Tag: Lifestyle

If These Celebs Swear By This $1 Beautifying Ingredient, I Want It Too

Published on by Lee3 Comments

There’s nothing more satisfying than finding something completely awesome for your skin that costs next to nothing. It’s even better when you know that incredibly gorgeous celebs like Jessica Alba, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Oprah (and the A-list list goes on!) credit their stunning figures and glowing skin to the same thing. Jessica Alba uses it in a smoothie to boost energy levels, Jennifer Aniston relies on it to keep fit and trim, and Lady Gaga swears by it for reducing her stress levels – we all know what stress does to our skin! The genius ingredient is green tea; its impressive qualities include the power to lower your sebum levels and fight against acne, reduce sun damage, flatten puffy eyes, and even diminish wrinkles. It’s literally the answer to all our prayers – for our skin and our bodies!

The magical ingredient comes from the Camellia sinensis leaves that originate in China. Green tea leaves have extremely high-levels of polyphenols, aka micronutrients that come from plants, which are packed with antioxidants that protect against skin-damaging free-radicals, infections, toxins, and even some cancers. Not only is green tea super inexpensive, but you can use it topically and internally for MAJOR health benefits – even lowering bad cholesterol and detoxing your body. Put the kettle on now; guarantee you’ll be wanting a brew…

The difference between green tea and matcha green tea: Green tea is referred to as your standard tea bag filled with dry leaves, and it needs to be brewed for a couple of minutes to release the goodness. Once brewed you can discard the leaves and drink the tea, or you can use the brewed leaves to make a mask. Matcha is green tea leaves that have been dried and finely ground, which you ingest completely, making matcha a much more intense dose of goodness. Matcha contains 137 times more EGCGs (powerful antioxidants, up to 50 times stronger than vitamin C and E) than green tea does, so you would need to drink around 10 cups of green tea to get the same benefits that you would from one cup of matcha green tea. Look out for organic matcha tea like this one.

Find Your Zen: Believe it or not, having a green tea brew will actually chill you out. The tea lowers cortisol levels (stress hormones) and contains an amino acid called L-Theanine that gives a calming effect and helps your brain to focus.

Fight against wrinkles: Free-radicals attack our skin and breakdown skin cells to deplete skin’s elasticity, causing sagging and wrinkles – they’re our ultimate nemesis! Fortunately, the high-levels of antioxidants (the best kind: catechins and polyphenols) in green tea help our skin cells to fight against the damage done by free radicals. They can both slow down the signs of aging and contribute to reverse skin damage.

Combat acne: Drinking green tea works in numerous ways to combat acne: your skin produces less sebum, your inflammation levels are reduced (that’s what causes pimples to get all red and angry), and your immune system is bolstered. The aforementioned EGCG is also a potent regulator of your hormones, in particular, male hormones, which cause your glands to produce excess sebum. Combined with its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, it makes a fierce face mask. Combine a tablespoon of matcha tea with a tablespoon of honey, or matcha tea with yogurt to balance and soothe your skin.

Reduce sun damage: Green tea can’t block UV rays like sunscreen can, but instead, it fights damaging free-radicals and reduces inflammation that the sun causes – it can even destroy cancerous skin-cells. To get the full benefits you can drink green tea and use it as a toner in the morning: dip a cotton pad in a cup of cooled green tea and wipe it across your face.

Boost energy levels and shed pounds: There’s a reason green tea is favored in Hollywood and among models, it’s been clinically proven to boost your metabolism and increase your bodies ability to burn fat. It’s caffeine content – about a quarter the amount of coffee’s – increases your energy and concentration levels, which can improve physical performance and mobilize fatty acids to be used for energy. A matcha smoothie makes the perfect pre-workout or morning wake-up replacement for your cup of coffee. Make a smoothie with one banana, one spoon of matcha green tea powder, ice, almond milk or coconut water (enough to cover all your ingredients in a blender), one tablespoon of almond or peanut butter, and a sprinkling of granola, you can even add a date or honey as a natural sweetener.

Deflate puffy eyes: Green tea bags make the perfect under eye treatment: the caffeine shrinks blood vessels, while the tannins constrict capillaries. Brew two tea bags for a couple of minutes, remove and place in the fridge until chilled (around 30 minutes – they should be cold but not dry) place the tea bags under your eyes and chill out for half an hour.

