We all have had those days where being human seems impossible- especially with the ups and downs of this year. Yes, even you, Jessica. Those days can get monotonous. What’s worse is when you need to look cute but are having one of those days and don’t even know where to start. If the thought of getting up to make yourself look socially acceptable has ever made you want to bury yourself further into your covers then this article is for you. Learn how to feel better and look good doing it with some helpful tips and tricks. Here are 10 easy things you can do to look like heaven when you feel like hell, from a daily hell feeling junkie that likes to look good through all the emotions encountered along the way.
In 2737 B.C. China cultivated what is largely regarded as the reigning champion among all other teas. It all started when the mythological Chinese Emperor, Emperor Shennong (or “Divine Farmer”) inadvertently drank from water that had a dead tea leaf boiled in it. Emperor Shennong did not spit out the new beverage in disgust but instead swallowed with appreciation as he found the new liquid incredibly refreshing. Soon enough everyone was enjoying the drink that was once concocted by accident. Then it was discovered to have benefits for one’s appearance and health. This appreciation of green tea grew as did the research supporting the claims that green tea was, in fact, beneficial for people.
From China to India we go for this is where the cucumber emerged. Once discovered it was cultivated for more than 3,000 years according to cave excavations. While cucumbers were notoriously considered a “diet food” due to their low caloric content, it was only recently that scientists discovered what a miracle worker this ancient veggie is. They discovered that cucumbers were not essentially just editable water with a twist but that they also contained impressive amounts of phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are chemicals produced by plants. The lucky foods that house phytonutrients have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits both of which do wonders for the human body when ingested or applied to the skin.
What brings cucumber and green tea together in a cohesive, soothing, and cool (pun intended) arrangement? Ice. Once only used by the wealthy we take advantage of how useful ice can be. Think outside of the icebox! Ice does not have to be used to exclusively upgrade your beverage. Let’s give new life to an old creation. You can start using ice on your face for a radiant glow. Massaging your face with ice every day can gift you with better blood circulation, minimize pores, reduced wrinkles, and wrinkle prevention. It is also extremely soothing to do even on your worst days. It’s also nice because you see immediate results. After massaging your face with ice your skin is instantly depuffed. As you continue doing this meditative habit you will notice your under-eyes are brighter, oily skin is less visible and any acne you may host is more tamed than not.
You may be wondering how green tea, cucumber, and ice go together which is a fair question to ponder. I will tell you, all three carry similar hidden talents for your skin. Green tea and cucumber have the added bonuses of helping reduce inflammation and more nutrients to support anti-aging but the glorious thing is that they can all be made into one with ease and efficiency. First, you are going to want to get yourself an ice tray. Then you are going to want to boil some Green tea. Throw in the cucumbers to make green tea and cucumber water (you can also add lemon for a brighter complexion). Then pour this into your ice tray. Set the ice tray in your fridge to let freeze. Try to massage your face with one ice cube every morning. So there you have it, skin rescuing ice cubes sure to give you and your skin the best results with little money and time spent.
Getting a massage doesn’t require a 5-star masseuse though that’s a treat I’ll never turn down. Going to the spa is nice but most of us can’t attend every day and really, there is no need unless you’re addicted to spending money. Instead, massage yourself with a facial roller. They come in all different shapes, colors, and sizes on Amazon for a price way too low for such an iconic skin tool. I have the rose quartz facial roller from Skin Gym. You can put your facial rollers in the fridge for an extra refreshing face massage. Face rollers are not exclusive just to the face. In fact, you can roll on down your neck which feels as incredible as it sounds. Massaging your face and neck helps with lymphatic drainage and blood circulation. According to Medical News Today, “The fluid in the lymphatic system helps remove waste and toxins from the bodily tissues.”. Facial rollers can help speed up this lofty task by removing the lymph fluid build-up that some health conditions cause. All in all, facial rolling is the big thing for a reason. Massage and meditate as you massage and results will roll forth along with external and internal health.
The list of reasons why you should take a steam shower vs. the reasons you shouldn’t board is no comparison. Here are 9 reasons alone why steam showers improve your physical health and mental wellbeing: 1. Improved circulation, 2. Recovery, 3. stiffness and joint pain, 4. skincare, 5. detoxification, 6. fighting off colds, 7. cardiovascular system, 9. metabolism and weight loss, and 9. stress management. If your local gym does not have a steam shower you can reap the benefits by either adding a steam generator to your shower at home or you can opt-out and make one yourself by wedging a towel under the bathroom door frame and blasting the shower on heat. It won’t get as steamy as it would if you had a generator but it will get the job done. Add some essential oils for a top-notch experience.
On the other hand, getting up and moving your body is never a bad idea. I am way too understanding of the fact that when you feel depressed or not in the mood to do anything, movement is the last thing you want to force yourself to do. It’s a task even thinking about forcing yourself to try. This is exactly why the true but cliché “go for a walk” or “exercise” is not on this list. Rather, take baby steps on these kinds of days and know that stretching can be all that you need to help you out of your funk or at least give you a vacation from said funk. Stretching can increase your flexibility, improve your posture, decrease your risk of injuries, relieve stress and tension, and can make you feel reborn on days where you wish you were. Stretching your body can help you stretch your mind which makes sense. Take time to let your mind wander when you stretch. Don’t think “I need to do this” or “I should be doing that”. This is your time to stretch, not stress. After all, the body and the mind are meant to work together. Doing things to better facilitate them doing so will do wonders for your mental health, physical health, and confidence which in turn will shine the spotlight on your inner and outer beauty.
