Body Archives - Healthy Smart Living

Facial Exercises to Lose Face Fat and Get Defined Cheekbones

February 21, 2024

If you've spent any time on Instagram, TikTok or Reddit, you've likely seen that facial exercises are more popular than ever as a way to sculpt your features and lose excess fat. While these measures alone won't transform your appearance, facial muscle exercises have some great benefits. This is why I think it's worthwhile to learn some of the more popular ones and incorporate them into your daily beauty regimen. So, let's talk about how to do face muscle workouts! How to Get the Most Out of Your Facial Muscle Exercises The best way to capitalize on facial exercises is to use them as one part of a healthier overall lifestyle. This includes incorporating small changes like adding more movement to your day, lowering your intake of salt and...

skincare wrinkles

Retinol 101: A Beginner’s Journey to Flawless Skin

Nicole Hopkins

November 22, 2023

Body, Top Picks

Adding actives to your skin care routine is an excellent way to keep your skin looking young, fresh and radiant. However, before you incorporate a retinol serum into your daily routine, it’s important to understand how to use it properly. Otherwise, you can actually do more harm than good! I love having powerhouse products like retinol and vitamin C in my skincare regimen, so I’ve made this guide to retinol for beginners so you can get all of the great benefits, too. Retinol 101: A Quick and Easy Cheat Sheet Retinol, aka vitamin A, comes in a few different forms. Pure retinol is only available as a prescription (called tretinoin) because it’s extremely potent. But! Over-the-counter retinol creams and serums have a different class of less intense yet still...

retinol

Effective Exercises for Crohn’s Disease: Improve Your Well-Being

Julia Zakrzewski

August 16, 2023

Body, Top Picks

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that results in inflammation along the intestinal tract. It is a chronic condition, and painful Crohn’s flare-ups can interrupt your daily routine. Fortunately, you can manage this condition and decrease the chances of a flare-up through lifestyle changes, diet, and medications. Keep reading to learn about Chron’s disease exercises that can help. Crohn’s Disease Signs [caption id="attachment_6544" align="alignnone" width="708"] Image credit: Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash[/caption] Signs of an inflamed bowel include changes in bowel habits and can include fever. Other symptoms include: Diarrhea. Abdominal pain. Fatigue. Blood in stool. Reduced appetite. These symptoms can appear rapidly, or they can present gradually over time. The onset will be highly individualized, and you’ll need to check in with your body cues to learn how Crohn’s...

crohn's disease

Ozempic For Weight Loss: Dosage, Dangers, And Side Effects!

Julia Zakrzewski

May 10, 2023

Body, Top Picks

[caption id="attachment_6459" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Images from Ozempic.com.[/caption] Ozempic is a prescription medication used for blood sugar control. Recently the medication has been prescribed for weight loss, which is considered “off-label” or using medication for something it was not designed for. Keep reading to learn if ozempic is effective for weight loss and what the potential side effects are. What is Ozempic? Ozempic is an injectable medication that helps your body clear blood sugars out of the bloodstream. It is primarily used for diabetes management to promote healthy blood sugar levels. The mechanisms of action for this medication include: helping your pancreas to release more insulin when blood sugar levels are high, slowing down how quickly food is digested, and preventing your liver from making too much sugar to release...

ozempic

Everything You Need to Know About Adding Hydrocolloid Bandages to Your Wellness Arsenal

Nicole Hopkins

April 26, 2023

Body

Hydrocolloid bandages are a particular type of dressing used to help with wound healing and are also popular as a beauty treatment. Hydrocolloid dressings have recently become popular in the beauty sphere, but they've been around for a long time. Hydrocolloid wound dressings are a special type of covering that can help shallow, open wounds like scrapes, cold sores or oozing pimples heal faster and better than other treatments. These bandages have many uses and are an excellent staple for your first aid and beauty kits. Here's a rundown of all the ways they can help. Hydrocolloid Bandages 101 It's common to wonder if hydrocolloid bandages for acne are similar to hydrocolloid bandages for wounds. The short answer is yes. They're generally the same. Usually, the main difference is that...

hydrocolloid bandages

Skincare Ingredients You Need By Age

Nicole Hopkins

August 17, 2022

Body, Wellness

No matter how old you are, it's never too late to take better care of your skin. After all, it’s better to start somewhere than to never start at all! Whether you're 21 and looking for new self-care strategies or 57 and hoping to reverse sun damage from tanning, you're in the right place! Below, I've laid out a "skincare roadmap" highlighting one vital thing to add to your routine for every decade. You’ll be amazed by how one ingredient can change the course of your skin. Of course, you can start anywhere, but feel free to skip around to see how your current beauty routine stacks up against my recommendations! Skincare Ingredients By the Decade 20s - Sunscreen 30s – Vitamin C 40s – Retinol 50s...

skincare

Summer Sun Protection Guide

Nicole Hopkins

June 22, 2022

Body

Anybody who knows me knows how serious I am about sun protection. While I'm a stickler for sunscreen year-round (yes, even when it's cloudy!), I'm especially vocal about sun protection during the long, sunny summer months. 5 Sun Protection Tips for Summer Even if you aren't religiously reapplying sunscreen every two hours as recommended, there are still some things you can do to help save your skin from burning and premature aging. Use this guide to help you protect your skin and body, especially during this hot summer season. 1. Wear a hat (the bigger the better!). I have a collection of hats that ranges from regular baseball caps to a sun hat with a brim so wide it's practically a one-person tent. I'm proud of that one, despite...

beauty

New Season, New Skincare: Tweak Your Routine for the Warmer Weather

Nicole Hopkins

April 16, 2021

Body, Top Picks

When the weather has more mood swings than I do in a week, I know it's time for me to start changing up my beauty routine. I say goodbye to all of my heavy hand creams, thick moisturizers, and rich facial oils and start slowly rotating in my summer staples. It can be hard to figure out the right balance when it's time to transition your beauty routine, so I'm going to share a few of my favorite tips with you today. Switch from rich moisture to light hydration. As it becomes warmer (and usually more humid), even dry skin reaches a point where rich moisturizers are too much. If you notice that you're getting a little too shiny during the day, or your makeup starts breaking...

skincare

5 Tips For Looking Great On Zoom

Joyce Huang

October 6, 2020

Body

If you feel like your life is being overrun with video meetings, you’re not the only one! From office meetings to drinks with friends and first dates to family reunions, there are so many events we literally have to be camera-ready for. Check out these tips that we’ve collected during these months of quarantine so that you’re looking fabulous for any and all screen time. Fight The Shine We love a good glow, but sometimes computer lighting can make us look like an oily mess even when we aren’t. Give your face a generous dusting of powder not only keeps shine at bay, but minimizes pores as well. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Invisimatte Blotting Powder, $32 Becca Cosmetics Soft Light Blurring Powder, $38 Take Care of Your Skin To cut back...

beauty tips

CV-19 Face Mask Skincare

Joyce Huang

August 19, 2020

Body

Your skin might be going a bit wonky having to wear a face mask to protect against CV-19. It could be that your face is breaking out from all the oil and heat being trapped under the mask. The pimples become an even bigger problem if they are deep and painful. Some may be experiencing the opposite and will find that their skin is getting dry and chapped. Another downside to face masks could just be plain old redness and irritation. Depending on what you’re experiencing, you might want to change up your skincare products to try and tame your skin to what it used to be. It will make you feel much more comfortable in your own skin, literally. Scroll through these products to see...

skincare