Natural Beauty

I've always admired natural beauty; girls who always look like they rolled out of bed looking perfect. They make it look effortless. For me, it's a process.  When I wake up in the morning, my hair looks like I stuck my finger in a light socket for one. That being said, I think there are some really basic things that can make your natural beauty shine a little bit easier.

First, I think getting enough sleep is super important. The average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If I don't get at least 8 I am no fun to be around. For real. My son has a set bedtime, why shouldn't I? Last week I stayed up late watching Project Runway (I couldn't help myself). I paid for it the next day.

I also think it's important to make sure you're eating right. The health teacher has this poster in the hallway and I think of it often. Our portion sizes can be way out of whack. I thought I'd share some tips to making sure you're monitoring your portion size. First, never eat out of the package directly, trust me; the bottom of that chip bag will come sooner than you think. Second, when going out to eat plan to eat only half of your meal, or box up half of it to take home before even starting to eat. Third, use a smaller plate. We have a tendency to fill up our plates. I always use a small plate at breakfast and lunch and use a normal dinner plate at dinner.  Lastly, and I can be super guilty of this one, ask yourself if you're hungry or just bored.  If you're just bored drink some water or have a piece of gum, I find this works. I know I don't feel like I'm any closer to being a natural beauty after I've eaten a greasy meal or snacked all afternoon.

Next I think it's important it be active; this definitely helps bring your natural beauty out. Experts recommend 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Before Grant I went to the gym at least five days a week, now Grant and I go on a lot of walks. I always feel great after doing this. I wish I went to the gym again, but at this stage in my life I don't feel good about not getting Grant from daycare until 6:00 because I've been at the gym. I think it's important to do what you can, and some is better than nothing.

I also think that knowing and dressing for your shape helps to show off your natural beauty.  I take the time to plan my outfits ahead of time, so that I can look my best. If I wait until the morning I end up wearing basic pants, a cardigan, and some shirt.  I don't feel great in this, therefore my natural beauty isn't able to show through as easily.  It's amazing how putting on clothes you feel good wearing can change your whole attitude!

Lastly, I think it's important to pamper yourself a bit. After Grant's bedtime I enjoy taking bubble baths. I also enjoy giving myself manicures and pedicures. I used to go get this done, but started doing it on my own a number of years ago to save money.  I was recently given the opportunity to try Seventh Generation Skin Serum for being a part of the Lucky Community as part of their #AllNaturalStyleSecrets contest. The serum is specifically formulated to "provide all-day moisture to help relieve and protect against chapping, cracking and roughness due to dryness." I decided to give this a try on my feet to finish off my pedicure. My feet are definitely the roughest part of my body, so if it worked there, it would work anywhere. I applied a small amount to each foot and was very happy with the results. It was the perfect end to my pedicure and I definitely plan to use it again. 

I'd love for you ladies to take a second to vote for me here. You can also take a look at the others posts about Seventh Generation Skin Serum here too.  

Blazer: Kohl's similar

Top: Loft $20 similar c/o Chippmunk

Skirt: Target $16  similar

Belt: Kohl's $1.5  similar

Necklace: Stella and Dot Jolie

Bracelets: Stella and Dot Julep, Gilded Arrow, and Chimera similar

Shoes: Fergalicious $30 similar

                                                   

*I received a free sample of this product from Lucky and Seventh Generation for use in connection with this blog.