wrong in society will disagree greatly, making it challenging to move together in the same direction. In fact, no later than in 2016, the Brexit referendum in the UK has created a divide in a lot of relationships. In many cases, one partner has left the other, and while their opinion on Brexit might not have been the reason for their breakup, it has acted as a catalyst. Ultimately, sharing common values despite diverging views can be helpful in making it work.

You don’t have much in common
Most partners need to have common interests and values to build a healthy relationship. In fact, 64% of married Americans believe that you need to have shared interests to keep your relationship alive. But ultimately, does it mean that you can’t be together if he loves video games and you prefer to read? The answer is a little more complex than common interests. You need to have respect for each other to create and sustain your bond. For instance, Catherine Baab-Muguira claims that she and her husband have no common interest and that is precisely why they’ve been happily married for over a decade. It’s not the shared hobbies that matter, but it’s the interest you have in your partner that makes all the difference. If you are interested in their joy and can be happy on their behalf, then you don’t have to worry about not liking the same things.
Relationships are influenced by a variety of

factors, from friends interference to shared interests. There’s no magic formula, but being aware of the risks can help you to stay happy together.

Always remember, compatibility in a relationship is very important. It makes it easier to make decisions together and enjoy quality time. Take that into consideration when settling for a mate. You are important and your views and beliefs matter. When compromising, always consider your views and your partner's. Ask yourself, can I adapt and/or agree to disagree? You matter. Consider your feelings and your partner's. Be fair, kind and compassionate with your partner and yourself. This will always help make the right decision.

by Iconic Chica Contributors

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4 Persistent Stains And How To Deal With Them

3/28/2018

Dealing with a persistent stain often means endless scrubbing before having to throw your clothes out anyway because you just can’t get rid of it. But in almost all cases, you can get rid of those stains if you act fast enough before it’s had time to set in. Each stain has its own solution but if you don’t know what to put on it, you could end up making it a lot worse.

These are some of the most STUBBORN stains and how to get rid of them.

Coffee spills are pretty common and they’ll completely ruin a white shirt, but you can salvage it if you know what you’re doing. The first thing to do is grab a bowl and stretch the fabric over it, then boil a kettle and pour the boiling water through the stain. This should lift most of it out and stop it from setting in, then when you wash it, it should come out good as new. If you’re drinking black coffee, that’s all you need to do but if you take milk and sugar, things are a little more complicated. You’ll need to gently apply an oil based solvent to the stain to get the milk and sugar out, if you take these steps right away, the stain should come out in the wash. On particularly delicate clothes, it’s often better to use DIY cleaning products that don’t have as many chemicals in them.

Mold
If you’ve got damp in the walls, it can easily creep through the back of the wardrobe and onto your clothes, it can also get into the curtains near windows that aren’t very well insulated. But don’t worry, there is a way that you can solve it. The first thing to say is that if this is a persistent problem, you’ve got bigger worries than some ruined clothes and you need to get mold remediation services in to get rid of the root cause. Once you’ve done that, you can look bringing those moldy clothes back to life. You need to remove the bulk of the mold before washing it so take an old toothbrush and some hot water and gently scrub them away. When you’re washing them, you need to do it at the hottest temperature possible to make sure you kill all of the mold spores, just remember to check the labels first.

Mustard
You can’t exactly wear that white shirt with a giant yellow splodge in the middle so a mustard stain needs to be dealt with immediately. The best thing for it is some white wine vinegar which will lift most of the stain. Don’t scrub it, otherwise, you’ll just make it worse. Once you’ve applied some vinegar to it, mix up a solution of dish soap and water (about 1 tablespoon to 10 ounces of water) and soak it for a while before washing.

Red wine

You’re probably thinking that you already know how to sort this one, pour white wine over it, right? Don’t bother, it doesn’t work. It’s an old myth and doesn’t do anything to get the stain out. Instead of wasting more wine, sprinkle some salt over the stain right away and then, just like the coffee stain, pull the fabric over a bowl and pour boiling water through it.

