Lighten Up My Life

Well, here we are. For years, I have opted out for an easy colour and a diy dye job. Black was my go-to, an easy out-of-the-box look, probably rooted from my teenage years. 

Being unable to work due to the Covid-19 restrictions and going a little stir crazy Instagramming, Pinteresting, etc, I decided I wanted a hair change. I reached out to Steph and was like, it's now or never to change my hair!

I've known her for years and I explained my concerns about going out in the world (this was July, so some businesses had started to open again), and Stephanie went above and beyond to help me feel comfortable being out in the Covid environment. 

Stephanie and co-owner, Melanie, have the cutest little studio tucked away in the centre of Dragon Ally. It is already spaced beautifully so there was no concern over distancing. Masks and hand sanitizer is readily available and Steph booked me in on her day off so it was just me and her and with absolutely no hesitation, she got to work.

I was unsure how long the process would take, going from layers upon layers of black boxed dye on my strands, but Steph assured me that with a bit of time and a few visits, it will look great.

I had heard stories about traumatic salon visits, hair breakage and bad bleach jobs. I also tried doing this many years ago at home as well as hearing other stylists flat out saying, 'it's just not possible', but, I knew Steph was the right stylist for the job.

At Velvet Studios, they use AVEDA products and having worked at the Aveda Institute myself, I was already familiar with how their products work and how gentle they are on your hair, being one of the best natural products out there. Not to mention their heavenly scents (swoon)!

Lol, long story short, sorry I have a million amazing things to say about Steph and my experience, here we are today (just over 2 months later) and I'm in love with my hair! The colour has great dimension, never got fried or frail and looks great. No more drug store box visits, and the best thing, with Steph as my regular stylist all I have to do is pop in for a tone every few months! It's STILL an easy hair routine. 

I 100% recommend Stephanie for ALL your hair needs. Thanks girl!

https://www.velvetstudiohair.com/

Is Dry Brushing The Key To Beautiful and Glowing Skin?

With spending more time at home due to the pandemic and not being able to work over these last few month, I've had a lot of time to explore and expand my knowledge of beauty and self care.

Chances are, you've heard a little about this centuries old beauty ritual before; I'm talking about dry brushing. Dry brushing has been a favorite of celebrities and the beauty gurus of Hollywood for years. But, is dry brushing the key to beaming and beautiful skin?

What IS dry brushing? Well, dry brushing is exactly what it sounds like. You take a body brush (look for one with firm and natural bristles) and use it to gently massage your body in an upward motion. This process is proven to brighten your skin and will also make your moisturizer more effective, as it removes dead skin. I purchased this Ayurvedic Body Brush from the Sapphire Day Spa via easy, contactless curbside pickup.

photo: Sapphire Day Spa

https://sapphiredayspa.com/bath-body/body-care/

So, how do you dry brush? There is a technique to dry brushing so you actually see results. To dry brush properly, first make sure your skin is completely dry. Start at your ankles then move your brush over your skin in a long circular motion that go in the direction of your heart. A slight, firm pressure is all you'll need. Dry brushing is a great exfoliant, so it's a great routine to use to get dry skin off. I would recommend doing it right before your shower. 

photo: @koraorganics

Dry brushing has so many benefits, like boosting your circulation. After dry brushing, you may notice that your skin is a little red. Not to worry, the redness is just a bit of inflammation from the increased circulation in the areas that you've just been brushing. Your body is pushing more blood to those areas and that gets the blood pumping at a faster rate. This helps get your lymphs moving throughout your body, removing toxins and pathogens also along the way. 

Another benefit from dry brushing is that plenty of people swear their cellulite is less noticeable due to the plumbing effect dry brushing has on the skin. 

It's up to you to decide how often you should do it, but seeing as dry brushing is a total body exfoliation, one or two times a week should suffice. I've chosen to do it twice a week. Lastly, don't forget to wash your brush with baby shampoo or a mild soap to clean all the dead skin cells off that will be left on your brush.