intention – realiTEE

How to kickstart #projectcomeback

Published on October 20, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

Hhhheeeyyy, so I’m back after a short break and the truth is I haven’t been consistent lately because I’ve been in a weird ass FUNK. For the past couple of weeks I’ve not really felt 100% Tee, & for no apparent reason. I’ve been completely unmotivated, second guessing myself, increased self doubt and just not as much fun to be around.

Hands up if you’ve ever had a week or two like this 🙋🏼‍♀️

I hate weeks like this because I don’t feel very me and it’s probably not helped by the fact I had a sty which meant no contact lenses & no make up… while on holiday.

Fortunately for me I have two incredible people in my life that have been so great & I can officially say I’m over the funk (well we’re getting there & remaining positive).

I said there was no apparent reason to this mood dip but I do think lack of sleep and I have been a bit slack on cooking my own food lately (week leading up to my holiday I ate zero home cooked meal…)

We all know that food and exercise have a impact on your health and mood but they’re also soooo much more than that. You are what you eat and chemicals, salt and sugar is not a good combination. Part of the reason I’ve struggled so much to feel like me was partly feeling drained & partly looking drained and my skin was so dull – food plays a big part in BOTH of these aspects.

So #projectcomeback …. it’s all about finding my balance again and I’ve broken it down into 5 key areas

Sweat it out- now I’m back to studying my workouts have got to be AM which is harder for me in the winter because the lack of sunlight messes with my head. Fortunately I have a sunrise alarm to brighten up my room and tell my brain it’s morning. LETS GO GO GO…… sweating it out is a great way to get out of a funk mood because it boosts the good chemicals in your brain. I’ve been so unmotivated that when I have worked out it’s been half hearted. This morning I decided on swimming something I love and as soon as I got my swimsuit on I was buzzing to get in the pool. (All oiled up of course following the tips I talked about here)

Hydration – do I ever write a post without my favourite H word? Hydrated skin is plump and glowy!

Sleep- I really believe in a good nights sleep it’s a great way to help you reset. I wrote more about it here.

Fresh air – get outside even if it’s just for half an hour. Even on miserable days the UV rays still come through and that’s what helps you produce D3 so you’re still getting some vitamins in. I love going for a walk especially if it means exploring a new city!

GUT HEALTH

SO here’s what I really want to get talking about, but health. I’m so passionate about healthy gut as I really believe it’s the basis for glowing clear skin, strong healthy hair & nails, as well as mental clarity.

As a child I was always told to eat vegetables and fruit and all the usual healthy diet stuff. However, as a curious child when I asked why I was given old wives tales as answers.

‘Why should I eat carrots?’ You’ll be able to see in the dark- when I was watching cartoons where people could change the weather (Storm from the x-men was always my favourite because I hate the cold wet weather!) seeing in the dark didn’t seem like a super power I wanted.

Maybe it was the lack of google but no one seemed to have a real answer as to why we should do & eat certain things. We just should. Well this didn’t cut it for me & I rebelled against health advice.

Now I know that the best version of me is full of energy & completely switched on. That’s why I love eating foods that feed my gut, please do not think these are boring things at all.

Currently my favourite snack is a fruit bowl here’s what I put in and why;

BLUEBERRIES- we’ve all heard that blueberries are full of antioxidants, but why are these so important? Antioxidants shield the skin against harmful free radicals that can damage the collagen that keeps your skin firm.

RASPBERRIES- still packed with antioxidants but also come with ellagic acid which can keep the skin healthy and rejuvenate it. Our bodies have a natural UV protection built in (still use sun screen!) and raspberries actually help boost this which is a added bonus if you do a lot of outdoor activities.

ALMONDS- I love adding in some healthy fats such as almonds because they’re great for promoting clear acne free skin.

COCONUT FLAKES- coconut anything is good for us we know this, however I’m going to do a full blog post on all its different uses!

YOGURT- I add soy yogurt which has benefits of its own such as containing phytoestrogens that boost the production of estrogen in the body and help reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles. However dairy yogurt (if you eat diary) contains lactic acid, an organic compound that aids in diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by tightening and shrinking pores. Just do you here….

It’s okay to not be bubbly & vibrant all the time as long as you address the cause.

