Tag: Tips

10 Ways to Relieve Stress

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I haven’t touched too much on stress and anxiety on my blog, but I deal with it every single day. I have spine issues so stress really takes a toll on my body and back. It’s so easy to let stress get the best of me, so as soon as I feel stressed, I take a minute to become self-aware and begin de-stressing. Here are my 10 ways to relieve stress and I hope this helps you too!

  1. Breathe
    • When we get stressed or anxious, listen to your breathing – is it fast and shallow? As soon as you feel tense, try breathing slow and deep. The increased intake of oxygen will help calm your nervous system.
  2. Pamper
    • As a beauty blogger, this is probably my favorite thing to do.  Create a mini spa oasis at home – light some candles and pamper yourself with your favorite mask or give yourself a manicure. You deserve it!
  3. Drink tea
    • I love tea, like really love tea and recently I learned that there’s an art to drinking tea. Instead of just pouring yourself a cup, pay attention to the boiling of the water, the steeping of the tea, and then take a moment to savor each sip. Focusing on the experience can be calming, just make sure to drink decaffeinated tea like this one.
  4. Music
    • You know how you listen to music before heading into the shower? The same thing applies to your night in. Music can be a powerful tool to quickly change your mood and I love using apps like Spotify and Tidal that have ready-made playlists to match your mood.
  5. Journal
    • Sometimes when I have so much on my mind, I write down what I’m feeling and why I’m feeling that way. Once I have everything down on paper, it’s like having a weight lifted off my shoulders and then I can start tackling whatever is stressing me out.
  6. Read
    • If there’s one thing that’ll put me to sleep, it’s reading. Get lost in a story and it’ll take your mind off of your stressful day and chances are, it’ll put you to sleep like me.
  7. Exercise
    • Now I’m not the most active person but walking helps to put my mind at ease. This is something I recently picked up and I’ve been really feeling the endorphins! I love that feeling of knowing that I took time out of my day to get myself healthier.
  8. Meditation
    • I have been able to master this technique, and I know many people who love meditation. In fact, my therapist is a strong believer in meditation and recommends it for everyone, not just for people who suffer from anxiety, depression, stress and etc.    You can use meditation apps or find a guided meditation on YouTube.
  9. Stay offline
    • If work and emails are sources of your stress, turn off your phone and computer to reduce the temptation of checking and responding to emails.  As much as work is important to me,  I try to remember that my health is much more important. Social media can be strainful so try to separate yourself. I know that is hard especially for those who earn money through Instagram like myself but it is not impossible.
  10. Cry/Smile
    • Relieves Stress. A good cry can provide a feeling of relief, even if our circumstances still remain the same. Crying is known to release stress hormones or toxins from the body, and as a result, reduces tension. It provides an emotional release of pent up negative feelings, stresses, and frustrations.
      • When all else fails, smile. Smiling releases a hormone called serotonin (the happy hormone) and can boost your immune system. By having a positive attitude, you’ll have a sunnier outlook on life. Try it!

Don’t get me wrong I love makeup and using makeup to feel good, but working on my inner beauty is a priority for me too! Stress can be detrimental to your overall health, so remember to take at least five minutes out of your day to relax. Happy de-stressing!

HOW DO YOU DE-STRESS?

Odds & Ends: What It Means When ‘Mercury Is In Retrograde’?

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I don’t know about you, but recently I’ve heard more and more people blaming Mercury for things. At first, I didn’t understand why this poor planet was being accused of breaking cell phones, causing communication issues, and just generally making every aspect of life just a little bit messed up. So, I decided to do some research and find out what it really means when someone lists “Mercury in retrograde” as the culprit in whatever issue they’re dealing with. Here’s what I found out…

Three or four times a year, the planet Mercury looks like it’s going backwards for three weeks, give or take a couple days. It’s not actually moving backwards, but it slows down a lot, which gives the optical illusion of receding, which is where the retrograde part comes in. And according to astrology, Mercury is the planet responsible for communication (including listening, talking, reading, negotiating), contracts, and transportation. Mercury is also in charge of computer code (I’m not sure how it works, but that’s what I hear…), which is why phones, computers, tablets, printers, and any other technology devices can go haywire during this time period. So because of this, all of those aspects of life can go awry during the time period of Mercury in retrograde.

Essentially, miscommunication thrives, mistakes happen, technology goes on the fritz, and travel plans can turn nightmarish. So to avoid these issues, there are a bunch of things that the experts recommend not to do when Mercury is in retrograde. And because I want to make sure none of you suffer from this planetary problem, I’ve put together a little cheat sheet for you:

What Not To Do While Mercury Is In Retrograde

  1. Don’t Sign Contracts, Talk About Contracts, Shake Hands or Swear (FYI: Email and text can be a form of contract also)
  2. Don’t Buy A New Car
  3. Don’t Start A New Job or Project
  4. Don’t Travel Too Much
  5. Don’t Buy Computers, Cell Phones or Tablets
  6. Don’t Have Plastic or Elective Surgery
  7. Don’t Repair Auto
  8. Don’t Move in Anywhere or Select a Roommate
  9. Don’t Make Any Life Changing Decisions
  10. Have “That Big Talk”
  11. Don’t take any chances on anything or anyone
  12. Don’t agree on anything and read carefully, even in text messages.

Now, it kind of seems like you can’t do anything during these time periods… However, take this with a grain of salt. Advice from the experts? Wait until Mercury goes direct to make any important decisions.

Mercury Retrograde will also affect people differently based on one’s zodiac sign.

