As you can see from the title, I’m going to talk about Bananas today. You may already know that bananas are a great source for your overall health and beauty. BUT did you know that depending on the ripeness of bananas, you can get different benefits from it?
 Under-ripe bananas: that still have slightly green parts
These types of bananas have a “Resistant Starch” which works just like Fibers. Eating them also makes your stomach feel fuller longer, and also helps boost your fat-burning system.
So, people who want to detox their body might want to try these bananas as a breakfast.
You can simply slice them up and serve with Kefir and a dash of cinnamon to burn fat! or you can blend them away to make smoothie!
You know those white stringy bits you see when you peel bananas?
Please don’t throw it away!! It is FIBRE!
 Kefir is a fermented milk that contains bacteria and yeasts. It has Calcium, iron, Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, D and K2.
These vitamins help you to absorb calcium effectively!
Side Note: If you want to be healthy, morning cereals are a big NO-NO! You don’t get proper nutrients from them, because it’s full of Sugar and bad carbs despite the fact that it says “whole grains” on the box. Some people eat cereals with milk to get calcium.
BUT eating cereal with milk actually blocks the absorption of any calcium! Grain products in general all contain phytates, which are actually anti-nutrients. Phytates bind to the minerals we are eating and keep them from being absorbed by your body!
First of all, I cannot stress enough HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO EAT HEALTHY! If you don’t eat right then you can be sure that you will have skin problems. Don’t rely on expensive skincare products too much! Skincare products are NOT magical items that instantly fix your problems. So please keep that in mind. If you don’t know what to eat, please check my previous post. Or if you guys want some more lists of what to eat and not, please let me know!
Now if you are eating right but still get skin problems… then it might be how you are washing your face or an allergy to a skincare product you’re using.
In Japan, clay cleansers and rice cleansers are quite popular to achieve clear soft skin. This is thanks to a lot of popular fashion models and TV personalities who are using them to keep their baby soft skin! So why not mix all the goodness from clay and rice into a cleanser! The actual products are both of the FOAMING type but it is hard to make it at home so I decided to combine those top 2 popular Japanese ingredients to create a LUSH-inspired DIY facewash!  Japanese Clay Facewash
 Japanese Rice Facewash
When do you use sunscreen? If your answer is every day, then that’s great! But do you know if you’re using it right or not?
Let’s talk about what kind of damage the sun can cause!
Exposure to the sun will cause premature aging by damaging/breaking down the following:
Collagen – This is the supporting structure of the skin; it is also one of the foundations of your bones as well. (Did you know we're losing 2g of collagen every day from age around 20- 25.)
Elastin - This is what gives your skin its resilience and natural bounce.
Hyaluronic Acid – This is what allows your skin to hold water and allows it to stay moisturized, giving skin its volume and aiding in tissue repair. (Did you know? 1 gram of hyaluronic acid can hold 6 litres of water!)
DNA – Increased exposure to the sun causes degradation to the genetic makeup of the skin cells, ultimately leading to cancer.
If your skin’s structure and foundation becomes degraded, it becomes difficult to repair. This why you should avoid tanning salons/machines! You wouldn’t buy a house with a foundation made of rotten wood, that’s not smart. Similarly, your skin structure will show outwardly how well you take care of it.
So take action, and take care of it now or you’ll be sorry!
Now back to sunscreen.
First let me begin by talking about SPF and PA*. Most people think a higher number means better protection when it comes to SPF. But is it really true? Do you know what SPF and the number really mean? Well, SPF is the abbreviation of “Sun Protection Factor”. The number next to SPF indicates how much the products can prevent the effects of UVB lights. The numbers indicate how much extra protection you’ll get before your skin starts tanning.
For example, if you don’t wear any sunscreen, your skin will turn red in about 25 to 30 minutes. Relative to that, if you use SPF 15, it can protect your skin for 15 times longer than the case without sunscreen. Which would mean 30 x 15 = 450 minutes of protection that you can get from SPF15. So it lasts 7hours and half. SPF15 is enough for daily use**.
On the other hand, PA stands for Protection grade of UVA. It indicates how much the products can prevent the effect of UVA lights. The “+” sign represents the prevention effect of PA.
