Why do attractive people dress well? I interviewed a random stranger to find out.

The result of another long layover was the opportunity to allow my mind to play with some of my usual random thoughts.  I reflected back to the post I wrote months ago on the topic of "Being Beautiful."  One observation I've been making lately is that people who are considered above average in attractiveness seem to also be well dressed.  Most of the population tends to wear comfortable attire when traveling.   There's a lot of sitting around waiting to board, the seats on the plane aren't that comfortable. The ordeal might take up an entire day.  It makes complete sense that we generally reach for comfy clothing and not pay much attention to our overall appearance.

But then there are those, who appear slightly out of place.  They're wearing tailored stylish clothing and their hair is perfectly groomed, skin flawless and makeup is perfected.They   stand out most by how they dress.  So I stood there, at a charging station, and watched to see if my theory held true.  Countless people walked by before I noticed a few well dressed people...again, the same people who stood out were those who could be deemed attractive by society's standards.

Twenty minutes in my "experiment" a tall  guy with well groomed hair and a European modelesque look stops to take advantage of the empty space next to me to charge his phone.  With his back turned, I looked him up and down to observe his appearance.  From head to toe, the guy was fashionably dressed with a well fitted somewhat casual clothing.  We both stood there, looking into the crowd as a young couple were reunited.  Since they were completely oblivious to the world around them, I paid close attention to how she perfectly styled her blonde hair into long beach waves. It was obvious, by the way they dressed that both paid close attention to their appearance.  I checked my phone's charge. By the time I looked up again, I caught a quick glimpse of a woman as she walked towards her gate.  She rocked all black skinny jeans and a black fitted bomber jacket.  Her hair was in a long bob that bounced as she walked.  Her look was complete  a designer bag and a pair of nude pigalles to break up the all black canvas.

Finally, I said to myself.  "Instead of speculating, why not ask them why they took the time to "overdress."  Then I was like "that's a stupid question to ask a random stranger."  Then I was like "#fearlessfriday you gotta do it!"  I grabbed my phone and headed towards my gate completely neglecting the fact that I could have talked to the model guy standing two feet from me.  Part of me hoped that my plane would be boarding, giving me an excuse not to take on the challenge.  Then, just before I arrived at the gate, I saw the girl who was in all black, sitting next to a wall. Without thinking I walked straight to her so I could get some answers.

As I sat next to her, I got a closer look. She was probably in her mid-twenties and of Indian descent.  Her jet black hair was perfectly styled. Her winged eyeliner made her large eyes pop.  Her lipstick was the soft shade of pink that perfectly matched her skin tone and manicured nails.  Pretty much everything about her was flawless.  After introducing myself and letting her know that I would be asking her an awkward question, she smiled and said "sure, ask me whatever you want!"

"What made you dress up this way to come to an airport?"  "As part of my business, I plan million dollar weddings, I always dress up because I never know when I need to present myself for a new opportunity."  Then she went on to say that she didn't always carry herself this way.  But after a difficult time in her life, she renewed her faith in God, got baptized and got reconnected with herself.  She went on to share how grateful she was for each day and that she considered dressing well as "a celebration of life!"  "In the mornings" she told me, "I answer to God and then I answer to myself. It's my job to love me and this is how I demonstrate my love for myself."

Then she went to describe the benefits of dressing your best.  "Back, when I didn't take care of myself physically, nothing exceptional really happened in my life.  But once I started to care about my physical appearance, my business skyrocketed!"  Now I have an office in New York and I get to travel to meet new clients......I believe that if you dress in a basic way, you will lead a basic life."
After hearing that statement, I reflected back to a couple years ago, during my vacation, when I invested lots of dedicated time to make sure everything about my appearance was as close to perfect as possible.  Let me tell you my friends, things seemed to magically change around me.  My confidence skyrocketed, people interacted with differently...my thoughts were different....everything changed.  Everything.  But then I went back to work, and my old habits, again.  The girl at the airport also mentioned that a different kind of energy is projected out to others, when you look your best, that isn't the same on an average day.  I believe that energy does exist and is very powerful.  I also believe that this energy, projected day after day will compound bringing new people and experiences into your life that might not have happened if you present yourself differently.  Even Eddie Mora experienced this for himself after his physical transformation.

Before leaving I asked, "if you didn't have to go to do any business on your trip would you have dressed down?"  She looked me straight in the eye and apologetically answered "no."  Her response led me to believe in how important this ritual is to life.  To her, this is an act of self love and self love must happen every. single . day.

I totally loved chatting with this person who was both beautiful on inside and out.  I would love to interview a few other people and get some different perspectives on this topic.

What are your thoughts? Do you notice the difference when you take the time to show self love in your appearance?

Beauty Ritual | Creating bright, healthy skin daily

Lately I've been thinking about how important it is for me to ramp up my daily facial routine.  This stems from my observation of countless faces as I wander through crowded airports.  I see people with dull, lifeless skin and there are others who's skin gives off the appearance of life and vitality.  The difference between them is night and day.

I've made the unscientific conclusion that blood flow to the face is a major factor in the appearance of the facial skin. It just seems like healthy blood flow to the skin brings it to life!  Unfortunately, as time passes, our circulation slows which takes away the look of glowing skin. Healthy, glowing skin is  the end game so I've decided to incorporate a few daily actions to bring about that end result.