Your days of throwing out stained clothes are over. Now you can get rid of those persistent stains with ease.

by Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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A Stress-Free Guide To Settling In To A New City

3/28/2018

With so many businesses being international and spread all over the world, then at some point in your career, there may come a time when you need (or want) to move to a new city. Whether it is just moving a short distance away, or even across the country (or the world), taking the leap to move to a new place where you don’t know a soul can be a little intimidating and nerve-racking. And you want to enjoy the new space that you have and not regret the change. So here are some great ways to settle into a new place, meet new people, make friends, and have a stress-free move.

Get To Know The Area
Once you have somewhere to live and know how to get to work from there, you will have a few other things to figure out like a doctor’s office to get registered at or a good hair salon and grocery store. Of course, there are reviews and sites online that you can check. But don’t forget the power of personal recommendations. Talk to people in the office, and even look for Facebook groups for your local area. Quite often you simply search for your town and there are many community groups set up. Get on them and ask away for recommendations. You’ll get to find some hidden gems, and get to know the area much faster.

Use Online Dating
If you want to get out and meet new people, then online dating can be a good way to do it. The people on there are looking to meet new people, so you’ll fit right in. There are plenty of apps that you could use, as well as looking for some international matchmaking sites if you’ve moved abroad. Even if it is to just get out more, discover some great bars or restaurants, then it is always nice to make some friends and acquaintances in a new city.

Keep Up With Your Hobbies
Carrying on with your hobbies in a new place is a good idea. Not only does it help to make life enjoyable, but it will keep you sane and often lead you to like-minded people. You could even take up a new hobby if you want to get out more. From the gym to yoga, or to crafts, there will be a whole bunch of clubs in your new city that you could join to carry on with your hobby and make friends.

Follow Your Instincts
It is likely that you will have done some research into a new place before you ended up moving there. But once there, it is a good idea to follow your instincts. If you wouldn’t feel safe walking in a certain area after a certain time, then simply don’t. Have an Uber app on your phone and you’ll be good to go. The same goes for the people that you meet and the things that you do. Go with your gut feelings; live a little but learn to be safe.

by Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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Oh To Be A Celebrity

3/27/2018

A lot of us follow the lives of celebrities, even if we don’t like to admit we do. They’re fascinating, they’re living that lavish lifestyle that we all so desperately wish we could, and they’re loaded with money. But is being a celebrity all it is cracked up to be? Probably not.

You’re pushed beyond your limits to give movie, song, play etc. producers exactly what they want. But, then again, they do get to ride around in the latest cars, and go home to their beverly hills mansions at the end of the day. There are also more low key celebs that seem to be living the life as well, without the drama of being in the limelight 24/7. So, if you want a little insight into the life of a celeb, no matter how famous they are, here it is.

The Fame
To be an actor, singer, famous blogger, whatever it might be, you have to love the fame. You have to love being in the media all the time, and you have to love people know everything about your business. Because everyone will know everything, the public seems to make it their mission to know every detail, and often they’ll create rumours. But the glamour of fame is something we can all admire. There is something so beautiful about being noticed pretty much wherever you go, it can give you a real confidence boost. Zulie is an actress, model, comedian, artist, and celebrity blogger, just like other actors, she doesn’t just stick to one profession. That is what gets people noticed all over the world. If you spread your wings and go into various different sectors of the celebrity world, you’ll reap the rewards in many ways. But being successful in all of these areas isn’t easy, and it takes a lot of hard work. That is what people seem to take for granted, they think celebs have it easy, when in reality, they’re working their socks off day in day out.

The Fortune
This is one of the reasons why so many people try and head to the bright lights of stardom, the money is just so so good. If you do it right that it. In the beginning you’ll most likely be struggling to get by, you’ll have to sacrifice a lot, and often it can not be worth it at all. On average, A-listers earn over $100 million a year. That is such an eye watering amount for the most of us who won’t even make that in a lifetime. The world would truly be your oyster with that amount of money.

The Downfalls
The major downfall of being a celebrity is having pretty much no private life no matter what. There will be people following them everywhere, whether it be paparazzi or fans. You’ve also got the long hours travelling, working long hours, and the criticism you might face if you do something wrong. Having such a open life also makes it hard to have a private love life, something a lot of celebs are never successful in.

by Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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Battling Girl Problems

3/16/2018

Girl problems suck. Don’t get us wrong. Being a girl is one of the most liberating feelings in the world. We have the power of words, we’re strong, and we’re independent and free. But, being a girl does come with its fair share of side effects that men seem to escape, but definitely feel the brunt of. A lot of women actually find it really hard to deal with some of the things that we’re going to talk about, so we’ve gathered some tips to help you battle the problems we unfortunately face as girls.

