there are so many questions about my skincare routine. makeup also ranks high on your list of want-to-knows. and so does boosting your immune system. so, i thought i’d roll up all three topics into one mega-post. i’m definitely not a beauty expert by any stretch of the imagination. but i’ve tried my best through the years to stay current with the latest and greatest beauty products. because skincare products do make a difference with how our skin looks. and there’s good news. even if you’ve neglected your skin for years, it’s never too late to put a beauty regimen in place. these are a few of the ingredients i look for when it comes to skincare products: vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and retin A. it’s not an inclusive list, but it’s a start. i also love products that use natural ingredients too.
nutrition
but i would be remiss if i didn’t touch on the subject of nutrition. yes, those fruits and veggies, the good fats, protein, seeds, and nuts are loaded with nutrients that keep our skin glowing and boost our immune system. consuming them every day keeps our immune system in tip-top condition. and we all want a vibrant, healthy immune system in place 365 days a year. it’s the first line of defense our body uses against alien microorganisms. a strong immune system doesn’t make us invincible, but it does make a difference. there is no doubt about it fitness begins with food. but for whatever reason, as we age, we have a false assumption that gaining weight is a given. if our lifestyle slows down considerably, then we’ll require fewer calories, so we may need to tweak our diet. but excess body fat increases the risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and a slew of other auto-immune diseases, which impairs our immune system. so we need to be vigilante with what we eat. but just like skincare, it’s never too late to change bad habits into good habits. and there’s no better time to work on your immune system than today. a diet filled with the micronutrients and macronutrients is so important. but it can be challenging getting everything we need through food alone, so adding a daily dose of vitamins and supplements is an excellent idea.
beauty routine
but let’s tackle beauty first. here’s what my skin looks like at sixty one sans makeup. yes, i have uneven skin tone and hyper-pigmentation due to worshipping the sun all through the seventies and eighties. if i could turn back time, i’d definitely have worn sunscreen and lots of hats. and, yes, i have fine lines and wrinkles. i’ve earned every one. and, no, i don’t want to look like i’m forty, so i haven’t turned to cosmetic treatments or fillers. i don’t know why we think that looking younger means we look better. for me, i just want to look healthy and vibrant.
moisturizer | eye cream | cc cream | blush | highlighter | eyeshadow | eye pencil | mascara | brow pencil | lipstick | perfecting brush
secret sauce | brow power | bye bye under eye cream | cc cream | blow out lash | skin perfecting brush
as a lifestyle blogger i try lots and lots of products. IT cosmetics rank high on my must-have list.
boosting our immune system
now onto boosting our immune system. there’s no easy fix or overnight gimmick to a healthy microbiome but we can help mold it to give us the best health that we can. it boils down to making the right choices every day. why is a healthy gut so important? science is learning more and more about how our gut affects every part of our body, including our brain and immune system. most of our immune system is located in our gut so if that eco-system is disrupted then our immune system is compromised. and that’s what we don’t want. our gut health and our immune system go hand in hand so i’ll share a bit about how i maintain a healthy microbiome.
as i mentioned fitness begins with food so let’s start there. first i believe in a balanced diet so i’m neither vegan, carnivore, paleo, low carb, or keto. i may select a keto friendly recipe or a vegetarian recipe from time-to-time as i’m always looking for delicious and nutritious meals. there are good carbs or whole carbs in the form of veggies that we definitely need in our diet. but i do steer clear of bad or refined carbs included in sugar sweetened beverages, bread, pasta, and pastries. protein found in beef, pork, or chicken is so important to our overall health as it is a macronutrient that builds muscle and bone and repairs tissue so that’s included in my diet too. again, i think in terms of balanced.
a healthy diet – eat lot’s of food rich in micornutrients. spinach, kale, broccoli, bell peppers. think green leafy salads. and don’t forget about the healthy fats found in salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies, avocados, olive oil. add mushrooms, garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric into your diet as they munch up virus and bad bacteria and are loaded with anti-oxidants. bone broth is rich in collagen and it helps repair our gut. eggs got a bad rap for years but they are a good source of vitamin D and choline an important nutrient for our brains.
supplements – we don’t always get all the nutrients we need through diet alone. that’s when vitamins and supplement step in. here’s what i add to my daily regimen.
fish oil is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids that decrease inflammation and boosts your immune system. magnesium helps adjust blood glucose, keeps our immune system healthy, and has anti-inflammatory benefits.
vitamin D3 helps with the absorption of calcium, promotes bone growth, regulates your mood and helps fight disease.
