Home Fitness for the Busy Moms

April 28, 2013 by

Contrary to what many people think, we stay-at-home moms do not live a life of luxury and do not – though we wish we could – spend all day lounging on the sofa glued to our favorite television series. We have kids to look after, meals to cook, and chores to finish. Some even have school work or run home-based businesses. Yes, we may be “just at home” but our schedules are also quite hectic that we often do not have time to go to the gym to stay fit. Just the commute to and from the gym eats up precious time that we could be spending with our family at home which is why At home fitness is so important.

With the house bustling with kids and running errands all day, it surely becomes a difficult task to sneak in your workout, no matter how small it is. For this reason, setting up a home gym is one of the first things you can opt for. It can be your own little sanctuary where you can focus on your health and fitness. Online fitness routines are all the buzz right now, and you could definitely check them out for some tips if you’re looking to build a home gymnasium for yourself.

That aside, there are also fitness regimens that can easily be followed at home and do not require any special sports equipment. Kickboxing, Yoga, Pilates, Aerobics, and Zumba are just some of the workouts you can follow through DVDs. You can burn more calories doing Kickboxing and Zumba but if you are not light on your feet, the first few sessions may be quite a challenge. Yoga and Pilates are best for those who want to strengthen their core and achieve inner calm. My friend does Pilates in Sydney, Australia and really enjoys it, so give it a go! Yoga is really great at relieving stress and rejuvenating one’s spirit. If you know someone who is interested in becoming a yoga instructor, or you’ve even been thinking of going for it yourself, then why not! You can look at training here to see the options that could be available.

Of course, we can’t deny the fact that we are aging and need to always monitor our health before, during, and after any form of exercise. Heart Rate Monitor Watches and Digital Blood Pressure Monitors are a couple of medical devices we need to have at home. Those who have other health problems must make sure to consult their physicians before starting their home fitness regimen.

With workouts that can be done anytime right at home, there’s really no other reason not to put on those sweat shirts and gear up for a healthier you.

Filed Under: Beauty on A Budget, for DAD & MOM, House Matters, Mom's Corner

Eight of the Most Weird and Wonderful Celebrity Beauty Tips

March 19, 2013 by

Behind closed doors, celebrities have all kinds of wacky and unusual tips and tricks for looking beautiful. Most stars have pots of money at their disposal with which to splash out on expensive creams, facial treatments, exfoliations and cosmetic procedures like breast enhancement, but it is often the simplest everyday products that they swear by to look their best.

Wondering how to look fabulous without breaking the bank? Let’s take a look at eight of the most unusual and most surprising celebrity beauty tips:

  1. Natural grapeseed oil. The Spiderman actress Emma Stone, who is known for her creamy porcelain complexion, says she has to be very careful what products she puts on her face because of her allergies. Because of this, she chooses natural grapeseed oil from the grocery store, putting it on her skin as a moisturiser after the shower.
  2. Loofahs. The impeccably groomed Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow has been known to use a very unusual styling implement, a bathroom loofah brush, to add texture to her hair and smooth flyaway hairs whilst blow-drying.
  3. Tomato ketchup. If you have recently dyed blonde hair and it is tinged green after swimming, you can follow the example of actress Sienna Miller and use tomato ketchup to restore the colour back to its beautiful blonde best.
  4. Potatoes. The reality star and fashion trend-setter Lauren Conrad recommends slicing up refrigerated potatoes, soaking them in water and placing them over your eyelids for a few minutes to reduce puffiness around the eyes. Celebrities come up with some of the strangest tips to help them with their beauty regime. And they must work because they seem to look perfect all of the time. They may even look at these tips for eyes if they are looking for any more ideas on how to get the best look possible.
  5. Condensed milk. According to Felicity Kendal’s colourist Lea Harrison, condensed milk is often applied to the actress’ scalp when she’s getting her bleach highlights done. The milk apparently soothes the scalp and prevents nasty irritation.
  6. Mint extract. Diva extraordinaire Mariah Carey gets her bee-stung lips without enraging any insects or without lip-plumping gloss – she instead uses natural products like mint extract mixed into her gloss to get the blood flowing to her lips.
  7. Sugar. Reality star Kim Kardashian may be known for her curves, which many women wish they could achieve for themselves, but she also has silky, flawless skin. She gets this from mixing a spoonful of sugar into her body wash when showering, which gives her a gentle exfoliating experience and gorgeous glowing skin.
  8. Olive oil. Shameless USA star Emmy Rossum swears by olive oil, which she describes as her “moisturising secret weapon”. For a subtle sheen, she uses it on both skin and hair following a bath.