Favourite beauty food?

How to make sustainable fashion easy

Published on September 7, 2019September 8, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

Hey hey happy September I know how much everyone seems to love autumn (fall) but I’m so sad summer is officially over.

However I’m trying to focus on the positives such as the return of pumpkin spice lattes and counting down to my next holiday.

There are some really good things going on this September such as Zero Waste Week (today’s the last day) and the movement of #secondhandseptember the idea of only buying second hand clothes for a whole month if you need to buy anything at all. I’ll admit I’m that person that decides they want something and if it’s not available for delivery tomorrow (if not today) I’m like but why!?!?!? It’s only recently I’ve really started to consider my carbon footprint and the impact on the environment. Yes I’m probably a little late to the party but I’m here and making a effort.

Things like reducing waste or buying second hand clothing doesn’t sound the most glamorous way of life but it’s honestly a lot easier than you think. Little changes like buying exactly what you need and throwing away less food, or getting creative with leftover stuff – I just made a little jar of homemade coffee face scrub from the ground coffee thanks to this great coffee shop I go to, I went in late one afternoon and they gave me a cup of the used ground coffee, see little changes that didn’t even impact your usual routine.

Let’s get into what I really want to talk about; sustainable fashion!

If you haven’t heard the anything about fast fashion vs sustainable fashion in 2019 it’s time to crawl out from under that rock.

Oxfam are encouraging all of us to take a month that’s usually associated with fashion week after fashion week around the globe and the start of autumn dressing (hello scarves and jumpers) and encouraging fashion lovers to reconsider where they buy from for 30 days.

With 11 millions tons of clothes going to landfill every WEEK it’s clear we can all do a little something to help.

SHOP VINTAGE & SECONDHAND

Depop is officially my new favourite place to shop. There’s something for everyone on there, you can search by description, brand filter by size location ANYTHING!

What’s great is I love styles by brands such as White Fox Boutique based in Australia or Stylewalker but don’t want to contribute to clothes been shipped across the globe. However if it’s already here in the UK and up for grabs I’m not going to say no…

Need to make a little extra cash… Anyone can sell on Depop and its more specialist than eBay so your clothes are more likely to go to a loving home.

Remember one human’s trash is another human’s gold.

Feeling generous why not give your clothes to your friends or hold a clothes swap.

I’ve saved some of my favourite pieces from friends having a sort out:

Other ways to be stylishly sustainable …

🖤Got a night out… don’t buy next day delivery and return next week for a full refund. Send out a WhatsApp message to your most stylish friends and see what they’ve got to offer.

🖤Mix & match… get creative with it. I’ve gone out so many times and my girlfriends will compliment my top, guess what. That top is actually a dress you’ve seen before with a skirt on the bottom or rolled up and trousers over the top. Who’d have thought.

🖤Need something in a hurry? Raid your significant others wardrobe or your roommates, hell even your parents wardrobe if you have to. My mom has some weird and wonderful things in the depths of her wardrobe official 80’s & 90’s. But my personal favourite and I know so many of you are with me on this… my boyfriends denim jacket. Thank you Jordan!!!

Speaking of who..here’s my boyfriends No.1 advice, (don’t tell him I said this but he is really stylish) ‘buy timeless pieces.’ There are things that just don’t go out of fashion, the denim jacket, a leather jacket, a good pair of jeans and every woman’s favourite the little black dress. All of these can be accessorised to look completely different.

And my No.1 piece of advice… have fun, get creative and let your personality shine.

So there it is 30 days of #secondhandseptember

What sustainable change are you making this month?

Love,

Tee

PS: as always nothing in this post was sponsored and all opinions are that of my own.

Why you should seriously look into Cupping Therapy

Published on September 1, 2019October 5, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

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.

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)

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.

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

AS ALWAYS CONSULT A DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS | IF YOU’RE PREGNANT, AVOID CUPPING.

Why travel is my favourite exercise

Published on June 22, 2019June 22, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

Love,

Tee

Hidden Springs of Italy

Published on June 15, 2019June 15, 2019 by realiTEE3 Comments

Ciao from Italy.

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…

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.

Do you workout on holiday or simply relax? Let me know…

Love

Tee

How to start your day faster & still look good.

