So for my birthday last week my cousin brought me this really cute fun t-shirt that lets everyone know my favourite food!
Guac T-shirt
I honestly don’t need an excuse to eat avocados. At any given opportunity I’m ordering them (my order usually goes something like this… can I get x no cheese with avocado thanks 😊)
I probably eat avocado at least 5 times a week. You know when people say if you were on a island and only had one meal for the rest of your life what would it be… EGGS & AVO! Every time…. Call me basic if you like but I’m obsessed.
Grind breakfast London
Although I was obsessed way before it became trendy as I loved guacamole and always got my mom to ask for it on the side of her dish so I could get extra when we went for Mexican food!
Anyway these days there are more than enough articles that encourage you to consume ‘healthy fats’ and avoid going fat free!
We all know by now that we need to be consuming good, healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts, avocado, olive oils etc…
Main benefits of these foods;
• Reduce sugar cravings (honestly I grew up thinking I have a sweet tooth however that’s changed with my diet, not going to lie I still llloooovvveeee chocolate)
• Increase energy levels
• Keep you fuller for longer
• Lower the risk of heart disease
• Aid the body in absorption of vitamins and minerals
But here’s my favourite thing about healthy fats… they’re amazing for your skin!
One of my all time favourite activities is swimming, it’s something I’ve enjoyed since I was a child, it works the whole body and allows you to completely disconnect. No phone = no social media and no beep beep beep. Just you and your thoughts, it’s perfect thinking time.
Here’s why fatty foods help your skin if you swim:
The effects of chlorine on skin (and hair) can put people off the activity especially if like me you have sensitive skin with conditions such as eczema.
If you fill your diet with radiance-boosting glow enhancing essential fatty foods and omega-3 you’ll nourish your skin from within.
Swimmers skin
Some of my favourites include:
• Avocado and eggs… did I mention this already?
• Salmon with or without avocado
• Nut butters (I love some nut butter on a rice cracker with a banana and cinnamon)
• Sprinkle of chia seeds.
Eggs avo & salmon
Why you should avoid trans fats; trans fats ( often listed under the names ‘hydrogenated oil’ or ‘hydrogenated vegetable fat’ ), are usually found in many packaged and processed foods. These are known to be extremely toxic AND have no health benefits.
Join the avocado debate… do you love them or hate them?
Hey there… so i know it’s been a while since my last post, I’ve taken some time at lately but I’m back and getting straight back to it.
When I told my dad last week I was getting cupping you should have seen the weird look on he’s face, I’m pretty sure he thought it was something a daughter shouldn’t disclose to her father if you know what I mean. Cupping is something that has intrigued me for a while, there are so many benefits to this ancient Chinese practice that I couldn’t not give it a go.
Cupping therapy
So first of all … what is cupping;
Well “Is a form of traditional alternative medicine that can be found in many different cultures in which a local suction is created on the skin. During cupping, glass or plastic cups are suctioned onto the patient to help increase the flow of qi and blood through the body. The practice consists drawing tissue into a cap placed on the targeted area by creating a partial vacuum – either by the heating and subsequent cooling of the air in the cup. A technique of sliding the cups along tight muscle bands works very well to release tension and adhesions within the muscle. Cupping also works to pull stagnation or toxins from the patient through the skin. Cupping on the upper back can be very effective for the treatment of the common cold.” (Via)
There are also different types of cupping so a quick google will tell you there’s wet, dry and fire.
Wet cupping involves puncturing the skin with acupuncture needles first to realise blood.
Here’s what it looks like in action (not me)
Cupping in action
I get it looks totally painful and uncomfortable but it has so many benefits;
It can help remove toxins from the body and stimulate the flow of fresh blood (this is actually one of the originally reasons I wanted to try it out as my blood circulation is shockingly poor)
Lymph drainage helps move fluids around the body (and out of your face first thing in a morning but that’s a whole pother blog post…)
Qi – which roughly translated means energy and I have to say following my session I was full of energy and such a productive afternoon at home. I baked cleaned danced and got my ass in the gym (something I’ve been not so great at lately)
Know to help reduce back and muscle pain (people get cupping all over their bodies)
It often works wonders for patients with the flu, colds, coughs, anxiety, red itchy skin conditions (though cups are not applied to inflamed areas), allergies, fevers, aches and myriad other pains.
