5 Reasons to Start Dry Brushing

First of all, what is Dry Brushing?
Dry Brushing is exactly what it sounds like - the process of taking a dry, natural bristled brush and brushing your body. There's a specific way you can brush to ensure you're getting the most out of it, and that is to brush daily from the ankles up, towards your heart, in long smooth strokes. When you're ready to do your back, brush from your neck down. Avoid harsh strokes and brushing back and forth - you want the skin to feel tingly at most, no where near inflamed. Take a good shower afterwards to wash off any dead skin and completely refresh yourself. I bought my brush from Whole Foods, but you can get it at many different stores - Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal Mart, or The Body Shop. If you really want a treat, pick up a nourishing dry oil with it and use it after the shower. I like Caudalie's Divine Oil and Neutrogena's Light Sesame Body Oil. The Body Shop just came out with a new Argan Oil line, so now's the perfect time to start!

So why do it?

1. It Exfoliates. Everyone is telling us to exfoliate these days - it's the best way to keep your skin healthy and ensure cell turnover. Many people exfoliate the easiest and most common way, with a loofah or bath sponge. Others have found a sugar scrub to use in the shower. Regardless, here's another way you can exfoliate that will not only leave you feeling smoother, but also make you glow from the inside out.

2. It increases circulation. When you dry brush your skin, it increases circulation, which encourages the elimination of metabolic waste. Chances are, when you're done, you'll feel the blood flow freely throughout your entire body. It's invigorating, like a good stretch.

3. It helps you detox. Stimulating your lymphatic system, dry brushing directs the toxins in your body to the lymphatic nodes where they can be eliminated. Experts have even been said that dry brushing helps with digestion and kidney function because it aids the elimination of excess water and toxins. Of course this would be a long-term benefit, so you'd have to stick with it (not that it's hard to do - dry brushing is addictive!)

4. It reduces cellulite. Who doesn't want to get rid of cellulite? Here's a way to do it without gimmicky creams, lotions, or gels. Because dry brushing boosts circulation, it pushes the body’s ability to eliminate toxins through the lymphatic system. This elimination process also helps break down fatty pockets, responsible for cellulite. So in essence, benefits 2, 3 and 4 are all individual benefits you'll experience, but they're also tied together in how they improve your health and appearance overall.

5. It's stress relieving. Taking these 5-10 minutes before your shower literally means you're taking 5-10 minutes to do something for yourself. You'll have complete privacy, which means you can be absolutely alone with your thoughts. You can always shower with your favourite relaxing body wash to keep the experience going - all a matter of personal preference.

The Ingredient Corner: Sea Buckthorn

You've probably never heard of this itty bitty orange treasure - but let me tell you, now's the time to pick it up. I discovered it as a skincare ingredient spontaneously while browsing Whole Foods last year and I've been hooked ever since. I'm constantly reminded of my rosacea, where my face gets flushed and irritated in the middle of the day, so it's usually something that's top of mind when I'm shopping in beauty or skincare sections. There are certain foods, drinks, and temperatures that make it worse, but sometimes it's a flare-up that I just can't blame on anything. Rosacea isn't something that can be cured (yet), but it's something that can be managed.

Sea buckthorn has been used in Asia and Europe, particularly noted in the Himalayas, as a part of a healthy diet as well as a topical ointment. Here are some benefits you can take advantage of:

• Calm skin with its anti inflammatory properties. More than anything else, this is my number one reason for promoting sea buckthorn. Topical ointments with a high concentration of sea buckthorn leave such a cooling sensation that I can feel the heat and itch from a rosacea flare-up dissipate immediately.
• Stay healthy from the inside out with a glass of juice. High omega fatty acid content including 3, 6, 9 and the rare 7 (an essential fatty acid vital to collagen production and healthy skin, hair and nails) helps to make sure your gastrointestinal tract is clean and free from blockages.
• Firm skin with a boost of Vitamin C (more than you`ll find in an orange!) - it even helps with wrinkle prevention.

If you're looking for ways to introduce sea buckthorn into your skincare routine, I recommend checking out SBT SeaBuckthorn. They have a variety of products to try! I'm currently using their Soothing Salve for Rosacea and it usually makes an appearance in my purse when I'm on the go. Sibu has also been featured in O Magazine for it's "radiance enhancing, antiaging" line.

If you've tried it or will be trying it, let me know how it worked for you in the comments below!

The Ingredient Corner: Rice

It's so accessible, it's almost crazy how it's not in the make-up cupboards of women everywhere. You'll read the same thing on a number of blogs - rice has been an inexpensive addition to the Asian skincare routine for ages, and now you can find out how it can help you too.

Rice Water - soak or boil a cup of rice, strain the water (twice) and bottle it. Pour it on a cotton pad and it'll make an amazing toner for after you've cleansed. Make sure to keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.

Rice Bran Powder - it's a simple and gentle way to exfoliate that dull layer of skin away. Although it's gentle, you can find rather course bran at grocery stores, so not to worry that it isn't tough enough to really make a difference.

Rice Bran Oil - of the three ways to use rice listed here, this is probably the easiest to use consistently. You can use it directly on your face or body, or mixed in with your favourite moisturiser. Rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, rice bran oil is easily absorbed into your skin and helps to keep you well hydrated from the inside out. Rice bran oil nourishes skin cells with vitamins and antioxidants, slowing down and preventing the aging process- which means it will help improve your skin's texture, overall complexion, and even your skin tone.

Rice is high in antioxidants and a combination of any or all of these should help you see these results over time:

• Brightened complexion
• Tightened pores
• Softened skin
• Regenerative cell growth
• Prevention for hyper pigmentation and age spots

And guess what? Natural rice treatments have been said to stand out amongst many skin treatments for wrinkles, acne, rosacea, and eczema. Be adamant about its use and I'm sure you'll see results. Let me know down below if you've tried anything from this post and how it worked for you! 

