life hack – realiTEE

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 you need a beauty roller

Published on July 16, 2019July 19, 2019 by realiTEE1 Comment

They see me rolling, jade rolling.

We’ve all seen them.

Every beauty blogger has one.

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!

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.

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.

Which is your favourite?

Love,

Tee

Are you doing these 3 things before a workout?

Published on July 6, 2019June 30, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

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!

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.

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.

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

Gym hair don’t care!

Published on May 11, 2019May 12, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

I’m so protective over my hair it’s unreal. I can be like nooo my hair! But with good reason, I damaged it so badly a few years back with no stop bleach and heat that it was actually frizzled at the front. The only solution was to cut my hair into a lob, not like this made much difference considering it kept splitting anyway. So now I do everything to keep it long and healthy to the point where I just don’t wash it. It’s effort and I don’t particularly enjoy it. If you’re a regular gym goer than you know the struggle is real, because you’re most likely going to work up a sweat tomorrow so what’s the point. Gym hair, don’t care! I’ve also learnt is not smart to train arms the day you wash your hair because holding the hairdryer for so long will come back to bite you! Anyway it’s so much more fun to style dirty hair. What can I say washing my hair is not for me. However if you do a LOT of cardio you probably need to wash your hair at least twice a week to help your scalp.

I’ve recently stretched my washes out to once a week, and quickly learnt the dirtier the better. Anyway who has the time to wash their hair everyday? I’ve got this down to swimming once a week and then washing my hair straight away.

Here’s why I don’t wash my hair;

1) I pay for my colour, why wash it straight out? It’s true blondes have more fun but the more you wash your hair the more you wash out the colour. I’ve never been able to keep ashy silver tones in my hair because it naturally has a red tint (thanks dad) but since I started to wash it weekly and switched to Charles Worthington toning shampoo the colour has never been better. Exactly what I wanted, and that’s still the case 8 weeks later. When I do wash my hair I always opt for sulphate free shampoo, this one is currently still my favourite. (Added bonus shampoo and conditioner lasts sooo much longer when you use it less often)

2) It strips out your natural oils, it’s the oils in your hair that make it look shiny and healthy. Isn’t that what everyone wants? So why strip them out, makes no sense to me. You can also end up causing your scalp to produce more oils to try and replace what you’ve washed out, leaving your hair more greasy and you end up in a vicious wash cycle.

3) It’s so much easier to style. Yep, probably helped by the amount of dry shampoo I use but my hair has so much more texture and thickness to it that when I style it it actually does what I wanted, most of the time.

Hair style curls

Here’s some tips for keeping it healthy;

1) The sleep bun, doesn’t need to be a bun but keep it up/ tied back. Buns are great and I use these great crocodile clips which don’t leave a mark in my hair but braids work just as well. I’ve honestly noticed a huge difference in my hair since sleeping with it up more, when I sleep with it down it’s noticeable greasy the day after. Last time I slept with it down my boyfriend rolled onto it in the night and I was trapped, lesson learnt.

2) Hair mask, we all love a good hair mask but my hair is always so much nicer after a hair mask and gym session. Yes that’s right a hair mask and gym session, I heat from my workout helps the hair mask and it’s more efficient instead of sitting around waiting to wash it out. I will comb my favourite mask through my hair from root to ends and then tie it up, completely out of my face so no product touches my skin.

3) Grapefruit oil, I have a little spray bottle with a concoction of water and grapefruit oil. Post workout I spray a little water on my roots and blow dry them for thickness the spray a little grapefruit to make it smell nice. And I’m good to go.

It’s so much fun to get creative with your hair when it’s dirt, here’s a few of my favourite styles;

When it comes to washing your hair I’m definitely a less is more girl.

What about you? Hair secrets accepted below.

Love

Tee

Ps: nothing in this post was sponsored or gifted just products and things I’ve tried and liked.

Gym Bag Must Have’s

Published on May 4, 2019May 4, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

I recently went to the gym with my mom for the first time, and she was quick to take the opportunity to see what I kept in my gym bag and what I used on my skin straight after. Every time I pulled something out of my bag she would stretch over to have a look, straining her neck and asking ‘what’s that?’ And ‘oooh can I use this please?’ Finally I gave up and asked what she had in her’s and I was shocked! It had a few things in there but not what I would consider the basics. Standing there wrapped in nothing but a towel explaining to my mom what are my gym bag must have’s I decided this was something to share with everyone. My mom was even more shocked to found out that these products were my gym bag products, they live in my bag so when I’m in a rush and heading out the door or going for an improv leg session I know I’ve got everything I need when I’m there. If you hadn’t already figured out I’m an organisational freak- now you know!

