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Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Must Have Essentials for Girls with Puny Lashes.
If you're one of those women who aren't blessed with a huge set of lashes, I empathize with you. Lashes offer such a huge advantage on those days when you want to execute a five minute makeup regimen. Healthy, lush lashes and a well arched brow can do amazing things for one's look. Which is why it's imperative that those of us who aren't lash endowed have some tricks up our sleeve to make miracles happen.
Let's start with the absolute basics. Lashes are just hair. And as such, they respond positively when they receive a boost in nutrition. Which is why you should feed your tiny lashes either internally or via topical application. I've seen the wonders of consistently applying lash serum day and night with my own eyes. Girls with skimpier lashes than me suddenly had an enviable pair thanks to their consistent efforts.
If you aren't into applying a topical lash enhancer two times a day, opt for an internal supplement or, do like I did and whip up a large cup of bamboo tea as part of your daily ritual. At first, I wondered why my lashes seemed a little longer than normal until I remembered that I'd been regularly drinkng from a large (gallon size) batch tea that I'd store in the fridge. Frequent bamboo tea refills have paid off and, suddenly, my lashes are now visible again. Don't take my word for it, check out LA Shopper's recent review on Amazon where she too proclaims the wonders of newly visible lashes thanks to indulging in the silica rich tea.
Now that I've got some lash action going, it's time to take it to the next level. The absolute best thing you can do to enhance your lashes is to opt for cult mascaras known for situations just like yours. On one trip to Sephora, I was introduced to Benefit's They're Real thank's to an eager sales girl who insisted that I not leave the store without having purchased it.
Actually, she was right, it was a pretty good mascara. One reason why I love it so much is due to the unique wand which has a tiny spiked ball on the end. This little mascara ball easily finds those teenie, tiny hairs hiding in the corners. The wand really helps me to create a more flirty look. Especially if you're going for visibility over volume. But then things get interesting when I layer Benefit's They're Real with MAC's Zoom Lash. I stumbled on Zoom Lash years ago when Kim Kardashian's make up artist used it to create her signature spidery lashes. What I love about his mascara is how highly pigmented it is. The wand is much smaller than "normal" which makes it much easier to maneuver through tiny lashes. Zoom Lash is a wet formula,which requires you to use a little extra patience and care during application. But, the payoff from this mascara makes it all worth it.
The trick to getting the most from your mascaras is to layer them for the double the impact. If you purchased one, and aren't too happy with the results, see what happens when you layer with the other options in your makeup kit. Another quick tip for making your lash line more visible is to line the inside of upper eyelid with a dark pencil. This makes the base of your lashes appear darker, which gives them a fuller look. This is especially helpful if you have a hard time reaching the base of your lashes with mascara.
And when you want to go for even more va-va-voom with your lashes, get a little a help from a lash curler. Probably, the most well known brand is from Shu Uemura. As with any purchase, you truly get a quality product for the price. I invested in one years ago and have been happy every day since.
Curlier lashes are just the start, if I really want to amp up the lash power, I lightly warm up the curler before use, transforming it into a lash curling iron of sorts. Once done with the routine, you can take it to the highest level by trying out the lash trick made famous by Audrey Hepburn's makeup artist. Basically, after carefully applying mascara, she'd go back and meticulously separate each lash using a tooth pick. This would allow every single lash the opportunity to shine and get rid of any unwanted clumping.
Then, of course, you always have the option of grabbing a pair of falsies for a quick transformation. But, truthfully, I love the idea of sporting healthy natural lashes that accentuate your eyes, adding a bit of femininity and enhance your natural beauty. Best of all, they can turn you from a doe-eyed baby doll to a cat eyed vixen in just a few short minutes.
If you aren't into applying a topical lash enhancer two times a day, opt for an internal supplement or, do like I did and whip up a large cup of bamboo tea as part of your daily ritual. At first, I wondered why my lashes seemed a little longer than normal until I remembered that I'd been regularly drinkng from a large (gallon size) batch tea that I'd store in the fridge. Frequent bamboo tea refills have paid off and, suddenly, my lashes are now visible again. Don't take my word for it, check out LA Shopper's recent review on Amazon where she too proclaims the wonders of newly visible lashes thanks to indulging in the silica rich tea.
Actually, she was right, it was a pretty good mascara. One reason why I love it so much is due to the unique wand which has a tiny spiked ball on the end. This little mascara ball easily finds those teenie, tiny hairs hiding in the corners. The wand really helps me to create a more flirty look. Especially if you're going for visibility over volume. But then things get interesting when I layer Benefit's They're Real with MAC's Zoom Lash. I stumbled on Zoom Lash years ago when Kim Kardashian's make up artist used it to create her signature spidery lashes. What I love about his mascara is how highly pigmented it is. The wand is much smaller than "normal" which makes it much easier to maneuver through tiny lashes. Zoom Lash is a wet formula,which requires you to use a little extra patience and care during application. But, the payoff from this mascara makes it all worth it.
The trick to getting the most from your mascaras is to layer them for the double the impact. If you purchased one, and aren't too happy with the results, see what happens when you layer with the other options in your makeup kit. Another quick tip for making your lash line more visible is to line the inside of upper eyelid with a dark pencil. This makes the base of your lashes appear darker, which gives them a fuller look. This is especially helpful if you have a hard time reaching the base of your lashes with mascara.
