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Skin Smart Installment 2: Salicylic Acid & Benzoyl Peroxide
This month’s Skin Smart installment is all about the differences between and benefits of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide and for those of us who suffer from the occasional monthly breakout, breakouts due to stress or dealing with a case of acne, this installment will help you decide which treatment will be better for you to help heal and clear up your skin. Salicylic Acid Salicylic Acid is a BHA (beta hydroxy acid). The hydroxy part of the molecule is separated from the acid part by two carbon atoms. This means that it is more oil soluble and can penetrate your pores. It has the ability to exfoliate both…
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The Benefits Of Dry Brushing
It only takes one trip down any beauty aisle to see at least one body brush. And although it’s easy to bypass these scrubbing brushes as unnecessary additions, don’t let the unassuming bristles fool you. Dry brushes are so much more than fancy exfoliators and with summer right around the corner, we want our skin to be at its best, so keep reading to see what dry brushing is and how to master the brushing technique for yourself. What Is Dry Brushing? Dry brushing is done with a wooden brush with tightly positioned, firm natural or synthetic bristles (I use Eco Tools Dry Body Brush). It’s ideal for exfoliating away…
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DIY Face Masks You Can Make With Ingredients From Your Pantry
As the days start to blend together, we could use a few things to help us stay creative during this time, so here are some quick and easy recipes to help you concoct the mask of your dreams. Whether you want to moisturize your dry skin or want to make the most of the extra downtime, these DIY masks will do it all and the best part? For most of these masks, all you have to do is turn to your pantry or refrigerator in order to get things started! Turmeric Face Mask Sometimes we need an anti-inflammatory face mask, and this DIY miracle mixture does just that. All you…
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Products To Toss From Your Beauty Cabinet
While we are all sheltering in place and working from home, it is the perfect time to give your beauty cabinet a good spring cleaning. This is a perfect opportunity to indulge in both a non-screen time activity and beauty-related self-care. Ahead is an initial list of beauty products you should sort through: Makeup Products- Makeup does not last forever. Expired products not only lose quality but can also build up unwanted bacteria after a certain amount of time. Check the backside of the packaging for an open jar symbol, (aka the PAO or “Period After Opening”) symbol, which will have a number and an “M” next to it, indicating…
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The Difference Between Chemical & Physical Sunscreens
I know we are all in “shelter in place” right now and at some point (hopefully soon) the restrictions will be lifted and we can get back to some sort of normal life spending time with family and friends, eating out, going to the mall, exercising or playing with the kids at a park or spending the day at the beach (I am sure once restrictions are lifted, there will be some sort of guidelines that will need to be followed depending on where you live). With that being said, summer is around the corner and that means one thing is for sure which is lots of sun exposure. While…
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Makeup Tips For Older Women
We have all seen the tutorials, so we know that makeup has the power to transform. The question is, can it transform you into a younger version of yourself? Yes, with the right tools and tips. Even if you are a beginner with no makeup expertise, there are a few things you can do to effortlessly wind back the clock. Get started today and look as young as you feel with these makeup tips for the mature among us. Skip the Powder The very nature of powder is it coats and mattifies our faces. If you are oily, this can be great, but oil production slows as we age. As…
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Skin Smart Installment 1: Hyaluronic Acid
With my recent interest in skincare, I have been researching the science that goes into creating products and the benefits of specific ingredients. There aren’t a lot of posts out there that aren’t from medical type articles using medical terms that you have to google mid-article to understand, so I thought I would start a new monthly series called ‘Skin Smart’ to break down some of the more popular skincare ingredients and benefits starting with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic Acid has been a super-popular ingredient in skincare for a long time. First forget about the term “acid.” Hyaluronic Acid is different from typical acids (like Glycolic which is meant to break…
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Quarantine Self Care
Being quarantined during this pandemic is no fun for any of us. Not only are we are stuck at home with nowhere to go (except short trips to the grocery store or pharmacy), we are also trying to keep our lives as normal as possible, while worrying about keeping ourselves safe and healthy and if all of this isn’t enough, we are also worrying about our jobs and our financial situations, but at some point, this will pass. So, what do you do in the meantime? Start by taking care of yourself with these self-care tips: Maintain Your Mental Health This is the most important thing you need to do.…
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Healthy & Affordable Food Tips For The Days Of Quarantine
Shelter-in-place has forced over 100 million Americans to stay at home for the next few weeks. While inconvenient in many ways, the quarantine is an opportunity to re-evaluate existing food habits, and possibly improve them. This includes budgeting, planning, shopping, cooking, and storing food. Here are some helpful tips to get you through the quarantine: Use What You Already Have at Home Before buying anything new, take stock of what’s already laying around in the dark corners of your fridge, freezer, pantry, garage, etc. You may be surprised to find frozen meats or canned food that are still good to go as well as spices, cooking accessories like foil and…
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A Beginner’s Guide To Gym Equipment
Going to a gym for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. Not only are you conscious about what you are wearing and how you look (you don’t need to glam up to get your sweat on), you may also be intimidated by the equipment. Everybody who joins a gym for the first time (including myself) feels the exact same way. That’s why most gyms offer a complimentary fitness consultation with a qualified trainer to assess your fitness goals and to show how to use the equipment. If your new gym offers this, it’s a good idea to schedule a consultation, but if this isn’t for you and you…