You brush your teeth. You brush your hair. Why not brush your skin? This technique known as “dry brushing” was pioneered by the ancient Egyptians. This exfoliating beauty ritual is said to have been used by them for thousands of years. Nowadays, we know all types of cultures around the world do this for all sorts of reasons. From Ayurvedic medicine in India to Japanese doctors healing patients with this act of body appreciation, body brushing is used with good reason. All you have to do is get a bristle brush and sweep it over your whole body, sweeping towards the heart, from neck to toe. The payoff is exfoliated skin and increased circulation thus increasing your skin’s radiance and invigorating and energizing the body. It is also said to get rid of toxins and break down cellulite if done consistently. Do this every morning or night for 2-3 minutes. Happy brushing!
This is a trick that works surprisingly well. I never realized how much your eyebrows mattered to your face until I did. Sure, they were there but I always considered them present for more of a decoration than the underrated heroes they truly are. You see, eyebrows have the uncanny ability to frame the face in a way that balances your proportions and highlights your best features. The eyebrows balance your face out. A quick tip for when you need more texture and angle for those babies is to use dry shampoo. It’s super simple and crazy cheap. Plus, who doesn’t need dry shampoo on hand for those awkward in-between-wash hair days? Texturizing your hair and grooming your brows with this miracle spray can have you looking effortlessly hot sans makeup on the days where your skin and yourself need a break.
On the subject of eyebrows… have you ever thought about tinting them for more of an alluring look? Tinting your eyebrows not only will make you look like the mysterious vixen we all have panting inside of us but will also make those eyes pop. You can tint your eyebrows with men’s mustache and beard dye at Walmart for $8. As long as you mix equal dots of developer and dye mix, it will be pretty hard to mess up this DIY dye job. Put on with a Q-tip and leave on for 5 minutes. Then wipe off the tint with a wet face cloth and bam! Your face looks more bright, your eyes look more alluring, and your eyebrows look more full!
If you know me you know that I am the biggest advocate for a sun-kissed good glow on the go. Spray tans can make you look ten pounds lighter on days you feel your heaviest. They also can make you look more lively and healthy with no preparation at all. Plus they are an innovative invention to bronze the skin without endangering your health or wrecking your skin. Spray tans can bless you with a golden hue that cuts your beauty routine in half, instant color, and an abundance of confidence to help get you up and out when everything else in your life is telling you not to. They last about three weeks but if you exfoliate with your dry brush and moisturize daily leading up to it then the results can last for longer. They never say a spray tan a day can keep the doctor away but then again, who’s ‘they’ anyway?
Ladies and gentlemen, doing your nails is an activity best served daily. Either at a nail salon or at home, getting your nails done or doing them yourself is a sneaky way to look more put together and dare I say feeling more put together. I say this as I remember my once beautifully groomed evenly filed nude talons. Now, they look less like a Hollywood movie and more like a poorly made documentary- rugged, bleak quality, and unedited. They look massacred varying in sizes as three of my acrylics have fallen off and two of them have remnants of OPI, Don’t Pretzel My Buttons, nail polish on them they once wore so proudly. They look awful and in turn, I feel a little less than that. No, doing my nails is not going to suddenly give me a dopamine rush nor give me the mood lift I’m lusting for to go take on the world but it won’t hurt the probability of those things occurring, either. Looking down at clean, well-groomed, and painted nails (even clear nail polish will do) can give you the boost you need to maybe type that article, do your chores, or run that errand you’ve been dreading. Believe it or not, being able to look down and see that at least one part of you is looking nice might encourage you to make the rest of you want to match and if not, who cares? You have your nails done, they look good and you should debut them.
It is so easy to be fashionable now that unless you’re a nudist, you have no excuse. With matching sweatsuits ruling the runway, designers deeming them socially acceptable, magazines mesmerizing their readers with stylish sets for less, and Goodwill being the place to find those vintage tees you see celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Kendall Jenner, and Brad Pitt running around in, it is super easy to put something together that will have you feeling like you are style and style is you. The trouble is to put the effort to change into an outfit you feel good in. The payoff is worth it though. Learning how to feel better and look good doing it can be complicated but what isn’t is changing out of your favorite oversized tee and stained sweatpants and into those leather jeans or that matching sweatsuit paired with a cool necklace and even cooler trainers. Changing into an outfit will trick your mind into thinking you’re going somewhere thus you will become more active, want to show yourself off, or at least won’t have you feeling that “blah” feeling every time you walk past a mirror. The point is, taking pride in your outfit will instill pride in you.
At first, this list might seem trivial but forming a habit of doing one or more of these things every day will make you feel better for the fact that you followed through with them. You will start to look forward to doing these new additions once you get in the rhythm of doing it or them. You will learn as each day passes how to feel better and look good doing it because doing one of these things every day will improve your mood and continuing to do it will only make you look even better. I know it’s difficult to start and maintain a routine. However, when you add small things that are so easy to do it becomes easier to keep up with that routine or that promise you made to yourself. When you have one or more set things you do every day your body will go into autopilot even when your mind doesn’t feel up to it. The good thing is, learning how to feel better and look good doing it is doable. Just watch, if you do something on this list every day you will feel and see results that will keep you motivated to keep doing it.
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