My Top 10 Picks for you from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in Shoes and Boots:
Multiple Colors Available...so just because I'm a "neutrals" girl....if you want to pop of color you can find these in other colors!
My Top 10 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks - Accessories + Handbags
My Top 10 Picks for you from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in Accessories and Handbags:
Multiple Colors Available on most items!
Here's the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Calendar for your convenience:
Watermelon, Blueberry and Feta Salad
Looking for the perfect July 4th salad? Look no further than this Watermelon, Blueberry and Feta Salad...
Wtih the perfect mix of cool, sweet watermelon and salty feta....a super fresh, colorful salad that will be an easy colorful hit for your 4th of July BBQ!
I can't take credit for this one, it's not my recipe!! I saw this salad idea on the Today Show and can't wait to try it this holiday...I'll link to the recipe so you guys can plan your dish and make this in time for your family celebrations...
Get the recipe easy HERE! Enjoy and have a happy, safe 4th of July!
Facial Massage
At 46 years old, I'm all about aging gracefully. I've never had any "work done"...not even botox which is quite common today.
With that said...aging, wrinkles and sagging skin is the pits. I'm always looking for ways to look and feel beautiful in a natural and safe way and sharing things I've found that I love.
Lately I've learned more about Facial Massage and I'm a fan...
The face is full of nerves and pressure points and is a great way to pamper yourself...while benefiting your skin. Facial massage is not a new thing. It's been used in Chinese medicine for a very long time...
Here's some benefits of Facial Massage:
We know how important excercise is for our body. Think of it like exercise for your face.
- It increases circulation by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the face which is like a "natural face lift".
- It helps your face products absorb better and deeper into skin so they can work even better.
- Relieves tension in the face...tension that can lead to more wrinkles.
- You'll look younger because the massage stimulates blood flow, which increases collagen and over time will help you have more youthful, glowing, firmer skin.
- Reduces puffiness by helping to move and redistrubute fluid and subcutaneous fat that can settle.
- Reduce stress and anxiety by relieving that facial tension.
- Helps congestion, allergies, even headaches, by releasing sinus pressure that can build up.
- Detoxes the body by stimulating the lymphatic system to release toxins (get those areas along the jawline especially).
- It FEELS GOOD. A great way to do something for YOU daily that's healthy!
When I first started facial massage I was surprised how much that the area around my eyebrows was painful when I massaged there...like it was sore. This really made me realize just how much tension I was holding there. Over time, that pain has gone away because I'm releasing that tension on a regular basis. I love that.
Facial massage can be done during a facial by a professional but there are ways you can easily bring the benefits of into your home by easily doing it yourself.
You can use your fingers to perform a facial massage on yourself, but I've found a couple of tools that I use and love...
Tools I use for at-home Facial Massage:
- Clarisonic Smart Profile Uplift 2-in-1 Cleansing and Micro-Firming Massage Device - This Massage Head smooths the look of fine lines and wrinkles, boosts the absorption of your daily skincare products, and with 27,000 micro-firming massages per use, delivers a pleasurable ‘spa-like experience. I love this...I even give my husband facial massage treatments and he LOVES IT. Don't tell him I told you that;)
- Jade Roller - the above device is my favorite but this is a less expensive option that I work into my facial massage routine too. The guys from Queer Eye For the Straight Guy recently talked about this...so you know it works because those guys know the best beauty tricks! Jade is naturally cooling. Just make sure you get one made with real Jade like this one I've linked. Oh and don't drop it because it will break.
- Ice Roller - I don't use this as much as the other two tools above, but when I'm feeling extra "puffy" and I need it...I'm glad I have it. I keep it in the freezer all the time and once in a while I roll my face and neck in upward strokes with this super cold roller that totally stimulates my skin and wakes it up! When I do use it, I use this one first with no product, then apply Face Oil or Serum, and follow with one of the above. Extra tip....this ice roller can be used on your body too, for example when I've had shin splints from running, I'll ice my shins and it works great! Also great for headaches. Here's what it looks like....