See benefits are endless and when you consider that it’s no surprise that this is used by Olympic athletes and award winning sport champions such as Andy Murray who uses it in conjunction with other treatments to relieve stiffness and to help address a back injury. More and more athletes are looking at how to stay in the game longer and methods to naturally improve health and performance so it’s no surprise they look to holistic treatments to help them.
What does it feel like at the time… well when the cups were been put on I did flinch a little not because it hurt I just didn’t know where the next one was going (& the cups are quite cold) then once they make contact with your skin you feel it tighten up and then it’s just sort of there. It’s not at all painful and once they were all in place I was so chilled out that the 15 minutes went really quickly.
Self care cupping
Sarah the trained professional I went to covered me up with a towel and check on me a couple of times. She did mention that my skin went dark quickly but honestly I’m not surprised I bruise easy.. Even my boyfriend said that straight after.
In short it’s quite a relaxing experience even the vigorous massage at the end to get my blood moving to other parts of my body again.
After effects…I felt soooo much lighter when I stood up. I felt lose and like I could do so much more which is great. If I pull my neck down there is a slight pain due to the bruise but as you can tell that’s by far my worse one. Yes it leaves marks over your the part of your body you had this and how long they last depends on the person from my understanding, I’ll keep you updated with how long mine take to fade.
I would definitely recommend looking into this and if you’re in the Birmingham area check out Harbin Therapies, Sarah was lovely and so honest. She explained things in depth and answer all my questions. Also the woman is a genius, as soon as I was lying down she took one look at my back and knew the exact locations I suffer with pain. Unfortunately for me this is due to a twisted spin (for now) but cupping has definitely relived a lot of the tension in my body and made things a lot easier.
Have you ever had cupping? I want to know your thoughts so comment below.
Love
Tee
X
AS ALWAYS CONSULT A DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS | IF YOU’RE PREGNANT, AVOID CUPPING.
They’re the most talked about beauty tool of 2019… but what’s so amazing about them.
It’s an ancient Chinese practice that’s been used for thousands of years to help maintain facial fluid, it rejuvenates the elasticity of skin, repairs your skin cells, fights inflammation, improve circulation, reduce wrinkles, replenish your facial muscles and well it just works!
Jade roller beauty
Still not sold?
Firstly I mentioned jade roller as that’s what I have, but these little tools come in a multitude of stones from jade to rose quartz to amethyst (which I’ve just learnt is known for helping creativity so seriously considering investing in a little something made from this for my desk, anyway…)
I wanted to get into why I think these little things are worth the investment, and also to clarify they’re not big bucks! I’ve seen some for £80+ but don’t know anyone who paid that.. Personally mine was £15 from amazon.
Must do:
• Keep it cool. I keep mine in my fridge, some people keep theirs in little beauty fridges or just somewhere nice and cool. The cool stone on your skin is a great way to A) help depuff your face first thing or reduce any swelling/ water retention and B) stimulates lymphatic drainage. Also around the eyes it feels amazing in a morning.
• ROLL UPWARDS! This helps sculpt your skin and you never want to drag the skin down.
• Always remember the neck, don’t leave your neck out it’s just as important you want to take your routine down to the chest if you can.
How to use a jade roller
I always apply serum to my face first (currently using this amazing vitamin C serum to help boost the brightness of my skin) this also helps lubricate the skin allowing the roller to move smoothly over your skin.
The added bonus is that the stone doesn’t absorb any of the serum just helps to work it into your skin making sure your skin gets all the benefits from your chosen serum.
Why I’m so in love:
• It’s skin care
• Mindcare (I just sit there for a couple of minutes rolling my skin listening to a podcast or just breathing, kinda like meditation)
• It’s selfcare
It’s all of these wrapped into one pretty little tool!