This is a guest post by Isabella Franklin. Read more of her articles at www.cosmeticsurgeryguru.com and follow her on Twitter @Cosmetic_Bella.

Filed Under: Beauty on A Budget, for DAD & MOM, Mom's Corner, Mommy Talk, Products We Love

Get Flawless Skin from a Laser Skin Center

March 15, 2013 by

Summer’s at our doorstep and it’s time to get our beach gear ready. By now you should have already shed off those excess pounds you gained during the holidays and have that lean and trim bod to show off in the beach. Now, don’t forget to prep your skin for that soft and flawless skin.

If you’re still going to the salon to have those unsightly hair waxed off every few weeks, now is the perfect time to consider having laser treatment to zap all those unwanted hair. Most often, IPL(Intense Pulse Light) laser is used to effectively remove unwanted hair in various parts of the body. Through this treatment, hair follicles are destroyed by pulses of light energy with different wavelengths emitted to the target area. By destroying hair follicles, hair growth is prevented. The best thing about IPL is that it leaves the surrounding skin unaffected.

In choosing a skin center, opt for one that used the latest generation of laser technology available such as www.laserskincenterboston.com. Be aware that different skin centers use different equipment and do not always provide the same quality service so be very cautious in choosing the right one. If you’ve decided you want to see what laser treatments could do for you, it will be advantageous to look around at as many laser skin resurfacing clinics as possible before you decide on who you want to treat you, increasing the chances of the best outcome possible. I’ve availed of IPL treatment from three different aesthetic centers and each one used a different machine. Only one of the three centers effectively reduced hair growth and effected significant improvement in my skin condition. So do your homework and get feedback from clients to know which skin center would be best for you. The Laser Skin Center for one uses different equipment to address specific skin types. This means that whether you have light skin tone or darker pigmentation, a non-invasive laser would be available to eliminate unwanted hair.

During the treatment, a small hand piece is used to emit pulses of life on target areas. Hair grows at different rates and the IPL only effectively destroys those on the growth stage. This means that several treatments are required to eliminate all hair follicles. I had twelve treatments last year and hair growth have been significantly reduced. Now, just a few strands grow and they are no longer as thick as they used to be – the baby fine hair is barely noticeably. Whoever invented laser and IPL machines is really heavensent to women like me. Now we no longer have to deal with thick stubby hair and can flaunt smooth and flawless skin anytime.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post however, all the points and views are my own.

Filed Under: Beauty on A Budget, Mom's Corner

Summer Skin That’s Glowing not Burning

February 1, 2013 by

Summer’s right at our doorstep and we can already feel the heat.  Before it become stifling, make sure you have everything you need to protect your skin from the scorching heat!

Here are some of the must-haves to keep your skin glowing without the sunburn:

  • Moisturizer.  Horde on moisturizers this season and make sure you slather right before you go to sleep.  It’ll be best if you can do this every time you take a bath to make sure your skin stays smooth and supple.
  • Sun Screen.  Never leave home without putting on some sun screen.  Never settle for anything less than SPF50 if you’ll be staying outdoors.  Make sure to have a tube in your bag so you can re-apply every few hours.
  • Sun Glasses. Keep the sun out of your eyes, now is the time to get those raybans out.  They’re definitely in style this season!    They also keep wrinkles off your peepers. 🙂
Filed Under: Beauty on A Budget, for DAD & MOM, for the KIDS, Mom's Corner, Products We Love

NuLiving Spa Studio: Massage Therapy that Melts Stress Away

January 25, 2013 by

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Has this week left you all stressed and with muscles aching all over?  Mine definitely has.  This work-at-home-mom juggles two different jobs on top of taking care of two preschoolers and doing the house chores.    With no house help, every single day is mentally, emotionally and physically challenging.  I wish I were a supermom who can do everything in a breeze but I’m not and I do need to have that time-off to relax, de-stress, and re-energize for another busy week.  When I’m in need of some relaxation – which is quite often 😛 – you’ll find me heading to a spa for a massage or to a salon for a hair treatment and a foot spa.  What better way to de-stress than to be pampered, right?

Why do I love massages?  A great massage not only loosens tight muscles and relaxes the mind, it can also release endorphins that alleviate pain and enhances good disposition.  So when I feel so terribly tired and stressed, I get a massage and come home in a much better mood. Since my husband also loves massages, I did not hesitate to accept an invitation to review a new spa that opened just last December.  A lovely massage was a welcome treat to our weary bodies who have yet to finish clearing up the holiday clutter at home.

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NuLiving Spa Studio, a spa that recognizes the need for pampering in today’s busy lifestyle, treated us to one and a half hours of their NuLiving Signature Massage (P400/1.5hours) which is a combination of Swedish, Shiatsu, Thai massages and Reflexology.  Before being ushered to the massage area, we were asked to choose which among the four massage oils we wanted to use.  This is a usual procedure in other spas but instead of being asked  whether you want Lavander, Eucalyptus, Jasmine or whatever oil you want, NuLiving Spa Studio asks whether you want to de-stress & relax, to revitalize & invigorate, to be happy & refreshed, or to calm, relax & love.  Now you won’t have to ask what each type of oil is.

After choosing our massage oils, we were ushered to the foot bath area before going to the second floor for our massage.  Hubby, also a spa enthusiast, commented that the light in the ground floor area should be dimmed a bit to set the mood for relaxation even before going to the massage area.

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Like other spas, massage beds and mats were separated by curtains that could be open if a couple wants to be within sight of each other.  Unlike other spas though, NuLiving Spa and Studio had curtains draped above to keep the cold draft from the air conditioning away from those getting their massages.  The overhead curtain was really a great idea. I’ve been to massage parlors where I was met with a blast of cold air right after the massage, and believe me, it wasn’t a very pleasant experience.  The shorts they provided were also big enough to fit my hunk of a husband and the sheets and towels were very clean.  The massage bed was also quite comfortable though it looked a bit small for my husband. Then again, he’s six feet tall and weighs almost two hundred pounds so anything looks small for him. (:P Love you, hon!)

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For one and a half hours, our bodies were stretched and our knotted muscles kneaded.  The masseuses knew which pressure points to focus on and soothed our aches away.  My husband commended his masseuse, Charm, for knowing exactly where to focus the massage even without him telling where his muscle pains are.  If you’re dropping by NuLiving Spa Studio, I suggest you request Charm to give you your massage. (Click here to view their entire range of services.)

With bodies relaxed and minds refreshed, we were given a few minutes to savour the pampering that we just received.  After which, we were given hot towels, a cup of hot tea, and a tiny bag for well-earned tips.

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Before going home, we checked out the products being sold which included Tai Chi massage oils (one of my husband’s favourite liniments) made from Virgin Coconut Oil and It Works! Deep Sleep to  We bought It Works! Deep Sleep coz we were curious if it really works. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that both products could be bought at only Php 300 – that’s for both the Dream Mist and Stress Less already.  I expected it to be worth much more than that.  We’ve been using it for a couple of days already and it looks like one Dream Mist spray bottle would be enough to last a month. I’ll let you know if there’s any improvement in my sleep after a few weeks.

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Overall, our NuLiving Spa Studio experience was a great one.  The place was very clean, the staff friendly, and the massage pleasant.  The prices are very affordable as well with On-The-Go Services starting at only Php 50 and Elite Massages costing only Php 450 for a 1.5-hour-massage.  Still trying to get rid of those holiday fats, I suggest you try their Slimming Detox (Thai Massage) which is only P300/hr.  Now there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get that massage that you deserve.

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NuLiving Spa Studio is located at Unit-C 141 D. Tuazon Street, Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City.  Call 806-2705 or 0932-4714641 to schedule an appointment.  Keep updated with their promos and offerings by liking their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/nulivingspastudio or by visiting their website at http://www.nulivingspastudio.com.

*Disclosure:  My husband and I were invited by NuLiving Spa and Studio to try their massage services for free.  However, I did not receive any compensation for this post and all opinions are entirely mine.

Filed Under: Beauty on A Budget, Explorations, Family Fun, for DAD & MOM, Mom's Corner, Products We Love Tagged With: , , ,
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