Get inspired!!!

"Life is not easy for any of us. But it is a continual challenge, and it is up to us to be cheerful and to be strong, so that those who depend on us may draw strength from our example."- Rose Kennedy


"I walk slowly, but I never walk backward." - Abraham Lincoln


"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." - Henry Ford


"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." -Ernest Hemingway


"It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, "Always do what you are afraid to do."-Ralph Waldo Emerson


"There is only one person who could ever make you happy, and that person is you."-David Burns




Enjoy these amazing quotes hand picked by Fashuvia!! Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!!!

Wake up with a morning walk!!!

Hey everyone!!
  
    So, it's 8:45 a.m. and I am wide awake. . Why?? Because every morning I wake up with a two mile morning walk! If you do the same, you will be amazed at how energized you feel!! Now, I'm not going to lie, some mornings I can barely force myself to get out of bed!! But once I start walking, listening to the birds, smelling the fresh air, watching the sun rise, I feel amazing!! For that hour I am completely one with nature, waking up with all the animals of the forest! Daily exercise is key to our health; and by just walking every morning, your body is reaping the benefits! Your joints are moving and you are getting more oxygen to your muscles! This oxygen can improve circulation and acne!! Also, by focusing on deep breathing, your body will be filled of fresh air, as opposed to the stagnant are you are breathing in all night!! 

  Walking in the morning does take discipline!!! But if I can wake up @ 6:30am to go on walks, so can you!! As soon as you get out on the trail/road/sidewalk, you will feel like a million bucks! By the time you get to work, you will be feeling completely renewed and and productive!!! (Ending your day with a 2 mile walk also is a great way to unwind; that would be 4 miles a day)!! You go girl!!!! 

Requests

Hey everyone!! So I'm still on my daily grind here at Fashuvia, working full time and being a student full time (grad classes start back up in a week)!!! The past two days I haven't been much inspired to write about anything and am asking you for help!! Please comment and let us know what you want to read about!!! :) The top request will receive a post tonight!!


Thanks,


     Fashuvia.

Tips for Acne Prone Skin

I will be the first to admit that the founders of Fashuvia have problem skin, both me and my colleague should be the poster children for Proactiv, but we AREN'T, and here is why. . . 

1. Do not use medicated face washes or harsh chemicals on the skin, items such as Proactiv and Clinique are actually HORRIBLE for the skin, they dry you out and eventually make your acne/breakouts worse! They do work for a short period of time, but once the skin gets immune to the products, you will be worse off than when you started! Use a mild soap such as Cetaphil or (my favorite) Say Yes To Tomatoes Trouble Free Face Wash. . this wash is organic and not tested on animals, it also smells amazing and is very gentle on the skin. 

2. With acne prone skin, it is important to exfoliate once or twice a week. Again, do not use chemicals, instead use sugar and olive oil (refer to olive oil post) when you wake up, then was with Say Yes To Tomatoes Trouble Free Face Wash. 

3. Toner. . for a natural toner, you will need 2 products, Witch Hazel (can be purchased at any drug store and is about 2$ a bottle, which lasts honestly for about 6 months), and Tea Tree Oil, I purchase organic tea tree oil from Wegmans which is made by the company Desert Essence. It is 100% Australian Tea Tree Oil and costs $7.00 for 0.5fl oz. This may seem like almost NO OIL however, it ends up lasting again, about 6 months. Here is what you do. . take a cotton ball, and get it moist with Witch Hazel, not too wet that the face will remain damp, simple turn over the Witch Hazel bottle onto the cotton ball for not even a second, then place the moist cotton ball onto the top of the Tea Tree Oil and turn over for again, not even a second. You want almost no Tea Tree Oil on the cotton ball . . just a smidge (you will be able to smell it, trust me). The reason for this is because Tea Tree Oil is VERY powerful, and too much can dry out the face and cause irritation. This oil kills bacteria and helps the skin to heal from breakouts. 

4. Let this dry and if moisturizer is needed, use a mild moisturizer such as Cetaphil of Say Yes To Tomatoes Totally Tranquil Facial Hydrating Lotion, only use a TINY bit, just enough to moisturize, not enough to look greasy. 