And when you want to go for even more va-va-voom with your lashes, get a little a help from a lash curler. Probably, the most well known brand is from Shu Uemura. As with any purchase, you truly get a quality product for the price. I invested in one years ago and have been happy every day since.
Curlier lashes are just the start, if I really want to amp up the lash power, I lightly warm up the curler before use, transforming it into a lash curling iron of sorts. Once done with the routine, you can take it to the highest level by trying out the lash trick made famous by Audrey Hepburn's makeup artist. Basically, after carefully applying mascara, she'd go back and meticulously separate each lash using a tooth pick. This would allow every single lash the opportunity to shine and get rid of any unwanted clumping.
Then, of course, you always have the option of grabbing a pair of falsies for a quick transformation. But, truthfully, I love the idea of sporting healthy natural lashes that accentuate your eyes, adding a bit of femininity and enhance your natural beauty. Best of all, they can turn you from a doe-eyed baby doll to a cat eyed vixen in just a few short minutes.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Motivation Monday | Put a down payment on your goals.
If you were to ask me to describe the things I want to have or experience, I'd easily rattle off a 3 or 4 things from my list. But if you asked me what I did last week that brought me closer to that outcome, I'd probably hesitate for a little bit before coming with a few weak responses. From my responses, you could easily determine my level of commitment to the outcomes I say I want.
Are you interested or are you committed?
I really want to eliminate much of the clutter from my environment. That would make me so happy. I've already identified the areas that I'd like to target. But, when the weekend comes, I do other things and the clutter remains. Or, I declutter small areas instead of doing an entire space. To me, this implies that I'm interested in living in a completely clutter free environment, but I'm not fully committed to it. There are other things higher on the list of my priorities. I have to be honest with myself and really decide if the outcomes on my list of intentions are things I'm interested in or if I'm committed to having them in my life. Once I've made that distinction, that's when things get interesting.
Let's say I put "take a trip to Thailand" as one of my intentions. The next question I'd have to honestly ask myself is whether taking a trip to Thailand is something I'm saying because it sounds cool or is that something I really want to do. If my response is that I really wanted to go, then I'd decide if I'm committed to making this goal happen. If so, then I've got to move it to the top of the list. Kinda like when I'm browsing through movie options on Netflix. Suddenly, there's a movie I'd like to see and I move it into my queue. The next decision I can make is whether to leave it a the bottom of the queue or move it up. The higher I move it up, the sooner I get to enjoy it. If my list of movies is already pretty long, there's no telling when I'll actually get to see that movie.
One sure way to give some of your goals priority over others is to put a down payment on it. A down payment is when you do something in the present that allows you to enjoy it in the future. It separates you from those who are "just looking" and puts you in the category of "I'm ready to buy!" Without a down payment, no one takes you seriously (including yourself). But when you do something in the present that represents what you want to experience in the future, you put some powerful things in motion.
Some examples of putting a down payment on your goals can include:
- Creating a separate bank account to automatically save for your business, dream getaway, new home, etc.
- Adding glimpses of your future life into your current routine (see weekly massages post).
- Finding someone who's done what you want to do and get actionable steps on how to create a similar path.
- Preparing the things you'll need if your goal does manifest (example: updating your passport, creating an ideal home office if you want to work from home, buying clothes in the future size you intend to be and hanging it up as a visible reminder).
You know when you're getting serious about your goals because there are signs/evidence of your future in your current reality. If no outwards signs exist, you haven't put a down payment. Without a down payment, you're like that guy who says he's serious about a future commitment but what you're really doing is stringing your goals along. You say that you want a future with the vision you have in your mind, but in reality, you're playing games. It's time to get serious. Time to commit and time to put a ring on it.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Sexy girl Dani Mathers and Cars
Sexy girl Dani Mathers, 2015 Playmate of the Year, described herself to us as “spontaneous and wild”!
Read more »
Read more »
Gabrielle Union reminds us to step our water drinking game up.
One of my favorite posts of all time is on the topic of how Beyonce, Adriana Lima and Gabby Union drink a gallon of water a day to keep their skin perfectly flawless. That post resonated with a lot of you and it sparked off a water drinking challenge that would change lives.
You can imagine how elated I was when to stumble on this pic, while scrolling through Gabrielle's Instagram feed.
It depicts Gabby, as she shows off a partially filled gallon of water. In her caption, she writes about accepting a 30 Day Transformation Challenge which appears to be spearheaded by celebrity trainer Luther Freeman. Gabby--miss overachiever, is actually pictured with her 2nd gallon of water for the day. Yes, she's upped the ante to two gallons. And notice how she's included a couple of lemon wedges to transform the water into an ultra alkalizing beauty tonic.
If there's one tip I'd like you to take away from this post it's this: The bigger your water bottle, the more water you'll drink. When I first became serious about my water intake, I grabbed this huge 56 oz drinking bottle. It was a little cumbersome at first but it definitely served its purpose. If I could drink two of those a day, I'd reach my goal. And, to be honest with you, it was pretty easy to do.
Then I started using a smaller (regular sized) water bottles for the sake of portability and my water intake immediately went down. This was unacceptable. Whenever I needed to make up for slacking on my water intake, I'd drink directly from a 3 liter bottle. But, what I haven't yet tried, was drinking directly from a gallon. I really like the idea. And I love how she includes a few lemon wedges in there as a way of claiming that entire gallon as hers. Someone as consistent as Gabby is with her water intake deserves to enjoy glowing, flawless skin at 42. Thank you, Gabby, for reminding us to keep going so we can reap the rewards of ultra-hydration.
