Beauty: How to get stronger nails, longer hair and better skin

No the title of this post is not a joke. There are some simple things you can do to get stronger nails, longer hair and better skin. The best part? They are all natural and don’t involve any harsh chemicals.

I've been taking fish oil for years and have seen a dramatic improvement in my hair, skin and nails. My hair is a lot stronger, shinier and grows quicker. My skin seems clearer and brighter and my nails have gotten stronger from taking it. You can take it in liquid or pill form and I've done both but currently are using the pills. It's a little easier and you don't have to taste it. I store the pills in my fridge to help them keep longer and take at least two pills a day (three in the winter). It’s an easy addition to my vitamin and supplement routine and it’s made a big difference for me.

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Although it’s helped to improve my nails, they were still on the thinner side so I started adding flaxseed to my oatmeal and other dishes and wow - I've seen such a dramatic difference. They are strong, grow so quick and hardly ever break. I've never had the greatest nails and finally I'm so happy with them. I buy ground flaxseed at the grocery store and sneak it into several dishes of mine to make sure I get a little bit each day. You can’t taste it and it has so many benefits.


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Another beauty secret of mine for my skin is vitamin E oil. I buy it in liquid form and use it as my facial moisturizer. I have combination skin and it works great on my dry areas of my face but doesn’t make the normal part too oily. I use it both in the morning before putting on my makeup and at night before bed. I have suffered with dry skin for as long as I can remember and have tried more moisturizers than I can count. This is the only thing that I have found that works for me.

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Another crazy natural remedy is coconut oil. I know – I’m sure you think I’m nuts by now but I love this stuff. Not only is it good for you to eat, but it’s great for your skin and hair. I use this at night to take off my eye makeup and as an extra moisturizer if my skin is severely dry. I use this in my hair as a deep conditioning treatment and it has done wonders for my split ends. I could go on for hours about how good this stuff is for you to eat as well but that deserves its own post.

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Have you tried any of the above? Are there other natural beauty remedies that you’ve tried that work great?

Blend your way healthy!

I try to eat a pretty healthy diet, but when it comes to searching on the Internet for tips and help on what and how much to eat, it can be pretty intimidating. There’s way too much information out there. The advice that’s consistent no matter where you look is to eat several servings of fruit and vegetables every day. 

So, my answer? Smoothies. What can be easier than throwing all those fruits and veggies in a blender and drinking them? 

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I started making smoothies for breakfast in an effort to incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet. It was difficult for me to incorporate two to three servings of each of those every day. That’s just a lot of food! So, in order to help myself along I’ve been drinking a smoothie every day.

The great part about adding smoothies into your diet is that the options are endless. There are tons of combinations so it’s not easy to get bored. Plus, it’s something you can start doing without having a lot of know-how or following strict recipes. Sure, you can search for smoothie recipes, but you really don’t need to. Just pick a few things you like and try them together. 

I typically pick two to three different fruits and blend them with a small amount orange juice. I’m a little less adventurous with the veggies, but I do include a handful of spinach in every smoothie. Other veggies I really like incorporating are carrots and cucumbers. If you’re afraid of your smoothie tasting too bitter, I definitely recommend starting off with the veggies I mentioned. If you’re making a fruit smoothie, spinach won’t affect the taste (I promise!) and carrots/cucumbers only add sweetness. If you use carrots, chop them very finely. Also, you could add an extra boost like flax seeds or a supplement like protein powder to any smoothie.

Here are a few combinations that I like:

• Mango – peach – kiwi 
• Apple – cucumber 
• Strawberry – banana – blueberry 
• Banana – pineapple 
• Cucumber – Asian pear 

(And don’t forget the spinach!)

How do you incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet?

Laura Mercier Amazing Concealer Review

It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with covering up my under eye circles over the years. No matter how much sleep I’ve gotten they still manage to show up. Although I think drinking plenty of fluids and getting proper sleep does help, sometimes I just need a little something extra to make sure I don’t look like the walking dead.

Enter Laura Mercier Amazing Concealer. Holy smokes you guys … this stuff really works. Adrianne introduced me to it (notice a theme here?) a few months back when I was complaining to her about my dreaded under eye issues. She had nothing but amazing things to say about the product and suggested I go try it for myself.

I raced over to Sephora on my lunch to talk to a beauty consultant and try some for myself. I was in love. She told me about all the different ways I could apply it and what steps to take to maximize the coverage. She told me to first blend some under my eyes with my fingers since I could control the amount of coverage better and it would warm up the area allowing for better blending. She said that if there was still spots that I wanted more coverage for that I could use a small concealer brush to touch it up. Although the appearance of my under eye circles will never COMPLETELY go away – this stuff really helps.

I also use this on blemishes and other areas that I need a little correction on and it works great. I typically do my eye makeup then put my BB cream all over my face then add the concealer and finish my face with bronzer and blush. If I need a little extra help under my eyes I add a little more at the very end.

And that’s it! If you need a little help under your eyes or want to try a completely amazing concealer give this on a try – you won’t be disappointed!

What beauty products do you own that you can’t live without? Have you found any concealers that make magic happen?

15 Essentials for Your Closet

So, what is considered a clothing essential? I consider something essential when it matches with lots of other pieces in your wardrobe. It’s something that can totally be transformed depending on the accessories you wear or pieces that lay the foundation for a whole outfit. Also, essentials never go out of style.