My goal is to allot a specific amount of time each day to promote healthy blood flow & stimulation to the face.  I've got some tricks up my sleeve that will make a world of difference. Especially since I've been operating with much less sleep lately.  These techniques will keep me looking well rested and fresh no matter what happened the night before.

Face Massage
Probably the most direct way to drive oxygen rich blood to the face.  Not only does massage help tone the face but it can promote the building of new collagen while delivering healthy blood flow to the skin.  My favorite is Tanaka Massage which also helps to stimulate the lymphatic system (which detoxifies).  When I do this daily, my face seems to appear more toned and lifted.  Best of all the entire process takes less than 20 minutes.  If I don't have 20 minutes to spare, I can always reach for my massage tools to help speed things up.

Steaming/Ice Facial
Hot and cold temperatures have an amazing ability to stimulate the blood.  Back when I took cold showers, my face always seemed to look fresh and healthy.  Our bodies rush blood to the area in an effort to combat the cold.  Let's not forget the fact that ageless rapper Pharrell owes his youthful appearance with his daily habit of using cold water on his face.  Heck, even Sanaa Lathan knows the power of using hot and cold therapy to promote youth.  I may dabble with using an ice cube  after washing my face to close up pores, creating that flawless finish. Another option could be to place my Evian facial water in the fridge before misting.

Yoga Inversions
Then, of course, you can always "force" blood flow to the face by practicing inversions.  Yoga is a perfect way to promote positions where the head receives the most blood flow.  As you may already know, inversions impact both the face and the hair.  Some say they've experienced as much as an inch of new growth in 7 days.  Earlier this year, headstands were a part of my daily routine.  I really need to start doing that again.


Water
Sometimes, when I'm sitting in a dull meeting, about to fall asleep, I reach for my water bottle and take the biggest swig.  Suddenly, I can feel the water rushing through my body and I'm no longer tired. When ever you think of increasing circulation, the first thing that should go through your mind is drinking lots of water.  Without adequate water in the blood stream, nothing can properly circulate.  Whenever I go a long time without drinking adequate water, I like to imagine that my oxygen rich blood is slowing becoming thick and sluggish.  That tends to motivate me to get things flowing again as quickly as possible.  Without enough water in your system, all those other things I mentioned in the post become null and void.   So, for the 15 trillionth time, drink more water.


P.S. The advice in this post should be paired with the exfoliation tips mentioned in this post to create the ultimate in perfect skin.

Currently Loving | Johnson's Baby Oil Gel

One thing I will be doing much more often is stopping random people in street for skin and hair care recommendations.  If I hadn't had the courage to ask the beautiful flight attendant for her skin care regimen, I would never stumbled on this wonderful little gem.

If you recall, the stewardess was gushing over how much Johnson's baby oil gel softened her skin.  After gliding my finger across her forearm, I was sold.  At the very next opportunity, I skipped on over to the store to pick up a bottle.  Quite honestly, I was a bit taken a back when I first looked at the product.  It kinda reminded me of hair gel.  The last thing I wanted to do was rub hair gel all over my body.

But I stepped forward anyway.  Squeezing a little into my hand and rubbing along my dry skin.  Knowing that the driest months are ahead, I was hoping this could provide deep moisture where I need it most.  Johnson's Baby Oil Gel did not disappoint.  Yes, it's thick but somehow manages to glide on easily and evenly.  Once rubbed into the skin, the gel leaves behind a really nice shine. A little bit really goes a long way. And yes, my skin is left soft and pretty like the gorgeous flight attendant.  I adore Johnson's baby oil gel.  It eradicated my horribly dry skin in just moments and left it feeling moisturized for a very long time.

If you battle dry skin each winter, do me a favor and grab some of this.  Your skin will thank you.

Two techniques to eliminate puffiness and under eye bags.

This post is a result of a special request from one of my beloved Facebook group members.  She's checked out my past "celebrity secrets" posts and wondered if I came across anything regarding to under eye circles and puffiness.  I was delighted to receive that request because, as a person who often goes with little sleep, healthy under eyes are constantly on my mind.

As far as celebrity secrets go, I'm sure many of you have heard the recommendation of using Vaseline under eyes to help ward off wrinkles.  I think there's value in keeping the eye area lubricated.  If you think about it, that part of our face moves more than any other.  All of that movement is bound impact the surrounding skin if we don't take precautions.  After reading of the amazing skin benefits of using coconut oil, I think that could serve as a viable alternative to petroleum jelly.

Now, let's talk about puffiness. I'm of the belief that other concerns could be related to under eye bags.  Obviously lack of sleep is a huge factor.  Whenever I'm sleep deprived, I feel it most around my eyes.  They feel strained, like they're stressed out. Aside from little sleep, I've actaully experienced greater under eye concerns when my diet is off.  Eating wheat gave me huge eye bags. I'm sure all the inflammation in my body had something to do with it.  Once I move towards more of a plant based diet, things shifted.  The first tip in minimizing under eye puffiness is to do whatever you can to promote an alkaline pH and manage inflammation.  This means minimizing sugar, fried foods, stress, wheat etc. You can further counteract inflammation by drinking lemon water, eating greens, drinking smoothies and lots of water. 

