VSX Sexiest Workout Ever: Arms!

Hey everyone! Just a quick post. So Victoria Secret X is putting together these great workouts. Take a look and I'll post the rest here also when they come out! Enjoy! xx ~M

Summertime Series: #1 Waxing!

lol :)

 Hey everyone, so since summer time is coming here in sunny California and all us "California Gurls" are getting ready for trips to the beach! I'm planning on doing a whole series of posts based around this theme (series in this sense means at least 3 posts that I've already planned). So the first is waxing!!

I've always been scared to wax, whether getting it done in a salon or doing it myself. For several months now I've been considering buying myself a wax kit so I could do it at home and for a cheaper price. So when Sally's deal on their Suddenly Smooth waxing items I thought why not. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is still going on but keep an eye out if you are interested because I know they've had great deals on their GiGi waxing stuff in the last also, which according to reviews is also very good.

UPDATE: So I just checked sallybeauty.com and they are having a sale on their GiGi waxing items! Check it out HERE. You get the warmer, informational CD, one 14oz pot of natural wax, 100 large natural muslin strip all for $29.99. Just note, this isn't the brand I got so don't expect the same results to apply.

For only $30 I got...
- Suddenly Smooth Wax Warmer (usually $42.99)
- One 14oz pot of Suddenly Smooth wax, I chose Aloe Vera Wax (usually $16.99, right now on sale for $14.99 for all the wax pots I believe)
- Pack of 50 large Suddenly Smooth non woven waxing strips (usually $3.99)
- Suddenly Smooth Educational waxing DVD (usually $9.99)

I also got (not included in the deal)
- Two other 14oz Suddenly Smooth wax pots: Honey Wax With Argan Oil and Deluxe Cream Wax (both one sale at the time for $14.99 each)
- One pack of 50 Suddenly Smooth large applicators (around $3.99)
- Suddenly Smooth protective wax collars ($3.99)
- Clean + Easy Numbing Antiseptic Lotion ($14.99)
- Clean + Easy Wax Remover ($5.99)
- (from Bed, Bath & Beyond) Clean + Easy Soothe Aloe Vera Gel (not sure how much this was...sorry!)

So I did my legs about a week ago using the Argan Oil infused wax and it worked great! This wax is good for your legs because you can deal with larger areas more easily without worrying about it drying too fast and it can get rid of thicker tougher hairs. Aloe Vera wax is perfect for facial waxing, it soothes and works well with the finer hairs. The Deluxe Cream Wax is good for bikini waxing and underarms because it deals best with the thicker curly hairs.

I had a really good experience especially for it being the first time waxing it actually wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. I'll just go through the basic steps I took to wax my legs...

The reason I decided to wax my legs is that's get ingrown hairs and razor bumps super easily and I was so sick of it. So far, this method seems so much better!

1. Warm up your pot of wax on about temperature setting "5" until the wax has melted through to the center. I used one of the applicator sticks to stir it around every 15 minutes or so. It takes a while so plan ahead when you'll get time enough to do it. When it was melted through I turned the temperature setting it to around "3" or "4."

2. Apply the numbing/ antiseptic to your leg. I did one leg at a time. And add a light sprinkling of baby powder after. This will get the wax to stick better to your hair and not your skin making it a less painful experience.

3. Using the applicator at an angle against your leg, run a thin layer of wax along your leg in a smooth stroke in the DIRECTION OF HAIR GROWTH. That is super important! Do each section at a time, making the waxed area no bigger than your fabric strip.

4. Take one waxing strip and lay in onto the wax on your leg also in the DIRECTION OF HAIR GROWTH. Rubbing firmly to press the fabric down in ONLY the direction of hair growth. Don't rub back and forth.

5. Holding skin tight at the bottom of the strip, pull back on the strip in the direction AWAY FROM HAIR GROWTH.

6. Once you have completed the whole leg, use the wax removing oil to help get of the excess wax and the stickiness. Once you've done that, use the soothing aloe vera or something similar to stop the redness and soothe your skin. If you are going to use a moisturizing lotion pick one with no alcohol, paraben or fragrance. You want something really gentle.

