Healthy Eating The Right Way

A balanced healthy lifestyle is important when it comes to having healthy skin and a healthy body!

Everyone has their own way of doing things and that is perfectly OK, no one is to judge whether you eat a certain piece of fruit or have carrot smoothies. We are all different, but I would love to share a few things that I like to enjoy and I admit, I need to do more often!

Incorporating certain things into your diet, like Oatmeal, Fruit high in antioxidants are wonderful for your body, and regular exercise! 

Whenever you feel like you are craving sugar, reach over for a piece of fruit. Fruit has the natural sugars we need to replenish our bodies and are healthier for you than an Oreo! Make yourself a fresh fruit salad! Also, better yet, put some fruit in your water! Not only will it naturally flavour your water, it will also help you get the recommended dose of H2O! 

Oatmeal is a great start to the day. It has the power to fill your stomach up quickly so you can portion your meals better. Also, oatmeal is fantastic in your yogurt and adding fruit makes it more enjoyable.

Aslong as you are getting the recommended fibre intake in a day then you will feel so much better as the day goes on. 

Exercise is a huge lifestyle must! Whether it is a long extensive walk or a 5km run ride, your body will thank you from the inside out!

The reason I chose to do a lifestyle article is because everything we do with our body and what we put into it, shows up on our skin. If you are putting damaging ingredients or have an unhealthy lifestyle, it will show. Your skin will look dull, uneven skin tone, lack of a healthy glow and your body will feel sluggish. 

Schedule a month session for yoga classes or dedicate and commit yourself to the gym! After a month of a lifestyle change you are guaranteed to see results. If it helps to make a chart for each day of the week to stay organized, then do that! The more you are committed to something, the more willingness you have to staying honest with a routine. 

Enjoy this post and any comments, please let me know! What are your tricks and tips? 

-The Beauty Geek 

A Girl's Best Friend That Fits In Her Purse

We all have those days where we feel like we are just not feeling 100% and we just want to give our skin a break from all the products we put on our faces daily.

Well, I know just the product that would help with the dull and tired looking skin ladies!

Beauty Flash Balm, 50mL, $50 

It is none other then; Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

The Beauty Flash Balm is a great product to use morning or evening and works fantastic as a facial masque 2 times a week!

The reason I have decided to talk about this product is because I am a busy woman and I don't always have the right amount of time some days and once I discovered this product, it was a life saver.

It works great as a base for your make-up,  on it's own over your facial moisturizer and a great mask to relax with after a busy day.

Key Ingredients:

*Witch Hazel and Olive Tree extracts helps tighten and promote radiance on the face.
*Algae extract helps revitalize the skins appearance
*Bisabolol helps with the soothing effects and softening of the skins texture
*Rice Starch helps purify the skins epidermis


This product is at any Clarins counter and a Beauty Consultant would be happy to assist in helping you learn more about the Clarins products. Book your consultation today!

In My Makeup Bag

In My Makeup Bag by katurahali featuring perfume fragrances

I would love to share with all my readers and followers a few items that accompany me everyday in my life. Even though they are quiet simple, you can play them up for the neutral day look and even for the night look. 

I have chose the Clinique CC Cream because I find it is light enough and evens out my skin tone. Also, with having combination skin, I don't like to load layers on my skin and this cream is perfect when it comes to consistency. 

My absolute favourite lipstick colour is Rose Aglow from Clinique as well. It is long lasting and my trick to make it stay longer, is I line my whole lip with lip liner as a base and then add my lipstick. I am constantly drinking liquids throughout my day, so i do lose a little bit of the pigment colour but it does give my lips some added colour all day long. 

Neutral shadows are your best friend. Whether you are sporting the brown eyes, blue eyes, grey eyes or even green eyes, going neutral will be a winning look everyday. I chose Like Mink Duo Eyeshadow from Clinique because they stay on all day, they don't crease and they give my lids a little hint of colour on those days where you aren't looking for an extreme look. 

To finish the eyes off, I have High Impact Mascara in Black and I apply that to my lashes. It gives me length, volume and a bold look and finishes my neutral look off. An easy tip that I find works is, as you are applying the mascara, twist your wand as you are applying so it gives you a more wide-eye look and curls the lashes a little more. You will get perfect wide eyes daily especially on those days you are tired and feeling exhausted.

