Tag Archives: glowing

Sujata Gazder Valinora Serum Review

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Sujata Gazder Valinora Serum Review

Hey! One of my favorite things to do is test out new skin and bath and body care products. Nothing pleases me more than scouring the shelves of TJMaxx’s beauty department for a good haul and trying a new product or two is a relatively cheap way for me to treat myself. As a fanatic for all things beauty, I couldn’t wait to receive a goodie box from my dear friend, Sujata, to celebrate the launch of her new website. 😀

During my unboxing, I was ecstatic to find a body bar and a bottle of Valinora serum. So much so, that I did something that I literally never do: I stopped using the serum I was working on halfway through to try out the new one! Of course, I’ll return to it later but not until I finish every last drop of the Valinora serum. It. Is. AMAZING! Let’s discuss:

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During my unboxing post, I used the word “nourishing” to describe the Valinora serum based on sight and scent alone. And, after just one use, I patted myself on the back for using the perfect description because this serum is so incredibly nourishing. I have been using the Valinora serum morning and night for the past week and every time I use it, I like it even more than I did before. All of these sentiments are mine alone and are not said because Sujata is my friend… this stuff is just that good.

The first thing you will notice about the Valinora serum is its scent. Sujata effortlessly combined a shopping list of various oils and essential oils to create this botanical serum. I can really smell the hemp and frankincense but everyone is different and will surely be able to pick up on fragrances that don’t stand out to me. At first, I thought the serum’s scent was a bit overpowering. However, after I gave it a chance, I found it to be invigorating in the morning and soothing at night. I love this, because as a permanently sleepy gal, I need all of the extra pick me ups that I can get in the morning!

This serum is actually quite different from what I usually prefer. While the texture is thin, it is jam packed with skin care magic and takes a decent amount of time to fully absorb. This is something that would normally bother me and it surprisingly doesn’t at all. In fact, I like it! As the serum sets, I know that it is working and the way my skin looks confirms it because it has never looked or felt better.

Yes, the Valinora serum is insanely hydrating and that is awesome in itself, but it is so much more than that. I never have considered myself to have an uneven skin tone and I still don’t. Regardless, whatever was going on with my skin is a problem solved now. Using this serum truly allowed my best face to come forward and my complexion really does look much more even than it did before. I also noticed a HUGE decrease in my designer bags – they are essentially gone! To top it off, my skin simply glows with each use. Like, radiant level glowing and you just can’t beat that!

The Valinora serum by Sujata Gazder is, hands down, one of the best that I have ever used and I cannot sing its praises enough. I have never used a product before and experienced such immediate results and I know all of you will love it too. Shop along at Sujata’s new site and treat yourself to the best in skin care and fashion!

What is the best product you have ever used? Do you like trying new products or sticking to what works? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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How Exercise Can Make You Look Younger

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How Exercise Can Make You Look Younger

There are many products on the market that claim to undo the effects of time on your skin. However, there’s one aspect that people often don’t talk about when they discuss skincare: a healthy lifestyle. The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and its health depends on how you treat it. Your lifestyle factors into the condition of your skin as much as anything else, so it makes sense that being healthy and exercising can affect how youthful your complexion is too:

Exercise Can Combat Sagging:

Aside from proper nutrition and adequate sleep, exercise can be a key component as well. While many people think that only the effects of aging make us look older, we actually start to take on an aged appearance long before our time. It all starts in your twenties and thirties when the underlying muscles and bones lose their elasticity and snap back less easily. Before you know it, your body geometry is more prominently defined, and your facial features start to sag.

When you exercise the muscles in your face and neck, they become tighter and more toned. It’s actually possible to get a younger looking jawline through easy exercises! After a while, your skin will tighten up with these underlying muscles. Of course, the effects will not be as pronounced as the best non-invasive facelift treatments, but it will visibly improve your appearance.

Exercise Can Reduce Dark Circles and Puffiness:

There are many reasons why people have puffiness under their eyes – not all of them are related to fatigue or not sleeping enough. Short term swelling can often be due to crying or allergies, but chronic cases may represent a more serious medical condition.

