How often do you use extra virgin olive oil? Do you use it for your skin? There are so many proven health benefits for using it as part of your beauty regimen. It's a healthy fat and is rich in antioxidants. Not only is it good to use during meal preps, but it also protects the skin in numerous ways. Some of the benefits are fairly common, but there may be a few that you've never considered.
Let's explore how you can add this oil to your self-care Saturday/Sunday routines to get your skin silky smooth and glowing in all the right places:
1. Nail Strengthener
Growing your nails can be a drag at times, but olive oil can help you with the process. To give your damaged and peeling nails some extra length and life, apply lukewarm olive oil to your nail bed. When you are at home doing your own mani and pedi, incorporate olive oil into your routine. You may see some impressive results.
2. Night Body Moisturizer
It feels good to get out of a nice warm shower or bath and massage olive oil over your whole body. The oil nourishes and moisturizes the skin, giving it a nice bright glow. Go to bed feeling relaxed, and wake up with fresh silky skin.
3. Natural Face Scrub
There are so many facial skin regimens floating around, and sometimes we just can't keep track. During your self-care day, feel free to mix olive oil with granulated sugar and use it as a face scrub. Mixing the two can be great for exfoliating and cleansing the pores. It's easy to do and it doesn't take much effort. This can also be another way to save on skincare and beauty cosmetics in your yearly budget.
4. Shaving Cream
Olive oil leaves your skin soft after shaving, and you might even notice a change in the number of ingrown hairs and unwanted cysts you're susceptible to. This method also saves money because you no longer have to buy expensive shaving creams and worry about applying unhealthy chemicals to your body. Be careful though: If you are applying the olive oil in the shower, things can get a little slippery.
5. Makeup Remover
Trying to get rid of your beat face after a long night out or remove your lashes? Olive oil does the trick and does it easily. Simply apply the oil to a cotton swab or pad and rub it in a circular motion. Give your face a nice rinse and you are all set.
6. Eyebrow Grooming
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Personally, I have not paid for a professional to shape my eyebrows in at least 3 years. In order to properly prep my eyebrows before tweezing, I apply olive oil. The olive oil alleviates dryness, redness, and damage to the skin in the eyebrow area. Also, the oil keeps my eyebrows healthy and strengthens thin areas.
7. Cracked-Heel Repair
One thing you always want to keep under control is the dryness on the heels of your feet, especially in the summer when you are wearing those fabulous heels and open-back sandals. Take care of the heels of your feet all year 'round and eliminate cracked heels by applying olive oil before bed. Don't forget to seal in the moisture by wearing socks. Trust me, you will see a major difference in your feet.
8. Sunburn Remedy
After spending a day or two in the sun, your skin can get burned---not fun at all. In order to heal sunburn, apply olive oil to the affected area day and night. It will eliminate the burning sensation and soothe the skin.
If you haven't started using olive oil for your skin regimen, get up and get with it. Let us know your thoughts and if your skin experiences change for the better. Let's level up in the most natural way!
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When it comes to social media, viewers only get to see the results of our creative success, but to be honest, the majority of us are just winging it. I can wholeheartedly attest to not having all of the answers when it comes to work, life, and balance. I'm just figuring this ish out and learning more about myself and what I can handle during the process.
For the past few years, I've been juggling working in the beauty industry full-time, modeling, roller-skating, writing, and designing jewelry. Trust and believe that there are not enough hours in the day to do all of the things that I would like to. I have learned the hard way the importance of not pushing myself to the limit and neglecting the efforts of self-sabotaging because things aren't going as planned.
Like most of us blossoming creatives, this is a one-woman show, so on the days that I am being too hard on myself I say, "You are not Beyonce, and you do not have her team. Do what you can to achieve your goals when you can."
Most mornings, I designate time to separate work goals, creative goals, and personal goals that have worked best for me. Also, writing my accomplishments daily and writing encouraging notes to myself helps give me the reassurance that my hard work and dedication are worth it. Realistically, balancing working a 9-to-5 and being a progressive can be very time-consuming and overwhelming at times. It can take years before our creative dreams become the reality that we envision for ourselves.
Every now and then it helps to be reminded that your creativity is worth pursuing. Keep it pushing sis with these 6 tips:
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1. Just go for it.
"Don't talk about it. Just do it." That is exactly what my best friend said after I shared one of my creative ideas with her on a train ride home. Ever find yourself sharing amazing ideas and forgetting to actually pursue them? Try your hardest to come up with ideas and then immediately create a plan to achieve them. Nothing in life is guaranteed, so now is the time to put your best foot forward. There will never be the "right" time to execute your creative ideas. My best advice for a blossoming creative is, that idea that you have just may not work but so what? At least you tried. I have made adjustments to my brand, tried things that worked, quit ventures that didn't suit me, etc. It all turned out for the greater good. I'm still a work in progress and making adjustments as I go.
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2. Don't rush your creative juices.
We live in a world where instant gratification is so necessary. It's easy to get caught up in rushing ideas and the execution of creative projects. Remember, greatness comes with time.
When I first started creating my blog, I realized the importance of patience in creativity. I noticed that whenever I took my time with acting on my creative ideas, I had better results. Balancing a 9-to-5 and working on your creativity can be tough, but over time I learned to not beat myself up about taking breaks.
Sometimes you aren't going to be motivated to work on your creativity after work and that's OK. Commend yourself for the small efforts you do make towards your creative goals.