You can imagine how elated I was when to stumble on this pic, while scrolling through Gabrielle's Instagram feed.
If there's one tip I'd like you to take away from this post it's this: The bigger your water bottle, the more water you'll drink. When I first became serious about my water intake, I grabbed this huge 56 oz drinking bottle. It was a little cumbersome at first but it definitely served its purpose. If I could drink two of those a day, I'd reach my goal. And, to be honest with you, it was pretty easy to do.
Then I started using a smaller (regular sized) water bottles for the sake of portability and my water intake immediately went down. This was unacceptable. Whenever I needed to make up for slacking on my water intake, I'd drink directly from a 3 liter bottle. But, what I haven't yet tried, was drinking directly from a gallon. I really like the idea. And I love how she includes a few lemon wedges in there as a way of claiming that entire gallon as hers. Someone as consistent as Gabby is with her water intake deserves to enjoy glowing, flawless skin at 42. Thank you, Gabby, for reminding us to keep going so we can reap the rewards of ultra-hydration.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Style Obsession | The Kimono
June is coming to an end and soon we'll be in the throws of summer. Although I love warmer weather, I always seem to have an issue with attire. It gets crazy hot/humid here which means that it's not uncommon to find young ladies wearing low cut tops and super skimpy shorts. That's never been my thing 'cause I never felt comfortable wearing shorts in public (weird, I know). I just don't want to attract any unwanted attention so I choose to cover up as much as possible.
But I think I've found the answer to how to look stylish and modest while wearing cute shorts and camis. Ladies, I present to you, the kimono.
First, they make for amazing beach cover ups on your summer getaway. A lightweight, stylish cover up is what will set you apart from other beach babes. Even when you're not laying by crystal clear waters, the kimono is versatile enough to be worn pretty much anywhere.
What I love about cooler weather is how easy it is to amp up your look by simply throwing on a leather jacket or whatever cute jacket you have in your closet. In the summer, things get a little more complicated, especially when you're trying to stay as cool as possible. That why I adore this as a viable option. Notice how it transformed my basic cotton dress into something special.
The best thing about these kimonos is how it feels like you barely have anything on. If fact, they generate a cool breeze as you move. Flowy kimonos make you feel all glamourous like you've got your own personal wind machine. Oh and I love this full length to add a little bit of coverage when I'm wearing more revealing attire. I definitely have plans to pick up a couple more. One that stops around mid thigh and maybe another full length. I'm deciding between this one from Nasty Gal or this one from ASOS.
But I think I've found the answer to how to look stylish and modest while wearing cute shorts and camis. Ladies, I present to you, the kimono.
 |
| Charlotte Russe Kimono size S |
Friday, June 26, 2015
I've turned my Korean Treatment Essence into a high end facial mist
Hey, good to see you again. I want to tell you about something I did which just saved me nearly $100.00. You see, after I became addicted to Evian facial mist last summer, I discovered that Chanel carries a luxury facial mist infused with skin loving ingredients. Evian was cool and all, but I wanted to add a little something extra, beyond water, to my skin with every mist. I fell in love with the idea of rejuvenating the skin with antioxidants and hydration at any given point of the day. But alas, the $90.00 price tag kept me at bay. Y'all know I have no problem splurging on higher end items but I really couldn't see myself putting that kinda money on a 1.7 oz bottle in which the first ingredient is water.
Time passed and I filed away the idea of a nutrient rich facial mist. I figured that eventually the answer (or product) would eventually come to me. And, I'm here proclaim that the day has arrived!
You all know how I've been indoctrinated into the Korean Skin Care Ritual. This intense layering method has exposed me to a new type of product. Steve Jan made me a believer in facial treatment essence which led to the discovery of Missha's First Treatment Essence. This stuff makes sweet love to my skin every morning. I don't know how to explain it...it's like a water that moisturizes (not just hydrates--there's a difference). It feels like water, but then it sorta behaves like a moisturizer on my skin and it leaves behind this subtle little glow. It's fantastic.
The other day and had this bright idea. What if, I get a tiny spray bottle and lovingly pour a little Treatment Essence in it, to carry in my bag? That way, I can mist my face with the blend of amazing extracts and pro-youth yeast ferment whenever mood strikes. Let me take a moment of reiterate that Missha's Essence looks and feels like water but there's no water in the ingredient list. This means that every ingredient is purposeful, yet it feel like you're misting your face with an infused water.
The minute the idea struck me, I ran into the room to see if it was possible. After grabbing the bottle off the counter and taking a look, I'm relieved to find out that I can easily remove the plastic stopper and have full access to Missha's miracle water. Because they give so much product in one bottle, I can afford to distribute some into small spray bottle. Off I went into the land of internet shopping to find the perfect little spray bottle. My requirements were clear, I needed a glass spray bottle, small enough to fit into my tiniest makeup bag. I chose glass because the original product came in glass and I wanted to stay consistent. Plus a glass mister would make me feel all luxurious, and stuff, every time I used it.