Published on June 8, 2019June 8, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

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.

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.

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…

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.

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?

I want to know…

Love,

Tee

One confidence shot please.

Published on May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 by realiTEE4 Comments

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.

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…

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.

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).

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.

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?

Love,

Tee

5 clear steps to clear skin.

Published on May 25, 2019May 26, 2019 by realiTEE3 Comments

It’s that time of the month again… payday! Payday = shopping. After carefully reviewing my shelfie and making a mental note of what products I needed I headed to town to pick up and test some new products. Now I know you’re probably thinking WTF, you went to a shop? And yes I usually browse my favourite online stores from my sofa and get it all delivered but this month I not only wanted to get my step count in but also felt like seeing a few actually products and what was new. Plus I’m not going to lie I love smelling pretty much every product on the shelf!

One item I was interested in was IT COSMETICS CC Cream as I’d heard amazing things about it (but that’s a whole other blog post) when I headed over to the new counter within a few short minutes the sales assistant was asking me about my routine, I almost laughed. When it comes to Instagramable skin I have 5 simple rules. These rules apply 24/7. At the gym, at home, on a night out it doesn’t matter these are simple rules on the go for glowy skin. It’s that simple! Just 5 easy things to remember.

1) You are what you eat. I’ve spoken before about glowing from the inside out and how important nutrition is but honestly the more organic and natural you can keep your diet the more you can see and feel the difference. We’ve all been there, Saturday night got a little cray cray and you woke up the next morning with a McDonald’s (no? Just me then?) by the time you get to the office Monday your face has broken out into pimple central. Crap food = crap body 💩 Clear radiant skin needs veggies and berries. More kale less chicken nuggets. I known some of you may hate me for saying that but unfortunately it’s a true fact. Kale, blueberries & sweet potato are all a yes from me ✅✅✅ Avoid white bread, this is devil food (dad I hope you’re reading this!) white bread causes antinutrients which can make it harder for your body to absorb good nutrients. So next time you’re looking for something to help your skin at a supermarket move from the toiletries isle to the fruit & veg section.

2) Everything in moderation and that goes for your makeup as well. I have a very specific skin routine (even post workout) at the moment that is really working for my skin, but I’m not going to undo all that hard work by blocking my pores with layers of make up. It’s unnecessary. I’m very much about the natural glowy look and to me make up should enhance your features not make you into a different person. Don’t over complicate your routine and don’t wear so many layers of makeup you no longer represent you. And always always ALWAYS remember to remove makeup before going to bed. No one wants to wake up looking like a member of an 80’s rock band with all that smudged mascara and eyeliner. The smudged black eye look is out!

3) SPF when it comes to beauty I don’t think any blog post should not mention SPF because it’s that important. There are two types of sun rays, UVB which are rays that burn your skin, and increasing ageing of your skin. Then there’s UVA which are present all year round and penetrate clouds, windows anything and these do causing ageing effects of the skin. You can never have enough SPF in your life and you really should prioritise products that already contain these. I’m not saying avoid the sun and wear a hat everywhere you go, although if you want to feel free. Personally I love the sun it just requires some common sense when out and about. Tee’s tip: if products do say they have an SPF factor great but always check they protect against BOTH UVA & UVA.

4) Mental clarity. You may have seen I wrote about this earlier this week & you may have thought what has this got to do with beauty? Stay with me here, I’m not going off brand. Being stressed out causes a hormone known as cortisol in the body which when released into your system will ruin your skin & sleep patterns (which also has a knock on effect to your skin). With this bitch of a hormone flowing freely around your body it’s going to rob your skin a nutrients. Less stress = clear radiant skin and a more manageable life. WIN. WIN.

5) My final and most lived by rule… what works for one won’t always work for you. Each and every single one of us are unique. Although we love to share tips and tricks what works for your bff might not work for you, & no one knows you & your skin better than you. I have the fortune of sharing DNA with the beautiful lady below but you know what, if she swears by a product it’s probably not for me. Our skin types are SO different. Don’t get me wrong I’m ecstatic she’s loving herself more and her skin and I’ll gladly give tips on how to apply a product or if I’ve seen a product talked about online which might be suited to her skin type I’ll tag her or send her a message ASAP. However there are very few products I would pull out of my selection and hand over as a MUST TRY RIGHT THIS MOMENT. It just doesn’t work like that. So in the words of my lovely cousin, honey just do you.