Breakdown of the different rollers:
Rose quartz: this stone is associated with bringing love into your life. I’ve also read that cleopatra bathed with this stone.
Jade: is associated with luck and is considered to bring balance.
Amethyst: as I mentioned this is associated with creativity and is a Kardashian favourite right now.
Happy Sunday everyone, doesn’t everything just feel better when the suns out? I’m loving working out outdoors this week, it’s such a refreshing change.
Every week at 5:30am Sunday morning my alarm is going off. Yep I’m THAT girl. Crazy early morning workout even on a weekend. What can I say I like to workout before giving myself an excuse not to, although I can think of plenty while hitting snooze, but I also like to get it over and done with and have the rest of the day to myself. Also let’s face it we look better after a workout, not immediately but when the beetroot has faded we look & feel better.
As you can imagine at 5:30 am I’m not sitting there giving myself a facial massage for lymphatic drainage and jade rolling. However, there are a few things I make sure I do, no matter how tired I am, before I work out. You don’t workout without a warm up so why push your skin? It’s just asking for breakouts. I like to keep this pre workout stage as simple as possible, think basic bitch but more basic.
Here’s my 3 pre workout skin care tips.
Light.
This sounds weird I know but switching lights on, open the curtains or get outside, tells your brain to get moving. We all need a little motivation first thing.
Mini cleanse.
I like to wash my face first thing and get out anything that may be blocking my pores. I have such dry skin that I use a fairly thick moisturiser at night so I get all of that out of my skin and let it breath again. In a rush? A all in 1 waterproof miscellaneous cleaning water works wonders and will life away any dirt in your pores while removing the need for additional rinse and repeat. I’ve also being using Elemis pro collagen cleansing balm it’s too early to review the product but I can tell you with complete certainty it smells AMAZING!
Pre workout skin cleanse
Hydration.
Green tea for my body (Although I’ve been loving mint water lately so refreshing) & my disciple for my face. I know I constantly go on about this anti inflammatory oil balanced cocktail but it really is a fav right now, I’m taking it everywhere and at £15 why should it not be in your bag, on your dresser in your gym locker? Back to the point, dehydrated skin is unhappy skin. It looks dull because dead skin cells are blocking your pores. Freshen it up and hydrate from the inside out.
Face mist
BONUS ROUND! If I’m heading outside on the occasion that it’s nice & dry ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN. I’m a little crazy when it comes to this honestly 365 days a year no matter where in the world I am. If the sun is out so are the UV rays. All this hard work to look good I’m not going to let a wrinkle or two stop me.
Are you already doing any of these or have your own routines? Share below.
We’re all guilty of a little #wanderlust & why not? What’s not to love about seeing the world, experiencing new cultures & ways of life & genuinely having a great time.
I’m not one of the people that can rock up to a beach & set up camp for two weeks, it’s just not my style. I want to explore, meet new people & eat everything the country has to offer me! Travelling for me is the best kind of exercise, I walk until my legs can’t go any further, I laugh until my abs hurt & I eat guilt free which is great for the soul don’t you agree? Okay I also drink my body weight but hey I’m on holiday.
As you may have seen from my Instagram lately (@reali_tee) or my last blog post I’ve recently spent two weeks exploring Italy. My boyfriend & I rented a fiat 500 & set off around Tuscany hill hoping from town to town. Honestly in Tuscany it’s always leg day. There’s always a tower I want to climb with a minimum of 400 vertical steps, I do love to hit my 10k step count and walking is the best way to see the city, beautiful gardens & art galleries. At the beach? What a beautiful way to see the coast line & all the hidden rock pools/ caves. A few years back on a girls holiday we ended up on a mini hike all day up & down it actually turned out to be a laugh & everyone enjoyed it.
It may not be the same as a heavy weight session in the gym but in 35C+ heat you will definitely be sweating your ass off!
Top of Milan cathedralSeville bridgeBali beachDavid
As I’m all about looking after my skin pre, during & post sweating while looking good on the go I wanted to share with you some of the key products I took away with me. We both agreed to travel light so I strategically considered what products I would need to keep me looking fresh day & night, you never know when you’ll see the next selfie moment on the go.