Monthly Favourites: October

1. NeoStrata's Smoothing Cleansing Mask. You should think of exfoliation like how you think of taking out the trash: do it every week. Those dead skin cells need to go or you risk having dull, flakey, unhealthy skin. I use this mask regularly because it doesn't have those harsh beads that you have to physically scrub into your skin, it has 10% glycolic acid, so it works like a mini facial peel that you can do at home. Dermalogica's Gentle Cream Exfoliant leaves your skin feeling amazing as well and it goes for about $30 at Sephora. This one is similarly priced and you can pick it up at Shoppers Drug Mart or Murale.

2. Carmex. When you need a minty lip soother/chapstick, this is the one you should turn to. Never fails. Carmex has a camphor sort of scent, so it's not the most pleasant of smells (I don't really mind. I I think of it like Gold Bond cream - smells medicinal but it works like a charm). If you're looking for a glossy chapstick, this will do as well. Avoid overusing it if you have sensitive skin. Grab it at Shoppers for $3.

3. Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Rose. Burt's Bees is the bomb. I was looking for something that would moisturize and also add a hint of colour to my lips for those days that I don't want to put any makeup on (wakens your entire face if your lips are a little rosy). Doesn't feel minty, just moisturizing. Grab it at Shoppers for $5.

4. Burt's Bees Lip Balm with Pomegranate. Out of the three chapsticks listed here, I'm putting this one on the most. Smells like fruity bubble tea and I don't feel like I have to reapply very often at all. Love it! Grab it at Shoppers for $5.

5. Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruitti. Again, one of those products that can add a hint of colour to my face and is a nice shade of coral/peach. Grab it at Shoppers for $8.

6. Bioderma Miceller Lotion. The short story is that it is a makeup remover that has no scent, is wonderful on my sensitive skin and gets everything off. Can't say I've tried other brands' miceller lotion (looks like every derma brand is jumping on the bandwagon now), but I don't think I'd hesitate to just stick with this one. I got mine at Shoppers for $20.

7. Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain in Romance. I am struggling to find a drugstore lipstick in red that works with my skintone and doesn't overpower my face. This is a softer option that I'm enjoying because it has a minty sensation to it, doesn't dry out my lips and is very pigmented. Grab it at Shoppers for $8.

1. Teasing brush. I used to use a comb and my hair always fell flat. I have relatively thick hair and it goes in between long to medium length. I find that if your hair is kind of heavy and thick, the brush works wonders when compared to a comb. I disowned my teasing comb afterwards...I got mine at Sally's Beauty Supply for $8.

2. Kerastase Cristalliste Bain Cristal (Shampoo). I went to Europe and finally found a bottle of this stuff. Technically you can order it online to try it out, but I liked that I was able to see the product before I purchased it. It smells like salon quality products, so not fruity or flowery if you're into that. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and it has left my hair soft, shiny and clean. It stays clean-feeling for at least two days, so that's a major plus if you're a busy girl or you just don't want to wash your hair that often. It's on the pricier side, but I definitely trust Kerastase products now. You can purchase this online for around $40.

3. Kerastase Cristalliste Bain Cristal (Conditioner). No more tangles. My long hair was such a nuisance because there would be this clump of tangled hair at the back of my neck, but no more! I can actually de-tangle before my hair dries and it typically doesn't get knotted up throughout the day either, so I feel like my mane is taking a lot less damage now. Again, you can purchase this online for around $40.

4. Hair dryer diffuser. If you have naturally wavy hair, I strongly recommend using one of these. I used to blow-dry my hair regularly and it came out straight, but I have been craving a tool/product that allowed me to just apply heat and have it scrunch up into a big, wavy (good-looking) mess. Didn't take me any longer to diffuse it (than a regular blow-dry), but I've heard it takes some people longer than usual. Beats having to curl your hair and then comb it out, or sleep on braids. Think, beach-hair.

Homemade Facial Masks: Avocado

Hello readers!

My skin has been acting a little strange recently...dry in some patches and a little blotchy in others.     I've always liked experimenting with facial masks, but I'm apprehensive about putting too much product on my face.  With that in mind, I've taken a great liking to homemade remedies since I know that the ingredients are all-natural and I can also tamper with the concentrations based on how my skin normally reacts.

The Avocado Face Mask 

Avocados are rich in skin-loving vitamins like A, D, and E and have been known to purify skin.  I have heard that it works particularly well on dry skin, so this should be perfect for me right now.  If anyone else is experiencing pre-summer dryness, try this one out!

Here's what you need:

1. One ripe avocado
2. 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil
3. 2 teaspoons of honey

Here's how you do it:

1. Mash half of the avocado with a fork until it is creamy
2. Add two teaspoons of olive oil and mix it in
3. Add two teaspoons of honey and mix it in
4. Dampen your face with warm water to help open your pores
5. Spread the mask over your face generously (try to avoid any avocado lumps!).  Let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
6. Rinse off with warm water and seal your pores with a last splash of cool water.  Pat dry.
7. Moisturize with your favourite face lotion or cream

My Review

Would definitely do this again.  While I let the mask sit, it felt a little tingly, but that could be simply because of those sensitive, dry spots on my face at the time.  No burning or itchiness, which is definitely a plus.  Once I rinsed it off, I could still feel the dry spots, but my skin did feel rejuvenated and soft.  For best results, do your body an extra favour and drink lots of water.  Nothing beats chugging water.

Random sidenote, if you're anything like me, you may eat the mask.  For those of you that have a stronger willpower, you can store the mask in the fridge for a few days.