Before I go to bed, I like to apply Nivea Lip Butter because it replenishes the moisture I am lacking and I wake up with soft, supple, kissable lips. This lip butter helps heal chapped lips and also comes in a convenient tin that can tuck nicely into your clutch or purse pocket.

Last, but certainly not least, my absolute favourite perfume. It is Bombshell from Victoria's Secret. With the hints of vanilla in it and a fresh clean smell, it can be used for an everyday perfume. It is sexy, fresh and bound to turn a few heads. 

For more highlights of What's In My Makeup Bag stay tuned.

Thank you fellow followers!

Beauty Geek

It Is A Hug For Muscles and Body

Whether you are into professional sports, workout during the week, or just have an intense labouring job there is a solution to help you subside the effects of tired and sore muscles.

After a workout or a tough day at work, you don't usually feel the effects until the next day when the muscles have been resting all night but there is a way to help relax them so you can wake up in the morning feeling better and renewed.

Relax Bath and Shower Concentrate, 200mL, $40

Let me introduce you to; Relax Bath and Shower Concentrate

This is a great addition to your skin care routine especially after a work out because the properties incorporated into this product help soothe the skin and help relax sore and strained muscles.

You can use it in the bath if you feel like sitting in hot water and zoning out for 20-25 minutes and it is great for the shower when you have limited time but would like the benefits associated with using the product.

Key Ingredients:

*Essential Oils (Basil, Geranium, Camomile, Petit Grain) scent; soothe and promotes a sense of well-being
*Cleansing base of Coconut: cleanses and provides comfort
*Extracts of Linden, St. John's Wort, Hawthorn, Thyme, Valerian: relaxes sore muscles after exercise

In conclusion, you should keep this product in your gym back, sports bag, locker, shower etc. You will see great benefits in using this product after an intense and dedicated workout or even after a tough day at work.

It is available wherever Clarins products are sold.

FYI Men: Shaving Results 101

I have been asked this question a lot and I decided I would finally post something about you handsome men and the importance of skin care in your world!

Taking care of your skin is not just for women, it is for men and women equally. So take advantage if the benefits there are for you gentlemen!

The #1 problem men have in a skin care routine is shaving and developing those terrible ingrown hairs and discomfort. When men shave, they are using a very sharp metal object along the epidermis and that cuts the hair right down and leaves a "smooth" result.

Little do they realize, that once you shave the hairs all the way to the epidermis you are actually cutting off the hair making it sharper, so you get that "prickly" feeling and when the hair is cut so short, the potential for the hair to curl under the skin has increased and that is what creates an ingrown hair.

An easy way to diminish the ingrown hairs is to use a shave oil or cream. Preferably with either salicylic acid or glycolic acid, as it will help to remove the dead skin cells. Using shave oil will help with lubricating the epidermis for an easier glide of the blade, rather then shaving gel which doesn't have the right amount of moisturizers in it and dries the skin out more!

Also, use a razor with a single blade rather then a razor with five blades. Reason is, yes you will get the closer shave with the five blades but you are just creating a problem for when your hair starts to grow in because some hair so short that it has curled under the skin's layers. Just remember to shave in the direction the hair grows! It is important!


To finish off, moisturize your face. There are a lot of skin care companies out there that have a skin care line specifically for men, so take advantage and embrace it. You dont have to have scented face products which wouldn't help anyways on trying to calm any razor burn or ingrown hairs, it will just make it worse. So pick up an unscented face cream/gel and apply that moisture back into your face that it lacks and you will look more handsome and refreshed!

Take some undivided guy time and focus on you every once in awhile. It really is worth it!

To Streak or Not To Streak?

The headline caught your attention didn't it? I thought so!

We all know that summer is here and we need to touch up our wonderful non-tans from the winter sun so what better way, then to do it yourself at home where no UV lights or artificial lighting are involved?

A great sunless tanning lotion and it can be used by both women and men! So men, let your guard down!!

But the question I always get asked is, "How do you apply it so flawlessly without getting the horrible streaks going every which way on your body?"

Well some would say just go and get a base tan at a tanning salon which is not the answer. But a great way to ensure you get a well balanced sunless tan is to exfoliate really well with a full body exfoliant and a dry brush. By working the exfoliant into the skin with the dry brush you are only increasing your chances of removing dead skin cells and debris and enhancing your skin's radiance and balance.