And ta-da! Your skin should be silky smooth!

Mine has been waxed for over a week now and no hair growth yet! I'll update in my next summer series post if you're interested. It should last you at least around a month of nice smooth hair free legs. And here's even better news! If you wax consistently and don't shave at all anymore, it will get less painful the more you do it, the hairs will become thinner the more you do it AND will stay away longer.

Hope this helped! I know it's a tricky decision for a lot of you gals out there, it was for me.. But now I'm so glad I tried it!

Enjoy the sun and protect your skin!

Love to you all,

Xoxo

~ M

Victoria's Secret Angels Workout!

Just another few videos you all might be interested in. I was able to adapt these to my own needs and create a work out of my own!

#1 Arms with Doutzen
#2 Legs with Lindsey

#3 Core with Candice <3
 #4 Glutes with Alessandra

~M xoxo

Video! Sexy Loser~Fitness and Diet from JLovesMac1

Hey everyone,
Just a quick post in between the items on my to-do list, mostly consisting on homework. I came across this video from the Youtube beauty guru JLovesMac1 and thought I'd share it with all of you since the summer is coming. I have a varied opinion on the video but it's always good to share and discuss each others health habits and tips. The more you listen and explore, the more you learn and grow! Enjoy! I'd love to hear all your comments as always! <3

 ~M XoXo

Healthy Snacks I Love

Hi everyone! With the upcoming spring (here in the northern hemisphere at least) I thought I should share some of my favorite healthy and yummy snacks for a new spring cleanse. I tried to chose a variety of types of snacks so that all of you would find a couple you would like to taste!

1. Homemade fruit granola yogurt parfait: Easy and well known. Your favorite PLAIN yogurt, not sweetened with dried apricots, frozen berries or fresh strawberries (my favorites) and a simple granola mix.

I used THIS granola bar recipe the other day and broke the bars up after cooking them and put it with yogurt. Everyone loved it, the yogurt takes away from the sweetness.

2. German whole wheat farm bread with melted Jarlsberg cheese and pastrami: very "earthy" solid bread with the mild cheese goes perfectly with the subtle taste of roasted smoked beef. Also works well with canadian bacon which is not fatty at all, more like ham. I like to fry it first (no oil) and then add it to the sandwich.

3. Frozen fruit smoothie: I always grab a bag of mixed frozen berries from Costco. They are perfect for desert toppings as well as a summer smoothie. Blend the berries, yogurt, milk, banana and I like to add some vanilla ice cream and vanilla extract (only a drop or two of extract--it's strong!). You will love this after a long sweaty days work or walking around your school campus on those sunny days.

4. Fruit fruit fruit: the simplest snack and probably one of my favorite. I LOVE fruit! And if you do too (even if you don't) there are a couple things you can add to your daily fruit diet to spice it up a bit. Every morning I have grapefruit with a sprinkle of sugar, peeled pomellos are also delish with a touch of sugar. If you're more of a spice girl, sliced banana and apple with a slight sprinkle of cinnamon is also great (not too much though, just a very very light dusting-especially for those of you that are acne prone like me). I find that clementines (aka Cuties for my US readers-I know we all love their stickers, and the fruit is tasty too!) and oranges go great with shredded unsweetened coconut. Mangos are amazing too and they don't need anything added! Though some of my friends love mango thats a little unripe with salt and pepper...umm not sure about it but try if you want.

5. Cottage cheese with tinned lite peaches: simple light snack and very healthy. I like to drain the syrup that the canned peaches are preserved in and make sure you get the "Lite syrup" version too!

6. Omelets: a couple eggs with some veggies and cheese is always a good breakfast or light lunch. Hard boiled eggs are good too, on salad!

