Wellness

Beauty, Real Sh*t, Wellness

Let’s just cut to the chase: we all want to look good nude. Amiright?

It’s so cliché, but when you look good, you feel good. I didn’t make it up, but it’s just true. And yeah, working out and eating clean are huge parts of feeling and looking your best, but today I’m talking about specific things that I do to look and feel smoother, tanner, tighter…you get the drift.

Keep scrolling to check out what my tips to look better naked are:

Dry Brush

I’ve been dry brushing for years and it has done amazing things for my skin (and my lymphatic system). When you dry brush, make sure you use long strokes and direct the brush towards your heart, not away. It hurts in the best way possible, and it will leave your skin feeling incredibly smooth because it is quite literally the best exfoliating method there is. Hot tip: you can add oil to the brush (love this one from Diptyque) and then shower immediately after so that your skin can absorb the oil in the steamy shower.

So, do you have any tips for looking better naked you want to share with me? Leave your tips in the comments down below and let me know!

Wear your sunscreen!

Am I telling you to wear sunscreen again? Yep! It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, cloudy, or sunny and hot, you MUST wear sunscreen everywhere, everyday. My absolute favorite is Elta MD’s line. I use the UV Facial Broad Spectrum Sunscreen on my face and the UV Shield Broad Spectrum Sunscreen on my body. I love Elta MD’s sunscreens because they are not chemical sunscreens – meaning shitty chemicals are not going to be absorbed into your bloodstream. Instead, Zinc Oxide sits on the skin to protect it from harmful rays. I love this stuff because it’s not only good for you, but it’s easy to apply makeup on top of and it does not ever break me out. Hot tip: don’t forget your eyelids, under your eyes, and ears!

Niacinamide Serum

Niacinamide is insane for combating BACNE and BUTTNE AKA back acne and butt acne. If you have ANY acne, anywhere on your body. Niacinamide is your secret weapon. I am really shocked that this is really never talked about. I use Niacinamide on my arms to help smooth my keratosis pilaris and on my butt to smooth it out. A little more info on the magical potion: Niacinamide’s anti-inflammatory properties make it an attractive treatment for skin conditions marked by inflammation, like acne. In fact, in two double-blind studies—one published in 2013 and the other published in 1995, both in the International Journal of Dermatology—a topical preparation of 4 percent niacinamide treated moderate acne just as well as 1 percent clindamycin (a topical antibiotic commonly prescribed to acne patients) when applied twice daily for eight weeks. {source}

I love The Ordinary’s Niacinamide.

Ok, those are my tips for looking your best in your birthday suit (or in a bathing suit!). Do you have tips? Please share!

xo,

Wellness

Yep, we’re going there.

Let’s talk about periods.

Periods can cause horrible cramping, bloating, irritability, and the list goes on.

For a varying amount of days every month, these symptoms occur…at least some of them, and we’d rather not deal with them, right?

I have a few tricks up my sleeve for surviving my period each month (yeah, I’m being a little dramatic)….so here’s how I deal with the cramps, bloating, and breakouts.

1. DEALING WITH CRAMPS

I’m personally not a fan of drugs, like Midol or Tylenol. Since I know how helpful CBD can be for pain relief, I tried CBD Lotion from Lord Jones on my lower back and on my stomach for the first time a few months ago and it has been life-changing when it comes to pain relief! I deal with lower back achy-ness when I’m starting my period especially, and this lotion kills it. An added bonus: it smells so good!

Another tip: use it on your temples if you suffer from migraines or headaches.

2. PREVENT BREAKOUTS

Ya know those zits you get around your chin area during that time of the month? Those are hormonal breakouts. I nip these ASAP by using Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads, which have alpha beta acids to keep the skin in the best possible shape when it comes to zits.

ALSO: butt zits. A whole other story. Want to prevent breaking out on your butt, or really anywhere else on your body? Use a Niacinamide serum or lotion. Also known as vitamin B3 and nicotinamide, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly improve enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, and a weakened surface. My favorite is from The Ordinary. I keep it in the shower and I apply it right after I’ve towel-dried my body.

