Today, high-achieving women are under a lot of stress and question their multiple roles as wives, mothers and sisters. While stress and pressure can not be totally eliminated, it’s important for successful women to be aware of the 5 dangerous myths about women and success so they can maintain a healthy self-image and help their sisters through difficult periods. Here’s a summary of Dr. Marcia Reynolds, (Psy.D) research on women in the workplace.

1. Women need to work harder than men to prove themselves.
If you work twice as hard as everyone else, you set up the expectation you will work twice as hard forever. Although this myth may be a truth in some workplaces, be careful you are not making these statements up because someone told you this when you first started your career. Your good results speak for themselves.

2. Women can’t make mistakes while continually proving their value to the organization.
Being creative, innovative and an inspiration to others requires you make and learn from mistakes. You will stunt your growth if you only do what you know you will easily master. You will miss opportunities if you don’t take some risks.

  3. Women can’t joke around or they won’t be taken seriously.
All people laugh at all ages. When we laugh with someone, it is hard to judge them negatively. Having a good sense of humor should be on all lists of leadership traits. Plus, the chemical reaction in the brain increases creativity and productivity.

4. Feminine traits make women better leaders (or the reverse-women lack the killer-instinct and masculine skills to survive in top positions).
Although men account for nearly two-thirds of all leaders, a recently collected data suggests that female bosses may be outperforming their male counterparts. Peers, bosses, workers and direct reports rated women higher than men. What were these “good-leadership” traits? Examples include taking initiative, driving for results, and displaying high integrity and honesty.

5. Women don’t support each other in the workplace.
I would love for people to quit perpetuating the “cat-fighting” myth. I know lots of women who give their time and energy to mentor other women and to create opportunities for women to help each other inside and outside of the workplace. Biologically, when you socially connect with others, you activate the brain regions that improve health and increase creativity.

To read the full article, head over to Dr. Reynold’s blog at Psychology Today.

At Miel Sisters we are all about creating an intimate, feminine and positive work environment. It’s not only important for our physical, mental and emotional well-being, but we feel that it is also represented in the quality of our products. The more women stand together to squash these myths, the better off we all will be. What types of myths have you experienced regarding women and success? Let us know in the comments!

Sometimes there’s nothing more fun than to get into your pyjamas, put on a rejuvenating face mask and watch your favourite TV shows. But have you ever wondered what goes into those commercial face masks? Homemade face masks can be just as luxurious and effective as the off-the-shelf products and with the right ingredients homemade face masks are cheaper and less toxic for your body as they contain no artificial chemicals. Also, you can be sure that your all-natural face masks have never been tested on animals.

Here are 5 of our favourite all-natural face masks that you can easily make at home:

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All-Natural Toning Face Mask

Lemon and Egg-Whites

Ingredients for 1 application:

  * The juice from 1/2 lemon (strained)
  * 1 egg white

Directions:

  * Beat the lemon juice and the egg-white together for about 2-3 minutes
  * Apply to your face being careful to avoid your eyes
  * Leave on for 30 minutes
  * Rinse off with warm water

All-Natural Cleansing Face Mask

Papaya, Aloe Vera, Honey and Yogurt

Ingredients for 1 application:

  * 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
  * 1 slice peeled fresh papaya
  * 1/2 tablespoon dark organic honey
  * 1 teaspoon plain unflavoured yogurt with active cultures

Directions:

  * Put all ingredients into a blender until they form a smooth paste
  * Apply to your face and neck using a circular motion
  * Rinse off with warm water followed by a cool rinse

Rejuvenating Face Mask

Egg-White, Cucumber and Avocado

Ingredients for 1 application:

  * 1/2 cup of chopped cucumber
  * 1/2 cup of chopped avocado
  * 1 egg white
  * 2 teaspoons of powdered milk

Directions:

  * Put all ingredients into a blender until they form a smooth paste
  * Apply to your face and neck using a circular motion
  * Leave on for 30 minutes or until the mask dries
  * Rinse off with warm water followed by a cold rinse
  * This mask will keep in the fridge for up to 30 mins

Firming Face Mask

Peach and Egg-White Mask

Ingredients for 1 application:

  * 1 ripe peach - peeled and stoned
  * 1 egg white

Directions:

  * Put ingredients into a blender until they form a smooth paste
  * Gently pat mixture over your face
  * Leave on for 30 minutes
  * Rinse off with cool water

All-Natural Exfoliating Face Mask

Sugar Facial Scrub Mask

Ingredients for multiple applications:

  * 3 tablespoons of milk
  * About 2 cups white sugar
  * 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil
  * 1 tablespoons liquid honey

Directions:

  * Mix all ingredients together until they form a firm paste
  * Apply to a dry face and neck in a circular motion
  * Wash off with warm water followed by a cold rinse
  * Pat your face dry
  * Store the excess in the refrigerator

We hope you enjoyed our selection of all-natural face masks. For other great natural beauty product ideas and tips check out The Daily Green.

Do you have a favourite face-mask recipe that you’d like to share with us? Let us know in the comments!