PA “+ signs” are shown in comparison to how many times more the UV dose is require to turn skin dark without sunscreen. If it’s more than 2 times to less than 4 times you’ll see (one) “+” symbol. If its more than 4 times to less than 8 times you’ll see (two) “++”. If it’s more than 8 times you’ll see (three) “+++” symbols.
But what is the difference between UVB and UVA?
It’s winter time! It’s cold outside, the air is dry… And your skin starts to feel tighter, rougher and so on… Many people begin to notice more skin troubles in the winter more than any other season. But don’t be so sad about it! Winter time is a great time to recover your damaged skin!! “Melanin” is what causes spots to appear on your skin, and they are luckily produced only half as much in the winter time compared to the summer. This being said, it would be such a waste if you didn’t use this time to get brighter or whiter skin!!
The main reason our skin gets dry in the winter time, is because our skin cannot produce enough oil due to the cold. So the keywords for winter skin care are “Lock in the moisture”!!
Do you moisturize your skin properly? Here’s how to lock in the moisture into your skin:
Step 1: Cleanse/ wash your face with facewash and PAT to dry.
Step 2: Use a cotton pad and a WATER BASED lotion* to moisturize your skin. Let it sit until it’s all sucked up by your skin. Please make sure your skin is not wet when dealing with skin care products. Otherwise Oil based creams won’t spread evenly.
Step 3: Apply your favorite serum and wait for your skin to absorb it.
Step 4: Apply a generous amount of cream to lock in the moisture.
Step 5: Rub both hands together until they are warm and then cover your entire face with them to increase the blood circulation on your face and help the skin care products to penetrate your skin deeper. Are you wondering why it’s in this order? Here’s why: If we apply cream (which is oil based) before you put water based lotion on your skin, the oil ends up blocking the water from penetrating your skin. Doing it in the right order, helps lock the moisture in, and prevents it from evaporating.
*Let’s make your own whitening lotion!
Hey there, sorry for kept you guys waiting for such a long time. I've been doing a bit of research about skin care and I learnt so much! I will share all of that information with you guys one by one!
Today's topic is my current favorite skincare routine!!
I had never washed my face with face wash in the morning when I was in Japan. I never had felt the need to. But since I moved to Canada, where water is much more different from the one back home, I started to notice my skin slowly become rougher and I was getting pimples easily. So I shifted my old routine to this one i'm going to share with you today!!
 In the Morning:
1: I wash my face with Olay foaming face wash. Pat to dry.
2: Wait for 10-15 minutes or more without moisturizing.
3: Moisturize and then, apply sunscreen all over my face, neck and hands.
 At Night:
1: I wash my face with "Yes to Tomatoes" face wash. I recommend not to use this in the morning because it contains "soft peeling agents". Pat to dry.
2: Use the DIY toner. Then wait 10-15 minutes without moisturizing.
3: Apply lotion/serum, and then moisturizer.
Side note: "Yes to Tomatoes" is my current favorite. This product is mostly natural and I don't get pimples that often since I started using this. If you get pimples and blackheads, I recommend you to try it out. There are other brands sells "anti-acne face wash" but they are mostly loaded with chemicals which may cause breakouts, rashes or other skin problems.
That's it!! My skin feels so smooth and soft! My nephews ( 2 and 3 years old) love my cheeks and always push their cheeks against mine and give me kisses <3
I'd LOVE to hear your skincare, health related story!! --- leave me a comment, introduce yourself on Facebook, or chit chat on Twitter!
What are blemishes/spots anyway??
By continuing repeated exposure to ultraviolet light as we age, “melanocytes” are activated. It causes your skin to produce a large amount of “melanin”. Spots and blemishes appear when “melanin” has accumulated over the years,
Well, what is uneven skin tone and dull skin?
These are mainly a result of accumulated dead skin cells containing melanin. The lipid part underneath also becomes oxidized and turns the surface of your skin a dull yellowish (Reactive Oxygen). There’s another thing that causes you uneven skin tone, and that is bad blood circulation. As we age, blood circulation becomes poor. It reduces the natural pinkish glow of the skin and your complexion becomes unequal. That is why it is best practice to wash your face with a scrub once a week to prevent the build up on your skin surface.
