I've been an avid consumer of collagen supplements for years. When I learned about how rapidly collagen levels decline starting at the age of 21, I immediately added it to my routine. Collagen supplements have really served me well. Within the first 30 days of regular consumption I noticed a difference.
Since then, I've graduated from collagen supplements to introducing collagen peptides into the mix. Because collagen peptides have a low molecular structure, I figured that perhaps my body would better absorb it for even more benefits. Although I'm not 100% sure, I feel as if taking collagen has helped speed up the results of my multiple micro needling treatments.
Things are going well. But then I wondered if there was anything I could do to make it even better. Synergistically, I needed to pair my collagen with another supplement to maximize benefits.
After reading the findings from a NASA skin study on how to minimize the damaging effects of space travel, I decided to recommit myself to the practice of keeping my skin as hydrated as possible at all times.
In the study, researchers applied an emulsion to protect the skin from dryness related concerns. I wasn't exactly sure what constitutes an emulsion so I skipped over to Amazon and did a quick search to find a few examples.
One of the first results was a product with over 100 reviews and nearly a 5-star rating. I immediately wanted to know more. What was this product and why did so many people like it?
Etude's Moistufull Collagen Emulsion is a Korean beauty product. As you may already know, Asian women are obsessed with having moist, plump skin. Hence why there are so many layers in their beauty routine. After skimming over a few of the reviews, I immediately purchased.
Here's short product description:
The small particles of the super collagen water and Baobab water in the Moistfull Collagen Emulsion, endlessly provide moisture and leave your skin feeling bouncy like jelly. Moistfull Collagen Emulsion has a light but firm texture that adheres moisture and nutrients to the skin.
What really sold me was the addition of a fruit extract from the African Baobab tree. If you weren't aware, Baobab trees are known for their unusual lifespan. Some living for over 800 years. They survive in harsh deserts thanks to their ability to maintain hydration by storing tens of thousands of gallons of water in their trunk. It makes sense to add this extract to skin hydration products. Best of all, it's the 4th ingredient on the list which makes me happy. They also included Baobab seed oil in the emulsion as well.
What makes me even happier is that collagen is the 2nd ingredient. I know there's some debate out there as to whether topical collagen is effective for penetrating the skin but, in my experience, collagen based products tend to hold in moisture just a bit longer than their counterparts.
When I purchased Moistfull Collagen, I also decided to grab one of these mini skin moisture readers. Days later, my goodies arrived. Immediately, I rubbed a little Moistfull Collagen in between my hands to get a feel for the consistency. It looks and feels like a very lightweight lotion. But when applied, it melts like water bringing a rush of hydration to the skin. The moment I applied it, I knew that I found my newest favorite product.
Ladies, this is the perfect summer moisturizer. It's lightweight and melts completely into the skin. There's no trace of greasiness left behind. This is the perfect layering product. You can use it under a sunscreen by day or layer it under a thicker cream and/or oil at night.
Sometimes, I'll randomly pull out my skin moisture meter and quickly do a reading on my face. Whenever the numbers aren't favorable, I'll quickly apply a thin layer of Moistfull and suddenly my skin is ultra-hydrated again. Best of all, this product is pretty affordable considering how well it works and how much product you get per bottle. I highly recommend this Moistfull if you are looking for intense moisture in a weightless product. Next on my purchase list is their Moistfull Collagen cream. Can't wait to try it.
I'm grateful for all the contributions that NASA has made to the health & beauty industry. Some notable examples that come to mind include vibration plates and mini trampolines. Both help rebuild bone and muscle mass because space exploration really does a number on the body. Once astronauts return home, their bodies are ravaged by the effects of their zero gravity environment. That's when their scientists get to work on discovering ways to rehabilitate and prevent long term damage.
Obviously, preventing the negative physical effects to the body is a top priority. Which is why rebounding and vibration plates were discovered so long ago. But recently, NASA has also come to realize another huge issue that needs to be addressed. Not only were there astronauts dealing with bone and muscle loss, they realized that an antigravity environment also accelerates skin aging.
It's no secret that I have a mild obsession with consuming nutrition in liquid form. The possibility of enjoying a higher absorption rate as the nutrients bypass the digestion process excites me so much. Last year I discovered the wonders of adding chlorophyll drops to my water. Since then, I've never stopped contemplating the idea of amassing an arsenal of powerful boosters to I can add to my water anytime.