Florence River
1) SPF! This should not come as a surprise as I’m always going on about the importance of sun protection. The burnt lobster look was never & will never be in fashion. I’m sorry I don’t get the craze of people being impressed with how red they went after one day in the sun, it’s uncomfortable, painful, causes cancer & ruins your holiday. I may not have been by the sea this time but walking around towns & cities it’s still important to protect your skin. Your skin is a organ, the biggest one you have. Take care of it. I love love love Bali body, it’s natural ingredients hydrate my skin smell amazing & ensure I’m protected.
Bali body spf
On the subject of UV rays never forget your shades, on my first trip to Italy in January 2016 my delightful cousin brought her trusty Raybans, myself & our friend laughed at her for this, it’s January who needs shades? Please see below the following photo of Sara looking ever so happy with two squinty companions … not a strong look.
Sunny Milan
Tee’s Tip: unsure if you need sun cream? Take a look at your shadow, short shadows mean low UV long shadows cream up!
2) Disciple Balance mist. I love a face mist anyway, especially after a workout, it just picks you straight back up hydrates the skin & helps takes you from sweaty to glowy. Designed for long flights and late nights you can use this product anywhere, anytime for anything. If a product isn’t multi functional it’s not making the cut into my suitcase or gym bag & this one’s a personal fav. It’s super hydrating & fights inflammatory skin issues, including adult acne, eczema and premature ageing. WINNER I also love that the brand is completely clean & natural. This was the perfect size to carry around either in my daily backpack for a quick pick me up or in my evening bag to help keep my makeup in place.
3) Lanolips 101– what I didn’t say about this in my microblog on Instagram probably isn’t worth mentioning. This product is the master of multitasking.
Lanolips 101 mulitbalm
4) Mr Natty Sea Salt Spray, great British company with some great products. Okay yes Mr Natty is a barber & I may have used my fair share of my boyfriends product here. BUT… sharing is caring after all & this sea salt spray smelt amazing, added texture to my hair & kept my wavy curls looking tame(ish) & natural. Also in my defence the bottle reads for surfers & mermaids…
Mr Natty seal salt sprayNatural wavy hairy
5) My moisturiser of choice… IT Cosmetics CC cream, I’m not a fan of loads of makeup anyway & on holiday I wear even less, it just clogs your pores up and I feel icky. This simple product is not only SPF 50 but basically airbrushes your face leaving you looking natural & flawless in one product. I got this miniature from Boots.
IT Cosmetics CC cream
So there’s my 5 travel / leg day in the city essentials. All are multifunctional & effortless but I still fell like it’s worth mentioning my two ride or die beauty hacks, 1) water & 2) sleep.
Even more than normal I make sure to stay hydrated on holiday, it’s so important when you’re moving around so much, with the added heat & additional alcohol my bag was never missing a bottle of water.
Benefit of being on holiday, additional beauty sleep… after an incredibly early flight & the excitement of wanting to explore Perugia (our first stop) we headed straight out after we had checked in, did a little exploring got some food a few aeprol spritz & by the time we crashed out we slept for about 12 hours. Unsurprisingly I spent the rest of the holiday without dark rings under my eyes. Shall we see how long that lasts?
Are you planning your summer holiday or getting ready to pack your bags? What beauty products make the cut? I want to know, comment below.
As you know I’m a girl always on the go, admittedly I’m usually going from my desk to a run then into a meeting, however I’m currently travelling around Tuscany. Usually on holidays I love to walk EVERYWHERE honestly I set step count records, however this year the plan was to road trip and see as much of the country as we could. Excited by the idea of hikes through vineyards and Aeprol Spritz I set out do some research to see what off the beaten track adventures we could go on. I read a few years ago that there were natural springs in Italy but many were being claimed by hotels and turned into spas. Wanting to get that authentic experience I found one unclaimed hot spring in the heart of Tuscany, Bagni San Filippo.