It didn't take me long to find these perfect little misters on Etsy for a couple of bucks. They're super cute and come in a set of three. I can use the others for perfumes and whatnot. If you travel frequently, you'll enjoy these. It took 2 seconds to fill the bottle and voila! I had my very own high quality, high end facial mist. I didn't realize how concentrated the Essence was until I used it as a mist. It delivers high levels of moisture in an instant. I think I may create a diluted version (by adding a little water) for those times when I want more hydration and less moisture (if that makes any sense). Whenever I mist with the pure essence, I take a moment to massage the product in. If I diluted to include more water, I could just mist and let it evaporate.
I'm still experimenting but I had to run in here and share the good news. If you still haven't tried Missha's First Essence yet, you are missing out. I went back and reread my initial post where I predicted that my face would improve over time with consistent use, and I was so right. My skin looks really smooth and more even toned. I could attribute those results to daily facial exfoliation, but I've read other accounts of others who've also experienced skin altering results from this product so it's not all in my head.
Time passed and I filed away the idea of a nutrient rich facial mist. I figured that eventually the answer (or product) would eventually come to me. And, I'm here proclaim that the day has arrived!
The other day and had this bright idea. What if, I get a tiny spray bottle and lovingly pour a little Treatment Essence in it, to carry in my bag? That way, I can mist my face with the blend of amazing extracts and pro-youth yeast ferment whenever mood strikes. Let me take a moment of reiterate that Missha's Essence looks and feels like water but there's no water in the ingredient list. This means that every ingredient is purposeful, yet it feel like you're misting your face with an infused water.
The minute the idea struck me, I ran into the room to see if it was possible. After grabbing the bottle off the counter and taking a look, I'm relieved to find out that I can easily remove the plastic stopper and have full access to Missha's miracle water. Because they give so much product in one bottle, I can afford to distribute some into small spray bottle. Off I went into the land of internet shopping to find the perfect little spray bottle. My requirements were clear, I needed a glass spray bottle, small enough to fit into my tiniest makeup bag. I chose glass because the original product came in glass and I wanted to stay consistent. Plus a glass mister would make me feel all luxurious, and stuff, every time I used it.
I'm still experimenting but I had to run in here and share the good news. If you still haven't tried Missha's First Essence yet, you are missing out. I went back and reread my initial post where I predicted that my face would improve over time with consistent use, and I was so right. My skin looks really smooth and more even toned. I could attribute those results to daily facial exfoliation, but I've read other accounts of others who've also experienced skin altering results from this product so it's not all in my head.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
How to Create Flawless Skin in 7 Days.
I received a comment on a recent post linking to an article on how to get flawless skin in 7 days. The article was ok, but left a lot of valuable info out. So decided to write my own little "how to create flawless skin in 7 days post". I'll start by saying it's darn near impossible to get flawless skin in 7 days. But, you can drastically improve your skin within that period of time. You just have to adjust your actions to match the level of concerns keeping you away from your goal of flawlessness. There are times when you've got special occasion coming up and it's imperative that you make an impact on your skin quickly. Hopefully this guide will help.
I'll break this post by severity of issues and how to drastically improve those issues in 7 days or less. But first, we must define what flawless skin means, that way we all have the same idea of what the end goal is. For the purposes of this discussion, flawless (1)skin is free of acne, (2)hydrated, (3)smooth, (4)even-toned, and (5)glows (reflects light). I like to work on my skin in phases. For example, when I was troubled with cystic acne, I wasn't trying to create glowing skin. I had to get rid of the blemishes first. And when I did, I realized that I had work to do to get my skin smooth and even toned. Glowing skin is cool, but if you have discoloration from previous scarring, it takes away from everything.
If you have active acne, clearing it should be your first priority. If the acne is persistent (meaning, it's not some random flareup), you have to do something drastic to clear it in 7 days. My recommendation is to focus heavily on your internal environment. Treating it using only topical methods is like playing whack-a-mole.The name of the game is to reduce/eliminate the inflammation in the most effective way possible. This means you'll cutting out foods such as dairy, sugar, anything fried, and wheat. Basically, you want to starve any internal issues that could be feeding your constant breakouts.
To speed up the cleansing detox process, you want to add lots of alkalizing foods into the mix. Green salads are you friend. And you should be drinking (lemon) water like a freakin' fish. If you want results within 7 days, you've got to get serious with it. When it's all said and done, your skin will not only look better but you'll feel tremendous and maybe even shrink your waistline. It's a win-win.
If you suffer from the occasional break out, you also want to follow the advice that I gave above. Your issue may be because you've slipped a little in your water intake. You've indulged in rich foods more than normal and your skin is gently reminding you of your mishaps. All you have to do is get back on track. You also want to take a few extra precautions like washing sheets/pillow cases, cleaning your cell phone, not touching your face and the other random stuff that create sporadic break outs. I'd also recommend you conduct a couple at home facials to help move the purging process along.
What if you're one of those people who don't really get breakouts but you're skin isn't as fantastic as you'd like it to be. The good news, since you don't have to worry about dealing with visible blemishes, you can skip directly to the step of trying to achieve glowing skin. You've got a couple of options. One would be to exfoliate regularly, removing the surface skin blocking the world from seeing all of your beauty.
Let me tell you two examples of experiences where my co-workers transformed their skin. One had smooth even toned skin but wanted to take it to the next level. Her course of action to was feed her skin by doing a 7 day juice fast. We hadn't seen each other for a few days and when I saw her again, she had the skin of an angel. She couldn't stop raving about what the juice fast did for her skin and it showed.
