physical beauty

Oct

2021

How to Bring Back Your Skin’s Glow

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Have you ever wondered how to bring back your skin’s glow? We all want to see that youthful glow. But with all the daily stress we go through; can we even bring it back? Fortunately, this is not an impossible task. All you need is focus and dedication to small tweaks in your daily habits. Soon you will find your skin glowing and you may even restore your youthful energy too.

Hydrate and Alkalize

One of the biggest signs of aging is dry skin. Ensure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. Start your water intake as soon as you wake up until you complete the recommended 8 glasses. Drinking tea and fresh fruit juices are also a great way to increase your water intake. You can also put in lemon slices, cucumber slices, mint and other fruits and herbs to your water. This way you don’t get tired of just plain water and you infuse it with added nutrients too. Better yet, up your intake of fruits and veggies as well so help your body alkalize. This will help your skin be able to heal itself quicker from small cuts and bruises.

Sweat Off Toxins

Sweating is one of the best ways to achieve a natural glow. Saunas are popular because it helps people detoxify by sweating off. Exercise is the easiest way to do it. Dance to your favorite music or incorporate some dance steps to your cleaning routine. Get up from your office chair and do some stretching or walk around the block during your break times. Take the stairs instead of the elevator sometimes too. Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. Drink lots of water before and after to ensure you stay hydrated. You will look tired after your exercise, but after resting for a few minutes; you will notice that your face has a healthy glow. Keep up your exercise habit and you won’t only bring back your skin’s glow; you’ll feel better too!

Cleanse and Moisturize

Our face is how we present and express ourselves to the world. So don’t neglect cleansing and moisturizing day and night. Some people even follow a 10-step beauty regimen. Your face needs its own cleanser and moisturizer as it has more delicate skin than the rest of your body. Just as you hydrate and exercise; clean and moisturize your face daily too. This will keep it from drying out, balance oiliness and reduce acne breakouts. Clean and moisturized skin also looks plumper and youthful. Be sure to apply sunscreen when going out to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Then, make it a night time ritual to clean your skin and moisturize with your favorite product. You can also use a moisturizing serum for better moisturizing results.

Exfoliate Regularly

Aside from regular cleansing, exfoliation should also be done regularly. Get a gentle exfoliator and apply to your face at least once a week. Exfoliation allows for deeper cleaning to get rid of deep-seated dirt and residue (for example, from makeup) that your regular cleanser can’t get rid of. It also removes dead skin cells that would make your face look dull and can result in uneven skin color. You can exfoliate in the shower so you enjoy the experience. Just remember not to overdo it as you may end up with raw and painful skin after. Be sure to pick products that are not too abrasive to your delicate facial skin. After exfoliation, your skin is better able to absorb your moisturizer and other products. This should help you bring back your skin’s glow and maintain it. Good-looking skin is the best base for makeup. You won’t need to hide skin imperfections anymore.

Get Proper Sleep

It is while you are asleep that your body can focus on repairing itself. So not getting enough sleep and not sleeping early enough will be bad for your overall health. If you want to reduce your eye bags and wrinkles then enough sleep is important. Your night beauty routine should be your preparation for sleep. Prepare your environment for a good sleep. Give yourself a massage as you apply your moisturizer to calm your mind and body. Try not to drink any more liquids 3 hours before your sleeping time. This way, you don’t have to get out of bed to empty your bladder in the middle of your sleep.

Adapt better beauty habits so you can bring back and maintain your skin’s glow and your overall health. Good-looking skin will definitely boost your confidence. It will also make you more attractive to other people. Those are very good benefits too!

Feature Image: Photo by Audrey Fretz on Unsplash.

Jul

2021

12 Natural Ways to Fight the Signs of Aging

Reading Time: 6 minutes

We all want to keep looking good even as we grow older. Everyone is looking for ways to fight the signs of aging. We all want to still feel strong and look fit even after we retire from our jobs. We want to maintain our youthful energy as much as we can, for as long as we can.

