5 Forever Beauty Products

I disagree! Ha ha ha

There are some beauty products that I buy over and over again. Some I try once and never use again. I want to share some tried and true products that will always be my beauty staples. (Unless something better comes out, but I doubt it)

1.       Lingering Eyebrow Pencil from MAC:

No matter what kind of eyebrow look I am going for-this brow pencil is the one I use to fill in or shape my brows. It is the perfect shade no matter what variations I make in my hair color. It is the most long lasting and best formula I have ever used. I buy 2 at the same time so there is no alarming chance of running out!

2.       Tresemme Dry Shampoo:

I have used all formulas of this dry shampoo and I like them all equally. I can go 2-3 days without washing my hair and when I use this-my hair will look and smell fresh. It also prolongs my color since I don’t have to wash my hair every day and it saves my hair from the daily wear and tear of heat styling. The foam formula is good for more dry hair and the spray formula is good for oilier hair.

3.       NARS Triple X Lip Gloss

     I use this amazing gloss for a natural look, glam look, bronzed look or rocker look. I can use it with literally any color lip pencil and so can you! Pink, red, peach, or nude-when you put it on you can bet your lips will look fantastic for hours. It also works just by itself with no added color which makes it the right ‘color’ for everyone. It is also quick and easy which are my 2 favorite things!

4.       Desert Essence Jojoba Oil:

This is my go-to moisturizer. I use at night after my hyaluronic acid serum and let my skin soak up its superior moisture all night long. I mix it with Himalayan pink salt or sea salt and use it to exfoliate my lips, and sometimes right after my shower I use it before my lotion to really lock in the softness. It can be used in face masks and hair conditioners as well. I love it as much as love my coconut oil! That is saying a lot. Read my blog about botanicals oil for more info! If you buy it on iherb.com, use code VAJ631 for $5 off!

5.       Naked Lunch Eye Shadow from MAC:

The most perfect eye shadow color. It evens the skin tone on your eyelid into an even sheen of soft pink. You can mix it with other colors to make it brighter, lighter or darker and it can be used for a highlighter as well. I use it on my brow bones, cheekbones, cupids bow and down the top of my nose. Its formula is long lasting and I am not kidding that you can use it one time in the morning and do not have to re-apply it no matter how long your day is. My days can go VERY long too and it will last me all day. I wear it every day no matter what look I am trying to achieve. Naked Lunch is the chameleon of the makeup world! 

Love, 

Rae

4 Natural D.I.Y Beauty Tips: (from your kitchen!)

I love using natural ingredients on my hair, skin, and body.

They are easy to use and easy to find, plus I never breakout or harm my skin and hair when I use them. Here are some of my most favorite and inexpensive ways to use what the planet has provided for us:

1.      Exfoliation is so important for healthy, glowing skin! Mix some organic raw sugar and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil together and use it to exfoliate your face and neck. It will moisturize your skin at the same time!

2.      Tomatoes are a natural acid and you can add them to your cleansing routine once in a while. Just mash up a ripe tomato and leave it on for about 15 minutes and then rinse off. This is good for oily skin.

 
3.      Oatmeal and sweet almond oil are great for sensitive skin and are both natural cleansers. Oatmeal is also anti-inflammatory and sweet almond oil is a fantastic moisturizer. Blend oatmeal in a blender or food processor until it becomes a powder and then mix in some sweet almond oil. Smooth it all over your face, neck and chest and rinse it off after about 20 minutes.

4.      Unfiltered apple cider vinegar is one of my favorite items for tonics, astringents, antiseptics, cooking, salad dressings, and remedies. I literally use it everyday. Some people call it a ‘magic elixir’ or ‘the fountain or youth’ I don’t know about that-but it has hundreds of uses and has been used for centuries. I could write a whole book about how to use this amazing fluid. It naturally restores the pH balance of our skin and body and has been reported to improve blood circulation and help to burn fat rather than store it. It also has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antibiotic properties while being highly restorative for our bodies and skin. (fights off fatigue!)

Here is the recipe for my favorite apple cider tonic. My family and I have been drinking it for years and my mom and dad were both drinking it before I was born!

Bragg Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar and Organic Honey

Rae’s Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey Tonic:

32 oz. of cold purified water

½ c. of Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar- I love Bragg. You can get it here: Bragg Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

½ c. of organic honey

Stir briskly together and leave it your fridge so that you can drink it before meals. You can play around with the amounts of honey and vinegar to taste. If you don’t like it, you won’t drink it-so make sure it tastes good to YOU. Once in awhile, I will add a squeeze of lemon for even more alkalinity.

You may find that you are not as hungry and start eating less. Some people have discovered that it calms down ‘an over-robust appetite’. It is also full of antioxidants, trace minerals and elements, vitamins, amino acids and has soluble fiber from the natural pectin in it!

I hope you enjoy growing young and getting Purifoid as I have!

Love,

Rae

6 Ways to do Purifoid Food Math

 How did you do in math in school? Well, don’t worry about it! These are some simple tips to add good stuff to your meals and snacks and take away the foods that will just weigh you down. When you add nutrient dense food, you will naturally want to subtract those empty calories anyway! 

