Browsing Tag

skin

Posted on February 17, 2016

Let’s talk about skin, hair and nails

product review

Perfectil original skim hair and nails

Growing up with acne-prone skin has turned me into a bit of a skincare junkie: from beauty tools to beauty products, I pretty much like to get my paws on everything and anything that will give my complexion even the slightest glow!

So when I read reviews on how Perfectil has been transforming people’s skin, hair & nails, I decided to do a bit of research myself!

Perfectil, a one-a-day beauty supplement, contains over 20 micronutrients that contribute to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails – every girl’s dream!

Vitamins B2, B3 and biotin are the active ingredients when it comes to maintaining normal skin. While the minerals selenium and zinc are responsible for the maintenance of normal hair and nails.

These nutrients are delivered through the very deepest level of the bloodstream to work their magic – I guess beauty really does come from within!

Perfectil is to be taken on a full stomach each day with a meal and usually takes about six weeks before results start to show!

There are some precautions when it comes to taking these supplements, particularly for pregnant women or breastfeeders. Like anything, it’s always a good idea to read the cautions before getting started!

Now that the stuff nobody likes to talk about is out of the way (hazards and cautions),  what do you guys think!?

Will you be running into your nearest chemist to give Perfectil a try? Let me know if you will or already have!

As always, snap or tweet me @Filomenakaguako chat soon! 🙂

Supplements are available in 30 tablets  ( €12.99 ) in pharmacies nationwide! Check out www.perfectil.ie for more info!

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Posted on October 31, 2014

How to use makeup to hide your raging hangover

How To/ Natural beauty

hangover

Sometimes, the excitement of dressing up for Hallowe’en and heading out with the girls can lead to one too many drinks. Typically, you end up waking up with a mid-blowing headache and disgustingly puffy eyes that make you look and feel like you’ve gone through hell and back.

So if things get a little out of hand tonight, here are a few makeup tricks that will help bring some life back to your face.

Begin with the eyes

Dehydrating beverages and very little sleep can lead to puffy eyes.  You can tackle puffy eyes using one of the methods I previously discussed: sliced cucumbers, cold spoons or tea bags.

Conceal, conceal, conceal

Concealing is the name of the game. Some clever concealing will help you cover a multitude of beauty problems – especially when you need it the most. A touch of concealer will help neutralise your eyes and get rid of any redness.

Forget the foundation

I couldn’t think of a better time to skip foundation than the morning after the night before. Your skin couldn’t handle the thickness of foundation after a night of heavy drinking – it is just too dried out! Forget the foundation and opt for a tinted moisturiser or CC cream instead.

Add some colour

A bit of blusher always helps with the lifeless look the skin takes after a night out. Don’t go too heavy though, one or two sweeps should do the trick – with this one you can bring the freshness back to your face one sweep at a time!

Stay hydrated

As you know, alcohol robs your skin of moisture. So rehydrating is probably one of the most important steps you need to take when it comes to trying to make your skin look more radiant. Coconut water is absolutely great for this, it also keeps you energised!

Don’t neglect the hair

I always find that my hair isn’t at its best after a night out – it reeks of smoke (even though I’m not a smoker), and it generally doesn’t look like it’s on it’s A game. If you don’t have time to give it a good wash, then do use some dry shampoo to keep it looking and smelling fresh.

I hope you’ll find these tips useful, if you have any other tips, feel free to share them with me! Have fun tonight 🙂

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Posted on May 27, 2013

Why use sunscreen?

Youthful Skin

Before I start, I think it may be a good idea to clear the air about something…..yes I’m know that my post is about sunscreen, yes I’m aware of my skin tone, and no I’m not oblivious of the fact that that I live in Ireland! So why should anyone in Ireland, or black for that matter, even consider using sunscreen??

Let me tell you why………

More often than not, fine lines and uneven skin tone that happen to appear on our skin have nothing to do with aging, instead they’re just a result of  unprotected exposure to the sun. If you want to punish your skin, then by all means leave the house without  any sunscreen at all. But for those who are concerned with having your skin look its best. Then I suggest you start investing into a daily sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

What is SPF?

SPF (sun protection factor) measures the degree of protection that a product has in protecting  your skin from the damaging effects of the UV rays from the sun.  There are two main types of  ultra violet radiation: UVA and UVB. Both age the skin prematurely and highly increase your chances of skin cancer.

I won’t bore you with all the scientific stuff, but these are things to consider: over 30% of the suns ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day! So even though sunny days are rare in Ireland, we still need sunscreen! And also, many black people have a natural SPF level of appx 30, but that doesn’t protect them from skin caner, I mean look what happened to Bob Marley??

So remember, when you are looking for a sunscreen, do make sure that it protects you from both UVA and UVB! Here’s a good one which I always thought was quite effective on my skin….Nivea Sun Pocket Size SPF30

sunscreen

I’ve always liked this product because it claims (you can never be too sure)  to have  immediate protection from the sun. It protects you from both UVA and UVB rays( which is what we want)! It’s fast absorbing (great for the mornings!) and I absolutely love the fact that you could just throw it in your bag and whip it out when you’re ready to reapply (gotta love it’s pocket size) 

Now that you know why we need it, I think it would be worth knowing a thing or two about how to apply sunscreen…..

 1.Always clean your skin before application.

2. Apply it to cool and dry skin so make sure you use it before your daily moisturizer because when sunscreen is applied to warm skin, it can open pores and cause a rash.

3.Use the equivalent of a shot glass (we all know what they look like!)

4.Make sure to apply it twice, just in case you missed a spot!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my post!  Feel free to comment below!

References:

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/sunscreens-explained

http://behealthyandrelax.com/2009/06/251/

http://www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/Cancer/AN01370.cfm

http://skincare.about.com/od/sunkissedglow/a/Black-People-Sunburn-And-Skin-Cancer.htm

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Posted on May 19, 2013

Not so guilty pleasure: Dark Chocolate

Guilty Pleasures/ Nutrition

not so guilty pleasure

I never thought I’d ever see the day I’d praise something that I don’t even enjoy eating! It’s not very like me to recommend the things I don’t like, but I guess I’d have to be fair once and a while so my promise to you is that I will not impose any of my personal feelings towards dark chocolate in this post (not intentionally anyways), instead, I will just give you cold hard facts on the benefits of consuming dark chocolate!

Just so we’re on the same page, I must say that if you really want to enjoy the health benefits of dark chocolate then you would have to be looking at the ones that contain over 70% cacao; the darker the chocolate, the less sugar and milk it contains and the closer it is to cacao, the secret behind it’s health benefits.

Cacao is probably one of the main sources of health benefits from the consumption of dark chocolate. The reason being that it produces neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin which are associated with feelings of well-being and happiness…..

Do you see where I’m going with this???

It’s a natural anti-depressant! So don’t be afraid to indulge yourself with a bit of 70%+ if you’re feeling kinda down!

Alright so now you’re thinking, ”it might help me with my mood and I wouldn’t feel as down if I take a few squares of it, but what about the fat? Isn’t it as fattening as all the other chocolates out there???” I’m afraid not!! The fat that is in dark chocolate comes primarily from plants so it would be a lot healthier for you. It contains the fatty acid that is also found in olive oil and this promotes antioxidant activity and also prevents heart disease. So as long as you look for a dairy-free bar (which would contain more of the bad fat),  I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about if you’re taking these in small doses!

What about the beauty benefits?

Dark chocolate contains an antioxidant called flavinoid which are usually found in plants such as the cacao plant. These bad boys are associated with the anti-aging effects in the skin and the flavinoid found  in dark chocolate are greater than the antioxidants found in some berries. So if you’re feeling guilty about passing on the fruit salad the other day, you can forgive yourself!

Lastly, these flavinoids also absorb UV light which helps protect your beautiful skin from the sun. It also increases blood flow to the skin which improves your complexion and keeps your skin well hydrated.

Now that you know that dark chocolate isn’t all that bad, you no longer have to make this a secret pleasure. Just remember, the more bitter the chocolate, the higher the cacao content and the better it is for you! 🙂

If you’re not convinced, here’s a few more articles that you can read:

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/benefits-of-chocolate

http://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/3-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate/

http://www.naturalnews.com/031959_dark_chocolate_antioxidants.html

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Posted on May 1, 2013

Guilty pleasure #1: Caffeine

Appearance/ Guilty Pleasures/ Nutrition

Something tells me that there’s a few coffee worshipers out there who are now dreading to read the rest of this post. Not to worry, I’ll keep this as short as I can (which isn’t always easy for me to do, but I’ll try my best!)

We all know the list of foods/drinks which contain this addictive drug(yes it’s a drug,don’t look so surprised!). The list is endless really, to name a few, coffee, energy drinks and chocolate would be the most common sources of caffeine. Since my new respect for chocolate has motivated me to write a POSITIVE  ”guilty pleasure” post on it, I’ll leave chocolate out (For the most part anyways) and instead, I’ll focus on the other two (bare in mind that I’m a recovering coffee addict so there’s no judging here….)

Now, I can go on and on about how the consumption of coffee and energy drinks increase health problems for both male and female, how they increases blood pressure which leads to heart problems or how they both contribute to blood sugar problems. But that really isn’t my focus. (And I’m not exactly your doctor!)

My primary focus is on beauty (Surprise surprise!!) and here are the main reasons why I think you should avoid taking these products:

the affect of caffeine on your appearance

1.It speeds up the aging process.
Caffeine accelerates aging because it contributes to the decline in the production of hormones that are usually produced ‘in riches’ during youth. As well as this, it dehydrates your body which sucks all the water from your skin cells and as a result it causes wrinkles and sagging.

2.It affects sleeping patterns.
Because caffeine is a stimulant, it keeps you awake for longer which in turn makes you sleep less, and as Sleeping Beauty already informed us, no sleep takes a toll on your overall appearance and reflects very badly on your face.

Still not convinced? Well how about this one…..

3.Say Cheese!
This alone should be a reason to cut down! Not only is it visible on your face, but too much coffee/energy drinks reflects very badly on your teeth!! You might think that by adding milk or cream to your coffee, you would prevent your teeth from staining,but sorry to burst your little bubble there but white coffee would still contain the same pigments and acids as black so it doesn’t really make much of a difference!

Now that that’s all said and done, I’ll let you go enjoy your cuppa. After all, coffee addicts have always been the toughest to crack! Just don’t say you weren’t warned though!

Hope you enjoyed reading my post.  Feel free to comment below 🙂

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Posted on April 29, 2013

The importance of sleep

Natural beauty/ Skincare
the-importance-of-sleep

Sleeping Beauty

Doesn’t she just look so peaceful and youthful while she’s lost in her own little world?

Don’t you just wish you could look as rested as Sleeping Beauty herself?

Well believe it or not,it’s possible! I mean you certainly won’t look as animated as she does, but you can indeed look more rested and youthful once you realize the importance of sleep.

Personally, I never have to force myself to bed, it baffles me why anyone who isn’t in school does because like water, sleep is a natural source of beauty; when you sleep, your whole body goes into repair mode which is particularly good for your skin because it means that your skin renews itself by replacing older cells with newer ones. I mean it’s a bit of a no brainer really, if you get rid of something old and replace it with something new it’s only going to make it look better right?

Maybe I should get a little bit more technical than that.

When you deprive yourself of sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol in your system can break down the protein that keeps your skin smooth as well as elastic, and this may cause fine lines which lead to wrinkles. Also, a lack of sleep causes your blood vessels to dilate and as a result , it gives the appearance of dark circles.

And for those of you who suffer from break outs every now and then, you should really know that  not enough sleep directly causes acne through inflammation so believe me when I say that it’s worth skipping The Late Late Show over this, just think of the effects that staying up will have on your skin the following morning.

But as usual, every cloud has a silver lining! And the good thing about sleep is that it helps recover your skin fairly quickly which means that if you get your 7-8 hours of sleep on one night alone, it will instantly show on your face the following day and if you get a good night’s sleep tonight, there’s no doubt that everyone will notice it tomorrow: you will look well-rested, energized and on top of that, your skin will glow!

I mean who needs a face-lift when you have a good sleeping habit? And after all, Sleeping Beauty did nail a prince after 100 years of being in a deep slumber, surely all that sleep had something to do with it!

Hope you get all your hours in tonight, but, if you happen to wake up with baggy eyes, just check out one of my previous blog posts!

Thanks again for reading, and remember, there’s a reason why they call it beauty sleep!

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Posted on April 8, 2013

All-natural beauty product: The beauty benefits of drinking water

Natural beauty/ Skincare

Image

For those of you who were kind enough to read my about page, I’m sure you have a bit of an idea as to what kind of topics I plan to include in my blog, so it should be no surprise to you that my post includes a picture my number one beauty product: Water.  Don’t look so baffled! It mightn’t be a topical cream that could easily be identified as a  ‘beauty product’ It truly is an all-natural product that keeps your body well hydrated and prevents your skin cells from becoming dry and looking flaky. The beauty benefits of drinking water are more than you would think so let me walk you through this short article.

The reason why I consider this as my number one beauty product is because every time I include more water in my diet, my skin clears up significantly.  Unfortunately for me, I happen to be one of the  unlucky ones in the family who has oily skin so extra maintenance is a must!! To be completely honest with you I find that the auld  ”8 glasses of water” actually does indeed work and at the end of the day, the health of your skin really does start with a healthy nutrition so if you could get your 8 glasses in every day, you wouldn’t be too far from consuming a healthy diet not to mention getting all the beauty benefits that comes with it.

I’d imagine that 8 glasses of water a day would require a good bit of effort for some people, so I discovered that having a glass before and after every meal would probably be the easiest way to go about in doing so! Lets say you have 3 meals a day,  if you apply this theory you will have already gone through 6 glasses!  The other two can be taken if you feel guilty after having too many sweets or too much dessert like cheesecake  (I’m a recovering cheesecake addict!)

It really isn’t that difficult. Give it a try tomorrow and see how you get on, the first day is usually the hardest, but eventually you’ll get used to it! Think of it as your natural beauty source, after all it’s inexpensive, natural and with some ice it can be very refreshing!

 

Do you think there are beauty benefits to drinking water? If so, I would love to get your feedback! 

Feel free to comment below!!!

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