There is something so soothing, relaxing and stress relieving in a long bath on a winter evening after a stressful day.
To be honest I wasn’t into baths before. Somehow it felt like torture to sit there and try to relax. I tried to listen to chill music, watch something I enjoy but my mind would constantly run and I couldn’t wait to get out of it and move to the next task. I started to get into the relaxing self care activity when I really got my mind off of everything and just started to be present in the moment. Reading a book is what really helped me get into that mode. And now it is a full ritual for me. I use epsom salt that I mix with a few drops of essential oils before I throw it into the water. Mixing the two together ensures the oils won’t just sit on top of the tub but will rather infuse the water .Depending on my mood I choose between lavender , peppermint and/or rosemary, when I need to calm my mind and relax my body. Citrusy like grapefruit, sweet orange and/or tangerine when I need more of uplifting energy. I light up a favorite candle and pour a glass of rosé! I also use oil diffuser to further add some aromatherapy touch.
I like to use the time to apply a face mask since the steam opens up the pores and makes it a great time for that . Lately I have been doing moisturizing masks just to combat my dry winter skin. And then I just enjoy this precious me time for about 30-35 minutes.
What is your favorite self care activity?
Here I want to leave some essential oil combinations that you can try either in your tub or in your diffuser.
I want to review a product that I have been obsessed with since I got it and it has been my savior for winter dry skin. I have very dry skin when temperatures drop and it not only looks ashy and ugly but also very uncomfortable and itchy. Living in Arizona where there is not much humidity year round has made this condition worsen over the years. Usually it is my body and hands that feel the worst but recently I have been expecting dryness around my face too.
I have tried many products that are meant to deeply moisturize but nothing was giving me the needed result. Most of the products will sink in immediately leaving my skin soft and hydrated only for a brief moment. Some moisturizers would leave a greasy film on my skin and still not provide the relief I need.
When I started waking up with dehydrated, red face that felt tight, showed all the fine lines around my eyes and made me look tired I knew I needed more than a moisturizer, something heavy duty.
I came across Weleda Skin Food. And I am obsessed! I think this will be a staple for me year round.
I will start by saying that this is a very rich cream meant to be used anywhere on your body. It is supposed to heal dry and rough skin. Some people say it is a body product but I have been using it on my face and haven’t had any issues. And their description on the back says “ whole body” which to me doesn’t exclude the face.
It would not be a product to replace your daily moisturizer. I consider it a multi-purpose healing balm kind of product.
It has very thick and a bit sticky consistency. It feels like wax, vaseline and cream mixed together. When you warm it in your fingers though it starts melting and gets a bit lighter and easier to apply. The smell I detect is really light and flowery, a bit of lemon peel with sweet notes, but also has a natural product smell. The smell of beeswax and natural oils.
I use it mainly on my hands and my face. And I mainly use it in the evening.
I do my evening skin care routine. Wash my face apply my serums, moisturizers and all that I normally do. This doesn’t replace any of my facial products. I use it on top of everything to seal it in and get the extra hydration and protection from this product. I warm a little bit (a pea size) of the cream in my fingers and gently apply under my eyes, around my mouth and on my cheeks. It feels sticky and it doesn’t sink in right away, it provides a barrier and seals in all the other products. It for sure goes on my pillowcase since I go to bed like a greasy ball but doesn’t show any oily stains. In the morning my skin feels way more supple, radiant and soft. The hydration that this product leaves makes my fine lines plumper and they are not that noticeable. Also that tight feeling that I use to have is gone!
I am just in love with this product and will be using it year round. Especially around my eyes to make sure this area is well moisturized so I can slow down wrinkles and fine lines.
I posted a video on my YouTube channel where I am showing you how I do my nails at home. I did this DIY trendy nail art with swirls . I am nowhere near professional but I like to DIY my manicure because it saves me time and money. I hope this step-by step tutorial inspires you to do your mani at home as well . I had poly gel extensions for a bit and remove them and my nails are really damaged and thin . I am giving them a break from gel nail polish so I am doing regular nail polish.
It is very nice to just go and get your nails done at the salon but honestly every time I get mine done the polish would either chip the next day or I would get those fake looking nails. Probably it is just me that I haven’t found a good nail tech but last time I got some gel extensions they looked so fake that I started fixing them myself and I got way better results.
Watch my YouTube video where I show you this DIY trendy nail art with swirls. It is not perfect but I like that it looked unique and hand drawn. Just like art 🙂 I feel anyone can do this, just use a light hand and don’t stress about it.
I am so excited that this bundle from Alo Yoga is on sale right now. It’s everything you need for a pilates or yoga class. They named it the Ultima Home Studio Set but I better be seen with it. So cute and so many colors to choose from. I’ve been eyeing it for a while now and I would like to grab one for myself. But also with the holidays approaching this can make a great gift for the workout addict.