Here is an analogy for you to envision:

"When you used to sit in a classroom and your teacher used to write on the chalkboard for almost 2 hours and all you did all class was take notes. The teacher started with a bare, clean slate which you were able to see the words clearly and looked nice right? Well once the teacher used the chalk brush to remove the first part of the note and left behind the old chalk and yet, wrote over top of it, you had a hard time reading what they wrote because you have the excess debris left behind." 

So what I am trying to say is, exfoliate your skin regularly so that your new skin cells can breathe properly and when you remove the dead debris and cells you will have a easy application of the sunless tanning lotion. I am not guaranteeing that you will not have streaks because unfortunately sometimes you cannot get away from that because the colour takes time to develop but you will know the areas that are streaky and you can tackle those within 6 hours to a day.

 There is no specific exfoliant that I recommend because everyone is different so you need to find one that works well for your skin type! As well as sunless tanning lotion, you want to go with the lightest shade to your skin colour because then you will gradually gain colour as you use the product. But you just have to use your own discretion.

Always apply sunscreen before stepping foot outside as well. It is very safe to apply it over top of your colour so dont think that it isn't. Your sunless lotion is NOT going to save you from the UV Rays or the potential of skin cancer. Be aware of the elements and be smart!

Here is to an amazing Summer, Beautiful Skin, Smiling Faces and Warm Sun!

Keep The Pout

All my friends and family know that I have an obsession with lip balm. I still haven't figured out why but I have to admit I love to have the perfect pout!

Some of my favourites, which I will be mentioning in this article, are created by Blistex. For some reason, it is one company I can respectfully go back to every time.

My Number 3 is: 

Lip Infusion Moisture Splash 

This is definitely a great product because it puts extra moisture back onto your lips and help relieve any signs of damage from the elements outdoors.

Key ingredients in this are: Jojoba Oil, Lanolin Oil

The look of the container is intriguing as well because it has the roller ball on it so there is no mess and easy to apply. It leaves your lips feeling moisturized with the oils and doesn't leave a waxy feeling after applying it.



My Number 2 is:  

Natural Cooling Comfort

This medicated lip treatment helped me out a lot in the winter months. I experience dry, chapped lips because all the elements outside and being outside and indoors at sporting events.

Key ingredients in this product are: Menthol 0.20% (medication), Apricot Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Jojoba Oil, Pomegranate, Aloe Extract.

This product is 100% Organic under the USDA and is also 100% Natural. It is made in a recyclable tube and it goes on smooth onto your lips. You will notice a difference after a day of using it.

My Number 1 is: 

Herbal Answer
Herbal Answer combines effective protection with the moisturizing and soothing effects of natural herbal extracts. It's the herbal way to care for your lips.

 Key ingredients are: Aloe, Chamomile, Avocado, Shea Butter, Jojoba. It also has SPF 15 which will help along in the summer months.


Herbal Answer is a light, pleasant tasting balm that soothes, comforts and protects dry chapped lips.I noticed results after a day of using this product too. It heals well and with the natural properties that are combined into this tiny tube have huge benefits for healing chapped, dry, sunburned lips.

**PLEASE REMEMBER- LIPS DON'T TAN, THEY BURN!  STAY PROTECTED ALL YEAR ROUND**

Always Cleanse Before Exfoliating

Cleansing your face before you exfoliate it it a big must!

Why you ask?

Think for a minute here, you start your morning off by washing your face, applying your moisturizer and makeup, go on with your day. Once you step outside you are exposing yourself to all the elements in the air (pollution, exhaust fumes in the air, cold air, warm air, etc.). So keeping that in mind, when your day is complete and you are ready to do your nightly skin care routine, and you go to exfoliate first before cleansing.

You still have your makeup on, the elements of the day, and any other dirt and debris that is on your face that you cannot see with the naked eye. When you go to exfoliate first, your not cleaning away the dirt, debris, elements, and makeup, you are basically pushing everything into your pores more. So eventually you are going to have a bad reaction and breakout.

The purpose of cleansing your face is to remove the elements, dirt, debris, and makeup and to cleanse the pores along with it. Your exfoliant is suppose to help the cleansing of dead skin cells and pores. So you want to use it after you give your face a good cleanse.

