beauty · style

8 Easy Ways to Look Luxurious

Happy Tuesday, folks! Despite some unseasonably warm weather yesterday, I’m still fully aware that winter is upon us and we’d do well to not let our beauty routines lapse. Sometimes, a little warm weather will make us less diligent when it comes to our cold-weather routines – don’t fall for the trap! After all, we only get one body: we have to take care of ourselves.

Along with caring for our bodies internally (diet, exercise, caring for our mental, spiritual and emotional health), we must care for them externally, too. And after we care for our external selves, we may find that basic care just isn’t enough to put a little pep in our steps. Let’s face it: usually, the basics aren’t enough to make us feel luxurious. It doesn’t matter if your face cream costs hundreds of dollars or if you’re using SPF2000: basic care isn’t always enough to make you “sparkle”.

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However, enhancing your sparkle is easy! Here are 8 simple ways you can look more luxurious on a daily basis. Keep up with these, and you’ll be glistening effortlessly in no time!

  1. Groomed brows – I selected this as the top item because it’s so easy to neglect our brows in favor of other body parts. However, well-groomed brows create a gorgeous frame for your eyes, and can instantly make your whole face look more polished and refined. Groom your brows to instantly see a more luxurious you.
  2. Moisturized skin – Dry skin will never be luxurious. Using a good moisturizer that leaves your skin soft, supple and non-greasy instantly enhances your look. Walking the fine line between glowing and greasy is tough, so you may have to sample a few different formulations to find a good one. It’s worth the effort, so start looking now so that you can be well on your way to a more luxurious appearance.
  3. Freshly manicured/painted nails (on hands and feet) – Polished, cared-for nails and feet make a world of difference when it comes to cultivating a luxurious look. Nails that are even, polish that has no chips, lumps or gashes, and cuticles that are trimmed and moisturized quickly give hands and feet the appearance of luxury. This takes a bit more time than some of the other luxurious enhancements mentioned, but it’s worth the investment.
  4. Clothing made from all natural fibers – This can be challenging, since we live in a world full of polyester, spandex and other unnatural fibers. Natural fibers require more maintenance but look infinitely more luxurious. All within reason, though – everyone must consider their personal budget and level of investment when deciding what kind of fibers to purchase. However, cotton is inexpensive and feels great next to the skin, and more expensive fabrics (like leathers, silks and cashmere) can be purchased at a discount if you are a wise shopper. For a truly luxurious look, keep in mind your personal ethics (leather isn’t for everyone!) while shopping for all natural fibers for your wardrobe.
  5. Red lipstick – Perfectly applied red lipstick can immediately make a face look more luxurious and polished. Red lipstick in the perfect shade for your undertones and complexion is a powerful tool to make any ensemble look more glamorous. Red lipsticks are available at all price points, so this luxe accessory is truly available to anyone!
  6. Whitened teeth – A bright, white smile can do wonders for enhancing your overall appeal. And, whitened teeth are very luxurious looking. Whitening formulas can be as simple as baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide, or as elaborate as a few rounds at the dentist’s office. Whatever it takes, make sure to remove as many surface stains as you can from your teeth, so that you can have your brightest smile.
  7. Large sunglasses – Give a nod to Jackie O, one of the most elegant women ever, by throwing on a large pair of sunglasses. Sunglasses are practical – who ?doesn’t want to protect their precious eyesight from the suns’s harmful rays – and mysterious. They shield your eyes in the most stylish way. The right sunglasses add a level of polish to any look. Try on a few pair and see for yourself!
  8. Gloves – An oft-forgotten accessory, gloves are another one that is truly practical and still adds a stylish, luxurious touch. Most people won’t reach for their gloves until the cold months, but lightweight cotton gloves are great for protecting hands from the sun when you’re out and about during the warmer seasons.

Can you think of anything else that makes you look or feel luxurious? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

life curation

The Podcasts That I’m Loving Right Now

Happy Hump Day, friends! We’ve made it to the middle of the work week- let’s continue to push forward. We can do this!