Even just drinking a green tea every day will do your body good, and it’s another alternative to help you reach your daily water target. It’s insanely good when you use it topically too, so play around with different recipes and find what works for you. There’s also an insane amount of products starring green tea, in case DIY isn’t your thing, check them out at ToGoSpa here.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

Inspired Idea: 5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Life

Published on by Lee2 Comments

We are officially in the middle of March, and I’m feeling more inspired than ever by the arrival of spring. To me, this season marks a time to refresh, clean out, and reflect. I’m sure these urges are even stronger for those of you who live in cold climates that have you feeling ready to shake off the snow and resurface as the days get warmer. In the spirit of initiating my own spring awakening, today I’m sharing some ways to do a mini life overhaul this season. Now, I’m not recommending you do these all at once, but now is a better time than ever to start chipping away at your spring cleaning to-do list. If you work through this list along with me, I can bet that by the time summer arrives, you’ll be feeling fresh as a daisy…

1. Do a tech detox.
When you hear the phrase “tech detox” you probably think I’m going to suggest you take some time off your phone to unplug. And while that’s all well and good to do often, I’m referring to actually cleaning up the contents on your phone so that it’s less cluttered and less distracting. The first great way to do this is to clean up who you are following on Instagram. This social media app is distracting enough as it is—add in scrolling through dozens of photos from accounts you don’t even know why you started following in the first place and you’re looking at a guaranteed time waster. Go through the list of who you follow, removing accounts whose content you don’t care to see as much of. The best part is that you will be able to more easily see photos from your friends, family and accounts that really matter when you open the app. The second great way to clean up your phone is to delete old photos from your camera roll. We all know that these photos take up space on our phones, causing them to eventually run slower. Cleaning up your camera not only will feel great, but it will also help you to find old memories a lot easier when looking for a specific moment from the past.

2. File away your email inbox.
If you look at the mail icon app on your iPhone and see a red bubble showing a number in the hundreds (or thousands!), this tip is for you. Take an afternoon to create a filing system for your email inbox. You can start by marking all old emails as “read” and filing them in bulk in one folder, then beginning your filing system from that moment on. The folders you make are up to you, but it’s a good idea to include ones based on the categories of emails you receive most often so that you can easily find old emails based on those categories. The end goal is to have a “working inbox” that displays a select number of emails pertaining to current projects, ongoing projects, and things that need to be responded to ASAP. It will work as a to-do list and keep you organized.

3. Tackle your wardrobe.
Now that we’ve gotten two tech tips out of the way, it’s time to dive into spring-cleaning physical items and areas of your house. Many of us clean out our closets regularly, and spring is an especially great time to go through the items you didn’t reach for all winter long and make room for new spring and summer purchases. When I clean out my closet instead of pulling out what I am willing to get rid of, I take everything out and only put back the pieces I really love and wear.  I also pack away seasonal item like scarves, coats and hats during spring and summer and do the same with bathing suit cover-ups and sundresses during Fall and Winter. If you can’t decide whether you should keep something ask yourself these questions:

  • When was the last time I wore this?
  • Do I like how I feel/look when I wear this?
  • Would I buy this today if I were shopping in a store?

If the answers to these questions lead you to believe the piece has run its course, it’s time to place it into your give-away pile.

4. Refresh your fridge and pantry.
Hoarding expired condiments and stale pantry items is a surefire way to achieve an unkempt kitchen. Organizing your fridge and pantry is, in my opinion, even easier than cleaning out your closet. It’s a black and white decision because of a little thing we call expiration dates. Those bottles of ketchup, BBQ sauce and salad dressing that have been in your refrigerator door for three years? Pitch them. Those pints of ice cream that have gathered so much freezer burn they look like they’re growing stalagmites? Get rid of them. That opened bag of crackers that’s been tucked back on your pantry shelf for an undeterminable amount of time? Toss them. Trust me, nothing will feel better than opening your fridge, freezer and pantry to see fresh items you know you’ll grab when cooking or snacking.

5. Spring clean your beauty routine.
You didn’t think I’d leave beauty and makeup out of this convo, did you? Take some time this season to wash your makeup brushes and replace old ones that have seen better days. Similarly, throw out and replace old makeup palettes, mascaras, lipsticks and everything in between. Not only will this help you to only keep what you really use on a regular basis, therefore getting rid of product clutter, but it will also ensure that you aren’t using makeup that has gathered bacteria and germs over the years. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you even take this opportunity to do a “green cleaning” by replacing old makeup with products from chemical-free companies like Beauty Counter, Juice Beauty or RMS Beauty, Fenty Beauty. While you’re at it, give those bathroom cabinets and drawers a deep clean too.

What tips do you have for spring cleaning your life?

5 Easy Food Swaps Your Skin Will Thank You For

Published on by Lee3 Comments

The bottom line is, you could have the most amazing beauty regime consisting of dozens of miracle products, but if you’re not eating well and drinking plenty of water, it’s going to negatively affect your skin. You have to remember, your skin is the largest organ in your body, so if you’re not providing it with the right nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, you’re more likely to experience dull skin and breakouts. But don’t worry, I am not suggesting you drastically change your diet and only eat steamed broccoli, instead, try just a few healthy food swaps; cut out the bad stuff and replace it with something more nutritional. I promise, it won’t even feel like your making a sacrifice, and you’ll be trading in skin aggravating ingredients for beauty-boosting foods – it really is a no-brainer.