However, exercise may help! By regularly working out, you indirectly reduce the amount of water in your body. When you sweat, it’s easy to lose a lot of liquid without even realizing it. If you’ve ever had an intense workout and then noticed that your skin was not as puffy or dark circles were not as prominent, this is why!

Exercise Boosts Blood Circulation:

If you want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, then one thing that you should pay attention to is your blood circulation. There’s a reason why people are always trying hot stone massages or using warming masks – because blood flow improves skin health.

The heart acts as the main pump for your circulatory system, pushing fluid throughout all of your tissues. When you exercise, your muscles demand more oxygen and fuel to get a boost of nutrients and also receive a lot of fresh oxygen. This helps improve blood flow to your face, delivering useful nutrients and carrying away waste.

Oxygen is an integral part of the production process for collagen. In fact, people often describe aging as a simple case of ‘rusting’. When your body starts to slow down its mitochondrial activity (the cells in your body that produce energy), the old proteins in the body become oxidized and start to look bad. Collagen is exactly like iron – when it’s exposed to oxygen, it rusts and flakes off. By keeping your blood flowing regularly around your face, you can slow down this aging process.

Exercise Makes Your Skin Glow:

Many people have that ‘fresh out of the shower’ look after working out. You might notice that your skin looks much healthier when you’re sweaty! The reason why exercise makes us glow isn’t just because of sweat. Our bodies are constantly trying to regulate our temperature, so in times of stress or physical exertion, the blood vessels in the skin dilate. If you’ve ever noticed that your cheeks turn red after a workout, this is why.

This dilation of the blood vessels happens as a secondary effect to improved circulation. When there’s more blood flow to your face, you look more awake and ‘healthy’. This is why exercise makes us look younger – we’re literally glowing!

While exercise can’t undo the effects of sun damage or other signs of aging like wrinkles, it can make your complexion look much healthier overall. If you want to maintain your youthfulness over the years, exercise should be a significant part of your lifestyle – not just something that you do occasionally!

Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello! During my last online Sephora Haul, I was able to cash in on my freebie birthday gift right in the nick of time as the month of June was almost over. I went with the LANEIGE gift set which offered a travel sized moisturizer, lip mask, and sleeping mask. Since arriving in the mail, I have used all of these products and can easily say that I would buy a full size of any of them – especially the Lip Sleeping Mask!

This past week, I used the Water Sleeping Mask three days in a row and was blown away by the results every morning. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

When I saw the Water Sleeping Mask by LANEIGE in person, I remembered that I had actually tried it out before. It’s funny, because I was less than impressed in my previous review two years ago. Fast forward to present day and I am freaking obsessed with this mask!

Despite its rich gel texture, the Water Sleeping Mask applies really thin and this is so nice in my hot apartment. It can be unbearable having a thicker product on when I am sweating constantly! A little of it also went a long way and I have barely made a dent in it after three uses.

I was so excited to see the results upon awakening after my first use and when I looked in the mirror, I thought it was a fluke. When I wake up in the morning, I look and feel like the Swamp Creature lol but when I saw myself, my skin was absolutely glowing. It looked so healthy, bright, radiant, and *dare I say* younger! After three uses in a row, I woke up to the same results each morning and couldn’t believe my skin could look that good from just one product.

If you’re looking for instant radiance in the morning, then this nighttime mask is for you! I have no idea how I didn’t experience that during my first test run with the Water Sleeping Mask and am so glad I had the opportunity to try it again. Highly recommend!

Have you used any LANEIGE products before? What are your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Give Yourself An Instant Summer Makeover

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Give Yourself An Instant Summer Makeover

After over a year of being cooped up due to the pandemic, it is only understandable to want to put your best self forward now that it is possible to be out and about again. There is no better way to wow those who you haven’t seen in so long with a makeover! The options we’ll discuss will have instant results and you will be sure to stun the next time you step out. Let’s get to it:

Visit The Dentist:

It was so strange to not be able to see what anyone really looked like during the pandemic because of the face masks and it is nice to see people smiling again. Speaking of smiling, how is yours looking? Bi yearly trips to the dentist are a must and a cleaning will make your pearly whites even prettier when you flash a smile. If more extensive work needs done, your dentist could use the high quality appliances from orthodontic laboratory Toronto to completely perfect your smile. Instant makeover? I think yes!

