Blog, Doings

How to Boost Your Confidence this Holiday Season

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Photo: Kenji Nakamura, Nails: Sae Carter

It’s the most wonderful time of year! Although this 2020 holiday season is looking different for everyone, we’re all doing our best, and should keep our spirits high. Even if you’re staying in and keeping things chill this year, you probably still want to look and feel your best. If, like many people, 2020 has been a year of less activity and more comfort eating than usual, then have a look at these ideas for ways to make yourself feel healthy and happy at this moment.

  1. Get your Skin Glowing

One of the best ways to boost your confidence and feel great about yourself is to get your skin in tip top condition. Finding the right products that can clear away blemishes and get your skin smooth and bright makes a world of a difference. Winter brings with it a myriad of skin complaints, including dry skin from cold weather, and maskne – acne brought on by wearing a facemask – is now a concern too. If your current creams aren’t doing the trick, then have a look at some online reviews and don’t get caught up in sticking with the same product just because it’s what you’ve always used. Our skin changes throughout the seasons and as we age, so it’s important to regularly update and replenish your skincare routine.

  1. Feel Healthy

Your ultimate goal might be to lose some weight and, if it’s done healthily and you don’t feel pressured, then there’s nothing wrong with looking at coolsculpting videos and finding ways to enhance your figure. It’s also equally important though to look and feel healthy. You might already know in yourself how to go about this. Maybe it’s about getting some more sleep every night. It might be swapping a breakfast pastry for oatmeal. If you’re not sure, then try a few different things to enter this year’s holiday season feeling like you’re fighting fit and ready to start 2021 at 100%. 

  1. Mental Health

We can get so caught up in what we’re going to wear and planning our holiday social calendars that it can be easy to forget what a toll the busy party season can take on our mental health. If you’re getting ready to buzz from friend to friend, or even sorting out a series of Zoom-based Christmas catch ups, then make sure you’re also taking some time to rest and recharge. Zoom fatigue is real, and it doesn’t only affect us when we’re in a meeting that seems to last forever, Even if it’s social get togethers with friends, spending our time staring at a screen can be taxing. Take plenty of breaks and try and get in some screen-free time. 

  1. Bright Smiles

Smiling is scientifically proven to boost your mood. But so many people spend their lives smiling with their lips clamped over teeth that they’re embarrassed about. Instead of spending years hiding your smile, consider natural ways you can brighten your smile for this holiday. There are lots of ways you can feel more confident without spending thousands and subjecting yourself to harsh chemicals and invasive treatments – you won’t regret it!

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Beauty, Blog

My 5 Skincare Tips for The Perfect Complexion

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Maintaining a healthy complexion is so crucial for the modeling industry. I’ve definitely had my battles with agency and client rejection because I had cystic/hormonal acne when I first got into the industry. For some people, perfect skin seems to come naturally (good genes) while it can take a lot of work for others. I was definitely on the other side.

Whether you want to be a model or not, skincare is essential for several reasons. And it’s not all about the way you look. Our skin plays a major role in how our bodies function day to day. After all, skin is the largest organ of the body. On a scientific level, it prevents viruses and bacteria from entering your body and protects you from harmful solar radiation. It helps regulate your body’s temperature and reacts to critical changes in your environment through pain and pressure.

So how do we get our skin to live its best life and glow up? The basics are using the right moisturizer and exfoliating products depending on your skin type. You can amp it up with certain cosmetic treatments like chemical peels and microneedling, but the most important thing is to adopt good habits. Try incorporating these five practices into your daily life, and I promise your skin will improve dramatically.

1. Drink more water

Doctors, dermatologists, estheticians, and the like are always recommending people drink more water, and it’s not for nothing. Being adequately hydrated can help almost all aspects of the body, and the skin is no exception. Drinking eight glasses a water a day will help to rid your skin of toxins and give you a radiant glow. Add a little lemon and apple cider vinegar for a deeper clean.

2. Eat the right food

You are what you eat. Your diet has a massive influence on your skin’s health, so pay attention to what you put into it. Meals full of fried foods will only make your skin greasy and lead to acne breakouts and other imperfections. I’m not saying restrict yourself from fatty foods because fat is essential for our bodies. But instead, opt for healthy fats like omega-3. When deciding on your next meal, pick ingredients high in omega-3. Clean eating means clear skin. And having a balance will keep your hormones and body in check, limiting breakouts.