I’ve never visited a natural hot spring before and this one certainly did not disappoint. If you use a map to get here it’s slightly confusing as it can’t locate exactly where or how to get there, so knowing we were roughly in the right place we parked up and walked up the hill following the sound of flowing water. Like I said I’m a fan of walking, it’s so good for the body and mind. And what’s better than a natural spa experience at the end of a long walk…
Natural hot springItalian hot spring
Here’s exactly why you should find your nearest natural hot spring and go for a dip:
• It’s filled with minerals such as calcium and sodium bicarbonate which help boost your blood circulation.
• The cocktails of minerals found in natural hot springs also help relieve tense muscles which we all need after a mini hike.
• I don’t promote hot baths before bed however as these springs are outdoors when you leave your body temperature drops allowing for a better nights sleep.
• It’s amazing for the skin, whether you’ve got dry / rough skin or a skin condition the natural mix of minerals can help resolve most of these problems.
This experience summed me up completely, a nice walk (all up hill as we parked right at the bottom) nature and some natural R&R.
Italian job10k steps
Do you workout on holiday or simply relax? Let me know…
Happy National Rosé Day. Surely this should be a bank holiday weekend right? We should be allowed an extra day off work to enjoy a nice chilled glass of rosé, although the British weather right now isn’t exactly screaming summer vibes. Okay I’m going off on a tangent here, lets circle back…
I don’t know about you but I am not one of those girls that can spend 3 hours + getting ready for a night out, if I’m going out I want to be out out! The whole, shower, wash my hair, blow dry, style, prime face etc etc just gets boring to me. I’m a one hour girl at most. I’d much rather be out drinking the rosé than reapplying my eyeliner for the 3rd time because the flick wasn’t right.
National rosé day
I’m an extrovert get me out of here…
My point is whether I’m going from the gym to the office, or from bed to the coffee shop or more importantly heading to a bar I want to be getting to where I need to be, not messing about with three different shades of blusher. But of course I ALWAYS have to look presentable, it’s just nice to take some pride in yourself right. So (no surprises here) but I have a routine, and I have this down to 45 minutes. It doesn’t matter if I’m getting ready at the gym or in my bedroom I know what products I need where they’ll be and I’m good to go.
Here are a 3 hacks I do to make sure my mornings start off right, if anything throws me off course too early it changes the whole tone of my day and I find that it will just throw me off, anyone else?
1) Sort it out the night before. Yes I’m hyper organised and if being a PA paid more I’d probably do that just for the enjoyment of organising peoples lives, but here’s what I do. I prep EVERYTHING the night before, & I mean EVERYTHING. Even the underwear I’m wearing. Because I think sleep is so important I like to get every last second I can in bed so all my meals will be prepped the night before, if I’m going to the gym my gym bag is packed all toiletries in the bag and gym clothes laid out on my chair so I can literally get out of bed, wash my face drink some water, brush my teeth get a peppermint tea to go and head straight out. This can result ion carrying about 10 different bags but it just makes life easier. I’ll also make an iced coffee the night before. I really try to limit how much money I spend on coffee a month and since I started getting coffee pods from Grind delivered (this is totally on point today as all their branding is pink, just like rosé) my home made coffees are just better. Sorry coffee shops but it’s true, I get the best London coffee straight out of my Birmingham home. Anyway, bags are packed food is ready and coffee is good to go. I’m out the door in 15 minutes.
Prepackaged your stuff the night before
2) Keep your stuff together. I feel like everyone is on the tidying hype lately with the likes of Mrs Hinch & Marie Kondo all over social media that organisation is in fashion. With fashion comes loads of cute boxes & storage options. I have two little boxes one for AM & one for PM (these are actually the boxes that my Grind orders arrived in, no plug I promise but they’re the perfect size, pink & really cute). As I’ve mentioned before I love to buy stuff in sample sizes because it’s just more gym bag friendly. This makes life so much easier when getting ready because I know exactly where my stuff is so I can just grab & go. Ironically there are three things I ALWAYS lose… headphones (I forget which pocket of which jeans/ coat/ bag I was wearing) glasses (which is annoying once I’ve taken my lenses out, now I need glasses to find my glasses) & keys…
The AM boxKeeping your stuff together
3) Keep the makeup looking simple. Call me a basic bitch but I’m not a fan of a heavy made up face. I like to look like me, and if it’s a day I plan to go running at lunch or to the gym after work I really don’t want to spend ages removing layers and layers of makeup. Honestly once the skin care is done, I can keep it as simple as 4 products. IT Cosmetics CC cream, clear brow gel to brush my brows into place, bit of mascara (honestly I can live without this some days especially if I’m wearing my glasses, big glasses are great to hide behind) & Lanolips 101 ointment, 100% natural multi-balm for your lips. I love this product so much. You only need a little but it really softens the lips smells great and leaves a classy shine.
Must have’s on the go
There you have it, my 3 little hacks to getting out the house and ordering that rosé so much quicker.
As usual nothing mention in this posted was gifted or sponsored but things I love and the options are my own, but I want to know yours.
What do you do on the go? Any top secrets on how to look completely put together in under an hour?
So I recently I wrote about the simple rules of skin care, one of which was doing your own thing.
I’m sad to say… I broke my own rule.
The reason I started this blog was because I was reading so many beauty, skincare blogs however none of them giving me exactly what I wanted, just bits and pieces. I follow so many of these bloggers on Instagram filling my feed with beautiful layouts of bright colours and textures and the same products over and over. Typically you see the likes of Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe, Glam Glow, The ordinary etc… The hype on these brands is difficult to miss and I found myself reading all these amazing reviews that I was dying to add these products to my shelfie.
Shelife
So when it came to placing a new order I decided to try a few new products and fortunately got the chance to try a few extra sample sizes of other products I was dying to try. (not gifted by the way just promotions at checkout available to everyone).
Watermelon mask
Here’s the thing… like I said everyone is different and my skin takes the concept of unique to a new level. Ever since I was a child it’s been super delicate, even changing washing powder I can brake out in a rash. This is made more complicated when brands start to change their ingredients and my skin does not agree.
Everyone is different, one of these products with such great reviews actually sat on my skin and didn’t sink in at all, in fact it went like flaky glue on face. You know when prick stick dries and you can rub it off but it flakes… not attractive!
Skin in need
This is the main reason I love travel size products, it gives me the chance to try something on a small scale without splashing out on a full size product that isn’t going to sting tingle and leave me looking like the angry hulk. Also they are grate for fitting in your gym bag and don’t take up as much room!
Red inflamed and swollen is not the in look this summer! Trust me on that people. That inflamed beetroot look is a real struggle for me, ESPECIALLY post workout. Here’s a few things I try to do to help limit any inflammation:
I try and avoid vitamin A products. All vitamins are important, but some products contain the active ingredient retinoids which can cause irritation if overused.
Avoid hot showers & baths.
Exfoliate sparingly, I know after a good workout a good scrub feels so good but overdoing it can cause redness and tightness of the skin.
I’ve started using The Ordinary Azelaic Acid brightening formula which is known for reducing redness & unclogging pores, it’s still early days on this product but I’ve been mixing a little in my daily moisturiser which is working well.
The ordinary
COLLAGEN! This is a absolute winner for me! I know it’s one of the it products talked about right now but this is a product I believe in, it’s full of amino acids which is not only great for your joints but also for reducing inflammatory. I’ve been using powdered collagen lately and adding it to smoothies.
Collagen smoothie
Top foods to help with inflammation; pineapple and blueberries. I literally eat them every chance I get. I’m loving dried pineapples at the moment but I’m not sure that’s as good for you, I may need to do my research.
As always the opinions in this post are my own and no products were gifted.
I LOVE summer, honestly there’s something about the blue skies and warm nights that just make me feel at ease. More importantly we all love that summer glow, you know the golden brown version not the bright red hurts to move version. Yes like pretty much everyone else I love a tan, but when it comes to being out in the sun I take skin protection seriously. So I do rely on a sunless tan to help me look a little more golden brown than pasty white.