Now let's get to the nitty gritty.  I have a couple of techniques to address current under eye circles, puffiness and even wrinkles. 

Technique #1: Lymphatic Massage
Lymphatic massage saved my life whenever I woke up with puffy morning face.  My favorite is Tanaka Massage.  There's a part in the video where we do lymphatic massage on the eye.  This helps to drain any fluid that collects under the eye.  The whole experience helps move toxins away from the face where it can eventually be eliminated.  Try this technique as your regular morning routine.  Trust me, you will notice a difference.


Technique #2:  Pinching Massage
This technique is a little more aggressive than Tanaka Massage.  Here's the thing, all of your life you've been told to be gentle around the eye to avoid causing wrinkles.  I'm of a different belief.  There are those who have noticed that rigorous massage round the eye actually can help promote healthy blood flow to that area (which can help eliminate dark circles).  Not only does the blood flow improve, but this "pinching massage" is said to also have the ability to actually thicken the skin around the eye by promoting the formation of new collagen.  The result?  Fewer wrinkles, and more youthful looking eyes. 

I am an avid user of the pinching massage technique.  Unfortunately, I don't have any video demonstration so I'll try my best to explain.  Basically, I take my thumb and middle finger (or thumb and pointer) and pinch around my eyes.  I take a little skin and roll it between my finger tips(NOT USING MY NAILS).    I also do it on my eyelid to promote thicker skin.  I pay special attention to the corner of my eyes to avoid crows feet when I smile.  When I first began this practice, I was gentle around the under eye and, as time passed, I was able to increase the amount of pressure.  Don't go crazy until your skin gets used to it. You do not want to cause any bruising to the skin.

This method counteracts traditional advice out there telling you to use only your pinky finger to gently pat that area.  I'm of the belief that everything atrophies unless it receives the right amount of blood flow and stimulation.  Stimulation promotes life!  This eye pinching technique works extremely well for me.  But alas, if I'm not consistent, things start to go back to the way they were.

I'm drafting a post on stimulationg the entire facial area as part of a daily beauty routine.  Make sure you don't miss it!

The Beauty Secret of the actress who hasn't aged in over 20 years.

I'll admit it.  After writing the post sharing coconut oil of the beauty secret of the flight attendant with gorgeous skin, I was on totally on board.  I tried that method for a few nights and, my skin loved it!  Then I fell off.

But, I've now found new reason to get my behind right back on track.  But before I tell you what my motivation is, let me first take you back.  Many moons ago, I watched a movie called Class Act with Kid & Play.  One of the love interests in the movie was this woman with amazing skin & gorgeous hair.   I mean....just look at her.

That was 22 years ago.  Recently, she randomly popped into my mind and I decided to do some digging to find out whatever happened to her.  Honestly, I was a little nervous to stumble on updated pics because I've had too many experiences where I'm disheartened by the current state of my childhood heroes.  The last thing I wanted to find out was that time had gotten the best of her and Alysia was now only a shadow of her former self.   Turns out that Alysia Rogers is pretty active on Facebook so it wasn't that hard to find her.

But I was not ready for what I saw when I landed on her page. The woman has barely aged in the last two decades!  Immediately, I went into hyper drive scouring her comments for signs of beauty secrets buried within her skin care regimen.  Turns out that others were just as curious as I was to know her routines as I was.  So when she invited her followers to ask her a question, you know everyone was asking about her beauty/skin care routine.

Here's what she shared:

"I keep it really simple : Its crazy I went through my phases with slight skin problems (pimples ) but I soon realized it was the soda and what I was putting in my body . Start from the inside ...drink lots of water ..even if you hate it !! Wash your face every night and use a mild astringent after. I then take a little coconut oil and use it as my moisturizer ...I know oil but believe it or not Coconut Oil is natures secret to skin, hair and health !!!"

You don't have to tell me twice Miss "I haven't aged in 20 years."   I will faithfully drink ample amounts of water and keep my skin supple with coconut oil.  Going to bed greasy is the truth. Since this is the second time I've heard the message of coconut oil for beautiful skin (in less than a month), I'm once again a believer and vow to stay faithful to this practice for years to come.

Inspired By | Achieving Flawless Skin

One of my favorite Pinterest boards, that I like to visit quite regularly, is the one that filled with examples of my vision of perfectly flawless skin.  Way before I was on Pinterest, I visually imagined what I wanted my skin to eventually look like. This was during the time that I was suffering from chronic cystic acne, scarring and rough skin.  Things are different now.  I hope to one day obtain this level of skin perfection but until then, I will remain consistent with taking collagen, drinking bamboo tea and lots of water, exfoliating with my Clarisonic Plus, Riiviva and these awesome Alpha Beta Peel wipes.

There are times that I slip up from my routine, and my skin begins to backslide, then I take a look at my inspirations and I get back on track.

5 Awesome Things to do before you shower

I'm a huge proponent of creating a new habit by tagging it on to another action that I do everyday. This makes it easier for the habit to stick.  That way I don't have to worry about remembering to do it because, my mind uses the current behavior as a trigger to completed the new action.

Since taking a shower is an everyday thing, I thought it would make sense to utilize this activity as a spring board to tack on more habits.  So far I've thought of at least five awesome habits that I'm going to try.