5. Do this routine morning and night as well as after a workout.

6. DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND DO NOT PICK AT IT.

7. Drink green tea! It helps heal the skin! But make sure it is from a tea bag and that you only add honey, if anything.

8. ABSOLUTELY NO SODA!! Soda is HORRIBLE for your body AND skin. . Only drink water (and a lot of it) and for a treat, drink fruit juices with no added sugar. If you like the fizz of soda add some seltzer water to your juice!!

9. Take a multi-vitamin with zinc. Studies have shown that zinc supplements help cure acne from the inside, so I take a woman's supplement everyday with zinc and it seems to be helping!!

10. NO PROCESSED FOODS (or as little as possible) when you eat healthy, your skin is healthy. . plain and simple. Try to stay away from a lot of sweets and eats tons of fruits and veggies. There are studies that show how dark colored fruits such as purple grapes actually retard the aging process. Also, try to eat all organic, if this is too expensive, at least make all your meats organic, the chemicals put into meat are horrible for you!

11. Change your pillow case every 2 nights, use one side a night and then put on a new one. . this will prevent the oils from your hair to transfer to your face.

12. Disinfect your cell phone with a disinfecting wipe at LEAST once a day. . our cell phones harbor so much bacteria that causes breakouts on the skin.

13. A great all natural face mask which has seemed to have helped me is: by c. Booth and is called "Deep Cleansing Volcanic Mud Mask," which can be purchased at Ulta or Ulta.com, I use this whenever I feel like it, because it is all natural, I don't feel guilty and use it whenever I have time, probably every 2 or 3 days. . also if I feel a pimple coming, I put a little bit of the mask on the area and sleep with it on. . it seems to help a great deal!!

14. Make-up: Ok, let me be honest, none of these steps are a CURE to acne, firstly, your skin is going to get worse before it gets better when using these products. the reason being, if you used harsh chemicals prior to a more natural skin care regimen, your skin is going to need to detox from all the horrible things that were being put on it! Your skin will probably be oily at first because it had to create so much more oil to deal with the over drying that the chemicals caused. . also, any time you change face products, your skin reacts! So just wait it out. . the most important thing is to stay with it. . my skin started improving in about a month, and now my skin is doing pretty well!!! So. . in the mean time, you can use make-up that will actually HELP the process. . . 

Mineral makeup such as Pur Minerals or Bare Minerals actually help acne prone skin because the minerals in the makeup heal the skin and do not irritate it whatsoever. Also, make sure to clean your brushes once a week (refer to the previous blog post about how to clean your makeup brushes) due to the fact that they carry bacteria which you are transferring onto your skin every time you apply makeup! I also find that my skin healed faster with the makeup due to the fact that when I have makeup on, I stop touching my skin!! So, don't be scared that makeup will slow the healing process, applying mineral makeup to breakouts is actually a good thing!

Now, keep in mind I still have pimples here and there, but with makeup my skin looks flawless, and the best it has ever looked!! This is no cure, but it helps me significantly!!!!! 

The leaves are about to change, and so is fashion!!

The term "Spring Cleaning" is for the birds! Every season your closet should be cleaned out. Let's face it, a lot of the things you wore last Autumn are no longer in style, and a lot of the things you planned on wearing this summer, never saw the light of day. . . before starting a new season, it is important to take inventory and purge the things that are no longer necessary. Here are some tips for cleaning out your closet/drawers!


1. If you didn't wear something this summer that was for the season, give it away, take it to Plato's Closet, or sell it at a yard sale! If you didn't wear it this summer, chances are, you won't next summer either.


2. Take inventory of all Autumn clothing, ask yourself, "Will I wear this item this year?" "Does this item still fit?" If either answer is a "No," discard it.


3. Remember the ever so helpful "X Crush Rule," If your X or crush saw you wearing the item of clothing in question would your run for cover or show yourself off?? If you'd run, hide, or with you had worn something  a little more attractive, get rid of it! That item wont do you justice.


4. Go through all of your shoes. Are there any that are worn out, smelly, uncomfortable? Purge them. 


5. Accessories: Accessories such as jewelry are typically easy to store, so if you have the room, go ahead and keep the classics and a few trendy pieces. If you are saving a bracelet from 6th grade because your crush gave it to you 10 yrs ago, GET RID OF IT!! Other accessories however such as scarves, hats, and bags, tend to take up a lot of space. . . . look through all of these items and if you can't remember the last time you've worn/used them, purge them as well!


6. Under garments: Let's face it, we all have our "time of the month panties" and our comfy bras, but if you have panties with holes (we all do) trash them! Have bras you don't wear? Trash them as well.


7. Organize by color, or perhaps item! All jeans together, all dresses, all tops, etc. . this will help you find things easily, and remember, you aren't Heidi Klum, or Jessica Simpson, you don't need 50 pairs of jeans or 100 pairs of shoes!! GET RID OF THEM.


It is important to remember that a cluttered closet wastes time in your day! You can never find anything and chances are, there are things in there that you had no idea you have! Before purchasing one more item, take inventory. . literally.


After you have gotten rid of everything you possibly can (if you have a hard time, invite an honest friend over to do it with you, she will let you know what needs to go! And make sure you tell her to be honest and HARSH, you will need the kick in the butt) take an inventory of everything you have. Make a list, this way you can easily visualize what you have and you will know what to purchase in the future.

How to move on after a relationship gone bad!

Two posts in one day! How ambitious (I am following the inspiration of my first post, and it's rainy, and I just got a manicure which makes me want to type)!!! I decided to scour the internet looking for ways to get over a break-up and I found some really good ones!! 


Here are some great tips:


1. (This is of utmost importance) Cut off ALL communication with your x, whether you broke up with him and want him to make SURE he knows what he's missing or he broke up with you and you want to BITCH HIM OUT, both ways, you look desperate and pathetic (sorry but it's time for tough love ladies)!! Ask yourself, "what would the most confident, beautiful, get any man she wants, woman do in this situation?" because guess what, You are Her! Last time I checked, neither super models, princesses, or heiresses, are running after men, and neither should you!! Now I will be the first to admit that this is a very hard step, and sometimes you may cave, but this is the only way to move on! Change your number if you have to, delete his e-mails, when you see him out, leave immediately. . . . at this point it is all about self preservation, so avoid all contact!! 


2. Now, after you have been a good girl and haven't communicated with your x for awhile, reward yourself!!! Get a pedicure, a massage, a manicure, or all of the above! Do something for you, spoil yourself! You've been through hell and you deserve it!


3. Get rid of ALL memories, they only make you sad. . destroy them, burn them, sell them, give them away. Whatever you gotta do, do it! Get rid of the baggage and move on!!


4. Change your surroundings!! Go out and buy amazingly scented candles, get new sheets, paint your room, anything to give a breath of fresh air to your world! Now is YOUR time, so start fresh and new!!


5. With the dead weight now off your back (even if he was amazing, if he left you, there was a problem with him, so count your blessings, or, if he left because you made a mistake, love forgives, if he didn't, he's an asshole) it's time to celebrate!! Do the things you never got a chance to, if you always wanted red hair, but he hated red hair, screw him, DYE THAT HAIR!! If you always wanted to get a cat, go out and adopt the little furry beast. If you hate making your bed, but he insisted, vow to never make it again!!


6. Don't date someone new right away! Break-up's take time, no matter how well you handle it. It is important to take alone time and properly heal before attempting something new, so for the time being, be in love with yourself, do things that make you happy, be a little selfish for once. Volunteer, get a job, start working out, anything and everything, do it!! Getting out there really helps, and by doing things that help others, you will feel more complete and happy! Making a difference in other's lives really helps to cure the sadness you are feeling. 


Now. . with these tips in mind, here is the most important FACT of all. . You are worth it! Period. 

Seizing the moment!!

"We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh


This amazing quote inspired me to write a post about seizing each moment in our lives. How many mornings do we sleep in when we could be being productive? How many times do we not do something because "we don't feel like it?" Well. . this amazing quote speaks volumes when it comes to our capabilities as human beings! 


I make an effort each day to NEVER not do anything based on the reasoning "I don't feel like it."   There are so many hours in a day to accomplish such great things!!! Instead of watching endless amounts of TV, or sitting on facebook for days (I'm quite guilty of this) take that time to volunteer with children or animals in need, or go on a nature walk, join a public library and read, grab a nice cup of Starbucks and read the paper in a park, the possibilities are endless!! 


Leave each day better than the day before, just by doing something small!! Make things happen!! Don't just walk by trash, pick it up and throw it away! Open doors for people! Hand out your business card to everyone you meet! Get yourself out in the world making a difference!! 


The more we sit around doing nothing, the worse off we are, this type of vegging can cause depression, weight gain, loss of world awareness, loss in mobility, flexibility, etc. Even when you don't feel like it, go for a walk! Ride your bike, and remember. . 


There are more possibilities in each moment than we realize! So seize each moment today Ladies and Gentleman!!! 

Amazing Lotion!

With a 10 hr work day ahead of me, I don't have much time to make a post. . but I wanted to leave you ladies with a great product!!! Fashuvia tested and approved!!!! We have found that most lotions leave a greasy residue on the skin and even cause breakouts! I for one get body breakouts and thought it was acne!! Little did I know, it was caused by my pore clogging lotion!! 

So. . I swithed to Jergens Naturals It is 93%  natural. . I prefer the "Soothe" scent, but any scent will do!! The lotion is paraben free, dermatologist tested, and NOT tested on animals (which is a HUGE plus for us at Fashuvia)!!! 


After using it for about a month, my breakouts have subsided and my skin is always so silky smooth without EVER being greasy!! Another bonus??? It's so inexpensive!!! I believe I purchased mine @ Target for roughly $5.00 and with daily use, one bottle lasts about a month!!




Try it out!! And let us know what you think (Also, it is semi-pointless to use this lotion while still using highly chemically infused body wash, we recommend using Dr. Bronner's Magic Castile Soap on the body, to completely avoid chemicals that could cause breakouts)! 


Stay posted for tonight's post about Castile Soap!!! 

An unexplained hiatus!

Hey Ladies! 


As you all have noticed, Fashuvia has taken an unexplained and unexpected hiatus. . How did you survive without us?!?! During our hiatus we at Fashuvia were getting full time jobs, paying off debt, having husbands return from leave, etc! But in that time, we ran into many MANY topics to discuss on our blog! 

Today we will be discussing the WONDERS of Olive Oil, extra virgin to be specific! Who wouldn't want to walk into their bathroom and have one or two all purpose products staring you in the face instead of millions of single use products which you spent a fortune on??!?! I know I would..... well here is a way to cut back on the clutter! 


Olive Oil is a great (and cheap) alternative to many products that are MUCH more expensive. . 


1. Make-Up remover!! 


Believe it or not, olive-oil is the best make-up remover on the PLANET, simple pour a quarter sized amount of E.V.O.O. in your hands and rub on your eyes. . your mascara (even waterproof) wont stand a chance! Literally in a few seconds, you will be 100% make-up free. If you use a lot of face make-up, you can rub it all over your face, wipe with a cloth, and then wash! I have found that make-up removing products irritate my skin and burn the living daylights out of my eyes! But E.V.O.O. is so gentle, and works better than anything I have ever tried!


2. Make an at home facial/body scrub!!!!


Combine a little E.V.O.O. with granulated white sugar until you form a paste, moisten your face and or body and scrub scrub scrub! Rinse and follow by washing the skin with a mild or all natural body/face wash such as Dr. Bronner's Magic Castile Soap for the body (I use this everyday, we will have another post on this soap), and Say Yes To Tomato's Face Wash (I use this as well)!! Your skin will feel more soft and exfoliated than any product you can buy, I promise you that!!


3. Deep Conditioner! 


On dry clean hair, work E.V.O.O. from roots to tips, use enough E.V.O.O. to saturate the hair (my hair is SUPER thick and it takes very little to get the job done), comb through your hair, pile on your head, and put a shower cap on for as long as you can stand (30 minutes is fine if that is all the time you have), rinse, shampoo, and condition (with delicate thin hair, shampooing twice may be necessary but for full, coarse, thick hair, shampooing once and leaving a little E.V.O.O. in the hair is a good way to keep moisture in).  Your hair will feel so soft and manageable! Do this about once a week!


4. Cuticle Repair!


Cuticles are so delicate, but E.V.O.O. rubbed on tearing cuticles allows them to repair super fast!!! Also if your feet are very dry, at night rub E.V.O.O. onto them and place socks on! You will wake up with amazingly soft skin!!!


Let us know what you use E.V.O.O. for!!! :) We would love to hear other uses!!!