Swap lattes for Americanos and green tea

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from countless dermatologists and celebrity nutritionists, it’s that we should avoid dairy (more specifically milk) as much as possible. The reason being, dairy is full of hormones and when you consume it, it’ll cause your other hormone levels to rise; including testosterone and progesterone. These hormones are the main cause of excess oil and sebum, which can block your pores and trigger breakouts. So try and stay away from milky lattes, and trade it in for either a black coffee or an almond milk latte. Almond milk is full of skin-loving vitamins like vitamin E, which helps strengthen your skin’s epidermis layer while giving it a healthy glow. But, possibly the healthiest trade, would be to ditch your latte and have a Green Tea instead, which can lower oil production, fight against acne, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and sun damage while removing toxins from your body. Plus, it’s practically calorie-free.

Trade milk chocolate for dark chocolate or cacao

Ok, so I have to admit, this trade may take a little bit of time to get used to, but once you’ve committed to this health swap, you’ll be thanking me. Chocolate doesn’t just contain dairy; it’s also really high in refined sugars and white sugars, which are bad news for your skin. Sugar can dehydrate your skin, cause inflammation, and it can even cause premature aging (digested sugar attaches to the collagen in your skin, breaking it down rapidly). Obviously, I’m not suggesting that you give up chocolate entirely (I’m not crazy!), just opt for dark chocolate cacao-based sweet treats instead. Dark chocolate and cacao are the rawest form of chocolate bean and aren’t sweetened, and they actually have a ton of health benefits! I know they may taste slightly bitter, but they both contain beauty-boosting anti-oxidants and will improve blood circulation so that more oxygen is delivered to your skin, leaving it looking radiant AF. Just make sure your dark chocolate is 75% or more, or find some delicious cacao recipes here.

Swap butter or oil for grapeseed oil

Even though it may taste great, cooking with butter or sunflower oil isn’t good for your health or your skin. Both are super high in cholesterol, which triggers your body to produce more hormones, thereby increasing your oil production, making breakouts more common. Cold-pressed grapeseed oil, however, reduces harmful cholesterol. It also has a very high ‘smoke point;’ the temperature at which oil begins to smoke – the higher the smoke point, the better. So next time you’re cooking, reach for the grapeseed oil to improve your health and your skin.

Switch sugar for Manuka honey

As mentioned, white refined sugars aren’t good for your skin, so you should try and avoid them wherever possible. Instead, try using honey to sweeten your food, more specifically Manuka honey – whether that’s in your morning coffee, your oatmeal, or in your cooking.  Not only will it help you curb your sugar cravings, but since honey is a natural humectant, it will make your skin super soft, whether applied topically or ingested. It also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it will help remove toxins from your body while improving digestion. Manuka honey is especially beneficial as it’s the rawest form of honey, which is free from preservatives and has a higher concentration of nutrients.

Swap soda or fruit drinks for detox water

The truth is, no matter if your fav soda or fruit juice is ‘calorie-free’ or ‘not from concentrate,’ a soda or fruit juice is never going to do good things for your skin. Not only are these soft drinks high in refined sugars (the average can of soda contains 8g of sugar), but sodas also contain nasty chemicals such as aspartame, which make you crave more sugar. And when it comes to fruit-based drinks, like orange juice, although that may seem like a healthier alternative to a can of Coke, chances are it’s full of sweeteners and additives that’ll dehydrate your skin and steal that glow your favorite face oil promises to deliver. Instead, make your own detox water that will hydrate your skin and rid it of toxins that cause inflammation. Check out BLB Readers fav detox water recipes here.

For more beauty-boosting miracle foods, check out this post. Let me know if you have any other healthy food swaps in the comments below.

GHETTS – BLACK ROSE ft. KOJEY RADICAL

Published on by LeeLeave a comment

Directed by Netti Hurley

An ode to black female beauty

‘Black Rose’ is an anthem for intersectional feminism from grime artist Ghetts, and ruminates on the rapper’s hopes and fears of raising his daughter in a society that regularly neglects women of colour. Paired with black and white imagery from London director Netti Hurley, the video is a hard-hitting exploration of black womanhood and representation, opening with the rapper’s young daughter asking, “Daddy, how come there’s no dolls that look like me in the shop?” Ghetts’ lyrics weave social commentary and personal experience, focussing on colourism and hyper-sexualisation of black women in the media, and delivers a moving message of black and female empowerment.  

‘Inspired by the work of famous black female artists such as Carrie Mae Weems, Lorna Simpson and the poetry of Maya Angelou, this film is an ode to black female beauty in every sense,’ says Hurley.