Travel Tips

Whether you’re  about to take a Summer’s Almost Over! Week long get away or have an overnight business trip, we have some tips to make the most of trip.

Make a check list of what you need to pack

It’s real easy to forget your toothbrush or the dress you are supposed to wear to the wedding when you land. Checklists are the perfect way to make sure that you bring along everything you know you need and a few of the things you may forget you need. You can start making your checklist weeks in advance or use a pre-made list. Her Packing List blog has great checklists for vacations and locations around the world.

Pack Light

Once you have your checklist packing should be a breeze. Try to pack one suitcase or carryon bag. With baggage fees and the number of lost bags on the rise this will help ease stress while traveling. Chances are you won’t use your entire 4 ounces of shampoo or 16oz body wash, so cruise the travel friendly section in your local drug store for your favorite toiletries or containers to transfer them to. Many of your favorite brands may also have travel kits premade. Rx forBrown Skin’s Travel Sets make it easy for you to continue your beauty regimen even while away from home.

Maximize your smart phone

Regardless if you have an iphone or Droid these compact multi-tasking creations can be a lifesaver when traveling. Besides the obvious of being able to make calls, downloading apps can help you do everything from breeze through security at the airport to capturing all your memories during your trip to making dinner reservations and finding the shortest route to the beach. PCMag.com recently published some of the best travel apps.

Don’t neglect your health

Traveling can really be hard on your body. Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Invest in a filter bottle to make sure you are getting enough water. Bottles made by companies like Bobble make it easy to travel light and get your daily water intake even while away from daily conveniences. In addition you should take small breaks to walk around and stretch to get blood circulating in your limbs while traveling. This will make your travel experience less grumpy and helps pass the time along.

Eating For Healthy Summer Skin

What you put in your body is just as important as what you use on your skin. Healthy eating combined with the proper skin care is always a winning combination for beautiful skin. There is no better time to start healthy eating than the summer. We have some skin healthy food options and drink ideas to keep your skin radiant and your taste buds satisfied all season long.

Summer Fruits

Nothing says summertime like fresh fruit. Berries, melons, plums and peaches are ripest in the warm months of summer. Many of the summer fruits are great sources of Vitamin A, C, and antioxidants which promote skin health. Stone fruit like apricots, peaches, plums and nectarines are fantastic when grilled. Just brush with a little olive oil or canola oil, salt and pepper and grill for a few minutes on either side. They are great in salads, served plainas a side dish or topped with ice cream. Refreshing summer fruits are always a great way to treat yourself in the summer heat. The Food Network’s Sunny Anderson has a great Fruit Salad recipe with an added twist.

Smoothies

Smoothies are a great meal during the summer, and they are packed with tons of goodness. Adding your favorite summer berries or veggies, non fat yogurt, honey, and ice will give you a great filling morning meal option. In addition to having a healthy light meal the berries are packed with antioxidants that help protect your skin from premature aging. 

Summer Veggies

The summer season brings some great vegetables into bloom. Peppers of all colors, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, long green beans, okra, summer squashes, and tomatoes are just some of the veggies that are best at this time of year. Take a stroll through your local farmers market and pick from the best of produce in your region. If you’re not sure what you may like, talk to the farmers, they have a wealth of knowledge usually let you sample the produce. One of our favorite cooking duos, The Neely’s, have a great Basil and Tomato Green Bean recipe that is perfect for fresh picks from the farmers’ market.

Fresh Fish

Fresh fish is a great and light alternative to red meats during the summer season. Fish like salmon, tuna, or snapper are the best for your skin because they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are a good source of Vitamins A and D. Baked, grilled, or steamed these fish selections are great summer meal options paired with veggies or alone. To prevent fish from sticking when grilling, lightly brush a piece of aluminum foil with oil or spray with non-stick spraty (before placing on the grill) and lay on top of grate. Try this Emeril Lagasse Grilled Salmon recipe.

Flavored Water

The summer season is all about keeping your body and skin hydrated. And for those of you that aren’t H₂O enthusiasts, try enticing your tastebuds with a bit of flavor. There are plenty of flavored waters on the market but they are often full of unhealthy sugars. Try cutting up some of your favorite summer fruits or veggies adding them to your water for a bit of flavor. Some of our favorite combinations are lemon and lime, watermelon and mint, strawberry and blueberry, and cucumber is great with watermelon, lemon or lime and even mint.  Adding any of these or your own creation can help to curb your cravings for sugary beverages. The longer you let the fruit sit in the water, the more intense the flavor becomes.

Exercise to Great Skin

You may already know about the health benefits of exercise. And you may also know that exercising just 2 to 3 times a week can combat health conditions and disease. But did you know that regular exercise can be beneficial for your skin? For many, the first place change is visible when exercising or changing a diet is in his or her face.  So when thinking about your skin care regimen keep in mind some of these exercises that can help boost your skin’s longevity.