7. Summer salad: my favorite simple summer salad is super easy to toss together. The basic greens including lots of baby spinach leaves. Add a dried fruit (I usually use dried cranberries, but sour apricots and blueberries work great too). Last but not least, slivered almonds. Almonds are super good for you and great in any salad.

8. Greek yogurt: this has been "in" for a while now and I finally picked some up at our local Trader Joe's, of course being me I got the whole fat one, I know, but there is also 2% and 0% available which I might try next. I've already finished one container and just got a second! Super yummy and creamy, the most creamy yogurt I've ever had! I just have a small bowl each day.

9. Toast with fruit butters: another amazing thing from Trader Joe's are their fruit butters. They have fig, honey apple, apple cranberry (my favorite and I can't find it anymore!! :( ), mango, pumpkin and I'm sure there a a few more I don't know about. But anyway, why butters? So I read that butters have more fruit than they do sugar unlike jams and Kelly's which are least much all sugar. I know the Trader Joe's ones have twice as much fruit as sugar which I love and it makes it so much more flavorful.

10. Frozen veggies: this is a great way to get in veggies to your diet. I like getting the mixes with broccoli, peas, corn etc just the usual, then I usually choose a more "exotic" (not really) like grilled asparagus. Frozen spinach is always in freezer, great to add into so many good recipes.

Yay! So that is all..hope you got some ideas from this list. Have fun and eat well!!

Xoxo

~M

PS: I will add pictures as I make the above this spring!

Apricot Granola

Really taste recipe I tried out the other day. It was too sweet to eat on it's own but with yogurt was delish!

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups rolled oats (I used granola because I didn't have rolled oats, I think the oats would actually work better and I have bought some so I'll update this post and let you know! :)
3/4 cup dried chopped apricots
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350F

Directions:
1. In a small sauce pan mix butter with brown sugar and honey until combined and melted.
2. Add apricots and granola and mix.
3. Spoon into a lightly greased 8in by 8in baking pan. I also like cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of the pan so your cake or granola doesn't stick.
4. Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes.
5. Cool in pan cut and serve.
Yum!

I'll have pictures soon!

~M

High Suicidal Risk for University Students

I was recently speaking to a friend, and we found in some scholarly articles that University students have one of the highest suicidal risks in society.

When we found this information, I realised that most of my friends have become depressed at some point while studying in university. I even was told by a friend who saw their friend at college standing on top of her railing planning on jumping off the balcony as they felt as though they couldn't cope with university, luckily this person got the help they needed and has a better handle on things.

The pressures of university, have all got to all of us. Or life changing events can have a huge impact. The thing is, is that sometimes you can't handle everything yourself, and confiding or getting help is the best thing. It's better to get help, or help another person you know get the help they need.

The thing is painful conditions always pass, whether they be mental or physical. One of the worst things you can do is take drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. If you look at it from this perspective, you would never advise a friend to take their life because of their problems.

A short list of things you can do, or advise a friend to do (beyond blue website):

1. Seek information: There are lots of information on depression, anxiety, postnatal depression and other documents, it is good to develop an understanding on what you or your friend have been feeling or the symptoms.
2. Talk to a health professional in person or over the phone, there are many helplines which you can contact. Some treatments can include counselling services or in some cases medical treatment may be needed.
3. Eating well and exercising will help immensely. Exercise stimulates endorphins and will make anyone feel better.
4. Get into nature - a walk on the beach, a horsehide, walking the dog can improve your mood.
5. Write down or blog your feelings, meet a friend for coffee.
6. Take time out to relax, do yoga, read, do a painting.
7. Stay away from drugs and alcohol they are depressants.

There is so much information on the internet, and so many helplines. There is so much help and resources out there, so if it is yourself or someone you know you can acquire the help you need.

