Looking like a radiant bride on your wedding day is a must…and it all starts with skincare. You guys know I am a self-professed skincare psycho, so I had been researching and testing products LONG before my wedding day.
PRO TIP: If you are a soon-to-be bride, please test out products at least 6 months in advance of your wedding day to make sure that they will work for your skin.
In today’s video, I’m sharing everything I used on my face as far as skin products go on my wedding day, and HOW to use them in order to get glowy, radiant skin.
Essential oils and diffusing is SUCH a thing right now, and I am obsessed. Completely. Diffusing oils is the best to make your home smell amazing, to feel better, and just to make your home more vibe-y. You know what I mean if you have a diffuser. When I am at home, you can bet I am diffusing oils.
Another big benefit of diffusing essential oils is that the ones I am going to show you today are non-toxic and plant-based…so you don’t have to worry about being poisoned by gross chemicals.
I’ve spoken about my anxiety here on the blog before, and it is something that I deal with regularly, so I recently did some research on the best oils to use to help with anxiety. THERE ARE SO MANY! I have tried most of the recommended oils and I am here to share my absolute faves with you.
Adding in the use of essential oils with other self-care things like meditation, yoga, therapy, etc. will add to your arsenal of combative techniques.
♡ Lavender oil: Lavender oil is the all encompassing oil and can be used for anxiety, to help with sleep, and ease your mind. Think: relaxation and serenity.
♡ Tangerine oil: Any citrus oil can brighten your mood when your anxiety is making you feel depressed and sad. Orange/tangerine oil is known to be the best of the citrus oils for this purpose. I love to mix orange essential oil with eucalyptus oil for the most amazing spa-like experience in my bathroom.
♡ Bergamont oil: Bergamot oil comes from bergamot oranges and has an invigorating citrus scent (see above for orange oil being amazing for anxiety). According to a 2015 study, both animal and human trials have found that bergamot helps relieve anxiety and improve mood.
♡ Ylang Ylang oil: Ylang Ylang oil is a beautiful floral scent and is used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation. According to a 2006 study on nurses, inhaling a blend of ylang ylang, lavender, and bergamot lowered stress and anxiety levels, blood pressure, heart rate, and serum cortisol.
My favorite blends:
♡ Well-Being oil:If you are just getting started with essential oils, I highly recommend trying out some of Saje’s blends. Well-Being is my all time favorite because it’s a blend of some of my favorite scents: lavender, neroli, and cypress. We already talked about lavender, and neroli is a floral, citrus note to instill feelings of peace and harmony. Cypress centers the emotions and stimulates the senses with a fresh, woodsy aroma. AKA it’s pretty much perfection when it comes to helping with anxiety.
My best tip is to use essential oils consistently. I keep my faves in my car, too, so that I can use them all day.
The wedding is over, I get it. But I have so many tips to share!
Jeff and I were engaged for 2.5 years, so I have some unique tips to help the whole process run smoothly. I feel like this is more easily shared by literally talking with you guys, so please take a listen to today’s Podcast episode all about wedding planning!
First things first, I have quite the history when it comes to having fake nails. I got my first acrylic set when I was 12 years old because I thought the french manicure was so cool. You know what I’m talking about! I loved the long square shaped french was just so chic. LOL!
I would continue to get them done occasionally, but took several year breaks until a few years ago, when I was just sick of my natural nails constantly breaking. So 3 years ago, I jumped back on the acrylic train and didn’t stop until recently.
The #1 reason that I wanted to stop getting acrylics was actually because I also topped them with gel polish, which meant that I was putting my hands under UV light every other week. I know that nail techs will tell you that there is no risk, but there’s just no way around it. UV light is no bueno. I also wanted a more natural solution to my thin, brittle nail situation.
Enter dip powder. OH-EM-GEE, guys, this is life changing. Unlike Acrylic, manicure dip does not make use of any special chemicals to help it harden. And compared to Gel manicures, it does not require the special UV rays necessary for curing. {Source}
Dip powder application involves applying a base and then dipping them in powder. The powder adds the colors, and they come in different colors and shines. {Source}.
I was nervous that after removing my acrylics, which was a NIGHTMARE by the way (it took me 6 hours), that my nails would break even with the dip powder. Nope. It’s been 3 months since I’ve been getting them done, and my nails have remained strong and they have even grown out quite a bit. There are no “tips” on my nails, I just have the dip powder laid over my natural nails and they are thriving.
I. KEEP UP WITH NAIL APPOINTMENTS
When I got acrylics, I stuck with the same person because she GOT me. She always got my shape just right, and knew which colors I’d like. I was so sad to leave her because she doesn’t do dip manicures, but I have found someone at a new salon that does a great job. I recommend going every other week and sticking with the same person. This may require trial and error, but once you find the right person, keep them!
2. ALL ABOUT THE POWDER DIPS
We talked about dip before, but it really is the best alternative to gel and acrylics because it’s natural – the powder is fortified with vitamin E and calcium. It’s a win win. No damage, no chipping, no UV light…I mean, what could be better?!
3. USE CUTICLE OIL
If you’re trying to repair damaged nails or grow your nails longer, using a vitamin E oil on your cuticles helps a lot. It also helps keep your hands looking hydrated which is a bonus. I love this one from Jason.
Kauai is one of my favorite places in the world. It covers so much: the nicest people, beautiful beaches, amazing food, and a relaxing vibe…which is why we chose the island for our wedding!
We stayed on the island for 8 days after our wedding, and I wanted to share a behind the scenes peek of our honeymoon with this travel diary.
