6 beauty tips to a flourishing you!

I am super excited to share my favorite beauty tips with you!

YES!  Standing tall, feeling confident, believing in yourself are all crucial to looking your best and feeling good about yourself!  But, any of us who have stood in front of a mirror or spent time reflecting alone know that beauty secrets and positive growth count, too!  The way you look is part of who you are and feeling that you look your best can be a real confident booster!  As a salon owner and hairstylist, I have learned so many beautiful tips which I will exclusively share with you to help you FLOURISH!!!

1. As a hairstylist, I feel it’s only appropriate to start with my favorite hair tips!  Our hair is one of our most valuable accessories!  It can completely change your appearance.  It goes with us everywhere, and let’s be honest, it can be quite the hassle sometimes.  Here are a few of my hair tips you can do to make your hair routine easier.
   • Switch to a silk pillowcase.  I think that most of us sleep on a cotton pillowcase, but there are benefits to switching to silk or satin.  Not only is it better for your skin but, does wonders for your hair!  Cotton robs you of moisture, is more likely to cause bed-head and is much harsher on your hair – causing damage and split ends.  Little differences add up – definitely worth the extra expense.
   • Give yourself a scalp massage in the shower each morning.  This will stimulate hair growth an d enhance the strength at your roots.  Plus, increased blood flow from your scalp massage can also put you a in a better mood.  Reduce stress, and relieve pain by improving circulation.  I use either Aveda’s Stress-fix or Shampure composition oils.  They smell so good and help to start your day off right!
   • Conditioner.  Concentrate on the ends.  Unless you have really dry scalp, most of us don’t need conditioner on our roots.  Our scalp naturally products oil every day, so adding any extra can give your hair a greasy look. For best results, try to apply your conditioner to the bottom 3/4 of your hair.
   • Try not to blow dry your hair immediately after showering.  Ideally, you should allow your hair to air dry for 15 minutes after shampooing/conditioner.  This saves effort and also cuts down on hair exposure to the blow dryer.

2. Skin care, skin care, skin care!  You NEED to take care of your skin!  For beautiful skin, drink your water and never underestimate the power of a good moisturizer.  Whether your skin is dry, normal, or oily – invest in a good moisturizer that is designed for your skin type.  Depending on your individual needs, your moisturizer can either gently add moisture or it can seal in the moisture you’ve achieved. No matter your age, a good moisturizer gives you some of the protection you need to keep skin from prematurely aging!  And let’s face it ladies, our age is our biggest secret!  Let’s keep everyone guessing!! For all your skin type needs, try KPS skin care essentials – they are made from a ROCKET SCIENTIST and are proven to reduce the signs of aging along with many skin conditions like rosacea, eczema, etc. The products are all natural, too! You can find these products at The Coiffeteria Salon, where our trained staff would be happy to answer which products would be best for your skin!

Sunscreen is your best anti-aging product.  We know it is important to use sunscreen to reduce the risk of skin cancer.  It also blocks the sun’s damaging rays and their aging effects.  I use Derm Exclusives Age Defense Moisturizer SPF 24 under my Aveda Moisture Plus Tint SPF 15.

Finally, a good rule of thumb is to update your hair and makeup every 2 years.  By keeping your look current, you will look younger and more modern.  If it’s been a while since you have a chance, visit an Aveda Salon in your area and don’t be afraid to ask for help!  If you are in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area – be sure to visit me at Coiffeteria!

3. Flourish your body on the inside to keep the outside shining. You must fuel your body with clean food.  Clean food will keep you beautiful from the inside out more than anything else you can image.  Clean foods that are not refined or processed are what our bodies desire more than anything else!  Fill your plate with fresh produce, lean sources of protein, heart healthy fats and low glycemic carbohydrates.  Nix the sugar, sodas, low fat foods, and processed foods of any kind.  You will be feel flourished!

My favorite go to snacks are:

Apples with natural peanut butter

Veggies with hummus

Hard boiled eggs

Peanut butter protein balls

Beachbars

4. I touched briefly on it earlier but along with fueling your body with healthy food – you need to hydrate!  Drink your water!  Drinking water is such a fabulous beautify tip that most people over look. Water flushes out toxins, increases moisture in the skin and prevents dehydration. Dehydration can lead to bad skin, constipation, and gives you false hunger cues.  You do not want to experience any of these!!!  Emphasize on drinking plain water and eating more water rich foods like celery, melons, and my favorite – cucumbers.  To make sure you get the water you need, I recommend starting your day with a glass of water and drinking a glass of water before every meal.  Also drink more herbal teas instead of caffeinated beverages.

5. Exercise is a beauty tip for those of you who didn’t know!  In my opinion, exercise plays a HUGE part in being the most be-YOU-tiful!!  It helps you inside and out!  Exercise doesn’t just give you a good body, but it also makes you prettier! How so?  For starters, exercise stimulates hormones and endorphins in the body.  This leads to a better complexion due to blood flow, a healthier and happier attitude, more self confidence, higher energy levels, and it increases your metabolism!  If that isn’t enough to get you excited about exercise, there is more!  Exercise even helps women age better. most women who exercise generally look more fresh in appearance! Plus, exercise makes you more tolerable to stress, increases our mental function and is great for your heart too!For best results, mix cardio with strength training.  A good goal is to get 3 hours of cardio in and 2 sessions of strength training a week.  It doesn’t matter if you do 30 minutes of cardio 6 days/week or 1 hour 3/week…look at your calendar and schedule!  As a wife, mom, and salon owner, my weeks are usually busy and consistently inconsistent.  Scheduling each week according to your week will help ensure your workouts happen.