Also if you use a sheet typed facial mask, please do not leave it on your face until it becomes completely dry. When it gets dry, the moisture of your skin also evaporates with it. Which means you’ll get dry skin afterwards. If you have dry skin, make sure to moisturize enough to prevent blemishes, spots and wrinkles.
Hey guys! Here's a quick tip for people who use store-bought toners. Those toners are for Oily skin, normal skin, combination skin and acne-prone skin!! so if you have dry skin, sensitive skin, rosacea, or eczema pleeease stay away from them. Even a salicylic acid toner (like the DIY one i shared with you guys before, the prevention toner) is not a good idea for you to use... because it can be too harsh for sensitive, really dry skin and reactive skin. - if your skin produces enough or more than enough oil, then you can use them.
- If you see oil on your T-zone area past lunch time (=Oily skin), then you need toner twice a day, morning and night.
- if you have normal/combination skin, you only need to use them once a day.
- If you have sensitive skin, but easily get zits and pimples, then use toner and RINSE IT OFF with COLD WATER RIGHT AWAY.
Hope you guys find this usuful!! Many more tips and recipes are coming!! So, stay tuned X)
I'd LOVE to hear your skincare and health related story!! --- leave me a comment/send me a note, introduce yourself on Facebook, or chit chat on Twitter!
Hi guys! Today I’ll share with you a little secret trick I use, when I happen to get a pimple.
Do you get pimples even though you treat your skin right?? Then it may be the water you’re using at home. The water you use to wash your face or body may actually be giving you other skin problems.
Tap water contains “Chlorine” which keeps the water disinfected as it travels through the water mains. This acidity may actually damage your skin. There’s another reason why this water may cause your skin problems such as dry skin and pimples. The strength of keeping moisture in your skin depends on the how hard the level of water you use.
Tap water in Japan is mostly of “SOFT Water” variety, which is good for your skin. Soft Water also makes a good soap/shampoo lather, as it is easy to rinse off clean, leaving no residue! On the other hand, tap water in Canada is of the, “HARD water” variety which contains lots of minerals. This is good for your body, but NOT for your skin. The mineral minimizes lather from soap/shampoo. Moreover the mineral and soap leaves a Soap residue!!
This leads to more pimples… So when you do wash your face or body, pre-wash for 1-2 minutes and use a more generous amount of soap.
The more your lather the more you minimize the surface contact between your soap and skin. This will reduce the soap residue on your skin.
Do you like plain yogurt (No sugar or fruits added)? Well, I do! You can eat it, cook with it OR treat your skin with it! Yogurt as a facial mask works great! You can feel and see the results right away!
So today I decided to share with you MY YOGURT SKINCARE RECIPES!
Before we move on to the recipes, let me introduce you skin’s best friend, YOGURT!! Yogurt has:
- Vitamin A: It helps your skin retain moisture, and keep your skin glowing and anti-dull. Additionally, it helps your skin’s metabolism and also helps repair skin cells.
- Antioxidants (Vitamin B2): Helps to provide COLLAGEN and restrain/repress melanin, which causes spots to appear on your skin.
- Peptide, Amino acid and Alpha Hydroxy Acid*: These acids gently dissolve dead skin cells and fatty deposits on your skin's surface, it tightens ups pores and has whitening properties.
*Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) is especially great for mature or sunburnt skin! Note: Please test the products on your wrist before applying directly onto your face, to ensure you will not have an allergic reaction.
Do you use toners? If you don’t, you might want to start using them.
Toner is used to remove soap residues, dead skin cells and excess oil from your skin. This allows your skin to be CLEAR enough to properly absorb moisturizer and other skincare products.
Today I have 2 different types of toners for you guys:
These acne/ acne scar reducing toners last 2 weeks in a fridge. Keep out of reach of children. Use every time after you wash your face. (AVOID EYE AREA)
Note: Please test the products on your wrist before applying directly onto your face, to ensure you will not have an allergic reaction.
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