Kneipp Pure Bliss Mineral Bath Salt - Red Poppy and Hemp

As being a fan of their Kneipp Deep Sleep Mineral Bath Salt - Valerian & Hops, I decided to try the other salts they had to offer. This bath salt being packed with red poppy, hemp and other essential oils promises to deliver you in a state of bliss. While I was totally relaxed soaking in the pale red water, I didn’t notice much of a scent as I did with the deep sleep one. I guess, they didn’t want to overwhelm your sense of peace with a scent. Overall, I think I prefer the deep sleep one to this any day of the week.

Obsessive Compulsive (OCC) Lip Tar - Role Play

The metallic lip tar is describe as deep maroon with a red pearl shimmer finish. The lip tar looked a bright red unlike the deep maroon as described. I also like slight metallic finish. Like all the other OCC lip tars, I recommend exfoliating  before applying so dead skin flakes are not apparent or using lip balm before applying to tone down the color. The color last for around 3 hours and left a slight stain behind.

Self July 2014

Get rid of swim hair - to rinse the greening chlorine from the pool and damaging salt from the sea out of your strands, pour 1 cup of vodka over your hair when showering and leave on for five minutes, then shampoo and condition. The spirit removes harmful water deposit without altering your color or texture. It also detangles and helps close hair’s cuticle layer, leaving it shiny.

Fight sweat spots - To help keep skin dry and flower fresh, mist your body with an stringent. The astringent’s alcohol and menthol make skin feel cool, and along with witch hazel, cleanse it of sweat and oil.

Marie Claire July 2014

How to grill

1. Prep your surface - before use, wipe down grates with vegetable oil. Brush off charred food with a grill brush after each use.

2. Get the gear - you’ll need noth grill and meat thermometers, and a pair of tongs

3. Let it marinate - coat chicken a day ahead with a simple garlic, ginger and soy sauce marinade [fish and steak only need two to four hours]. No time to spare? Make a spice rub and olive oil paste for major flavor fast.

4. Leave it be - checking on the meat too much. Let it sit for a several minutes per side or until you see grill marks. Then rotate 180 degrees for a crosshatch pattern.

Lucky June/July 2014

Master Class - Great Legs

1. Do both cardio and strength training - the fastest way to see results, is to alternate lifting weights with aerobic workouts such as running and jumping rope. Without cardio, lifting weights alone can make you bulky.

2. Strengthen - squats, lunges, split squats, and jump lunges increase strength, stability, and coordination.

3. Tone - extended leg lifts and side/karate kicks engage every muscle. Isometric exercise like planks and wall sits, which contract your muscles for a set period, are also excellent.

4. Shock your muscles - unless you want to simply maintain your current weight and muscle definition, you need to push yourself beyond your normal limit. Hold weights while doing lunges, aiming for 15 squats if you normally do five. Don’t do what you can do - go a step further.

5. Stretch - muscles are like rubber bands and have an elastic, recoil effect. Stretching helps them stay supple so they perform more powerfully.

6. Run toe to heel - this engages and tones effectively.  The body stays upright and relaxed, so the impact of your feet hitting the ground is less on your joints.

7. Work on your calves - defined calves make the rest of your leg look stronger and more shapely. The key :  calf raises.

Glamour August 2014

Flattering tips for yours jeans -

- Try on two pairs in the same size, same cut; they can vary

- If you hem skinny jeans, taper them too or they’ll be straight-leg

- Large pockets slim your butt

- If the waistband digs, swap it out for a wider 3.5inch ones at a tailor

- Look for side seams that come to the front a bit. They’re very slimming.

Redbook June 2014

How to Get Ready in 5 Minutes -

1. Start with a creamy concealer stick. Swipe it half an inch under your eyes from corner to corner [if you do it right at the lashes, it can look heavy]; tap with your ring finger to blend. Pat it on any redness or spots, too. This alone will brighten your whole face.

2. Even out your skin tone. Dust a powder foundation all over your face with a big, fluffy brush. It’ll give you flawless coverage that won’t cake or look heavy.

3. Sweep on blush - swish a rosy or soft peach cream blush first on your apples, then back along your cheekbones. You can apply with your fingers, but a blush brush helps the color go on more evenly.

4. Add mascara - smush the brush into the base of your lashes, then bring it in toward your nose as you pull up to the tips, wiggling a bit as you go. That - and filling in any sparse areas on your brows with a pencil - wakes you right up.

5. Swipe on a sheer pink gloss - it makes your lips look lsh - and you don’t even need a mirror to put it  on.

To make any lipstick last hours swipe it on as usual, then finger dab a bit of plain of powder blush on top of it. To add sheen, use a shimmery blush or a highlighter instead.

To do a quickie facial - chop up two cucumbers and toss them in a blender with a handful of ice; whip to a puree texture. Pour out the mix, add a few drops of peppermint oil, and spread it  on your face.

A good body scrub - mix two scoops of coconut oil [microwave it first to soften it] with twice as much sugar and lemon peel. Rub it on and then wash off.

Marie Claire June 2014

10 Hard Lessons Learned in the Trenches

1. Get people to confide in you.

2. Become a media darling

3. Win over a room full of sharks

4. Collaborate with rivals

5. Forge ahead after an epic failure

6.  Call in favors - be the person that does for folks. People never feel put out by someone who they know has other people’s backs.

