Tag Archives: winter

Oct25

Bright Ideas To Spruce Up A Gloomy Home

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Bright Ideas To Spruce Up A Gloomy Home

When summer is put behind us, it’s tempting to revert to dark, deep colors. Mustard yellows and soft browns are autumnal and reflect the changing leaves outside. However, if one goes too far with a deep color palette, a gloomy home can be created, which is somewhat depressing. Remember that the sun sets far earlier and that there is less sunlight during the autumn and winter months. Exploiting light to combat this is never as important as it is now and in the months to come.

Don’t fret, though, because sprucing up a gloomy house is by no means impossible. In fact, with the following tips, it’s pretty easy!

Paint It White:

The Rolling Stones are a fan of painting things black, but they’re rock stars and allowed to be miserable. The average person can’t pull off their attitude without a guitar in hand. So, as a rule, it’s better to use white when brightening up a home. The reason for this is the sheen. All paint is glossy, yet white has an extra shine, which gives it an added edge. Even lighter colors can’t compete because they are softer and not as bright. It’s okay to use non-autumnal colors. Use white as the foundation, and then you can accessorize the rest of the house with darker tones.

Glass Paneled Doors:

Removing blockages from the windows and using power light bulbs are simple fixes. Still, the light may not travel well from one room to another. The reason, quite simply, is the blockages within the rooms. Doors are a prime example because they are big and bulky. As soon as the light hits the wood or PVC, it will bounce elsewhere. With panels, the rays will travel straight through unimpeded and into the next area of the house. The doors don’t have to be paneled from head to toe because it’s overkill. Just install them halfway up the wood for excellent results.

Make It Fun:

You didn’t think to brighten up a home was all about light, did you? No, the right light settings are crucial but not the end of the line. To make a house less gloomy, it needs to be a place that you enjoy. Whether it’s relaxing or bright and poppy, there should be a stylish and practical nature throughout the property. Relaxing is easy, so let’s focus on having fun. If there is space, turn an empty bedroom into a games room. The best billiard tables can provide you with hours of entertainment. Make sure you get a mini fridge and an awesome speaker system, too! Finally, make sure that the house is accessible. Nothing is more annoying than struggling to move in your own home. Clear away the clutter and the boxes and watch the space and light flow better than ever.

Keep It The Same:

The above are useful tips if a gloomy house is a problem. But what if you love your house the way it is?! Keep everything the same if your home looks perfect. For one thing, it should be a reflection of your family’s likes and dislikes. Secondly, some people are winter people, as in they love this time of year. In that case, embrace the dark afternoons and freezing cold temperatures! Pull a Mick Jagger and Paint It Black and light some candles for a spooky chic atmosphere. Go all out, because nothing is cooler than a house that is completely and utterly you.

A murky home is not always doom and gloom. But if you do want to brighten things up, follow the above steps and let the sunshine in!

Featured Image By: PxHere

Oct22

Nipping At Your Nose: Don’t Let The Cold Weather Damage Your Skin!

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Nipping At Your Nose: Don’t Let The Cold Weather Damage Your Skin!

Whether it’s something that you’re happy about or not, there’s no denying that summer is well and truly over and we’re already rushing headlong into those chilly winter months. For some people, this is what they’ve been waiting for all year long. And for others, it’s time to slog through miserable weather until spring finally rolls back around. Either way, there’s one thing that everyone needs to keep in mind: the cold weather can be a real nightmare for your skin. You might have been used to the summertime leaving your skin clear and glowing, but the cold weather can undo all of that if you’re not careful. Here are a few things that you can do to prevent that from happening, even as the weather gets colder and colder:

Find The Right Products:

The kinds of skin products that you use during the summer are often going to be fundamentally different to the ones that you use when it gets colder. In fact, other than sunscreen, you probably will find that you need to put a lot less product on your skin during the warmer periods. However, cold weather can dry out your skin seriously fast, causing all kinds of problems. Check out this page with ranking and reviews of the best retinol creams to see if you can find the best possible options for your skin. Everyone’s skin is different, and you want to make sure that you find something that is properly suited to you.

