On August 9th I had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people in the beauty and photography industry. Shoppers Drug Marts Beauty Boutiques are doing a special campaign called Be Bold with Beauty from Aug 12th – Sept 8th. This campaign welcomes customers into Beauty Boutiques to choose their new bold make-up look, consult with the beauticians and learn about the products being used to create the new look.
A beauty boutique make-up artist did the metallic look on me. Definitely something new for me. I usually go really dark on eyeliner and mascara. This look was light on the eyes, but popped with metallic eye shadow and more bold on the lips and cheeks. Especially for to my skin tone.
Be Bold with Beauty
Legendary Metallic Make-up
Expert makeup artist and beautyBOUTIQUE™ by Shoppers Drug Mart spokesperson, Simone Otis; (whom I had the pleasure of meeting) says, “People aren’t always used to matching lips with eyes, however to achieve this look both lips and lids have a metallic finish”.
I then got to sit down with one other blogger/influencer with celebrity make-up artist Joyce Bonelli. We talked about bold beauty and her favourite products. She always does 3 bold things to create a bold beauty look. Her favourite liquid eye liner is by Stila and bronzer or can be used for contour is hoola by Benefit. She was really down town earth and super friendly. Of course after our chat we took some selfies.
Don’t forget: Follow @ShoppersDrugMartOfficial on Instagram and share your bold look using #MyBold for a chance to win a $1,000 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card.
Her below shout out on Instagram thanking everyone just melted my heart!
Check out the other Bold Beauty looks you can try at a Beauty Boutique near you:
I’ve been blogging for 3 years and my first social media platform (among the popular ones these days) was go figure, YouTube! The first video I ever uploaded was actually of my first kitten, falling off my desk. It was an accident and I happened to get it on camera. I want to also add that I was young and did not think she would fall off the table.
*no judge zone*
I started blogging a lot more regularly on my first maternity leave. Now that I’m on my second maternity leave, blogging has been what has kept me sane. Getting back into work mode, to come back out of it in less than 2 years can really do a toll on you. Especially mentally. So this time around I’ve been partnering, collaborating and really getting to know the business side of the blogging world. However, this doesn’t mean I say yes to everything that comes my way. There are have been many collaboration requests that I’ve turned down, due to them not matching my lifestyle, ethics or simply I can’t relate to the product or service and know for sure I would not like it. Also, if by chance I’m wrong with a collaboration and the product or service is not what I expected, I explain to the brand why and I don’t write about it. After all, not worth my time. But there was that time when I had that experience at a cafe where I wasn’t allowed to bring my stroller in and wrote about it. Hmm. So i guess it depends. It’s all in the writing. You choose whether you want to be civil and positive or get nasty. But remember, your writing, is your voice online.
Everyday I’m learning something new, meeting new people and of course doing the mom thing at the same time.
Wearing a Mockberg watch with a mesh band
It’s not as glamorous as it seems. It’s a lot of work. Blogging is more than a nice Instagram picture and a 200+
word blog post. You’ve gotta be passionate about what you do. Without passion, one day you’ll wake up and not want to do it anymore. I’ve seen many blogs just die off after a few years. I use to wonder, what happened? Why did you stop? But really, it could be anything. No more drive, never really loved writing or simply was in it for the money and realized that doesn’t just show up without putting in the work.
Think of it this way, when a book is written. How do you think the author starts? They brainstorm. They imagine the characters. A rough story line. They write their thoughts out. Then comes the first draft. Second, third and maybe fourth draft. Someone reads it. Critiques it. Spell check. A million more spell checks. A rough copy is printed. Do you want it to be an e-book, hard copy, soft copy etc. Okay, my point is… there is SO much work that goes into blogging before you can really feel like it’s “working”. The day I started not caring about that stuff and went back to why I really started blogging, it was all smooth sailing from there. Do it for the love of writing, helping people, teaching, photography and kick ass content creation. This is your project it. OWN IT.
So what does a day in maternity life and blogging look like?