I’ve been concentrating on my writing for the past few days, so I haven’t been consuming a bunch of media. However, I have been listening to podcasts, since that gives my creative mind a bit of a break. So, I am going to share a few of my podcasting favorites that I’m currently listening to.

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Afford Anything with host Paula Pant is such a treat. Pant’s investigative journalist style lends itself well to her interviews with different financial experts and people who have achieved the financial independence/retire early (FIRE) lifestyle. One of my personal favorites is her interview with Natalie Sisson, who has a successful business that she runs – while living abroad.

The Side Hustle Show with Nick Loper is a treasure trove of business ideas. Start with any of them: you won’t be disappointed. Since I’m interested in becoming a published author. I’ve found the self-publishing episodes particularly helpful.

Abiola Abrams has been in the public eye for many years, but over the past several years, she’s grown a loyal following. She teaches women how to create businesses that are lucrative, serve a higher good, and are aligned with the entrepreneur’s purpose and passion. Her Spiritpreneur (TM) series covers a wide variety of topics and are very insightful. These are worth checking out!

life curation

Winter Socializing: My Game Plan

Happy Hump Day! I’m already looking forward to the weekend, but I’m two days away and trying to make the best of it. As the days get shorter and the air gets cooler, I’m considering what my social calendar will look like. I hate having to go outside during the winter so any social events I attend must be pretty special in order for me to participate.

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My ideal calendar for December 2018 to March 2019 would involve the following:

  • A monthly art event
  • One wine event during the season
  • Two or three workshops (less than 3 hours long each)
  • One long workshop (more than 3 hours)
  • Biweekly dinners with friends
  • One date per week

I’m an introvert, so this schedule is ambitious for me. In fact, there’s a good chance I could line up my calendar to include everything I’ve written above and I still may end up flaking simply because I don’t have the energy. But what I’m learning is that it’s really important for me to set social goals, much like I set career, education, health and financial goals. Social goals can really help me with managing the emotional lows that I tend to experience during this time of the year.

As much as I love to isolate myself, I really benefit from interacting with others in small doses. If I don’t overdo it, being around others tends to lift my spirits and give me some energy. So I’m going to spend some time today figuring out which events to add to my calendar. And, once I have those all lined up, you can look forward to some reviews and discussions regarding the stuff that I’m doing as I ride out this fall and winter. Wish me luck!

art · life curation

Art is a Healer (I Knew It Already)

There’s nothing like confirmation. There’s a sweet satisfaction that comes from having someone state what you’ve known all along: it’s good to know that your thinking is accurate.

Recently, I came across an article that describes how some physicians in Canada are prescribing trips to the art museum to their patients. There are therapeutic benefits associated with spending time observing and appreciating art.

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Well, as you all know, I wrote about how I healed during my divorce by regularly visiting art museums. My time in museums helped tremendously with my self care and was one of the greatest keys in lifting my mood during the darkest period of my life. There was something so comforting about walking in those pristine and taking in all of the beauty that had been created years prior.

The article also talks about doctors prescribing time in nature to patients, as well. Yup, that’s another thing I used while I was on my self-care journey. All of these things contributed to getting me back into a state of wellness.

Well, that’s it for today. Just came in for a quick gloating session – I kid, I kid! I hope you all are enjoying your Saturday! Take care, and talk to you all tomorrow.

life curation

Making Space Challenge – Quick Update

Yes, I’m still sticking to my #MakingSpaceChallenge, though being away for a week broke up the “flow” of things. However, being on vacation helped me to make mental space that I desperately needed so no complaints here!

On my first full day back at home, I did bag up some items to take to a local thrift store (I’ll be dropping off of those items later today) and go through the enormous pile of mail, quickly throwing away anything that I didn’t need immediately or that would end up costing me money (looking at you, clothing catalogs!) I also got a chance to listen to some podcasts that had been in my queue for a while, which opened up (literal) space on my phone.