So here are my 5 gym bag beauty must have’s and 5 gym bag nice to have’s, you know the one’s where you get to the gym and start looking for and realise you forgot, it’s not the end of the world but you’re a little disappointed in yourself. It’s a basic list to help you get your gym bag together and take with you whether it’s a spare of the moment meet up, planned but you’re running late or early morning and you still have brain fog.

I realised that the most important gym accessory for each and everyone of us was in my ears the whole time I planned, wrote and took the images for this post- HEADPHONES! Who’s with me? I know, I know not technically a beauty product but I think we can all agree the most important part of a workout. I know people that would actually turn around and go home if they forgot their headphones.

Must have’s:

1) Water bottle- I don’t think a post goes by where I don’t talk about water. It is by large the most important thing for your skin. Hydrate, before, during and after. Just hydrate. 24/7. You’re skin will thank you for it. Personally I like to mix mine up, I’m currently on mint and lemon water with some crushed ice to keep it cool and refreshing. Mint leaves and known to be good for your complexion and for healthy hair where lemon is a great source of vitamin C and helps digestion.

2) Mist- I LOVE a good refreshing face mist, and I’ve tried so many good ones and made a few of my own, for example rosehip oil, most of them have good hydrating benefits, extra vitamins to help brighten your face etc.. I’m currently in love with this from DISCIPLE Skincare, this brand is everything I’m about, affordable, clean, natural and seriously effective! Balancing Mist may have been designed for long flights and late nights but it’s also great for a pick me up after a late night yoga or Pilates session. This brand is aimed at stressed out adult skin, inflammation and premature ageing. DISCIPLE Skincare is a new find for me so it’s still early days before I tell you to rush out and buy their products but this mist is my new best gym bag friend. (It’s also great to keep in your work bag if you’re having a bad skin day and your make up good do with a boost around lunch).

3) Underwear!!!- Yes clean underwear at all times! When you take your dirties out put some clean ones straight back in. I consider hygiene a big part in beauty so I think this tip qualifies. You’ll also thank my for this tip when you’ve gone to the gym pre work and panic you’ve forgotten a bra. No one wants to spend the day in a sweaty sports bra. These pants are my favourite, a Victoria Secrets find from their sports range they’re seamless and discreet so no pantie line showing through your leggings.

4) Face and body wash – yes as always I’m stressing the fact you need to clean your skin straight away to stop bacteria blocking your pores. Remember you don’t want to over exfoliate a good gentle cleanser is good enough. I’m currently trying a new product so I’ll keep you updated on that! Face wash I’m still loving Fré Skincare purify me, it’s especially designed for woman that train. I’ll be doing a few review of these products in a couple of weeks so stay tuned!

5) Moisturiser- I guess this comes hand in hand with the face and body wash. Your skin is all over your body so remember to take care of all of it, every nook and cranny! If it’s early you’re going to need an SPF with your moisturiser don’t forget you need protection from both UVA and UVB. If it’s late night and you’re heading home bring with you your night cream. I know after a long week working and keeping fit sometimes my skin can start to look dull which is the last thing I want ahead of the weekend, I’ve recently tried Summer Fridays Jet Lag mask which comes highly recommended by almost everyone! Again another one designed for travel but works wonders after the gym.

Nice to have’s:

1) Hair clips, I love love love these alligator style clips from Boots, they don’t leave a line in my hair and are so handy! I have them everywhere at home and always in my gym bag. I hate washing my hair so these babies keep it well and truly out of the way of water when I’m showering or in the jacuzzi.

2) Spare bag, for your dirty stuff. I usually always forget these but when I remember I feel like I’m a fully functional adult! Can I get a high five.

3) Towel X2 it goes without saying you need a towel in the showers but it’s always handy to have a mini towel to wipe your sweat and the equipment as you go. The gym blue roll situation is not good, I swear it dissolves when it comes into contact with sweat.

So there’s a few of my gym bag beauty essentials, what do you always ensure is in your bag? Would love to find out, do you take full size or miniatures?

Let me know below,

Love

Tee