So there you have it my five rules, almost commandments I’d say.

How many of these do you break and what are your rules?

Comment below.

Love

Tee

Importance of mental clarity.

Published on May 22, 2019 by realiTEE1 Comment

Like everyone my life seems to come in phases, I’m either plodding along or everything is going like crazy at 124908 WTFs an hour. And with my next exam less than 24 hours away and crisis meetings at work it definitely feels like this hamster wheel isn’t slowing down any time soon. Side note, I’m not complaining about this I much prefer living fast, but what is important and what I want to talk to you about is mental clarity and how to keep it together when life is none stop and to help stop you turning into an absolute PSYCHO. I’ve always been one to ‘burn the candle at both ends’ even as a child, I was all about keeping up with the Jones’s and I wanted to do everything and do it well, original Everything girl.

When I was younger I’d really struggle with managing everything which lead to A LOT of panic attacks. These days I still over commit myself but have a system in place to help battle brain fog and keep focused. 9/10 times this works really well, but sometimes (like this week) enough was enough and I knew it was time to step back.

I knew I’d hit that wall when I just felt overwhelmed, tired, lethargic and exhausted. Let’s be honest there is nothing special about running yourself down like this, even though we ALL do it. I recently wrote about the importance of sleep and I stand by this, your body has limitations and you ned to listen to them.

You can’t bet your PT running time if you have zero energy, you can’t smash an exam if your brain can’t focus and you can’t stay awake until all hours of the night trying to get everything done if your body is ready to drop. (Okay I may be speaking from experience here)

Yes this is a fitness beauty blog, but when was the last time you were exhausted and looked fabulous? Doesn’t happen does it. It’s so important to take care of every part of ourselves, physically and mentally and sometimes I think we all forget there is a synergy there.

There’s a saying in the diving community, ‘Stop. Breath. Think’ if you don’t stop to breath you’ll most likely hyperventilate which will starve your brain of oxygen and you wont be able to accomplish anything.

Most of my mornings look like this:

Get out of bed and put the kettle on for a peppermint tea.
Drink tea and meditate.
Go into the living room and open the curtains for a pilates workout or head to the gym.
Whatever the workout stay HYDRATED
Shower and cleanse face
Podcast while getting ready.

However I’ve had a few days lately where I’ve just switched off the alarm pulled the blanket over my head and gone back to sleep. When I wake back up I still feel awful and now I’m late! So I end rushing around getting my stuff together not having any me time and not working out, which for me is super important. No surprise that this is setting the tone to my day in completely the wrong way. My brain ends up scattered, I know I have stuff to do and instead of being focused I jump from half finished task to half finished task and nothing is to my usual standard.

Having spent another day feeling like I haven’t stopped but achieving nothing, (I hate busy days over productive) I reached the conclusion I need some serious mental clarity.

More sleep. More reading. More resting. More sweating. More stretching.

Working out is so important to me, I really feel like I get that time for just me, it’s also one of the few times I can honestly just switch off. I focus on my form, on what I’m doing, on counting. It’s kind of like mediation for me.

Sometimes we all need to hit that off button. I’ve started to crave that time away from work, from French classes, from my studies, from my phone.

We all talk a lot about mental health and physical fitness but not about positive mental health. I realised this one night when I found a quite area of the gym where I could just do my mini stretch routine in peace. Sweating and working out isn’t just for losing weight, isn’t just about toning up. It’s about your mind as well, we know exercise is good for your mind and mental clarity. If you’re going to take care of your body why would you not take care of your mind. You are a package.

If you want to get quicker, lift heavier you’d train. If you want your mind to be sharper, if you want that edge (as my boyfriend refers to it as) then sometimes you’ve got to take time out for you. Strangely I think we live in a society where this is something to be ashamed off but there is nothing ‘weak’ about looking after you. In fact it’s actually a lot harder to find that time to recharge and to prioritise yourself, even if this involves an hour to get a facial. One of my favourite sayings right now is ‘you can’t look after your community if you don’t take care of your garden’ meaning you can’t be there for others unless you can take that time out to be there for yourself.