I am torn between the pink and the black set ,oh it’s so hard to pick one . Which one would you choose?
Pampering ourselves is a great way to nourish the body and the soul. But all those pamper routines that circle all over tiktok look appealing but also complicated and time consuming . I don’t always have a whole Sunday dedicated to myself. So I like getting all the benefits in simple and effective ways. And not only the result, but also the the treatment needs to give me joy and excitement. Here I am giving you my favorite ways to feel like you are at the med spa with simple tools and products. You can try those whenever you want to dedicate time to yourself.
Starting with a scalp massage. One of my favorite ways to take the stress away. There is something so soothing about scalp massage after a long day. Feels so relaxing plus it is so beneficial for the scalp and the health of the hair. It loosens dead skin that sometimes clogs the hair follicles thus helps strengthen the roots resulting in stronger hair. Also brings blood to the surface and helps naturally delivering scalp oils to the tips of the hair. I have been doing it daily just because I was experiencing an excessive hair loss and was using this method to treat the issue. On most days I don’t add any product, just gently massage the scalp for 5-10 minutes. On days that I wash my hair I like adding oil, my favorites are almond and coconut, and use the massager to help the oils penetrate the scalp and distribute them to the tips. Then I wash my hair as usual.
This tool can be used in the shower as well, when you shampoo your hair. But I personally avoid this because wet hair is more vulnerable to damage. And you can easily do more harm than good..
The other tool that helps me feel like I am at a fancy spa ( nothing fancy in the treatment though, it is just performed at luxurious spas) is a body brush that I use to perform dry skin brushing. This is by far my favorite treatment. So easy and super beneficial for your health and beauty.
The whole treatment consists of brushing your dry body before shower. Starting from the feet, working upwards with small strokes or circles. Rule of the thumb here is to always brush towards the heart. This increases circulation and helps stimulate blood flow. Also gently massaging the lymph nodes kind of wakes them up and everything starts moving. Your body starts releasing and cleaning toxins out . It also sloughs off any dead skin, revealing smooth surface. Making any product you apply afterwards absorb like a dream.
Gua sha and face rollers are another way to pamper yourself at home. I love using those in the morning to depuff my face or at night to get rid of tense facial muscles. I tend to hold a lot of tension in between my eyebrows and this massage makes me unwind.
When using either of those massagers you need to apply face oils or serums to make the tool glide easily. I have been loving raspberry seed oil that is loaded with vitamin E and A, omega- 3 and 6 fatty acids. It doesn’t clog the pores and absorbs quickly. It hydrates the skin and helps fight the signs of aging, brings elasticity to the skin and helps with tightening the nasty sagging. It has natural sun production properties , even though I wouldn’t solely rely on them and would still apply SPF during the day.
And another oil that is in rotation in my skincare routine is rosehip oil. It has high concentration of retinol ( vitamin A) and vitamin C. Very rich in fatty acids like omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9. It helps even out the skin tone and helps diminish acne scars and sun spots. Absorbs quickly and helps restore the natural balance of the skin. Very moisturizing and great for fighting the signs of skin aging. Smooths out wrinkles and fine lines.
Hydrating under-eye patches are just so easy to use anytime you need a bit of pick me up indulgence experience. They don’t really require anything special, just put them on and do your things around the house, even though it feels best to just lay down in the bath tub if you have some time to spare.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. I know how stressful it can be to find the perfect gift. Even though I am the one giving those ideas to you I, myself always struggle when it comes to finding the perfect gift no matter the occasion . I take it very personal and always want to find the perfect piece that will make the person I am gifting happy. Here I found a few pieces that can fit different budget and needs. Hope you find something for the woman/ women in your life 🙂
Colleen Rothschild Beauty kit with a lot of beauty necessities great for travel or just to sample the high quality products plus the bag looks super stylish
This year a new side dish made its way to my holiday table. And this one is a keeper. If you are a newbie and don’t like time consuming meals. Try this! Great to accompany any main course but yet perfect on its own. And personally I will be making it year round. The maple syrup glazes the brussls sprouts and give them a nice crispiness on the outside but keeps the center soft. Crunchy, sweet with a nice spicy kick you should give this recipe a try.
Let’s get straight to it.
WHAT YOU NEED
1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
2 tbs avocado oil
2 tbs Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Walnuts
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
Salt & Pepper
Chili Flakes
WHAT TO DO
Preheat your oven to 375F
Wash brussels sprouts , trim the stem and remove all the outer leaves. Cut in half. Add salt, pepper and oil. Mix it all up and put it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 min, give it a mix and bake another 10 min. Take the tray out. Add 2 tbs maple syrup, walnuts and cranberries. Mix it generously so it all combines. Bake for another 10-15 min. Once you take them out add the chili flakes to taste.
Ivelina Angel 