Exercise.
Since I'm going to be cleansing anyway, might as well break a little sweat first and get the benefits of a healthier body.  I'm not talking about doing a full 30 minute workout.  We already know that just a few minutes of exercise a day is sufficient to provide benefits, so there aren't any more excuses about not having enough time to work out.  I've been doing quick jump rope sessions since it doesn't take much to get the heart rate up. Oh, and jump roping is said to also help increase/maintain bone density. Within a couple of minutes, I'm already breaking a sweat.  Then I add a few squats, lunges and I'm good to go. 

Dry Brushing.
The act of showering is meant to help cleanse & refresh the body.  This makes it the perfect time to prepare the skin by dry brushing.  If you already gotten in a quick workout, dry brushing will only help to further increase circulation while loosening the dirt on the skin for an even greater cleansing.  Not too mention that dry brushing + the consistent exercise will do wonders to combat cellulite. There are no viable reasons why you should not be dry brushing before each and every shower.  Just make it happen.

Scalp Massage.
If you did a little workout and you dry brushed, why not add in a quick scalp massage to keep the circulation going.  Sanford Bennett used to do a quick session of "scalp pulling" each morning when he woke up.  While the blood is already pumping through our body thanks to the workout and dry brush, might as well direct some of that goodness to your scalp.  Just a few minutes a day is all it takes to invigorate your follicles and stimulate growth.

Declutter.
One of my newest peeves, is stepping out of a shower feeling all fresh and clean only to walk into a room with things scattered everywhere.  I'm not sure why that bothers me, but it does.  So I've decided to take a couple of minutes, before bathing, to straighten up the room a bit so when I return, everything is better organized.   It's like getting a fresh new start and it makes me feel good all over.  Stepping out of a fresh shower and walking into a disorderly room is like putting new wine in old wineskin, it just doesn't make sense.

Focus on your goals
 My shower doubles as my second office or think tank.  It's the perfect time to hash out ideas and think about my action plan for the day.   Something about the running water helps me think clearly.  So what I've decided to do is to remind myself of my current goals prior to stepping into the shower then I brainstorm creative ideas about how to bring my goals closer to reality.  Can someone out there reading this invent a waterproof way for me to capture ideas in the shower? I'll be your first customer.

None of these actions take that long. Just a couple of minutes a day and, before you know it, you've formed a new habit.

Instagram Beauty Secrets Part 5

It's time for yet another compilation of some of the best beauty finds on Instagram.  Take a gander at the latest round up.

June Ambrose is a staple when it comes to these Insta-Beauty posts.  She's constantly introducing us to her beauty faves.  Thank God she shared her love of CapriClear coconut spray.  I've been overcome with joy every since that little gem has come into my life.  You all know by now how much I've been enjoying my Evian facial spay (I can't stop talking about it).  Well, June has introduced to me something different (and perhaps better).  Chanel's Hydra Beauty Essence Mist.  This lightweight mist goes beyond purified water.  Essence Mist also contains Vitamin C + E, hyaluronic acid to look in moisture.  The price tag makes me cringe a little but, I gotta admit, I'm still very interested.  Who knows, perhaps Miss Ambrose has introduced me to my next favorite product.

I've said it time and time again that I'm done buying nude nail colors.  But it seems that I may have to eat my words thanks to @nailcandy101.  When she posted this pic of her wearing OPIs "Don't Bossa Nova Me" I was sold.  But can you blame me?  This color is gorgeous and looks flawless against her skin.

Some of you may seen before and after pics of women signing the praises of fiberlash mascara.  If you haven't, take a look at the pic below.  Basically, these super mascaras have the ability to literally transform lashes from "non-existant" to "are you wearing falsies?"  The leader in this space is Younique Fiberlashes.  I've been debating for a while but I think it's time to take the plunge and try these for myself. I can't pass up on the opportunity to have lashes that captivate simply by putting on some mascara.

I've invested precious time scouring Pilar Sander's page hoping she would share of one her many beauty secrets.  While Pilar hasn't shared any of the products she uses, she has given us a glimpse into the greatest beauty secret of all. Filling the body with lots of nutrients creates vitality from the inside out.  This woman has wonderful hair, skin, and body at over 40 years of age. Do you think her eating habits may have something to do with it?

The final beauty secret comes from a message I received on my Facebook page.  She shared this jaw dropping image of her waist length hair with the caption: 

"I love Bamboo Tea!" I have 2 cups a day [for] stronger, longer hair & stronger nails. Someone told me the other day "your skin is pretty, what are you using?"  It's the Bamboo Tea!"

 The moment I finished reading her comments, I walked straight over to the kitchen and poured me a cup.   You don't have to tell me twice.

Five Beauty Treatments I do from my Hotel Room.

Long ago, whenever I had to be away from home, my skin suffered.  The change in weather meant dry scaly skin.  My unhealthy eating habits created dull congested skin.  Long days with little water intake created breakouts.  By the time I returned home, I'd have to conduct multiple skin treatments just to correct all of the issues that resulted from my neglect.  I'd have to scrub, masks, steam and whatever else it took to bring things back to normal.

That was then.  Now things are completely different.  Today I have the power to conduct any skin care treatment from the comfort of some random hotel room.  Best of all, only a few products are required.

