December 2014

Posted on December 26, 2014

5 ways to beat a killer hangover

Health

“I’m never drinking again” – are often the words muttered after a night of heavy drinking – which, for many of us – was last night. But how many of people actually follow through with it? Not a lot, I’m sure!

Rather than constantly lying to ourselves about never drinking again, wouldn’t it be better to just take a few precautions that would make the morning after a tad bit more bearable? I thought so too 🙂

Here are some tips that can help you have a more comfortable morning after:

Healthy fats

Apparently, incorporating healthy fats, like bananas, nuts and avocados into your pre-party meal is the way forward. Avocados in particular are good for dodging a hangover because they’re loaded with potassium.This means you’re getting a head start on replacing the potassium lost during alcohol consumption.

Keep hydrated

As you know, alcohol dehydrates the body and drains it of vitamins and minerals. While it would be ideal to have a glass of water after each alcoholic drink – we have to be honest with ourselves – it’s not very likely that’s going to happen. So instead, drink about 1-2l of water at the end of your night to help restore your body the morning after. Coconut water does wonders – it’s high in potassium too!

Take your vitamins

I’m not trying to sound like your mother by telling you to take your vitamins here, but – take your vitamins! Drinking alcohol destroys essential vitamins in your body, particularly vitamin B. Taking some supplements in the days leading up to your big night(s) out will do your body a lot of good!

A spoonful of goodness

Taking a spoonful of olive oil may sound a bit far-fetched, but in a lot of Eastern European countries, this technique is a saviour when it comes to beating a killer hangover. Apparently, the fat in the olive oil limits the body’s absorption of alcohol in the same way as eating fatty foods before drinking does. If you can’t stomach a shot of olive oil before your big night, you could always dip some crusty bread into it and consume it that way!

Know your limits

If you know you can’t hack more than a bottle of wine, then there’s no point in trying to outdo yourself. At the end of the day, alcohol is no friend to your body so the more control you have over how much you drink, the better it is for your body!

Hope you found these tips useful for your next night out! Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! 🙂

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Posted on December 23, 2014

Makeup tips for the party season

Tips

When I think of makeup for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, the first thought that comes to mind is glitter: lots and lots of glitter. It’s glamorous, it’s feminine, but most of all, it stands out! If you’re along the same line of thought, then you will appreciate these tips.

Here are some makeup tips that will help you look even more glamorous over the party season – before the drinking, that is.

Tip #1: Stand out lips

Nothing catches the eye more than a red lip. A pop of red instantly adds something special to your look without going over the top. To make sure you get longevity from your red lips, apply lip liner beforehand and use a lip brush to apply the lipstick.

Steps:

Line your lips with a red liner and then colour them in.
Use a lip brush to apply the lipstick.
Blot lips a couple of times and then add more lipstick.
Use a concealer around the lips to tidy up around the edges.

Tip #2: Highlighted cheeks

When it comes to party makeup, highlighting is definitely the name of the game. But rather than using your regular highlighter, get a fine silver/bronze glitter (depending on your skin tone) and apply it on your cheekbones. This alone, will get you into the festive spirit!

Steps:

Wash your hands.
Dip your finger into the fine glitter and use it on the highest part of your cheekbone.
Lightly blend it in so it doesn’t look too harsh.
Go over it with a highlighting brush.

Tip #3: Glittery eyes

Photo Credit

Glittery eyes will make you the belle of the ball! Use a vivid loose eye shadow colour on the lids of your eyes to make them stand out. Silver or gold colours absolutely scream party season! When applying your loose shadow, be sure to apply eye primer first!

Steps:

Apply eye shadow primer.
Put some loose powder on a mixing tray/the lid of the container.
Dip brush into the shadow and tap off any excess product.
Pat the shadow on the eyelid.
Build the colour gradually.

Tip #4: Falsies

I’m not a huge fan of false lashes, but I couldn’t think of a more suitable time to wear them than now! If you take only one thing from this article, let it be this: make sure you measure the length of your false lashes before applying them. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone with their eyelashes hanging off them – not classy at all!

Steps:

Measure the length of the lashes and cut the ends to fit your eye shape.
Apply adhesive glue and let it set for 10 seconds.
Aim to apply the lash to the base of your natural lash line.
Use a cotton bud to press it down properly.
Finish up with some mascara.

Tip #5: Stay on spray

When your makeup is all well and done, spritz some setting spray onto your face. This will help your makeup stay put so you dont’ have to spend half your night in the ladies toilet doing top ups!

Steps:

Shake the bottle of setting spray and then spray some on a piece of tissue.
Close your eyes and hold the bottle about 6 inches away from your face.
Spritz twice and then lightly pat with tissue.

Hope you found these tips useful! If you have any tips for party makeup, feel free to tweet me @FilomenaKaguako 🙂

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Posted on December 18, 2014

6 Dairy-free milk substitutes

Diets/ fitness/ Health

There are a number of reasons why you might like to eliminate cows milk from your diet. Whether it’s due to a dairy allergy or simply because you want to make more health conscious decisions about what you consume (it’s nearly that time of year again!), you can find a couple of nutritional substitutes for regular milk that aren’t heavy on the saturated fat or loaded with calories.

Soy milk

Soy milk is probably the most widely available substitute for cow’s milk. It is full of protein & fiber, and is safe for people who are lactose intolerant. However, it has been said that soy milk is a bowel irritant and if you don’t go organic, it can be quite high in sugar too! So if you’re keeping an eye on your sugar intake, do keep this mind when consuming soy milk.

Rice milk

This is by far my favourite substitute for normal milk. Not only is it the most hypoallergenic, but it’s also the least fattening! Rice milk has a lot of hearty goodness which can help lower blood pressure. The downside to using rice milk is that it hasn’t got as much protein as the other substitutes and it can cause a spike in sugar levels too. That aside, it tastes amazing!

Coconut milk

Coconut milk is another tasty alternative and it just seems like the benefits of drinking coconut milk are endless: it is soya-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, nut-free and its fat content is regarded as being ‘good fat’, since it’s easily metabolised by the body and converted into energy instead of being stored as fat – oh, and did I mention it was a vegan drink?

Hemp milk

I bet this photo caught your eye! 🙂 Hemp milk is full of healthy omega fatty acids as well as protein. If you have a soy or nut allergy, then this is the milk for you! Since it’s much thicker and a bit nuttier than the other milk alternatives, it isn’t to everyone’s taste so if you like the taste of cows milk, but just want to stay off if for diet reasons then remember that hemp milk doesn’t taste like cows milk by any stretch of the imagination – don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Oat milk

Since it’s derived from a plant, oat milk is free from both cholesterol and lactose. It has an abundance of the antioxidant vitamin E, but is not so high when it comes to protein. Because of its oaty flavour, oat milk works really well with hot cereals or breakfast foods. A huge drawback to using oat milk is that you have to be able to take in gluten, so if you’re coeliac then this is a big no-no!

Nut milk

From cashew milk to hazelnut milk to almond milk – there are just so many to choose from! Nut milks are generally loaded with protein and vitamin E, and are usually quite thick. Almond milk is probably the most popular nut milk and because it’s so thick and creamy, it is a natural match for making sweet desserts. The main argument against nut milk is that nuts are a common allergen for people. But if this isn’t an issue for you, then enjoy!

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Posted on December 11, 2014

7 natural skin toners

How To/ Natural beauty

If your beauty regime consists of cleansing, exfoliating, toning, moisturising and the occasional face mask, then you’ve probably already noticed that things can get a bit heavy on your pocket – particularly around this time of year.

Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a huge amount of cash to find a toner that you’re happy with. You can use the very ingredients you have in your kitchen to make a facial toner that’ll do the job for just a fraction of the price!

Here are a few recipes you might like to try out. Bear in mind that not all of these will be effective and you just have to find the right one for your skin!

Tomato juice

Mix 3 spoons of tomato juice with 1 spoon of raw honey to make a thick paste. Dab the mixture onto your cleansed face and then remove after 10 minutes.

Benefits: raw honey helps absorb impurities from the pores of your skin while tomato juice helps shrink the pores.

Papaya

Put a ripe papaya in a blender with some apple cider vinegar. Apply it on your face for 8 minutes and then remove it. This recipe is great for those with dry skin.

Benefits: the acids in apple cider vinegar act as a natural skin exfoliators by digesting dead skin cells, while the papaya helps remove skin discolouration.

Lemon juice

Squeeze ¼ of a fresh lemon into a bowl and add one teaspoon of water to this. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 10 minutes. Wash it off before applying your moisturiser.

Benefits: lemon juice helps your skin appear more vibrant. It has antibacterial properties which can help reduce acne too.

Vinegar & rose water

Mix two spoons of apple cider vinegar with two spoons of rose water. Use a cotton pad to apply the mixture onto your cleansed face. You will feel immediately refreshed after using this toner, it works well for those who are prone to acne.

Benefits: the acids in apple cider vinegar act as a natural skin exfoliator by digesting dead skin cells, while the mild astringent properties in rose water help remove excess skin oils.

Cucumber with curd

Grate a fresh cucumber in a bowl and then add 100g of curd to it. Mix it up and apply it on your cleansed face for about 8 minutes. Keep the remained in the fridge if you want to reuse it. This toner in particular works well for oily types.

Benefits: the water content in the cucumbers help flush out toxins in the skin, while the curd helps brighten the skin and take away any dullness.

Mint toner

Boil about a litre of water and the pour it over mint leaves. Let the leaves sit in the water for 15 minutes and then strain this mixture into a jar. Allow it to cool down before using cotton pads to apply it to your skin.

Benefits: mint can help reduce the appearance or large pores. The longer you leave the leaves in the water, the better!

Ice cold water

Now we’re back to the basics! You can tone your face with a splash of ice cold water if you don’t have time to put something together. If you want to take things a step further, you could always put one ice cube in a bowl of water and then use that water to tone your face!

Benefits: splashing cold water on the face tightens up the skin and temporarily reduces the size of your pores.

If you decide to give any of these a try, do let me know how you got on!

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Posted on December 8, 2014

What are your breakouts telling you?

Skincare

Your skin is a very good indicator of what’s going on inside your body. Usually, when someone has breakouts on repeated areas, it could be a sign that something more is happening internally.

While genes have a huge impact on whether or not someone is or will be prone to acne, there’s no harm in learning a bit about face mapping and finding out what your spots could be trying to tell you.

Forehead acne

Breakouts around the forehead could mean that you don’t get enough sleep, you eat a lot of sugary foods and are generally under a lot of stress.

Suggestions: Go to bed earlier and try to find a regular sleeping pattern. If you can, do some light exercise (about 20 – 30 minutes a day) to help you have a sounder sleep. Practice some meditation to help you feel calmer and cut down on sugar foods.

Between the brows

This could mean that you consume more alcohol than you should and that you have a few too many late night snacks – uh oh!

Suggestions: Cut down on the booze and smoke – you’ve probably been told that a million times before! Avoid late night snacks and include lighter foods in your diet.

Left cheek

Acne on your lower left cheek could be a sign of poor dental health, while left cheek acne in general could mean that you sleep on that side of your face a lot.

Suggestions: Be sure to take good care of your teeth and floss regularly. Practice good hygiene by changing your pillows and duvet covers every few days. It’s also a good idea to avoid overeating – particularly junk food.

Right cheek

Again, acne on your lower right cheek could be a sign of poor dental health. Break outs on your right cheek in general could mean you sleep on that side of your face.

Suggestions: Be sure to take good care of your teeth and floss regularly. Practice good hygiene by changing your pillows and duvet covers every few days. Make sure you clean your mobile phone as well, all those late night calls could play a role in this too.

Temples

This could mean that you eat a lot of processed foods and not enough fruit and vegetables.

Suggestions: Avoid eating too much junk food and try to eat more foods that have a high water content. i.e. cucumbers and celery. It’s also a good idea to practice better hygiene by not having your hair in your face.

Lips

Lip acne could be a sign that you eat a lot of spicy foods and not enough fiber. It could also be an indication that you’re using the wrong toothpaste too!

Suggestions: Cut down on the Mexican and get some more fiber into your system! Also, switch your toothpaste and try using something without fluoride for a while. This might or mightn’t make a difference, but sure give it a try!

Chin and jaw line

Breakouts around this area of your face are usually linked to hormones.

Suggestions: Take more omega-3’s to help regulate your hormones, and if you can, get checked out for any hormone imbalances. Avoid eating before going to bed and try to reduce stress as much as possible.

It is important to remember that this is just a general guideline and it may not be the case for everyone. While diet changes and topical treatments won’t help you get rid of acne completely, they can help you regulate it! No matter what you think is causing your breakouts, be sure to drink a lot of water!

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Posted on December 6, 2014

Dairy-free Maple Pecan Glaze

recipes

Most seasonal baked goods call for processed dairy, white sugar and all those things we try our best to avoid over the holidays, but fail –every single year.

This maple pecan glaze isn’t something that will make you feel bad for enjoying: pecans are full of vitamin E and maple syrup is an excellent source of zinc. This is definitely a glaze that you can indulge in guilt-free!

You can have it over your homemade pancakes, muffins or your favourite flourless cake.

Ingredients:

125g pecans
82g pure maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
60g water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a blender and process until thick and smooth.
Add more water (a teaspoon at a time) if the mixture is too thick.
Once the glaze has the consistency you’re looking for, it can be used immediately.
Store in a fridge after use.
Keep for up to 4 days.

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Photo credit: Detoxinista

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Posted on December 5, 2014

How to make your lips look fuller

How To/ lips/ Tips

As much as I hate to admit it, we can’t all be Angelina’s.We can’t all be born with full lips and we can’t all have the courage – or money – to get fillers done. That’s just life!

But like most beauty-related dilemmas, there are ways around it. With the right tricks and techniques, you can make your lips look much fuller than they actually are – it’s all about perception!

Here are some of my suggestions for plumping up your pucker without getting any fillers. After these tips, you’ll be more than just a little ready for that kiss under the mistletoe 😉

Avoid the dark side

When it comes to making your pout appear fuller, lip colour matters. Avoid dark colours and shades, as they will only make your lips look smaller . Opt for lighter shades that are closer to your skin tone if you want to visually enlarge your lips.

Line it up

Use a lip liner close to the colour of your lips to draw around the natural line of your mouth. Try not to overdo it, because it will just look wrong altogether! When you’ve finish outlining, use the same pencil to fill in the lips. Smudge and rough lines before you apply your lippy/gloss.

Highlighting matters

Apply some highlighter right above your cupid’s bow and then use your finger to blend it in lightly. Then, use a brown liner beneath your lower lip line – the line shouldn’t be harsh at all. This highlighting and contouring trick will make your lips look like they are creating a shadow because they’re THAT much fuller!

A clever finish

If you want to give off the illusion of fullness, then it’s a good idea to avoid matte textures. They tend to diminish the actual size of your lips, while shiny finishes reflect light and make your lips look more luscious and full.

Pro tip: Use your toothbrush to exfoliate your lips every morning. This promotes blood circulation to the lips, which in turn will make them seem rosier and fuller. Added bonus? You get a temporary plump!

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