The answer to this seems to be the Fountain of Youth; a myth which has inspired many works of art, as well as scientific innovations to delay aging. There are many ways to slow down the aging process. Here are some things you can do on your own to help you feel and look young.

1. Think Positive

There is no better way to wake up in the morning than to start the day with a positive vibe. The simple habit of smiling to yourself in the mirror can instantly lift up your mood and boosts your confidence. It encourages you to pursue your goals and face the day with a brighter outlook.

The Law of Attraction states “That which like itself, is drawn.” Thinking positively about something will increase your chances of attracting more positive situations, persons and things into your life. That should keep you from frowning too much and keep facial wrinkles at bay. This is the easiest and most natural way to fight the signs of aging.

2. Have Time to De-Stress

If you are having a hard time keeping a positive outlook, don’t hesitate to give yourself time to de-stress and have fun. Pamper yourself with a massage, spend the weekend in a spa, or indulge yourself in an at-home facial. Listen to your favorite music playlist, go to your favorite restaurant and eat your favorite dish. You can also cook yourself some comfort food or declutter to clear your space.

A quick way to de-stress is to do a breathing exercise or to meditate. Just sit in silence for at least 5-15 minutes. Get away from a stressful situation to recharge yourself. This way, you can handle the situation with a clearer mind instead of being overwhelmed.

3. Keep Learning

Your brain is like a muscle; the more you use it, the more it grows sharper. But don’t overuse it either. Instead, use it in different ways by learning new things such as a new language; a new game like chess and other strategy games such as tackling your monthly budget; a word or math puzzle like sudoku or learn to do math with the abacus. Do things to unleash the genius in you. Keeping your mind healthy is a natural way to fight the signs of aging.

You can start simple by learning a new song or memorizing a poem penned by one of your favorite authors. Learn to write a poem yourself. You can try to review your geography again and learn to use the compass. This will help you know where exactly on the map you’re going when you’re traveling.

4. Be Grateful

To complete the positive vibe that you started in the morning; end the day with a positive vibe too. Review your day and think of at least 3 things that you are grateful for that day. You can also keep a gratitude journal in any notebook you like. Reflect on your day and write down the things that you are blessed with. Try it out for the whole month.

Take the time to express thanks for the little things that people around you do for you. You can still be grateful even in tough times for the lessons that you can learn from the situation.

5. Stay Connected

Personal connections are important channels that provide us a venue to de-stress. With people who understand us, we can share our anxieties and doubts as well as reaffirm our beliefs and values. They also serve as our support group. They encourage us and advise us on how best to handle our problems and reach our goals. Maintaining good relationships will naturally help you fight the signs of aging.

Your social circle keeps you grounded. They also give you the confidence boost, knowledge and insights you need to move forward with your plans. And when things get tough; you know you can count on them. They are willing to help you erase the lines on your forehead and put back the smile on your face.

6. Avoid Overexposure to the Sun

Our skin is the first part of our body to show signs of aging. It also serves to protect our vital organs and is the biggest part of our whole body. So we should protect it just as we protect our face. Don’t forget to bring your umbrella with you. Use it when it’s too hot to go outside even if you are just walking a short way.

Sunshine in the early morning is good for you. But from 8AM onwards, the sunlight can cause more harm than good for your skin. If you do need to go outside, use your umbrella and put on your sunscreen product.

7. Stay Hydrated

Your daily activities keep you busy and you may not feel thirsty. You need to ensure that you hydrate your body so you can function properly. There are many times when we get a headache while working. We think it’s because we are stressed from work when in fact we are just dehydrated. Adequate water intake helps you fight the signs of aging by keeping you skin plump and looking youthful.

Drinking your water allows your body to work more efficiently. It helps your body to flush out toxins so you can stay healthy. Tired of just plain water? Jazz it up by infusing it with lemon slices or cucumber and other fruits like oranges, grapes and strawberries.

8. Eat Your Way to Healthy

A healthy eating habit is one of the basic ways to stave off the signs of aging. What you eat will definitely influence how you look. A healthy diet consist of a variety of fruits and veggies as well as nuts and healthy oils. Consuming these regularly will definitely help you look and feel healthier.