Deep Cleansing
Prior to recently, I took my Clarisonic with me on the road.  But, unfortunately,  when I returned home, I still had to employ the magnificent power of the Clarisonic Plus to really give my skin the once over.  I finally had to draw the line and bring my super powered Clarisonic with me.  My skin was tested recently on a 10 day trip.  There was very little sleep and not a lot of time to take care of my face. Thank goodness my Clarisonic Plus was there for me.  When I came home, my skin was the least of my worries. Where would I be without this wonderful piece of machinery?

Hydration
It's pretty humid in my neck of the woods.  I take for granted the benefits of the additional moisture in the air.  After a few days in drier air, my skin starts to flake.  Dry patches pop up.  I've never been big on using moisturizers. They just don't seem to have any staying power.  But....when Evian + Capriclear came into my life, dryness went away.  When I hydrate and seal my face with this amazing duo, I have no other worries.

Exfoliation
After three days away from home, the first thing I would do was exfoliate.  First I'd do two rounds with my Clarisonic then I'd break out my Riviiva to really attack the surface layer.  Now, I take my exfoliation treatment with me.  The Alpha Beta Peel pads are the best thing that every happened to me.  So easy to use and so portable.  In two minutes, I've done a mini exfoliation. It's that easy.

Anti Aging
I wake up super early.  The first thing I do when I arise is break out a bottle of water to start my day.  Now that routine has been paired with my Collagen capsules.  Of all the supplements I've taken, I've been the most consistent with collagen.  I'm afraid all of these long days and frequent travel will catch up with me unless I take something to combat the aging process.  Collagen is so easy to take that I can't pass it up.

Purifying
Last but not least, my favorite purifying treatment of all time. The small jar makes it extra portable.  And we all know the Clearing Mud is uber powerful.  It feels good knowing that if a pimple were to rear its ugly head, I'll be ready and waiting.

Beauty Secrets of the Flight Attendant with Flawless Skin

My travel schedule has been especially tight lately.  All of those hours in the air are really adding up.  And, as the season starts to shift, dry skin now becomes the greatest of my worries.  Yesterday, I was on a 5 hour cross country flight.  One of the flight attendants had the most beautiful chocolate skin.  Her skin just looked so effortless and well hydrated.  I found myself catching glances of her whenever she wasn't looking.  I asked myself, "how does this woman maintain such flawless skin while being in the air most of her day?"

source

Hours later, I happened to get a close up of her while waiting in line to use the restroom.  No longer able to hold it, I began the conversation by complimenting her skin.  She happily accepted my compliment and began to openly share the secrets of her amazing glow.  "Coconut oil!" she proclaimed.  "I use coconut oil at night on my skin before going to bed."  First I use black soap to cleanse all of the impurities then I apply the coconut oil."  As I absorbed the information she extended out her forearm and said "feel my skin."

I ran my extended finger along the length of her perfectly even toned arm.  Silky would be the best word to describe the softness of her skin.  "On my body, I use baby oil....gel.  Not the oil, but the gel."  I put it on every morning and my skin stays soft all day."  (Mental note, get some baby oil gel ASAP).  I also noticed that she had a cup of water in hand, which leads me to believe that she keeps herself hydrated by drinking lots of water.  Unfortunately, a bout of turbulence interrupted our conversation as I had to return to my seat to buckle up. But not before I got the exact information I needed.

It's funny how she provided the tip of using coconut oil on my skin.  I recently began spritzing my skin using Evian's facial spray and sealing in the moisture with a little bit of coconut oil.  So far, I really love this practice for keeping my face hydrated all day.  Now, I want to experiment with applying at night before bed. This reminds me of the "Go to bed greasy" post I wrote about a while back.  Now, I gotta get my hands on some black soap and a tub of the baby oil gel.

By the way, if you plan on using coconut oil on your face, be sure to separate that oil in a different container (or use a spray form like CapriClear) so you aren't cross contaminating.

How to create taut, firm facial skin.

I received a request from a reader inquiring if I could touch on the topic of creating taunt, firm facial skin.  Since it's a subject that I am learning about myself, I thought it would be a great idea.  Please keep in mind that much of what I'll talk about will consist of opinions so please do some research for yourself to find out what works best for you.

The prerequisite for reading this post is that you go back and review the article I wrote on maintaining a strong facial bone structure.  I believe that strong facial bones are the foundation to having a youthful (and attractive) appearance.  When we are young, our bones are strong, providing the skin great support.  But as time passes, bone loss begins to occur taking away the structure needed to keep the skin looking taunt.

via my "Perfect Skin" Pinterest board

Tight firm skin is also plump skin.  I have found two methods that have given me results in the area of plumping up my skin.  The first one is in the form of supplementation.  The addition of collagen in my supplementation routine has been invaluable.  It began with the collagen chews then I graduated to the powders and supplements.  Then I learned of how important a role that silica plays in the formation of collagen in the body and really got serious about drinking my bamboo tea on a regular basis.   Now, I'm experimenting with drinking a cup of tea in the A.M. or P.M. after taking my collagen supplements.