Periods
Let’s cut to the chase and start right at the deep end. Periods suck. Right from the moment you have your first one, until the time when menopause hits us, we’re stuck with the dreaded periods. Thankfully, we can control them with the use of the contraceptive pill, injections, or implant. But they all come with risks, so controlling and dealing with them naturally should be your first port of call. For one, the debate about whether tampons or pads are better has long gone one. Tampons are more discreet, cleaner, and leave you feeling more protected. Lola tampons review shows some of the main reasons why they’re the best. However, the only downside to them is the way they have to be inserted. Some people just can’t get the hang of it, find them uncomfortable, or panic thinking something is going to go wrong. For those of you with this, pads are definitely the better option. To battle the mood swings and cravings whilst on a period, our best advice is just to ride it out and embrace them. If you’re craving a tub of icecream, eat that tub of ice cream. If you want to go in a mood with your partner because they didn’t surprise you with a tub of ice cream after hinting all day, you go in that mood. Stay snuggled up in bed with a hot water bottle and some paracetamols to ride out the pain.

Insecurities
This is something that most women suffer with often. We’re so insecure about our bodies due to the social pressure to look perfect. But there is so true definition of perfect, and we’re all beautiful in our own unique way. The sooner we stop comparing ourselves to others, the sooner we should have fewer insecurities. But there are some things that are hard to ignore, and the worst thing we do as women is try and cover them up. The sooner you accept who you are as a person, and embrace your flaws. The happier you’re going to be!

Relationship Troubles
It is a common misconception that girls struggle with relationships more. Whilst we do put all our emotions on the table, boys are internally struggling sometimes to. But, the main thing to do here is always make sure you’re happy in your relationship. If there’s any doubt or negativity in your mind you should always up and leave. The saying that there’s always someone better out there is so true when it comes to finding the perfect relationship.

by Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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Job Interviews: How to Perfectly Prepare

3/15/2018

Job interviews can be daunting, and if you're not too worried or concerned and aren't booking any jobs or getting hired, you may need to reconsider your tactics, or develop some good techniques. Most of us find interviews nerve-wracking, but there are some things you can do in order to perfectly prepare for them. If you want to ooze confidence and charm, we've got some advice that if put into practice, it may be exactly what you needed. It is not rocket science but there are some essential things people tend to miss out when they're getting ready, or preparing for that one job interview.
Tips to help prepare for that one very important job interview

Research Everything
Being mentally prepared for who you are being questioned by is essential. Doing all the online research you can about the company, and stalking every part of their website is a must.In your head think of questions they might ask you and research the answers you could give. What do you like about the website? How could it be improved? As well as their website think about any competitors they have, how could you make their company a force to be reckoned with? Obviously how you prepare changes depending on what the interview is for, but doing your research is a must if you want to impress them.

Feel Confident
Although this is easier said than done, being confident and taking pride in how you look can make all the difference in the interview. Small things like knowing you look good can make all the difference to how you answer questions and how you hold yourself. Companies like cosmeticsdesign.co, for example, can help you prepare perfectly for your interview by having perfectly glowing skin. Simple things like this can help. Picking out the right outfit is also very important, and the great thing about it is you can wear your perfect interview outfit again and again to different companies. Make sure your outfit sends the right message but more importantly makes you feel confident and of the best they'll get to know all day. Remember, you want that job, but they also need you.

Do Some Exercise
Using your body and getting your sweat on is also a great way to prepare for a job interview. Whenever you can fit some workout time, do it. It might not be the morning of the interview, it might be the night before. This will help get you in the right frame of mind to boss the interview and excel at it. Doing some exercise is perfect for giving you some positive hormones to pump throughout your body, and a healthy glow when you go to meet the interviewer.

Here are just a few ways of how you can prepare for an interview, and how you can make yourself feel amazing. There is no perfect formula for getting a job as companies and people vary so much, but by following this advice you will have a your chance to shine at your best.