Bloggers: Writers, Photographers and Ultimate Content Creators
6 – 7 AM : I’ve never in my life woken up so early until now. I guess two children will do that to you? I nurse my baby and most of the time she falls back asleep. I take some time to catch up to emails, message, social media and then wake up my toddler for breakfast.
8 – 10 AM: I drop off the little guy to daycare and then from there is when our day really starts for me and baby z. Sometimes we go grocery shopping, downtown for blogging events or to see my mom, or straight back home to get started on house chores or writing up my next blog post.
12 PM: LUNCH – Usually homemade if I don’t have plans or haven’t been busy running errands. #momlife
1 – 5 PM: Between these hours is when I really get busy with blogging. Unless I’m nursing, at an event or seeing friends. I also get some exercise during these hours. If I miss the window to exercise then I wait till later in the evening. Either go for a family walk in the neighborhood or laps inside the house.
First steps in blogging:
Always start with notes for your blog post. Then a draft. Proof read as many times as you can. Take a day or two away from it and then look at it again. (Fact: This post was written in a totally different angle and was changed a few hours before being posted.) Then post! I find one of the biggest advantages to nursing my baby is sometimes I have a hand free to write my notes or first drafts.
I try to keep a schedule but because babies and life is so unpredictable, it doesn’t always turn out that way. Sometimes I’m writing like a maniac at 1 AM. I’ve always enjoyed writing and so there is never a good time or a bad time to write. I just do it. So for those who are just starting off, my advice to you is to just do it. That is if you enjoy writing. If you don’t that could be a whole other struggle and I’ll save those tips for another blog post.
For the bloggers: Next time you tell someone you’re a blogger, remember everything you do to be a kick ass blogger. Whether you organize photo shoots with photographers, take your own pictures, partnerships, collaborations, editing, writing… you’re the whole works!
For the readers: Blog posts take time and in our writing there is a story, a voice or a message. When you take the time to read my blog posts I am extremely grateful towards you. You took the time to read it, allow me to thank you and to recognize who you are. Leave me a comment on social media, on the blog or even a private message.
There’s not enough time in the day for me to do everything I want to do. However, for some reason when I have a check list, it can all get done. Ever since I was a teenager I had a habit of making lists in my planners. A list of goals, a list of daily things to do and a favourites list (music, books) to download and to borrow from the library.
Now those lists have evolved and the amount of lists I have to make is overwhelming. So overwhelming that I haven’t done it in almost a year. I actually think I was a lot more successful in getting things done because I had a daily planner or book to write everything down in. Now with my baby brain syndrome (it’s real), I forget everything! I’ve been looking for the right planner to get me organized again for a long time. And now finally I have the Bloom Daily Planner to help me get back into a more organized life.
The Bloom Daily Planners come in many forms. You can get it in hard cover or soft, monthly planning or daily, You can even get specific ones: Teacher planner, student planner and a wedding planner. They have a lot to choose from, check it out here.
When I saw these stickers it instantly reminded me of my old agenda from high school. I’d decorate every week with fun stickers and looking back at it now, it’s almost like looking into a diary/scrapbook. Looking at a list, or a page full of words of appointments, to do or birthdays is boring. So why not make it more fun by adding cute stickers. Especially for things you want to bring attention to when going through the pages.
The monthly plannerI have is a soft cover planner. When you open the soft cover, the inside of it has an area where you can slide your receipts or loose paper in.
For each day of the month I set goals. Mom goals, work goals, blogger goals, fitness goals or whatever. Set one for each day and whenever you accomplish that goal for that day, check it off. It may sound silly to you, but in hindsight when you go back to your planner in a week and see that you didn’t meet any of your goals, it might spark some new found motivation. For myself, I treat it like a challenge. Meeting my daily goals and checking it off at the end of the day is enough motivation for me. Looking back at a month of checks, is like a big “YES, girl! YES!’
My hair has literally gone from thick to thin and thick again in the last 4 years. I am loving my hair right now! It’s been through so much but its finally at a place where I love it. Pregnancy and post pregnancy can really take a toll on the health of your hair. This month I was invited to Medulla & Co, a hair salon in Yorkville, to discuss KerMax hair products.