Another coworker took a leave of absence for a few months and when she returned, the first thing I noticed was her skin. She wasn't terribly attractive and her skin wasn't really her best feature. But when she came back, her skin was suddenly above average. After exchanging pleasantries, I was like "so what are doing differently to your skin." Oh, she responded, I don't use soap any more, "I scrub ever day."
It's that simple ladies and gentlemen, the formula for flawless skin can be boiled down to:
1. Feed the skin
2. Exfoliate to allow fresh skin, gorgeous to shine.
If you're like me and you've got your acne under control but you're dealing with scarring, your options to address this within 7 days are:
1. Find an amazing full coverage foundation.
2. Treat yourself to a facial peel.
My first experience with a peel was awesome and I really need to do it again. Within a week, years of stubborn scarring had reduced drastically leaving behind baby smooth skin. Since then, I've been taking the slow and steady approach to reduce acne scars but, in all honesty, I need to get serious and do a peel again. I'm thinking of doing the VI Peel that claims amazing results, regardless of skin type.
In all honesty, the peel experience wasn't my favorite, watching the top layer of your skin peel off is somewhat unsettling. My ultimate advice is to maintain regular habits that give you great skin. For instance, a powerful daily routine will do wonders for your skin (see Korean layering method post). And I can't tell you the number of people who left comments on the blog and on Facebook about how much their skin improved after jumping on the "drink your water" challenge. Anytime you talk to someone with incredible skin, they will likely tell you about their high water intake.
Long story short, do the right things for your skin on a regular basis and you won't have to worry about creating a total transformation. Don't be that person who has to work frantically to address skin issues, be the one who's known for always having great skin.
 |
| Beyonce & her flawless skin. |
I'll break this post by severity of issues and how to drastically improve those issues in 7 days or less. But first, we must define what flawless skin means, that way we all have the same idea of what the end goal is. For the purposes of this discussion, flawless (1)skin is free of acne, (2)hydrated, (3)smooth, (4)even-toned, and (5)glows (reflects light). I like to work on my skin in phases. For example, when I was troubled with cystic acne, I wasn't trying to create glowing skin. I had to get rid of the blemishes first. And when I did, I realized that I had work to do to get my skin smooth and even toned. Glowing skin is cool, but if you have discoloration from previous scarring, it takes away from everything.
To speed up the cleansing detox process, you want to add lots of alkalizing foods into the mix. Green salads are you friend. And you should be drinking (lemon) water like a freakin' fish. If you want results within 7 days, you've got to get serious with it. When it's all said and done, your skin will not only look better but you'll feel tremendous and maybe even shrink your waistline. It's a win-win.
If you suffer from the occasional break out, you also want to follow the advice that I gave above. Your issue may be because you've slipped a little in your water intake. You've indulged in rich foods more than normal and your skin is gently reminding you of your mishaps. All you have to do is get back on track. You also want to take a few extra precautions like washing sheets/pillow cases, cleaning your cell phone, not touching your face and the other random stuff that create sporadic break outs. I'd also recommend you conduct a couple at home facials to help move the purging process along.
Let me tell you two examples of experiences where my co-workers transformed their skin. One had smooth even toned skin but wanted to take it to the next level. Her course of action to was feed her skin by doing a 7 day juice fast. We hadn't seen each other for a few days and when I saw her again, she had the skin of an angel. She couldn't stop raving about what the juice fast did for her skin and it showed.
Another coworker took a leave of absence for a few months and when she returned, the first thing I noticed was her skin. She wasn't terribly attractive and her skin wasn't really her best feature. But when she came back, her skin was suddenly above average. After exchanging pleasantries, I was like "so what are doing differently to your skin." Oh, she responded, I don't use soap any more, "I scrub ever day."
It's that simple ladies and gentlemen, the formula for flawless skin can be boiled down to:
1. Feed the skin
2. Exfoliate to allow fresh skin, gorgeous to shine.
If you're like me and you've got your acne under control but you're dealing with scarring, your options to address this within 7 days are:
1. Find an amazing full coverage foundation.
2. Treat yourself to a facial peel.
My first experience with a peel was awesome and I really need to do it again. Within a week, years of stubborn scarring had reduced drastically leaving behind baby smooth skin. Since then, I've been taking the slow and steady approach to reduce acne scars but, in all honesty, I need to get serious and do a peel again. I'm thinking of doing the VI Peel that claims amazing results, regardless of skin type.
In all honesty, the peel experience wasn't my favorite, watching the top layer of your skin peel off is somewhat unsettling. My ultimate advice is to maintain regular habits that give you great skin. For instance, a powerful daily routine will do wonders for your skin (see Korean layering method post). And I can't tell you the number of people who left comments on the blog and on Facebook about how much their skin improved after jumping on the "drink your water" challenge. Anytime you talk to someone with incredible skin, they will likely tell you about their high water intake.
Long story short, do the right things for your skin on a regular basis and you won't have to worry about creating a total transformation. Don't be that person who has to work frantically to address skin issues, be the one who's known for always having great skin.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Glitter Nail Art Ideas - Try some bling - bling
Glitter is the thing that shine the material or part when we can apply it. Like eye shadows, when we apply it on our eyes , its looks amazing and enhanced the beauty of our eyes. Although it is most important thing that what type of dress or outfit you choose to wear and what type of make up, hairstyle, accessories are go with your dress. Same like these things, nail polish or nail paint is essential part of your personality.
