Month: January 2021

Self Tanner Tips for Beginners

Faking the I-just-returned-from-tropical-paradise bronzed look, year round, has never been easier . With so many good self tanners to choose from you don’t need to bake yourself in the sun to get the look. The brands are definitely upping their game. But there is still a fine line from looking tan to looking like a carrot.

If you don’t want to cross the wrong path follow these easy steps to ensure you are always on your A-game every time you apply your fake tan at home.

Starting with one of the main things is choose your product carefully. My top ones are lotions, dry oils and foams. I try to stay away from sprays just because they tend to be really messy and I waste a lot of product with the application . The best and easiest to apply, especially for beginners are foams. It’s easy to control the application and the results I get are really good. The brands I like and trust are St Tropez, Bondi Sands (more affordable), I also like certain products from Banana Boat, L’Oreal always follows the trends but their products could be hit or miss, I feel like by being on trend they often discontinue their good products.

Another important thing that goes hand in hand with picking the right product is the application method. If you choose foam you need a good mitt. I would highly recommend velvet, soft and fluffy one that is lined inside and doesn’t allow the product to seep through and stain your hands. If you decide to go with a spray anyway ( do it either outside or put a towel on the floor if need to be inside and never turn the exhaust fan while doing it 🙂 you will thank me later), you can use a mitt to blend the color after you spray it on. But if you choose a lotion or dry oil DO NOT USE the mitt as it will absorb the product and make the application disastrous and it will result in uneven and patchy tan. Use your hands and wash them afterwards.

Before application always exfoliate and shave. I prefer using an exfoliating mitt or a brush. Some kind of a tool rather than a product. As a lot of the exfoliating products leave film afterwards. Same goes for the shaving , if you use a shaving cream or gel stick to something that doesn’t leave a residue. You want to have smooth and free of any products skin. The only places you should moisturize are the elbows, knees, the knuckles of your hands and around your feet. Or any skin that feels drier. Just so this way the tan won’t stick to it.

Then just apply the tan of your choice and wait for it to dry before you get dressed.

In order to extend the tan be gentle when you shower, stay away from harsh products and always moisturize your skin. With proper care. good fake tans can last about 5-6 days.

PRODUCTS I LOVE:

Deep/ Dark Results:

Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam in ULTRA DARK – https://amzn.to/3sxlLKd

Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam in DARK – https://amzn.to/2XPiBTO

Self Tanning Mitt – https://amzn.to/3oWzmbN

Medium to Dark Results:

St Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse – https://amzn.to/35SHjaj

St. Tropez Self Tan Luxe Dry Oil- https://amzn.to/3nZZot5

St Tropez Gradual Face Cream – https://amzn.to/38VNagT

Achieving a wash of color / Perfect for Fair skin and someone that is nervous to go really dark:

Banana Boat Self Tanner in Deep/ Dark – https://amzn.to/2M7cHuQ

St. Tropez Gradual Tan Tinted Body – https://amzn.to/3qDpZOp

Watch my Youtube video for tips and tricks for beginners + Bondi Sands Ultra Dark Honest Review

Erewhon Kale & White Bean Salad copycat

On my last trips to LA I really wanted to go to Erewhon Market. It’s kind of funny because I usually want to visit trendy restaurants, hike and go to the beaches but this time I wanted to go to a grocery store. I have heard of this market in many YouTube videos and posts on Instagram and was curious to check it out myself. It was worth my time. A very different grocery shopping experience. Located in the middle of crazy busy surroundings but giving you a feeling like you are in a small neighborhood store. Very european vibe, like you are going across your building to grab your daily produce. But on the other hand gives you a VIP like experience with being greeted and guided from the parking lot. The set up inside the store is phenomenal. All the fruits and veggies are placed in kind of an old fashioned market, you won’t see any unnecessary plastic or sticky labels on the produce. Super green and organic look. Everything seems like hand selected and great quality, all the condiments , fruit jams, bread, everything seems like made from scratch with the best and cleanest ingredients. The packaging and containers are super cute. All those glass jars and bottles that you won’t want to throw out after you use up the product. Well at least me.

And then the salad bar and juice station . Everything I tried was super delicious and full of nutritious ingredients. You would see things like zucchini pasta, nut cheese, probiotic tonic , roasted root vegetables, gluten free, sugar free and dairy free desserts, nice cream. Things that sound super weird and you won’t find at your local chain grocery store.

Friendly and cozy atmosphere, that puts you at easy and away from the busy life outside. A grocery shopping trip that adds a sunshine to your day. If all the stores were like this grocery shopping would probably turn to my hobby haha.

When I got home I was really inspired to recreate one of the salads I ate.

It’s the Kale and White Bean salad with tahini dressing. Super easy, nutrient dense salad.