KerMax Hair Event
I had a chance to sit with Dr. Michael Carozza, a naturopathic doctor and the beautiful Grego Minot. She’s a Canadian TV personality, and many of you will recognize her from the show The Real Housewives of Toronto. She is even more sweeter and beautiful in person. For those of you who missed my instagram story for that day, she spoke about her hair experience after pregnancy. She also talked about how KerMax hair products are working for her. Giving her healthy and fuller hair. Especially after losing so much after having her baby.
After our talk about the product I was treated to an amazing blow out with the KerMax products. I love how light my hair felt with the product in it. Most of the time when I use hair products to do blow outs or to style my hair, I’m left with either sticky or heavy feeling hair. Happy to say, not with KerMax products.
One of the questions I asked Dr. Michael was about the sodium laureth sulfate in some of the products. Over the years I’ve been doing research on best practices to keep hair healthy and what kind of ingredients to stay away from. Some articles and research say that sulfates is something to avoid in your hair and parabens. However, some also say that it’s just a lathering agent and it has no harsh effects on the health of your hair. Dr. Michael made a good point that if I were to use this product and it had no lathering agent, would I have thought it was still cleaning my hair or would I be skeptical of it? So true! I definitely need my shampoo and conditioner to lather up.
I love that the KerMax products have no parabens and they have products you can use while styling your hair. The Volumizing Shampoo ($24.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart)has a combination of peptide amino acids and concentrated organic pea sprouts to help fine, thinning hair appear fuller and thicker. The Volumizing Conditioner won’t clog scalp or weigh hair down. It also improves detangling to prevent hair thinning caused by brushing.
The Styling Mousse ($24.99) adds body and strengthens damaged hair, while giving your hair an ultimate volume boost.
There are two treatment products in the KerMax hair line. The Essential Day Foam and the Thickening Hair Serum ($49.99 each). These products are formulated with KerGro 3X-a™. A biocomplex of fruit stem cells, peptide amino acids and botanical extracts. I’m going to start using these products and will report back on the results. Follow along on Instagram for updates!
Ever since we moved into our new house my husband and I have had our own washrooms. This has been the best thing ever! Maybe every couples dream come true. We have our own washroom space, I get lots of counter space and don’t need to worry about finding all those tiny little shaved hairs in my our sink. One thing we happily did share, was a blow dryer. Although his blow dryer sucks, I worked with it and never did any styling with it. Now I have my very own blow dryer and it’s amazing! It’s the new Panasonic Nanoe Hair Dryer.
This blow dryer uses nanoe technology to dry your hair without actually drying it out. For as long as I can remember whenever I’d blow dry my hair, the end result would be dry, frizzy hair. Then, if I put like a smoothing product in my hair to fight back the frizz, I’d lose the volume and my hair would fall flat.
The new Panansonic nanoe hair dryer takes moisture from the air (so cool) and creates tiny, moisture-rich particles that are small enough to penetrate your hair with moisture. The results with this nanoe technology are incredible. So I put it to the ultimate test. I dared to wash my hair and not use conditioner. Dried my hair with the new Panasonic nanoe hair dryer and success! My hair had zero frizz, was super shiny and actually had a healthy bounce to it. This is my first time using a non-ion based hair dryer. Switching to nanoe has been the best thing to happen to my hair in a very long time!
I take this with me to all of my sleep overs, at the in-laws or to my moms house. And I’m definitely taking it on all of our trips moving forward. It’s travel friendly with the folding feature it has, and it’s super light. I also love how when in use, it’s not loud compared to my old hair dryers. I take a lot of late night showers, after my children have fallen asleep. So the noise factor is really important to me. In the past I would actually avoid styling my hair, just so they wouldn’t wake up from the sound of me using the blow dryer.
There are 3 settings. High, low and cool. Some of my own tips: The high setting is great to be used on thicker, coarser hair for maximum drying power. Low is better to be used on thinner, fragile hair. The cool setting, which I know for a fact many people don’t use is actually best to use to seal the hair cuticle. Once your hair is approx. 80% dry, switch to the cool setting. At this point in the drying process you just need the cool setting to complete drying and it’ll protect your hair from being over dried.
