Category Archives: Beauty inside and out

Beauty inside and out

My Blow Out Hair Faves

November 4, 2019

It’s beginning to cool down, which means these curls will be blown out a lot more often. I’ll be going from Cree Summer curls (if you know, you know), to Naomi Campbell sleek and chic and without the heat damage. Not too long ago I shared my go-to products for maintaining healthy curls that have worked for me long-term. I don’t like sharing products unless they’ve been tried and tested. Though what works for me may not work for you, at least you have some inspiration if you want to try some new products. Now, I don’t believe in wasting money trying a ton of products when 50-75% of those products may not work for me. Once I find something that works, I stick with it. Usually, when I branch out and want to try something new, it fails, especially with leave-ins. Le sigh. 

However, when it comes to straightening curly/natural hair, these products will typically work for the general population. I’ve been using the products listed below for the last four years. So if you find your current products or technique used to straighten your hair isn’t working too well, try these!  read more

Beauty inside and out - Travel

Best Beauty Products That Travel Well

July 19, 2019

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Photo: RMS Beauty

Between my hair products, skincare and makeup, It appears that half of my suitcase is filled with beauty products. Trust me, I try to bring as little as possible, but sometimes it is nearly impossible.

Lately, I’ve been selective with the types of cosmetics I bring, especially when it comes to makeup. There are two prerequisites for makeup making it into my bag:

  1. Is it multi-purpose?
  2. Is it a solid or cream formula?

Asking these two questions saves me space and time from cleaning up spills/leaks from products that have spread throughout my cute toiletry bag. Plus, I don’t have to pull it out for TSA, allowing me to bring more important beauty items I wouldn’t otherwise get out of the airport with (this is especially true when traveling in other countries). read more

Beauty inside and out

My Skin Story + Minimalist Summer Skincare Routine

July 1, 2019

Here’s a little story of how I went from an expensive routine with unnecessary steps to a #skipcare routine that has left me with the best skin of my life.

I know skincare is having a huge moment but personally, as a lover of beauty, I got serious about my skincare right after college.

Becoming a skincare enthusiast 

At this time, my skin suffered so much from hormonal stuff that I had going on and I really didn’t know what to do. This was 2009 and natural products were on the rise. The clean beauty craze really kicked off around 2008/2009. So, I decided to try Kiss My Face products from Whole Foods and they actually helped A LOT but then my skin started to become dull. It was time to go back to science. Enter professional skincare brand here. For me, this was a very trusted brand because my aunt swore by this stuff as an aesthetician herself. And my skin got a lot better with consistent use. I almost exclusively used this brand until seven months ago. I almost never tried anything else because I was scared my skin would react badly.  read more

Beauty inside and out - Food

My Matcha Tonic Recipe For Energy and Beauty

April 1, 2019

I love the flavor of coffee but I’m trying to limit my intake.  I’ve given up coffee before where I only indulged on the weekends, but I almost always go back to it.  Honestly, there is nothing wrong with coffee, except that it increases your cortisol levels and affects your adrenals.  And because I can be sensitive to this, I’ve been swapping out my coffee for matcha tea the past week.

I have been playing around with different ingredients and concoctions in my kitchen to kick it up a notch, and I think I’ve mastered the perfect Matcha tonic.  I call it the Monarch Matcha, haha! And all of the ingredients help you glow from the inside out.  Enjoy! read more

Beauty inside and out - Me

What I Do To Keep My Health In Tip Top Shape

February 13, 2019

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When we talk about the things we can control in life, mastering oneself is THE only thing you can control.  And that includes your personal health and wellness, which I am super passionate about. Although the approach is different for everyone, I thought I’d share what I do to keep my health in tip-top shape in a way that’s best for me. Hopefully, it can help you along your health and wellness journey.

Food

I am big on meal prep. It is the only way to ensure you are eating the way you want to eat.  For almost 10 years, I was a pescetarian, but I no longer eat that way. I do eat low carb (little to no white carbs) lean protein with lots of veggies and healthy fats.  So, basically, my plate is ¼ protein, ¼ healthy carbs and fats, and half vegetables. And my body loves it. I plan out dinner and lunch for the week. I cook my lunch for the week on Sunday, and I cook dinner on Monday and Wednesday.  On the weekends we eat out, aside from breakfast, and this is the time I cheat a bit here and there. I may throw in some pasta (the REAL pasta), doughnuts, etc. You gotta keep it balanced to stay on track. I believe eating healthy is an act of self-care, so you should also enjoy yourself.

PC: Joanie Simon

Fitness

My exercise routine is pretty simple.  I do a mix of yoga/pilates, strength training, walking, and hiking.  I also, HIIT here and there. I select my workout based on how I’m feeling and my energy level. I always listen to my body and figure out what it needs that day.  For instance, a couple of days before my period, I’m usually doing yoga or walking. And my workouts usually consist of 30-40 minutes five to six days a week. I workout mostly at home or in the gym in my building using fitness apps, Pinterest or YouTube videos.  Occasionally, I’ll go to a class. I find that being able to work out on my own, according to what I want to do, works best for me to stay consistent, and I’ve seen great results in doing so.

Wellness

Other things I try to do monthly or every couple of months is visiting my chiropractor and getting massages. I get lower back pain so I like to get a tune-up at the chiropractor every couple of months, and it helps so much. I enjoy massages for the relaxation and release that they provide.  Plus, you gift yourself an hour of no talking, no work, no social media. It’s just time for yourself. I also want to add meditation in here. I feel like everyone beats this subject to death, but the benefits are real. And although I almost never get a chance to do it daily, I do it as much as I can, and I notice a big difference in my wellbeing when I do.

So that’s all folks! What keeps you running like a well-oiled machine?  Share it with me in the comments!

 

Beauty inside and out

My Current Curly Hair Faves

January 28, 2019

human hair half wigs

I have been getting a lot of questions about what I’m doing with my curls because they have been living their best life (yes, even with consistently straightening my hair) over the last couple of years.  And I am really proud of that! My hair journey has been a long one, but I finally feel really happy with the health and condition of my hair. It’s usually easy to detangle, it grows quickly and is overall pretty easy to manage, which has not always been the case.

There were two shifts that happened over the last few years that I believe may have contributed to the condition of my curly hair.  One, I got serious about drinking my Glowing Green Smoothies 3-4 days/week. Two, I learned I had low-porosity hair and had been taking care of my hair all wrong.  So, I put a full stop on co-washing (I had mad buildup) and using coconut oil or heavy oils on my hair.  I noticed my hair was finally receiving all of the awesomeness from the products I was using because it was finally squeaky clean.  And my curls took off from there! So, here are the current products that are my ride or dies, and a few that have been around for years.  It’s not a long list, as I keep it pretty simple, and don’t follow any type of curly girl rules. I just do and use what works for me. read more