7. Know how to champion unpopular positions.

8. Avoid saying something you’ll regret in a crisis.

9. Embrace criticism and your critics.

Women’s Health January/February 2014

Hydrating Facial

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add chamomile, lavender, rose, or green tea, then remove from the stove. Cool until the steam feels comfortable, and sit for a few minutes with your face a foot from the water with a towel over your head. Steam opens your pores to dislodge dirt and dead skin.

Family Circle June 2014

Sun Protection 101

1. Choose the best sunscreen - experts recommend using a broad spectrum product with an sPF of at least 30 to protect against UVA and UVB rays. You might also consider one that contains novel ingredients like green tea, vitamin C or pomegranate extract, all rich sources of antioxidants.

2. Apply liberally - thirty minutes before going outside, cover any exposed skin with sunscreen and thoroughly rub it in. Re-apply every two hours and after toweling off at the beach or pool.

3. Seek shade - early morning or late afternoon are the best times to be active outdoors. Stay in the shade between 10 and 4, when the sun’s ray are at their most intense.

4. Cover up - wear sun protective clothing and a pretty wide brimmed hat. Even if you sit under a beach umbrella and apply sunscreen. UV rays can reflect off the sand onto your face and body.

Redbook May 2014

Give Yourself a Facial

Deep Clean Your Skin

Massage a rich cleansing milk into your skin using your fingertips, rubbing upward in circular motions. Cover your face with a warm, damp towel for two minutes just one for sensitive skin and gently press it in. This is a better alternative than steaming, which can dry out skin. To loosen clogged pores use two damp washcloths one in each to gently press  along the sides of blackheads, wiggling the skin to free them. Leave red pimples alone. Rinse off with warm water never hot and a washcloth, which helps remove every trace of cleanser.

Exfoliate Gently

Use a creamy scrub with beads or make your own by mixing a tablespoon of baking soda with freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice. Their citric acid dissolves dead skin. Dab on the scrub, then lightly roll your fingertips all around your face. Do this for two minutes, spending at least one minute on your T-zone.  Wash with cool water, which helps constrict capillaries so you won’t look red afterward.

Do a smoothing face mask

Brush on your mask using a makeup fan brush to get a nice even layer. Just avoid the eye area. Let it sit on your skin for at least 20 minutes and up to an hour then take it off with a  facial wipe or a damp washcloth. Rinsing with water can wash away a mask’s benefits. Pat on your regular night cream while your skin is still damp to seal in hydration.

Pack a beauty emergency kit [multi use products]

1. Hand cream - it is surprisingly good on hair: rub a drop on your palms, then graze them over any renegade bits of frizz. Or use a teeny dab to add piecey-ness to smooth dry ends.

2. Stick Sunscreen - use it to soften cuticles

3. Concealer - concealer works just as well as foundation. Plus, pat on a bit before you apply shadow or lipstick - it’ll give them longer staying power.

4. Thermal spring water spray - mist it on limp curls or waves to renew their bounce.

5. Mascara - it can be used as eyeliner in a pinch and cover grays for brunettes.

6. Translucent face powder - use it like dry shampoo, sweeping it on roots to sop up oil and add volume. You can also brush it over lipstick between coats help the color stay put.

7. Visine - the drops constrict blood  vessels, so dot a little on broken capillaries or a pimple to bring down redness fast.

8. Sheer lipstick - it can also be used for blush

9. Vaseline - to touch up crunchy mascara, rub a dab of the balm on fingertips, then glide them over your lashes to make make fresh mascara go on smooth.

Smileactives Tooth Whitening Pen

Everyone knows white perfect looking teeth is a huge confidence booster. Although, having  and taking care of white teeth is a bit of a handful. Especially, the cost, being time consuming and sometimes causing sensitive teeth. The pen based applicator promises to whiten teeth up to 10 shades in just one pen. Then pen can be used up to 4 times a day but I used mines once a day as you can eat or drink after 30 minutes after application. For some odd reason, when I know I can’t do something I want to do it more. So, I usually apply it before going to bed  so I won’t have to worry about it. The company promises whiter teeth in two days but I didn’t notice any whitening after 2 days of using it. Granted, I was applying it less than the recommended dosage but my teeth did get couple of shades lighter but I am not sure if it was 10 shades whiter. I do like the pen applicator you can target the areas more efficiently than with a strip but it does also get a bit more messier than with a strip.  I did like how my teeth  was whiter with minimal effort and also with no sensitivity.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream

Photo Credit - Sephora

I love the Fresh brand and I needed a new moisturizer, so I decided to give this a try.  The moisturizer is formulated with Fresh’s “Super 7 Complex”,  that promises to prevent signs of aging, boost radiance, improve elasticity and improve moisture in skin. I wasn’t pleased with the scent, it smells like pickles or maybe I got a bad batch. The face cream was a bit greasy but it does absorbs very easily.  My face did feel radiant and moisturized but I still couldn’t get over the scent. I am not quite in love with this face cream, so I don’t I will get this again.

Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash

Photo Source - Olay

This soap free body wash is packed with shea butter. They claim that it has over 1 jar of Olay moisturizers, does that mean when they were creating this body wash, they were dumping in one jar of Olay?  The soft scented body wash provided a rich, thick lather. I noticed that I could get away using just a little of body wash and getting enough foam to wash my entire body with unlike other body washes where I have to used at least 3 tablespoons to get enough suds. When I used this during my trip to Florida, it hydrated my dry, scaly skin and my skin felt soft and smooth all day. I was even tempted to go without lotion for the whole day. But I didn’t because, if there is one thing I know, don’t cross Mother Nature or Faith, just when you think you got everything covered...BAM!..