Some Australia helplines I found on google included:

• Reachout
• Beyond Blue
• Lifeline
• Kids Helpline

xox V

Remedies: Ingrown Toenail...Gross

So I had the not so happy experience of an ingrown toenail these past few weeks. I have had it before, at least three years ago now and was able to cure it by a really easy home remedy my doctor told me to try. And I mean REALLY easy. I have found that lots of people experience this and many go through surgery without trying home remedies themselves first so I decided to post this. You never know, might come in handy.

Ingrown toenails almost always occur on the big toe. There are a few things that can cause it and these should definitely be things you should avoid when feel your toe start aching. Here are a few things you can do to cure and releave some pain.

Picture from http://www.bodycarespecialist.com/pedicure-supplies

• Don't were tight or heeled shoes. If you can wear open toe shoes to allow your skin to breathe and not be packed tight inside a shoe. (Unfortunately for me this was not possible walking around campus all day and then in tight fitting ice skates the next. Ouch)
• Soak your toe in HOT water, the hottest water you can bear, the warmer the better. This not only helps kill bacteria and keep it clean but helps bring any infection or puss (I know really gross.) to the surface and eventually releases. I read you should soak for at least 20 minutes every day.
• After soaking feel free to rub on some antibacterial cream to the toe. 
• If you can, put some gauze roll in between the toe nail and skin, if it is the corner of your toenail digging into the skin this shouldn't be too bad to do. If it was like mine, the side of your toenail growing in too far, you probably won't be able to do this. 
• Pain relievers are good to take too if you can't just lie on the couch all day. 
• Make sure that you always cut your toe nail straight across the top, curving it and cutting the corners can cause ingrown toenails. Make sure to tell the pedicurist to cut it straight if you get your toes done often.
• Having a rounded toenail surface rather than flat also makes you more prone to get ingrown toenails so take extra care in looking after those toes!

Take care!

~M

Sunburn Remedies

I went on a mini vacation to the gold coast and got very sunburnt by the pool, I've never really been sunburnt so I had to look for what works.

1. Sunburn cream: I tried this first, and it was nice and cold upon application but as my skin was so hot it started to heat up to which made my skin sting. I also had to use an entire bottle and it wasn't too soothing.
2. Spray for sunburn: The spray was a burns and antiseptic spray and it felt nice and icy cold from application but could only be applied every couple of hours, and after a while felt sticky and my skin felt stretched and sore.
3. Aloe vera: I got some aloe vera plant from my mum's garden and its so good, cold and soothing. This plant is also good for cuts, blisters and is usually in lotion, this plant is so handy to have in the garden. To apply the aloe vera you just snap it in half or peal the skin off.
4. Tomato: An old family friend who is literally like a grandmother to me, told me while we were having coffee that tomato rubbed on the burns will take the sting out of the skin. I went home and cut a tomato and applied it on my skin, seeds.

The best remedy in my opinion was the tomato and aloe vera applied one after the other. I then did some research on these remedies. Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene which research is beginning to show can protect the skin from UV damage and sunburn. I researched a bit of aloe vera and it was said to be used by the Ancient Romans and Greeks for wounds. I definitely know that these two worked on my sunburn better than any of the products from the chemist as I could apply them also as much as I preferred.

Oh and the best part is, that aloe vera and tomato are so cheap to use instead of buying products!

xox V

My opinion is to use the aloe vera plant from the garden and tomato for sunburn it worked so much better than the lotion and burns spray.

Beauty Regime's

Okay, so writing about a beauty regime was M's idea....okay so here is mine. Italicized is M's.