One of the most positive traits I have that's allowed me to create ideal outcomes is my ability to focus on the future. I took a personality assessment once which identified one of my strengths as "futuristic." Here's the synopsis of someone who's strength is futuristic:
The future fascinates you. As if it were projected on the wall, you see in detail what the future might hold, and this detailed picture keeps pulling you forward, into tomorrow. While the exact content of the picture will depend on your other strengths and interests, it will always be inspirational to you. You are a dreamer who sees visions of what could be and who cherishes those visions.When the present proves too frustrating and the people around you too pragmatic, you conjure up your visions of the future and they energize you.
It's time for another quick roundup of recent beauty purchases that I'm currently loving.
NARS concealer
I'm losing count of the number of concealers I currently own. I have a couple from MAC, some from Makeup Forever. I even have a few shades from the cult drugstore brand L.A. Girl. Not to mention my all time favorite concealer, Kevyn Aucoin. I had no business buying another one. But time and time again, I kept hearing about NARS' concealer and how it was an absolute must have. So I grabbed one. Best decision I've made in a while. I love this concealer for several reasons. First, I like the packaging. I don't have to get any product on my fingers thanks to the handy application brush. Secondly, the packaging makes it extremely portable so I just throw it in my purse without having to worry about any mishaps. But what makes me love this product more than anything is its formula. NARS creamy concealer is a perfect consistency. It offers the perfect amount of coverage. It blends perfectly into my skin with no creasing. I love NARS creamy concealer so much.
For the past several months, I've really neglected my self-care routines. I haven't been eating all that healthy, my sleep has been sporadic and I haven't placed my well-being as a high priority. Since it's a new month, I thought now would be a great time to get back on track.
On a whim, I went online and purchased a round of cryotherapy sessions which happened to be on sale. Once that was done, I started looking around for IV Drip centers nearby. Once I learned that we could feed our bodies a cocktail of nutrients that nourish from the inside out, I wanted in.
A friend happened to text me the other day that she scheduled an acupuncture treatment nearby. I immediately told her that I was thinking of trying cosmetic acupuncture and maybe we could go together. We agreed and I proceed to locate the info for the alternative health office. But once I got on their website, I was immediately distracted by the fact that they also offered IV therapy.
Minutes later, I was on the line with a rep. But instead of asking about acupuncture, I inquired about the IV. "Do you guys offer any beauty cocktails that benefit the hair, skin and nails?" After a moment of silence, the woman on the other line asked me to hold on while she asked around for more info.
After, what seemed liked forever, she finally returned with some good news. "We offer a resveratrol drip which has beauty benefits." I thanked her for her response and politely ended the call. My first thought was "resveratrol? Isn't that the stuff in red wine? How is that gonna benefit the hair and skin?"
In the movie, The Secret, there's a scene where the Law of Attraction experts discuss the power of the mind and visualization in the reality creation process. They discussed how athletes visualized themselves performing at a high level on the field of play. As they created mental pictures in their minds, their muscles would signal as if the activity were actually happening.
Soon they realized that visualizing the successful execution of game moves in their minds brought nearly as powerful benefits as hours of real practice. This is why visualization is so well-regarded when it comes to the manifestation process. We see it in our minds, and it feels so real. Our belief skyrockets but, more importantly, our bodies really respond.
Today I learned that this physical response might actually help you in your fitness journey. Let me explain.
I had multiple conversations recently that inspired this post. In both cases, the women wanted to transition from working full time to running a successful business. In both cases, the women were holding on to their jobs a bit too long. This was my opinion. I based the opinion on personal experience.
Prior to taking the big leap, I lived with a high level of anxiety and stress on a daily basis. I hated my situation and I couldn't keep it up much longer. But I did. I kept it up for months and made plans to keep going for another year even though each day felt worse than the last.
Nothing was going to change because I was too afraid. But then I asked myself a powerful question that changed everything.
I'm sure all of us have this one thing in common. You probably own several types of face masks. Threre's one that dries out your excessively oily skin. You have a hydrating mask to eradicate flaky skin. There's the firming one that helps plump and tone. Let's not forget the brightening mask to help fade away your scars. Whatever issue arises, you've got the perfect mask for it.