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This little traveler opted out of buying or picking shells as souvenirs LOL

Sometimes, the greatest thing you can do to #makespace is simply don’t further clutter what emptied space you have. Avoid adding more clutter on top of what currently exists and you’ll be in a good position to eventually make some progress. Since I wasn’t at home, I wasn’t unnecessarily shopping, so I didn’t decrease my space. Yes, I purchased souvenirs, but I’m delivering all of those travel tokens to their final homes within the week, so the items won’t be in my space for much longer!

I’m spending today doing a lot of cleaning and food prep so that I have more time and space for NaNoWriMo! More about that in a couple of days, but for now, have a great October 31st, and I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

life curation

Dealing with Emotional Lows

Happy Friday! I hope you all are gearing up for a fantastic weekend full of friends, family or whatever brings you tremendous joy!

I’ve been feeling very content but also reflective. Recently, I spent some time sorting through some of my emotions. I’ve had a lot of “highs” this year: travel, new friends, good times at work, etc.,. But I think that most people underestimate how bad a “low” can feel when you’ve been flying high for a period of time. It’s easy to assume that lots of “highs” = more immune to the “lows”.

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But it isn’t true sometimes. Sometimes, a “low” can hit you out of nowhere and really bring your vibe down. I’ve had a few of them over the past month or two. The source of these “lows” were one person in particular. This isn’t blaming the person, just acknowledging that the “lows” were connected to interactions that I had with this individual. The “lows” didn’t feel good but I knew that these things were happening for a reason and I had to figure out – quickly – how I would handle these emotions.

The best thing that I could do was ride it out. I decided to explore whatever the “low” is was trying to teach me, because there was definitely a lesson in there somewhere. In this case, I got a new level of understanding about my triggers, boundaries and expectations. I got a chance to express my dissatisfaction and unhappiness in a healthy, productive way. I had the chance to allow someone to self-express then ask for another chance to do better. And this “low” gave me a chance to practice forgiveness and starting over in a manner that felt comfortable for me.

It’s still too early to see if this individual will do better. But I’m open to whatever this next few weeks brings: whether it’s improved interactions or a clear sign that distancing will need to be employed. I wish I had a “all’s well that ends well” way to wrap this up, but, just like everything in life, the story continues to unfold in front of me.

And so it is.

I hope that you all know that emotional lows don’t have to sidetrack your joy completely. Continue to take care of yourselves, and, before you make any rash decisions, get into a quiet space and listen – really listen – to your inner guidance. It always knows the right way.

Enjoy your Friday, and I’ll talk to you all tomorrow.

fitness

Wrap-Up: Fitness Challenge

This isn’t a goodbye, per se . . . In fact, I feel like I’m really just beginning my fitness challenge. However, I am going to wrap up this weekly posting because there is a lot of other cool things I want to share with you all and I think you all get the gist of what I’m doing as far as stay healthy and fit.

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I’m delighted to share that intermittent fasting (IF) will remain a staple in my eating plan. I love how easy it is and how much freedom I experience just by eliminating unnecessary eating during my fasting window (around 16 hours per day). I’d love to get to the point where I’m only eating during a 4-6 hour window, and fasting for 18-20 hours per day, but I’m taking baby steps up to that point. IF is now a way of life and I am excited to see the results I get from maintaining this eating plan.

Next, I could really stand to improve my overall gym/fitness routine, but it can be difficult when I have an especially busy schedule. I’m considering either hiring a trainer or getting back into Brittne Babe’s exercise routine during the month of November, since I really want to see drastic results by New Year’s Day. Look out for more info on that in the weeks to come. . .

So that’s my quick wrap-up of my fitness challenge! Thank you all for encouraging me and giving me ideas. I so appreciate you all! It’s still early, so I think I’ll do a couple of laps around the track before it gets too chilly outside. Talk to you all tomorrow!

 

fitness

Days 92 – 98 of My Fitness Challenge

Happy Sunday, friends! I’m recovering from a fun weekend with one of my best friends but I wanted to give you all an update on my fitness challenge.