• I use proactive I don't use the three piece system I only use the face & body wash, its in a big bottle which lasts many months and I apply the proactive green tea moisturiser. That's all I use to cleanse, morning and night in the shower. It has this minty feel after or something, your skin feels so refreshed! I love this product! Been using it for three years now! I did use proactive also for a time, but it didn't help my skin much, dried it out in places and just didn't help the acne in others, everyone's skin type is different so experiment and see works best for you. I use Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub for my face in the shower each night (I found using it twice a day really dried out my skin). It definitely gives you that fresh minty feel and gently exfoliates. In the morning I do a light wash with a light facial soup and add moisturizer. ~M
• I use the product "whiteglo for models", its so cheap its around $10 in the chemist and comes in a packet with the toothbrush and toothpaste. The toothbrushes are so soft, and amazing if you try them you'll know what I mean. I also don't drink coffee hardly ever, but if I eat or drink foods which can stain my teeth I always chew some "extra" gum so my teeth stay white. For our American readers, I've heard good things about Crest whitening treatments that you can get from your local pharmacy, although I haven't tried them myself. Unfortunately I use extra fluoride cavity protection toothpaste rather than whitening so I'm not an expert in that field either, since I have cavity prone teeth. If you are willing to spend the money, the whitening kits that your dentist put together for you work great...planning to have mine done as soon as I get my next appointment. ~M
• I wear a retainer as I used to have braces, anyone who uses a retainer place your retainers in water with steradent tablets for dentures, they'll be brand new if you do this!
• I never ever! Go to sleep with makeup on to avoid a breakout! I don't care how tired I am I will force myself to get up and wash my face! This also applies to brushing your teeth, don't make a habit, unless you don't want your teeth later in life!
• I don't drink often. Drinking alcohol also can make you break out more, alcohol also has a lot of calories, and when your hungover the next day its hard to work it off when you're feeling sick. Try to limit your drinking, your liver, skin, complexion and wallet will be much happier!
• I use a good body wash, at the moment I'm using pamolive shea butter, its better than cake soaps. Cake soaps make your skin feel dry and sticky. Also a massive pump bottle will last longer! I use Victoria's Secret's Seduction body wash, yes...oh la la, but it smells so lovely and fresh, rich at the same time! It's great, I have a problem with things drying out my skin but this has been great so far, smooth and silky! Shea butter is ALWAYS good though! ~M
• I exfoliate! With a body scrub! YES! Also, before I put on lipstick when I wear it, i get a warm wash cloth (not the rough kind, like a small towel) and gently exfoliate my lips! I know, sounded strange to me at first also, but it helps get rid of those annoying bits of skin and makes your lips a lot smoother..especially for those of you that have bad habits of picking your lips (which you should stop right away!) or dry lips. Make sure you ALWAYS add a moisturizing balm before and after your lip color! ~M
• I use the body shop's honey and oat face mask and the seaweed mask they have too. I don't use them often, just whenever I feel like giving my skin a treat and relaxing!
• I try and drink at least 2L of water a day, I carry a 1L bottle around me all day, at work, at home, in my bedroom, its good to keep hydrated! I really need to do this, next thing on my shopping list...a pretty water bottle ;) ~M
• Eat healthy food! You can't expect the exercise you've been doing to work if you haven't been eating the right food. Food and exercise go hand in hand. Grapes are supposed to help your skin! Fruits and veggies always good. It's hard, but I've heard eating red meat once a week is the best way to go! Still gives you the protein without to much excess calories. A balanced diet is the key!
• Have sufficient sleep, it makes an amazing difference to your day!
• Use sunscreen! Please don't fry your self in the sun with tanning oils, do it yourself spray tans are much safer. ~M
• When I straighten or use heat near my hair I always use a heat protective spray in my hair. I used to use a leave in conditioner also, works too! But I do need to get a protective spray. ~M
• To avoid frizzy hair, after shampooing, I ring the water out of my hair and apply conditioner and leave in for a few minutes before rinsing. YUP! ~M
• Just another side note about what makeup I wear everyday. I NEVER use liquid foundation. I've tried lots, too cakey for me. I started using Victoria's Secret Tinted Moisturizer in light. Gave a great color and glow to my skin without feeling heavy. Doesn't give the coverage but definitely something I recommend. So much more airy and healthy for your skin. ~M

Well thats all I can think of

~V & M

Wisdom Tooth Removal! Oh no I hate the dentist!!

Hey peeps! So guess where I have to go? Yep the dentist! To have my appointment to take my wisdom teeth out on my left side.

I used to have braces and to get those on, I had to get four teeth out. I have already got my wisdom teeth out on my right side. I had a horrific last experience, the lady forgot to give me the last needle of anesthetic, and my two friends in the waiting room could hear me screaming because my mouth wasnt numb. She just said "Oh my bad, forgot that last needle". Anyway, I have an appointment with a different dentist! Never going there again for sure. When I left, they said I didn't need anything luckily my friends were there to take me home I literally left the surgery holding gauze to my face bleeding from my mouth and non stop all afternoon. It was horrible!

Because I have already experienced getting them out before, I know what to expect. You NEED to prepare before you get them out on the day. With food, pain killers, gauze! Plenty of movies and dvd's!

Here's my list:

Do not eat or drink for as long as you can on the first day after you get them out!

1. Up and Go drinks - their these breakfast drinks
2. Never drink through straws they can rip your stitches out empty those drinks into a cup!
3. Don't eat or drink on the first day after getting your wisdom teeth out
4. Mashed potato & gravy
5. Don't eat food where bits of it can get stuck in your mouth wounds!
6. A large assortment of DVD's day time TV is not great!
7. A whole lot of gauze, not repeating the last time with no gauze
8. Pain killers
9. Jelly
10. When you brush your teeth the next day do NOT brush where the wounds are.
11. On the second day also gargle with salt and water, every time you eat!
12. custard

If you have any more ideas to add to the list feel free. Wish me luck for my appointment!

~V

It's that time of year...achoo!

When December comes around you start hearing the sneezing and coughing and sniffling noses, and you just know your turn is coming. My turn has come. I have been struggling to balance letting myself rest and recover with school and work. You can do all that you can to avoid the sneezes and splutters but sometimes it just isn't enough. Instead of giving you all some preventative measures to keep from getting sick which we have all heard a million and one times and still seem to get those nasty little bugs, I decided to talk about some cold comforting suggestions. I try hard to follow these when I get sick.

1. Over-the-counter pain reliever-- I find that not many "cough and cold" stuff works so I stick with the basics. Usually Tylenol (although I know in the US I don't think they're on the shelves anymore because of some scare, try something similar). Take in the morning before you get going, it will help you through your day and at least give you a running start. If you're worried about taking medicine so much, don't, these simple over the counter drugs won't hurt you. If you are really suffering, maybe the first couple days of your cold, take one at night too, to get a good nights sleep.

2. Hot tea with lemon and honey-- All through the day! Soothing to your throat and provides lots of liquids too! Breathing in the steam from your mug can also help clear your nose!

3. Water, water and more water-- Fill up on liquids!

4. Oranges and other citrus fruits-- I have half a grapefruit everyday for breakfast, whether I'm sick or not.

5. Soups, chicken especially-- Any soup is good and soothing, and I've heard chicken soup helps with anti-inflammatory.

6. Vicks-- Always good to rub on chest and back around your lungs. Sooo soothing and the smell, though very strong, can clear your nose in an instant.

7. Warm and cozy-- Always nice to have your special blanket that you can bring with you to the couch when watching TV. It's important to always keep warm, especially your fingers and toes!

8. Hot steamy showers-- The vapor and steam is good to moisten your skin, and sooth sore areas but it's also important to breath in the steam. Breathing in steam will clear your nose and relieve that pressure on your head.

9. Pile your pillows-- When you sleep have an extra pillow under your head, the elevation will also help with the pressure a stuffy nose puts on your head.

10. Exercise-- Surprising? Exercise actually helps your immune system. Don't go all out and tire yourself so much though. It's good to get moving, and it will help you feel better too. Sometimes acting like you don't have a cold and going around your normal day helps fight it too, keeping your body strong.

Well lovely readers, plenty of rest is also an important factor in the the getting well process, and it's time to get mine. Keep these things in mind when you start feeling the sniffles! Stay healthy!

xoxo
~M