Lucky for us, Mercury in retrograde ended December 06, 2018, and we don’t have another one until March 2019.

Now that you know what Mercury in retrograde means and what it’s blamed with causing, I want to hear from you guys…

Do you agree with this? Have you found that Mercury in retrograde actually causes some of these issues? Or do you think it’s just superstition?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

XO LEE

Odds & Ends: The Difference Between Kosher Salt, Table Salt, Sea Salt, and More

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I’ve always considered having options a good thing, especially in the kitchen. There are so many unique flavors to choose from, which makes cooking even more fun in my book. There are certain ingredients that can both overpower a dish or significantly amplify it. For me, salt is that ingredient. A pinch of salt can be the difference between perfectly savory or feeling like your crunching on a salt lick. The amount of salt you put into a dish isn’t the only things that can pose a potential problem though—with so many salt options on the market, how’s a girl to choose which one to use in a recipe?

Since I recently found myself asking the same question, I decided to do a little research. To my surprise, I discovered a handful of different salts suitable for cooking, brining and pickling. Some are used as flavor enhancers while other are used as garnishes or essential ingredients. If you’ve found yourself wondering which salt is best for your favorite dishes, I’ve done the dirty work for you. Below you’ll find six of the most common salts, what their composition is made of, and how you should be using them in the kitchen. Keep scrolling to get the lowdown on salt 101…

Kosher Salt

Let’s start with kosher salt. This salt is originally known for seasoning meat and has a flaky, coarse structure that differentiates itself from table salt. Kosher salt is less likely to contain additives like iodine and anti-caking agents used in table salt to keep it from clumping. This type of salt is ideal for using in cooking—it dissolves quickly and is good to use before, during and after cooking.

Table Salt

Probably the most well-known of the salts, table salt is highly refined, heavily ground and is almost pure sodium chloride. Most of the impurities and trace minerals in table salt are removed and iodine is almost always added into it. Like I mentioned above, table salt usually has anti-caking agents in it so that it doesn’t get all clumpy in your salt shaker. While you can still add this kind of salt into your favorite dishes, table salt is best used for last minute seasoning.

Sea Salt

Sea salt gets its name because it is made by evaporating seawater. Like table salt, sea salt is mostly composed of sodium chloride with some amount of trace minerals like potassium, iron and zinc. Sea salt is coarser than table salt and the size affects how quickly it will dissolve. To add bursts of flavor to your cooking, sprinkle a little sea salt to add the finishing touch to meals.

Himalayan Pink Salt

This next salt may sound a little bit familiar to my BeautyLeeBar.com readers. Himalayan pink salt contains 84 trace minerals and elements, making it more nutritious for your body that most other salts. It often contains small amounts of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium just to name a few. Himalayan salt contains slightly lower amounts of sodium that table salt too, making it more appealing to consume. Fun fact: the iron oxide found in Himalayan salt gives it its pink color. Cook with Himalayan pink salt or sip some water infused with it after your next workout.

Fleur De Sel

This salt is one of my favorites and one that I became very familiar with while working on some new receipes. Fleur de sel is more delicate than other salts and looks like little snowflakes. This salt is not meant for seasoning a dish while cooking since it will melt and lose its soft, powdery shape. Because fleur de sel is the most complex in flavor of the different salts, use this one lightly. Sprinkle fleur de sel on food right before it is consumed since it is the saltier of salts.

Pickling Salt

Last but not least we have pickling salt. The name itself gives away what it is used for, but pickling salt is also great for brining, canning and preserving as well. Pickling salt is pure, granulated salt and does not contain anti-caking ingredients or iodine like table salt does.

After reading this, you’re now a guaranteed salt pro. Here’s to improving your cooking skills one grain of salt at a time.

Which one of these salts do you use most often?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

XO Lee

Three Hacks to Hide Fine Lines With Makeup

Published on by Lee2 Comments

Fine lines: a beauty guru’s worst enemy as we mature into our grown-up skin. These teeny tiny creases creep up on us at the worst possible makeup moments, making foundation look cracked and less-than-perfect, and we’d do just about anything to make them disappear for good. Of course, more power to you if you wear your fine lines with pride — but sometimes you just want your makeup to look flawless, and they get in the way. Don’t you think?

Rule 1: Always, Always Moisturize and Prep

Fine lines look so much more obvious when skin is dull and dehydrated — that’s why Thompson’s first rule of thumb is to always hydrate the skin. “Moisturizing very well before applying makeup always help diminish the look of fine lines,” she says. “In addition to that, opting for a primer that has a blurring or smoothing effect not only helps the appearance of pores but fine lines as well.” We love a hefty moisturizer like the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer for this step.

Rule 2: Blurring Sticks Are Your BFF

“The Lancôme Blur and Go Priming Stick and Milani Instant Touch-Up Blur Stick are my absolute favorites when blurring out fine lines! It sits beautifully under makeup, and works well on top of moisturizer. A priming and smoothing stick will do wonders to make your fine lines less visible. It truly gives you the airbrushed look with little effort before applying foundation.

Rule 3: Set Before Makeup

My final golden rule is actually a bit counterintuitive: I suggest you set your face before you reach for that foundation. A little trick I like to do that works wonders for creasing is after applying your moisturizer and primer to the face, lightly set any area with powder before applying your cream or liquid foundation. This way, your face will be extra protected from creasing makeup: This really locks in what was underneath and prevents a barrier from your foundation seeping into those lines.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HACK?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PRODUCT TO HIDE AWAY THOSE FINE LINES?

( If anyone have any tips that they would love to share, leave it in the comments!