My Favorite Ways to Relieve Stress

Hey guys!

Today I wanted to talk about a few of my favorite ways to relax and relieve my mind and body of any stress I may be holding on to. We live in a busy, fast-paced environment with all of us trying to do ten things at once, so it's only natural to become stressed out. The downside to stress is that it can weigh heavy on the way we look, especially when it comes to our skin. When I'm stressed out, my skin looks dull, broken out, and overall a little temperamental. Stress can even make you hold onto excess weight! Not fun at all.

I think that its crucial to take a little time for yourself and do whatever it is you need in order to feel balanced back to your natural self. It allows your mind to calm down, and thus calms your skin down, and regulates your body's natural rhythms.

Here's what I do to relieve stress:

Read - Reading is absolutely one of my favorite hobbies! I love books, and immersing myself in a fantasy or romance always relaxes me. I typically like to read a little before bed; it's great for helping to prepare your body for sleep as well.

Speaking of sleep....Get more - This is so important. Even if it's just one day a week, try to dedicate some time to either sleeping in later in the morning, or going to bed earlier. It makes a world of a difference. When I'm well-rested, there's nothing I can't do. Things always seem a little more difficult to overcome when you're constantly tired.

Exercise - one word; endorphins. They make you happy, thus relieving stress. I literally just did thirty minutes of cardio, and my mood is pretty darn chipper right now. It also gets your blood flowing, which will help your skin. Yay!

Yoga - This one is a little predictable, and I do apologize, but what can I say? It works! Stretching is so relaxing, and yoga in itself really does relax my overactive mind.

Essential Oils - Aromatherapy people! This has been a proven way to reduce stress for a long time. My favorites are blends with vanilla, citrus and coffee bean. I mainly use those at night. Eucalyptus and mint are really great during the day because they're both relaxing and energizing.

And there you have it! These things never fail to both relax and ground me.

What do you do to relieve stress?

My Take on Makeup Wipes

Hello Loves,

Today I thought that I would talk a little bit about a beauty product that tends to get a bad rep. So yes, I'm talking about makeup wipes. So many skincare professionals bash them, but I don't believe that they're as terrible as so many people make them out to be, so long as you use them the correct way.

Do I use makeup wipes? Yes I do.

Although, when I first tried out a makeup wipe, I will admit, it was horrible. It was Yes to Cucumbers, and I think the fragrance in the wipes gave me a bad reaction, because I woke up the next morning completely broken out. I was pretty devastated. Needless to say, that prevented me from going anywhere near a makeup wipe for a long while.

However, I planned on going on a trip for a week, and I knew that I wasn't about to pack along my ginormous bottle of micellar water. So I went for the Simple Kind to Skin makeup removing wipes, and I LOVED THEM. I decided to try these specific ones because they are completely fragrance free and don't contain any harsh chemicals.

These are my absolute favorite!

I think that makeup wipes are incredibly useful to just toss in your bag and use on the go. If you're at school or work and decide that you want to make a quick stop at the gym, makeup wipes have you covered (because you should never workout with your makeup on). I like using them for that exact purpose because after my workout, I can head home and immediately shower, and properly cleanse my face. So I think that they're great at getting the majority of your makeup off, but in no way should they replace an actual cleanser. They will never remove everything and give your skin the proper clean it deserves. They're great to use as an add-on, an extra step to ensure you've taken all your makeup off.

Bottom line: I would never use a makeup wipe instead of skincare and call it a night.

They're great mid-day to give your face a pick-me-up or remove makeup because you don't want to over-wash your face. They're useful for the gym and traveling. And that's pretty much it in my opinion. So while they can definitely act as a last minute life-saver, I don't really consider them to be an actual skincare product.

What do you guys think of makeup wipes? Love or hate?

Mixing and Matching Skincare Brands?

Hello Lovelies,

Today, I thought I would chat about my thoughts on mixing and matching skincare from different brands.