Tan lines & fun times
Here’s my issue, you know I love a workout, but sweat and fake tans do NOT work well together. Enter Isle of Paradise. The whole point of this realiTEE blog was to talk about stuff that I’ve actually trialed and tested to give you authentic feedback and to find out what works for you, because none of us are the same. And when I say products I’ve used I don’t mean just one time, I mean tried tested and still obsessing about and this product is one of those!
I discovered Isle of paradise last year and loved the idea of the drops because it meant I could carry on using my usual moisturiser, also my OCD kicks in if I have too many open products so I like to keep it simple. This wasn’t buying yet another tinted moisturiser no… this products turns your favourite moisturiser into a summer glow.
Isle of paradise
Why I’m obsessed: these products are 100% natural, not tested on animals, contains no parabens, and are ORGANIC!! I mean if this isn’t my thing, I don’t know what is. Also with these drops you’re completely in control, this tan is bespoke to you.
Okay so I have a little ritual when sunless tanning just to help make sure it takes, and I do this whether I’m doing a home top up or going to get a full spray tan at Bee-U-Tee. Make sure you check out the product your beautician uses & do your research. Bee-U-Tee uses Sienna which is not only a great product giving you a natural colour but it’s cruelty free and non toxic. WINNER. However there only so much a beautician and/ or a product can do. You’ve got to prep right and the aftercare is essential.
PREP:
• Get your workout done & out the way, especially if you’re getting a spray tan. Workout first, body prep second, glow third.
• Dry brush- have you used one of these? They’re amazing for exfoliating and lymphatic drainage but that’s a whole other blog post. I got mine from amazon and it’s the perfect pre tanning tool. It also helps get off any old tan you’ve still got on to help get a nice even glow, I like a plain canvas for a fresh spray tan I just feel like you get a more consistent cover.
• This goes without saying but no one wants leg hair ruining that glow. Shave it! Yes shaving is such an annoyance and it’s a real bore but stick on your favourite playlist or podcast and do it before the tan, you won’t regret it.
• Always use protection, for your hands. Nothing more unattractive than brown blotches between your fingers and yellow tinted fingernails. Trust me I know.
• If you’re getting it done professionally make sure to wear something lose and comfy for afterwards.
Now tan.
Sunless tan
I always tan on a evening & usually the night before rest day. That gives your tan (whichever option you chose; home or professional) time to develop. Why I go the night before a rest day, so I don’t sweat in the morning and cause it to go streaky. I love going to bed as Casper the ghost and waking up like I’m in Bali. The drops are also suitable to use on you’re face, personally I only use one drop for my face every couple of days to keep it looking natural.
Three simple things to ALWAYS remember post tan:
• Never sleep on white sheets that night (I did once get tan in my boyfriends bed but I don’t think he ever noticed. Opps!)
• Tap it. When you’re drying off don’t rub yourself down you’ll rub of your glow. Tap yourself to stop it going streak and air dry if you can.
• Moisturise! This goes without saying naturally, no one wants a crusty looking tan and it will lock it in for longer.
So you know how I love to talk wellness on Wednesdays & today is no different. I consider wellness to be an element of beauty as without a balanced life how can you really shine? You can’t reach your full potential, if you can it’s a tiring struggle. Today I want to talk about confidence, & what it means to you. Let’s face it, confidence is essential.
Confidence is
Firstly whether you love to strut around like a VS model in a pair of sexy heels or you prefer the more hippy chic look and wear your kicks everywhere. I don’t care if you wear tight mini skirts and low cut tops, or if you love a onesie and never want to come out or if you are one of those girls that live head to toe in their gym wear. YOU ARE RIGHT. What ever makes you feel confident, what ever makes you feel your best and flatters you. YOU ARE RIGHT. Not fitting into a stereotype does not make you less of a woman (or man, or whichever gender you relate to) & if you haven’t figured out what makes you hold your head up high like a badass boss have some fun working it out. Personally I love a dark edgy look with tight jeans and a pair of statement heels as much as I love a denim mini skirt, t-shirt and pumps. You can dress everything up or down so it’s all about finding your balance. Now to own it…
Heels or kicks you decide
Why you should own it? When you’re feeling more confident it shows. Like really shows through, it’s in your walk, it shines through your pores, it’s the slight change in the tone of your voice. AND it’s contagious. Genuine confidence is contagious, people are attracted to that kind of energy, but it has to be genuine if you try too hard people will pick up on that & you’ll come across more annoying than confidence. (But that’s not to say you shouldn’t fake it- see below).