Upgrade Your Wardrobe:

There is no need to buy a brand new wardrobe with the changing of the seasons. Rather, upgrade what you already have by purchasing a few statement and weather appropriate pieces to refresh your wardrobe. It will be such fun to go shopping again and now that fitting rooms are open, don’t be afraid to experiment with things you wouldn’t normally try on. You never know if something works unless you try it and new to you shapes and colors will be an automatic boost to your closet.

Don’t Skimp On Skin Care:

There is something to be said for bright, soft skin so don’t skimp on skin care this summer. You can’t go wrong with a gel moisturizer for lightweight hydration and don’t forget to get one with SPF in it! The same goes for a body lotion with SPF too. We see a lot more of everyone in the summer thanks to shorts and tank tops so no dry patches allowed! Make your complexion the most radiant with a Vitamin C serum and now we’re in business.

Work On You:

People just glow differently when they are happy, don’t they? Spend some time each day with yourself to meditate, journal, do yoga – whatever. As long as you are relaxing and focusing on inner peace your “me time” could be anything. The important thing is that you are working to improve your mind and body so you can smile more often and make your aura even more beautiful.

Give yourself an instant makeover this summer with the tips above and don’t be afraid to shine. We all deserve it after facing so many difficulties this past year!

5 Changes To Your Diet That Will Make Your Skin Glow

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5 Changes To Your Diet That Will Make Your Skin Glow

Tired of having dull, lackluster skin? Want to achieve that natural glow that makes you feel great inside and out? Of course you do! While a good skincare routine goes a long way, the key to radiant skin starts from within. Read about five simple diet changes that will help to make your skin glow:

1. Drink more water:

You might be tired of being told to drink more water, but you won’t know the difference it can make to your skin until you give it a try. Drinking more water has many beauty benefits, and it can be a great anti-ageing tool to keep your skin looking plump and wrinkle-free. Start drinking around eight glasses (more if you’re exercising) and keep yourself hydrated.

2. Ditch the caffeine:

Caffeine might make you feel more awake, but it’s not great for your skin. While caffeine alone isn’t responsible for cellulite, it can add to its appearance – so you might want to lay off caffeine as a way to reduce it. If you’re already dealing with cellulite, you can get advice on how to get rid of it from cellulite.com – it’s a great resource for finding creams and lotions to help improve that. Try caffeine-free versions of your favorite hot drinks or beverages or, better yet, go for natural juice and water, instead.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables:

Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals, which are all essential for helping your skin to glow. Some of the fruits and vegetables for good skin include vitamin C rich foods like green peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes. Selenium is a mineral that will boost skin elasticity and keep it firm, and you can find it in spinach, lentils, and carrots. Fill up your plate with healthy fruits and vegetables and feed your skin the goodness that it needs.

4. Switch to healthy fats:

We all know that consuming too many fatty foods is bad for you, but that doesn’t mean that all fats are bad. There are healthy fats that can help give your skin a boost, including omega 3, which is found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel. Avocados, walnuts, and olive oil also contain beneficial fats that will help to nourish your skin. Breakfast is a good place to consume healthy fats, so start your day off right with some eggs and other good fats to help your intake.

5. Lower your soda intake:

Soda isn’t recommended for living a healthy diet, and this is particularly true when it comes to your skin. The syrups and sugars contained in soda can have different effects, including the ageing of your skin. Sodas are also very high in calories, and consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain. Opt for sugar free versions if you must drink soda, or cut them out altogether and stick to water.

Glowing skin is an amazing confidence booster that will help you radiate from within. By starting with a good diet, you can help create a glowing complexion and keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. Make some changes to your eating and drinking habits today to experience the benefits for yourself.

Featured Image By: Pxhere