3. ORGANIC TAMPONS

Why organic? Because putting something up where the sun don’t shine, it’d better not be riddled with bad chemicals.

Most non-organic tampons are made using pesticides, which I don’t think anyone wants in their vag. Am I right?

I discovered Cora Tampons one day while shopping at Target, and have been using them for a year now. Cora carries a few different sizes so that you can use a tampon for a heavy flow, light flow, etc. I keep them in my bathroom in an old candle votive.

Wellness

Breast Implant Illness.

I’m sure you’ve heard about it on social media. It’s becoming such a huge phenomenon.

So many women are speaking up about their experience with BII, which is a term used by women who have breast implants and who self- identify and describe a variety of horrifying symptoms.

I met Tawna on Instagram years ago, and we instantly clicked when we met. Her fitness journey is so inspiring – if you don’t follow her yet, go check her out. She offers so much value and realness when it comes to fitness. She shares her routines, her experience competing, and is just such a badass.

When I saw that she had her breast implants removed recently, I knew I had to talk to her to hear her story. In our podcast episode, Tawna shares her journey from experiencing very scary symptoms to having her breast implants removed and how she’s feeling now. Hint: she’s feeling A LOT better. I mean, just look at this before and after photo she posted on Instagram:

She’s also sharing bikini competition tips and fitness motivation tips.

Take a listen HERE.

Hope this one brings you a lot of value.

xoxo, Lynn


Wellness

‘What’s in my bag’ videos were super popular back a few years ago, and they were some of my favorite videos to watch…so I thought I’d do my own spin and show you all what’s in my gym bag.

Beauty, Real Sh*t, Wellness

Well, look what we have here! Another skincare post! You guys love all things skincare just as much as I do, but I’m not surprised. This one is a good one because literally everyone can benefit from this magical oil.

Yes, there are like 993,457 oils available for the skin and it can be so confusing WTF kind of oils are best. Safe advice: start with Herbivore’s Lapis Oil if you are new to using oils.

When I saw that Herbivore had this blue oil available AND it is listed as being anti-inflammatory, clarifying, antibacterial, AND plant-based, I HAD to have it.

Back up, let’s talk about what Lapis is:

Lapis Lazuli, a favorite stone of ancient Egypt, is known for its gorgeous deep blue color. Lapis Facial Oil is named for the precious blue oil it contains, Blue Tansy. This oil holds a component called Azulene which aids in soothing dry irritated skin, reducing the appearance of redness and balancing skin. Formulated for combination, oily, and blemish-prone skin types or any skin in need of balancing hydration. {Source}

Within a two days of using the Lapis oil, I could tell that it lived up to its promises. A little sidenote: I have rosacea, and this oil neutralizes my redness amazingly well. I was and still am pretty shocked. It makes your skin very soft, too. I noticed that within 24 hours.

What’s even more cool about this oil? You can use it in the morning and/or at night. Many oils are too oily for daytime use, even for me — the dryest person on the planet, but I LOVE that the Lapis oil is so universal. It’s so light, soaks into the skin the dreamiest way, and sits well under foundation.

Little tip: If you are super dry like I am, try mixing the oil into your foundation (I use Lawless Woke Up Like This) and you will have the most insane NON-GREASY glow.

If you’re worried about breaking out or looking greasy if you struggle with acne or oily skin, don’t worry. The base of Lapis is jojoba oil, which mimics the skin’s natural sebum production. It naturally helps reduce acne scarring and discoloration, is anti-aging, and increases the skins elasticity. I love it as someone who has dry skin, but I think that someone with oily skin would love it just as much, if not more because it’s just so damn hard to find an oil for that skin type.

Now let’s talk about the smell. I don’t love it. That is the ONE downside. HOWEVER: I seem to be the minority here because everyone else I know who uses it loves the smell. Lapis has no added or artificial fragrance, but the jasmine-sambac in the oil gives it a floral scent. I love me some floral scents, but this one is just…different. Not bad. But it’s not as offensive to me now after using it for awhile.

So there you have it: the oil that works for just about everyone.

Let me know if you’ve tried this oil. Do you love it? Hate it?

xo, Lynn