B12 boosts your energy, improves memory and helps prevent heart disease.
prebiotics and probiotics work in synergy with each other to support the microbiome by maintaining a healthy colony of bacteria and other microorganisms. you don’t have to take a prebiotic for a probiotic to work but prebiotic acts as a fertilizer for the good bacteria. probiotics are called the ‘good’ bacteria as they keep our gut microbiome healthy. probiotics also help replace the ‘good’ bacteria when it’s been lost by taking antibiotics.
vitamin C supports collagen, and provides antioxidant support.
here’s a recipe to give your immune system a little extra support right now. both ginger and turmeric have powerful nutritional value that includes iron, calcium, magnesium and copper.
everything we eat matters. the healthier the foods we eat the better we feel and the better our skin will look. any number of chronic skin problems can be linked to our diet. the less attention we pay to healthy food choices the more problems we’ll see with our skin. if we starve our skin long enough it’s going to show. but if we want fabulous looking skin it all starts with a healthy, balanced diet.
it’s been self-care week over here on the blog. today we’re bringing you a beauty and makeup gift guide. Kelly and i put this together, and our guide includes everything from budget and drugstore makeup to higher-end facial care.
below, you’ll find selected ideas split between myself and kelly. we’ve further broken down each bucket by price point: low, medium, and high. i’ve also put together a fall rewind, showcasing some of my favorite outfits of the fall.
beth’s low price point picks: hand creams to skincare sets
to kick things off today, i’m bringing you my gift ideas under $25. they include everything from hand cream from Burt’s Bees to a lipstick set from Nordstrom.
- hand cream trio
- night cream
- nail color set | nail color set 2
- skin set
- fragrance set
- lipstick set | lipstick set 2 | lipstick set 3
- moisture duo
- transformation kit
- pedi scrub foot buffer
- mascara
- facial spray
denim | sweater | c/o jacket | c/o scarf | shoes | similar handbag
denim boiler suit | blazer | shoes | similar handbag
denim | similar sweater | similar sweater |similar sweater | shoes
kelly’s low price point picks: eye treatment to exfoliant scrubs
Kelly’s all about the Kiehl’s this holiday season. below you’ll find her picks under $30 for facial moisturizers, eye treatment, exfoliants, hair treatments, and serums.
dress in pictures | dress 2 | dress 3 | dress 4 | dress 5 | dress 6 | dress 7 | jacket (similar, high-to-low)
blazer |sweater | boyfriend jeans | similar belt
beth’s mid price point picks: diffusers to makeup sets
below, i’ve got beauty and self-care gift ideas for under $50. everything from Sephora to Nordstrom. like Kelly, i’m really loving the Kiehl’s skin care set this year. but you really can’t go wrong with the diffuser from Sephora—especially if you have dogs like me.
- white cypress diffuser
- sleep mask
- skin care set | skin care set 2 | skin care set 3 | skin care set 4
- makeup set
- fragrance set
- candle | candle 2
- hand cream
- lipstick
similar coat (Talbots) | denim (Ann Taylor) | shoes (J.Crew) | similar tote (Nordstrom)
denim | blouse | (similar) suede jacket | snakeskin boots | (similar) belt | (similar) handbag
faux leather overshirt | similar leopard jeans | similar white shirt | shoes | handbag | bracelet | earrings
kelly’s mid price point picks: facial toners to hair treatments
kelly’s got a wide-range of mid price point gift ideas. like me, she’s loving selections from Nordstrom this year.
blazer (Ann Taylor) | sweater (Everlane) | similar denim (J.Crew)
similar blazer | turtleneck (Macy’s) | leggings (Macy’s) | booties (Easy Spirit) | similar handbag
beth’s high price point picks: masking to tighten & left sets
finally, i’ve got beauty and self-care gift ideas for under $100. here, you’re going to find some of the larger gift sets, mostly focused on facial and skincare.