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This week was far more focused on being active outside of the gym. I knew that I wouldn’t have much time to hit the treadmill so I incorporated more activity into my daily life: taking the stairs whenever possible, parking further away from stores, etc.,. To be clear, I don’t think that moving a bit more will result in drastic changes. But, I hate the thought of losing ground and undoing some of the progress I’ve made, so I’ll taking any extra movement that I can get. Next week is going to more closely mimic my normal schedule, so I’ll be resuming my typical workout routine.

Now, about my eating . . . There were some good choices made. I did, however, end up eating outside of my normal window a couple of times, and I also had some foods that I don’t normally eat (pancakes, anyone?) over the past two days. I’m not beating myself up over my choices – after all, we’re all entitled to some enjoyment – but I am planning to make better choices in the weeks ahead. Part of those better choices hinge upon a grocery store run that I’ll be making in a very few moments. . .

I hope you all are hitting your goals and feeling fantastic. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

travel

On the Road Again

Today is a driving day, so I’m only popping in for a minute. I hope you all are enjoying your Saturday and making the most of it!

Photo from the road

If you have some free time and want to listen to something useful, check out James Wedmore’s most recent podcast about how he structures his day. On my way to my weekend getaway, I also listened to a juicy episode of the Afford Anything podcast, where the host, Paula Pant, interviewed Suze Orman. Orman’s emphatic denunciation of the FIRE (Financially Independent Retire Early) Movement made for a riveting – albeit polarizing – show. Even if you aren’t an entrepreneur or ascribe to the FIRE Movement’s principles, you’ll likely glean some good tips from both of these episodes.

I hope you all enjoy the day and the podcast episodes I linked above! Talk to you all tomorrow!

life curation

90 Days to the New Year and a New Challenge!

Can you all believe that we are only 90 days away from the New Year?! 2018 has been so much fun and I’m looking forward to all sorts of delight and magic in the upcoming year.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I have several mini-goals to reach over the next few months. However, with the end of the year coming, I wanted to add in one more goal that would really help me feel like I did something meaningful during this last quarter.

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Looking forward to a fabulous October, November, December and beyond!

I’m proposing a brand new challenge for myself. This one is about making space for 2019. The Making Space Challenge (#MakingSpaceChallenge) is simple enough:

  • Every day, take one action that “makes space” for all of the amazing things I intend in 2019.
  • The daily action should take no more than 5 minutes per day.
  • I’ll keep a journal of my “making space” actions so that I can report to you all periodically what actions I’ve taken to make space.

Aside from making space for next year’s adventures and goodness, this challenge will help me to align with the version of myself that I want to experience in the future. Many of my favorite LOA teachers and coaches advise that we start living the life that we envision NOW, so that we can quickly and easily bring that dream into our reality. So, I’m going to do that by clearing away what doesn’t align with my best self and instilling habits that reflect my future best self.

I started the challenge yesterday, October 1st, by going through my perfume samplers and trial sizes. The ones that suit me are still in my collection: the ones that didn’t delight me are now in my aunt’s possession. Today, I’m printing out 3 months of banking and credit card statements so that I can begin reviewing and determining which expenses I can trim. Tomorrow, I’ll be bagging up a few items to deliver to my local thrift store . . . You get my drift: brief, daily actions that “open up” space in my life.

The “space” I’m opening can be literal, physical spaces (such as clearing out beauty products and dresser drawers), emotional space (discarding items given to me by toxic individuals), financial space (stopping unnecessary subscriptions and other monetary “leaks), and even mental space (practicing meditation).

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I’ll give meditation a go while I do the #MakingSpaceChallenge

Little actions leading up to big results. I’m looking forward to seeing the actions accumulate and being able to share not only how much space I’ve made for the upcoming year, but also how clearing space impacts me right now. I’d love some company while I do this challenge, so if you’re interested, feel free to indulge every day – or even just a few days – in the challenge, and use the #MakingSpaceChallenge hashtag so I can see you and give you a shout out on my Instagram. I look forward to seeing all the creative ways that you all #makespace over the next few months!