So this is where I’m at, I found a small corner in one of the most beautiful modern libraries I’ve seen and wanted to share this with everyone because I felt like it needed to be shared, if it only helps one person stop, breath, think.

Birmingham library inside

And now I’m going home with a face mask!

How do you deal with the hamster wheel that is life?

Share your sanity tips below.

Love,

Tee

Frè your skin

Published on May 19, 2019May 19, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

I LOVE working out, there’s something really satisfying about getting a sweat on, especially first thing in the morning, it really sets the tone of my day. I also love to mix up my workouts, yes I have a weight training schedule along with yoga and Pilates but cardio is where it really gets fun. I’ve never really been a fan of cardio, it’s more of a necessity but I’m always looking for ways to enjoy it. So here’s the two versions of cardio I don’t hate, running with friends and swimming. Two great workouts both equally hate your skin. Regular outdoor exercise equals skin issues, dry, flakey, dully skin. Swimming has been my go to for the last 5 years and the thing that got me into fitness but the chlorine and my skin do NOT mix. I always come out feeling great about myself until the irrational red skin kicks in and I’m glad to dry brush my skin and a cool shower.

A few months ago while scrolling through Instagram I saw all the usual fitness influencers and their beautiful glowy skin in post workout pictures and was like WTF I do not look like this! Not even after Pilates. So I decided to slide into a few DM’s and ask exactly what products these woman were using to look that great after a workout. Not going to lie by the third or forth ‘oh thanks honestly I just drink a lot of water’ I was a bit bored of the generic responses. Yes hydrate but I want specifics on your skin routines! Finally I got a worthwhile response 🙌🏻

Fré Skincare. (I’ve mentioned this brand a few times before so get ready for my full review) I jumped straight onto google to find out what I could about this brand and it turns out designed especially for sweaty skin. It’s scientifically developed to protect the skin from the elements AND keep it hydrated without blocking your pores. Best of all it’s 100% vegan and cruelty free not to mention they don’t use parabens or mineral oil. They fill their products with loads of essential fatty acids to help maintain the the skins health along with vitamins A B & E which fight pollution and prevent wrinkles.

Right so they have so many different sets out from recovery to glow to detox and I was so confused where to start. I contacted the team directly asking what would best suit my needs and they recommended the Starter Kit. It contains their top three daily essentials as miniatures to help you get a feel for the product and they even come in a perfect string bag to pop straight into your gym bag. (Also I’m in love with miniatures at the moment they’re so handy on the go and let you test products without fully committing).

I’ve basically being using these three products everyday for a month and have to say they are worth the investment.

The Purify Me is the perfect hydrating gentle exfoliator, it uses jojoba beads for natural exfoliation without being too harsh on your skin. These remove dead skin cells and impurities from the pores while restoring the skins pH level for a clear complexion. Since using this daily I no longer get that tight skin tingling after washing my face.

Revive Me, as soon as I read that this product helps regenerate collagen i was sold. If you saw my Instagram post this week you’ll know I’ve been obsessed with collagen lately and this added boost has really helped promote a natural energised glow thanks to its cocktails of minerals and vitamins.

AND TO FINISH IT OFF… Protect Me, the ultimate light weight SPF moisturiser. Now you know I don’t leave the house without my SPF, if the suns up the SPF is on. I take this so seriously. Not only is this ultra light but it’s super quick to absorb into the skin. It’s designed to protect against UVA (the A is for ageing and these rays are always present even on the most over cast of days) UVB and pollution but it’s formula is designed not to run down your face when you get a little sweaty. Best of all it certainly doesn’t leave that horrible salty effect on your skin, you know the one I mean when you’ve had a really good hot sweaty session but your skin is producing salt by the gallon.

I honestly loved this collection and what’s great is that when you by a product on their site you can sign up for subscriptions so you don’t even have to worry about running out, they’ll deliver your next batch right to your door.

This post wasn’t sponsored and nothing here was gifted these are products I brought based on a recommendation that paid off and I wanted to share with all of you.

Your turn… what’s the first product you use when leaving the gym?

Love

Tee