As much as possible, choose foods that promote an alkaline environment in your body. An acidic body becomes an environment for the development of illness. The primary culprit of an acidic body is consuming too much sugar. These sugars are found in starchy foods such as potatoes, breads, pastries and in many processed and packaged food.

Replace your sodas with green tea or a hot chocolate made with dark cocoa. Most importantly, read the labels when shopping so you know the ingredients of what you’re buying and eating.

9. Keep an Exercise Routine

Cap off your healthy eating habits by improving your physical wellness with a regular exercise routine. Exercise will definitely help you feel healthy and look healthy too. It’s a great way to fight signs of aging. Exercising helps you improve your circulation. It helps you detoxify as you sweat and it gives you a youthful glow right after. Try dancing to an upbeat tune for at least 10 minutes. Check your face in the mirror right after to see your healthy glow.

Put your running shoes and old bike to good use again. Or search online for exercise videos that you can do at home or in the office. As you go about exercising, ensure that you are exercising different parts of your body. Switch up your exercise routine from time to time. To get a more fit look, incorporate weights into your exercise routine. This will help you bring out your youthful beauty even more with toned muscles.

10. Quit Smoking and Ditch Alcoholic Drinks

As part of eating healthy, you should also stop harmful habits such as smoking. Smoking pollutes the air you breath and has a harmful effect on your lungs. The 2nd-hand smoke that you leave floating around is even more harmful to non-smokers around you. A very tangible side-effect of smoking are stained teeth and dark lips. This is a major disadvantage for you when you’re trying to retain your youthful looks. We should also learn to avoid little habits that can damage our skin in the long run.

Alcoholic beverages dehydrate your body pretty fast and can be dangerous to your kidneys and liver when taken habitually. There’s nothing like a major headache the next morning to remind you of how foolish you were the night before. A hangover makes you wish you were sober again real fast. Going for that hot cocoa might help ease that headache and ease the frown lines off your forehead.

11. Cleanse and Moisturize

Moisturizers can help keep our face feeling and looking youthful. Maintain a basic skin care routine that you do in the morning and night. Make a ritual out of your beauty routine. Think of it as a way to wind down as you get ready for bed.

You only really need to be vigilant in cleansing and moisturizing and doing it morning and night. Any more than that in a day can lead to overly oily skin or dry, flaky skin.

Remember to be patient with the cleansing and moisturizing. Massage your face gently using your ring finger and do so in circular motions going upward to your scalp. As you do this, you can reflect on your day and reflect on the things you are grateful for. If you have the time, you can try out the Korean beauty routine.

12. Get Your Sleep Right

A beauty sleep is exactly that. Don’t skimp on your sleep time. Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Your body repairs itself from 10PM to 3AM in the morning. This is why you should be in your dreamland during these times.

Adequate sleep also means less puffy eyes in the morning; less dark circles under your eyes and you won’t feel too groggy to wake up even during bed weather. A good night’s sleep ensures that you get the relaxation you need to be able to function properly all day.

These are just some of the ways you can keep your youthful look and a positive outlook in life. These habits will not only help make you look good but make you feel good too. Do practice these in moderation so you can live a well-balanced life.

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 2019.03.03.
Feature Image: Original Photo by DANGTIMÔ TIMÔ on Unsplash.

Jun

2021

Ways to Hide Skin Imperfections

Reading Time: 2 minutes

A common beauty quest is finding ways to hide skin imperfections for that flawless-looking complexion. Everyone wants to look camera ready but also wants to look just as attractive when meeting people in person. So here are some quick fixes to hide common skin imperfections. If done correctly, they can help banish blemish like magic!

Eyebrow Pencil or Powder

An eyebrow pencil or powder is a quick way to fix sparse eyebrows due to overzealous plucking or if your brows are just patchy. Get a pencil or powder that’s one shade lighter than your brows hair color. Apply the product to your brow in short, feathery strokes to fill-out the patchy areas. You will need a small angled brush if you’re using powder. Make sure to check in the mirror to ensure that your “drawing” blends in well with the rest of your browse. Use a clean eyebrow brush for blending. It’s normal to have to wipe and redo them if you’re just starting out.