You've purchased all those masks for a reason. Chances are, your skin has multiple issues. But your mask probably addresses only one. What's a girl to do?
You may have seen a video floating around of Gabrielle Union, sitting poolside looking like an image of perfection. When I envision the vibe I want to have this summer, this is what I picture in my mind.
Skin looking so flawless that it outshines the swimsuit.
Body, toned.
Hair blowing in the wind.
Face reflecting the light that hits it.
I keep watching the video over and over again. My favorite part of the whole thing is her incredible confidence. She knows she's flawless. This level of perfection did not happen on its own. Gabby appears effortless, but we know that she maintains certain habits & rituals to enhance her results.
When I began my skin care journey, I've set one clear goal. To have skin so flawless that foundation wouldn't be necessary. I want skin that looks just as good bare as when it's camouflaged with high-end foundation.
Every day, I get one step closer. I'm still not there yet so foundation is still a critical part of my life. I I'd like to ween myself off having to rely on a full face of foundation in order to look presentable. Seems like I may have found a product that aligns with my dream of having skin that looks incredibly natural and flawless.
While at The Makeup Show, I stopped by NYX's booth to see what all commotion was about. The small crowd almost prevented me from taking a closer look. But I decided that it was worth the trouble if it meant finding that one item that would change everything.
The warmer it gets the more I start thinking about the full manifestation of summer. I've already begun rummaging through my drawers in search of summer gear. The only thing going through my mind is how I can nurture a head to toe glow. On my hit list is to one day finally experience a Korean body scrubbing but until then, I'll focus on the next best alternative.
Many years ago, I had a conversation with my brother in which I asked him to imagine what it would feel like to earn $10,000 a month. I could see the expression on his face change as he tried to imagine the scenario. He struggled mightily. After a few moments of quiet and discomfort, he finally admitted that it was nearly impossible for him to imagine earning this much money a month.
Recently, I asked a few of my friends the same question. Everyone I ask has difficulty picturing themselves earning this type of income. I did too....at one point. Whenever I tried to imagine the scenario, my mind drew a blank. That's when I realized that this was a huge part of the problem. My mind kept shutting down because it didn't believe in such a scenario actually becoming a reality.
As long as my mind couldn't picture it, I knew I would never experience it.
The other day I was watching one of my favorite reality shows. There was a scene where two of the main characters enjoyed a day of beauty treatments. Instead of enjoying a leisurely massage, they opted for a more aggressive option.
While laying face down, the two women endured a full body micro needling treatment. By the time the session was over, their entire bodies were red with all the blood flow. My first instinct was to cringe at how much pain they had to endure. Then I wondered why they would even do micro needling over their entire bodies.
Coachella is currently in progress which means the start of spring/summer outdoor season. I figured now would be a great time to collect some style inspiration for festival outfits ideas.
One thing I hate more than anything is a movie ending that's completely different from what I expected. I loathe movies that end in a manner contrary to what I wanted to see. It doesn't matter if the movie was one of the most cleverly directed features ever if the ending is not up to my standards, I completely dismiss the entire film as useless.
Even when I was young, I would become extremely upset if I were ever interrupted from a pleasant dream. Whenever this happened, I would try my darnedest to fall back asleep and create the ending that I wanted. Sometimes I would even try to create alternate endings to dreams that did not meet my expectation of a suitable experience. My number one priority was to always create the perfect result.
I've been aware of the many benefits of activated charcoal for years. But I experiment with lots of products so I put charcoal on the backburner. Today, I happened to stumble of Biore's Deep Pore Charcoal cleanser. I wanted to try it so bad.
But instead pulling out my credit card, I came up with a better solution. That moment I realized that I could use charcoal in multiple ways in my everyday beauty routine.
I'm sure 100% of us would all agree that if we could prevent or avoid sagging skin, we would. Firm, taut skin is the epitome of youth. Modern cosmetic science has a myriad of ways to address sagging skin from surgery to fillers and everything in between.
But Japanese researchers seemed to have uncovered an all-natural alternative that may hold the key to firming skin.
I love combing through various studies to uncover what methods really work based on clinical trials. Today, I'm pretty sure I've stumbled on the mecca of all research papers on how to address acne scars once and for all.