Yoga

The ancient Indian art of yoga made its way west in the 1960s. There are countless benefits to yoga when performed properly. The “yoga glow” is achieved through the key elements: breath, movement, sweating, and blood flow.  Practicing yoga helps detoxify the body and relieve the mind of stress. In turn yogis have a beautiful “glow”. There are five forms of yoga; hatha, vinyasa, ashtanga, iyengar, and bikram.  Research and trial is the best way to find which form of yoga is for you.

Swimming

An alternative full body exercise is swimming! Swimming is an excellent way to increase blood circulation especially for those who suffer rosacea. An increase in body temperature can cause flare-ups but water keeps the body cool even while you are building up your body temperature.  If you haven’t mastered the art of swimming, try water aerobics. Check out your local gym or city pool for schedules and water activities that may interest you. 

Running/Walking/Wogging

Running is a great way to exercise because there is no need for a gym membership or any type of equipment. Now, running may not be your thing but it is an excellent way to get a full body workout. By increasing blood flow, exercise helps nourish skin cells and keep them vital.  You can work your way up to running by taking brisk walks or wogging (walking and jogging). If you’re in need of a little motivation or support check out your local running clubs. We love Black Girls Run!, they have running groups across the country for all running levels. And if you’re concerned about your hair sweating out try the Save Your Do gym wrap. Nicole Ari Parker has created a way to be fashionable and save your hairstyle while getting your workout on. So now there is no excuse to get out there and get running.

Hiking

The summer season is here so more and more people are taking advantage of the beautiful weather. Outdoor exercise is a great way to relieve stress.  Like many other exercises, hiking is a full body workout that increases blood circulation. The difference with hiking is that you have the opportunity to be one with nature and breathe some fresh air. Popular hiking spots like Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles, CA, Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, GA , and Mt. Misery in the Valley Forge National Historical Park outside of Philadelphia, PA are great places to exercise and have bonding time with friends and family.

Tips to remember when working out

• Regardless of your workout remember to remove all makeup.
• Cleanse your face post workout to ensure you get rid of any toxins from sweat release and oil increase.
• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration
• Always consult your physician

 

How to Wash Your Face – Tips for Summer Cleansing

The summer season brings hot weather and more outdoor activities. This also means, that you may experience excessive sweating, leading to oilier skin and breakouts. It is really important to not skimp on your facial care regimen or begin a new one.  Here are some tips for maintaining fab skin during the summer season.

Proper Prep

It may sound a little crazy but wash your hands before you wash your face. Your hands carry tons of germs just from daily activities. You don’t want any additional germs placed on your face. After washing your hands make sure you remove any makeup you may have on.

Choose the Proper Cleanser
The proper cleanser for your skin will ensure that your skin is protected.  Our Gentle Cleanser for Normal Skin or Clarifying Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin are great choices.  Our Gentle Cleanser  is oil-free and  fragrance-free and cleanses your skin  without drying out or irritating skin. The Clarifying Cleanser for Acne-Prone Skin is a maximum-strength, soap-free, cleanser that fights blemishes removing the pore-clogging impurities that can often lead to breakouts.

The Wash

Make sure the water is just right. Hot water can dry out and strip healthy oils from your skin too quickly. You want to make sure that you use warm water when washing your face. When rinsing drop the temperature a bit with a cool water rinse. Using cool water helps to close pores after a good wash.

Drying skin

Make sure to use a clean towel. When drying your face you want to lightly pat skin dry. Rubbing skin may spread bacteria or cause irritation.  Allow a little dampness to remain on skin in order to help seal moisturizer.

Tone

There has been a  lot of debate about toner. Toner is great for your skin because it returns your skin’s pH balance back to its natural state, which is about 5.5 level of acidity. Our Exfoliating Toner for Normal-to-Oily Skin is alcohol-free, fragrance-free, and oil-free. Our Clarifying Toner for Acne- Prone Skin helps eliminate acne you already have and prevent new breakouts from occurring. Each of the toner formulas are designed not to dry out or irritate your skin.

Moisturize

Last but not least moisturize your skin. Our lightweight oil-free Essential Hydration moisturizing cream is a great way to hydrate your beautiful skin.  Packed with Shea and Cocoa butters this cream replenishes dry skin with Vitamins A, E, and F.  For our Brown Skinned Beauties with acne prone skin the Clear Luminosity Hydrating Acne Lotion is ideal for daily use to treat acne breakouts without drying skin.

It’s summer time so you may find yourself washing your face more than your normal 2 times a day. But with this cleansing routine you will be sure to have radiant and vibrant skin each time.