By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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3 Alternatives To The Nightmare Of Online Dating

3/14/2018

Online dating has blown up in the last couple of years, with apps like Tinder now being the main way that people meet each other. But the thing is, the world of online dating can be a bit of a nightmare. Everybody that uses it probably has a whole host of horror stories that are enough to put you off trying it. Or maybe you just don’t like the idea of it and you’d rather meet somebody face to face first, or at least speak to them over the phone. A lot of people that want to meet others in a more traditional way are a bit lost because they don’t know where to go outside of the online world. Luckily, there are
still ways to meet people without online dating.

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Ask Friends
Nobody knows you better than your friends so they’re the best people to judge if you’ll click with a person or not. That’s why it’s a great idea to ask them to set you up with anybody that they think you’ll like. The main benefit of getting friends to set you up is that you don’t run the risk of meeting somebody for a blind date and being greeted by your worst nightmare. Even if you’ve chatted online beforehand, that doesn’t mean you’ve got any sense of what they’re really like. People often give a completely different impression online so you’re always going in blind, but if your friends set you up you at least know you’ll have something in common with the person. If you don’t like the idea of them setting you up on a date, you can do it in a more casual way. If you go on a night out with a few people, get them to invite somebody they think you’ll get on with, there’s no pressure if it doesn’t work out.

Phone Dating
Online dating had a predecessor and people often find that it works a lot better; phone dating. Before setting people up for instant messaging, companies were setting people up so they could chat on the phone. Phone dating chat lines are often better than online dating because people can’t give a false impression as easily. It’s a no pressure way of getting to know somebody outside of the blind date scenario, but you’ll get a better sense of who that person is than you would from chatting online.

Try New Hobbies
When you’re looking to meet somebody, you want somebody that has similar interest and values. One of the best ways to find people like that is to get involved with hobbies more. If you love reading, join a book club, there’s a whole room of people that you have something in common with. If you’re interested in politics, consider going to some local government meetings where you can meet people with similar moral values. It can be anything you want, just find something that you like doing and go along to meet people who share that passion. Having that shared interest gives you something to talk about and eases any awkwardness on a first date.

The world of online dating is a nightmare so why not avoid it altogether and meet people the old fashioned way instead?

By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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It's Time To Be Your Best Version Of Yourself

3/14/2018

Every single day, we are bombarded by images in the media that tell us that we are somehow "not good enough." We're told that we need to look like certain people, dress a certain way, be thinner, have clearer skin, and make all kinds of changes in order to fit better with what society expects of us. However, the truth is that there's only one person that you really need to factor in when you're attempting to decide what you want to do and how you want to look: yourself. Rather than letting the world tell you that you need to be someone else in order to have value, instead you should focus on being the version of yourself that you can be truly happy with. With that in mind, here are some ways to start being the very best version of yourself.

Change the things you can
One of the most important things to learn is the difference between the things that society wants you to change about yourself and the things that you want to change. After all, there's nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself, you've just got to do it for the right reasons. If you find yourself watching tummy tuck videos and you're tempted by them, think about whether it's because it's something that you want or because you feel like it will change the way the world sees you. If it's the second option that you might want to be careful because there's a good chance that there is no procedure in the world that will make you feel better about yourself if you're doing it for the sake of societies approval.

Accept the things you can't
Of course, there are going to be things about yourself that you simply cannot change no matter what you do. Rather than spending all of your time feeling bad about yourself and wanting to change them, it's much better to try and come to terms with them. If it's something about how you look, one of the best things that you can do is to embrace the selfie. By being able to dictate the angles, lighting, and filters that you use, you're going to be in a position to get to know your face on your own terms. It might seem strange, but the boost that doing this can provide your self-esteem is pretty remarkable. The same thing goes for being able to look in the mirror and pick out things that you like about yourself, rather than focusing all of your energy on things that you want to change.

Now, you might think that some of the advice here seems a little contradictory. After, some of it says to change things about yourself and some of it says to stay the same. However, the important thing to take away isn't what you should or shouldn't do with your life and your body. The important thing is that whatever you do should be entirely your own choice and that you shouldn't let anyone else tell you what you should or shouldn't do with your body.

By Iconic Chica Mag Contributors

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Weaponize Your Smile With These Beauty Tips

3/9/2018