Since I was making all these efforts to help build collagen, I had to also get serious about removing obstacles to the efforts I was making.  The biggest obstacle to firm, youthful skin (besides sun damage) is sugar.  Sugar rapidly enters the blood stream. When they attach to proteins, they create a new molecule known as an Advanced Glycogen End product (AGE).  The new molecule damages our collagen proteins causing our skin to age more rapidly.  Another ill of eating too much sugar is how it leeches calcium from our bodies.  Calcium leads to bone loss.  When our bones & our skin lose volume, there's no wrinkle cream on the market that can save us.  So if you are looking to retain firm skin for the long run, keep sugar intake to a minimum.  Oh, and keep in mind that some foods turn to simple sugar in the body so even if you are passing on dessert, be aware of other foods you are eating that behave in the same way.

The next tip to creating firm skin is to firm the muscles.  I first learned of facial exercise several years ago.  The idea is to work the muscles in your face similar to how one would exercise to keep the body fit.  Facial exercises are fairly easy to do and doesn't take long  before you start to see results.  Exercise can help lift sagging checks and strengthen the muscles around the eyes.  Basically, it helps fight against the effects of gravity on the face.  Sculpta, is a procedure that fills in the face by injecting a lactic acid complex into the skin.  This complex stimulates collagen production that can last up to two years.  Incidentally, exercise creates lactic acid in the muscles.  I'm not saying the two are related, but wouldn't it be cool if facial exercise provides some of the same benefits as getting an injectable skin plumping treatment?  The perfect compliment to facial exercise is facial massage.  I love facial massage for stimulating the skin and increasing blood flow.  Where blood flows, there is life.  

In the past year or so, I've experimented with more vigorous forms of facial stimulation.  The goal was to promote firmer skin and collagen production from the stimulation to the skin.  Some say that collagen can also be regenerated through stimulation therapy with micro needles.  The needles create microscopic damage to the skin and, as it heals, the skin will produce additional collagen.  I have some micro needles which I intended to use on my acne scars but now I'm considering experimenting on trying them out to promote collagen production.  Other forms of facial/collagen stimulation include gadgets that create suction (like my Riiviva microderm machine).

Remember the time when I experimented with drinking a gallon of water a day?  One of the wonderful side effects was the feeling that my skin felt plumper overall.  People pay hundreds of dollars to get hyaluronic acid fillers.  Truth is, HA fillers work by drawing water to the area to create volume. I felt like I got similar results without having to experience needles going into my face.  Not to mention how many other benefits you receive when you drink lots of water on a regular basis.

The bad news is that you begin to lose collagen at a rapid rate once you hit a certain age.  The good news is that we have multiple options available to us to stimulate and reproduce collagen to restore the look of the skin.  The key is to remain consistent and try multiple strategies to see what your skin responds to most.   
/>

Skin Porefection | Eliminate large pores for good.

Let's face it. When it comes to having perfect skin, the most critical of all concerns is having happy, non-existent pores.   Clogged pores lead to breakouts, and create the look of rough, unhealthy looking skin.  We all want perfect pores let's talk about how to get them.

The strategy for perfect pores must begin with an internal focus. Otherwise you'll be playing a frustrating game of whack-a-mole.  Remember that game? You think you're doing well by hitting a poor defenseless mole on the head, but little do you know, there are thousands more hiding deep beneath the surface just waiting for you to wear yourself out.  I could not have made any traction in my skin care journey if I hadn't first identified foods that triggered flare ups.  For me, it was wheat.  Perhaps you are sensitive to dairy, sugar or fried foods?  I love fried foods, but I know that eventually, my body will use my skin as a method of elimination of the greasy oils.  I might not break out, but my skin looks terrible as extra stress are placed on my pores.  Not a good look.  Do yourself a favor, identify the foods that trigger your skin and avoid them.

No matter how many products you use, you won't experience healthy skin unless your water intake is right.  Water, my friends, will allow those slip ups from time to time without devastating consequences.  Without enough water, you can pretty much give up on your hopes of having smooth, clear skin.  Once you get your water intake right.  The you can being the process of clearing out your pores.

The easiest, most effective method of pore cleansing is a good facial steaming session.  When my skin was at its worse, I attempted an experiment where I steamed several times a week. My skin glowed as a result.  All the stuff just beneath the surface was coaxed out and soon my skin looked darn near perfect.  Don't limit yourself to only experiencing steam cleansing at the spa. Get your own high quality steamer and treat yo' self.  Once the pores are opened up by the steam, it's the perfect time to do a deep clearing mask.  My favorite mask of all time is the GlamGlow.  It's what a pore cleansing mask was meant to be.  Seriously, it works.  It's not the cheapest product but, it's well worth it's weight in gold.  If you want to whip up you own batch of this mask DIY style, check out this post.

Oil production, dirt and makeup are constantly waging war against our pores.   That's why I thank God every day for my Clarisonic Plus.  Congestion can get really bad on my nose.  Within days of being out of town, my nose gets all bumpy.  After one or two uses of my Clarisonic, my nose is back in the game.  I can no longer live without this tool.   I can't.

Once we've got all the internal stuff covered, it's time to create a smooth external surface.  Removal of the top layer of skin is essential if you want the look of flawlessness.  Chemical peels do just that.  I love the convenience of Dr. Gross Alpha Beta peels for daily removal of dead skin and to improve overall texture.  If you need a little more help to look extra perfect, try a primer that erases pores like Benefit's Porefessional.  I've heard it referred to as "Magic in a Tube."  Lots of great reviews for how this product erases and hides pores.  This is a must have for everyone of us.  Why walk around with troubled looking skin if you don't have to?