Whether you want to overhaul your wardrobe, or are looking for pieces to help make your current wardrobe more versatile, here are 15 things every woman should have in her closet:

Basic camis

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Black dress

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Neutral pencil skirt

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Cardigan

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Black or neutral heels

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Lightweight trench coat

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Jeans that fit well

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Nude flats

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Basic tees

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Blazer

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Day-to-evening bag

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Simple blouse

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Light scarf

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Neutral dress pants

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Leather belt

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When choosing your staples, keep a few things in mind:

If you have the budget to get some of these items in multiple colors, I highly recommend it. It will help stretch your wardrobe even further. 

When choosing pieces, make sure you don’t select items with too many adornments. The more intricate the details on the piece, the less versatile it becomes.

If you live in an area like we do that experiences cool autumns and harsh winters, I’d definitely add a few things like a nice puffy coat and quality pair of boots to the list. If you’re in year-round warm temps (lucky you!), I’d add a pair of wedges and some sundresses to the list. 

What else do you consider a closet essential?

L’Oreal Sulfate-Free Shampoos and Conditioners (Part Two)

Hi guys! As Adrianne said in her part one of this review, L’Oreal Sulfate-Free shampoos and conditioners are amazing. I purchased the EverCrème Sulfate-Free Moisture System shampoo and conditioner and have been using it for over a month now. My hair is silky, moisturized and looks so much healthier.

When Adrianne first bought her Everstrong Sulfate-Free Fortify System shampoo and conditioner I immediately noticed. We work together and sit VERY close. Every time she walked past my desk I got a whiff of this amazing smell. I told her that her hair smelled so good and that it had a really strong, but great smell (yeah I know that sounds creepy). I asked her what she was using and she told me all about these shampoos and conditioners and recommended that I check them out too.

I have thick hair - and I mean THICK and it's easy for it to dry out and look dull. The EverCrème shampoo and conditioner works amazing with my hair type and smooths my crazy hair and leaves it silky and shiny. I can't get over how much healthier it is since I started using this.

I highly recommend this to anyone who has thicker and/or dry hair and is looking for a affordable and easy solution.

Try a bottle - you won't be disappointed!

Our Health: It’s All About Moderation

Do forgive me for throwing a cliché at you, but I sincerely believe that moderation is one of the best ways to living and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

It took me a very long time to realize that I can’t just eat whatever I want and expect to look and feel healthy. When I was in college, I was a very busy girl. In addition to my classes, I held two part-time jobs and played softball. I rarely prepared myself a meal and I mostly relied on the not-so-healthy stuff in our school cafeteria or stops at Wendy’s on the way home from a doubleheader. Even though I was in good shape and working out a lot because of softball, I weighed a lot more than was comfortable for me.

It was all about my eating habits. With every meal, not only did I eat things that weren’t very healthy, but I also ate until the point that I felt full. I often came away from a meal feeling sluggish and it’s because I stuffed my face. And even when healthy options were in front of me, I always opted for the fatty, fried and salty foods.

It’s been years since college and I’ve managed to transform my eating habits. It’s rare that I sit down and eat until I feel uncomfortable and can’t stand up. There have been plenty of times where I’ve been at lunch with friends and received comments about not being able to finish my whole meal. It’s all teasing and good fun, but the reason I do things like that is because it helps me prevent myself from over eating. I haven’t given up the foods that I love, but I do try to eat healthy for the most part. It’s really important not to deny yourself things, because that’s when cravings strike. Don’t deny yourself things, but also realize that you can’t eat junk at every meal.

 

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It’s also important to find what works best for you. For me, I try to eat less during every meal, but I eat more frequently throughout the day. That’s not the best approach for everyone, but it’s one that’s helped me. Oh – and don’t forget to squeeze in some exercise!

Feel free to share your best tips for staying healthy – we’d love to hear them!

Amanda's June Birchbox

I did a happy dance when I got this month's Birchbox

1. Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Perfume

2. Peanut Butter Cookie Luna Bar

3. Stila One Step Bronze Bronzage

4. Comodynes Self Tanning Towlets

5. theBalm cosmetics - Stainiac Lip and Cheek Stain

I was so happy to see two makeup samples in my June Birchbox. I think this was my favorite month so far!

1. This perfume was a nice surprise! I didn't think I would love it (sorry Taylor) but the scent was actually really pretty. I enjoyed it until I managed to spill the rest of the bottle all over the carpet in our bedroom. I was so sad - but at least our room smells great!

2. I love Luna Bars and had actually enjoyed this flavor several times before. It was such a cute little sample and was perfect to put into my purse for a snacking emergency.

3. The size of this sample was amazing - it seemed like a full sized bottle! I love Stila products and was over the moon when I heard they were teaming up with Birchbox this month. The product is great - it has a bronzing and highlighting effect in one pump and it's an easy and quick addition to my beauty routine. I won't run out of this stuff anytime soon but when I do I know I will be picking up another bottle of this!

4. Self-tanners have always intimidated me. I've never been good at applying them and always end up with a missed spot or orange hands (embarrassing for sure ..) and was scared to use this product too. It actually was a great surprise. No mess and was easy to apply. I'm a fan!

5. I was a little worried that this stain would show up BRIGHT red on my cheeks and lips based off of the bottle but it actually gave a really nice rosy color that wasn't too intense. I really love it on my cheeks and have been wearing it every day since I got it. I did not love it on my lips though - it is a weird consistency and I wasn't totally feeling it.

Great job, Birchbox! I was debating if I should keep up with my subscription or not and you have proved to me that it's completely worth the $10 every month.

Did you miss Adrianne's review of her June Birchbox? Click here to read it!

Do you subscribe to Birchbox or another monthly product subscription? What do you think so far?