Products I use for at-home Facial Massage:
You don't want to use facial massage just with dry skin. First of all you don't want to tug on skin...you want the massager to glide on skin easily. Second massage allows products to absorb deeper into skin and work better, so I choose safe, high performing products that are like "nutrition" for my skin...
- Beautycounter Face Oils - Don't be afraid of face oils....especially these face oils. I think of them as "liquid gold". They're on BC's "Best of Beautycounter" customer-voted list and won Allure's "Best of Beauty" Award in 2017. Since discovering these face oils I will never be without them. They aren't synthetic like many face oils on the market, so they don't sit on top of skin, make you break out, or make you feel greasy...they absorb and moisturize beautifully. This is my go-to product whenever using my Clarisonic Massage Head.
- Countermatch Intense Moisture Serum - This is a super concentrated serum that bio-mimics your skin to give it exactly what it needs and nothing it doesn't. This one absorbs a little bit quicker than the Face Oil, so I use this with my Jade Roller, but doesn't work as well with the Clarisonic.
How to:
Apply product to face and then use your tool of choice in upward, outward strokes all over your face. When using the jade roller, I use it until it no longer feels cool on my face which is a couple of minutes. When I use the Clarisonic, I use it a bit longer...about 3-5 minutes. I try to use facial massage daily, but at least 3 times a week. Many times I do it right upon waking before I even go to the kitchen or have coffee. It makes my skin feel awake, alive, and hydrated. Starting the day like this is a great pick-me-up!
If you want to see me demonstrating both tools and products on video, head over to my Instagram @happywifestyle Story Highlights under "Beauty" and you can see them in action!
Enjoy, let me know your thoughts and if you give Facial Massage a try. If you need any help with which number Face Oil is right for your skin, #1 Brightening + Vitamin C, #2 Plumping/Hydrating + Jasmine, or #3 Balancing w/ Ylang Ylang, I'm happy to help!
Nutrition for your Skin
Today I want to talk to you about nutrition for your skin, whether all "natural" products are safe, and what you NEED to know about oil-based vs. water-based products.... I also have a special GIFT with purchase offer for you, so read to the bottom! Enjoy!
A couple of years ago, I started learning that what I put ON MY BODY (products) was just as important as what I put IN MY BODY (nutrition).
I'm so excited to have found the Countermatch Line, it's what I consider NUTRITION FOR MY SKIN.
As I've swapped out my skincare and makeup to safer options over the past two years, I've learned a lot about what to look for and what matters most when choosing safer products...
At first, I thought NATURAL automatically meant SAFER.
When I first started the search for safer options, I thought if I chose a product that was "natural" or from a totally natural source, it meant it was SAFE. Well, it might be, but not necessarily. Here's why...
The word "NATURAL" doesn't always mean SAFE. This is because natural products aren't standardized and therefore can be a bit of a wildcard.
The biggest complaint about natural products is that they don't perform as well.
Natural products can really vary with their amounts of effective ingredients. That's why the performance isn't usually the same as traditional products. I know when I first started trying natural products, the performance just wasn't there.
Natural products aren't always screened for harmful ingredients, preservatives, or contaminants. These unwanted ingredients can sneak in through the supply chain even if the company has good intentions and no one knows if the product isn't screened for them on a regular basis. The truth is, most of these products are never being screened. If they are being screened, they may be screened ONCE, from one batch, and never again.
That's not good enough for Beautycounter. We are a completely transparent company and consider 1% to be too much when it comes to ingredients like Parabens.
When people ask me if Beautycounter is a completely "natural" brand, the answer is no. Beautycounter is so different because they put SAFETY over SOURCE which allows them to shine in being SAFER AND EFFECTIVE. Let me explain...
Beautycounter uses a small amounts of synthetic preservatives, but ones that are well vetted and won't harm our health. This creates a longer shelf-life and decreases contamination.
The truth is, unlike oil-based products, water-based products have to have a preservative in them for it to be safe for your health. If not, they can become contaminated with bacteria.
This is where Beautycounter really shines. They are able to make SAFER products with HIGH PERFORMANCE because they actually carefully regulate the amounts of the effective ingredients so they actually work like they should! They have mastered the delicate balance of the precise amount of an effective ingredient with the correct amount of a SAFER preservative.