Bye bye pores.
 

Currrently Craving | NeoCell Biotin Bursts!

It's been a while since I've replenished on my NeoCell Beauty Bursts.  With a long and hectic travel schedule ahead of me, I thought it would be good to stock up so I can have the chews on hand for any time when my  mid afternoon sweet tooth kicked in.

Suddenly, I stumbled upon a wonderful, unexpected surprise.  The good people at NeocCell have come up with a high potency biotin chew.  Each chew contains 10,000 mcg of biotin along with superfood Acai berry powder.

I love the idea of enjoying a chewy snack and achieving healthy, wonderful hair in the process.  If these taste as good as the collagen chews, then I will also have difficulty eating just one a day.  Those of you who don't enjoy swallowing pills should look into this option as way of nourishing your hair and nails from the inside out.

First Impressions | Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel

Reflecting back on my personal skin care journey, one lesson I've learned is that expensive skin care products don't necessarily produce better results. Years ago, I heard of this miracle cream that celebrities smeared all over their bodies to maintain their youth.  When I finally got to the beauty counter to take a peak at La Mer's label, I was shocked that a high end product would contain mineral oil as one of its top ingredients. Never the less, I requested a sample which I never finished.

Then I heard that Beyonce uses Nutra Bisse's face cream that actually contains the dust real diamonds, I had to try the cream for myself.  Nice cream, but it didn't transform my skin.  If you look anywhere on the internet, you will find a multitude of rave reviews about Skinceuticals CE Ferulic serum.  Filled with antioxidants, many people who've used it say that it's well worth the price of over $100.00 a bottle.  After saving my pennies, I grabbed a bottle to replace my last serum.  My skin didn't love it.

I had pretty much given up on expensive skin care products.  Then, while browsing on Sephora's website I stumbled upon Dr. Dennis Gross' Alpha Bete Peel.  They are basically face wipes loaded with glycolic, salicylic, lactic, mandelic, and citric acid.  These wipes can be used daily to exfoliate the top layer, promoting younger, brighter looking skin.

If you might remember, I experienced a professional peel a couple of years ago.  While I loved the way my skin looked afterwards, I honestly would never want to go through that experience again.  Way too traumatic.  I'm hoping to use this for regular maintenance so I never have to get to the point where I need to peel off my entire face.  After seeing my fresh new skin, I realized how important exfoliation is to the progress of my skin care journey.

Dr. Gross' wipes are perfect for people who travel like me.  Since I don't travel with my Clarisonic Plus, my skin doesn't get to experience the same level exfoliation when I'm on the road.   These wipes will help keep my skin in check.  My first impression is how easy it is to use.  Just wipe my face, let it dry, then do the same thing with the second wipe.  That's it.  Oh, and I love that there's enough product do also allow me to treat my neck and upper chest.

I purchased the pack of 30 treatments but I don't plan on using daily.  I may go a few days straight then take a few days off, then use weekly for maintenance.  There was a slight tingle when used, but other than that, no other side effects.  The skin doesn't actually peel.  You just apply, let dry, then apply moisturizer and whatever other products you use.  My first experience with the alpha beta peel was two days ago.  Today, my skin feels smooth and looks brighter.  Dr Gross alpha beta peels are officially a skin care staple.

Exfoliation is definitely the way to go if you are on the journey to create healthier looking skin.  Especially if you've been good with taking your green supplements and drinking lots of water.  Chilli would be so proud of me right now.

(p.s. Amazon has it for way less than what I paid for it at Sephora).

Wearing the red lip.

I went through this phase, last year where I was constantly on the hunt for the perfect red lipstick.  Prior to that, my "lipstick" collection only consisted of various shades of nude lip glosses.  Nude.  The color I felt most comfortable in.  My reasoning was that nude would somewhat conceal my already full lips.

Years ago, I read a short article in a fashion magazine where a woman described the exhilaration she experienced after wearing a "red lip" daily for a week.  I can't recall the last time I saw someone sporting red lipstick in the middle of the day.  It's just not something that happens regularly.  So when I chose to seek out bright, red lipstick, I was making a proclamation.  The simple act of wearing a bold color on my lip was sending a clear message to myself (and the world) that I've embraced the parts of myself that I've previously suppressed.  I'm actually inviting people to notice me versus being in my old way of wanting to disappear in the crowd of non distinct faces.  Wearing red lipstick, for no special reason, was a sign of courage.

When we think of the word "fears," we generally focus on the big scary ones like the fear of heights, flying, fear of speaking publicly.  But I invite you to be present to your "discomforts." Our discomforts are the things we typically avoid but don't publicly claim as a fear.  But it is.  I had a fear of standing out because of wearing a bright red lip.  But, age related wisdom has taught me that I must hold my head high, take a deep breath and step forward in the direction of my fears discomforts. So I did.  When I purchased these crimson lipsticks, it wasn't for the purpose of wearing for special occasions or for a night out.  My intention was to develop the comfort level with being noticeable  in the most mundane of situations.

One challenge that I've set for the remainder of the year, is to consistently tackle my discomforts.  There's always something great available on the other side of comfort.  The new found sense of accomplishment, the bravery I can take with me when I face my next challenge, all of that will be mine.  And all that was required was the boldness to up-apologetically wear a red lip.

