Tag: Tips

5 Tips For Creating A Spa Atmosphere At Home

Published on by Lee2 Comments

After a busy, grueling week, it’s nice to come home to an oasis to relieve tension and feel restored. As it’s not realistic, or budget-friendly, to go to a spa every day, it’s a great idea to create your own spa-like setting within the comforts of your home.

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Use Essential Oils

An essential oil diffuser can create a variety of different atmospheres and appeal to the senses, to really give you that “zen” setting. Lavender is for relaxation, and basil oil has an uplifting effect on the mind and promotes alertness. Peppermint oil relaxes muscles, eases tension and can help relieve sinus congestion, and rose oil is used to relieve anxiety and depression.

Get Steamy

Steam inhalation is a wonderful addition to an at-home spa and the heat is shown to improve circulation, which can also improve the skin’s appearance, naturally.

Plus, steam loosens dead skin cells, revealing new cells and resulting in a youthful glow. Inhale steam from a steam machine or let the shower run so the bathroom gets super steamy, and simply sit and relax for a few minutes.

Use Dim Lighting

Low, dimmed lights help your body relax and really set the mood. “Scientific studies have proven that low lights actually allow your body to rest better as they reset your pineal gland,” explains Veronica Parker, a certified Yoga Teacher, Energy Healer, and Meditation Coach.

You can also use candles for light. “Place 2-4 candles of your favorite scent around. The candle flame and the scent will enhance your state of relaxation,” she says. “My favorite scents are lavender, lemon balm and sandalwood,” she suggests

Take a Bath

After a long day, come home to a warm bath to restore tired muscles. “Prepare a warm bubble bath with Epsom salts. The salts will inspire you to untangle your muscles, release inflammation and induce a deeper state of relaxation.

Play Music

Either listen to relaxing music or ocean sounds (what resembles “spa music” you typically hear when at a spa) or try a guided meditation to release stress. Download and listen to a guided meditation while you are soaking in the bath. Focusing on your breathing is key to help you let go of stress and your day’s activity. Alternatively, you can listen to soft music to unwind.

Vitamin 101 | Green Tea Blemish Buster

Published on by Lee1 Comment

We all hate breakouts, but sometimes it seems we are fighting an uphill battle with these little red devils! If you are looking for a way to fight acne without harming your skin, this may be the solution for you. According to Dr. Jennifer Gan Wong, Green tea extract has been proven to be effective in its fight against acne without the harsh effects of the commonly used benzoyl peroxide. Green tea nourishes skin while it combats acne and keeps you clear. It also helps reduce inflammation and works as a detox for your skin! Talk about badass blemish buster!

Get a good quality green tea from your local health food store, traditional Chinese or Japanese store or online. You can use any type of green tea, such as Sencha, matcha or genmaicha and should aim to drink two to three cups per day. To prepare it, heat fresh water to just before boiling point, pour into the cup and steep for five to 15 minutes, depending on individual instructions. Do not add sugar to green tea as it will diminish health benefits.

Drinking green tea daily can also help prevent new acne breakouts, which are caused by bacteria, because, as Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D. of Green Tea Library notes, the catechins in tea kill bad bacteria while maintaining good bacteria.

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According to Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong of Memorial Medical Center, green tea also works as a topical application for skin problems, including acne scars, eczema, and psoriasis. Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, is another type of antioxidant found in green tea that is very beneficial in reducing acne and scars by both cleansings the skin of toxins and neutralizing the bacteria that causes acne. Green tea has astringent properties which help diminish redness and inflammation.

For a facial cleanser, use pure, unflavored green tea. Heat one quart filtered water to just before boiling, pour over one cup of green tea leaves and let steep for about 20 minutes. Allow the tea to cool and splash on your face, or use cotton balls to dab directly onto acne scars. Apply the green tea extract to the affected area three times daily. Really simple! Do not rinse. Store the tea in a sealed container in the fridge. 

Easy DIY | Awesome Green Tea Eye Brightener!

Published on by Lee1 Comment

It’s such a bummer, but your eyes can give away far too much, and by that I mean EVERYTHING! It can tell someone if you’re healthy, well rested, or not feeling at the top of your game! Fortunately, there are some awesome tricks to help mask those issues other than your favorite concealer! I have had issues with eye bags since I was in high school, so I’ve gotten pretty good at dealing with them over the past years! This is SO easy and SOOOO good! It requires two things–Chamomile Tea + Green Tea! Chamomile Tea is awesome because it helps to relax the area around the eyes, reduce puffiness, while the caffeine in Green Tea improve circulation, improving drainage around the eyes, and brighten the area of skin. So this is so easy, I hope you all start doing this!

LEE’S AWESOME GREEN TEA EYE BRIGHTENER

1 Green Tea bag
1 Chamomile Tea bag
Cotton Pad
Water

Heat one cup of water, then remove once boiling. Add both tea bags, and cover with a saucer, let sit for 30 minutes. Let tea cool, then transfer to the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, soak two cotton pads with cold tea, and slightly squeeze so there is no tea dripping from the pad. Apply to eyes for 5 minutes, then turn over apply for another 5 minutes. Repeat daily or as needed. Discard tea after 3-5 days.

Beauty Q&A: I Bought The Wrong Foundation Shade — What Should I Do?

Published on by Lee2 Comments

Finding the correct shade of foundation can sometimes be a challenge, especially when you fall in between shades or are unsure of how to match foundation. What’s worse is heading home after a spree at Sephora only to realize that you chose the wrong foundation shade. Do you immediately turn around and return it, or should you add it to your makeup stash anyway? And even the Ulta Beauty and Sephora employees don’t always get it right.

If You’re Unsure of Your Shade, Go Lighter

If the shade is a little lighter than what you usually wear, you might be ok. It’s harder to lighten a foundation as there’s only really few tricks to do so, so it’s best to ask for a sample of the shades you think you are so you can take home and see. The samples are free. If you did buy a foundation that is a little dark, try mixing it with a lighter color concealer or use a foundation powder that is 1 or 2 shades lighter to lighten up the foundation.

Mix and Match the Same Formula

The best and easiest way to rectify purchasing a wrong foundation is to mix a lighter or darker concealer, in the same formulation, with the foundation to make it match your skin tone. If the foundation is extremely light, I suggest to strategically use bronzer to help deepen the shade. You can even try to mix the lighter foundation with a darker shade.

Contour to Your Advantage

The last tip is an important one: If you buy the wrong foundation shade, use your face structure to your advantage. “Since the face has natural contours to it, you can use that to your advantage when your foundation is slightly off from your skin tone. Highlighting and contouring in the right places will help conceal the foundation not matching your skin tone. So next time, before you run back to repurchase, play with some mixing and give it a whirl.