Try out different schedules to make your creativity more convenient and give yourself feedback in the process. Something that has helped me tremendously is scheduling creative freedom days. I literally wake up and say to myself, "Today, I'm going to come home straight after work, write in my journal and have 'me time.'" For whatever creative projects you are working on, make sure you take the time to create your best work. Don't rush, and take care of yourself.
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3. Don't allow people to convince you to turn your creativity down.
Do you, and stay true to yourself. People will mislead you all the time, so you might as well do what you want. Get acquainted with being misunderstood. Way too often people will tell you that you are "over the top" and you do "too much". Let those people continue talking and carry on. Speaking your dreams into existence is just the beginning. Only you know what you want to do and how you want to do it. This is about you and your vision. No one else can see it but you.
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4. Network and surround yourself with other creatives.
As a creative person, you need to keep a creative set of friends. If you don't have at least one, then it's time to find one. This is very helpful when it comes to expanding those creative ideas you come up with on the daily. When I first moved to Brooklyn, something that really helped me expand my business was surrounding myself with other creatives that I admired. I have creatives in my corner who I read my articles to and who try on the jewelry I design. I can always count on them to give me good feedback. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people can be the push that you need. It's a great feeling to support other creative works and cheer each other on during the process.
5. Use social media to build your brand.
As a blossoming creative, it is essential to put your social media skills to good use in order to create your plan. You never know who's watching or who you might be inspiring through your platforms. Research yourself and figure out exactly what your social media accounts display about you. Allow your social media to show your most creative self.
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6. Do it for you.
No matter what, do what you want and do it for you. I make sure that if no one else likes my content or jewelry, I like it. I try to ensure that I actually value everything I create and that the sole purpose is not money-driven. Don't be afraid to say "no" to projects that don't necessarily spark your interest or those that appear to be detrimental to your vision or brand.
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Rise and shine, butterflies! We all value our beauty rest and would much rather stay home in our cozy beds but, let's face it, we have work to do! Overcoming the morning blues can be difficult, especially if you are not an early bird or a morning person. What you might not realize is, conquering your mornings is all about your routine and energy.
In order to develop a good morning routine, it takes time and some practice but it's worth it. The best way to ensure that you are having a good day is to start off in the best way possible. Let's set some morning routines into practice to brighten your days.
1.Wake Up to Music That Uplifts You
Wake up earlier and to the music that moves you. Personally, I wake up in the morning to artists such as Jill Scott and Erykah Badu because their voices are soothing and their lyrics exude self-confidence. If I feel like I need a push to go to the gym in the morning, I would set my alarm to an artist like O.T. Genasis. His voice is loud and forceful which is just the sound that you may need to give you that extra push to get up in the morning. Using Alexa to set my alarms has been a great help towards setting my daily alarms for Monday through Friday. If you don't have Alexa, try to use an actual alarm versus using your phone. If you have to use your phone as an alarm, make sure your phone is not easily accessible so that you are forced to get out of your bed to turn it off. Music therapy is a good way to set yourself up for a positive day. Use music to help get into the groove of things.
2.Let Go of All Judgements, Expectations and Comparisons
There are two things that are essential for creating the positive day that you desire. First, is to be grateful for having the pleasure of waking up, living, and breathing. Second, is to kindly remind yourself to let go of all judgements, expectations, and comparisons. All three of these things can play a pivotal role in how you carry yourself throughout the day. The goal is to start your day at ease and with a peaceful mind. The last thing you want to do is to allow judgments, expectations, and comparisons to weigh down on your spirits. The purpose is to make the morning time your time only.
3.No Social Media for the First 1-2 hours of Your Day
Many of us are guilty of waking up and the first thing that we check is social media. Social media has truly become a way of life and very influential but it can also become one of our biggest distractions. For many of us, social media is a tool used to run our businesses, sponsorships, or influence others. Yet, it doesn't hurt to limit your engagements on social media. As a means to put yourself first, try to avoid logging into social media for the first 1-2 hours of your day. Use your mornings to focus on you and taking proper care of yourself. You want to be more productive and limiting your time on social media gives you more time to narrow in on everything that you need to do for the day.
4.Stretch/Exercise
Reach to the sky, take a deep breath, and relax your mind. Sometimes the best way to start your day is with a good stretch. Stretching helps to relieve stress and tension within the muscles. Get some circulation flowing throughout your body so that you can cope better with your day and what it entails. Give yourself at least 5 minutes to lift your energy levels with a good stretch.
5.Do Not Skip Breakfast
Whatever you do, do not skip breakfast. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. Whether the meal is big or small, the nutrients count towards your energy. Starting your day with an empty stomach can have a huge effect on your productivity. Put yourself first by feeding your body with the nutrients it deserves.
6.Place Affirmations on Your Mirror to Recite
Whether it's a quote from your favorite author or song lyrics, positive words, and affirmations are important for you well-being. Begin your morning by reciting positive words as you take a look into the mirror. Speak inspiration and great vibrations into yourself and don't wait for others to do it. Take control of how you feel about yourself by writing messages that remind you of who you are and your goals in life. Be honest with yourself and speak into existence what battles your plan on tackling for the day.
Set the mood right for yourself and do it early. You'll see a difference within yourself and how you approach your daily activities and interactions with others. Remember that how you treat yourself is valuable. In order to show up in best form you have to take proper care of yourself. Find your morning nitch and stick to it. Be your own calm before the storm.
Did you know that xoNecole has a new podcast? Join founder Necole Kane, and co-hosts Sheriden Chanel and Amer Woods, for conversations over cocktails each and every week by subscribing to xoNecole Happy Hour podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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