Today, I have got an idea from net with glitter nail polish that inspire you. Try anyone nail art idea and improve your skills. Don't think much more, glitter nail art always hit the street. They are perfect with party wear's and festive wear's but avoid this idea with causal wear's. So, check out the pics and pick you next art for you nails.
Today, I have got an idea from net with glitter nail polish that inspire you. Try anyone nail art idea and improve your skills. Don't think much more, glitter nail art always hit the street. They are perfect with party wear's and festive wear's but avoid this idea with causal wear's. So, check out the pics and pick you next art for you nails.
Glitter Nail Art Idea's-
Glitter nail art is very simple and easy art.
In this image, you do simple thing, first to apply blue nail paint on your nails than wait for a minute. Apply glitter nail polish on it or sprinkle Blue-green Pearlescent glitter powder on wet nail polish. You can use your favorite color paint . Now, you got a fantastic idea.
In second image, there is shaded art with two nail polish. First you apply a pink colour glitter nail polish after that from nail tip apply purple nail polish to half with cotton ball. Than apply one coat of the purple glitter. This looks beautiful, you can apply matching nail polish with your outfit in two shades.
Or you can try darker shades.
This is black and silver colour combination. Black plain nail paint with silver glitter. This is also very cool and fancy idea.
In this, different color in different finger nail. This is very funky look.
In this image, overall silver glitter nail polish. This is also go with every dress and enhance you beauty.
Or you can apply on half nail like this.
Like above, this is triple shade in this image. Apply one by one shade of nail paint with the help of cotton in shaded manner and than after few minutes apply one coat of glitter nail paint.
Try these ideas with glitter, glitter in the fashion trend . You will need to do is to find your favorite color nail polish and put it as a shown in pictures, that’s it. In couple of minutes, you will have bling bling beautiful nails.
Try and enjoy !!!
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
The amazing benefits I experienced from regular massage sessions.
A few years ago, I purchased a spa package consisting of four 90 minute massages. Then I landed a job with frequent travel and neglected to take advantage of the paid sessions. Once I transitioned to working at home full time, the first thing I did was purchase another set massages. When I envision my ideal life. Some of what I desire includes weekly massages and other decadent experiences. So I thought, "why not experience a slice experience of that right now?"
Turns out that the three remaining sessions from the years prior had not expired. Immediately, I scheduled them for fear that they'd find out about the glitch and promptly void them. Since then I've used those sessions and completed several more. The difference between this time and when I got massages before is the frequency in which I experienced them. Although, I didn't really expect it, I got some decent results as a reward for my consistency.
The first session was right around the time that I was working with a personal trainer. My trainer was excellent at working various muscle groups that I didn't know existed. Unfortunately, we didn't spend as much time stretching, post workout, as needed. After my first massage, the young lady asked me "do you work out?" "Yeah, why do you ask?" "Cause you had a lot of tension in your muscles, I usually see this when the person doesn't do enough to stretch out the muscles after exercising." Although I hadn't felt any real tension in my body. It was there. And this was at least a month after I stopped working with the trainer.
The next time I visited, the massage therapist performed an impromptu hot stone massage. Probably because she noticed the tightness I was still carrying. Tight muscles are not something you want to leave unaddressed. Basically, it creates imbalances in the body that can eventually affect your range of movement. Even when I wasn't working out, I always carried a bunch of tension in my shoulders. This thanks to a high stress work environment. That stress builds up inside of you and just stays there, festering in your body. But, because of multiple sessions, my body was easily able to release the tension. During my last session, the therapist rubbed my lower back and said that most people she massages have tension there that she could physically feel. She let me know that I didn't have any of those stress bubbles. "That's 'cause I come here so often" I responded.
Then there was the time I caught a slight cold and requested a lymphatic drainage massage. I rarely get sick and I have a sneaking suspicion that my cold was a result of the toxins released in my system post massage. They say it's good to drink a lot of water after a session to release the toxins from the body. I figured a good lymphatic massage could accelerate the detox. Days later, everything cleared up and I was back to my old self. If you ever find yourself fighting congestion and sluggishness, consider massage as part of your strategy to bring everything back to balance.
There was another huge benefit I got from regular massages. I notice less "popping and cracking" when I move around. I sometimes hear cracking sounds (especially near my hips) when I moved suddenly or got up after sitting for a while. Hubby calls me "old lady" whenever he hears the popping sound, and I was convinced that I'd need hip replacement surgery as part of my future. It wasn't painful, just annoying. Recently, I noticed that popping is gone. There are no more trapped air pockets in my body (I'm assuming). Not sure when it happened, but my movements are now smooth and fluid, thanks to regular massage.
The message I want you to leave with is that regular massages aren't just some luxury deemed for the ultra-rich, they're actually really good for you. And if you do them regularly, you may experience amazing benefits beyond just feeling relaxed and refreshed. I did it to feel abundant never expecting tangible benefits. You might even experience relief from pain, insomnia, etc. If you're thinking about the cost of regular massage sessions, do what I did and find a reputable school that offers the full service experience minus the hefty price. The price I paid for four sessions was around what I pay for my cell phone bill, and completely worth it.
Now I wanna experiment with regular facials and see what unfolds.
Turns out that the three remaining sessions from the years prior had not expired. Immediately, I scheduled them for fear that they'd find out about the glitch and promptly void them. Since then I've used those sessions and completed several more. The difference between this time and when I got massages before is the frequency in which I experienced them. Although, I didn't really expect it, I got some decent results as a reward for my consistency.