The Black Smoothie | Take your smoothie game to the next level

I'm getting back in the swing of things with my green smoothie routine.  I'm creating a new habit of rejuvenating with quality nutrition to make up for the lack of sleep and constant traveling.  This is the reason I invested in The Super Elixir.  So far things have been great.  But I'm always game for taking things to the next level.

While strolling down the aisle of my local Asian grocery store, I happened upon a package with what looked like black rice, on the label.  Upon further review, I realized the package contained black rice + black sesame seeds in a powder form.  Then I thought "this would be great in a smoothie!"   Just as I was about to toss the package in my basket, I remembered that I have black sesame seeds, black rice and a high powered blender at home.

Immediately after putting away my groceries, I began assembling the ingredients to build my "black smoothie."  I layered the ingredients in the Blendtec one at a time.  The black sesame seeds & rice, frozen fruit, collagen powders, Super Elixir, spirulina, gelatin, kale were also added in.  A minute later my smoothie was ready.  Because I hadn't taken the time to grind the seeds and rice into powder, I knew I would taste it in the smoothie.  That was intentional.  Lately, I have been replacing a meal or two with smoothies.  My hope was that I could create a thicker smoothie that could sustain me much longer than my previous recipe.  Boy was I right.  The end product was thicker.  I also could sense small pieces of rice and I took my first sip.  I actually love the added texture.  I'm one of those people that like everything to be a little chunky so this was absolutely perfect.

About 2/3 of the way through, I was pretty full.  The black rice smoothie had done it's job of replacing lunch.  The rice also softened a bit as time went on.   Overall, I'm pretty pleased.  I also love how the black rice & sesame seed elevate the nutritional content.  We already discussed how black rice has more antioxidants than blueberries.  So whenever I don't have frozen blueberries on hand, I can substitute with rice.  I'm also adding additional fiber to my smoothie at the same time.  Let's not forget the sesame seeds.  Honestly, I paid no mind to them except for the occasional time I'd sprinkle them on  Tuna Poke.  Little did I know that these little seeds are an excellent source of  minerals like cooper, iron, selenium, zinc and calcium.  Then I read that black sesame seeds may have the ability to reverse gray hair.  That's all I needed to hear.  Black sesame seeds will go into my smoothie for life.

First Impressions | The Super Elixir Green Powder

 It's been less than a week since we first talked about The Super Elixir, a super green formula brought to us by the ageless supermodel Elle McPherson and her team of nutritionists.  Soon after the story broke of the Elixir launch, the product was said to have sold out at least a couple of times.  I suspect that image of a 50 year old woman in a bikini looking as good as women half her age had something to do with it.

Super Elixir in a pouch

 I was actually shocked to find the product in stock.  This sense of relief may be the reason I purchased despite the high end pricing.  Days later, the package arrived to me from Australia.  The rapid delivery led me to believe that some of the cost was a result of the embedded shipping.  I took advantage of the price savings by purchasing the larger package.  The powder itself was paler than I imagined.  The consistency is extremely fine to make for easy assimilation into liquids.  Once opened, I dipped my finger into the product to get my first taste.

First impressions was how much milder the flavor was compared to my other green powder.  Super Elixir was also a bit sweeter.  I put  a little bit of both in separate cups and blended with coconut water. Super Elixir was easier to bit easier to drink of the two.  If you aren't a fan of green powders, this could be a good entry level formula.  I also see the benefit of Super Elixir being easier to take when mixed with light tasting liquids.  Meaning, if you don't have time for a smoothie, you can add SE to water or coconut water, mixed well and be ready to go. 

Overall, I'm liking the Super Elixir.  Next on the agenda is to find a way to make the powder portable to take with me on my travels.  I still will continue to take other green powders because both (while similar) offer different ingredients.  I'll be mixing both in my smoothie to amp up the green powder power.  Oh, I also wanted to mention a couple of hair healthy ingredients in Super Elixir like horsetail and biotin. Could this be the reason her hair is so luscious and wonderful at 50 years of age?

Super Elixir ingredients:
Ingredients: Certified Organic Barley Grass¹*, Certified Organic Wheatgrass¹*, Pineapple¹, Apple¹, Certified Organic Alfalfa¹*, Spinach¹, Goji Berry¹, Apple Pectin, Fructo oligosaccharides (FOS), L-Glutamine, Linseed Meal¹, Psyllium Husk¹, Lemon¹, Lime¹, Beetroot¹, Carrot¹, Natural Pineapple Flavour, Natural Lime Flavour, Xylitol (sweetner), Acai¹, Pomegranate¹, Calcium Citrate, Papaya¹, Probiotic Blend (Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Bifidum, Bifidobacterium Lactis, Bifidobacterium Longum), Certified Organic Spirulina¹*, Astralagus Extract, Broccoli¹, Grape Seed Extract¹, Kelp¹, Magnesium Citrate, Milk Thistle Extract, Eleutherococcus senticosus Extract (Siberian Ginseng), Zinc Gluconate, Dandelion Leaves Extract, Maitake Mushroom Extract, Shitake Mushroom Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric¹, Aloe Vera¹, Horsetail¹, Sweetener (steviol glycosides), Copper Gluconate, Beta Carotene, D-Biotin, Selenium Methionine

and