Here are 6 tips-

              1.  Add fresh, juicy fruit to breakfast. Subtract sugary cereal, bagels, donuts, and bread.

              2.  Add dried fruit to your mid-morning snack with filtered, reverse osmosis, or filtered water. Subtract        fattening, sugary coffees and muffins.

             3.  Add an avocado to your lunch (avocado will NOT make you fat), subtract the cheese from your salad or sandwich.

            4.  Add a protein snack between lunch and dinner like nuts, a protein bar or shake. Subtract non-nutrient foods such as candy, cake or cookies.

            5.   Add some dark green veggies to dinner like kale, spinach, chard, or zucchini with a light oil and vinegar dressing. Subtract heavy dressings like ranch or blue cheese.

            6.   Add a healthy fat bedtime snack after dinner about 2 hours before bed. Some examples are cashew or almond butter with cucumbers or celery. Subtract high carb snacks that do not digest well at night. Steer clear of chips, pretzels, and crackers before bed. 

  Love,

  Rae

Alkaline pH = Great Skin!

Do you ever think about your pH? Probably not-but, you should!

Everything in your body (including your skin) works best when it is surrounded by fluids that have a balanced pH. When the pH levels in your body are too acidic and not alkaline-then your pH is low. When this happens; the cells, enzymes, and proteins in your body will not function at the optimum level. This can greatly affect your skin and how you feel! People with acidic pH levels are more prone to sickness and being overweight. Diary, meat and sugar can cause this.

Many foods are highly alkalinizing. There are fruits such as apples, avocado, mangos and bananas, plus veggies like cauliflower, zucchini, cucumbers (my favorite), and onions. Almonds and cashews do the trick as do many herbs and spices.

You can purchase pH test strips online and test yourself and see where you stand. The greatest thing about raising your pH is that it is something that can be done almost immediately. The difference can be seen and felt right away!

A person with an alkaline pH is radiant, vibrant and looks healthy! You can see it in their skin and they can feel it with their high energy levels.

There is a book written by a world renowned dermatologist named Jeanette Graf, M.D. She breaks it down in her book and tells you everything you need to know about this subject. It is called “Stop Aging, and Start Living.” There are so many ideas in here and she describes in detail why keeping our pH level alkaline is so important for great health and skin.

It can be challenging to fit fresh and fruits and veggies into every meal or even every day for some folks. Getting Purifoid would be about doing the best you can with what you have to work with.

I eat fruit for breakfast most days of the week and have salads for lunch during the work week. But, there are times when I can’t make this happen. When I don’t eat well, I feel it. I read her book and started implementing a few things here and there where I could. One of the things that I was able to stay consistent with is using a greens drink.

I started using the greens drink that was recommended in the book and have been doing so for several months. I have really noticed a difference in my energy level, my skin, and not feeling so ‘sick’ all the time. Using it every day when I get up also helps me to set the tone for my day and remember to include as many alkaline foods into my meals as I can and to cut back on the acid producing foods like sugar, meat and dairy.

Greens First

  The Greens First drink has the antioxidant equivalent of 10 servings of fruit and vegetables. It is also full of enzymes, chlorophyll, vitamins, and minerals. It is the BEST powdered vegetable drink I have ever used and the first I have seen a visible difference with. Oh yeah, it's not gross either! 

My health and fitness is one of the things that are so important to me and I cherish it! I also am really committed to setting a good example for my son. Knowledge of good nutrition and how to take care of yourself is something he can take everywhere. My mom did this for me and always educated me about how to eat for good health and set the example by doing things like, always having a salad with dinner and not having to have dessert all the time. I am so grateful to her for this and hope I can do as good a job as her!

Love,

Rae

5 Awesome Things to do for Your Skin!

11.       Hyaluronic Acid- it absorbs 1,000 times its weight in water and keeps collagen functioning. It also rapidly hydrates your skin. Put it on slightly damp skin for it to work its best. This one from Iherb.com is pure and highly effective. I also have a coupon code for first time users! Use VAJ631 and you will get 5 bucks off! 

Episilk Hyaluronic Acid

22.       Flaxseed Oil- Our bodies do not produce essential fatty acids on their own and we need those acids to produce moisture in our skin. Add organic cold-pressed flaxseed oil to your diet for healthy and glowing skin.

Flax Oil

33.   Silica drops- silica is the 7^th most prevalent mineral in human tissue after calcium. It assists in proper collagen production and the top thing beautiful skin needs is collagen. Add these drops to your water. You can get these drops on iherb.com and use code VAJ631 for $5 off. You can also read more about what silica does for you here.

Eidon Silica Drops 

44.     MAC fast response eye cream- eye cream is essential for the delicate skin around the eye. Regular face cream and lotions are too thick and do not absorb properly there. I like this eye cream because it addresses puffiness, circles, crepiness, and crow’s feet!

MAC Fast Response Eye Cream

55.     CoconutOil- I love coconut oil and cannot say enough good things about what it can do. I use it for so many things. It rejuvenates skin inside and out! Coconut oil also smoothes and protects skin from aging and wrinkles. Get it virgin, organic and cold-pressed for best results. 

Virgin Coconut Oil

Love, 

Rae