Highlighting Pen or Powder

If your problem is puffy eyes, then a highlighting pen or powder is the quick fix for you. It is recommended that you first use an eye gel or another product to help reduce the swelling. Afterwards, use an eye cream and/or a thin layer of foundation to even out your skin color as much as possible. Then apply a slightly shimmery highlighting pen or powder along the part below where the puffy part is. This will lighten up the area to hide shadows caused by the swelling so it becomes less noticeable. For this quick fix, less is more; so do this with a light hand.

Tinted Foundation or Concealer

Tinted foundations or concealers helps to hide common skin blemishes such as acne, sun spots or age spots, skin redness, and large pores. The trick is to apply them correctly. If the blemish is small like acne, then just apply concealer or tinted foundation on that spot and use a brush or your fingers to blend into the rest of the skin. For issues that cover larger areas like large pores, than applying concealer and/or tinted foundation is a much better way to even out overall skin tone and hide the blemish. Luckily, there are now foundations that also act as concealers as well as sun screen. So pick the best one for your skin type and lifestyle.

The Best Foundation is Healthy Skin

Not everyone can have flawless skin all the time. But it becomes easier to maintain flawless-looking skin if you have healthy skin. It helps to have good beauty habits to maintain healthy skin. A basic and important factor in achieving healthy skin is cleanliness and hydration. So don’t forget to clean your face and apply your moisturizer everyday to maintain clear, plump, and youthful-looking skin. You can also follow a more elaborate routine such as the Korean beauty regimen to really level up your skin care routine. Practice makes perfect. Be consistent with your beauty ritual so you can integrate the habit effortlessly. You can thank your self for the beautiful results later on!

Feature Image: Original Photo by kevin laminto on Unsplash.

Jun

2021

The 10-Step Korean Beauty Regimen

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Do you have a favorite Kpop Idol? Are you a fan of Korean Dramas? If you are, you probably noticed by now that Koreans have one of the best skins in the world. It can be genetic or possibly because of their diets. But the main reason is that they take their skin care very seriously. So serious in fact that they follow an extensive 10-step Korean Beauty Regimen. And it’s not just the women, the same is true with men. In fact, the Korean beauty product industry is included in the top 10 in the world.

So, if you want to achieve a younger, brighter and flawless looking skin; you may want to integrate their 10-step morning and evening beauty regimen into your lifestyle.

1.CLEANSE

AM: Water Only

The first thing that they do upon waking up is to wash their face with water. No soap, no cleanser, just plain water. The purpose is to keep the face hydrated and to remove dirts and impurities that were accumulated during sleep.

At night, instead of plain water, the Koreans follow a two-step cleansing process:

PM: Double Cleanse

a. Oil Cleanser

The first step is to remove make-up by using an oil cleanser. An oil cleanser removes not only the make-up but also excess oil, sebums and pollution that were accumulated in your face the whole day. Use circular motion when cleansing your face.

b. Water-Based Cleanser

Water-based cleansers remove water-based impurities that were not removed by the oil cleanser such as sweat and dirt. Just like the oil cleanser, use circular motion when cleansing your face.

2. EXFOLIATE

Exfoliator

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that are clogging the skin. That is why regular exfoliation is needed to prevent build up of dead cells that may clog your pores resulting in break outs. However, daily exfoliation can cause dryness and irritation. It is recommended that you exfoliate your skin not more than three times a week.

3. TONE

Toner

A toner is used for extra-cleansing to remove remaining dirt, oil and make-up. It shrinks your pores, reducing the risks of dirt and other impurities from penetrating your skin adding an extra layer of protection to your skin. It also restores the PH balance of your skin. Use a cotton pad and swipe and pat it gently onto your skin.