From the time that I was thirteen and started using skincare, my mom would always have me buy every item from the same line. I was then using cleanser, toner and moisturizer and it was literally all Aveeno and nothing else. When I forayed into Neutrogena, again everything had to be from the same company. She firmly believes that one should try to use one skincare line only, because she believes that each product is formulated to best work with their sister products. It does make sense to me, but lately, as I've experimented with different beauty products, I've developed a different opinion.

I found this one on the web. Each and every product is from a different brand. 

I think that in every skincare brand, you will always find a few hero products that stand out. One brand may be known for their rich eye cream, another for their unique brightening cleanser. Every company has hits and misses, so why sign yourself up for the misses just to justify using the hits?

Why not just use all hero products, whether they're from the same brand or not?

I remember loving this one moisturizer from the drugstore that contained vitamin E. It was an amazing gel cream that I used for two years as a teen because it truly served every skincare need I had at that age. That cream was literally one of three products (all moisturizers) that that brand created, so it of course mismatched with the rest of my routine as I couldn't go out and buy their cleanser, toner, sunscreen etc. And it didn't matter one bit. I even tried a no-name brand that was the copy-cat of that particular cream when it was sold out one day, and that worked just as well. A quick note on no-name brands; if you're on a budget, they can be a lifesaver. You're getting an almost identical product for a way cheaper price. That's a score in my books.

So my final verdict? I say mix and match however you please. It makes the process more fun, and experimenting with different products and combinations may lead you to your very own customized routine that works best for YOU.

Go forth and do you. Mix and match to your heart's content.

Love,

Tabitha

Makeup Must-Haves for a Fresh Face

Hello lovelies,

I feel like this blog post is the one that probably best epitomizes everything that my blog is about. When it comes to beauty, I like seeing people who look like the best versions of themselves. A full face of makeup has never been my thing, not that I think there's anything wrong with going full glam. But even for you ladies who go all out, sometimes we all need a fall back look that's going to be simple and fresh. Something that will effortlessly highlight all your best features in a short amount of time. Here are the things that I believe are a must-do for this minimal natural look we all love and crave.

First of all: Moisturizer. This will plump your skin, and leave it looking smooth and hydrated. It's all about that base. Any basic hydrating moisturizer will do.

Next, if you get oily, feel free the apply a little bit of pore minimizing primer to any areas that tend to get shiny. If you're dry or your skin is a little dull, I suggest applying a little bit of a luminous primer along the top of your cheek bones for a subtle glow, or all over for super dewy skin.

We're now moving on to makeup, but here's a quick note; do make sure that your brows are groomed and shaped to your liking. It makes such a huge difference.

For your makeup base, you need to really customize it to your skin. For dryer skin types, I would suggest going with a tinted moisturizer. For those of you that are more oily, I think a light dusting of mineral powder is perfect. Both keep your skin still looking like skin. If you have any blemishes or imperfections you want to cover up, spot conceal those areas while still keeping everything else fresh. You don't want to cover up those areas that are clear and beautiful.

After that, move onto your brows. Focus on filling them in closer towards the tail end of your brows to keep them looking more natural, and always use a spoolie to blend everything in.

At this point, feel free to apply a little bit of eyeliner if you feel the need, but I suggest sticking with a pencil and only applying a thin line. If you don't like eyeliner feel free to skip this step.

Next is mascara! Just go to town and apply lots of your favorite mascara. I LOVE mascara.

Mow lets move onto cheeks. If you have skin that's naturally pink or red, you may want to skip this step, but everyone else can always benefit from a pop of subtle color. I suggest using a cream or gel blush because they tend to be more natural. Keep the color light! Peaches, pinks, and even coral is super pretty.

Next I suggest setting everything with a light dusting of translucent powder, just to keep everything in place and keep it from breaking up on your face or sliding off. If you opt for a powder blush instead of cream or gel, apply it after your setting powder.

Last, lips! The fun part. Lip stains are always beautiful, but glosses are fabulous with this look as well. I suggest sticking to pinks, peaches and nudes. If you can match the color to your blush, even better. It will create a cohesive glow.

And that's about it!

The whole thing takes five minutes or so, and leaves you looking fresh and polished. It's definitely my go to look on an everyday basis. What's your go-to makeup? And if you have any great product suggestions, feel free to share them! :)

Should you have an Extensive or Simple Skincare Routine?