They rigorously screen every product...every single batch...THREE TIMES. That makes me feel confident because there's finally a company looking out for our HEALTH!
I learned some interesting facts about a very popular yellow lotion that I used to use in my teens and twenties...maybe you used it too.
About 25% of its ingredients were actually beneficial to our skin. The other 75% of its ingredients were harmful preservatives, silicones and synthetic polymers that make the lotion slip and slide on skin to make it seem hydrating. The majority of the ingredients aren't even usable or beneficial to skin! What??
Our skin is our largest organ. It's needs healthy nutrients too.
This is why I'm LOVING the innovative Countermatch Line by Beautycounter.
100% of its ingredients are usable and beneficial to our skin. 100%.
This is why I consider it NUTRITION FOR MY SKIN. The longer you use it, the better it gets. Plus it bio-mimics skin and delivers exactly what it needs and nothing it doesn't for 24 hours.
Just like we have to FEED our bodies with healthy ingredients, we need to FEED our skin healthy, safer ingredients too.
I hope this helps you understand what matters most when choosing safer products for you and your family.
GIFT WITH PURCHASE (expires April 30, 2018)
When you purchase any Beautycounter products through my link I will give you a FREE full size gift!
One of my favorite new products from Beautycounter is the Cleansing Wipes and I'll give you a free pack of these when you spend $100 or more!
These are the best wipes I've ever tried...the material of the wipe is SO soft, it cleanses and removes make up with no rinsing, and leaves my skin feeling amazing. These are PERFECT for travel or after a workout. These are the FIRST biodegradable wipe on the market! I want you to experience these too so take advantage of this awesome freebie from me! (Must purchase $100+ in product before tax + shipping to qualify and this freebie will ship separately from me.)
I also have a promotion going on this month for anyone interested in becoming a business partner of mine. If you'd like to start your own Beautycounter business sharing our mission of getting safer products into the hands of everyone...learn more here. I'm offering 250 beautiful 2-sided business cards from me to start your business off strong! Contact me at shannon@happywifestyle.com for more details.
Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri sauce is a fresh, green condiment from Argentina that is great on everything from steak, eggs, veggies...even french fries.
The first few times I made this awesome sauce, I tried recipes that were prepared in a food processor. What this did was emulsify the oil and made a more creamy sauce. While this tasted great, I was after the more traditional, chunky sauce that showcased all the fresh ingredients...a more olive oil looking sauce.
After a few attempts that tasted too vinegar-y, this was the winner. My family LOVED it. It's really simple and I hope you love it too.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 whole shallot, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher or large flake salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Get the first 4 ingredients ready first and combine the red wine vinegar, garlic, shallot, and salt and allow this to sit and marinate while you get your other ingredients ready, about 10 minutes.
Add the parsley and cilantro to the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and then whisk in the olive oil last with fork. Salt to taste and add the red pepper flakes if you want a little kick. If you happen to have a large mortar and pestle, crush and grind all the ingredients a bit to really combine...if not, no biggie, just mix well.
I store this in a mason jar in the fridge and spoon it onto anything and everything! Just shake it up before using as it will separate. I usually try to use it up within a week. It makes about a cup and a half of sauce.
Enjoy and let me know if your family loves this fresh sauce as much as mine does!
Note: People either like cilantro or they don't. If you don't you can use all parsley and visa versa...all cilantro. If you like both, try it the way I've written it as it's the perfect mix in my opinion. And yes....fresh herbs are a must with this one.
How do I use Chimichurri?
The day I make it I usually put it on tri-tip...because that is usually what inspires me to make it!
The next day I'll usually make a big romaine salad and dress it with ranch or caesar dressing. I then chop up some leftover tri-tip and put it on top and drizzle Chimichurri on top of the steak. This makes an easy and DELICIOUS salad. My husband loves it too!
The third day we had a burger + fry night and I made these Chimichurri + Gorgonzona Sweet Potato Fries which were to die for... and that finished off the Chimichurri Sauce in 3 days for 2 or 3 people.
This sauce is excellent on everything though! Tell me how you use it in the comments. Great on eggs, veggies, shrimp, steak, fries and more!