4. ESSENCE

Essence

For Koreans, essence is probably the most important part of their Korean skin regimen. Essence is used after a toner to add another layer of hydration to the skin. It is a little creamier compared to a toner. Although both toner and essence serves as hydration for the skin, a toner’s primary purpose is to remove the remaining impurities while an essence primes the skin for better absorption of serum and creams. It also contains anti-aging and complexion-enhancing ingredients. It is designed to penetrate deeper into the skin. Apply it by placing little drops into your palms and patting them gently onto your face.

5. TREATMENT

Serum, Ampules and Other Treatments

This varies per individual. You can apply it or you can totally skip it. It all depends on the condition and the requirement of your skin. For others, it can be an acne treatment for pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. It can be a treatment to remove redness, brown spots or pigmentation. It can be for skin rejuvenation or anti-aging treatment. Again, it all depends on your skin. Just apply it directly to the concern areas.

6. MASK

Face Mask

The purpose of a face mask is to expose your skin to prolonged contact with moisture and whatever nutrients that your skin needs. Just like the treatment, use a mask containing nutrients that your skin needs. Leave it on your skin for 20 minutes. Do this twice a week.

7. EMULSION

Emulsion

Emulsions are water-based thus they are lighter than creams and less concentrated than serums or treatments. Its main purpose is to lock the skin moisture. It hydrates and seals the essence, treatment and mask that you just put in your skin, reinforcing their benefits.

8. EYE CARE

Eye Cream

The purpose of eye creams is to prevent or lessen fine lines and dark circles around your eyes. When applying eye cream, remember that the skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most sensitive part of your skin. So, apply it as gently as possible.

9. MOISTURIZE

Cream

Moisturizers keep your skin hydrated and prevent dryness and itchiness. Apply daily both in the morning and at night. Pat it on your face and on your neck.

10. SUNBLOCK

Sunscreen

Put sunscreen in the morning. It will protect your face from the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. It is recommended that you use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

For Koreans, instead of a simple sunblock, they replace this last step with a BB cream. BB cream stands for beauty balm or blemish balm. It serves as a foundation, primer, sunblock and even moisturizer. It is not too heavy like the regular foundation but it works like it. BB creams also help cover lines and scars and give glow to the skin. It helps you achieve the no makeup look. That’s why both Korean men and women use it. It also contains the SPF needed to protect your skin.

First Published in Pinoy Smart Living on 21.04.2019

Feature Photo by Jess @ Harper Sunday from Pexels

Aug

2020

The Power of A Smile

Reading Time: 2 minutes

To pout or to frown was our usual reaction as children, when we felt down or upset. We carry this behavior into our adult selves. Adults sometimes choose to remain pouting or keep on frowning even when things are looking up. Most adults have forgotten the power of a smile. Smiling reduces stress. It elevates your mood. It also gives your confidence and makes you feel more attractive.

There is a popular saying that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. This makes us think that we have no control over how beautiful, or not beautiful, we look to others. Of course, the quote is not referring to physical beauty but the beauty within us and our capacity to see the beauty within others.

All of us wish to be beautiful in the eyes of others. However, we often forget to love ourself enough so that we feel beautiful about ourself. If we can’t appreciate ourself, then no one else will see that we are beautiful too. So take the time to appreciate yourself. Look in the mirror and smile at yourself each morning. See how you are transformed for the better by the power of a smile, your smile, as each day passes.

People may not see us as physically beautiful but doesn’t mean we can’t be beautiful in their eyes. The only way they can know that we have beauty inside us is by expressing that beauty. Smiling is the quickest way to do so.

Launch Challenge

Try out this challenge. Next time you want to appreciate someone, look at them and offer a genuine smile before expressing yourself with words. Let the power of your smile serve as a prelude of good things to come. You can also try smiling at yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning.

Feeling upset? It’s ok to feel bad for some time but once you’ve gone thru the hurdles, appreciate yourself and smile. Let your loved ones know that you’re alright again by smiling. This also let’s the Universe know that you are looking forward to better things to come.

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 2019.02.17.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash.