Beauty, girl talk, girls, Motherhood, Travel, women

Travel Friendly Beauty Products

June 7, 2017

When it comes to traveling I try to pack as minimal as possible. I mean anyone who knows me knows that I am a minimalist by nature. Too much of anything makes me nervous! This is especially true when it comes to packing my beauty products. Whether I am traveling for work, vacations or a friends wedding, I try to keep it simple.

When I’m flying with just a carry-on it’s been challenging for me to pare down my liquids to meet the requirements of TSA. This is when I decided solid makeup is my new travel companion. When I made the decision to travel with more “solid” makeup, I took a little extra time in the cosmetic department to learn, feel and work with these solids. Here are some of my favorite travel friendly products that I never leave home without.

FOUNDATION

For years I’ve sworn by Bobbi Brown’s foundation stick. I love this foundation for so many reasons. First being how compact and convenient it is. There’s no mess with this foundation! Best part? I can apply it with my fingers! Whether I’m using it to touch up blemishes or using it as medium to full coverage foundation, this stick does the job. It’s great in any climate too! And for you ladies that love to take pictures….it photographs flawlessly! I mean who doesn’t want to look flawless in a selfie, right?

CONCEALER

Cle de peau has one of the best concealer’s in the market (in my opinion). Super creamy and smooth. Less is more when it comes to this concealer. This is a great product to brighten your eyes after a red-eye or a long day of traveling.

BLUSH AND HIGHLIGHTERS

The fabulous duo is great for obvious reasons. Two in one! I absolutely love a great cream blush and highlighter. The advantage of cream blushes and highlighters is you have more control when applying. Whether you apply them with your fingers or a brush, the end result is a natural feel and look.

SUNSCREEN

Whether you’re final destination includes the hot scorching sun in Mexico, or the ski slopes of Colorado…protect yourself! If I’m going to be completely honest, there is not one sunscreen that I am loyal to. However, I always recommend it and I always travel with a solid one to avoid the mess.

DRY SHAMPOO

Do you know the question “If you were ever trapped on an island what would you take with you?” Well, ladies, this is it! Batiste, hands down, is the BEST dry shampoo around. Believe me when I say I’ve tried them all. Yes, the full size bottle doesn’t follow TSA’s regulations but the travel size sure does. One of the first things I do when I arrive to my final destination is spray this in my hair and immediately I forget that I was just sharing the same recycled air with 270 other people. Give it a try you won’t regret it! Chicks honor.

Happy Traveling!

Love, Your Beauty Chick-Deanna

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Beauty, girl talk, Health

Your Best You!

May 26, 2017

With summer around the corner, it is a great time for a little visualization! Let’s close our eyes, relax and imagine together….
What do you wish to be doing this summer? Which hot spots do you want to hit? What music will be playing? How will the sun feel on your skin? Are you sporting a hot backless dress or adorable printed shorts? Does your bathing suit accentuate your curves? Wait… bathing suit, backless dress……

If the thought of this gives you a little anxiety-

A. I know the feeling and you are in good company
B. Remember, you are beautiful the way you are
C. Let’s get rocking on becoming the healthiest version of yourself for the summer!
So, reality is that we all want to look amazing- but what if I told you that in order to have the bodies we were meant to have, we need to stop obsessing about losing weight and start falling in love with being healthy!
Again let’s visualize….

What is your ideal weight? Go ahead, pick an arbitrary number but remember, this could change over time (or maybe you’re happy with your weight but your insides feel sluggish)
How do you feel at this weight or with renewed health? (physically, mentally, emotionally)
What positive thoughts are you having about yourself?
Which new activities are you incorporating into your healthy lifestyle?
Which delicious, satisfying foods are readily available to you in your refrigerator?
How does your back look in that hot new dress? What color is that dress and from what material is it made?

So now that you have visualized, I want to fill you in on a little secret. We can certainly have a weight goal, but even more important than this- we will stay motivated by having a crystal clear vision about what life is like once we’ve lost the weight (or have helped our insides feel better)!

What I haven’t yet told you is I am a mom of three adorable and busy little girls. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired- right? So, although weight loss was a major goal of mine, when I embraced a clean eating lifestyle, the focus on getting healthy in order to change my body made an incredible impact on my mindset and on my results.

I fell in love with the idea of not only eliminating toxins, but adding adequate amounts of nutrients to my diet, so that everything is functioning optimally and my body is cleansed on a cellular level. I have literally pressed the reset button on my body and NOW…

I actually know when I am hungry (rather than mindlessly eating or rarely feeling satiated at the table but later feeling bloated and tired)

I have incredible energy (I’m talking wake up early and get stuff done kind of energy!)

I have more focus and a clearer mind about what I want, and I am taking the steps to achieve my goals

I know which specific foods affect my body (such as sugar and gluten)

Oh yes, and I lost 30 lbs. along the way!

My journey has been about 8 months long thus far. I continue to press the reset button periodically because life happens- but this truly has been a lifestyle change!

The process of embracing this program has helped me to visualize myself in my amazing new Athleta bathing suit this summer- black boy shorts instead of a skirt (which I thought was my fate for the rest of the life!) I am excited to embrace all of the fun activities that summer brings and have the energy to do them all, even when it is hot and humid and three kids are pulling me in every direction!

What I want is for everyone to free themselves from making comparisons to others because we are all different! I want you to experience what it is like to have sustainable energy all day without (okay, I’m going to say it) coffee and by alkalizing your body! (And don’t worry… I have more than a few ideas about tasty alternatives that will give you the oomph you need in the morning and keep you feeling great all day!)

So here are my tips for cleansing your body in a sustainable way:
1. Be educated about foods that are going to add health and are anti-inflammatory, alkalizing and have a low glycemic index
2. Make a list of your favorite whole foods (yes, actually write them down)
3. Start to buy these foods and choose local and organic when possible
4. Realize that we are overfed and undernourished- meaning most people eat more than enough calories each day but still aren’t ever full, so add clean supplements that help curb cravings and replace our go-to convenience foods
5. Buddy up or be a part of a group which is going to lift you up and help you visualize and be your healthiest self
6. Remember that progress is perfection- little changes over time add up in a big way and rapid weight loss plans are not sustainable over time
Now that you have that clear mental picture…. Want to know how you can make it happen to feel fit and fabulous in Summer 2017?

Let’s chat over a fizz stick or a protein shake (sorry coffee lovers) in person or via zoom, and I can give you the low down about Arbonne’s 30 days to healthy living program and why it’s the bomb! Okay enough with the bad 90’s phrases; I’m out!
Cheers to health and happiness,

Taylor Knapik
[email protected]
@taylorknapik
www.taylorknapik.arbonne.com

*** Goods were received in exchange for this post***

Beauty, girl talk, girls, Life, Parenting, Travel, women

Why I went to Physical Sunscreen

May 17, 2017

Go to a dermatologist or any beauty expert and you won’t be walking out without them hysterically telling you how important sun protection is. I’m no expert, but I’m not any different either: Use it daily! Apply it EVERYWHERE. No, your make up is not enough.

I used to apply sunscreen (chemical, broad spectrum) on clean skin before applying any other skin/make up products. *I DO NOT DO THIS ANYMORE* Not because it was ineffective by any means, but I now use a physical sunscreen. My face routine is now: serum/face cream, physical sunscreen, and then bb cream. What is physical sunscreen? Well, there’s no real definition for it. It essentially means that the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide physically block the UV rays from getting to the skin. Chemical, on the other hand, uses chemicals to either absorb or scatter the UV rays.

Why the change? After doing a lot of research that came after talking to my intelligent esthetician (who sadly moved to Texas) I have enlisted to prevent any pigmentation. Hence, I now use physical sunscreen on my face/neck/chest every single day! To prevent burning. To stop sun damage. Premature ageing. And halt that mean, pigmentation, in its tracks. Physical sunscreen also allows me to forget about constantly reapplying it (unless I wet my face or sweat profusely) which is the tricky part with chemical sunscreens and make up! I will often use a BB cream or foundation with chemical sunscreens on top of this, that is to say, I am not making a stand against them, but for my primary sun protection on the face and chest? Physical sunscreen.

Let’s get one thing straight though, no matter what you are using or decide to use it is SO important to use that sunscreen on a daily basis – especially since we live in the kind of ridiculous country that insists on having extreme UV. Also because without it we burn, and get skin cancer, and our immune system suffers and our beautiful skin becomes lined and spotted. Yes, we should get about 15 minutes (depending on the time of year/UV strength/your skin) of sun exposure per day for Vitamin D and general happiness, as many miserable Chicagoans will attest to in the winter. The best way to get it and not soil your lovely skin is to expose the arms, in my opinion.

~Your Beauty Chick ~ Neema

Chick Picks:

Great on-the-go sunscreen for your pursue – AND KID FRIENDLY! (This goes directly on my 18 month old daughter when we play out in the sun)

Doubles as a moisturizer – Lightweight and lovely.

Quite the superstar in the physical sunscreen world, being one of, if not the only spray versions.

My all time favorite, go-to sunscreen. Have been using it daily for 6 months now!

Beauty, friends, women

Contouring and All It’s Hype

April 12, 2017

With the help of social media, contouring has become one of the most popular trends. You can’t walk into a cosmetics department today and not be bombarded by sales associates asking you to “check out” their contour palettes. Contouring has become the number one request from my clients. Here’s something that may surprise you: you actually may already have the product in your makeup bag to help create this contouring trend – it’s called bronzer, ladies!

The advantage of contouring is that it gives the illusion that you have a more defined facial structure that accentuates your cheekbones. While it may photograph beautifully, the downside is that contouring can easily be mistaken for bad makeup. Here are a few simple tricks to help you create those great cheekbones while giving the impression that you know exactly what you are doing!

Choose The Right Color

Choosing the right color bronzer is just as important as choosing the right foundation. The key for a natural, contoured look is to look for a bronzer that is no more than two shades darker than your natural skin tone. This will help prevent you from looking orange or muddy. I typically do not choose bronzers with a shimmer, since you are trying to keep your face as natural-looking as possible.

Blend: It’s All In The Wrist

When you apply bronzer, make sure to apply it where the sun naturally touches your face and remember to include your neck. You don’t want your face and neck to be two different shades…not a good look! I suggest doing this by sweeping a little of your bronzer downward from your jawline to your neck to make the transition seamless. If you are wearing your hair up, don’t forget to get the ears and back of the neck.

Have The Right Tools

I can’t stress this enough. Good makeup brushes and applicators are worth the investment. If you’re going to use a liquid bronzer for contouring, a makeup blending sponge works best. If you’re going to use a powder bronzer, an angled-brush or a flat-brush is best for giving your cheekbones that coveted depth. If you really want that contrast, think about applying a powdered bronzer over a liquid bronzer; make sure you properly use the blending sponge when using this technique.

Makeup can be very intimidating for a lot of women. Remember, it’s not permanent; you can always wash it off. You don’t need a professional makeup artist to give you a flawless look. It just takes quality makeup, good tools and some practice. You would be surprised how quick and easy this can be, even for you mothers who are on the go!

Happy Contouring!

Your Beauty Chick-Deanna

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