Dress Warmly:

Even if you’re a big fan of the winter, no one likes being cold, and your skin is no exception. By wrapping up warm, you’re going to make life much easier for your skin. The important thing is to keep your core warm. If you can do that, then your body can focus on keeping your hands, feet, and face at a somewhat comfortable temperature. This is especially important since your face is the only part of your body that is pretty much always exposed to the elements no matter what.

Get Enough Sun:

Of course, the temperature isn’t the only reason that a lot of people’s skin tends to suffer during the winter months. The other reason is simply that they don’t go outside nearly as much. After all, why would you? A walk in the park is a lot less appealing when you end up with frost forming in your eyebrows! However, staying inside all winter can lead you to not getting enough vitamin D. Not only can this have a serious impact on your skin but it can affect your overall health, as well. Make sure that you still take the opportunity to get out into the sun, even if it’s not exactly sunbathing weather. On the coldest, wettest, and most dreary days, you can also try out some light therapy within your warm and dry house. Red light therapy is particularly good for Vitamin D; have a read through of some Platinum Therapy Lights reviews to see how you can get this set up.

No matter what your opinion of the winter is, nothing will change its arrival, so the best thing to do is embrace it. Get your cozy sweaters on, make yourself a cup of cocoa, and curl up by the fire. And even if you really hate it, just remember that spring will be here before you know it!

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Jan26

Bath & Body Works January Freebie

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Bath & Body Works January Freebie

Hii everyone and happy Thursday! So this month I was growing increasingly wary that Bath & Body Works was finally on to the fact that whenever I come into the store, it’s usually just to cash in my freebie coupons. I had not received anything in December so by late January, I assumed that my free ride was over. But, as they say, assume makes an ass out of you and me because this past week I received some of my beloved freebie coupons in the mail. I was really happy about this because after the holiday season, my hoard was beginning to run dry thanks to peppering many a gift with a few travel sized goodies. Lucky for me, I was able to add to the stock pile with these two lotions:

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On Tuesday, I picked up a travel size Pink Cashmere and Magic In The Air lotion. I really like the Pink Cashmere scent because it smells so barely there light which is perfect for someone who doesn’t like an overpowering fragrance. I am one of those people so if I decide to keep this one for myself or gift it, I know that it will be a hit either way. I also LOVE, love, love the packaging for this lotion. It is so girly, soft, and pretty which was the perfect way to go for such a delicate scent.

Magic In The Air is one of B&BW’s winter fragrances and will definitely be one that I’ll be saving for the next holiday season (or perhaps a giveaway!). It won’t do much good to gift someone with a wintery floral scent for a summer birthday! Regardless, I think that this lotion smells really pretty! It has a lovely winter berry scent layered with some sweet florals, which is all combined with the freshness in the air that comes with a crisp winter wind. Normally, I’m not one for floral fragrances but Magic In The Air is one that I can get down with!

I am so #blessed that Bath & Body Works decided to bestow more freebie coupons onto me and am looking forward to refilling my stock pile with lots of wonderful smell goods!

So there you have it, my Bath & Body Works January Freebie! Who thinks that I should do a lotion giveaway? What is your favorite B&BW scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan26

Get Ahead of the Game

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There is no time better to get everything ready for the winter months than in the winter months. That may sound a bit confusing, but it is the only season that you both start and end the year in (unless you’re in Australia, and then it’s flipped around … lucky!). So while you’re stuck firmly in winter at the start of the year with not much to do, think about the future and how you can get ahead of the game.

Sort the Heating: There may not be anything wrong with your source of heat now, but it’s best to make sure that everything is in tip-top working condition before you lessen your uses of it. You may not be using your furnace as much as you have this season over the next coming months, so it’s always good to get a furnace repair or inspection organized to make sure that everything is working as it should be. If you use a wood burner to provide your home with warmth, start looking for your wood now; it gives it plenty of time to dry out over the coming months and you’ll get a good stash of it ready and available. You also will save yourself quite a bit of cash by not outsourcing for it.

