health - Beauty Collection Blog

BC@HOME Spa Day

February 2, 2009 By The Beauty Curator 2 Comments

In Preparation: As the expression goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. Plan your home spa-day in advance and you’ll guarantee a refreshing experience. Here are a few things you might want to have.
~ A comfortable robe, slippers and fluffy cotton towel
~ A soothing music CD
~ Scented candle
~ A washcloth, loofah or bath brush
~ Bath salts & essential aromatic oils
~ Cleansers, toners and moisturizers
~ Exfoliating body scrub

Slow Down: Put on your favorite CD and start prepping a very simple shower or bath in a wonderfully slow, deliberate and unhurried way. Take time to watch the candle burn, smell the fragrance, feel the soft robe or towels, look at the sparkling drops of water and run your hands through it… take in the joyful process of an every day activity that we just fly through without a second thought!

Use Essential Oils: The rule to applying essential oils is to never apply them directly on your face or skin. Just add about five drops to a bowl of warm water. Soak a washcloth in the water and then apply to your face and neck as a compress for five
minutes. Repeat three times. Gently towel dry and finish yourself off with an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory facial splash.

California Baby Essential Oil (not just for babies!)

Body Scrub: If you decided you only have time for an indulgent, relaxing shower…start with a basic body scrub. Whatever sponge, cloth or brush you decide on… scrub mindfully and gently brush your skin. Gentle circular motions will increase your circulation and eliminate toxins and excess water. The scrub will exfoliate dead skin cells and cleanse the pores.

Ahava Gentle Body Exfoliator

Draw a Bath: Add 5 to 10 drops of an essential oil to bath salts and use a bath pillow. If you don’t have one handy, grab an extra pillow, put a kitchen trash bag over it to keep it dry and then put a pillow case over that. You just bought yourself 10 extra comfy minutes in the bath tub. Follow it with a warm shower and dry yourself off with a fluffy cotton towel.

Ahava Dead Sea Bath Salts

Care for Your Hair: Your hair is taking a beating in these winter elements. Essential oils can make invigorating scalp massages. If you decide not to use
the oils, make sure you at least give yourself a
long, sudsy scalp massage. Close your eyes, lay your head back and drift for a moment.

Treat Your Fabulous Face: Grab a new wash cloth or small sea sponge, add a few drops of your favorite cleanser (preferably an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory liquid cleanser) and then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Apply face firming treatment then put an ice cube inside of a small plastic bag and gently rub over the face and eye area for several minutes to tone and plump up the skin.

Replenish from the Inside Out: Take vitamins with essential fatty acids. Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. Eat whole foods, green vegetables, fresh fruits, grains, nuts and lean protein to reduce inflammation, replenish moisture and bring back a youthful glow.

Source: www.shesite.com

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Filed Under: BC@HOME Tagged With: beauty budget, beauty treatments, health, skincare

Be Grateful ~ Be Happy

February 2, 2009 By The Beauty Curator Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. For too many of us, Valentine’s Day has become more a burden than a blessing. Even if we’re among the lucky who are happily married, partnered, coupled, or at least dating someone we like (or think is hot), let’s face it: we can only get so excited.

Because most of us need something that’s going to bring us a little more long-term happiness, we here at Beauty Collection have decided to make February “Be Grateful – Be Happy” Month.

Appreciate what you already have
Why “appreciation” you ask? Studies prove that being grateful leads to greater health and happiness. And you don’t have to do much to get the benefits. Start by appreciating things like: Living in a comparatively peaceful country, our loved ones, our health, the money we make, medical breakthroughs, electricity, modern technology (like the Internet), instant communication, fast travel, our yoga practice, our church, and more. Start appreciating what you already have.

Pamper yourself
Throw out your preconceptions. Pampering doesn’t need to be a costly endeavor. For every expensive solution, there’s usually one that’s more affordable. Try the following easy ways to treat yourself with love: take a weekend road trip out of town, listen to your favorite music, see a play, concert or movie, create your own Home Spa Day (this is our favorite of course – visit page 4 for our recommendations), enjoy a massage or mini-facial. If you treat yourself with appreciation and love, appreciating the rest will come easy.

Put yourself in the driver’s seat
Don’t have a significant other to go out with on Feb 14? So what! There are plenty of other ways to enjoy a perfectly good day. Here are a few of them. Make it a girl’s night out, pay a visit to the spa, spend time with family, go on a date with your best guy friend, (“a boyfriend doppelganger”), throw an anti-Valentine’s Day party, give yourself a makeover, hit the gym, go shopping for a brand new outfit. Just enjoy yourself – no matter what you do. Make Valentine’s Day about loving you!

Find ways to give back
There’s no time like Valentine’s Day to do something for someone else. And once again, research has indicated that giving to others makes us happier. Visit a nursing home and spend some time with the people there. Volunteer to help out at a soup kitchen. Help out at your church. There are fabulous online resources to help you get involved – see www.1-800-volunteer.org. In these tough economic times, it’s important that we work together to build a community by getting involved in service. Giving back will not only make a difference for others, it will change your life too.

Filed Under: Life Advice Tagged With: health

Staying Holiday Healthy

December 1, 2008 By The Beauty Curator Leave a Comment

‘Tis the season for turkey and trees, falling snowflakes and Santa’s sleigh. Unfortunately, ‘tis also the season for wayward germs and inconvenient colds! So how do you stay healthy during the holiday season from the first slice of turkey to mistletoe and everything in between? Simple . . . read on to find our top five tips to “holiday healthy”. They’re sure to keep you feeling fa-la-la-la-abulous!

Take a Long Winter’s Nap
Don’t sit up too late wrapping those last minute gifts. While it can seem like a time productive move at the moment, losing sleep can actually make you more susceptible to infection. While you are sleeping, your body builds up its immune system. If you don’t sleep – your body doesn’t have time to fight off germs that can put you in bed for weeks!

Less Stress, More Merry
Stress less this holiday season. Unwind with a glass of warm tea, cocoa, or wine. Stress doesn’t only do bad things to your body but also to your skin . . . so hit that snooze button, sister!

Carry Hand Sanitizer . . . in Holsters
Be ready for the quick draw, folks! Wintertime bugs like to live on frequently touched places such as the handles of shopping carts, door handles and debit card machines. Wash your hands after leaving each store to avoid bringing home any winter bugs along with your packages. Don’t go overboard with germ paranoia, though.

Shop Online
Stress less and stay healthier by shopping online. You won’t be exposed to all those sick customers who force themselves out of bed for Black Friday. You’ll also lighten your stress load by avoiding hour-long lines.

Take Your Vitamins
Begin taking a vitamin C tablet each day. This will help support your immune system as it fights off winter bugs that come your way.

Filed Under: Curator Corner Tagged With: health

In Case You Need a Reason to Sleep

December 1, 2008 By The Beauty Curator Leave a Comment

Studies show that the holiday season tops the charts for the most neglected nights of restful sleep . . . and for good reason. How many times have we sat up waiting for the kids to doze off so that we could wrap a few hidden gifts before prying eyes caught on to their hiding place? While so many of us insist on pulling those late holiday nights, they cost us more than we think. Here are a few reasons why beauty rest will always make the nice list this year. . .

Snooze Your Way to Health
Sleep isn’t just for quitters as many of us hurried adults will insist. Sleep has a perfect purpose in the maintenance of our body’s systems. Sleep builds the immune system, cleanses carcinogens and basically reboots our bodies much like a computer, bringing more health benefits than any medicine you can buy.

Forever Young
Lack of sleep can be the culprit behind many signs of aging that take place such as wrinkles, lack of luster and under eye circles. While we sleep, cells are rejuvenated and elasticity is regained.

Natural Stress Relief
Remember the old saying “Every day is a new day”? Well, going to bed too late and waking up too early can leave you feeling like you’re stuck in the same bad day over and over again. Sleep is your body’s natural way of dealing with stressors and releasing them from your body, helping you begin each day afresh and anew.

Youthful Skin
When you hit the hay, your body disposes of an ingredient called cortisol, a nasty little bugger that can cause rapid aging, wrinkles and a dull complexion. As an added bonus, if you apply a moisturizer right before bed each night as opposed to just in your morning routine, your skin will absorb it like a sponge, making for a softer, more youthful complexion.

Filed Under: Curator Corner Tagged With: beauty tricks, health, skincare