Hello Lovelies,

Today we are going to talk about skincare routines! Since the time that I developed such a keen interest in all things beauty, I have been very interested in learning about the skincare products that people with fabulous skin use on a daily basis. I absolutely love visiting various blog sites that interview celebrities on their beauty routines. Between all the different products they list, it's hard to determine what you really need that will truly make a visible difference in your skin. It actually starts to become rather confusing, especially with all these new innovative products that have recently been released. Essences, sheet masks, face mask primer...Do we really need all this stuff?? What really made me begin to reflect was learning about the 10-Step Korean skin care routine. 10 Steps. It sounds daunting and kind of crazy at first but then you look at the skin that these Korean women have and it all starts to seem like it wouldn't actually be that hard, especially with those kind of results. They GLOW.

But then again, I think that there's a lot to be said about keeping it simple, and not going product crazy. So here's my take on what I believe is essential to a skincare routine.

Cleansing is an absolute must for anyone and everyone, no matter your skin type. People with dry and sensitive skin would probably benefit from gentle cleansers, like oil cleansers or lotion cleansers. I think these are great for people with combination and oily skin as well, but I do believe that they could also benefit from going in with the infamous double cleanse, whether that be with the same cleanser, or following up with a water-based cleanser that yields a deeper clean. You should also take into account how much makeup you wear. If you do wear a good amount of makeup, I would suggest using a makeup remover first, whether it be with a balm or micellar water.

Toner is a step that some find crucial yet others find useless. I say give it a go, but if it doesn't seem to do anything for your skin, you probably don't need it. I personally find toner very beneficial because I think that it really does help your other skincare products absorb much more nicely.

Next would be essences and serums. These are great if you have any skin concerns you want to address, whether it be acne, dullness, wrinkles, or discoloration. Serums and essences penetrate super fast, which is what makes them so effective. If you have skin that doesn't need the extra help, then I don't think that this step is completely necessary. Many women with awesome skin just use moisturizer and that works perfectly for them.

Moisturizer is next, and this is the step that is crucial. Moisturized skin is protected skin that results in skin that is hydrated, healthy and overall balanced. Even people with oily skin need to moisturize. If you don't, your skin will lack moisture and will try to compensate by producing more oil which will result in breakouts. Be sure to find a moisturizer that best suits your skin! Gel moisturizers are lovely for younger skins as well as people with oily and combination skin. They rock in the summertime as well, since they tend to be lighter. Richer cream type moisturizers are typically better for skin that is dry or aging or eczema-prone.

Next is eye cream which is a great step to include in your skincare regime if you are in your twenties or older. Teens don't really need eye cream. If you have a moisturizer that is thin enough, you could also probably get away with using that under your eyes as well. Some moisturizers will state that they are suitable for the eye contour area, which I think is brilliant as it takes away the need to buy two separate products.

This last step is the step that I think is the most important. I'm talking about sunscreen people, and there's no way to get around it. Even kids should wear it every single day. I'm sure you know the drill by now. Never skip sunscreen. It should be worn every day, year round, no matter the season.

After those steps everything else is extra. Exfoliation is a great thing to do a couple times a week, and if you want to, I think adding in a face mask is great! I think the one thing you should take away from this is that whatever works for you is what is best. If you wash your face with cetaphil and moisturize with jojoba oil before slapping on some sunscreen and that's working, keep on doing that!

Bottom line: Don't feel the need to complicate a process that is already working for you. 

I tried to get into a more extensive skincare routine once, and it didn't work out that well for me. People with sensitive skin generally have better luck with keeping things as simple as possible because then there are less products and ingredients that could possibly cause irritation. I use micellar water to remove makeup, cleanse with a lotion cleanser, tone with grape water and then moisturize with a basic, no-frills moisturizer. During the day I add sunscreen. And that's it right now. And my skin looks the best that it ever has.

I would love to hear your take on what's essential within a skincare routine, and what you have found to work best for you. It's always interesting to discover what works for others!

Until next time, beautiful people! :)