Confidence looks good on everyone!
Okay I get that all of this is much easier said than done… in today’s society we have more anxious surroundings than ever before, and that’s just by unlocking your phone. One thing I hear repeated over and over again is ‘I’m so self conscious in the gym I feel like everyone is looking at me and judging.’
Please please PLEASE… stop looking around the gym and judging people. Because I can grantee the 99% of the people in the gym are there to be themselves and the best version of that they can be. Which brings me to my next point, & one I’ve mentioned a few times lately in different forms but it’s so true and the secret to beauty. We are all unique, you are the only you out there. Just do you & own it.
Here are a few of the things that help boost my confidence when I most need it;
1) Always be grateful – Simple but efficient. If you stop & think about it there is always something to be grateful for. Walking into your first fitness class ever… no everyone can do that and you should be grateful you found the strength to get out of your comfort zone & go for it. There’s something to be said for stopping to smell the roses (or even the rosé). Smile. Laugh. Enjoy life. Today I’m grateful for family, friends, boyfriend, my car, spinach pasta, my favourite trainers & the ability to read & write. Below is a book on confidence that I loved, and was so surprised at how many badass woman out there lack it.
Confidence code
2) Do you- okay this is something I struggled with for soooo many years. I was so focussed on what everyone else was doing, wearing, eating, was I doing it right? OMG The stress it takes to live like this, the anxiety the pressure. I got to a point where I would make myself so ill, it just wasn’t worth it. Do you and forget what everyone else is doing. Evolve at your own speed, what feels right and natural for you. Push yourself to do better against yourself. I love the saying ‘if you judge a fish on it’s ability to climb a tree you’ll never know how intelligent it is.’ This is because we are all different, all unique. Being you is a superpower, embrace it.
3) Get fancy – I love love love dressing up, the hair the makeup the right outfit, splash of lipstick. Who am I making all this effort for? Well me! I deserve to look good for me. & so do you. Now please don’t think I take hours and hours to get ready, time is not a luxury I often possess & even when I do I much prefer to be out out having fun then getting ready. Some basic moisturiser (with an SPF obviously) bit of foundation or a CC cream with some thick luscious lashes, thick brows and a tinted lip balm with a badass outfit and you’ll be amazed at how great you feel 40 minutes later. Find a look that suits your style, keep it flattering & dress for you! I brought the below dress last year and everyone I showed it to before hand had reservations but I knew it would look fabulous… (thank you ASOS).
Strut it
4) Break free- breaking out of your comfort zone is something I wrote about here. It’s a real confidence booster when you realise how far exactly you’ve come. ALWAYS step out of your comfort zone, even if it’s just one small thing. Recently my cousin & I attended a networking event for woman. Neither of us knew what to expect & had both considered dropping out, we didn’t, we went along & actually really enjoyed it. It may be scary as hell, but once you’re out of that comfort zone you’ll see and you’ll want to keep moving forward. Break through one zone at a time.
Dance like no one is watching
5) Keep it positive- No matter what, always try and keep it positive. Even with the words you are using, I do this more and more and it’s slowly becoming a natural habit. Instead of saying ‘I hope nothing goes wrong’ try ‘I’m sure it will all go to plan’ Focus on putting that positive energy out there, and it will also tell your brain to be more positive. As I said earlier you can’t fake confidence but you can do things to help trick yourself into believing it and by the time you realise you were faking it it may no longer be fake. I honestly thought for well over a year that I had no idea how to do my job, that I was just faking it and one day someone would call me into the office and sack me. Turns out that by going to work each day and trying to figure it out and doing my best, I actually learnt how to do my job without ever shadowing anyone.
Now your turn… What do you do to feel more confident?
Sunless tan