The first session was right around the time that I was working with a personal trainer. My trainer was excellent at working various muscle groups that I didn't know existed. Unfortunately, we didn't spend as much time stretching, post workout, as needed. After my first massage, the young lady asked me "do you work out?" "Yeah, why do you ask?" "Cause you had a lot of tension in your muscles, I usually see this when the person doesn't do enough to stretch out the muscles after exercising." Although I hadn't felt any real tension in my body. It was there. And this was at least a month after I stopped working with the trainer.
The next time I visited, the massage therapist performed an impromptu hot stone massage. Probably because she noticed the tightness I was still carrying. Tight muscles are not something you want to leave unaddressed. Basically, it creates imbalances in the body that can eventually affect your range of movement. Even when I wasn't working out, I always carried a bunch of tension in my shoulders. This thanks to a high stress work environment. That stress builds up inside of you and just stays there, festering in your body. But, because of multiple sessions, my body was easily able to release the tension. During my last session, the therapist rubbed my lower back and said that most people she massages have tension there that she could physically feel. She let me know that I didn't have any of those stress bubbles. "That's 'cause I come here so often" I responded.
Then there was the time I caught a slight cold and requested a lymphatic drainage massage. I rarely get sick and I have a sneaking suspicion that my cold was a result of the toxins released in my system post massage. They say it's good to drink a lot of water after a session to release the toxins from the body. I figured a good lymphatic massage could accelerate the detox. Days later, everything cleared up and I was back to my old self. If you ever find yourself fighting congestion and sluggishness, consider massage as part of your strategy to bring everything back to balance.
There was another huge benefit I got from regular massages. I notice less "popping and cracking" when I move around. I sometimes hear cracking sounds (especially near my hips) when I moved suddenly or got up after sitting for a while. Hubby calls me "old lady" whenever he hears the popping sound, and I was convinced that I'd need hip replacement surgery as part of my future. It wasn't painful, just annoying. Recently, I noticed that popping is gone. There are no more trapped air pockets in my body (I'm assuming). Not sure when it happened, but my movements are now smooth and fluid, thanks to regular massage.
The message I want you to leave with is that regular massages aren't just some luxury deemed for the ultra-rich, they're actually really good for you. And if you do them regularly, you may experience amazing benefits beyond just feeling relaxed and refreshed. I did it to feel abundant never expecting tangible benefits. You might even experience relief from pain, insomnia, etc. If you're thinking about the cost of regular massage sessions, do what I did and find a reputable school that offers the full service experience minus the hefty price. The price I paid for four sessions was around what I pay for my cell phone bill, and completely worth it.
Now I wanna experiment with regular facials and see what unfolds.
Floral Nail Art Ideas - With Beautiful Pictures
Every women want to look perfect from head to toe. Normally, we use matching lipstick and nail paint with our outfits but now the trend is change. The matching - matching thing is good, there is thousand of options are available for our nails. Floral, animal , abstract print etc looks cool on our nails and these different nail art enhance our beauty also. You can draw or make your own design with your favorite color combination or paste sticker on your nail. There is different types of stickers are available in market. Matching Beads or pearls are also be used in nail art trend.
Today, I do manicure myself at home than search a trendy nail art ideas on net. I found some floral nail art ideas which looks good and i try it. Its looks elegant and blooms my nails with this floral nail art. So, I want to share with you some nail art ideas.
Floral Nail Art Idea's -
Some beautiful floral nail art ideas are-
In this image, the light background nail paint color enhance the floral design. Pink color flowers and green leaves. This is very easy design and you can use your favorite color nail paints.
Second image is so beautiful, pink shaded roses. Try it, it looks amazing on your nails.
I love it, smiley daisy flower makes you smile when you see it on your nails.
Blue color combination with white, it looks so cool and elegant.
Polka dots on three finger nails with floral nail design on left nails. It looks different and marvelous.
Try these simple and easy floral nail art on your nails and enjoy it.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Motivation Monday | Creating your life on a moment by moment basis
One habit I'm cultivating at the moment is transitioning from just living my life to being an active creator. I'll never forget the words my dad once told me that captures this sentiment exactly. He said, "your life is like your home, you design it in the way you want it to be." If you don't like how something is, move it around or get rid of it."
I really want to practice active creation on a micro level. Not just for those big goals but in every moment of the day. One belief I hold is that the better I get at creating at a small scale, the easier it will be for me to obtain those big goals.
So what does active creation mean? Simply put, it's taking an active role in what my day looks like based on the choices I make throughout the day. I have this image, this fantasy, of what I'd like my life to look like. My current reality contains parts of it, but there's a lot of things that aren't congruent. And many of them are small things that are within my power. Like in my environment or in how I maintain my appearance, etc. Sometimes, I only focus on reaching certain milestones but don't pay enough attention to what my ideal day looks like compared to the typical day I experience.
And the best part of it all is how much control I have over my day. I can determine what time I get up and how I set myself up for the day ahead. I can load my senses with inspiration from books, images, etc. I can meditate and visualize my day, I can take extra time to focus on my appearance, etc. Before leaving my home, I can fill myself up with enough inspiration to last me the entire day. And in my home, I have the ability to take specific actions that allow each room to elevate my "feel good" energies every time I walk in.
