Thursday, August 2, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Beauty Tip - Nude And Improved
A heavily made up face in the summer
time just looks out of place and uncomfortable. I understand we all
want a little help with our color, I do too, but sometimes less
really is more. Especially when you can play up the natural warm
tones of summer to enhance your own natural beauty. Not to mention,
nude lips, luminous eyes and radiant skin, looks fresh and feminine
year round.
Naked Is A State Of Mind
Or shade of lipstick – look for
something pale, satin with a hint of sparkle. This soft iridescence
will provide a pretty reflection without looking slick and gooey like
some lip glosses. Plus it won't gather at the corners of the mouth
and look like drool like other lip glosses. Keep the rest of your
face simple with a light sweep of pale pink or baby blue shadow on
the eyelid, and finish with a coat of mascara. Skip blush completely
and dot on a bit of pearly highlighter along the cheekbones for a
soft, natural glow that goes from grocery store to glamorous date
night.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Beauty Tip – Steal His Stuff
Remember
that episode of Weeds where Esteban threw a hissy fit when he smelled
Nancy wearing his deodorant? It's okay if you don't, I don't
really want to talk about Weeds, I want to talk about the reaction
men have to smelling their deodorant on their lady. In the case of
Esteban and Nancy, he didn't like it one bit (oh snap, I said I
wasn't going to talk about Weeds) but that's pretty much because one
woman had already emasculated him, his machismo couldn't handle more
of the same from his wife.
My own personal experience in this
department has been wildly successful, so much so that I've been
known to stop by the cologne counter at Nordstroms for a quick spritz
of Eternity for Men before a night on the town. Smelling a
traditionally “manly” scent on a woman makes the male brain go
all funky and territorial, it's like they have to replace those
pheromones with their own in order to feel all is well in the world.
My boyfriend prefers the smell of Old Spice deodorant on me, compared
to the sweet, floral varieties offered to ladies, and I have to say I
agree. Shaking things up a bit by sampling his Speed Stick is great,
but it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the treasure
trove of products hiding in your man's medicine cabinet.
Such as:
Scrubs – Men
have harder skin that can stand up to rougher treatment which is why
their exfoliators have larger particles making the products made for
a man's face the perfect thing to scrub your back, elbows, legs, and
anywhere else extra scrubbing may be needed. A good one to try is
Neutrogena Men Razor Defense Face Scrub (Amazon.com, under $6.00).
Shave Soothers –
Want to prevent razor burn on your dry skin? Reach for his shaving
cream because it's super moisturizing. While you're at it, snag his
shaving oil as well – a little dab along the bikini line before will
result in a smoother shave after. I happen to like the sandalwood pre-shave oil offered by The Art of Shaving (amazon.com, $24.00) because it smells great and works even better.
Stop fretting about the smell already,
the days of tell-tale manly smell are practically over! Many of
today's products for men have toned-down aromas that are suitable for
either gender. Consider also that many products marketed to men also
come with a more reasonable price tag, and you're sure to see the
logic in raiding his shaving kit.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Food Tip – Eat Your Water
If you're like me, you find it
difficult to drink eight glasses of water a day, as recommended by
health professionals. No need to fear, those same health
professionals know water can be found in some of our favorite foods.
The even better news is eating water-filled foods may aid your weight
control efforts by helping you to feel full.
I really can't stress enough the
importance of water for overall health and wellness. Our bodies lose
about 10 8-ounce glasses worth of water per day, just from the random
activities life, such as breathing, sweating, and passing wastes –
consuming water-filled foods can easily replenish five of those lost
glasses.
Best
food sources for water:
Apples
Celery
Cucumbers
Fruit
Juices (100% please!)
Grapefruit
Grapes
Milk
Shellfish
Watermelon
It won't hurt you to drink
more than the recommended 8 per day, just know that when you're
sweating profusely from an especially rigorous workout you may need
extra replacement water, so bring some apple slices along for the
ride.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Fit Tip: 7 Best Ways to Workout
Finding time to exercise is tough! I
know I've complained about it before, there simply aren't enough
hours in the day to dedicate a whole lot of time to exercise as much
as I would like. Which means I have to fit in my workout when I can,
so getting the most out of my calorie burning is important to me.
Apparently it's important to fitness professionals as well, a poll of
over 17,000 of them yielded the following list of must-do exercises:
In order of popularity:
- Squats – If you're looking to build balance and strength in one powerful move, this is the one. Squats are great if you want to target all of the major lower-body muscles at once.
- Running – Aside from a good pair of shoes and perseverance, you really don't need much more equipment when it comes to this great way to build leg strength and cardio fitness.
- Abs – No equipment necessary, anyone can work their abs regardless of fitness level. Okay, some of you are probably shouting that you just can't do ab exercises because of your bad back. My suggestion, try using a stability ball, sitting on one of these will work your abs while being easy on your back.
- Lunges – Similar to squats, lunges are great for strengthening the butt, calves and thighs with just one move. As an added bonus, lunges also promote good balance and posture.
- Walking – A kinder, gentler form of running, don't take the slower pace for granted, walking is great for toning legs, building cardio and can be done anywhere.
- Push-ups – Finally something for the arms! Whether your do them “girly” style, or like a traditional plank, push-ups target the core and upper body with no additional equipment needed.
- Yoga – Just dipping your toes into the fitness pool? Try yoga, and revel in the improved coordination, flexibility, concentration and relaxation.
Turn up the intensity of your workout
by adding some weight resistance, and always make sure you're using
proper form. Likewise, intensity can be added to your running and
walking by adding steps and hills to your route. Not everyone can
afford expensive gym equipment, fewer still want to risk the
vulnerable feeling that crops up when in an unfamiliar situation,
that's why I'm here to tell you that you absolutely can achieve your
fitness goals with just a little creativity and willpower. Have fun!
Friday, June 1, 2012
3 Low-Cal Flavor Fixes
A healthy diet used to mean sacrificing
flavor in exchange for bland, “better” alternatives, but active
people world-wide know that spices and other flavor enhancers are
within easy reach. Delicious and healthy really can exist on the
same plate, it just requires reaching for something a little out of
the ordinary. You don't have to be a celebrity to eat like one, try
some of these flavor fixes.
- Truffle Oil – Okay, it's expensive, but it's incredible! Truffle oil is pungent and powerfully flavored so a little really does go a long way, saving you calories in the long run. Try it drizzled over an endive salad with hearts of romaine and roasted walnuts – yum!
- Seasoned Rice Vinegar – Instead of asking for your salad dressing on the side, swap out your dressing with a little seasoned rice vinegar. The flavor is delicate, even slightly sweet, so it doesn't need all the extra oil to temper the flavor of sharper vinegars like balsamic or red wine. You may even feel so good about saving calories that you can indulge with a little avocado on your salad.
- Bacon – Yes, bacon! Try it sprinkled on veggies, or just about anything. Since fat is used for flavor, why not enjoy it bacon flavored?
A no-fat diet isn't any good, or good
for you, there's no need to sacrifice flavor or necessities in
pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)