WHAT YOU NEED

1 bunch of Kale

1 Avocado

1 Lemon

3/4 can White Beans

Baking & Spices

Salt & Black Pepper

Condiments

3 tablespoons Tahini

1 teaspoon Mustard

1 tablespoon Maple Syrup

Nuts & Seeds

1/4 cup Hemp Seeds

1/3 cup Pumpkin Seeds

If you want to get the most of the benefits and the fullest in flavor I do recommend using organic ingredients.

WHAT TO DO

Wash and clean the kale, remove any thick stems and chop.

In a small jar combine tahini, mustard, juice of the lemon, maple syrup, salt and pepper and shake it up good. If the dressing seems too thick add a spoon or two water.

In a large bowl gently toss the kale with the dressing. Add beans, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and avocado cut into cubes.

Enjoy

I also featured this salad in my ” WHAT I EAT IN A DAY” video on YouTube

Correcting the MISTAKES I MADE WITH Intermittent Fasting

Happy New Year!!!

Towards the end of last year I started incorporating a new healthier eating routine and I am determined to continue throughout the new year.

I have been doing intermittent fasting for a while now. I trained my body and now it is a lifestyle. For those of you that aren’t familiar intermittent fasting is not a diet but a change in the eating habit, more specifically change in the time that you are eating your meals. You allow between 14 to 16 hours between your last meal in the evening and your first meal the next day. This allows your body to fully digest the food and start repairing other cells. And with this routine the healthy part of my eating habit ends.

Having my breakfast around noon doesn’t really leave time for me to have lunch. I don’t feel hungry around that time , and in the most cases I am already busy and in the middle of something and this meal just doesn’t fit in my day. So I started skipping it . I would grab a snack , candy, piece of fruit anything handy and easy to suppress my hunger until dinner. But in a long run I was doing a bad damage to my health and overall well being. By missing a full meal my body started lacking key nutrition. My two main meals weren’t enough for me to consume the daily dose of protein, vitamins and minerals. And I decided it was time for me to start taking care of my health.

I still do intermittent fasting on most days. But I’m trying to incorporate lunch into my days and add extra nutrients to each meal I eat throughout the day. I try to sneak in extra greens, seeds, protein wherever I can. I am proud of myself for the past couple of weeks. I try to make easy, healthy and full of nutrition meals and I have been on a roll.

I also filmed a video on YouTube that has some great and easy meal ideas that are full of healthy ingredients.

My advice to you is do not strictly follow any diet if it does not make you feel good but most importantly listen to your own body. If you feel low on energy, irritated, not getting restful sleep, if your skin looks dull, your hair lacks shine and your nails get brittle it is time to change your diet.

How To Safely Boost Your Magnesium Level

So much has been said about vitamins when it comes to daily supplements that often we leave out how important minerals are. Magnesium is a vital mineral and electrolyte found in every cell of the body, involved in hundreds of chemical reactions making it a very important nutrient we need on daily basis. It plays a crucial role in our nerve and muscle function, bone health, mood balance, brain function. It is key to vitamin D absorption.

Some nutritionists believe that it is the most important nutrient for today’s stressful environment. As we live busy lifestyle and follow so many diets we often have a mineral imbalance. Many people tend to get less Magnesium than they need.

It is hard to notice if you have magnesium deficiency since the symptoms include twitching eye, bedtime cramps, muscle stiffness, headache and can be easily ignored or confused with other health issues.

It is pretty challenging to get an adequate daily intake with food especially if you skip meals or follow strict diet but adding healthy, wholesome foods should be your first resort to get the vital mineral. Add magnesium to your daily diet by eating more leafy greens (the darker the better), pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, black beans, quinoa, avocado, cashews and fish such as Makarel and Salmon.

A safe and easy way to boost your magnesium level is to take an Epsom salt bath. The skin is our largest organ of absorption . What goes through our skin ends up in our body. So adding Epsom salt known as Magnesium Sulfate will not only feel like a spa day but is very good for your health.

Magnesium rich bath can help relax the muscles and give us a better sleep at night but also energize us and boost exercise performance if taken during the day. Great to relive PMS symptoms in women. And it is also believed that having the right level of magnesium in your body can fight depression. So why not give it a try!

How To Do The Bath for the most benefits

Add 3-5 cups of Epsom salt in your tub https://amzn.to/3s44erP

+ 1 cut Baking Soda https://amzn.to/3bfOmvx

  • Some of my favorite essential oils to add to your epsom bath

When doing this type of bath skip the bubbles and all other fancy bath additions such as bath bombs. Those are loaded with sulfates, colors and other unnecessary ingredients. Just use plain Epsom salt. If it is too boring you can add some essential oils to the salt before you put it in the water. Mix the salt and the oils so they can combine and infuse the water rather than the oils just sit on top. Also adding a cup of baking soda will help soften the water and neutralize it. As a lot of the city water that runs in our households is really high in chemicals. We want our skin and body to absorb the beneficial mineral rather than any other harmful chemicals that could potentially go into our system.

A set of the most popular essential oils https://amzn.to/2M42EXI

And that is it! It is that simple 🙂

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