Enjoy!

Rescue 101 For Dry Cracked Hands

When the colder weather hits and you are not prepared for it, your hands will be wishing you were more prepared.

In the wintertime or even colder weather changes, your hands are the first ones to be touched by the chilly air. Some of us don't wear the proper protection (gloves, mittens, etc.) and that's when we pay the damaging price.

Every ounce of moisture gets sucked out of your hands, which leads them to feel tight and then you notice they start to crack. At this point, you need to stop anymore damage from happening. When you let your hands go unprotected you can develop circulation problems later in life and also develop arthritic symptoms as well later on.

To help heal your hands I have narrowed down my list of hand cremes depending on skin type:
1.) Arbonne Ultra-Hydrating Hand Creme (all skin types)
2.) The Body Shop- Almond Oil Hand and Nail Creme (for all skin types)
3.) The Body Shop- Hemp Hand Creme (for very dry skin)


This is my recommendation. Everyone has their own favourites.

Bundle those hands up and take care of them! Unfortunately, they age faster if they are left uncared for. Enjoy!

Guys Can Do It To!

Guys this one is completely for you! Lucky you :)

Ever wonder why your skin is dry and itchy after you shave? Do you get that dreaded peeling skin? Does it drive you nuts throughout the day?

Well its probably because your skin needs some TLC!

You probably use the foam shave creme or the gel shave creme and you probably chose that certain can because the colours were bright or you watched a commercial that girls ended up showing up after you used it. Well, sorry guys, packaging doesn't give you the results and the commercials lied and you fell for it.

In order to help your itchy, dry skin, you need to be applying a moisturizer after you shave. The benefits work for you all as well. Even if you still have some facial hair, applying moisturizer to your whole face and to the facial hair will help next time you decide to shave.

Nothing like taking care of yourself. It definitely will not make you any less of a person. So its alright to know what is in your products too.

And guys, SOAP, is not a good shaving staple. Never use soap. You not only will dull your blades, your face will dry out quicker.

If you find you get alot of ingrown hairs, no problem, just pick up an gentle exfoliant and a soft bristled toothbrush and use that as a great tool for releasing the ingrown hair from being trapped under the skin. (Just make sure you don't mix the toothbrushes up FYI)

It's all about living and learning. Guys need just as much attention to skin care as women do. And there is nothing wrong with it at all. It's both normal and beneficial. Take care of your skin, it will thank you.

On The Inside It Isn't Alright

We all do it! We all think that our product is still ok. But really, on the inside, it isn't.

When we notice that we have expired product we sometimes ask ourselves;
"Maybe I can get a few more uses out of it!" or "I have spent so much money on this product, that I will feel so guilty throwing it away"

Well, to be honest, you will be doing yourself and your skin a favour! Expired product is like anything else that expires. It turns and you aren't getting all those fantastic benefits that the product claims to be giving you. It doesn't matter how much you spend on a product, they all turn and expire.

Would you rather use that expired $50 face cream in hopes that it continues to help with Anti-Aging benefits and come to find out it did the opposite and damaged layers of your skin that you may now need other, more expensive alternative skin care procedures? I didn't think so!

I have seen first hand the damage and results of using an expired product and it really isn't worth it. This goes for any product, body lotion, face cream, shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, etc.

Awareness of your products is just as important as being aware of the things you ingest on a daily basis.

Enjoy! :)

Sweet Tooth and The Potential Consequences

We are all victims to our weaknesses for sweets and then delicious treats at the holiday season! But with the holiday season approaching, I am just going to give my advice on a certain topic. As I have experienced this. 

You want the best possible Holiday photo right? You normally are the type that says I don't like that one take another? Well the small solution to this dilemma is be aware of the things entering your body.

Your skin tells a few stories and it shows the kind of things you eat. So when you are sitting around have a wonderful time indulging in treats and those delicious homemade pies, remember this: Mix in some fruit and veggies. 

Fruits and Vegetables are great healthy alternatives and are natural. I know for me the holidays are all about balance and honestly knowing that you can still have those treats and increase your fruit/vegetable intake, your body and skin will thank you and you will feel fabulous!

So, put your feet up for the holiday season, leave the stress behind, enjoy the moments with family and friends and make it a holiday to remember!

