Shaped By The Gods - Nails

Kick-boxing is my new fitness 'thing'.
I have been at it for about 2 weeks and I have truly fallen in love!

The only thing is, my medium length, coffin nails were taking a hit, so I had to rethink my nail style of choice. And that was tough, 'cause if you know me, those are my absolute loves!

Anyway, I suppose it's time to try something new.
I'm actually thinking about going acrylic-free too, big step! lol

I scowered Pinterest for some inspiration and here's what I found.

What's your favorite nail to rock?

 

 

 

Health & Beauty: 7 Uses for Baking Soda

Hello there my friends,
I love finding multiple uses for products found right there in my pantry. And today I want to showcase none other than... wait or it...
 
 

 
 
Baking soda, I got baking soda... lol
 
But seriously, baking soda is one of those products that is a household's best friend. Also known as Sodium bicarbonate, it's a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty, alkaline taste and we can use it for anything from whitening laundry to extinguishing fires. This being a hair (and a bit of beauty :-)) blog, we'll stick to personal care uses.
 

 



 

 Hair: 

1. Cleanser - Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo. Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly. Baking soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.
2. Also, remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a small basin of warm water.

 

 

 

 

Beauty:

1. Teeth whitener - Combine a bit of baking soda with lemon or hydrogen peroxide for a super teeth-whitening formula. Use this one to two times per week for a whiter, brighter smile.
2. Facial exfoliant - the aforementioned combination is also excellent in the scrub department. The fine particles of the powder-like substance is great for a facial scrub as it is able to get rid of dead skin cells without being too harsh. Use as often as the skin on your face can tolerate.
3. Pore opener - need to remove black and white heads on and around your nose? Use egg or tissue paper + non-toxic glue to do so. But before you go in with any adhesive, open up the pores with baking soda to make for easy removal.

 

Health:

1. Reliever of colds - When taken internally, baking soda can help maintain the pH balance in your bloodstream. This is likely the basic premise behind its recommended uses against both colds and influenza symptoms. It can also be used as an antacid.
2. Bath bomb - I love a good soak. Bath time is truly a joy-evoking experience for me. Some of my favorite tub ingredients are Epsom salt, oils, and essential oils, and baking soda is right up there on the list. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration, it also makes your skin feel very soft and smooth.
    

Have you been using baking soda in your beauty regimen? How?

 

 

How I Use Lemon In my Morning Routine

I was juicing lemons this morning when I realized just how much use I get out of them. They are anionic, anti-ageing, anti-cancer, antibacterial, antiseptic, and what's more, they're affordable. Winning!
 

 

  

First of all, I must say I never use processed lemon juice.

I buy fresh (organic) lemons, juice them, pour into a handy bottle, and store in the refrigerator.

 

My Morning Modus Operandi

• The first thing I do in the morning, is drink a liter of lemon water. If I'm going for a run, I'll do a 1/2 liter before and a 1/2 after. This concoction balances the body's pH, boosts the immune system, helps with weight loss, aids in the digestive process, acts as a (gentle) diuretic, and clears the skin. Go for warm water rather than cold (if you can stomach it, I can't) and reap greater results. 

• The next thing I do is apply some lemon juice to my entire face, let it sit for about 20 minutes and then rinse. This diminishes scars, heals acne, exfoliates, and tones the skin.

• Next up is my natural teeth whitening step. I combine baking soda (singing: baking soda I got baking soda lol) and lemon in a tiny container and brush my choppers with the mixture for a few minutes for a whiter smile.

• Finally, I take some coconut oil with a squeeze of lemon and apply it to my nails for longer, stronger more beautiful nails. I recently got tired of my acrylics and decided to go the natural route for a while so this will really help.

These are the steps I executed today. The last 3 are not done every day, but rather once or twice per week.
 

There are a myriad more ways to incorporate lemon into your days, ranging from conditioning your hair to cleaning your microwave.

What beauty uses do you have for lemon? Let a girl know.

Ciao!
 

Fly Away With Me - At Home Acrylic

 I decided I wanted some french acrylics, I ordered the requirements in my last hair haul (I also had some stuff from last time around) and got to work. I do them myself because here in Japan the girls pretty much only sport gel nails (I'm not the biggest fan) and the salons rarely do acrylics, if they do, it's tens of thousands of Yen.

DIY french acrylics

Tools needed:

Fly Away with me - My Makeup Bag? Why Not?!

I suppose this is turning into a series...

This one is dedicated to my make-up/ skin care items.

The list:

face wash, toner & moisturizer - set by CLEAR

sunscreen

primer & finishing spray

foundation & powder

concealor

eye shadow - e.l.f. little black book in cool

blush

lipsticks, lip balm, lip gloss

eyeliner

mascara

make-up brushes &sponges

cotton & q-tips

Nailed It - Fall Colors

Just a quick post showing a few of my favorite nail colors for this time of the year. You can't get your hair done without doing the nails too right?! I usually go very simple when I'm doing my own nails. 

Salon Nail (97)

Going All the Way - Holistic Approach to Beauty

As the hair and nails are the last to receive nutrients from the body, if we want healthy hair, we must step up our game when it comes to our overall health. As a matter of fact, regardless if there is a desire for healthy luscious hair or not, one should not neglect health and wellness.

Personally, I take a holistic approach to beauty. All things seem to tie in with each other, be it gorgeous hair, long, strong nails, glowing skin or a small waist. It starts with the premise that what you put in is what you will get out, both literally and figuratively.

Here are a few of the things I incorporate in my beauty regimen/ lifestyle:

• Clean eating - While there are days when I have a "happy meal" (not from McDonalds!!), typically, I try to have about 5 small balanced meals each day, which consist of food in it's natural form or as close as possible (limiting processed foods). Some of my preferred ingredients include rolled oats, whole wheat bread, eggs, chicken, fish, sweet potatoes, vegetables (especially leafy greens), and fruits.  I also enjoy various kinds of shakes.