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Burn baby burn!

Buy the Gifts: You may have just exhausted the contents of your purse or wallet with Christmas, but the sales are still happening and now is the time to grab a bargain ahead of the next time the festive season rears its head up. How many times have you been left flapping and panicking about a present, resulting in your impulse-buying an expensive gift that you’re not really sure why you picked up in the first place? Maybe because it kind of resembled something that the other person liked once upon a time? If you spot something now that you know the receiver will love and admire, buy it before it returns to its pre-sale price.

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Tackle the Odd Jobs: Does the bathroom need a lick of paint? Gaps in the wall that need filling? Pictures that need hanging up? Do them all now. Stop thinking about a time to do them and increase your productivity levels by getting the jobs done. Actively look around the house for things that need fixing, cleaning, or even just checking-over to make sure that the batteries work (smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are a great example). It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is to get stuff sorted; if you set next winter as your goal, it gives you plenty of time to get it all done.

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Handy is dandy!

Don’t just read this and move on; think of all of the things that you could achieve before the coldness settles upon us again and get to work! You’ll look back on the past you and give yourself at a pat on the back – you deserve it, you handy and magnificent human, you.

Jan24

Slash The Cost Of Your Heating Bill This Winter

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Slash The Cost Of Your Heating Bill This Winter

Winter definitely has it’s plus points. Cozy evenings in, beautiful snow, and delicious hot drinks. But once Christmas is over, the novelty of winter begins to wear off, and by this point, most of us are getting fed up with it! One of the worst parts is the cost of heating our homes, and over the winter months fuel bills can really mount up. Thankfully there are ways to make it a little less expensive. Here’s how:

Switch to a Tankless Water Heater: We all love a long soak in a hot bath over the winter months. But the cost of heating that water can cost a bundle. One way that you can slash costs is by switching to a tankless water heater. This is a system that uses no pilot light, and in many cases can cut bills by half. If your property still uses an old tank heater, you’ll know the frustration of running out of hot water and having to wait around for it to re-heat. With this, water is heated on demand giving you an unlimited supply so there’s no running out, or wasting money by heating water unnecessarily.

Invest in Smart Home Heating: Smart home heating gives you total control over your heating. With this, your thermostat is controlled through your smartphone making it easy to turn on and off at the touch of a button. No going out and worrying you’ve left the heating on. No having to get out of bed in the freezing cold, just use your smartphone in the morning and give the home a few minutes to heat up. There are add-ons which allow you to control the heat in different rooms, too, which can also save on money as you do not have to heat the whole house to feel the warmth in one room.

Buy a Log Burner: Wood burning stoves have a wonderful rustic charm. And while you will have to pay for the installation, the running costs afterward are very low. Firewood is less expensive than traditional central heating, and if you’re able to cut your own wood then you get heat essentially for free! Warming your toes in front of a gorgeous crackling fire truly gives the perfect ski lodge atmosphere. It almost makes the bitter winter weather seem worth it.

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Warm and toasty!

Wrap Up Warm: Rather than having your heating set to maximum, you could set it lower which will cost less money. And to keep warm, wrap up in cozy pajamas and throws. You can buy huge soft throws from places like eBay for around twenty-five dollars which are perfect for snuggling up with on the sofa. After the upfront cost, keeping warm this way will cost significantly less than putting the heating up full blast every night. Fleece pajamas and thick terry toweling dressing gowns will also keep you snug and warm. Although it’s not the most ideal way to save some cash, it is one that I am familiar with considering that’s how my dad manages the heating bills! Lol.-___-

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan19

The Other Side Of Christmas: Preparing For Warmer Weather

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It feels strange to know that we’re already on the good side of winter. It takes so long to prepare for the bad weather – battening down the hatches, making sure our guttering is in place, sewing up any moth holes in our favorite sweaters – that it’s always surprising when it’s almost spring time again. Of course, we still have a little way to go, but after Christmas, it always feels as though we’ve been through the worst of it. Summer fashion is starting to make its way into the stores and despite the fact that it’s snowing in some places, we’re thinking hopefully about what the warmer weather will bring us. Here are some tips about how to handle the run-up to summer:

Check Your Air Conditioning: The absolute worst day for your air conditioning to break is the first day that you actually need it, so it’s probably a good idea to start checking it every so often to make sure that it’s still good and it won’t die a horrible death when summer comes. If you do need a new unit, take a look online for one that might suit the needs of you and your family – Shinco portable air conditioner units are a popular choice for many people. If you’re worried about the effect that it might have on your energy bill, why not look into solar power? It’s sustainable and cheap in the long run.

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Take Your Vacation Days: If you have vacation days and you want to go away this summer, now is the time to book those days off before someone else does. Don’t be afraid to take your vacation days – you’re entitled to them and there’s no pride in working until you’re sick or refusing to take the opportunity to see the world out of a misguided belief that you have to spend all your time at your desk. Take the time off, travel, and become a more well rounded person.

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Ahh, does that look nice!

Sort Through Your Clothes: It’s a good idea to sort through your summer clothes before you need to actually start wearing them. First of all, set aside and then donate all of the clothes that you didn’t wear last summer. If you didn’t wear them then, you won’t wear them now. Likewise, give away all the clothes that you’re hoping might fit you again one day. It’s much better to buy some new clothes that fit you perfectly and that you feel beautiful in. Although there’s no shame in saving a few pieces for motivation!!

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Stripes on stripes on stripes

Get Healthy: It’s been said that in order to get the summer body you want, you have to work on it in the winter. Although the whole concept of a ‘summer body’ is flawed, it is definitely true that you shouldn’t slack off and let yourself get unhealthy over the winter. If you’re cold and miserable, it’s easy to comfort eat and slob out on the sofa, but trust me when I say that in the long run, that won’t make you any happier. Instead, wrap up nice and warm and go out for a walk. You can make warming winter stews for dinner instead of getting Chinese takeout for the millionth time. 😉

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Pexels Image

Jan17

Moisturize That Skin: How To Take Care Of Your Complexion Over Winter

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Moisturize That Skin: How To Take Care Of Your Complexion Over Winter

Over the winter, it’s hard to keep your skin looking flawless. Although we all know that the summer sun can be very damaging for our skin, we often don’t think about the damage that’s done by bitingly cold temperatures and harsh winter winds. With red cheeks, chapped lips, and sore hands, we need a winter remedy to help us feel beautiful again. Luckily, there are many tips and tricks for keeping your skin fresh and picture perfect all year long:

Step Up Your Skincare: We always make sure that we’re wearing sunscreen over the summer – or we should, at least! But people often don’t realize that it’s important to wear a high SPF over the winter, too, because the winter sun can be just as damaging with its UV rays. Make sure that you put your sunscreen or a moisturizer with a high SPF on underneath your makeup and apply it to your neck and décolletage too. Put on night cream when you go to bed at night, along with eye cream. If you get oily skin, try using a gel moisturizer instead – just make sure that you don’t use a cleanser that’s too abrasive and that strips your skin of the natural oils that it needs to stay healthy.

If you have been using skin care that is appropriate for your skin type and are still not satisfied with the results, there are other options. You can go to an esthetician for treatments or you can look for more permanent solutions with a Plastic surgeon in Corsicana, TX (or your local area). Plastic surgery is sometimes still regarded as a taboo subject, but there is nothing wrong with it as long as you are comfortable and are, of course, going to a safe and reputable practice.

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Such cute specs!

Keep Hydrated: In the summer, it’s easy to make sure that you drink plenty of water when it’s so hot outside. Skin cells are made up of water and if you don’t drink enough, then your complexion starts to look dull and lifeless, so it’s important that you keep drinking water all throughout the winter, too. If you’re finding it hard to make yourself do so, why not make flavored water at home with your favorite fruits?

Drinking water will make your skin look fresh and glowing, and it’ll improve your general health – not just that of your skin. Make sure that you take off your makeup every evening with a cleanser that doesn’t strip the natural oils from your skin. If you find that your soap or shampoo aren’t foaming up enough but leaving a greasy layer of residue behind on your skin instead, then you might live in a hard water area – try investing in a water softener to improve matters.

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Drink up!

Fake It Till You Make It: If you’re finding it difficult to get perfect skin this winter, then there is always makeup to help with that. You might need a slightly paler shade of foundation than you do in the summer – or if you want lighter coverage with more moisturizing properties, why not go for BB cream instead? Lightly coat your under-eyes with translucent powder before brushing it away to erase any dark circles and do some light contouring to highlight your cheekbones.

A blusher like NARS Orgasm will add some warm color to your cheeks and if you want to go for a more golden summery look, try a golden highlighter and a light layer of bronzer. Complete the look with eye makeup in warm shades like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette. Winter is the time that you can be a little more experimental with your lip color, so go for a dark berry shade – just make sure you’ve exfoliated your lips first!

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Love NYX!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jan12

Beat The January Depression At Work: 3 Ways To Bring Nature Into The Workplace

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For many, the month of January in the office feels like the longest and darkest month of the year. While this can be explained by the fact that January means for all going back to work after the Christmas break, there is no denying that offices often experience a low and depressed mood during the time. While you could try to improve the mood by offering a round of hot drinks to your colleagues or bringing cookies at work, for example, there is a better way to visibly and permanently release everyone from their pressure and their dark thoughts: Invite the great outdoors into the workplace. Here’s how to do it!

Use The Digital Force For A Low-Cost Moral Boost:

For people in a workplace, the winter months can feel especially gray and cold, as there is rarely any chance that it’s a nice day outside. All you can see through the window is generally traffic and rain or snow, depending on how cold it is where you are. Besides, as most people are focused on their screens, it is really tricky to remember that there is a life outside of work. Sometimes, a nature-inspired desktop saver can boost your mood, although you need to be careful with those. Using the picture of a sunny beach can only remind people that working in a town in winter feels a lot different to summer holidays. You could also try fireplace videos as a screensaver, as they bring a feeling of coziness that offices often lack. If you want to revive the interests of nature lovers, try some outdoor wildlife apps on your smartphone: They can help your colleagues remember that there is more to the planet than the office desk.

Bring Natural Elements That Can Release Pressure:

Work can be stressful at times and it is important, especially at the beginning of the year, to create a friendly environment that can help workers to let go of their pressure. This is something that you could try with the addition of an aquarium, as the presence of swimming fish in an office is proven to reduce blood pressure and to boost mental concentration. Besides, it’s a lovely feature for the workplace. Additionally, you could consider bringing in office plants that will help to purify the air and boost the moral and the productivity of colleagues. However, picking the right plant can be challenging without gardening knowledge. You need to choose plants that are sturdy and low-maintenance to make sure that your green office doesn’t turn into a plant graveyard!

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Create A Positive Work Decor:

How you decorate a room and how you use the space within plays a significant role in the mood of those who work there. If you are new to the notion of Feng Shui, you should know that this ancient Chinese philosophy focuses on balancing and harmonizing the energies in a room. The basic rules of effective Feng Shui relate to making the most of the natural colors for your furniture and walls, keeping the air fresh and pure, and balancing the natural Yin and Yang forces in the room. While this sounds a little simplistic, the addition of a Feng Shui compliant decor can genuinely help to boost the mood and the productivity of your colleagues at work.

Jan11

Ensure Your Child Stays Warm And Toasty This Winter With These Unmissable Hacks

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As the weather gets worse outside, our mind is focusing on ensuring that our children stay healthy during the winter months. After all, it’s so easy for them to pick up a flu bug or a skin issue at this time of the year. And they are easily preventable if you make sure that your child stays a good temperature during winter. Here are some unmissable hacks to ensure that your child stays warm and toasty when it is freezing cold outside:

Get Them a Good Hat, Scarf, and Gloves Set: One way that you can make sure your little one stays warm is by investing in a good winter set for them. A hat, scarf, and pair of gloves are essential to keep your child toasty during the cold months. You need to make sure the hat fits comfortably so they aren’t tempted to take it off while they are out. And you can even get some gloves which have been designed to use with mobile phones. That way, they can still surf the net without taking their hands out of the gloves!