[Tweet “Your hair should be 65 percent dry before you start to blowdry w/ a brush. @PanasonicCanada #beautytips”]
It’s less damaging to your hair if you towel dry your hair first and then blow dry it. I also use my fingers to dry the roots before I use a brush. Also if you’re looking for a smoother finish then don’t forget to use the attachment nozzle this blow dryer comes with. It ensures you get targeted heat.
This is my first time trying Hard Candy make-up. Hard Candy products are sold exclusively at Wal-Mart and Walmart.ca. I shop at Wal-Mart at least once a week, if not more. Whenever I’m out of any of my make-up I first check Wal-Mart to see what they have that can replace my product. All of these products are reasonably priced. Last I checked at Wal-Mart all of these products seem to be priced at under $10.
Keep an eye out next time you’re at Wal-Mart for the below Hard Candy Summer 2017 collection:
Hard Candy Sheer Envy Color Correct Perfecting Powder This powder helps those with redness, dull skin and any other colour correcting concerns. I don’t have any redness concerns ever since my acne cleared up years ago. It’s a natural brightener due to the orange/yellow tones in this powder. I’ve used it after foundation all over my face to set my make-up and then later in the day I touched up my make-up by applying this to my cheekbones as a highlighter. You can also use it to mattify your make-up throughout the day if you have oily skin. Swirl your powder or kubuki brush all over the colours and apply to the face. I love how smooth the finish is and no unnecessary shimmers or sparkles. Especially if you’re going for a more natural look. Another product for skin redness concerns that will help camouflage the redness is the green color corrector that comes with a sponge applicator top.
One of the first make-up products I usually run out of is my liquid or pencil eye liner. I love this Hard Candy marker eye liner because of the control you have to create a thin or thick line. The other side of the same pencil holds a khol eyeliner. Great for creating a smokey look as well.
Hard Candy Stroke of Gorgeous Kajal Supreme Eyeliner Duo
Pencil on the left, Liquid on the right
The Hard Candy Lip Artiste Lip Contouring Wand is a dual ended product, made to contour and highlight your lips. The highlight (seen above) is perfect to achieve the illusion of bigger lips by applying it to the center of the lips.
This highlighter, Hard Candy Sheer Envy Prismatic Highlighter , has a pearl finish and when I set it, it looked a lot nicer with a more natural highlight look. They also have a new banana powder for baking. I went out and bought that one to see how it compares to a Sephora brand I have. Stay tuned for the comparison most likely up on my Insta Stories.
Have you tried Hard Candy beauty products before? Which one(s)?
Disclaimer: The products are PR samples for review purposes. Opinions are my own.
Today is Global Hug Your Kid Day and I’m excited to share some ‘first Hug’ stories with you.
When I first got pregnant, the very first emotion I felt was being scared. Being a mom is a big responsibility. The first thing I did though was hug my belly. Hug and rub. That first hug was to give my baby loving vibes and to remind myself that everything was going to be okay.
As soon as Baby D (my first child) was born, the first thing my midwife did was place him on my chest for skin-to-skin contact. Before they cut the cord, I hugged and cradled him. It was the most amazing feeling in the world and all I could do was just cry the biggest happy tears of my life. I kept thinking, “Oh my god, he’s here. This is it. I want to hold you forever.” They put him in his first Huggies Little Snugglers newborn diaper and gave him back to me.
The first HUG. [Huggies – No baby unhugged.]
Everyday at least once he’ll ask for a ‘baby hug’ (A hug from his baby sister)Baby D at birth
I didn’t clothe him right away. In his first pictures he was only in a diaper and a blanket. I wanted him to get all the skin-to-skin hugs
he could get.
Baby D is now 2 and a half years old and I still practice skin-to-skin with him. During bath time I’ll make sure I’m wearing a tank top and as soon as he’s out, in a towel, I hold him and hug him. We continue our hug all the way to our room where I have his clothes ready. Perhaps those hugs are why he’s super friendly and hugs everyone, including strangers. Many times we’ve gone grocery shopping and as soon as he’s out of his stroller or the grocery cart he’ll go up to someone and hug their leg. There was one lady and her reaction that I’ll never forget. When Baby D hugged her and I walked over to get him (he wouldn’t let go), I apologized to the lady as he came to me and she smiled with tears in her eyes and said, “Usually children don’t like me or come to me, so that hug was really special and sweet.” I didn’t even think that the power of his hug could move someone like that.
We always keep a Huggies wipes box + a diaper at the end of the bed for late night quick changes.
The power of hugs is real. It’s comforting when you’re down and can lift you even higher in spirit when you’re happy. When you greet people you love, always be aware of your hug. You can immediately make someone feel how much you missed them or love them by the way you hug. A strong and long hug is always a lasting one.
My first hug with Baby Z (my second child) was very similar to how Baby D got his first hug. The only difference was that the first hug was cut a little short because she was born at home, and I was on the floor, totally un-planned. That’s a story for another day. What I thought was really special though was when Baby D got his first hug with his little sister. I didn’t tell him, he just knew that the first thing he wanted to do when he saw her was to embrace her in a long hug and a kiss. He walked into the room, saw her and said “Aweee… baby!”.
Their first hug
That first hug is a very powerful and emotional one. My best friend just had her baby and when they first placed her sweet angel on her chest we did a video call and we both cried happy tears for that beautiful moment. I felt that hug. I knew how she felt. It was just such a beautiful moment and I was honoured to share it with her, along with her family by her side.
My hugging plan with Baby Z is right after her diaper change to give her hugs and skin-to-skin. Did you know a child could have up to 5,000 diaper changes in his or her life? That’s 5,000 opportunities for hugs! There will be days when you’re super busy and you might forget – I’m guilty of that – I now keep some sweet reminders around her changing table to remind me to give her skin-to-skin time. When I’m changing her diaper and read the Huggies label, it’s a reminder of its own.
I also try to use products that nourish and protect her skin, like Huggies Natural Care wipes and Consonant Baby Lotion. They both contain Aloe and Vitamin E. I’m also obsessed with this whipped shea butter bum cream byCharlotteCosmetics.So natural, that you can eat it!
Do you remember a hug that had a lasting impression on you? How about a ‘first hug’?
Disclaimer: This post has been sponsored by Huggies. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and experiences.
It’s one of those days, when you’re running from one event to the next. A busy day, with no time to go home and change. Days like this you have to plan ahead and make sure you’re wearing something that will be the best day to night transitioning outfit. I shopped at Dixie Outlet Mall to pick out the perfect Day to Night summer look. This is a very minimalistic style that can be worn for practically any event.
During the day, I made a trip downtown to see my mom with baby Z. Soon after seeing her we headed over to one of my favourite places for brunch with my sister. It was a really windy day so this bomber I got from Dynamite came in handy from getting cold. Have you ever gone into a store and came out super content with everything you’ve purchased? I’ve had that feeling at Dixie Outlet Mall’s Dynamite Outlet. This bomber was regular $39.99 and I got it for $20! That’s 50% off! The fabric is perfect for summer because it’s breathable and light. I also love the soft powder blue colour. They had a black bomber jacket there with leather arms for $25 (Regular $55) that I couldn’t resist so I bought it as well.
Underneath the bomber jacket I’m wearing a tank top I found at Treasure Hunt in Dixie Outlet Mall. If you haven’t been to this store yet, you’re in for a surprise. It’s a little overwhelming at first but if you’ve shopped at Winners before, you’ll be familiar with the store’s format. I got this Gap tank top for only $10 at Treasure Hunt.
After brunch we walked around for a little window shopping. Whenever I go for walks downtown, I like to wear comfortable yet fashionable shoes in case I decide to meet up with friends. I found these gorgeous loafer slides from Winners at the Dixie Outlet Mall for $34.99! These beauties were regular priced at $65. I love them because they remind me of the Gucci loafer slides that are trending at the moment, but these are better because they don’t have the fur (which I’m not a fan of).
I have a thing for pleated skirts. These loafer slides paired perfectly with this beautiful pleated skirt from Dynamite. A pleated skirt is so classy and look great with loafer slides for during the day or night. But for a sexier look try matching this skirt with heels for a night look. This skirt was only $20 marked down from $45! Note: I previously bought a similar looking pleated skirt for $80, so getting one for $20 is an AMAZING deal! And yes, the quality is at par with the $80 one.
For a day to night style you want to keep jewelry simple and not too flashy or complicated. I went over to the GUESS store to check out their BUY ONE, GET ONE 50% OFF jewelry rack by the cash register. These swirly elegant studs come in a pack of 3: rose gold, gold and silver for only $10. The bracelet was $15 but I got it at 50% off!
I’m taking my day look into a night look by just making a simple change by swapping out my loafer sliders for heels. For a more sophisticated look for an evening event, you can tuck in your tank top into the skirt for a cleaner silhouette.
How do you transition a day look into night?
Disclaimer: I’m a Dixie Outlet Mall ambassador and this post has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and services.
I had the pleasure of attending the Murale beauty event, where I got to see everything that’s coming soon and on the spotlight for Fall 2017! Yes, preparation for Fall 2017 in the beauty world has come! In case you missed my Instagram story from that day I’m sharing the story here:
Murale FALL 2017 Beauty Products
June 2017
Rodial
This brand has a product called Bee Venom Micro Sting Patches available exclusively at Murale. It’s $110/4×2 patches.
It’s made with pure hyaluronic acid (the good stuff) infused with bee venom. These patches include 350 microneedles in each patch! Whoa. My face is tingling just thinking about what it would do to my skin. The bee venom plumps and smoothes the skin and improves your skin texture. They also have a Bee Venom Body Gel for $78 – 200 ml. I haven’t tried anything from this brand yet. Available exclusively at Murale.
The Organic Pharmacy
Lots of new products in this brand! The ones that stand out to me is the Carrot Butter – $99/75 ml. It’s a creamy cleanser for all skin types that gets rid of everything dirty on your face, including make-up. It has sheabutter,cocoa butter, calendula (awesome stuff), rosemary, chamomile, st johns wort, vitamin E and carrot of course!
Jasmine Night Conditioner – $70/50 ml is something I received to try. I can’t wait to try this! Stay tuned to my insta story for when I try it and what my first thoughts are about this. It’s a soothing facial mist that you apply at night. It repairs your skin while you sleep. It has jasmine to hydrate and improve radiance, glycolic acid to increase cell turnover and reduce discolouration, retinol to reduce wrinkles and boost collage production and vitamin c. Great for battling those fine lines and wrinkles. (My tip: With this product you have to ensure you use SPF during the day. And I say this from my own experience of using glycolic acid and retinol in the past. Those ingredients don’t suit everyone and everyone’s skin reacts differently. So do a patch test before you apply it all over the face.) Available exclusively at Murale.
July 2017
skyn ICELAND
You may have noticed my insta story of me using these gel masks before for the eyes and the face. Well, they have a Hydro Cool Firming Neck Gels – $45/4 gels. This neck gel is amazing for restoring the elasticity in your skin, diminishing horizontal lines on your neck and any dark spots. In August, they have a winter rehab kit where you can try a face oil, eye pen, cream, face wash and 2 hydro cool firming eye gels (my favourite). $50.
August 2017
Velour
I forever have ran from falsies. I just don’t feel comfortable in them and I suck at applying them to myself. Until I met velour. I tried these lashes on at the event and felt like they weren’t even on me! Now that’s my kind of lashes. They have a wicked new lash adhesive coming out that is going to change the lash glue game forever! $18/10 ml. Also, Too Easy Lash Applicator – $26 . These two are on my must have list!
Nia (not into aging)
I am super stoked to try there new Sunday Detox Whipped Clay Peel-Off Mask – $39/121 g. It has my favourite mask ingredient,white kaolin clay. Also the bamboo charcoal powder mousse works together with the kaolin to draw out dirt from the pores. You let it dry, then peel it off. Also reduces the appearance of blackheads. Available exclusively at Murale.