3. Exercise

Being physically active slows the aging process, and it also has a positive effect on your skin’s appearance. The general recommendation is 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each day. This could be anything from a power walk or bike ride to something more extreme, like kickboxing or reformer pilates. Just make sure to wash the sweat off your face afterward!

4. Get more sleep

We could all use more sleep in this busy world, and lack of sleep can definitely hurt your skin quality. Not getting enough rest at night can speed up the aging process and lead to wrinkles as well as worsening any existing skin problems. Be sure to get your eight hours each night. 

5. Reduce stress

Stress is one of the worst things for our body. It can worsen almost any health condition and has been linked to all kinds of skin issues, including rashes, acne, and sweating. If you are suffering from stress, take steps to relieve anxiety. There are so many ways to reduce stress including talking about your problems, meditating, or taking a break from stress-inducing technology.

I challenge you to do these 5 practices religiously for a month, take a before/after pictures, and let me know if you see a difference.

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Beauty, Blog

Do You Need an Oxygen Facial?

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oxygen facial zinas skin care

Ok, so my sister is getting married at the end of September. I want to make sure I am in tip top shape for the wedding since I am a bridesmaid. I’ve been on the go as of late and haven’t had the best diet or sleep. I spent a week in Atlanta modeling for a brand Zoey Grey during market week. My days were long and I was always meeting up with friends after work. Without much time to go to a grocery store to get healthy food, I ended up eating out a lot and trying fried catfish and grits. Hey, I was in ATL so don’t judge me. I needed to try the Atlanta classics!

 

Travel Affects on Sensitive Skin

After, I flew to New York for a few days and went home to Philadelphia for my sister’s bridal shower. With all the traveling and planning for my sister’s bridal shower and bachelorette, my skin was bound to break out. The air in New York is a lot dirtier than Los Angeles, and your skin can dry out a lot if you are flying frequently. So I decided to go to esthetician Zina for a special oxygen facial.

Zinas NYC

Zina is a very special woman who really knows her stuff. She had been practicing skin care in Russia for years before coming to New York. She was like my Russian Grandmother from another life. I loved how honest she was about how I had been treating my skin poorly and told me exactly what I needed to do to fix it.

She also makes her own skin products at home using all natural ingredients. Although it’s a secret as to what her amazing products are made from, I know milk was one ingredient and can verify they are legit.

Wash and Exfoliate Properly

Apparently I was being really aggressive with my skin. The soap I was using felt slippery and I thought it wasn’t cleaning my face enough and would do two washes. In retrospect I was rubbing off the epidermis of my skin, and it was giving my face an ashy look that kept flaking off. Super gross. Zina told me I needed just a bit of soap and to gently rub my face in small circular motions. Use less water too because that can aggrevate skin. She was a big advocate of using cotton to wash and polish the skin.

For exfoliator, my super sensitive skin needs something called gommage. gomm-what? It’s French for “to erase” and means to gently exfoliate your face in the dermatology world. But you’re not actually using beads or scrubbers to scrape away at dead skin cells. Instead you put the product on your face and let it sit for a few. Enzymes work to digest skin cells that will be rinsed off with the product.

The Oxygen Facial

After looking over the status of my skin quality, Zina set me up with an oxygen facial. I was thinking I would need a Guinot Hydradermie facial (which she does and are hard to find since it’s a European treatment. I had this done once in London) or microdermabrasion, but the oxygen facial would bring my skin back to life.

What is an oxygen facial? It starts with a serum that has hyaluronic acid and other antioxidants, all good for moisturizing and regenerating your skin cells, collagen, and elasticity. A wand is then gently touched over the serum on your face to infuse oxygen and help your skin absorb everything. The sound may be a little alarming at first, like a mosquito in a bug lamp, but I promise it doesn’t hurt. Oxygen is good for the skin because it kills acne-causing bacteria, closes large pores, and has a calming effect.

Zina washed my face and did minimal extractions pre-treatment. After the oxygen treatment, she put on a cooling mask and gave me a back and arm massage. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep and felt renewed after.

oxygen facial zinas skin care

Do it Again?

I would definitely love to get another oxygen facial before the wedding to get my skin glowing and looking fresh. Zina also sent me home with two plastic tins of her homemade product which I put on every night before bed. It helped with the calming of my breakouts and brought things back to normal, balanced and clear. If you’re looking to freshen dull skin and get a glowing complexion, I would definitely recommend this non-invasive treatment!

zinas skin care special cream

Have you tried an oxygen facial? What are your thoughts? What facials do you usually get and how often? Comment below.

Check out more on Zina’s Skin Care here.

 

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