I can make choices to eat foods that nourish my cells, not just fill my stomach. When I work, I can play my favorite songs in the background to keep my mood in the right place. I can go on and on. What's most important is that we identify what an amazing daily experience looks and feels like to you. Then create it.
Art used to be my most loved subject in school. I was pretty talented, and would often receive praise for my sketch work. Drawing still life was my favorite thing to do. It required me, as the artist, to pay attention to every detail in the arrangement so I could drawn an accurate replication. If I didn't look back at the real image frequently, my drawing wouldn't resemble it. The same with our lives. We've got to look at the life we are actively creating (with a critical eye), and ask ourselves, "does this look like the picture that I've created in my mind?"
If the answer is no, it's simple to make a few strokes to adjust. Remember that our days, our lives, are comprised of choices just like solid matter is composed of atoms. New choices are easy to make as long your remain conscious and aware. So stop thinking of your day as something you live over and over again. See yourself as the artist, creating her masterpiece and see what unfolds before your very eyes.
A couple helpful tips to make this happen:
I really want to practice active creation on a micro level. Not just for those big goals but in every moment of the day. One belief I hold is that the better I get at creating at a small scale, the easier it will be for me to obtain those big goals.
And the best part of it all is how much control I have over my day. I can determine what time I get up and how I set myself up for the day ahead. I can load my senses with inspiration from books, images, etc. I can meditate and visualize my day, I can take extra time to focus on my appearance, etc. Before leaving my home, I can fill myself up with enough inspiration to last me the entire day. And in my home, I have the ability to take specific actions that allow each room to elevate my "feel good" energies every time I walk in.
I can make choices to eat foods that nourish my cells, not just fill my stomach. When I work, I can play my favorite songs in the background to keep my mood in the right place. I can go on and on. What's most important is that we identify what an amazing daily experience looks and feels like to you. Then create it.
Art used to be my most loved subject in school. I was pretty talented, and would often receive praise for my sketch work. Drawing still life was my favorite thing to do. It required me, as the artist, to pay attention to every detail in the arrangement so I could drawn an accurate replication. If I didn't look back at the real image frequently, my drawing wouldn't resemble it. The same with our lives. We've got to look at the life we are actively creating (with a critical eye), and ask ourselves, "does this look like the picture that I've created in my mind?"
If the answer is no, it's simple to make a few strokes to adjust. Remember that our days, our lives, are comprised of choices just like solid matter is composed of atoms. New choices are easy to make as long your remain conscious and aware. So stop thinking of your day as something you live over and over again. See yourself as the artist, creating her masterpiece and see what unfolds before your very eyes.
A couple helpful tips to make this happen:
- Affirm what you want for yourself to experience on a daily basis.
- Spend a few minutes in quiet meditation daily to help raise your awareness. Someone with a low awareness tends to operate on auto pilot and make the same decisions over and over again.
- Fantasize frequently on your ideal life and ideal day.
- Set a goal to do 2-3 things a day that cause your day to appear more like your ideal.
- Know what makes your feel good and focus on doing those things (for example, I once worked in a building with no windows, the environment was depressing. On lunch breaks, I would quickly eat my food then drive to a park nearby, sit on a bench and pretend that I was there because I had time freedom to do whatever I wanted).
- When you do this, focus on the smallest little things and work your way up. It's a bottom up approach.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Insta Moments.
P.s. Notice the image of Kashmir's Hair Botox. I made a purchase and had a chance to try the botox treatment at home. Review coming soon.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
The Fulani Method | Using a silk scarf to infuse moisture into your hair
The Fulani Method is a tradition of the Fulani women who hail from Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. The method is quite simple. You simply moisturize and seal your scarf before tying around your hair. You heard me right, you moisturize and seal your scarf. The idea is that your scarf will infuse your strands with moisture as you sleep. Or, if you're like me and wear your scarf around the house, you'll experience a moisture boost all day. I see great applications for this method on when you're out in the sun all day or for instant replenishment whenever your hair is feeling extra dry.
You'll see a video demonstration below. JoStylin immerses the scalp in water and dips in in oil. This morning I tried a modified version in which I misted the scarf with a spray bottle. This time I didn't include the oil component because I wanted to see how my hair responded to the damp scarf alone. When I do use oil, I'll apply using the Misto Sprayer. After a few minutes of sporting a lightly damp scarf, I removed it to assess the results.
Instantly, my hair felt more moisturized. The little bit of dampness from the scarf allowed my hair to lay down quite nicely. It was like moisturizing the hair with half the work. I love that I can modify the amount of moisture depending on what hair style I'm wearing. If I need more moisture, I can lightly wet the scarf under running water. If I want to moisturize the hair without over saturation, I mist the scarf. This method doesn't take the place of your regular moisturizing and sealing regimen, but it's a nice addition. Especially for those lazy nights when you just want to tie a (damp) scarf around your head and fall asleep. Thumbs up for the Fulani Method.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Fit Friday | Summer Fitness Inspiration.
When our motivations are strong, our actions will respond accordingly. At the moment, I'm focused on feeding the habits the bring about a fit and healthy body. I keep this desire "in existence"by filling my senses with various images for inspiration. Today, I'd like to share a few of those inspo pics with you. And since summer is around the corner, I figured that I'd theme this entry around various summer inspired shots.
However you decide to spend your summer, it's worth the effort to make sure you look fabulous doing it.
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