September 2017
Foreo
The Espada – $199 device cleats and heals acne blemishes with LED blue-light to penetrate below the skins surface.
Easy to use, clean your face, aim to spot, treat and repeat up to 4 times.
EVE LOM
Have you tried there cream cleanser? It comes with a cloth and has a luxurious cleansing process.
They have a new Gel Balm Cleanser $72/100ml that will be travel and shower friendly! Comes out like a gel, when massaged into wet skin it turns into a milky texture. Keeps your skin moisturized for up to 12 hours!
Cream CleanserCream Cleanser
Lipstick Queen
This has got to be the first in the beauty industry, a black blush! It turns sheer berry on your cheeks and activates to different tones on all skin tones and types. Has natural oils, vitamin e and shea butter. Black Lace Rabbit Blush $33
Also, watch out for their nude lipstick collection. $32
Nuxe
This new anti-aging eye cream has passionflower and hyaluronic acid that smoothes and illuminates the area. It also helps with puffiness and wrinkles. Nuxe is a great brand ive tried before. Nuxellence Eye Care $57/15 ml.
October 2017
Phyto
I’m so excited about this brand! It’s a Canadian brand and owned by Patrick Ales. Goes way back to 1966 when he invented the blow-dry. Click here for his story. He’s got amazing hair, moustache and beard probably due to using his own products. 😉 They have a line called Phytodensia coming soon, it has a plumping shampoo $30 / 200 ml, Plumping Mask (I can’t wait to try it!) $54 / 175 ml and a plumping serum $48 / 30 ml (want it!). All of these products have my favourite ingredient, hyaluronic acid.
It is now 12 weeks since I had my baby girl. I’m itching to get back into an exercise routine. To be honest, I never really had a “routine”. Being active was second nature to me and I never really put any effort into staying healthy or to stay the XS small size I had a love/hate relationship with. Okay, please don’t kill me for saying this. For years I would have trouble gaining weight. This is before I had children. “You have a fast metabolism”, they said.
Fast forward after having two under two, and I’m having trouble losing it. Of course it’s in all the wrong places. My friends and I have countless times joked about a machine that could suck it out from one place and put it in another. Funny enough I found out a month ago a friend of a friend of mine actually did that and such technology exists! Crazyyy. And no, I wouldn’t try it. Surgery scares me. So here goes my steps to getting into an exercise routine:
Postpartum Fitness: 5 Steps to Getting into an Exercise Routine
STEP 1
Don’t start until you’ve healed and/or have stopped bleeding. Also, if you’re nursing, you don’t want to go to heavy either. You need to stay hydrated and not lose too much weight too fast. Some doctors say it could affect your milk production. Always check with your doctor before you do anything. Every body is made different and handles exercise differently too. Be safe!
STEP 2
Get some workout clothes you feel comfortable in. I shopped online and got some stuff from Shein.
The tights were great for my yoga routine and also wear really well if you have to go somewhere after. For a quick top to get on after your workout to look fly af, I paired it with my favourite white tank with the black lace. Click images below to shop
STEP 3
Before you do any core workouts find out if you have diastasis recti, commonly known as abdominal separation. A diastasis is defined as a separation of the rectus abdominis muscle into right and left halves. Ask a doctor to check or check yourself here.
Stay motivated. This will be the hardest step. You’ll want to give up and just cuddle and take those naps with your little one instead of working out while they sleep. But don’t fall into that rut. Stay motivated by finding new challenging workouts or don’t discourage yourself with things you can’t do yet and instead just go for a walk.
How do you stay motivated to get some exercise? Comment below with your tips! #Notgonnalie – I need that motivation right now.
One of the first make-up products I usually run out of is my liquid or pencil eye liner. I love this Hard Candy marker eye liner because of the control you have to create a thin or thick line. The other side of the same pencil holds a khol eyeliner. Great for creating a smokey look as well.
