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Have You Loved You Today

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August 2, 2015

Current Faves for Gorgeous Skin, Naturally

I am a firm believer of the saying “You are what you eat”. What you feed your body determines how your body looks and feels. Think about it: our body is made up of trillions of cells that are continually regenerating. This regeneration is directly influenced by what we feed ourselves, hence, what we eat, we become. Thinking about it that way totally motivates me to nourish myself in a way that helps, rather than harms my body and skin. But what we eat is only part of the equation…

There is no question that eating fresh fruits and veggies is going to make your skin glow wayyyy more than processed junk food. Truth be told, healthy skin results from several key factors: what we eat, stress management, exercise, hydration, and skincare products. Of course, hormones and genetics play another role, which is often out of our control, but that is a whole other story! Even if you eat all the spinach and berries in the world, your skin can only look its best when all of these non-diet related factors are in balance, too.

Today I’m sharing some of my favorite new goodies that address two very important parts of the gorgeous skin equation: hydration and skincare products. First, let’s talk skincare. Just as you (ideally) want to eat a natural, junk-free diet, you really want to have a  junk-free, natural skincare routine. I love products that contain natural ingredients, and are free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances. Cue Herbivore Botanicals, one of my new favorite natural lines. Their philosophy is all about using the most natural, food-grade ingredients. According to their website, all of their products are :

herbivore porducts

“CREATED WITH:
100% natural ingredients, plant based food grade cold pressed oils, steam distilled therapeutic grade essential oils, GMO free soy wax, recyclable and reusable packaging (always glass, never plastic), many certified organic ingredients.

CREATED WITHOUT:
Synthetic ingredients, animal ingredients, parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, alcohol, phthalates, chemicals, artificial colorants/dyes, unnatural preservatives, fillers, animal testing, mineral oils, petroleum.”

YES! I couldn’t be happier with the quality they stand for with their products. On a whim, I decided to try their pink clay bar soap and their pink clay face mask. (They don’t have the same pink clay rose mask on their website anymore, but this is a similar formula.) Now I’m hooked! The products are so gentle, and leave my skin feeling clean, smooth, and fresh. Plus they smell yummy (like rose), and the products just look so pretty and modern displayed in the bathroom

What’s great about the French pink clay in these particular products is that it aids in cell renewal, drawing out impurities, and improving elasticity. Translation: mega glow! The soap also has geranium oil, which acts as anti-inflammatory (great for pesky pimples). I am so happy to have stumbled across the Herbivore Botanical line. It truly leaves my skin happy, and I feel good knowing the products are  natural and effective.

Moving on to hydration. Drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces daily is so important for digestion, mental clarity, alertness, banishing bloat, and staving off hunger or that fake hunger feeling that is actually a sign of dehydration. Plus, when your cells are hydrated, your skin looks more plump and glow-y. Water also flushes out toxins, which helps keep your body and skin looking and feeling it’s best. Taking a reusable water bottle everywhere makes it so easy to stay hydrated at all times.

hydroflask_edited-1 (1)

My absolute favorite water bottle ever is the HydroFlask . This genius bottle keeps cold liquids cold for up to 24 hours and hot liquids hot for up to 6. The bottles themselves are BPA-free and are double insulated, so they never get condensation all over the outside, or all over you! Gone are the days of drippy water bottles or bottles of lukewarm water. Seriously, I leave this in the car when I’m out running errands, and when I come back, the water is still ICE COLD!! I love knowing that I can drink up, anytime, anywhere.

Tell me below what your favorite tips/products are for glowing, gorgeous skin. Any must-try natural skincare lines I need to know about? Have a fabulous Sunday!

XO,

Alexandra

Filed in: Lifestyle/Wellness, Skincare • by admin • 2 Comments

July 6, 2015

Alchemy Wellness Spa: All About Self-Love

“Self Love”: It seems to be a buzzword of as of late. Basically, it’s all about giving yourself the attention you deserve, so that you can be your best for others. Treat yourself right, and in turn, you will feel happy, healthy, and confident enough to go out and give back your love and light into the world. I am all for showing some self love as a way to relax, gain inspiration, and just feel good about myself. It’s so simple. When you feel good, you have that extra pep in your step to go out and conquer your dreams! Okay, enough about the preach-y hippie vibes. Let’s get to the good stuff: Alchemy Wellness Spa.

Alchemy Wellness Spa is located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, and it is a center that is all about nourishing your body, soul, and mind. My sister and I treated ourselves to a day of healthy, delicious eats and spa treatments (that were both relaxing and bizarre). First up, our amazing spa lunch. The Alchemy Wellness Cafe Menu changes seasonally, and is focused on local, organic, vegetarian cuisine. Their menu truly brings the “food is medicine” philosophy to life. We started with some of their Miracle Elixirs. The Daily Detox was full of vitamin C and antioxidants to help with inflammation, and the Daily Greens was for promoting alkalinity in the body (since an acidic environment is inflammation and damage-promoting).

IMG_3409

Daily Detox and Daily Greens: Bottoms Up!

I enjoyed the Alchemy Rolls (think the yummiest summer rolls, ever), and my sister got the Avocado Grapefruit salad- so refreshing! Our server was so sweet, and she brought us a complementary cup of their house-made coconut peach “ice cream”. It was vegan, of course, and absolutely tasted like summer in a spoon. Let’s just say we were feeling beyond pampered. Then it was off to the spa! We were living on the edge that day, so we went for something safe: a heavenly Swedish massage, and something scary: an hour session in the Floatation IsoPod- more on that in a second.

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Avocado Grapefruit Salad with fennel, mint, and a lime dressing

The entire Alchemy Wellness Spa has a very zen, Moroccan vibe with lots of airy space and breathtaking architecture. That alone made it very easy to feel relaxed and transported to another place, as though we were traveling abroad. *Dreaming*. First off, the Swedish Massage was heavenly, and I love that coconut oil was used, because it left my skin so soft, and smelling incredible. Not too I-just-ran-through-a-field-of-eucalyptus,  but more I-just-woke-up-from-an-island-siesta. I was in a very relaxed and sleepy state after my massage, when it was time for the floatation pod.

IMG_3410

The Alchemy Roll with carrots, ginger, lemongrass, basil,cilantro,mint, cashews, and Thai dipping sauce.

This is a giant pod with 12 inches incredibly saturated with Epsom Salt so that you float effortlessly, like you would in the Dead Sea. Crazy, I know. On top of that, the water is at body temperature, so it feels like you are floating in nothingness! The pod closes to become completely dark, (there is an option to have a color-changing light on, but I wanted the full sensory-neutral experience.) It takes a while to get used to the floating experience at first, but it is quite relaxing to just float and not think about or feel  anything. Funny but no-so funny side note: I have an irrational fear of dark waters, so there were a few times where I got freaked out by not knowing where I was in the water (ridiculous, I know). My sister loved the pod, and would do it again, but I think I would opt for something else since I kept flipping back-and-fourth between “ahhhhh” and “Ahhhh!!!! Dark water!! I’m freaking out!!” PS: the pod would not be ideal for anyone who is claustrophobic, for obvious reasons. The one amazing thing after the pod, though: My skin was GLOWING. I do not have the best skin, but I swear, those Epsom salts worked some serious magic on my complexion, so I need to pick some up, ASAP.

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The yummiest little cup of vegan coconut-peach “ice cream” 

If you are ever in Santa Barbara, and are looking for an unforgettable “self-love” experience, head to Alchemy Wellness and grab a bite at their cafe, hit up the spa, or both! You will leave feeling glow-y, refreshed, and ready to put your best self out there for others! Don’t feel guilty for treating yourself well, since it will help you be your best and give your best for/to others 🙂

What are your favorite ways to show some self-love? Let me know! As always, have a fabulous week!

Xo,

Alexandra

Filed in: Lifestyle/Wellness • by admin • 2 Comments

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