Self Care: skin care regimen

Sunday, August 18, 2019


Sunday's are for Self Care! For years I have been telling myself that I was going to get myself on a skincare regimen... and now I am in my 30s and I think it's about that time. I have done SO much research on the best products to use as well as the proper order in which to use them.
I am going to start out with my night time routine as it is more in depth.

In the Evening:

1. Cleanse
Its ALL about removing your make-up! The wipes are good for those lazy weekend nights after being out all night, but you really should be using a great cleanser. I just recently purchased and have been using Cetaphil Normal to Oily Skin Daily Facial Cleanser and it makes my skin feel so amazing and soft afterwards. So far I am super obsessed! It's also great on my sensitive skin.

2. Exfoliate // But only 1-2x per week. I aim for Sunday's and Wednesday's.
Exfoliation removes the dead skin cells and decongests pores! Eek. Which I have a lot of! Its great for oiliness, pores, and dullness.
I am a HUGE fan of the Caudalie skin care line. You will see a ton of their products featured throughout this post. Its super affordable and natural. It's their Deep Cleansing Exfoliator which leaves your skin feeling silky smooth!

3. Toner
You want to aim for a gentle toner. The toner is essential to ensure all of your makeup has been removed, that there is no more residue left, and to remove any remaining dead skin cells. It is also used to prep your skin for all the ingredients that will later be absorbed! My go to and which is super cost friendly is Witch Hazel - Rose Petal. Again, great for my sensitive skin and does not dry me out!

4. Face Mask // 1-2x a week. Again, usually my Sunday's and Wednesday's. 
A great face mask helps keep pores clean and tight. Basically rehab for the skin! It draws out excess oil and toxins from the pores like a vacuum. Apply to the skin once or twice a week. Leave on for 10 mins and then rinse. I have been using Caudalie Instant Detox Mask.

5. Treatment, Serum and/or Vitamin C
The heavy lifters of your skin care routine! They are SO clutch in adding nutrients, hydrators, and antioxidants into your skin that really amp up your skin health! I alternate in my skincare Serums. Once a week I use The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid; I know you hear acid and think WTF?? but it isn't as scary as it sounds. It's basically a serum that pulls water from the air and into your skin and 't PLUMPS it up! I have not jumped on the Retinol train just yet, but every other night I have been using Dermalogica's Vitamin C Serum and so far so good! I have noticed a glow in my skin and it's only been a week!

6. Eye Cream
OK. I suffer bad from puffy bags and dark circles- I blame genetics. It's awful. I am going to do everything in my power to reduce the appearance of them. So I picked up Caudalie Resveratrol [LIFT] Eye Lifting Balm.

7. Moisturizer 
Let's Soothe and Soften the skin! You basically want to infuse the skin with hydration as well as lock in the other products previously used to lock them in and make them more effective. Our skin goes into repair mode at night. I use Caudalie S.O.S Intense Moisturizing Cream.

In the Morning:

Cleanse, Toner, and an SPF! Keep it Simple! Same products as above.

All products are featured and linked in My LIKEtoKNOW.it APP. Check it out!






Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup




Feeling sick and under the weather? I got you covered. Below is the best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, just like grandma used to make. While cooking this soup, it gives off this fresh aroma in your home... it is some kind of amazing. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic or one teaspoon of minced garlic (I'm lazy)
  • 8oz of precut crinkle cut carrots (again, I am LAZY!)
  • 3-4 celery sticks, chopped
  • 2 chicken breasts, bone-in 
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 Tbsp dried parsley 
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • bay leaves (about 3-4)
  • Freshly cracked pepper
  • 2-3 tsp salt 
  • 4 cups of chicken broth 
  • 4 cups of water
  • 6 oz. egg noodles 

(Insert ingredients picture)

Insert pictures throughout cooking process. 

INstructions

  • Dice the onion. Add the onion, minced garlic, and olive oil to a large pot and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.
  • While the onion and garlic are sautéing, cut up your celery. Add the celery and about 8oz of your pre-cut carrots to the pot and continue to sauté for a few minutes more.
  • Pull the skin and any excess fat from the chicken breasts. I season the breasts with Salt and Pepper. Then Add the breasts to the pot along with the bay leaves, basil, parsley, thyme, more freshly cracked pepper, and 4 cups of chicken broth for more flavor and 4 cups of water. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for one hour. Make sure the pot continues to simmer for the whole hour. If the heat is turned down too low and it is not bubbling away, the chicken will not shred easily.
  • After an hour of simmering, remove the chicken from the pot. Using two forks, pull the meat from the bone and shred it slightly. Season the broth with salt. Add as much to your liking. The flavor of the broth will really pop once the salt is added.
  • Add the noodles to the pot, turn the heat up to high, and boil the noodles until tender (about 7 minutes). Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Taste and season again with salt if needed. Serve hot!

Insert final product picture.

Hope you all enjoy this as much as my family did and does. Also, hope you all start feeling better too!




Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta


This pasta dish has easily become a favorite in our house! And it is pretty much all cooked in one pan! Besides making sure the chicken cooks all the way through- this is a super quick and easy meal.


Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts
Olive Oil
Minced Garlic
Salt and Pepper
16oz Heavy Cream or 24oz if you like a creamier sauce
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Italian Seasoning
Parsley
1/2 bag of Baby Spinach (or use the whole bag)
1lb box pasta ( we used Rigatoni)



Directions:

Season your chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil over medium high heat and cook your chicken all the way through- browning each side. Once cooked, set aside.
In same pan, heat your minced garlic and olive oil. Slowly pour in your heavy cream, stirring continuously. Then add in the parmesan cheese. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon of parsley. Stir. Then add in the spinach and mix. Cook about 5-7 mins. Add your chicken back into the pan. Cook another 10 mins, covered. Slice chicken. Add cooked noodles and mix. Simmer another 5 mins and then serve.


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