- firming set
- luxe body collection
- masking set | masking set 2
- fragrance set | fragrance set 2
- tighten & lift set
- skin care set | skin care set 2
- anti-aging set | anti-aging set 2
- hand lotion set
- makeup set | makeup set 2
pants (Talbots) | top (Banana Republic) | duster (Banana Republic) | similar handbag | similar shoes
jeans | handbag | bomber jacket | boots | sleeveless turtleneck
red turtleneck | red turtleneck 2 | trench coat | trench coat 2 | dark skinny jeans | boyfriend jeans | white loafer
kelly’s high price point picks: facial mists to serums
kelly finishes it off today with her higher end picks. her top 5 selections are in or around the $100 price point.
cashmere turtleneck dress | blazer | similar turtleneck dress | boyfriend jean | skinny jean | low heeled booties | scarf
lightweight cashmere sweater | cashmere sweater 2 | dark rinse denim | crossbody handbag
in case you missed it
i hope you enjoyed today’s holiday beauty and makeup gift guide. as we start to wrap up self-care week, in case you missed it, check out all of our posts: managing grief during the holiday season, selflessness as a form of self-care, and putting the “self” back in self-care.
if you’re still looking for more beauty and makeup picks, tips & tricks, make sure to check out my YouTube series friday fives some of which are linked below.
5 essential lipstick picks
5 essential mascara picks
5 essential skincare tips
wheels up, gang, as i’m headed to NYC today. and i’m thrilled to bring along Colleen Rothschild Discovery Collection to keep my skin in tip-top condition. because as we know glowing skin is always in. if you can believe it this is my first time trying Colleen Rothschild on for size. even though this skincare brand has been on my radar screen for years! i’ve heard great things about their Radiant Cleansing Balm. and i knew i’d be a fan as soon as i unscrewed the lid and was met with a heavenly scent.
the quilted travel bag is included with the Discovery Collection. what a great addition to this nifty set that’s perfect to tuck inside your suitcase. but if you’re in the market to try Colleen Rothschild skincare products for the first time like me the Discovery Collection is a perfect choice to become acquainted with seven products. and it’s the perfect time to shop because Colleen is celebrating her birthday with a birthday sale! Happy Birthday, Colleen. receive $50 Off Your Purchase of $150+ with CODE: HBD50 which includes free shipping on U.S. orders
since the prices are so fantastic during Colleen’s birthday sale i highly recommend the Retinol Supreme Night Oil. love the fact that this sleeping elixir fights age spots with stabilized retinol, vitamin C, and nine plant-based oils. in the morning i wake up with hydrated skin and important factor to me when choosing skincare products.
guess what else found its way into my suitcase headed for NYC? i’ve been a big fan of using vitamin C for my nighttime skincare regimen for several years. and i couldn’t wait to try Colleen Rothschild’s version Vitamin C Treatment Complex that improves my skins natural radiance.
all right, ladies, are you ready to wish Colleen Rothschild a very happy birthday? don’t forget she’s sharing the birthday love with $50 Off Your Purchase of $150+ with CODE: HBD50. it’s a great time to stock up on your favorites. or in my case my new favorites – Retinol Supreme Night Oil and Vitamin C Treatment Complex along with the Cleansing Balm and Clarifying Detox Mask. heck, i loved every single product i tried. i’m a new devoted fan. tick tock, the birthday sale runs from 9.26 – 9.29. you don’t want to miss it.
a big thank you to Collen Rothschild and ShopStyle for this sponsored post. and thank you lovely readers for supporting the brands that allow me to bring you fresh ideas.
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