Secrets of Foundations and Mineral Powders

You have thousands of choices when it comes to choosing a foundation and/or mineral powders for your face. But little do we know, not all of them work the way we want. 

Commercials show celebrities advertising and selling "this amazing" product but at the same time, how come our faces are not as picture perfect as theirs? Also, every notice in skin cleansing commercials when they are cleansing their faces, they still have makeup on at the end. This will make you more aware next time you see those commercials. 

The reason why we don't have "flawless" skin like the celebrities after we purchase the same products that they advertise is because we do not have the proper lighting, photo shop technology that hides and covers blemishes and unwanted acne scars and dark spots, and in everyday life we do not have the "edit video" option.

Not all makeup is going to give us the same results and most of the makeup and foundations are not going to agree with our body's chemistry. 

What I mean by that statement is; 

Ever notice after you apply a foundation and/or mineral powder and you wear it throughout the day and after you wash your face and wake up the next morning you have discovered a few areas of breakout? Or even after washing your face at the end of the day you notice instantly you have breakouts?

It's either (2) factors;

1) The foundation and/or mineral powder does not agree with your body's chemistry and has blocked your pores.  

2) It is too heavy and filled with too many preservatives and causing your skin to lose the necessary oxygen that is needed for the regeneration of skin cells throughout the day. 

Your skin is a giant living organism. 

What I have taken away from the countless pennies spent on getting foundations, mineral powders, and tinted moisturizers is that the real truth is that, it is tough to find something the works well and how you want it to work. I have noticed that they are too heavy for my face, where i develop breakouts after using them. I have, like I said, tried mousse foundations, mineral foundations, and liquid foundations and no matter the company, i still have breakouts. 

So what do I use now then?

I have been using Clinique Neutral Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15. I also use a light moisturizer underneath my tinted moisturizer because I find I need a little more moisture and it helps with giving a smoother finish after you apply your tinted moisturizer. I have grown attached to  Clinique Spot Correcting Even Better Lotion with SPF 15.

In order for you to find what works best for you, you have to be willing to step outside the normal routine and products you have and try others. Usually they say a good rule of thumb is to try the product for a month, but I usually do 72 days because then you really know what to expect. Everyone is different and you will know when a product isn't good for you for whatever reason.

Enjoy this post! One of my many beauty tips :) Much Love
 

Clean Face = Smooth Makeup Application

Alot of us do not pay attention to how clean our faces are before we put our makeup on.

Ever wonder why you get patchy spots when you apply your tinted moisturizer or foundation? It could one of may factors.

1) It could be you need to exfoliate your face with a good exfoliant - (Daily Microfoliant)

2.) You may not have a good base for your foundation application. For example a primer or a good moisturizer underneath. Arbonne Makeup Primer and Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correction Moisturizer SPF 20

3.) You also may have not washed your face completely and you could have dirt, debris, left over makeup still on your face so its recommended that you double cleanse your face with a mild facial cleanser. Clinique Liquid Facial Soap

After you double cleanse your face, apply your moisturizer! You will notice how well your foundation/ tinted moisturizer applies.

By cleansing your face as well, you are deminishing the chances for developing a breakout and and face congestion. Your complexion will clear up with regular face washing. It is good to let your skin breathe 2x a week with just your moisturizer on it. Your skin and face will love you if you go bare/natural!

Make-up Brushes ~ How Often Should You Clean Them?

Your brushes are the reason your makeup goes on flawless and how you want that perfect look. Well, you cannot achieve that with dirty makeup filled brushes.

Brushes should be cleaned once a month really well to achieve the maximum results from the application of your makeup. But it is once a month for brushes you use for your powders (eyeshadow, blush, mineral foundation etc)

Every week should be on the brushes that you use liquid makeup on (concealer, foundation, liquid eyeliner, liquid shadow, etc)

Not only in your brushes are makeup particles it also has dead skin as well. As bad as it sounds, there is nothing like applying your makeup mixed in with month old dead skin. It doesnt sound right!

A great way to clean your brushes at home that also is a safe way of achieving the results is: "Mix (1) part shampoo with (4) parts water and then just let your brushes soak in that solution for a day.

When you take them out of the solution lay them down on a clean cotton towel and let them air dry. If you ty to dry the bristles you are just going to ruin your brush and the bristles are going to fall out.
Any other questions feel free to comment!