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Aw! :’)

Get Them a Good Winter Coat: Another essential which will keep your child at a good temperature during the winter is a coat. If they go out without this most important item, they are bound to end up feeling the chill while they are out and about. And it will put them at a higher risk of getting the flu during the winter months. So head out to the stores and find a good coat for your little one. Some brands like moncler kid do a range of coats which will be perfect for keeping your child warm in the winter. And remember to pick something which will last your little one the whole season. That way, you won’t have to head out to buy them a new coat any time soon.

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Keep the House Warm: While you can’t control the temperatures your child may face outside, you can warm thing up inside your home. If your house is nice and toasty, it will put your child at a lower risk of picking up bugs during the cold months. You might want to set the thermostat so that it comes on just before they get home from school. And if your home needs some extra heat, you might want to consider putting a fireplace, if you have one, to good use so your home can have some additional warmth and a nice atmosphere. It’s a win win!

Update Their Bedding: You should also make sure that your child has adequate bedding that will keep them from any drafty chills during the night. Shivering in the early hours can lower the immune system and your child could wake up with a bug in the morning. Break out the flannel sheets and a good quality duvet which will keep them extra snug at night. You should also get a throw or blanket which they can pull around themselves if they get extra chilly as they prepare for bed.

Jan9

Four Tips That Will Help You Get The Body You’ve Always Dreamed Of

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It’s been said that the best way to get your summer body is to start working on it during the winter. Arguably, all you need for the perfect ‘beach body’ is to have a body, and to be on the beach – but there’s nothing wrong with making sure that you feel beautiful. Here are some tips to help…

Eat Well: It’s important that you eat healthily all year. Of course, there are times when you might want to pig out – Thanksgiving and Christmas particularly, and let’s not forget about Halloween candy! But as a rule, you should try not to use the winter as an excuse to wear oversized sweaters and gain weight. Make sure that you meal plan, don’t snack too much, and that once the holidays are over you go back to your normal eating habits.

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Yummm

Get Active: One of the best ways to feel better about your body is to impress yourself by what it’s capable of. We spend so much time worrying about our stomachs and thighs that we don’t focus enough on what they can do. If you’re able bodied, then your legs are great no matter what they look like – they’re strong and they carry you around and they do their job! Think about the positives rather than the negatives. Try out Couch To 5K – it’ll build you up into being able to run a 5k, and you’ll be delighted at what your body can do when given a little pushing. You could also try out yoga. If there are no classes near you or if you aren’t feeling very confident yet, try out the YouTube channel Yoga With Adriene. You’ll be amazed at how quickly muscle builds up and how much your balance will improve.

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Go, go go!

Try Cosmetic Options: If you are really unhappy with your body, then there’s absolutely nothing stopping you from getting cosmetic surgery and treatments to improve your self-esteem. If you hate having to shave your legs and bikini line, then try out laser hair removal so you don’t have to get expensive, painful waxes or sort out your stubbly shins every day when you’re on vacation. If you’re self-conscious about your figure, try out body contouring, a sort of liposuction that will eliminate unwanted fat. If you want to find out more, read it at www.Clderm.com/non-surgical-lipo.

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Get Smoother Skin: During the winter, when you’re covering up in black opaque tights,  jeans, and sometimes even thermal underwear (!!!), the condition of your skin is the furthest thing from your mind. But make sure that you stay smooth and glowing by exfoliating your body at least twice a week. If you shave your legs, chances are they’re a little rough and not in the best condition, so make sure that you use a good shaving foam. Hair conditioner also helps to keep your legs soft and smooth when you’re shaving them. Put on moisturizing body cream, especially before you go to bed, so you can let it sink in overnight. During the day, use a cream that complements the scent of your perfume so you can feel perfectly put together.

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Body butter is a must!