With new year on the horizon, most of us are probably thinking about new resolutions. May be you are planning to weed out the tips that didn’t work out for you this year and keep the the ones that have worked out or probably make new ones. One of the most common resolutions that I come across usually is the one that relates to improving one’s health. May be lose weight or look better without makeup. Since I don’t like covering up my problems with makeup, I am always looking for tips to look better without it or with minimal use of it. This year I came across a lot of amazing new tips that did work and I want to share them with you today. Some of these tips are also followed by Victoria Secret models like Alessandra and Miranda Kerr so more reasons to adopt them.
Apart from following a diet filled with nutrient rich whole foods, 8 hours of sleep, religious application of sunscreen, drinking 8 glasses of water, limiting alcohol, avoiding smoking, regular workouts (which you pretty much read everywhere), what else can you do to look your best for the coming holidays and year after that? Here are some tips you can try. Some might sound unusual and some you might be familiar with.
Eat Your Water:
This sounds weird at first but it’s very effective. A few months ago, I came across an article that highlighted the benefits of eating water rich fruits and veggies. I wanted to put this to test and I have to say it does work! According to the research, water rich fruits and veggies can be more effective when it comes to hydrating our bodies than say drinking water alone or store-bought hydrating sports drinks. Some of the fruits and veggies that you might want to try include watermelons, papayas, cucumbers, celery sticks and coconut water. These water abundant fruits and veggies are not only high in water content but also high in beneficial minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Not to mention all the antioxidants such as Vitamin C, lycopene and betacarotene in these fruits and veggies which will help to protect you from all the environmental hazards and damaging UV rays. Alessandra Ambrosia swears by coconut water and I do too. Unfortunately, they are not that affordable here in Chicago. Consider yourself lucky if you are in a place where these are available easily. Click here to read more details if you are interested.
Adding green leafy veggies to your diet is one of the tips shared by the experts who worked on the gorgeous victoria secret angels to make them look their best. You can also mix and blend these greens with water filled fruits and veggies for a powerful hydrating juice or a smoothie. You can also try green powders from the natural food stores such as Amazing Greens. My tip would be to fill half your plate up with green leafy veggies such as spinach or kale and rest with your favorite carb or protein portion.
Miranda kerr shared her love for adding coconut oil to her diet and mentioned this as one of her top beauty secrets. I personally believe in this too. Try adding a teaspoon of unrefined cold pressed coconut oil to your diet and you might be impressed with the results. There is always an on-going debate about the health benefits of coconut oil or lack of it in the news so using very little and not going overboard on this one is important.
Alessandra Ambrosia believes in eating pretty much anything healthy and focuses more on portion control which I think is less fussier than what other celebrities follow. She has her favorites which includes food from Japanese and Thai cuisine (see reference list for more reading). I personally love these two cuisines and I try to include miso soup in my meals pretty much everyday. Miso soup is high in beneficial bacteria, essential amino acids, antioxidants, B vitamins, trace minerals and more. It’s not only super healthy but very easy to make too (hardly takes 3-4 minutes). For ideas on how to cook, click here.
Claudia Schiffer attributed her glow to drinking peppermint tea on Instyle magazine. I love it because I find it very refreshing and with addition of green tea, you can get some antioxidant benefits too. Try Moroccan Mint by The republic of tea.
Icing is another tip recommended by the experts who work behind the scene on Victoria Secret models. You can use cloth covered ice cubes, chilled ice packs or those chilled gel filled eye masks you get at the store (look for these in stores like Ulta). You can also place two stainless steel spoons in the fridge and use it as a cold compress on your eyes to depuff. Chilled aloe vera gel or eye gels such as pack your bags they are leaving by Simply Divine Botanicals kept in the refrigerator for a few minutes will work too.
You can use hydrating serums or creams to moisturize but you might be surprised what using oil can do to balance out and nourish your skin. I have seen many makeup artists and models mention Olio Lusso brand. Adriana Lima mentioned this brand as her favorite (Click here for details) If you can afford it then go ahead and try it. You can also try other brands or make your own at home. Some of the brands I would recommend include One Love Organics Love Springs Eternal youth preservation serum, Pangea Balancing oil, Tata Harper replenishing nutrient complex.
Try giving yourself a head and body massage with nourishing hair and body oils. There are so many amazing brands out there. Click here to read more about the benefits of massage. If you hang around here, I will be sharing my recipe for a DIY hair oil some day. Don’t just apply the oils, massaging is the key. You can try ones by Banyan Botanicals or Aura Cacia.
Meditate, listen to soothing music, burn incense or aromatherapy candles, use lavender oil infused paper sheets etc. to relax and feel better. My sister burns incense in her room and I find that very relaxing and calming.
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